Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1094: Owing an explanation

Wu Long sensed the initial signs of her awakening and immediately sat upright, planting his foot firmly and leaning forward slightly.

Her eyelids fluttered subtly. In the next instant, she vanished in a plume of black smoke, a transformation he mirrored. Both reappeared a short distance away. He lightly clasped her wrist, releasing it at a speed far beyond her perception before softly calling out, "Xinyi."

Her crimson eyes, though carrying a hint of disorientation, blazed with coldness, sharp alertness, and potent killing intent. Crimson light flared around her hands, accompanied by thick, dark smoke, as she prepared to strike at the lingering grip on her wrist.

Freed from the contact, her form dissolved into black smoke once more. However, just before she vanished completely, her eyes widened.

"...W-Wu Long...?" she stammered, a note of disbelief coloring her voice.

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion, yet she didn't halt her evasive maneuvers. She vanished again, materializing across the room near an open window. She positioned herself cautiously, her back not fully exposed, near the wall adjacent to the window and equidistant from the door. Her hands still radiated a palpable danger, her formidable battle skill remaining active.

A tempest of thoughts raged within her eyes. Wu Long remained motionless, uttering no further words, content with the result of capturing her attention, which had anchored her for those crucial few moments.

Concurrently, she realized the complete forfeiture of her cultivation, leaving her feeling utterly bereft. She assessed her immediate surroundings, her gaze scrutinizing the man who bore the appearance of someone she deeply cherished, yet who should undoubtedly be deceased.

Amidst these overwhelming revelations, her survival instincts screamed for an immediate retreat, urging her to depart and contemplate the situation later. Yet, her heart compelled her mind to remain, fixated on the most perplexing aspect: him.

"" she breathed, her voice slightly hoarse. Despite the man’s aura, his voice, and the look in his eyes stirring profound emotions within her, her expression remained unreadable.

Her words, imbued with subtle yet potent fluctuations of Spiritual Qi and Soul Power, were intricately woven into a unique pattern, a communication method few could decipher.

"" he replied with a smile, employing the same clandestine technique. His arrangement of power, however, differed, eliciting intense shock in her eyes and causing her entire body to tremble.

A shiver coursed through her, as if plunged into icy depths. The corners of her eyes grew redder, and glistening tears welled before vanishing as she became a blur, lunging into his embrace.

"Wu Long!!!" A cry overflowing with joy, longing, tenderness, and sorrow erupted from her, accompanied by a soft whimper as his arms encircled her. Her own arms wrapped around him tightly, clinging desperately. All concerns about her location, what had transpired, or the inexplicable loss of her lifelong cultivation vanished, replaced by the sheer euphoria of their reunion.

Her hands clutched the fabric of his robes at his back, a desperate grasp seeking confirmation of this reality. Her head rested against his chest as tears streamed down her face, moistening his front. He held her firmly with one arm, his other hand gently stroking the silky, midnight-blue hair cascading down her back.

"I thought-... I thought y-y-yo-you w-were d-de-e-ad... I-..." she choked out between sobs, unable to continue, her voice dissolving into weeping within his arms as he offered soothing comfort.

Gently lifting her while still embracing her, he floated slightly upward before drifting toward a plush armchair nearby. He settled into the chair, drawing her onto his lap.

She wept for several minutes, her emotions proving difficult to quell. Each time her tears momentarily subsided, a spoken word would trigger fresh sobs. Eventually, however, the shock and grief began to recede, allowing her to gradually compose herself.

It was at this juncture that her thoughts began to coalesce more clearly. "Wh... what happened, Wu Long?" she inquired, her voice still hoarse.

"To explain it in a way you can comprehend, I must first recount a rather lengthy tale..." he responded.

"Pfft!" she let out a soft chuckle, wiping away the last traces of her tears.

"It’s the story of my recent experiences," he replied with a chuckle of his own, understanding her amusement. This response captured her full attention as he began, "I was preparing to face my Heavenly Tribulation when..."

He then proceeded to narrate the events that transpired within the small world known as the Great Wilderness, located in the Boundless Divine World, and the subsequent fateful encounter with Xun Yawen.

As his account of awakening within the Yin Yang Unity Palace unfolded, her eyes widened, a mixture of shock and slight disbelief coloring her gaze. It wasn't disbelief in him, but rather a struggle to grasp the sheer impossibility of his tale. Yet, she remained silent, allowing him to elaborate on his perspective, admitting his own lack of complete understanding.

His narrative continued, and upon reaching the points where he met Ye Ling, and subsequently Hua Ziyan, a knowing smile graced her lips. The mention of Wu Long was familiar to her.

However, that smile faltered and froze as he revealed Ye Ling's true identity.

"Wait... t-that Ye Ling?" she interjected, interrupting his story this time.

"Mm," he responded with a gentle nod, his gaze intently fixed on hers. Her eyes, moments before clear, were now clouded by a tempest of emotions. She rose and moved a few steps away, stopping as he allowed her to.

Without turning, her voice tinged with a slight tremor, she inquired, "A-and then...?"

Letting out a sigh, he stood and replied softly, "Xinyi, you know what happened then."

"Y-You..." She turned back, her eyes alight with a complex swirl of emotions. While joy surged at seeing him alive, her expression was now laced with pain, hurt, and a hint of resentment.

"I have a Dao Family, yes..." he admitted without evasion.

"After all this time..." her voice cracked slightly, "After refusing me for so long..."

"I am sorry, Xinyi... for the hurt I caused you," he confessed in a somber, earnest tone. "I didn't lie to you... no, perhaps I did... I hid behind beautifully eloquent words and a philosophical outlook on life, but the truth is, I was a coward and a weak man."

Her eyes widened in astonishment at his self-accusation, an admission she never imagined hearing. Instinctively, she felt the urge to refute him, to declare he was no coward and anyone suggesting otherwise was mistaken. But she held back, turning away once more.

Meanwhile, he continued, "I only understood this after I became mortal again, and found first Ye Ling, and then..."

He left the sentence unfinished, but she understood from his words that she wasn't the only one. Another emotional storm began to brew within her.

Still, she listened in silence as he spoke, "Losing those I cared about repeatedly truly broke me, despite all my assertions to the contrary. I... couldn't move past it. I merely disguised that pain with a pleasing facade of philosophical insight. But it was fear and insecurity, nothing more. The truth is, genuine relationships terrified me to my core. That's why I never initiated anything with you, or Ruxue, or anyone I genuinely grew to care for. I only sought out women with whom it wouldn't hurt to lose, engaging only in superficial, transient, and ephemeral connections."

As he spoke, Hong Xinyi trembled.

A tempest raged within her. She was still angry at him for keeping her at a distance for what felt like an eternity, and objectively, it had been an immensely long period.

At some point, quite early on, she learned to bear it, precisely because she began to grasp that whoever he slept with was someone he didn't truly care for.

Conversely, the prospect of spending a night with him became daunting, as it would place her among those countless women who merely passed through his life, leaving no lasting impression.

She found greater solace in being one of the select few whom he never touched, yet cared for deeply. All of them did, even the renowned Sword God.

Fleeting moments of teasing banter, hinting at intimacy, were the extent of their interactions, always hovering on the precipice but never crossing the final boundary. Yet, none of them were willing to even contemplate leaving this ambiguous connection with him. None could even consider other men, as none came close to his stature.

But now, everything had shifted. Wu Long now possessed a Dao Family, not mere fleeting companions who came and went, but genuine relationships imbued with depth and meaning.

What did this make her, then?

Nevertheless, she couldn't bring herself to truly resent him. Hurt, yes; insulted, yes; furious, yes, but not hateful.

Her heart ached as she absorbed his explanation, willing to forgive him on that basis alone.

More than anything, she remained deeply in love with him, despite the pain it caused her.

He lowered his head in a truly heartfelt apology, prepared to face any reaction she might have. "I am sorry, Xinyi. I truly am. My cowardice is the reason, but it doesn't excuse what I put you through."

"And?" she asked, her voice hoarse and trembling, still not turning to face him.

"And I am willing to accept your wrath and make amends to seek your forgiveness, but even though it is extremely selfish and shameless of me, I still don’t want to lose you. I...", he spoke with utter sincerity, yet felt as though he was saying all the wrong things, or at the very least, delaying the most crucial part. Thus, he discarded the remainder of the elaborate speech he had concocted on the spot, deciding to perhaps deliver it later. For now, he would present the most vital sentiment first, "I love you, Xin-..."

His lips were sealed the very next moment, her hands instantly entwining around his neck. She moved with such astonishing speed she seemed to become a blur before leaping at him. The kiss was somewhat forceful, a testament to the intense fury and resentment still burning fiercely within her. However, these emotions were no match for the sheer joy of hearing the words she had longed to hear for so long. Her love erupted with the intensity of countless stars undergoing a simultaneous supernova, accompanied by the euphoria of her very first kiss. The realization that the kiss was accepted and reciprocated then consumed her, as she completely lost herself in the overwhelming feeling of the embrace.

After what felt like an eternity, their lips finally parted. Amidst her rapid breaths, Hong Xinyi's voice, tinged with breathlessness, reached his ears, "I still haven't forgiven you."

"I know," he replied simply.

Their lips met once more the following moment.

"I'm still mad at you," she spoke again after their lips separated, her breathing still ragged.

"I know."

Another long and passionate kiss ensued.

"You still owe me an explanation."

"Yes."

One more kiss followed.

"I love you too, I love you so mu-...." she managed to say, resting her forehead against his and struggling for breath, only for her lips to be immediately covered by his. This time, their lips remained joined for so long that she thought she might faint from lack of air.