Mystic Eyes: My Eyes Steal the Laws of Cultivation Chapter 603: A Hug (4)

Gao Ziyue tried to smile, a smile that was more courageous than happy.

"But it’s not forever."

Kyrian looked at her, his eyes capturing the light of the lanterns.

"No?"

"The Caravan’s next destination, after the Eastern Region, will be the Central Region. The route is long, and it will take us years to get there, crossing lands that few cultivators know. But eventually, we will arrive."

She paused briefly, her eyes softening.

"It will take a few years. Maybe five, maybe ten, depending on the stops we make and the events we encounter. But it won’t be forever."

Her smile became a little sad, but there was hope in her eyes.

"We can meet again."

"Alright." He gave a small nod, a gesture that was almost like a seal on a promise.

"Then find me in the Central Region."

Gao Ziyue blinked, surprised by the firmness of his words.

"I’ll wait for you."

The words were simple but extremely sincere, filled with a conviction that left no room for doubt.

Her smile grew, illuminating her entire face. It was different from all the previous ones, brighter, happier, and more hopeful.

"When you’re in the Central Region, make your name spread."

Kyrian raised an eyebrow, curious.

"My name?"

"The Central Region is enormous, larger than the other four regions combined. There are countless cities, countless sects, countless places where someone could disappear. If you simply get lost somewhere, it will be impossible to find you."

"True."

"But if you become famous..." She smiled, her eyes shining.

"If your name becomes known, if people talk about you, then it will be much easier. I will hear stories, and rumors, and I will know where you are."

Kyrian thought for a few seconds, considering the logic. It was a plan that made sense.

"I think I can do that."

"Great." Gao Ziyue took a step toward him, then stopped, as if hesitating. Then she took another, decreasing the distance between them.

Kyrian remained still, his eyes fixed on her.

She was close now, very close. The distance between them was only a few centimeters, and he could feel the warmth of her body, the soft scent of flowers emanating from her hair.

For a moment, Gao Ziyue simply observed him, her eyes tracing every detail of his face as if she wanted to memorize it completely. The black hair, the violet eyes that seemed to contain distant storms, the calm expression, that small smile that rarely appeared, but when it did, illuminated everything around him.

She knew that she probably would not see him again for quite some time, and that certainty tightened her heart in a way she had not expected.

Then she made a decision.

Gao Ziyue stepped forward, her arms wrapping around his waist in a hug.

Kyrian froze, his body becoming rigid for a moment. He felt the warmth of her body against his, her head resting against his chest, her arms wrapping around him with a strength that was both firm and gentle.

For a moment, he did not know what to do. He had never been good with this kind of thing, had never learned how to deal with physical intimacy, with contact that went beyond necessity. But he did not want to push her away, did not want that moment to end.

So he simply remained there, his arms hesitating for a moment before slowly rising, embracing her in an equally gentle hug. Accepting the closeness, feeling the tranquility emanating from her.

The soft scent of flowers. The warmth of her body. Her calm breathing. The trust that gesture represented.

And, for the first time, he wished that a moment would not end.

Gao Ziyue also remained like that for a few seconds, feeling his heartbeat against her ear, the safety of his arms around her. It was a moment of pure connection, one that transcended words.

Then, she realized what she was doing, and her face turned red, a blush spreading quickly. She quickly pulled away, taking several steps backward, her heart beating much faster.

But there was still a smile on her face, a smile brighter than all the lanterns of the Caravan.

"Goodbye, Kyrian." She took a deep breath, her eyes meeting his one last time.

"See you in the Central Region."

Kyrian opened his mouth, a word forming on his lips.

"Gao-"

But she had already turned around.

A wave of spiritual energy enveloped her body, and illusions began to appear around her. One figure appeared, then another, and another, until dozens of images of Gao Ziyue spread across the street, each identical to the original.

Then they all disappeared, dissipating like mist in the wind.

She had left.

Kyrian stood there, motionless, the night wind passing through his hair. He looked at the place where she had disappeared, at the empty space where she had been moments before.

"She didn’t even let me say goodbye..."

A small smile appeared on his lips, a smile that remained there for a long time.

That night had been strange, improbable, and completely different from anything he had planned when he woke up that morning. But it had been good, very good. Perhaps one of the best nights of his life, a night he would keep in his memory for a long time.

Kyrian began walking again, his pace calm as he headed toward the courtyard he had rented. The path was silent, the streets empty, with only the floating lanterns illuminating the ground before him.

His mind, however, was full. He thought about Djiva, the little creature that had been born before his eyes. About the Lunavinc Tavern, with its welcoming fireplace and its aroma of home-cooked food.

About the Celestial Lirium wine, which had lowered his defenses and allowed the night to flow. About the deep conversations they had shared, the confessions they had made, and the moments of silence that had been just as precious as the words.

And, inevitably, about Gao Ziyue. Her smile, her eyes, her voice, her presence that seemed to fill any space she occupied.

A smile was still present on his face as he walked, a smile he could not contain.

For someone whose main goal was to become stronger, whose life had been devoted to cultivation and surpassing his limits, that happiness was strangely comparable to the feeling of breaking through a great cultivation realm. And that said a lot about what the night had meant to him.

Kyrian raised his eyes toward the artificial sky of the Caravan, toward the stars shining above him.

"Central Region..." He murmured, his voice filled with a promise.

"We’ll meet there."

Then he continued walking, his steps firm as he headed home.

The night advanced, and although the paths of the two had just separated, both carried the same silent promise in their hearts. A few years, it would not be forever. And when they finally met again, they would have many stories to tell, many experiences to share.

The distance separating them was great, but the connection they had created that night was stronger than any distance.