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...Spirit Star, amidst an endless sea of forest flowers.
Xuan Ming did not immediately take the Three-Eyed Golden Lion back to the God Realm.
Just kidding—he had only just "extinguished" the fire of those ladies in the God Realm. If he were to bring back a newcomer who was as beautiful as a flower and possessed a face that was a "Body Integration" of the three of them, wouldn't that be like splashing water into a pan of hot oil?
Wouldn't Bibi Dong and the others blow their tops?
For the sake of his own kidneys and family harmony, Xuan Ming decisively chose a "circuitous tactic."
He utilized the time difference between the God Realm and the Mortal Realm, taking the Three-Eyed Golden Lion on a one-year "honeymoon trip" on Spirit Star.
One year on Spirit Star was only a single day in the God Realm. By the time he returned, everyone likely wouldn't have even reacted yet.
During this year, Xuan Ming took her to every corner of Spirit Star.
They watched the sunrise at the Tree of Life, listened to the Spirit Race's moonlight song festival, and chased glowing giant whales in the deep sea.
For the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, this was the happiest time of her Life.
Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, although she was an Auspicious Beast with a revered status, she had been protected too well and had almost no freedom. Later, she spent her time in slumber and waiting.
Only during this year was she truly alive, truly free, and completely belonging to Xuan Ming... Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the one-year term was approaching.
On Spirit Star, by a lakeside as beautiful as a mirror.
As the sun set, its golden afterglow spilled across the lake, making the water shimmer. Xuan Ming sat under a weeping willow, and the Three-Eyed Golden Lion—or rather, the stunning young girl who now possessed the combined beauty of Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, and Gu Yuena—was lazily resting her head on his lap, playing with a willow branch.
"Xuan Ming."
The girl suddenly spoke, her voice soft and sweet, with a hint of acting like a spoiled child.
"Hmm?" Xuan Ming reached out to comb her dazzling long golden hair, responding absentmindedly.
"I want a name."
The girl raised her head, her deep purple eyes staring fixedly at him. "I don't want to be called Three-Eyed Golden Lion anymore. That's a race name, not a proper name. Besides... it's too long and doesn't sound good at all."
"Before, when I was a Spirit Beast, it didn't matter what I was called. But now I've transformed, and I'm still your... you know."
A blush crept onto her face, but she still said with full confidence, "I can't exactly introduce myself to Sister Xiao Wu and the others in the God Realm by saying, 'Hello, I'm the Three-Eyed Golden Lion,' can I? That would be so silly."
Xuan Ming was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
"True, having a name would be more convenient."
"Then what kind of name do you want?" Xuan Ming asked. "Have you thought of anything yourself?"
"I have."
The girl blinked. "But nothing I thought of sounded good. Besides... in this World, you are my only relative. My name must be given by you, of course."
"As long as it's a name you give me, I'll like whatever it is."
Hearing this, Xuan Ming felt a bit of a headache coming on.
He was good at fighting, good at scheming, and even good at scientific research. But in the art of "naming," his talent points were practically negative.
Back in the day, the names he gave his own Moves were all simple and crude.
"This..."
Xuan Ming rubbed his chin, and looking at the expectant gaze in the girl's eyes, his brain began to work at high speed.
She was an Auspicious Beast, representing auspiciousness and good luck.
Her original form was golden, with attributes of fire and light.
And her appearance after transforming was so... Xuan Ming pondered for a moment and asked tentatively:
"You are an Auspicious Beast, and as the old saying goes, 'A timely snow heralds a bountiful year.' It represents auspiciousness and good luck."
"Moreover, your hair is golden and your temperament is so cold and elegant... How about we call you 'Rui Xue'?"
"Rui Xue?"
The girl chewed on the two words in her mouth, and her originally expectant gaze instantly collapsed, her small mouth pouting so much one could hang an oil bottle on it.
"No good."
She refused decisively. "Not good at all."
"Why?" Xuan Ming was puzzled. "The meaning is quite good, and it sounds catchy."
"The meaning is fine, but..."
The girl sat up from Xuan Ming's lap and began to count on her fingers. "There's already a Sister Qian Renxue in the family, and everyone calls her 'Xue'er.' In the Extreme North Land, there's also a Snow Empress, and you usually call her 'Snow Empress' or'Snow Girl' too."
"There are already too many people in this family with the word'Snow' in their names!"
"If I'm called 'Rui Xue,' then when you shout 'Xue'er' in the future, are you calling Qian Renxue, or are you calling me? Or are you calling the Snow Empress as well?"
"I don't want to be a substitute, nor do I want to be just 'one of them.'"
The girl crossed her arms and turned her head away, looking proud and aloof. "I want something unique. The kind of name that... as soon as someone hears it, they know it belongs to me."
Xuan Ming couldn't help but laugh.
This girl hadn't even entered the house yet, and she was already considering the issues of "vying for favor" and "recognizability." She truly was a stitched-together amalgam who had gathered the traits of the three "Queens"; she certainly had a lot of little schemes.
"Fine, fine, no'Snow.'"
Xuan Ming shook his head helplessly and pulled her back into his arms. "Then let me think... no'Snow,' unique, and pleasant to the ear..."
Rui Jin? Too tacky, sounds like a hardware salesman.
Rui Lin? That's a Qilin; that would be mixing species.
San'er? Sounds like Little San; she'd be beaten to death.
Xuan Ming looked at the golden maple leaves covering the mountains and fields, looked at the autumn scenery that seemed to burn under the sunset, and then looked down at the girl's equally golden hair and the light flowing in her eyes.
Gold, autumn, harvest, waiting... a name suddenly jumped out in a stroke of inspiration.
"I have it."
The corners of Xuan Ming's mouth curled up slightly as he recombed her long hair. "Since you don't like the Rui Xue of winter, then be the spirit of this golden autumn."
"Your hair is golden, just like the color of late autumn—brilliant, mature, and full of the joy of harvest."
"Furthermore, the ancients often spoke of 'Longing through autumn waters' to describe the yearning for a lover. You waited for me here for so long; doesn't that perfectly match this Concept?"
Xuan Ming gazed into her eyes and said softly:
"Let's call you... Qiu'er, how about that?"
"Qiu'er?"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion blinked, gently chewing on the two words in her mouth.
It wasn't as blunt as "Rui Xue," yet it carried an indescribable gentleness and Concept.
The golden autumn, the longing through autumn waters.
Those were the years she spent waiting, and also the fruit she was harvesting now.
"Then... do I have a surname?" she asked again.
"A surname..."
Xuan Ming thought for a moment; in this World, names often carried some kind of bond.
"Since it's 'Longing through autumn waters,' it was you who was gazing at me."
"So..."
Xuan Ming tapped the tip of her nose. "Your surname shall be 'Wang.' The 'Wang' from 'to gaze,' which sounds like the surname 'Wang.'"
"Wang Qiu'er."
"Do you like this name?"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion... no, she should be called Wang Qiu'er now.
She looked at Xuan Ming, the smile in her eyes rippling out bit by bit until it turned into the most brilliant grin.
"Wang Qiu'er... Wang Qiu'er..."
"Mm! I love it!"
She happily gave Xuan Ming a forceful kiss on the cheek. "From now on, my name is Wang Qiu'er!"
"I finally have a name too!"
Looking at the girl's jubilant appearance, Xuan Ming's eyes were also full of doting.
Although this name seemed to overlap with something on a certain trajectory of fate, in this time and space, what gave it meaning was no longer the ethereal shadow of Tang Wutong, but the solid bond between them.
"Alright, the name is given, and we've played enough."
Xuan Ming stood up, brushed the fallen leaves off his clothes, and reached out his hand toward Wang Qiu'er.
"Let's go, Qiu'er."
"It's time to go home."
"To that home... which has more people and is more crowded, but is also more interesting."
Without any hesitation, Wang Qiu'er placed her hand into that broad and warm palm.
"Mm! Let's go home!"