Later that same night, Ren Zu quietly left his private quarters. He wore only a loose pair of white spiritual silk pants, his bare, muscular torso faintly glistening with residual sweat, his defined and perfect muscles highlighted by the amber light of the lanterns. Every line of his abdomen, broad chest, and wide shoulders seemed sculpted by the gods.
He had barely taken a few steps down the corridor when a familiar presence appeared at his side, silent as a shadow.
"This princess came looking for you… And you were doing those perverse things with those women! You should have informed this princess in advance!" Jasmine said coldly, her face completely red, her black eyes turning to the side as she tried to maintain her composure.
Ren Zu turned his face toward her and smiled in a lazy, provocative way.
"Oh really? Sorry about that… But you must have enjoyed the show quite a bit, right?" he asked softly, his voice laced with amusement. "I didn't know you liked to watch."
Jasmine stiffened, the blush spreading all the way to her ears. Her eyes widened in shock.
"H-How… what do you mean? Who said this princess wasted time watching that kind of thing…?" she said, her voice coming out louder than intended, clearly shaken.
How had he found out? She had completely concealed her presence!
A part of her wanted to crawl into a hole right then and there. Where would her dignity be if someone found out she had watched that? Without a doubt, she would be labeled a pervert!
Damn Ren Zu…! Whose fault was it that he was… so handsome and still doing that right when she showed up!? And why not with her—?
Her thoughts abruptly froze.
What…?!
Realizing where her mind was going, she quickly pushed those dangerous thoughts away, her face heating up even more.
Ren Zu shrugged, his smile widening.
"Maybe I was mistaken then… I could've sworn I felt your presence, you know?"
Jasmine huffed, turning her face away sharply, arms crossed defensively.
"Hmph! Don't be ridiculous! I wasn't watching anything! It was… it was a coincidence! This princess was just passing through the corridor and—"
Ren Zu didn't insist. He simply extended his hand to her, his gaze softening.
"Come. Let's take a walk. The night air is nice."
Jasmine looked at his bare, perfect torso, the well-defined muscles, the snow-white skin under the light, the perfect lines of his abdomen descending into the V that disappeared into his pants. Her heart beat faster, a treacherous warmth rising in her chest. She swallowed, hesitated for a second… and then nodded shyly, accepting his hand.
Ren Zu smiled and teleported them.
They reappeared at the top of a tall mountain, above the clouds. The place was of ethereal beauty: the clear, endless night sky, the full moon shining like a silver jewel, millions of stars blinking like scattered diamonds. The air was fresh and pure, a gentle wind carrying the scent of distant snow and pine. A small natural stone platform formed a perfect overlook…
Ren Zu sat on the edge, his legs hanging over the void, the wind lightly tousling his black hair.
Jasmine sat beside him, still slightly flushed. She glanced at his body once more and frowned.
"Why are you still shirtless?" she asked, trying to sound irritated, but her voice came out softer than usual.
"It's more comfortable…" he replied simply, shrugging with a lazy smile. Then he looked at the sky and continued, his voice softer, almost melancholic: "Let's drink…?"
"Is that why you called this princess out for a walk? Why didn't you drink with those other women earlier?" Jasmine mocked, her tone slightly sour.
"Because I wanted it to be with you, since moments like this have been unique these past two years precisely because I always shared them with you…" Ren Zu shrugged and answered calmly.
Jasmine clicked her tongue, grumbling without truly being angry. "Your sweet talk is really high-level. Fine, this princess will drink with you one more time…"
Ren Zu noticed she seemed a bit melancholic. Without saying anything at first, he materialized two crystal cups and a bottle of rare spiritual wine, whose liquid shone like liquid stars. He calmly poured both and handed one to Jasmine.
"This might be the last time for a while," he said in a steady tone.
Jasmine held the cup, her fingers trembling slightly. Her black eyes fixed on his perfect face as a strange, painful tightness formed in her chest. She had always known it would end at some point, but she still wasn't ready to accept it. Perhaps it was precisely that resistance that made her want to prolong the moment, to stay there beside him a little longer. It was complicated. She wasn't stupid—she had already realized what her feelings for him truly were… The problem was she had no idea what to do with them.
She took a small sip of the wine, the liquid flowing warmly down her throat. After a long silence, she spoke, her voice softer than usual, almost a resigned whisper:
"You're bringing that up again…"
Ren Zu let out a quiet sigh, almost imperceptible, his gaze still lost in the starry horizon.
"Naturally, I would talk about it more times…" he replied calmly, his voice deep and sincere. "Because I'm very unwilling to let you go, Jasmine. But… I couldn't force you to stay by my side. I would never do that. All I can do is speak about how I feel."
Jasmine pressed her lips into a thin line, her fingers gripping the cup a little tighter. She turned her gaze to the stars, as if searching for an answer that didn't exist.
"It's not like we won't meet again…" she murmured, trying to keep her tone firm, but her voice came out softer, almost vulnerable. "We still have some time before we reach the Realm of the Gods… and then… say goodbye."
Ren Zu nodded silently. He took another slow sip of wine before speaking, his voice carrying a calm nostalgia:
"The past two years by your side were fun. I never thanked you for keeping me company during my lonely, reflective nights. Thank you for everything…"
Jasmine stayed quiet for a long moment. The wind blew stronger, making her red hair dance like liquid flames. She lowered her gaze to the cup, her fingers tracing its crystal rim absentmindedly.
"…This princess admits…" she finally said, her voice soft, almost a whisper filled with bitter emotion. "After my brother died… I thought I would never be able to feel something like this again. I thought happiness was something that no longer belonged to me. But being with you… made me feel happy in a way I never expected to feel again. Even though I spent most of the time huffing and denying it, these two years were fun for this princess as well…"
Ren Zu smiled gently, turning his face to look directly at her. His black eyes, deep and calm like the very starry abyss above them, shone with genuine surprise and something warmer, softer.
"You're being very honest today…" he murmured, his voice low and gentle, almost as if afraid to break the moment.
Jasmine immediately stiffened, turning her face away with wounded pride, her red hair swaying.
"Hmph! Don't misunderstand! This princess just… just said what came to mind! It doesn't mean anything!" she retorted quickly, her tone arrogant and defensive, though her voice came out more unsteady than she would have liked.
They looked at each other in silence for a few seconds.
The gentle wind above the clouds blew between them, carrying the distant scent of snow and the cold glow of the full moon. Neither of them looked away. There was a sweet, almost tangible tension in the air—something neither of them dared to name yet…
Ren Zu slowly raised his cup, the crystal gleaming under the silver light.
"Then… a toast?" he said, his voice calm and sincere. "To the joy of having met each other. To the two years we spent together… and to everything that is yet to come."
Jasmine hesitated for a brief moment, her black eyes fixed on his cup. Finally, she raised hers as well, lightly clinking the crystal against his with a soft chime.
"…To our… time together," she murmured, almost inaudible, before turning her face away again.
They both drank at the same time. The wine went down warm, sweet, and slightly bitter, warming their chests.
Ren Zu lowered his cup and smiled sideways, his teasing gaze returning.
"You know… now that I'm thinking about the past two years we spent together. You won't be able to live without my cooking, will you? After two years of being spoiled by me, it'll be hard to get used to anything else."
Jasmine, who was taking another sip of wine, almost choked.
"Don't get so full of yourself! Your food was only… so-so! Nothing special!" she shot back coldly, her tone sour, though her cheeks flushed red—she didn't want to admit he was right…
Ren Zu chuckled softly, the deep, relaxed sound echoing in the quiet night.
"For 'so-so' food, I still managed to make the Heavenly Slaughter Star Goddess drool and turn into a little glutton every time I cooked. You even pretended you didn't want it, but ate every last grain."
Jasmine turned completely red, her eyes wide with embarrassment.
"You… you're delusional! That never happened! This princess never drooled over anything of yours!" she exclaimed, her voice sharper, clearly flustered.
Ren Zu simply smiled and extended his hand. A simple yet refined spatial ring appeared in his palm. He offered it to her naturally.
"Here. I cooked a lot of delicious things for you. I was going to give it to you when we said goodbye, but I think now is a better moment. They're all preserved inside this ring—they won't lose their flavor or get cold. There's enough for you to eat every day for quite a while, and there's an extra portion for you to share with my sister-in-law…"
Jasmine blinked, surprised. She took the ring slowly, her fingers brushing his for a moment. Her heart gave a warm, uneasy leap.
"…How did you do this?" she asked, her voice softer, almost shy—not even caring about his words about her little sister being his sister-in-law…
Ren Zu shrugged casually.
"It's just a basic application of the Law of Time I've been understanding, applied to a spatial ring I made myself. Nothing special."
Jasmine remained silent for a moment, observing the ring in her hand. She had already grown so used to his absurd talents that she didn't even bother commenting on the fact that he could manipulate such a mysterious law as time to create something like this. Even so… it was still impressive. A gentle warmth spread through her chest, a feeling she could no longer ignore. She hated the way he spoiled her—and hated even more the fact that she couldn't be honest with herself about what she felt. It was far too complicated to face directly. Even so, even if she couldn't express those feelings, he was always there for her, just as he always had been. Maybe that was exactly why, over the past two years, he had become someone so important in her heart…
"…Hmph. Fine. This princess will accept it. Not because you made it, but because it would be a waste to refuse…" she said proudly, trying to hide the smile that wanted to appear on her lips, carefully storing the ring. Inside, however, her heart was warm, beating faster than it should.
She glanced at him from the side, her voice almost hesitant:
"…This princess just wants to know when you even had the time to do all this?"
Ren Zu simply smiled, his gaze returning to the starry sky.
"It's a secret."
Jasmine huffed softly but didn't insist. She moved a little closer to him at the mountain's edge, their shoulders almost touching. The cold wind blew, but the warmth in her chest was stronger.
For a long time, the two remained there in silence, drinking wine and gazing at the endless sky. Neither of them said it aloud, but both knew: that night, above the clouds, was one of the last they would have like that…
And wanting to be honest with his feelings, Ren Zu smiled softly and turned to face her directly. The silver light of the full moon bathed his perfect features, making his black eyes even deeper, like two abysses holding entire stars.
"Jasmine…" he called softly…
Jasmine blinked, her heart giving a treacherous leap in her chest.
"…What is it?" she asked curiously.
They looked at each other in silence. The gentle wind above the clouds blew between them, lightly tousling her red hair and his black hair. Neither of them looked away…
Ren Zu took a deep breath and asked calmly, "Can I be honest with you… just this once?"
Jasmine felt her heart tighten. Part of her wanted to refuse because she knew where this conversation was going. But her mouth betrayed her thoughts:
"…You can…"
Ren Zu watched her for a few more seconds, as if memorizing every detail of that perfect face. Then he spoke calmly, his voice deep, sincere, and devoid of any trace of playfulness:
"The reason I've been so reluctant to let you go… to bring this up so many times… is because I fell in love with you over these past two years, Jasmine." He paused briefly, keeping his gaze steady on hers. "I wanted to say something more beautiful than a simple 'I love you,' because those words don't even come close to the immensity of what I feel. Even so… they express the essential. I want you by my side. I want you as my woman. It doesn't matter if that involves a Royal Kingdom King. If necessary, I'll turn that entire place to dust to be with you… I know you fear I'll get involved because of this, but that's a decision that belongs only to me. And you know me well enough to know I have the strength to bear the consequences of that choice."
"…" Jasmine became completely still. Her black eyes widened, and the blush spread across her face to her ears. Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might escape her chest. What…? Why…? Why did those words hit her so deeply? Why did she feel… so happy? That's right… Yes… she had also fallen in love with that "idiot." And he was right—that was exactly the most complicated point in her heart. Her father intended to sacrifice her in a ritual to increase his own power. She knew that would be her end… and because of that, she had avoided getting involved with Ren Zu from the beginning. Even though he was strong and incredibly talented… would he really face a Royal Kingdom for her…? More than that… did she want him to do that? No! Of course not! That had nothing to do with him. It was her problem, something she wanted to keep separate from the rest of her life. Especially from him… the person who had brought her so much happiness. She wanted to preserve only happy memories with him, without staining them with her inevitable end at the hands of that despicable man.
But now…
Now he was saying those things with such certainty.
It was as if, from the very beginning, he had known exactly what was in her heart.
Her eyes grew moist. She didn't shed tears, but the wet shine was impossible to hide.
Without saying a word, Jasmine moved forward. She let go of the cup, which rolled across the stone, and cupped his face with both small, trembling hands. Her lips crashed against his in an urgent, almost desperate kiss—a kiss carrying two years of denial, stolen glances, and suppressed feelings.
Ren Zu immediately responded, pulling her closer. The kiss was hot, deep, full of everything that had gone unsaid. Jasmine trembled against him, memories of the past two years flashing through her mind: the nights he cooked just for her, the gentle teasing that always made her blush, the quiet moments by his side where she felt alive again, the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't watching… all of it exploded within her.
She pulled back just enough to breathe, her lips still brushing his, her forehead resting against his.
"…Idiot…" she whispered, her voice choked but without any anger. A single tear slipped down her cheek. "You really… had to say that now…? Do you know how much this princess was holding back these feelings? It's more than obvious that I love you too…"
Ren Zu smiled against her lips, his thumb gently brushing away her tear.
"I knew…" he murmured, his voice hoarse and low, filled with restrained emotion. "That's why I spoke now. I felt that if I let this opportunity pass… maybe I wouldn't get another, and I'd live with regret…"
Without giving time for more words, he kissed her again—this time softer, but still deep. His tongue slid slowly between her lips, meeting hers in a warm, wet touch, moving languidly, savoring every breath that escaped Jasmine's throat. At the same time, he gently laid her down on the smooth, cold stone platform, his large, warm body covering hers with a gentle possessiveness. Jasmine didn't resist for even a second. Her small hands moved up to his broad shoulders, holding on as if afraid it might all be a dream.
She returned the kiss with a hunger that had been suppressed for two full years, her tongue tangling with his—shy at first, then bolder, exploring his mouth with accumulated desire. A soft, muffled moan vibrated against Ren Zu's lips as he settled fully over her, the delicious weight of his muscular body pressing her against the stone, the warmth of his bare skin contrasting with the cold night.
When their lips parted for a moment, Jasmine was breathless, her black eyes dazed, her lips swollen and red.
For long seconds, they simply looked at each other in silence—black eyes meeting black eyes, with no need for anything more. There was desire, love, fear, relief, and an infinity of emotions neither of them could fully express with words.
Then, without a single word, the two disappeared from the mountaintop.
Space rippled softly around them.
They reappeared inside one of the private rooms of the Divine Cult of the Heavenly Demon. The amber light of crystal lanterns bathed the spacious room, casting long, intimate shadows on the walls.
Ren Zu didn't wait. He pulled her to him again, kissing her with more urgency now, his large hands sliding down her back as he guided her toward the enormous bed. Jasmine responded with equal intensity, her trembling fingers exploring his warm, bare chest, feeling every defined muscle beneath her fingertips.
They fell onto the silk sheets together, his large body covering hers once more…
____________________
(A/N: I originally planned for this chapter to be just a farewell.
At first, it was meant to be nothing more than a quiet, bittersweet goodbye… Jasmine leaving the next day without saying anything, keeping everything she felt to herself, as she always does.
But somehow… it didn't turn out that way.
I like to think that Ren Zu saw the future written in my hands and decided to change it.
This moment simply felt right. After everything they've been through over these two years, it didn't make sense for things to end in silence anymore. Some things just can't remain unspoken forever.
And honestly… I don't see how Jasmine wouldn't fall in love with Ren Zu after two years. The guy has charm that defies the heavens, and more importantly, he has changed a lot over that time. He grew, matured, and became a more decent man.
As for what comes next—don't worry.
The next chapter will be a Lemon. (Jasmine deserves it.)
After that, we'll finally begin the God Realm arc. Yeah… I delayed that way too much. I even went back to reread everything, and I have to say… it's kind of a mess—cough I mean… it's sad.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this development.
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