Beside a crystal-clear mountain lake, the silver moonlight hit the water like a mirror, reflecting the night sky.
A breathtakingly beautiful female sat quietly on the soft, dew-kissed grass. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders as her gaze drifted toward the distant horizon. The night wind was cool, rustling her silk dress gently.
A tall, handsome man walked over softly, his movements smooth and silent. He sat down right beside her, extending his long arms to pull her back into his broad, warm chest.
The female didn’t pull away. She simply leaned her back against his chest, her eyes remaining quiet and thoughtful.
The man picked up her small, slender hand, gently stroking her knuckles with his thumb.
After a long moment of tranquil silence, he leaned down slightly, his deep voice floating softly into her ear.
"What are you thinking about so deeply, my dear?"
The female quieted for a few seconds before she whispered in a low, soft voice, "I heard... Xuan Long has taken a mate. And he has brought his female and two cubs back here."
The man’s body instantly stiffened.
His hand stroking her palm paused for a fraction of a second before he let out a low, deep hum from his throat. "Mm."
The female turned her head back to look at him. Her gemstone-blue eyes, glittering beneath the moonlight, were brimming with a thin layer of sorrowful tears.
She looked at him with an aching heart, whispering his name softly.
"If... if it is possible," she murmured, her voice trembling slightly, "I want to see them."
The man’s hand completely stopped moving.
A heavy silence fell between them as he stared into her teary blue eyes. He looked down, his voice laced with deep restraint and quiet pain.
"My dear... I am afraid that will not be possible."
The female froze. Her eyes dimmed, and her entire expression turned gloomy and cold.
The man tightened his hold on her waist, whispering in a low, gentle tone, "They are currently residing inside the Heavenly God Estate. It is not a place where anyone can simply walk in, nor can we sneak inside without being noticed."
The female blinked, a sad smile playing on her lips as she whispered, "At least... at least it is better than the Teng Clan Estate. We still have a chance if they are at the Heavenly God Estate."
"If you go there, it will cause a massive ruckus," the man reasoned quietly, his voice filled with steady authority. "The domain is already unstable. A single wrong move will bring chaos."
Hearing his calm, reasonable words, the female lowered her gaze, unable to say another word. She turned back around and buried her face deep into his warm chest, hiding her tear-stained face.
The man sighed silently, wrapping his broad arms tightly around her shoulders, pulling her completely into his protective embrace. He gently stroked her long, silken hair, letting the cold night wind blow past them.
"I just wish to see them..." the female whispered against his chest, her voice choked with quiet despair. "I haven’t seen Xuan Long for so long. How many years has it been...?"
As she spoke, two big tears silently escaped her gemstone-blue eyes, rolling down her fair cheeks and soaking into his dark robes.
The female sat on the shore, watching the ripples fade over the spot where he had vanished. A painful pang of guilt twisted her chest as she whispered into the empty air, "I’m sorry..."
She closed her eyes, tears leaking through her lashes. "I can’t... I just can’t..."
Unsteadily, she pushed herself up from the grass and began walking away from the lake. Her steps were frail and uneven, her entire body trembling under the weight of an unbearable sorrow.
After taking only a few steps, her foot caught on a tree root, and she almost stumbled to the ground. Leaning heavily against a thick trunk for support, a single name escaped her lips in a trembling, desperate whisper.
"Yunxiao..."
She clutched her chest, uttering his name over and over again with endless longing and despair. "If you had not left... would I have ever fallen into this situation...?"
Overcome by the excruciating pain in her heart, her legs gave out, and she sank to her knees beside the large tree.
A heart-wrenching, agonizing sob finally broke from her throat, echoing pitifully through the quiet, moonlit forest.
Deep beneath the surface of the freezing lake, the blue-tailed man floated motionless in the dark water.
Her tormented, sobbing cries penetrated the water, reaching his ears with painful clarity.
Yet, he did not swim up to comfort her. He simply stayed suspended in the deep, icy darkness, his dark eyes completely empty, lifeless, and filled with a quiet, hollow despair.

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