Douluo Continent: My Martial Soul is the Black Dragon, I am the Lord of the Gods

……

Xuanming gently placed the two pieces of ten-thousand-year-old Xuanbing marrow and the storage soul tool on the ice table in front of them.

"So, don't feel that I've given up a lot or carried any burden. I'm just a very selfish person, doing what I want to do and fulfilling my own promises. Giving these things to you is my own choice, and it has nothing to do with you or any so-called responsibility."

After saying that, he turned and left the igloo, his figure disappearing into the night.

Ice Emperor looked at the two clumps of ten-thousand-year-old mysterious ice marrow radiating an alluring light on the table, then at the silent Snow Emperor, opened her mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

The Snow Emperor reached out, her fingertips gently touching the icy, millennia-old marrow, feeling the immense energy within. Her icy blue eyes held complex and unfathomable emotions.

She had always thought that Xuanming was bound by the greater good of Gu Yuena and the Soul Beast Clan, forced to shoulder a heavy responsibility. But now she realized that he was more clear-headed and more...stubborn than anyone else.

He doesn't care about the world, he only cares about the people he approves of.

This almost obsessive "selfishness" touched Xue Di in a strange way.

She seemed to understand a little.

……

After leaving the igloos of the Snow Emperor and the Ice Emperor, Xuanming did not return to the castle, but instead turned to another corner of the island.

There, the air was thick with life. It was a temporary dwelling that Biji and Ziji had set up, modeled after the environment of the Lake of Life in the Starry Sky Forest, with lush vegetation and babbling streams.

He walked to the edge of the vibrant woodland, and before he could speak, Brigitte's gentle voice came: "Come in, Xuanming."

Xuanming stepped inside and saw Biji sitting on an ancient tree that emitted a soft green light, her body exuding a comfortable life force.

Zi Ji leaned lazily against a tree trunk, her dragon eyes gleaming faintly in the night, carrying a hint of wildness and inquiry.

"What do you need us for?" Zi Ji spoke first, her tone not as sharp as Hyotei's, but still straightforward.

Xuanming looked at them, and compared to his absolute calmness when facing the Snow Empress and the Ice Empress, there was a hint of complexity in his eyes.

As Gu Yuena said, he was a person who lacked love in his heart, and Brigitte's gentle and inclusive aura, like a source of life, made him subconsciously want to get close to her and even become addicted to her.

During the days when Di Tian relentlessly trained him at the Lake of Life, Bi Ji's healing not only repaired his body but also soothed his tense spirit.

"I've come to see you all." Xuanming's voice was a little softer than before. "And let's talk about... what happened between us."

Brigitte looked at him tenderly, remaining silent and waiting for him to continue. Murasaki raised an eyebrow, signaling him to go on.

“As for you,” Xuanming paused, seemingly considering his words, “my feelings are rather complicated.”

His frankness caused a hint of surprise to flash in Brigitte's eyes, and Ziji also sat up slightly.

“I was very happy during my time at the Lake of Life.” Xuanming’s gaze seemed to drift into the distance as he recalled that time when his body was constantly in extreme pain, but his mind was at ease. “Although I was crippled and lying on the ground by Di Tian most of the time, the simple atmosphere… I was really relaxed. I didn’t need to think too much or worry about anything.”

That was one of the few times he could temporarily set aside all his burdens and exist simply as a "cultivator." The silent protection and healing from Biji, and the occasional playful concern from Ziji, became rare warm spots in that gray memory.

“I know Gu Yuena has told you some things.” Xuanming looked at Biji, his eyes clear. “I also admit that, faced with your gentleness, I do… have an urge to get closer.”

Brigitte's cheeks flushed slightly, and she gently lowered her eyes.

“However,” Xuanming’s tone became firm again, “I know very well that I don’t have that opportunity right now.” “There are always trade-offs to be made.” He seemed to be saying to himself, and also explaining to them, “I made a promise to the Ice Dragon King first, and naturally I will do my best to fulfill that promise. This is my choice, and the path I must take.”

He looked at Brigitte and Ziji, his eyes honest but with a hint of apology: "If there is a chance in the future... I might not hide my greed. But now, I can't."

He cannot allow himself to be distracted by any emotions that might divert his attention, especially after he has clarified his direction and goals.

“I know that too,” Xuanming’s voice lowered slightly, “In the grand scheme of your long lives, I, a human friend whom you’ve only known for a few short years, am nothing more than a fleeting passerby, a brief interlude.”

Soul beasts have lifespans of tens of thousands of years, and even if a person becomes a god, their life is still short in the initial stages.

“You have a long time ahead of you, and you will encounter many more in the future…” He tried to say something, but was interrupted by Zi Ji.

"Hey, kid." Zi Ji crossed her arms, a hint of displeasure in her dragon eyes. "Do you think we're the kind of people who are fickle? Or do you think hundreds of thousands of years is too long, and we can't stand the loneliness?"

Xuanming was slightly taken aback.

Biji also raised her head, looking at him gently yet firmly: "Xuanming, the length of life is not the same as the depth of emotions. For us, in hundreds of thousands of years, very few can truly enter our hearts. That time at the Lake of Life may have been a brief moment of relaxation for you, but for us, it was a rare moment that stirred up waves in our long lives."

Her voice was like a spring breeze across a lake, carrying a comforting power: "We understand your choice and respect your commitment. You don't need to feel sorry for it, nor do you need to feel the need to give us any explanation."

Zi Ji snorted and chimed in, "Exactly. Don't think too highly of yourself. We've lived for hundreds of thousands of years, what haven't we seen? Do you need to worry about whether we'll be bored in the future?"

Even so, the concern in her eyes was not concealed.

Xuanming looked at them, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded: "I understand."

He made no further promises or explanations regarding his "selfishness." Some understandings need no words.

He raised his hand, and two beams of light appeared. One was an extremely dense crystal of life energy, radiating an aura that was of the same origin as Bi Ji's but even purer; the other was a dark purple, scale-like crystal containing pure devouring energy, subtly echoing Bi Ji's attributes.

“These might be helpful for your future cultivation.” He pushed the two items to Biji and Ziji respectively, “Consider them a small token of my appreciation.”

Brigitte felt the vast and comforting energy within the life crystal, a flicker of emotion crossing her eyes. Purple Fairy grasped the dark purple crystal, her dragon eyes glowing slightly; she could feel its power drawing into her bloodline.

“I found this on the Sun and Moon Continent,” Xuanming said.

"We've known each other for so long, and I've never given you any gifts. I've always been troubling you..."

"Thank you."

Xuanming looked at them and finally said, "I cannot make any promises or guarantees right now. The road ahead is unknown. All I can do is try my best to become stronger and survive. As for the future... I don't know either."

After saying this, he nodded slightly to them, turned around, and left the vibrant woodland.

Biji and Ziji watched his departing figure, speechless for a long time.

"What a... awkward and stubborn little fellow." Murasaki finally sighed, but her tone carried a hint of gentleness.

Brigitte gently grasped the life crystal, feeling the warm energy within, and smiled tenderly: "But it's real, isn't it?"

It was precisely because of his authenticity, his "selfishness," and his stubbornness that these old folks, who had lived for countless years, were irresistibly drawn to him, willing to invest an unusual amount of attention and emotion in him. (End of Chapter)