On the other side of the folding fan lay an entire realm of mountains and rivers—a world unto itself.
Mu Xuanling had never imagined that within Nan Xuyue's elegant fan existed another dimension entirely. As Sang Qi's sleeve swept through the air with deadly intent, Nan Xuyue had pulled her into this hidden sanctuary.
Here, peace reigned supreme. Birds sang their melodies amidst fragrant flowers, and crystalline streams gurgled gently over smooth stones, the entire scene reminiscent of the fabled utopian paradise spoken of in ancient texts.
Nan Xuyue, slightly breathless from the hasty escape, explained urgently, "This is a small pocket dimension created by a Fashen-rank ancestor of Yunxiu Manor centuries ago. I've connected its entrance to the fan's surface using a complex array formation. While we can temporarily evade Sang Qi here, it's far from a permanent solution. I'm unsure of the true depths of his power. If he possesses Fashen-level strength, he could tear open a spatial rift and force his way inside."
Mu Xuanling's face turned ashen with dawning horror. "He's more terrifying than I ever imagined. All these years, he's been deliberately concealing his true strength, hiding in plain sight."
"He deliberately lured Xie Xuechen away, which suggests he doesn't have the power to face the sect leader in direct combat," Nan Xuyue said with grave consideration, lowering his head in thought. "We only need to hold out for a short while. Once Xie Xuechen destroys that demon Jiao, Sang Qi will have no choice but to retreat."
"That demon Jiao is no ordinary beast." Worry creased Mu Xuanling's brow. "It was originally a Jiao King of considerable power, defeated by Sang Qi in ancient times. He extracted its tendons and bound its very soul, refining it into a magical tool over decades. It exists simultaneously in both physical and ethereal states, making it extraordinarily difficult to combat or destroy. Xie Xuechen's Primordial Spirit absorbed the catastrophic force of a Fashen's self-destruction just days ago. His power hasn't even recovered to seventy percent of its peak. I fear he might sustain grave injuries again, creating an opening for Sang Qi to strike a fatal blow."
Nan Xuyue stared at her with an unreadable expression, then suddenly released a low, bitter laugh.
Mu Xuanling looked up in surprise, confusion flickering in her eyes. "What are you laughing at?"
Nan Xuyue sighed with profound helplessness. "Even at this moment, with your own life hanging by a thread, you're still worrying about him."
Mu Xuanling's long lashes trembled like butterfly wings as she lowered her gaze, unable to formulate any response that wouldn't sound like an admission.
Nan Xuyue released a soft sigh and asked with gentle concern, "You suddenly turned deathly pale earlier, before we entered. Was it the pain in your chest again?"
Mu Xuanling nodded slowly. "I don't know why, but it suddenly started aching with terrible intensity."
She had experienced similar chest pains before, always attributing them to the dispersal of her demonic energy—a natural consequence of purging such corrupted power from her system. But now, even after completely dispersing her demonic cultivation, the pain not only persisted but had intensified to an almost unbearable degree.
"I'm deeply concerned that this symptom might be directly related to Sang Qi somehow," Nan Xuyue said, gently taking her wrist to examine her pulse with practiced fingers. Yet he could discern nothing definitive from the readings—the patterns were chaotic, contradictory.
Sang Qi's methods were profoundly difficult to fathom, operating on principles that defied conventional understanding. Nan Xuyue's mastery of array formations was unparalleled among human cultivators, but Sang Qi's manipulation of demonic energy transcended mortal comprehension entirely—a realm that Nan Xuyue, bound by his human limitations, could never hope to fully grasp.
"Nan Xuyue." Mu Xuanling drew a deep, steadying breath and looked earnestly into his eyes. "If he comes after us again, I need you to promise me—don't concern yourself with my safety. If he captures me, it won't be to kill me outright. I'll survive this, but you might not."
"Don't be foolish," Nan Xuyue sighed, his expression pained. "You've dispersed your entire demonic cultivation base, leaving you barely clinging to life by the thinnest of threads. If he drags you back to the demon realm in this weakened state, even if you don't die immediately, your existence would become a living hell—worse than death itself."
"I'm used to suffering. That's my destiny, my karmic burden, and it shouldn't involve you." Mu Xuanling's smile was faint and melancholy. "These few days since escaping the demon realm have been like a beautiful dream—too perfect to be real. Now that I'm awake, it's simply time to return to reality."
Nan Xuyue opened his mouth to protest, but Mu Xuanling gently interrupted him.
"I understand your intentions perfectly, but I cannot accept them," she said softly, seeing the profound sadness pooling in Nan Xuyue's clear eyes and fighting desperately against her own guilt and heartache. "You're a cherished friend, one I treasure deeply, and I don't want you to suffer harm because of my burdens."
"Friend…" The word seemed to echo in the space between them. Nan Xuyue's clear, deep eyes swirled with carefully suppressed emotion. "I see."
"You emerged from your own darkness through your own strength and resilience, not because of my careless words of comfort," Mu Xuanling sighed softly, her tone unconsciously gentling as she found herself unable to bear witnessing Nan Xuyue's pain. "I'm not worthy of such profound affection from someone like you."
Nan Xuyue suddenly released a low chuckle devoid of humor. Mu Xuanling looked at his handsome profile in surprise, watching a bitter smile tug at the corner of his lips.
"Ling'er," Nan Xuyue abruptly changed direction, "I seem to have left some words unfinished back in that dungeon cell."
Mu Xuanling's brow furrowed in confusion.
Nan Xuyue tilted his head slightly, his eyes as deep and dark as a moonless night sky. "You mentioned that my father had spared the main culprit who crippled me."
"That's right," Mu Xuanling said softly, remembering his tragic tale.
Nan Xuyue's smile held no warmth. "Not entirely accurate. At least, Madam Xue died."
"Ah!" Mu Xuanling exclaimed in shock. "Was she executed by your father after all?"
"She took full blame for Nan Xingye's crimes, shouldering all responsibility for the conspiracy. She took her own life directly in front of me," Nan Xuyue explained, his voice distant with memory.
Nan Xuyue knew he could never forget Madam Xue's eyes as death claimed her. She had been smiling—actually smiling—satisfied in the knowledge that her beloved son would inherit everything, while she merely surrendered her own life. To her twisted maternal devotion, it had been an acceptable trade.
"I was consumed by anger at first, furious at my father's blatant unfairness and favoritism. But at that precise moment, watching her die with such peace, I found myself suddenly left with only envy." Nan Xuyue's faint smile held infinite sorrow. "Someone had loved Nan Xingye so much, so completely, that they would gladly die for him without hesitation."
"And in this lifetime, I will never encounter such a person for myself."
It was only years later that Nan Xuyue came to understand that this profound regret, this aching sense of loss, had become his heart demon—the very thing that could destroy his cultivation path.
Witnessing Mu Xuanling's ardent and sincere love for Xie Xuechen, observing her selfless devotion and willingness to sacrifice everything, he had finally grasped what he had been missing his entire life.
He found himself simultaneously pitiful and laughable. Had he truly fallen for Ling'er as an individual person, or had he merely fallen for the beautiful, devastating quality of her deep, unwavering love directed at another?
Even the wisest sages in this world cannot successfully unravel love's intricate mysteries. He could only follow the desperate yearning of his heart, tightly grasping her hand in this fleeting moment.
Suddenly, without warning, the entire pocket dimension began shaking violently, as if the world itself were coming apart at the seams. Nan Xuyue immediately moved to shield Mu Xuanling behind his body, his voice dropping to a tense register. "He's here."
A jagged black rift tore open across the previously serene sky, and a pale, elegant hand reached through the dimensional breach. Demonic energy surged forth in overwhelming waves, and the space surrounding them trembled violently, teetering on the very edge of complete collapse.
Nan Xuyue's expression grew increasingly grave. He knew with sinking certainty that he couldn't sustain this fragile dimension much longer, yet barely half an hour had passed since their escape.
The rift in the sky suddenly expanded with explosive force. Nan Xuyue tightened his protective grip on Mu Xuanling's hand. In the next breath, the entire pocket dimension shattered like fine porcelain struck by a hammer. Mu Xuanling felt her body lighten impossibly as she and Nan Xuyue tumbled through fragmenting reality, falling back into the material world.
They found themselves in the exact same courtyard where they'd begun, but Sang Qi now stood before them, casually holding Nan Xuyue's crumpled, destroyed fan in one dismissive hand.
"For a mere mortal cultivator, you performed quite admirably," Sang Qi offered without hesitation, his tone almost conversational. "So as a reward for entertaining me, I think I'll kill you quickly now."
Mu Xuanling's pupils constricted to pinpoints. She saw Sang Qi's fingertip twitch with barely perceptible movement, and her body reacted before conscious thought could intervene—she shoved Nan Xuyue forcefully aside and positioned herself as his shield. A concentrated black palm of pure demonic energy struck Mu Xuanling squarely in the back. Even though Sang Qi had dissipated most of the lethal force at the final instant, Mu Xuanling was still sent flying through the air, coughing up a violent spray of blood.
"How foolish," Sang Qi muttered with a slight frown, disappearing from his position and reappearing instantaneously beside Mu Xuanling's crumpled form, scooping her severely injured body into his arms with surprising gentleness.
Mu Xuanling existed in a haze of excruciating agony, completely unable to resist his hold, but still desperately clinging to the thinnest thread of consciousness. Her voice emerged in broken fragments. "Sang Qi... if you kill him... I'll... take my own life."
"Heh." Sang Qi's sneer was coldly amused. "You'd go this far to protect someone you don't even harbor romantic feelings for? Is your life really that worthless and cheap? Or perhaps you've simply reached the point where you truly don't want to continue living anymore?"
Her long lashes fluttered weakly against her pale cheeks, but she refused to dignify Sang Qi's cruel questions with any answer.
A sharp, devastatingly pure sword intent shot toward Sang Qi's exposed face like a striking viper. His expression instantly turned solemn as he vanished from the spot with supernatural speed.
Xie Xuechen materialized before them, half his white robes drenched in fresh blood, yet the sword energy radiating from Jun Tian Sword remained as fierce and unyielding as ever.
To have defeated and destroyed that ancient demon Jiao in merely half an hour—Sang Qi felt genuine shock ripple through him internally.
"It seems Sect Leader Xie has paid quite a substantial price," Sang Qi observed, his silver eyes tracking the blood staining Xie Xuechen's robes with calculating interest. "And all this... to rush here and prevent me from taking what's mine?"
Xie Xuechen wasted no breath on verbal exchanges. Jun Tian Sword rose with blinding speed, its movement producing a sharp whistling sound that cut through the air like a scream. Sang Qi's silver eyes narrowed to dangerous slits as he formed a shield of concentrated demonic energy before him, his entire form flickering like a mirage before reappearing ten zhang distant.
Xie Xuechen pursued with relentless determination, crimson droplets of fresh blood falling from his feet into the pristine snow below, each drop blooming like a red plum blossom against winter white.
"Sect Leader Xie, you're clearly at the absolute end of your strength now. If we truly engage in all-out combat, you may discover you're no longer my match," Sang Qi's voice carried across the distance between them, almost conversational. "Is it truly worth engaging in a life-and-death battle with me for the sake of Mu Xuanling?"
Xie Xuechen pressed his lips together in resolute silence, his answer given through action rather than words.
That demon Jiao, empowered by Sang Qi's array formation, had been incredibly difficult to combat—existing simultaneously in both physical and ethereal states, shifting between them at will. Xie Xuechen, consumed with worry for Mu Xuanling's safety, had desperately wanted to end the battle with maximum speed. There had been only one viable strategy: to exert his full remaining strength and encompass the entire massive demon Jiao within his attack range, treating all space as potential targets.
If he couldn't reliably strike a solid target, he would simply treat everything as solid and attack without discrimination.
Pushing the Jade Heavenly Gate Breaking Array to its absolute limit, he had entered the formation himself, risking mutual destruction to slay the demon Jiao with his sword. He had then immediately rushed into the city proper to find Mu Xuanling, racing against time itself.
But he had still been a crucial step too late, allowing Sang Qi to successfully abduct her.
"Sect Leader Xie," Sang Qi's voice dripped with malicious satisfaction, "allow me to share something interesting with you. Little Ling'er approached you under my explicit orders from the very beginning, with the sole aim of obtaining the Jade Heavenly Scripture through deception. She never truly liked you at all—it was merely an act."
Xie Xuechen's sword pierced through empty void, striking at seemingly nothing, yet a thin trace of blood suddenly appeared on the blade's edge, revealing success.
Sang Qi's form became visible once more, his face notably paler, silver eyes flashing with an odd, unsettling light. "You don't believe what I said?"
Not only did Xie Xuechen not believe the obvious lie, but he had also used the opportunity of Sang Qi's distracted boasting to precisely locate the priest's true position through minute energy fluctuations.
Xie Xuechen's raven-blue hair danced wildly with the surging spiritual energy emanating from his wounded body, the golden radiance of his legendary sword reflected in his phoenix eyes, projecting a formidable, almost divine presence.
At that critical moment, a circular portal suddenly tore open in the fabric of reality, revealing a glimpse of the faint crimson moon that hung over the demon realm. Sang Qi released a breath of relief, stepped backward with fluid grace, and his form flashed through the opening. Xie Xuechen pursued like lightning given human form, willing to follow into the demon realm itself despite his grave injuries and depleted power.
However, a black shadow suddenly materialized from nowhere, physically blocking the rapidly closing portal.
The shadow transformed into a vaguely humanoid figure, neither distinctly male nor female—it was the Desire Demon, one of Sang Qi's servants.
Xie Xuechen was delayed for a single critical breath, and in that heartbeat, he completely lost track of Sang Qi's dimensional trail.
The Desire Demon faced the murderous, blood-soaked Xie Xuechen with a disturbing mix of primal fear and perverse desire, its entire demonic form trembling with conflicting impulses. It lusted shamelessly after Xie Xuechen's devastating beauty, especially the legendary sword god bathed in his own blood, which held a uniquely tragic and heroic aesthetic that stirred its base nature. It swallowed hard, unable to control its instinctive fear of overwhelming power even as desire clouded its judgment.
The one experiencing shock, worry, and genuine fear should logically be the Infatuation Demon. As the Desire Demon, it should only indulge in physical pleasure and carnal sensation, not existential terror.
The Desire Demon shifted its form, transforming into a perfect replica of Mu Xuanling's appearance, and spoke with a forced, seductive smile. "Sect Leader Xie…"
Before the creature could complete its sentence, it was obliterated into a dispersing puff of black smoke by Jun Tian Sword's purifying energy.
Xie Xuechen gazed coldly at the space where the dimensional portal had vanished, reality sealing itself shut. The last reserves of his strength suddenly dissipated like morning mist, and he swayed dangerously, beginning to fall from his elevated position in mid-air. Jun Tian Sword, responding to its master's desperate need, transformed into a small golden boat of light that gently carried him down onto the snow-covered ground.
The pristine snow beneath his broken body slowly transformed to deep crimson, absorbing his life's blood. A delicate white jade hairpin tumbled from his inner robes, landing in the scarlet snow.
He had redeemed that hairpin from the humble noodle shop, paying far more than its worth. The cool jade had been gradually warmed by constant contact with his palm over recent days. He had intended to return it to her, to place it properly in her hair, yet selfishly wished to keep it close to his heart forever.
Let Ling'er stay in Yongxue City…
This desperate thought had echoed repeatedly through his mind during the battle.
But ultimately, he still couldn't keep her safe, couldn't protect her from her past.
When facing that terrible demon Jiao, he had known his choice with crystalline clarity. Between Ling'er's individual safety and Yongxue City's thousands of innocent inhabitants, he had ultimately chosen the latter—the needs of the many outweighing his personal desires.
It was the righteous choice. The honorable choice.
But it felt like ashes in his mouth.
Mu Xuanling awoke to waves of excruciating pain radiating through her entire being. Her back felt as though it were literally on fire, the burning agony spreading inexorably to her heart and lungs, causing her to cough weakly.
"You're awake." Sang Qi's familiar voice drew closer, his black robes appearing at the edge of her limited vision.
"If I hadn't withdrawn most of my demonic power at the last possible instant, you would have died on impact," Sang Qi sneered with dark amusement. "What's this dramatic display? Don't you supposedly like Xie Xuechen with such devotion? Or have you suddenly changed your fickle heart and fallen for that crippled manor lord instead?"
Mu Xuanling pressed her lips together firmly, refusing to grant him the satisfaction of a response.
She found herself lying in Sang Qi's pill refining chamber, surrounded by countless jars of various pills and an array of sinister magical tools. This was the most intimately familiar location to her throughout the past seven torturous years. Here, within these walls, Sang Qi had taught her much valuable knowledge—but had also inflicted unbearable suffering. Each session when demonic energy forcibly cleansed and reconstructed her body had been nothing less than exquisite torture.
Sang Qi crouched down directly in front of her, gripping her thin chin with bruising force and compelling her to meet his gaze. His silver eyes gleamed with malicious amusement. "Looks like you've suffered quite extensively during your little escape. You practiced demonic cultivation for seven grueling years, enduring such pain to accumulate power, only to have it all dispersed by Xie Xuechen with a single technique. Yet you seem quite pleased about that outcome."
Mu Xuanling lowered her eyes, steadfastly unwilling to engage him in conversation.
"The child has grown up and become considerably more rebellious. Won't even listen to her master anymore," Sang Qi increased the pressure of his grip deliberately, leaving vivid red marks on Mu Xuanling's pale cheeks. She frowned slightly at the discomfort but refused to cry out.
"When I gave you that Half-Day Splendor pill, didn't I explicitly instruct you to get close to Xie Xuechen, to make him develop feelings for you, but specifically warned you not to fall for him yourself?" Sang Qi's sneer was cutting. "Seeing your current defiant expression, you seem quite dissatisfied with me. Little Ling'er, regardless of everything else, I was the one who rescued your broken body from Mingyue Manor's ruins and taught you valuable cultivation skills. You called me master for seven full years. Now that you've found someone you supposedly like, you don't recognize your master anymore?"
Mu Xuanling clenched her teeth, enduring the pain and humiliation in stubborn silence.
"Now you won't even deign to speak a single word to your master," Sang Qi clicked his tongue in mock disappointment, shaking his head as he released his bruising hold on her face. "I know you harbor profound hatred for me in your heart. All these years, the singular thought that kept you alive, the inner strength that helped you endure the agonizing pain of demonic energy cleansing—it was revenge, wasn't it?" Sang Qi's lips curved into a knowing smile. "You've always wanted to kill me. Dreamed of it constantly."
Mu Xuanling felt shock lance through her like lightning, her pupils contracting sharply as she stared at Sang Qi with rigid disbelief.
He knows? He's known all along?
Sang Qi laughed at her transparent expression. He slowly straightened to his full height, his slender hand coming to rest almost paternally on Mu Xuanling's head. Looking down at her with that terrible smile, he said, "How could I possibly not know? Do you actually think that among so many half-demons with decent aptitude, I selected you as my personal disciple solely because of your cultivation potential?"
"Why…" The single word emerged hoarse and broken from Mu Xuanling's throat.
"Because when you were unconscious and helpless after I found you, I searched your soul completely," Sang Qi's smile turned cruel with vindictive satisfaction. He had witnessed the most important, most treasured moments of her life laid bare in her consciousness. "I know there's someone you hold infinitely dear in your heart, someone who died to save your worthless life. I even know that person is Xie Xuechen, though it seems you yourself didn't know that rather crucial detail."
"You knew…" Mu Xuanling's entire body trembled violently with the force of this revelation, tears streaming uncontrollably from her eyes. She glared at Sang Qi with pure, undiluted hatred. "So you knew everything all along from the very beginning, but why? Why would you—"
"You mean why I deliberately hid it from you?" Sang Qi's smile widened with sadistic pleasure. "That's a rather foolish question, little Ling'er. Think carefully—why would I possibly tell you the truth?"
Sang Qi's face radiated malicious interest, cruel amusement dancing in his expression. "All these years, you've been diligently practicing, pushing yourself beyond reasonable limits, desperately wanting to grow strong enough to kill me and avenge Xie Xuechen's supposed death. And you know what? I absolutely loved watching you try so hard. Hatred is an extraordinarily powerful energy source. The stronger the hatred burning in your heart, the more devastating the power you can potentially unleash. You were my perfect experiment."
Mu Xuanling couldn't begin to fathom Sang Qi's twisted thought processes. His mind was too deep, too labyrinthine, his malice too profound and ancient. He wasn't human in any meaningful sense, and his actions couldn't be understood through conventional human reasoning.
"Why did you give me Half-Day Splendor and allow me to save Xie Xuechen from the Molten Abyss?" Mu Xuanling asked, needing to understand.
"I told you explicitly—it was to position you close to him and trick him into revealing the location or nature of the Jade Heavenly Scripture," Sang Qi shook his head with exaggerated helplessness. "When I tell the absolute truth, no one ever believes me. How tiresome."
Sang Qi continued with deliberate slowness, savoring each word. "If we could have successfully extracted the Jade Heavenly Scripture from him during that encounter at Rongyan, Xie Xuechen's subsequent death wouldn't have mattered in the slightest. But since our attempt failed, I had to resort to this more elaborate long-term plan. I calculated that given your past connection and the significant fact that you saved his life at great personal risk, those self-righteous cultivators wouldn't execute someone who had saved one of their greatest heroes. As long as you remained by his side, there should have been ample opportunity to eventually obtain the Jade Heavenly Scripture through manipulation or theft."
"I didn't want the Jade Heavenly Scripture at all. I only wanted to stay by his side, nothing more," Mu Xuanling said coldly, enduring the sharp pain blossoming in her chest. "Sorry to disappoint your elaborate schemes."
Sang Qi suddenly burst into genuine laughter—uncontrolled, almost hysterical. Mu Xuanling stared at him in complete bewilderment as he covered his face, seemingly having heard the most hilarious joke in centuries. He laughed uncontrollably for an extended moment before finally lowering his hand, revealing eyes that had reddened slightly, and regarded Mu Xuanling with the strangest expression she'd ever seen on his face.
He approached her with predatory grace, step by measured step, effectively cornering her against the wall. His pale, inhumanly delicate hand covered her brow, and the slightly cold temperature of his body made her shiver involuntarily.
"Don't you understand yet, you foolish girl?" Sang Qi's sigh was almost gentle. "He dispersed your demonic cultivation, yes—but simultaneously passed the complete Jade Heavenly Technique directly to you through an irreversible soul bond. Ling'er, he treats you far more exceptionally well than you realize."
The moment Sang Qi's words finished echoing in the chamber, a strange, unprecedented spiritual energy rippled outward from Mu Xuanling's brow like a stone dropped into still water, creating expanding ripples of power.
Her body underwent a profound and mysterious transformation. Before her startled inner vision, a completely new and previously unknown space seemed to unfold—filled with drifting clouds and ethereal mist, vast and beautifully desolate. Pure, untainted spiritual energy permeated absolutely everything. With merely a tentative thought, the spiritual energy obediently spread throughout her body in warm currents. She felt as if she were immersed in natural hot springs, her battered body suddenly filled with genuine power for the first time since her demonic cultivation had been stripped away.
This power… it carries Xie Xuechen's essence…
"So this is the true secret of the legendary Jade Heavenly Scripture," Sang Qi breathed, his silver eyes blazing with terrifying, covetous light. His entire form trembled slightly with barely contained excitement. "I knew it! Seven years ago, when he deliberately destroyed his own divine aperture to save those pathetic mortals, how could his cultivation not decrease but instead increase exponentially afterward? So the Jade Heavenly Scripture contains the method to rebuild and transcend the divine aperture itself!"
Mu Xuanling stared at the ecstatic Sang Qi in profound shock, her mind reeling. Her eyes widened to their limits, and it took an extended moment for her to fully process and comprehend what Xie Xuechen had actually done—what he had sacrificed for her.
Allowing a half-demon to possess a functional divine aperture was a decision that could fundamentally alter the balance of power between the Three Realms. Half-demons were born with innate cultivation ability, true—but because they inherently lacked both a divine aperture and demon core, they were destined by the very laws of reality to be unable to advance beyond a certain threshold in their cultivation. Sang Qi had discovered an alternative path through forbidden demonic cultivation, but it wasn't the true way, wasn't sustainable, caused constant suffering.
But a divine aperture... that changed everything.
Mu Xuanling's hands, clutching desperately at her clothes, began trembling uncontrollably. Hot tears rolled down her face in endless streams, her vision blurring.
So his affection wasn't just "a little," wasn't just basic kindness or obligation...
He had dispersed her demonic cultivation because he wanted to spare her the endless torment of demonic energy cleansing, because he wanted to ensure she would never again have to fear the scorching sun, because he wanted her to freely enjoy the simple warmth and beauty of the human world.
He had passed the irreplaceable Jade Heavenly Scripture to her—his sect's most precious treasure, the foundation of his own power—so she could practice the true Dao. Not for immortality or power, but simply so she could live well, live happily, live free…
But he didn't say any of this aloud, didn't explain, didn't ask for gratitude or recognition.
And she didn't know. Couldn't have known.
His gentleness was so quiet, so complete, that no one could see it.
His love was the kind that asked nothing in return.
Next
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