"Xiao, is something wrong?"
Yun Yurou asked as she looked at Xiao, unable to comprehend the reason behind his sudden change. Over the past weeks, she had been making efforts to get closer to Xiao, but it hadn't been going well. Nevertheless, she remained determined to keep trying until she succeeded. However, now Xiao was looking at her with a gentleness she had never seen before.
Well, it wasn't like she disliked it. On the contrary, she felt her face flush and her heart race faster in response to Xiao's gentle gaze. As for Xiao, he couldn't help but feel a sense of joy within his heart for being able to meet Yurou once again, ever since he arrived back he kept thinking about how it would be to meet his first love again, how he would be able to repay everything.
Yet fate seemed to laugh at him, as the one that he hoped to repay was close to him, hopping around him to gain his affection and love, just like in the past, it was an irony that Xiao didn't miss.
The more he gazed at her, the more he felt that she resembled the Yurou he knew. One couldn't blame him for not recognizing it earlier—she not only looked vastly different from the future, but her name had also changed. She had been renamed Yurou Flammia, a name that reflected her royal bloodline from the Shrine of Fire, the shrine that held up to the myth of Amaterasu, the phoenix that rode the sky.
A second-tier Pheonix Goddess that rose to power within the cosmos, her shrines spread far and wide, and back In his first life Yurou had taken in the power of the shrine in his realm Quadralia, reigning it above at the fourth heaven, a powerhouse level in the cosmos.
According to her myth, Amaterasu was born from the left eye of the primordial Pheonix Izanagi during his purification after visiting the underworld. She emerged from a cave and brought light to the world, symbolizing the sunrise. Her radiant presence illuminated the heavens and the earth, bringing prosperity and fertility.
Yurou also achieved getting the name of the descent phoenix, one which holds power everywhere. There were even talks that Yurou would take on the main Shrine. In the Third and Fourth Heavens and across the cosmos, naming conventions differed, with the personal name preceding the family name. This was due to the fact that family names were tied to power and destiny in these realms. While there could be numerous Yun families, there would only be one Flammia family.
Anyone who dared to use that name without being stronger than the family or the shrine would be swiftly eliminated. At a certain power level, merely uttering the family name could crush someone to oblivion.
For instance, the name Flammia alone could cause the fire element in the air to tremble with excitement. One might even lose control of their own fire. This was the gift bestowed upon those who had grown powerful enough to be acknowledged by Heaven and Earth itself.
Xiao snapped out of his daze and smiled at Yun Yurou as he spoke, "Nothing's wrong. I'm fine."
Upon hearing Xiao's words, Yun Yurou nodded. She couldn't continue looking into his eyes, which seemed to exude gentleness. The sudden change had caught her off guard. It was at this moment that Xiao noticed something peculiar. Yun Yurou hadn't been surprised at all when she learned that she was part of Phoenix. It was as if she had known it from the very beginning.
"Yurou, did you already know that you're a part of Phoenix?" Xiao inquired.
"Ah! Th-that..." Yun Yurou stammered in response to Xiao's question. She acted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, looking around in confusion. Eventually, she locked her gaze onto Xiao's and took a deep breath before speaking. Xiao was surprised by her answer.
It turned out that a few months ago, a powerful woman claiming to be her mother's servant approached Yun Yurou. This woman explained her ancestry and offered to take her to the Fourth Heaven to awaken her true self. During this explanation, Xiao remained silent and listened attentively. When Yun Yurou finished speaking, Xiao furrowed his brows in confusion and asked another question.
"Wait? So, if you were asked to go to the Fourth Heaven, why didn't you go?"
"That's because..." Yun Yurou began to answer but suddenly fell silent, her gaze fixed on Xiao's face. The hesitation and strange expression on her face were enough for Xiao to understand her reasons. She didn't want to leave because of him. And upon realizing this, Xiao couldn't help but feel his heart beat faster.
'It's the same even now...' Xiao thought as he looked at Yun Yurou, who was fidgeting before him. Even in the past, she had stayed with him. The current Yun Yurou hadn't yet matured into the person she would become in the future, but for a brief moment, Xiao caught a glimpse of the future Yurou, and it deeply moved him
How many people in the world would willingly forgo a better life for the sake of something that might never happen? How many people would sacrifice a promising future for someone else? Even though Yun Yurou didn't show it, Xiao understood that she yearned to meet her mother dearly, yet she stayed by his side.
Even if Xiao's heart were made of stone, it would still crack under such a powerful assault. With a surprised expression on Yun Yurou's face, Xiao reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. She stood there, stunned at first, but soon a smile appeared on her face as she hugged him back.
They remained suspended amidst the beautiful stars, the warmth of their bodies passing between them. It felt as if they were the only two people left in the world. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally released their embrace. As they let go, Xiao gently cupped Yun Yurou's face with his hand.
Blushing slightly at Xiao's intense gaze, Yun Yurou turned her head to the side. Seeing this, Xiao smiled and said, "You are full of surprises, Yurou."
Hearing Xiao's words, Yun Yurou smiled. She felt an unprecedented sense of tenderness in his words. Just as she was about to respond, another voice interrupted.
"Are you done?"
The voice of the Phoenix above them resonated, carrying a mysterious twinkle. It continued speaking, "Perhaps this is fate? Who would have thought that things would come to this?"
"What do you mean?" Xiao asked, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the enormous eyes floating above him. In response, a burst of quiet laughter echoed throughout the space.
"Originally, she should have only inherited my power, but it seems that fate has different plans for you."
As soon as the Phoenix finished speaking, a red and yellow flame enveloped Xiao's and Yun Yurou's bodies, transporting them away. As they were being transported, they heard the Phoenix's voice one last time.
"Go, survive, and forge your own path towards the future."
And with that, they found themselves in a vast, fiery world on the brink of destruction.