"Giving them to you, everything is for you..." Fu Manman wiped the corners of her eyes and whispered, "Please don’t leave me again... I will prepare even more and better gifts for you in the future..."

Fan Wubing’s heart was about to melt. He looked at the various gifts, and from the marks left on them, he could imagine the scene of Fu Manman selecting these gifts. She traveled all over the country, standing in the dazzling markets, earnestly and carefully making her selections. Sometimes, when she couldn’t find something satisfactory, she would learn to make them herself.

This was almost her only chance to relax.

She carefully hid all her emotions, like a squirrel storing food for the winter. But at this moment, she shared everything with Fan Wubing, leaving nothing behind.

Fan Wubing tilted his head, "Maybe I should just die to atone."

Fu Manman’s eyes widened, and she asked excitedly, "Why!"

Fan Wubing replied helplessly, "I don’t even know how to repay you for everything I’ve owed."

Fu Manman seemed to return to the year she turned fourteen, becoming shy and timid again. Her voice was soft, and her tone careful,

"Just being by my side is enough."

Fan Wubing held her tightly in his arms, as if wishing to merge into her body and become a part of her flesh and blood.

After a while, he felt the girl in his embrace relax, her breathing becoming very steady.

When he looked down,

she was asleep.

Perhaps these years had been too exhausting, with no moment of peace. Once the mental burden was lifted, she suddenly lost all resistance. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly with the flow of her breath. Fan Wubing wanted to kiss her, but feared waking her, so he carefully sat down, letting her sleep peacefully in his arms.

After a while, Fan Wubing also fell asleep.

Fu Manman curled up in his embrace, with him gently leaning on her shoulder.

In a place where they were unaware,

a shadow slowly grew from between the walls of the Obsession Furnace. This shadow was like ink spreading in water, yet even darker and more profound. The shadow gradually condensed into a shape they were familiar with.

Lv Liang stood in a corner, wistfully gazing at the two peacefully asleep, mumbling to himself, "It’s so beautiful... I thought I’d never see such a beautiful scene again."

He recalled that snowy morning in Great Li Buxu City, when he saw the young Fan Wubing and Fu Manman embracing. He thought it was beautiful and silently swore to protect this pure and beautiful feeling.

Looking at the two of them, a sickly flush appeared on his pale face, "I won’t let anyone harm your love... I won’t..." He then transformed back into a shadow and disappeared.

...

The quiet and beautiful time ended with a soft hum from Fu Manman.

She squinted her sleepy eyes open and immediately saw Fan Wubing leaning on her shoulder. At first, she was stunned, then she revealed a sweet smile. She carefully poked his nose, and seeing that he didn’t wake up, she poked his lips. This boldness made her blush.

Fan Wubing suddenly opened his eyes, startling Fu Manman, who quickly closed her eyes as if she had done something guilty.

Fan Wubing was more straightforward. He pinched Fu Manman’s nose, lifting her slightly.

Until she opened her eyes and punched him hard on the chest, rubbing her nose, she complained, "That’s no way to treat a girl!"

"Do you know how long you slept?"

Fu Manman was startled, "How long?"

"Three days, a full three days!"

Fu Manman immediately panicked, then pouted and said, "Why didn’t you wake me up!"

Fan Wubing spread his hands, "I was sleeping too."

"Why were you sleeping!" Fu Manman became unreasonable.

Fan Wubing laughed, "You smell so nice, I couldn’t help but fall asleep."

"Stop teasing me!" Fu Manman widened her eyes.

Fan Wubing shrugged, "Alright... Just like before."

Fu Manman felt she had spoken too harshly, so she leaned in closer, resting slightly against him, "Quickly, tell me what you’ve been through..."

Fan Wubing took a breath and began to speak easily and leisurely, "Back then in the Sea of Eternal Life, when facing the Heaven-slaying Calamity..." Speaking, he took Fu Manman’s left hand, gently pressing and kneading it.

Fu Manman looked at this behavior strangely. In her memory, he didn’t have this habit before.

However, this action seemed a bit intimate, which she liked, so she didn’t ask further.

Fan Wubing’s story wasn’t long since he had been asleep for over twenty years.

After finishing, Fan Wubing finally noticed he had been pressing Fu Manman’s left hand and quickly pulled his hand back.

Fu Manman blinked at her left hand, then asked:

"So, to others, dying from the Heaven-slaying Calamity was reasonable. Your resurrection is unacceptable to them, so you need to hide temporarily, not letting others find out?"

"Yes."

"Then... Who helped conceal your fate?" Fu Manman stared directly at Fan Wubing.

Fan Wubing paused... For various reasons, he deliberately downplayed Jiang Sha’s involvement in this matter. But Fu Manman still asked.

He replied with a calm face, "A very powerful elder. But I can’t reveal her name for now."

Fu Manman slightly opened her mouth but said nothing.

How clever she was, knowing perfectly well who this very powerful elder was.

In the entire world, only five people could alter fate.

Ancestor Qing, Primordial Ancestor, Divine Phoenix Celestial Venerable, Dragon Emperor, and Slaughter Demon Lord.