Chapter 887: A little time with Velnorah

Soft footsteps approached from the hallway as Velnorah appeared at the entrance to the living area.

She paused when she saw him sitting alone, then walked closer.

Her gaze fell on the cup of tea resting on the low table in front of him.

She expected him to have finished it by now, especially since Ji Shuang prepared it for him earlier.

Curious, she walked closer and reached out, lightly touching the side of the porcelain cup.

It was completely cold.

She was about to take it away and prepare a fresh one for him when she noticed the troubled look in his eyes.

Hm? She was confused to see his distraught face ’... What happened?’

Velnorah set the cup back on the table and, instead of leaving, she quietly sat beside him on the couch.

"Husband?"

Zhao Tian slowly turned his head toward her "Hm?"

Velnorah looked at his face carefully.

She had known him long enough to recognize the difference between ordinary exhaustion and the kind of silence that came from something weighing heavily on his heart.

"You look troubled."

Zhao Tian gave a faint smile and shook his head. "It’s nothing."

Velnorah immediately narrowed her eyes "Nothing?"

"Yeah."

She reached over and gently poked his cheek "You always say that when it is definitely something."

Zhao Tian couldn’t help but chuckle softly "You’ve learned to read me too well."

"I am your wife," she replied naturally. "If I couldn’t tell when something was wrong with you, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?"

Her teasing tone faded as she looked at him again "So... what happened?"

Zhao Tian leaned forward, resting his elbows against his knees "Shuang’er and I argued."

Velnorah’s expression grew gentle "About Yao Jing?"

He nodded "I told her I still intend to find a way to bring Jing’er back."

Velnorah remained silent.

She had heard enough about Yao Jing to understand how complicated the matter was.

"She was angry?"

With a nod, he replied "She told me that I have too many people depending on me now. That if I keep throwing myself into dangerous places looking for reviving Jing’er, one day I might not come back."

Velnorah lowered her eyes "She’s not wrong."

Zhao Tian let out a tired sigh "I know she’s right and how reckless it sounds."

He leaned back against the couch and stared toward the ceiling "But knowing that doesn’t make the guilt disappear."

"I keep thinking that maybe there was something I could have done differently. Maybe if I had been stronger back then, she wouldn’t have died."

Velnorah slowly moved closer until her shoulder touched his "Tian."

He turned his head.

"You can’t keep punishing yourself for something you couldn’t change."

He looked at her silently.

She reached out and gently took his hand "You’ve changed so much since then. You’ve saved countless people in that Azure Star you went for Rui Lian."

"You’ve protected this sect."

Her fingers intertwined with his "Do you really think Yao Jing would want you to spend the rest of your life blaming yourself?"

"She’d probably hit you on the head and tell you to stop being stupid."

A small laugh escaped his lips "Yeah..."

"She’d probably say something like, ’You idiot, I’m already dead. Why are you making yourself miserable because of me?’"

His smile wavered for a moment before fading into something more wistful "I can almost hear her saying that."

"Then listen to her."

Velnorah leaned her head gently against his shoulder "You don’t have to forget her and don’t even have to stop wanting to save her."

"But you don’t have to destroy yourself either."

Zhao Tian remained still, and the quiet morning light continued spilling across the floor, illuminating the untouched tea on the table.

Eventually, Zhao Tian glanced toward the cup "The tea is cold."

Velnorah followed his gaze and a small smile appeared on her lips.

"I noticed."

She reached toward it again "I’ll make you another one."

But before she could stand, he gently caught her hand.

Velnorah turned back and looked at him in confusion "Hm?"

"Stay for a little while."

Her expression softened in affection "Alright."

Zhao Tian gently pulled her toward him, and Velnorah let herself be guided without resistance as he made her sit on his lap

He wrapped both arms around her waist from behind and pulled her gently against his chest.

Then he lowered his head and rested his cheek near her shoulder, his damp hair brushing lightly against the side of her neck

Her expression softened further, and she gently placed her hand over his arm. "Husband... are you feeling a little better?"

His eyes remained closed as he leaned against her shoulder, and after a brief silence, he answered quietly, "Just having you here helps."

A faint smile appeared on Velnorah’s lips "Then I’ll stay."

For a while, neither of them spoke and sat in silence.

Velnorah’s gaze eventually drifted toward the cold cup before returning to Zhao Tian.

"You know..." she began softly, "Sect Master didn’t leave because she hates you. She is scared."

Zhao Tian opened his eyes slightly "I know."

She nodded slowly. "Then don’t let today’s argument become something that separates the two of you. She cares about you too much for that."

He gave a small nod. "I’ll talk to her later."

...

Jade Eclipse Sect

Using Velnorah’s ring, which is connected to the Jade Eclipse Sect, Zhao Tian teleported back to the Jade Eclipse Star from the artifact.

Floating up in the evening sky, Zhao Tian glanced down at the sprawling sect, and a soft sigh escaped his lips.

Cool wind brushed against his white hair as he floated there, looking down.

"The Sect has regrown well after the Vampiric War."

Eventually he descended.

His feet touched the stone pathway that led toward the quieter residential area of the inner sect.

Zhao Tian’s lips curved slightly as he went to Yan Zijin’s mansion ’Its evening, I bet she is bathing right now.’

He walked around the side of the mansion, following the stone path that led to the rear.

Steam drifted lazily through the air, carrying the faint mineral scent of the spring.

The evening light filtered through the surrounding trees, casting soft golden patterns across the private section.

When he stepped past the final screen of bamboo, the hot spring came into full view.

Yan Zijin was there.

She sat in the steaming water with her back partially turned toward the entrance, long hair pinned loosely up so that damp strands clung to the nape of her neck and shoulders.

The water reached just above her waist, leaving the elegant line of her bare back and the upper curves of her body visible through the rising mist.

Zhao Tian leaned against a nearby stone pillar for a moment, simply watching her.

Then he stepped forward and feeling his presence, she turned his head toward him.

"Tian? When did you come back from the Elven Star?"