The Shining Star Above The Heaven-Chapter 489: When You Truly Say Those Three Words

Aldrian and Baek Jimin had already removed their disguises, revealing their true faces by the time they arrived. They were in the southern part of the Thorny Flower Garden territory, where a wide valley stretched out with breathtaking scenery.

The hills were covered in many kinds of flowers and other vegetation, turning the valley floor into a green expanse filled with a fragrant scent.

At the base of the valley, a beautiful, clear river flowed toward the horizon, with flowers blooming along both banks.

Aldrian and Baek Jimin were standing at the top of one of the hills, which was the highest point in the valley. From there, they could see the scenery spread out before them, far and wide.

Aldrian really enjoyed this kind of scenery. Who wouldn’t appreciate something so beautiful? He was someone who cherished the beauty of nature, especially when it came with a peaceful atmosphere like this. Moments like this were the times when he could finally set down the weight on his shoulders and allow himself to relax.

"This region is called the Valley of the Promise. It’s a well-known place within the Thorny Flower Garden," Baek Jimin said with a smile. "It’s said that in ancient times, this valley was where two powerful cultivators—a man and a woman—made a promise to reach the peak of cultivation together as lovers. People say their vow was blessed by the heavens themselves, and ever since then, this place has held a special meaning."

"From that moment, this valley became famous, and it grew into a place where people would declare their promises to each other. Many say that the promises declared here are bound to be fulfilled in the end," Baek Jimin said, turning her body to look at Aldrian.

"This is the place where my father and mother said they made their promise to each other before they married — a promise that united them despite the many challenges they faced at the time." Her voice softened as she reminisced about the story her mother had told her when she was a child.

"Father was just a wandering cultivator, a genius with the great talent and have a fateful encounter that allowed him to unlock his full potential."

"Mother was the successor of the Thorny Flower Garden, so their statuses were worlds apart. They faced many rejections from the sect, and many saw my father as weak — like a toad trying to eat the meat of a swan. But my mother and father never gave up. In the end, my father proved himself and married my mother."

Aldrian finally understood the significance of this place and couldn’t help but feel touched by her parents’ story. More or less, her parents’ challenges were similar to his own. Though her parents faced a difference in status, his parents had to contend with families that were opposed to each other.

He then saw her walking toward him slowly. Her snowy white hair fluttered in the wind, adding to her beauty, which mesmerized Aldrian. Her red eyes kept locking with his blue ones.

"I’ve been confused by my feelings for a long time, at first, I thought my feelings were simply an interest in you because of your unique being’s essence, something that stands apart from others, something even I don’t fully understand or know how to interpret."

"However, as time passed, I began to feel confused and started to think that my feelings were no longer limited to just an interest in your being’s essence. Along our journey, I kept thinking about what I truly felt every time I met with you. When I saw your interactions with Sylphia, I felt something inside my heart that I had never felt before."

"When I thought about it over and over again, I finally realized that my feelings for you weren’t just limited to admiration for you as a person or my interest in your being’s essence. It’s much more than that, and deeper."

"Without realizing it, I had already slowly sunk into a feeling I never knew would come to me so soon." Baek Jimin was now standing right in front of Aldrian, her gaze still locked with his.

"Until recent weeks, I finally realized what kind of feeling I had already sunk into. That was the moment I accepted it — that I had already sunk quite deep. That’s why, when Sylphia gave her subtle hint about her stance on me and you, I didn’t waste the opportunity and instantly seized the chance to get closer to you, to make you understand how I feel. And at this moment—"

Her eyes became more determined, with no doubt in them, and Aldrian could see it clearly.

"I can confidently say that I have truly fallen in love with you, Aldrian."

Although Aldrian already knew what she wanted to say, his heart still skipped a beat hearing it directly from Baek Jimin. He felt that, at this moment, her face was more beautiful than ever. Since the time he learned that Baek Jimin was romantically interested in him, he had prepared himself to handle the situation carefully. He didn’t want to ruin their relationship because of his failure to properly take care of Baek Jimin’s feelings.

Thankfully, Sylphia was supporting him, which made everything easier. After thinking that there would be no problem if he took the safer route — the harem route — he began to learn how to love Baek Jimin, too. He started to open his heart to her and tried to appreciate everything she did, even the smallest things, like walking or simply enjoying her presence.

Though he couldn’t develop his love for Baek Jimin overnight, at least a small spark had already ignited in his heart for her. His heart had already placed her in a special spot, and although it was still small, he knew that it would grow as time passed.

Aldrian’s eyes softened as he gazed into her red eyes.

"Jimin—"

"I know that your feelings for me, beyond our friendship, are still not strong, and I understand that. But I can wait. I can wait until you can say those three words to me. I will make sure your heart opens wider and wider for me, and that I secure a big place in your heart." Baek Jimin said with full confidence, though her face turned slightly red, as if holding back the embarrassment of saying something so bold.

Aldrian smiled as he watched Baek Jimin act like that.

"You’ll make me open my heart wider, huh? What will you do to make that happen, hm?" Aldrian asked in a teasing tone, intending to joke with her. But he was shocked when, suddenly, Baek Jimin "attacked" him.

She pressed her lips against his for a second before pulling away.

"With this," she said, her expression shy.

Aldrian truly couldn’t react, as he could only blink a few times, staring at Baek Jimin’s face. He hadn’t expected her to boldly kiss him—he had only meant to tease her, nothing more. He could still feel the sensation of the kiss and the fragrance of her face, which had been so close to his.

As if she realized what she had done, Baek Jimin lowered her head and turned her body away. She wanted to hide, but at the same time, she felt the need to hold on and not run away. She would need to be shameless to melt Aldrian’s heart as quickly as possible. After a few moments of silence, she looked at Aldrian again.

Although her face was still slightly red with embarrassment, she held his gaze.

"In the future, I want us to come back here and make our promise, when you truly say those three words to me with the most sincerity, I want you to say it here and make a promise with me."

Aldrian finally smiled again after the shock he had just experienced. This woman was truly bold and confident when it came to her romantic approach, but perhaps her character was like this by nature? He had almost forgotten that she was still a demon cultivator. She could be more forceful and direct in her approach than any other cultivator. Once she fell in love sincerely, she could become more "brutal" and open with her feelings. He made a mental note of it for the future.

"As you wish, milady," Aldrian said.

Baek Jimin’s face grew even redder, but she pushed through her embarrassment. She grabbed his hand and dragged him down the hill.

"Let’s go somewhere else. There are many places I want to enjoy with you. I will make sure this day is engraved in your memory," she said, and Aldrian let her pull him along. freewēbnoveℓ.com

After that, they enjoyed many places within the Thorny Flower Garden territory. Aldrian and Sylphia used their disguises again, but for Aldrian, he finally chose a different face to hide his more well-known disguise that had become famous across the continent. He didn’t mind using another disguise; he didn’t want to be disturbed while he was with Baek Jimin, enjoying their time together.

This was why they were able to enjoy their moment without any interruptions. The Thorny Flower Garden territory was vast, offering many places to visit and explore.

Without realizing how much time had passed, they noticed that the sun was nearly setting in the western horizon. Aldrian and Baek Jimin were on the top floor of a restaurant in one of the cities, enjoying the sunset.

As they savored the view, Baek Jimin suddenly blurted out,

"I miss my mother."