She was completely different from Xiao Wu's adorable girl-next-door type. The two girls each had their own charms and were both stunningly beautiful, but he still loved Qian Renxue.
At that moment, Xiao Wu opened the bundle on her back, took out a carrot and bit off a small piece, then pulled out another and handed it to Jin Lingfeng:
"Brother Jin, Xiao Wu is hungry. Have a carrot—you should try one too!"
Jin Lingfeng understood that, to Xiao Wu, carrots were the most delicious food in the world. Since she was willing to take one out and share it with him, she must have regarded him as a friend.
"Xiao Wu, thank you. Then I won't stand on ceremony."
Smiling, Jin Lingfeng accepted the carrot and took a bite in front of Xiao Wu. Though he was somewhat unaccustomed to the taste, he still smiled and said, "It tastes really good."
Xiao Wu flashed a delighted smile, her pearly teeth showing, and sat side by side with Jin Lingfeng on the grass as they chatted.
The two laughed and talked throughout, and the atmosphere was exceedingly relaxed. The girl unconsciously leaned closer to the boy, because there was something special about him that made her feel incredibly close and comfortable...
Soon, the sun was setting in the west.
Jin Lingfeng took out a small purse and handed it to Xiao Wu:
"Xiao Wu, take the money inside."
"I saw that you don't have many carrots left in your bundle."
"And since you like carrots so much, go buy some more later."
Jin Lingfeng did this because he feared that Tang San would approach Xiao Wu as he had in the original story, taking advantage of her love for carrots. Xiao Wu was so pure and kind that she really might be deceived.
Xiao Wu's eyes instantly reddened. Though she had known the man before her for only a short time, her heart felt warmth. It was the feeling of being cared for and protected.
Before leaving the Star Dou Great Forest, her mother had warned her to be careful around humans. They were all greedy and despicable, but this guy before her was different from the others.
"Brother Jin, can you tell Xiao Wu..."
"Why are you so good to me?"
Xiao Wu looked at the white-clad man before her with watery eyes, feeling nervous and expectant.
Jin Lingfeng smiled faintly, trying his best to make his smile appear more sincere. Looking into Xiao Wu's eyes, he said:
"Xiao Wu, don't worry. I mean you no harm."
"I simply thought that a young girl like you would need help after coming to an unfamiliar academy, so I decided to help you."
As the sun set, on the grassy lawn.
The boy and girl gazed at each other. The image seemed to freeze in that instant, appearing exceptionally warm.
Looking at the sincerity in his eyes, Xiao Wu's cheeks instantly flushed red, and an indescribable feeling welled up within her heart.
"Brother Jin, thank you."
"Once Xiao Wu grows stronger and earns money, I'll pay you back, hehe."
Xiao Wu pursed her lips slightly and accepted the heavy purse. She was even more moved, her affection soaring. With so much money, she could buy so, so many carrots...
"Xiao Wu, it's getting late. You should hurry back to the dormitory too."
"I have some matters to take care of. I'll come see you again tomorrow."
With that, he reached out and patted the girl's shoulder before preparing to leave.
Who would have thought that Xiao Wu would blush and grab his hand, placing it on top of her head? Her rabbit ears drooped as she gently rubbed against his palm, and she shyly called out:
"Goodbye, Brother Jin!"
Jin Lingfeng froze for a moment, then realized something was wrong. Xiao Wu seemed to have fallen for him!
Alarmed, he quickly withdrew his hand and left in a rather hurried manner. He had always deeply loved Qian Renxue. Had he known Xiao Wu would misunderstand, he should not have helped her like this...
Behind him, the girl watched the white-clad figure gradually recede into the distance. Still unable to recover from the warmth of that moment, she tightened her delicate hand around the purse and smiled sweetly...
Late at night, under a moonless sky and howling winds.
A white figure left the teachers' dormitory and slipped toward the room where Yu Xiaogang was staying...
Inside the room, the lamplight flickered unsteadily.
Two black shadows were cast upon the white wall.
"Rest assured, Young Sect Master. Once dawn comes tomorrow, Heavenly Slave will personally make his move."
"I'll capture that little bastard and let the Young Sect Master deal with him as he sees fit."
Heavenly Slave, a collateral member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan with level 45 Soul Power, knelt on one knee before Yu Xiaogang. The others secretly protecting Yu Xiaogang were rapidly making their way over.
Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back, his face dark as water. Due to his mutated martial soul, his Soul Power had permanently remained at level 29, and he had suffered countless scornful looks.
He had thought that by taking Tang San, a super genius, as his disciple, he would soon wash away his humiliation and win back Empress Bibi Dong's heart. Who would have thought that he would be humiliated today by some brat?
However, at that moment, a teasing voice suddenly sounded within the room:
"Yu Xiaogang, today I'm going to settle accounts with you properly!"
Yu Xiaogang's expression changed drastically. He would never forget that voice for the rest of his life—it belonged to the person who had humiliated him during the day!
"Who is it? Get out here!"
"What kind of skill is hiding and playing tricks?"
Heavenly Slave stepped in front of Yu Xiaogang. Blue Soul Power rose around him as he vigilantly stared in all directions.
The next moment, a crack tore open in space, and a white-clad man slowly stepped out from within.
Recalling the scene of Bibi Dong losing control to her Inner Demon, Jin Lingfeng glared at Yu Xiaogang with intense killing intent in his eyes, making the atmosphere in the room unbearably oppressive.
From Yu Xiaogang's expression, Heavenly Slave guessed the newcomer's identity and sneered:
"Brat, you must have been the one who humiliated the Young Sect Master during the day! How utterly outrageous!"
"Fine. Since you took the initiative to come here and seek death, I'll grant your wish!"
"Third Soul Skill, Thunder Fist!"
In an instant, Heavenly Slave's level 45 Soul Power erupted. Blue lightning flashed around his right hand as he smashed it toward Jin Lingfeng, his momentum fierce enough to crush everything!
Jin Lingfeng merely smiled faintly and met the attack with his own fist, without even summoning his martial soul.
Yet this sight made Yu Xiaogang's expression change drastically. He cried out:
"Heavenly Slave, be careful!"
"This person is extremely strange. You can't fight him..."
Yu Xiaogang's research into martial souls ran deep. It was obvious that his opponent had entered out of thin air without using a Soul Skill, leaving only one possibility: a soul bone!
Moreover, he could see that the calmness in this fellow's eyes was not an act. There was only one explanation—he was pretending to be weak to lure out a stronger opponent!
But before Yu Xiaogang could finish speaking, Heavenly Slave had already been sent flying. When he hit the ground, a bloodied fist mark appeared on his chest, and he died...
It had all happened in the blink of an eye. Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened in disbelief. He could not believe that his man had been killed so easily!
"Yu Xiaogang, you despicable bastard."
"You actually exploited Sister Dong'er's infatuation with you and hurt her so deeply that she developed an Inner Demon!"
"You... deserve to die!"
With endless killing intent in his eyes, Jin Lingfeng walked toward Yu Xiaogang.
With every step he took, Yu Xiaogang's heart pounded wildly. His opponent's eyes were like the gaze of the Grim Reaper, ready to kill him at any moment!
Suddenly, Yu Xiaogang hesitated no longer. With a thud, he fell to his knees and repeatedly kowtowed as he begged:
"Spare my life, my lord!"
"I never liked Bibi Dong. She was the one who had always liked me unilaterally."
"Besides, I left Spirit Hall more than ten years ago and have never had any contact with Bibi Dong since."
"I don't know what happened to her now, and it has nothing to do with me. Please spare my worthless life, my lord. Don't kill me..."
With his Soul Power permanently stuck at level 29, Yu Xiaogang had none of the pride expected of the Young Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Instead, he was terrified of death.
When facing Qian Xunji's threats back then, he had likewise severed all ties and left Spirit Hall. In the end, Qian Xunji died, while he survived by clinging to life.
However, those pleas completely enraged Jin Lingfeng!
"Yu Xiaogang, can you be any more shameless?!"
"If you hadn't bewitched Sister Dong'er back then, would she have been blind enough to fall for you?"
"If my guess is correct, you intend to cultivate Tang San."
"You want to draw Sister Dong'er's attention again, and you're still dreaming of becoming the man of the Pope, aren't you?!"
Jin Lingfeng was consumed by rage. He seized Yu Xiaogang by the throat and directly lifted him into the air.
Yu Xiaogang's face turned deathly pale, his bulging eyes making him look terrifying. His limbs flailed wildly, but he could not break free, restrained like a dead fish.
"You... you bastard..."
"The matters between... between Bibi Dong and me... what right do you have to interfere?!"
"If you ask me, this is treason..."
"You dare harbor designs on the Pope... are you also after Bibi Dong... ah!"
Yu Xiaogang was in unbearable pain. No longer bothering to pretend, he cursed madly, but soon felt the hand around his throat suddenly tighten. Nearly suffocating, foam spilled from his mouth...
Jin Lingfeng was beside himself with fury. Bibi Dong was Qian Renxue's mother, and he had always deeply respected her. How could he possibly harbor ulterior motives toward Bibi Dong as Yu Xiaogang claimed? This man truly deserved to die!
However, Yu Xiaogang's words had been overheard by a woman in palace attire hidden atop the roof...
Before you continue