Bibi Dong's Sleepless Night

"I never thought something as simple as weighted running could be this effective." After bathing away the medicinal residue and changing into a clean nightgown, Yun Chuan clenched his fists. He felt as though he was at full capacity!

The medicinal bath prepared by Chrysanthemum Douluo really was incredible. Its effects were unbelievably good.

After soaking in the medicinal bath once, not only had all the damage his body had suffered from excessive training fully recovered, but he could also keenly sense visible improvements in every aspect of his physique. By his initial estimate, his physical fitness had improved by at least one percent.

His exceptional talent certainly played a role, but the greater reason was still the medicinal bath prepared by Chrysanthemum Douluo. Its effects in this regard were truly excellent.

Sure enough, it was good to have a big tree for shade.

Thinking about the treatment he had received since childhood in Spirit Hall—being able to eat all kinds of delicacies made from Soul Beast meat whenever he wanted, soaking in medicinal baths every few days to nourish his body—then comparing it to how Tang San in the original story had barely been able to fill his stomach as a child, with even his biological father neglecting him completely, Yun Chuan felt even more fortunate that he had been taken away. Otherwise, he would probably still be like Tang San now, unable even to eat his fill. Not to mention soaking in precious medicinal baths like these whenever he pleased.

Honestly, if Tang San from the original story had not been a transmigrator, possessing the Tang Sect inheritance from his previous life and diligently cultivating the Innate Skill from childhood, then with that malnourished body that never got enough to eat, he still wanted Innate Full Soul Power? Don't make him laugh. At most, he would have had Soul Power at level six or seven. It was even possible that it would have been lower.

One had to know that possessing Twin Spirits did not necessarily mean one would have Innate Full Soul Power. The original story had never said that those with Twin Spirits were guaranteed to possess Innate Full Soul Power.

Spirit Hall had existed for many years, and Yun Chuan had learned from certain records that although Twin Spirits were rare, there were not merely three people like the original story claimed—an unnamed person, Tang San, and Bibi Dong.

Spirit Hall alone had records of more than a dozen such people over the past several centuries. It was simply that most possessors of Twin Spirits had extremely low Innate Soul Power, or no Innate Soul Power at all, so they had never become famous.

That was perfectly normal. Twin Spirits were merely a type of Martial Soul mutation. Such mutations could be beneficial, so naturally they could also be harmful. A beneficial mutation meant exceptionally high Innate Soul Power, while a harmful mutation meant exceptionally low Innate Soul Power, or even no Innate Soul Power at all. It was not as though every possessor of Twin Spirits was guaranteed to have Innate Full Soul Power.

The original story said that only three Twin Spirits had been recorded within a century. Note that it said within a century!

But how long had Soul Masters existed?

He did not dare say too much, but there had to have been several thousand, perhaps even ten thousand years, right?

Over such a long span of time, could there possibly have been only three people with Twin Spirits? Just thinking about it made it obvious that was impossible.

Ahem, he had gotten off track.

Today was a special day for Yun Chuan.

Not only was it the first day he had begun training.

It was also the day he truly began living independently.

From today onward, he could no longer sleep in the same room as the Female Pope or lie in the same bed as her.

Having awakened his Martial Soul, according to this world's view of Soul Masters, he was supposed to officially become independent. He could no longer rely on his parents.

Therefore, no matter how reluctant she was, the Female Pope could only harden her heart. She arranged another room for him and had the child move out of her bedchamber.

This left Yun Chuan feeling very disappointed, because it meant that from now on, he could no longer be held in his fragrant, soft mother's arms and fall peacefully asleep with a smile on his lips. He could only guard an empty bed alone and endure loneliness and solitude.

Fortunately, the one thing that offered him some comfort was that his new room was right next to the Female Pope's, separated by only a single wall.

He lay on his bed.

The lamp had already been extinguished.

The entire room was exceptionally dim. Only the moonlight shining in through the window kept it from being swallowed by complete darkness.

Yun Chuan lay sprawled across his new bed, his eyes wide open as he blankly stared at the ornate ceiling. He simply could not fall asleep. In the past, he had always slept beside the Female Pope, or been held in her arms with his tiny body nestled against her, his head resting on soft peaks as he breathed in her scent and drifted peacefully to sleep. The feeling of being surrounded by maternal love had been simply blissful.

Now that he had suddenly been sent away, deprived of his mother's fragrant, soft embrace and the orchid-and-musk scent that lulled him to sleep, no man could possibly adapt to that.

"Alas, I knew this day would come eventually. But I never expected it to come so soon." Yun Chuan suddenly sighed. His eyes were unfocused as he murmured, "I really can't get used to this..."

With no other choice, Yun Chuan, utterly unable to sleep, could only force himself to fall asleep using the most primitive method.

"One sheep, two sheep, three sheep..."

His quiet murmurs slowly rang through the tranquil room.

At the same time.

In the room on the other side of the wall.

Someone else was also unable to sleep, just like Yun Chuan.

The Female Pope wore a sexy purple lace nightgown as she lay quietly on her bed. Her beautiful eyes were vacant, and she had no sleepiness whatsoever.

In the past, she would hold Yun Chuan's tiny, soft body in her arms like a pillow. She would feel the peaceful breathing of the little life in her embrace, gaze at the child's sleeping face, made especially beautiful by the moonlight beyond the window, and feel as though she possessed the entire world.

That indescribable sense of fulfillment was something no one could replace. She would not trade it even for a Divine Throne!

But tonight, that little fellow was no longer there with her.

Bibi Dong could not sleep.

At that moment, the Female Pope even regretted making Yun Chuan sleep separately so early. He was, after all, only a six-year-old child who understood nothing. What if he cried in the middle of the night without her by his side? Or what if he had a nightmare and cried out for his mother in his sleep?

The more Bibi Dong thought about it, the harder it became for her to sleep. She tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. Her maternal instincts urged her to get out of bed, open the door, go next door, and bring the child back into her arms, pouring all her motherly love upon him!

But reason made her abandon the thought at the last moment. It told her that six years old was not that young anymore, and it was time for him to become independent.

Yet before long, the maternal instinct within her gained the upper hand again, making her want to bring that child back regardless of everything!

But reason ultimately kept her from acting.

After repeatedly swinging back and forth between these two thoughts countless times, the Female Pope gradually grew increasingly irritated. Every little moment she had spent with that child over the past six years surfaced in her mind. The more she remembered, the more reluctant she felt to let go. It was as though, after tonight, the child would truly grow up. He would grow a pair of beautiful wings, fly into the sky, and leave her forever.

The feeling that she was about to lose some precious treasure drove her nearly mad!

A heavy gloom gathered in her heart!

It made her want to cry out and vent it all, but reason told her that children growing up and leaving their mothers to become independent was perfectly normal. She was making far too much of it.

Bibi Dong suddenly felt incomparably sad. Whenever she thought of how that child would one day grow up, marry, have children, no longer need her as his mother, and leave her to become independent, her heart felt empty, as though it were missing an absolutely crucial core.

What if... that child left her someday?

This thought kept rising in the Female Pope's heart.

At once, indescribable panic and unease nearly swallowed her reason whole!

Then keep him by your side forever!

Another voice suddenly sounded in her mind, carrying an unusual sort of power.

The confusion in the Female Pope's beautiful eyes gradually faded, slowly replaced by another intense emotion... Just as things were about to develop in some unpredictable direction.

There came a soft knock at the door.

Knock, knock!

Though the knocking was faint, to Bibi Dong it was like a morning bell and evening drum, instantly startling her awake from that subtle state. The haze in her eyes vanished at once, and reason returned. She realized that her mental state just now had been extremely wrong. It was absolutely abnormal.

"The Rakshasa God's power is influencing my will again!"

The Female Pope clearly recognized it.

"That was close. I almost let myself be bewitched and led astray!" Having awakened from that near-possessed state, Bibi Dong was deeply shaken. She took a deep breath and steadied her turbulent heart. Then her perfect body rose lightly, and she slowly stepped down from the bed.

She walked to the door and gently opened it.

A small figure holding a pillow came into view.

The Female Pope's gaze instantly softened.

"Chuan Er, what is it?" She crouched down, gently stroked his cheek, and asked in an incomparably tender voice.

"Mom, I'm scared of the dark..."

Tears shimmered in Yun Chuan's eyes. His tiny body trembled slightly as he looked at her pitifully. He radiated an air of weakness, helplessness, and misery that made one want nothing more than to pull this little darling into one's arms and shower him with affection!

The next moment.

The Female Pope immediately pulled the child into her arms and held him tightly, her heart filled with regret.

Bibi Dong, Bibi Dong, how could you bear to let such a small child sleep alone?!

Chuan Er was only six years old!

Setting aside the Female Pope's regret.

At that moment, Yun Chuan's entire little head was buried in the Female Pope's full chest, but a sly smile of triumph curved across his lips. There was none of that pitiful, innocent look from earlier. He was simply an expert actor!

Obviously, his fear of the dark had all been an act. With his past and present lives combined, he was nearly thirty years old. How could he possibly fear the dark like a real child?

The reason he had acted like a child.

Was entirely to gain sympathy, all so he could climb back into the Female Pope's bed.

Earlier, he had been unable to sleep alone in his room, tossing and turning restlessly. Even counting sheep did not help. Instead, the more he counted, the more awake he became.

And when people were awake, they tended to let their thoughts wander.

The more Yun Chuan thought while lying awake, the more he missed Bibi Dong's bed, that fragrant, soft embrace, and the blissful feeling of being surrounded by maternal love.

The thought that he would never again get to enjoy that feeling of being surrounded by maternal love left Yun Chuan with an indescribable sense of reluctance. He felt as though he had no motivation even to cultivate.

Therefore, in order to keep himself from degenerating into a salted fish with no dreams.

Yun Chuan could only suppress his conscience and begin pretending to cry and act miserable.

He truly had no choice.