Liu Erlong Awakens, Bibi Dong's Comfort

"Martial Soul, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon! Innate Soul Power, Level Seven!"

Thunderous cheers immediately erupted from the stands.

"Good! Just as expected of Cheng Xin!"

"There is hope for the revival of our sect!"

Bibi Dong hid behind Yu Xiaoheng, peeking out with half her head. An unprecedented light gleamed in her violet eyes.

The grand spectacle had stunned her. Her little face was full of excitement, and the corners of her mouth uncontrollably lifted.

But just as she was about to laugh aloud, she seemed to remember something. Her body suddenly stiffened, and she instinctively turned back to look timidly at Yu Xiaoheng.

Her gaze was like that of a startled fawn, checking whether it was safe around her.

Yu Xiaoheng nodded at her.

Only after receiving permission did Bibi Dong dare to grin, revealing a brilliant yet somewhat cautious smile.

Seeing her like this, Yu Xiaoheng felt a little pained.

In his previous life, he had once read about a psychology experiment.

Whenever a baby cried, he received comfort from his parents. So, he learned to use crying to obtain what he wanted.

Later, no matter how much he cried, he could no longer receive anyone's care.

After several times, the baby stopped crying altogether.

It was not that he did not feel wronged, but that he understood crying was useless.

The Bibi Dong before him was that baby who no longer cried. Every one of her joys, anger, sorrows, and delights was tightly controlled by Qian Xunji. She needed permission to feel joy, while sadness was not allowed to exist.

Yu Xiaoheng's heart stirred, and he took another hard candy wrapped in wax paper from his robes.

He handed it to her.

Bibi Dong's eyes instantly lit up, but her outstretched hand stopped halfway before quickly shrinking back.

She shook her head hard, lowering her voice to nearly a whisper, her words carrying a sob.

"No... I can't eat it."

"Why not?"

"My mouth... my mouth will smell." Bibi Dong's body trembled slightly. "Last time... I only secretly ate a little white sugar from the kitchen, but Teacher found out..."

She did not mention the consequences, but that fear made the girl shudder.

"Teacher... whipped me."

"It's fine," Yu Xiaoheng said.

From another pocket, he took out a flat item wrapped in foil.

"After eating the candy, chew this. Your mouth will only smell cool and minty, and no one will notice."

Yu Xiaoheng tore open the wrapper and held the white piece of "Chewing Gum" before her.

Bibi Dong froze.

She had never seen such a thing, nor could she understand what Yu Xiaoheng meant.

After hesitating for a moment, Bibi Dong still accepted this new kind of Candy.

Following Yu Xiaoheng's example, she first put the candy into her mouth. A rich, sweet fragrance instantly burst across her taste buds, making her squint in happiness.

Then, she carefully put the thin piece into her mouth as well.

A powerful, refreshing taste immediately filled her entire mouth, even overwhelming the cloying sweetness.

Bibi Dong's eyes suddenly widened.

"Brother Xiaoheng... you're amazing!"

In her pure little world, Yu Xiaoheng was like a god. He could always produce marvelous things she had never heard of and solve all her fears and troubles.

His upright back was clearly reflected in her eyes.

Seeing her like this, Yu Xiaoheng could not help but sigh inwardly.

This little thing was rather adorable.

After thinking for a moment, he still could not help speaking.

"Bibi Dong, don't worry."

"I'll get you out of Spirit Hall."

Those words were seven parts false and three parts true.

The truth was that he genuinely found the girl somewhat pitiful.

The lie was that he needed Bibi Dong as an immensely important chess piece. In the Original Work, she could betray Spirit Hall for Yu Xiaogang. In this life, she would naturally have to do so for Yu Xiaoheng.

As for whether she would still suffer at Qian Xunji's hands in the future, whether her whole life would still be destroyed...

Yu Xiaoheng could only say that he would do his best.

But even if he could not stop it, for the sake of his grand ambitions, he was determined to win Bibi Dong over.

Yet those calculating words made Bibi Dong's entire body freeze.

She abruptly raised her head and stared fixedly at Yu Xiaoheng.

Leave... Spirit Hall?

She felt as if she lived in an endless prison of hell.

And the most terrifying part was that everyone who treated her well, everyone who had ever given her a gentle smile, told her to obediently remain in that hell, to listen carefully to Teacher, to cultivate diligently, so that she could earn Teacher's approval.

They were all encouraging her to continue living in that cage.

Only him.

Only Yu Xiaoheng, standing before her, was the first to tell her—

I'll save you.

In an instant, a massive tide drowned Bibi Dong.

Her eyes instantly reddened.

Large tears rolled down uncontrollably, streaking across her pale little face.

She wanted to say something, but her throat seemed blocked, and she could not utter a single word.

In the end, she only looked at Yu Xiaoheng and nodded heavily with all the strength in her body.

But soon, as if recalling something, her little head began shaking fiercely, so hard that it seemed she wanted to throw away the hope that had just arisen.

Yu Xiaoheng was stunned.

Bibi Dong might have been ignorant about other matters, but when it came to cultivation, she was terrifyingly sharp.

After all, it was the only thing she had ever done in her life so far.

"Brother Xiaoheng... it won't work."

Her voice was thick with tears.

"I have Innate Full Soul Power."

She raised her head. For the first time, those beautiful violet eyes no longer held timidity, only an almost cruel clarity.

"Spirit Hall's strength... is terrifying."

"Teacher... Teacher is very, very frightening."

Those few sentences nearly drained all the strength from her body.

She looked gratefully at Yu Xiaoheng. Tears slid down her face again, but there was a trace of resolve in her eyes.

"Thank you, Brother. But you mustn't do this for me..."

"Today was the happiest day of my life."

The unspoken meaning was obvious.

A day this happy would never come again.

Yu Xiaoheng's heart felt as though something had stabbed it.

Looking at the deathly stillness in the girl's eyes, he said solemnly, "I can definitely do it."

However, Bibi Dong merely shook her head, silently thanking him without arguing further.

Yu Xiaoheng was helpless too.

Innate Full Soul Power?

Can I do it?

He quietly sensed the flow of Soul Power through the Meridians in his body. That sensation was far from the swollen, overflowing fullness said to accompany legendary Innate Full Soul Power.

A sense of powerlessness quietly rose within him.

In the shadows behind the stands, the atmosphere became awkward for a moment.

In the end, Bibi Dong broke the silence.

As though she were trying to comfort Yu Xiaoheng, or perhaps convince herself, she spoke softly yet with utmost seriousness.

"Brother Xiaoheng, you definitely can."

But that naive comfort...

Only made Yu Xiaoheng smile bitterly.

I can?

What makes me capable of it?

I haven't even gotten any Immortal Herbs.

And I want Luo San Pao to evolve completely??

Dream on.

Just as Yu Xiaoheng was about to nod, an even greater uproar suddenly erupted from the Martial Arts Arena.

The two of them looked down at the same time.

"Next, Liu Erlong!"