Liu Erlong's Madness, Yu Yuanzhen: I'm Sorry, Xiaoheng

Yu Xiaoheng, just obediently serve as the backdrop beneath my brilliant genius image!

Those pathetic little tricks of yours will always be nothing more than side paths.

And I will stand at the pinnacle of this continent!

At the highest point of the Martial Arts Arena, the clamor gradually subsided.

Yu Yuanzhen withdrew his gaze from Liu Erlong. Though he had already made his decision, he still could not entirely let go of his concern for his eldest son.

Suppressing the turbulent emotions in his heart, he turned to the steward beside him.

"Xiaoheng... still hasn't come?"

The steward bowed, his expression strange.

"Reporting to the Clan Leader, the young master... has gone missing."

"What?"

Yu Yuanzhen frowned deeply.

The steward hurriedly explained, "The people sent to look for him reported that the young master's room was empty. The bedding still had warmth to it, so it seemed he had awakened. But... he did not come to the Martial Arts Arena."

As soon as those words fell—

The atmosphere around them instantly turned heavy.

It was not just Yu Yuanzhen. The expressions of the several Sect Elders behind him became exceedingly grim as well.

"He woke up, but didn't come?"

"Hmph! What does that mean? Was he too scared to come?"

"Deserting at the critical moment! Since when had the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan produced such a coward!"

"Not coming is even more shameful than awakening a useless Martial Soul! This is an open insult to our clan and the bloodline of our family!"

Muttered voices full of suppressed fury rose one after another.

Yu Yuanzhen's expression shifted repeatedly as he listened.

He slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, there was only... disappointment in them.

He ran away.

My son actually chose to run away.

Yu Yuanzhen felt his blood surge in his chest, and a metallic sweetness rose in his throat.

I didn't educate him properly...

It is my fault!

Occupied with clan affairs all day long, he had neglected to nurture his child's character.

Then again, the clansmen had focused on Yu Xiaogang all day and ignored Xiaoheng, yet he had never done anything about it.

Xiaoheng ran away today.

It is my fault!

Xiaoheng, Father... is sorry...

On the other side.

Yu Xiaogang stepped down from the platform, passed through the crowd, and came before Liu Erlong.

"Erlong."

Liu Erlong had been anxiously searching for Yu Xiaoheng. When she saw Yu Xiaogang, she forced out a smile. "Young Master Xiaogang."

As she grew older, she understood that she could no longer order the clan's future genius around as she had before.

Yu Xiaogang said, "Father has given the order. From today onward, you will follow me."

Liu Erlong froze.

She stared blankly at Yu Xiaogang, seemingly unable to understand what he had said.

"...What did you say?"

Yu Xiaogang was very patient and repeated himself.

"I said that by the Clan Leader's order, you will be under my command from now on. Your talent should not be wasted on someone like my elder brother."

Boom!

Was he joking?!

Liu Erlong felt her mind buzz.

Rage shot from the soles of her feet straight to the top of her head!

"Keep dreaming!"

The three words were forced through her clenched teeth.

Behind her, the phantom of her crimson Fire Dragon Spirit surged once more, and scorching waves of heat rushed outward!

"Impudence!"

"How dare you disrespect the young clan leader!"

Before she could make a move, several clan members who had come to their senses immediately rushed forward and pinned her shoulders down.

Liu Erlong was merely a child who had just awakened her Martial Soul. She had Soul Power but no idea how to use it. How could she possibly be a match for them?

Held so tightly that she could not move, she could only glare fiercely at Yu Xiaogang with eyes that seemed ready to spit fire.

"I'm telling you, Yu Xiaogang! I, Liu Erlong, belong to Brother Xiaoheng! I always will!"

"You want me to follow you? Over my dead body!"

The girl gritted her teeth, her tone exceptionally fierce!

Her impassioned declaration stunned everyone around her.

No one could imagine such words coming from a little girl only six years old.

Seeing the farce grow increasingly out of hand, the elders in the stands finally could not sit still.

"Nonsense!"

An elder's beard trembled as he angrily rebuked her. "How dare you cause trouble during the sacred ceremony of Spirit Awakening! Men, take her away and lock her up!"

"Yes!"

Guards immediately stepped forward to drag Liu Erlong away.

"I'm not leaving!"

Liu Erlong struggled wildly. She braced her feet against the ground and desperately clutched the Awakening Stone Platform beside her with both hands.

"Brother Xiaoheng will definitely come! He definitely will!"

She cried herself hoarse.

More than anyone else, she knew how much Yu Xiaoheng had given for this day.

Those strange exercises, those foul-smelling herbs, the lamplight that still burned late into the night...

She had to wait here for Yu Xiaoheng... to cross safely to the other shore, as if walking on thin ice!

"Drag her away!" The guards grew impatient and increased their strength.

But Liu Erlong seemed to have gone mad. She used every ounce of strength in her body and refused to let go.

Her nails scraped against the hard stone platform, producing a teeth-grating screech.

Soon, blood seeped from between her fingers.

One streak.

Then another.

Her ten fingers connected to her heart. Excruciating pain tore through her, yet she seemed completely unaware of it. She used the last of her strength to drag ten shocking bloody marks across the rough stone platform!

Everyone was frightened by the sight.

The entire Martial Arts Arena fell silent.

Every gaze gathered upon that thin, raggedly dressed girl, whose hands were covered in blood but who still refused to yield.

In the shadows, Yu Xiaoheng stood quietly.

Across the distant crowd, he could clearly see the frail figure beside the stone platform and her blood-dripping hands.

The plan... had succeeded.

Liu Erlong's loyalty needed no further proof.

This bond was enough to bring the legendary Martial Soul Fusion Skill back into the world.

After awakening his Martial Soul, he could immediately fuse with her, allowing Luo San Pao to adapt to the form of the Golden Holy Dragon ahead of time and take a shortcut.

This was the result he had obtained only after careful scheming and advancing step by step.

He should have been happy.

But he could not smile.

Instead, his chest felt a little sour, as though something inside him was swaying unsteadily.

He withdrew his gaze and turned his head.

"I'm going to awaken my Martial Soul."

Beside him, Bibi Dong's small body trembled slightly.

She had remained quiet all along, merely watching everything unfold in the Martial Arts Arena.

"That girl just now..."

Her voice was soft, carrying a faint, almost imperceptible probing note.

"Was she trying so hard because of Brother Xiaoheng?"

Yu Xiaoheng's heart tightened.

Danger.

He almost instinctively tensed his body.

The adorable, pitiful little girl before him would one day become the Pope who dared imprison gods and killed without hesitation. A thoroughly madwoman.

He had only just raised her favorability. If he showed concern for Liu Erlong now, the consequences would be unthinkable.

Just as his thoughts raced and his body stiffened—

Bibi Dong lowered her head, her voice even softer than before.

"Brother... I'll be good and wait for you to come back."

Yu Xiaoheng was stunned.

Only then did he realize that there was no hostility or jealousy in Bibi Dong's eyes, only the panic of someone afraid of being abandoned.

She was simply afraid.

Afraid that, now that Yu Xiaoheng had a girl willing to risk her life for him, he would no longer need an extra Bibi Dong.

Like a little stray cat that had been picked up, only to see its owner looking elsewhere, she could only let out two pitiful little cries.