Burning Liu Erlong's Life? Yu Xiaoheng's Decision

In one corner of the crowd, Liu Erlong withdrew from her Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Yu Xiaoheng. Her once rosy little face was now pale as paper, and her body went limp, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Her entire body was drenched in fragrant sweat, and her aura had weakened to the extreme.

Several elders who had already thought highly of her immediately darted forward, supporting her with worried expressions.

But before anyone could figure out what was happening, a piercing laugh abruptly rang out.

It was Yu Xiaogang.

Standing where he was, he swept away his previous dejection, pointed at the imposing Golden Holy Dragon Hatchling behind Yu Xiaoheng, and shouted:

"Fake!"

"As expected, it's all fake!"

Everyone froze and followed the direction of his finger. Only then did they suddenly realize.

As Liu Erlong withdrew from the Spirit Fusion state, Yu Xiaoheng's dazzling Golden Holy Dragon Spirit was rapidly dimming. The golden Dragon Body was even beginning to turn illusory and unstable, as though it might collapse at any moment.

Seeing this, Liu Erlong gritted her silver teeth and forcibly circulated her Soul Power again despite her own weakness.

"Fusion!"

Her little face turned several shades paler as her Martial Soul connected with Yu Xiaoheng's once more.

Buzz!

The Golden Holy Dragon Hatchling, which had been on the verge of dispersing, became slightly more solid again.

But this state lasted less than three seconds.

Liu Erlong could no longer endure it. With a muffled groan, she completely withdrew from the fusion and went limp in an elder's arms.

At that moment, many people realized something...

The young master's Martial Soul had not yet completed the final step of its evolution!

It was only with the assistance of Liu Erlong's Martial Soul Fusion Skill that the Golden Holy Dragon Hatchling's form could be maintained!

"Erlong!"

Yu Xiaoheng's expression changed. No longer caring about any soul bone, he lunged forward and gathered the weakened Liu Erlong into his arms.

The girl did not even have the strength to open her eyes, and could only lean weakly against his chest.

"Sect Master Ning!" Yu Yuanzhen's face darkened as well, and he called out to Ning Zhenyuan.

Understanding at once, Ning Zhenyuan stepped forward. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda instantly appeared, and gentle seven-colored radiance fell over Liu Erlong, enveloping her.

As mighty level-seventy Soul Power flowed into her, a trace of color finally returned to Liu Erlong's face.

Holding the petite body in his arms, Yu Xiaoheng's brows were tightly furrowed, his expression so dark it seemed ready to drip water.

He now completely understood the state of his own Martial Soul.

It was highly unusual.

Perhaps because he had consumed medicinal herbs before his awakening, the immense Medicinal Power had intertwined with and catalyzed the power of his Spirit Awakening within his body, causing his Martial Soul's form to enter an extremely unstable state.

That instability was a crisis, but it also concealed an opportunity.

The drawback was obvious: for the time being, he could not independently maintain the Golden Holy Dragon Hatchling's form.

But the benefit...

Yu Xiaoheng's thoughts raced.

It was precisely because of this instability that, during fusion, his Martial Soul could almost completely transform Liu Erlong's Eight-Level Fire Dragon Spirit into pure fire energy and attach it to the Golden Holy Dragon.

This was also because the quality of his Martial Soul far surpassed Yu Xiaogang's. He did not need a "third person" like Flender to mediate the fusion. He could easily borrow Liu Erlong's Martial Soul power and directly manifest the Holy Dragon's full form, while the excess energy was converted into combat power.

In the long run, if he could preserve this "instability," his Martial Soul would possess limitless potential in the future. It could contain even more power, perhaps even surpassing the legendary Golden Holy Dragon!

But right now...

Yu Xiaoheng lowered his head to look at the unconscious Liu Erlong in his arms.

He could wait. He could slowly search for other soul beasts possessing both light and dragon attributes to stabilize his Martial Soul.

But Liu Erlong could not wait!

The consumption of a Martial Soul Fusion Skill was immense. Even Spirit Emperor and Spirit Saint powerhouses did not dare use it frequently and casually.

If she had to maintain his Martial Soul's form for him every day...

Within a few days, she would be drained to death!

At that thought, Yu Xiaoheng's heart tightened painfully.

He wanted to speak and tell the girl who had followed behind him since childhood, "Stop."

But when the words reached his lips, they became bitterness, and he swallowed them back down.

Why had he crossed into this world and painstakingly plotted for so long?

Was it not to break free from mediocrity, to become stronger, to awaken the Golden Holy Dragon Spirit!

Yet the price was her...

Yu Xiaoheng's mind uncontrollably replayed the scene he had witnessed in the shadows beside the Awakening Platform.

A small figure stubbornly arguing on his behalf. Her tiny hand had been pressed against the stone platform as she was forcibly dragged away, her knuckles scraped raw and beading with blood.

The Martial Arts Arena had long since descended into chaos.

"How could this happen?! How could the young master's Martial Soul devolve?!"

"Stabilize it! We must find a way to stabilize the Golden Holy Dragon's form!"

"This is a grand event our sect has not seen in a thousand years. Nothing can go wrong!"

Countless disciples and elders of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan were frantic with anxiety.

Some who had once mocked him now wore expressions full of tension and terror, as though the collapse of that Martial Soul foretold the collapse of their own futures.

Amid the chaos, several furious gazes locked onto Yu Xiaogang.

"It's all your fault, you trash!"

One disciple gritted his teeth and rushed over, kicking him without hesitation.

"If not for your inferior bloodline affecting Young Master Xiaoheng, there wouldn't be anything wrong with his Martial Soul at all!"

"Beat him to death!"

Fists and feet rained down like raindrops.

Even the elder who had protected Yu Xiaogang earlier now wore a dark expression. He only made a token effort to stop them, allowing the enraged disciples to beat Yu Xiaogang until his face was swollen and bruised.

Yu Xiaogang curled up on the ground, enduring the searing pain, but his eyes stared venomously at Yu Xiaoheng, who was surrounded by the crowd.

Why?!

Why did he get to be the center of attention?!

It was all his fault!

If only he were trash just like me!!

On the other side, Yu Yuanzhen had already quickly approached Ning Zhenyuan.

"Sect Master Ning, would you be willing to remain at our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan for a few more days?"

Ning Zhenyuan was no ordinary man and instantly understood Yu Yuanzhen's intent.

He wanted Ning Zhenyuan to continuously replenish Liu Erlong's Soul Power with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, then have Liu Erlong forcibly maintain Yu Xiaoheng's Martial Soul in its evolved form.

Hearing this, Yu Xiaoheng's arm around Liu Erlong suddenly stiffened.

He was completely stunned.

Burning her life!

This was outright burning Liu Erlong's life!

Even with Ning Zhenyuan's assistance, it would merely allow her to burn for a little longer. The essence of it would not change at all!

Without the slightest hesitation, Ning Zhenyuan solemnly nodded.

"You overstate it, Sect Master Yu. Such a peerless talent is the shared glory of our Upper Three Sects. Ning will naturally do his part."

Tang Wei also immediately stepped forward. With a sweep of his hand over his Soul Tool, he took out several pills.

"These are the Clear Sky Sect's secret Pill for Strengthening Origin. Though they cannot bring back the dead, they can greatly strengthen one's life essence and allow this little girl to hold on a while longer."

Their stance could not have been clearer.

A future peerless powerhouse was far more important than a girl with eight-level Innate Soul Power.

At that moment, Liu Erlong slowly awakened.

Before she could say anything, several elders eagerly crowded around her. They cast aside all dignity, their tones nearly pleading.

"Miss Erlong, Young Master Xiaoheng needs you. Can you... can you keep helping him activate the Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

Liu Erlong froze for a moment, then looked toward Yu Xiaoheng. When she saw the noble and extraordinary Golden Holy Dragon behind him, a proud flush appeared on her pale little face.

She nodded forcefully.

"I can! No problem!"

Boom!

That crisp reply made Yu Xiaoheng feel as though he had fallen into an icy abyss, leaving his entire body numb.

He could truly feel that everything had changed.

When he was a "genius," everyone came to pave the way for him.

Ning Zhenyuan, Tang Wei—these great figures whose slightest movement could shake the continent—were pouring resources into him regardless of cost.

Those elders who had once looked down on him now humbled themselves before Liu Erlong.

Everything before him looked so wonderful.

A sea of blooming flowers, oil poured onto raging flames.

The humiliation of being pressured by Qian Xunji had not yet faded, but the authority of the Blue Lightning Young Master was already displayed to the fullest.

Yet Yu Xiaoheng's heart was ice-cold.

Because no one had told Liu Erlong what the consequences would be.

No one had told her that if she repeatedly overdraw her life force and Soul Power, she would truly die.

Could Yu Yuanzhen not have thought of this?

Of course he had.

But the Golden Holy Dragon meant too much to the sect—so much that it outweighed everything else.

Let alone sacrificing one Liu Erlong.

Even if Yu Yuanzhen himself had to burn his own life, he would not hesitate!

Everyone's eyes converged on Yu Xiaoheng, awaiting his decision.

Yu Xiaoheng froze for a moment and lowered his head to look into the bright eyes in his arms, eyes filled with trust and joy.

His lips parted. In the end, he only spoke five words.

"Sorry to trouble you, Erlong."

He could not bring himself to refuse.

Qian Xunji's pressure, that power which ruled over everything, was like a thorn deeply embedded in his soul.

He admitted that this was not to defeat Qian Xunji, not to save Bibi Dong, and not for anyone else.

It was for himself.

So that one day, he could hold his fate in his own hands and never be controlled by anyone!

Half a day later.

Inside the sect's most important cultivation chamber.

Liu Erlong sat cross-legged, her little face pale as paper and her aura listless.

Behind her, Ning Zhenyuan held the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda in his palm. Gentle radiance continuously poured down, barely sustaining her life force.

The sect elders had already concluded that once Yu Xiaoheng absorbed his First Spirit Ring, he would be able to initially stabilize his Martial Soul and would no longer need Liu Erlong to burn her life like this.

They also knew that the most suitable spirit ring would come from a soul beast with both light and dragon attributes.

But such soul beasts were exceedingly rare!

Yu Xiaoheng entered the cultivation chamber. Seeing the weakened Liu Erlong, his steps halted.

Yet when Liu Erlong saw him, she revealed a happy smile.

"Brother Xiaoheng, I can finally help you."

Ning Zhenyuan spoke from the side, his voice carrying a hint of reassurance.

"Young master need not worry too much. With this old man here, Miss Erlong will not be in mortal danger. She can at least hold on for more than half a month. By then, with the Blue Lightning Sect's intelligence network, you should have found a suitable soul beast."

Yu Xiaoheng remained silent.

He knew Ning Zhenyuan was only saying that for appearances.

Half a month?

At this rate of burning, it would be a miracle if Liu Erlong could endure three days!

The foundation of her Martial Soul would be completely destroyed!

Yu Xiaoheng's fist clenched tightly within his sleeve.

He could not delay any longer.

He suddenly raised his head and turned to leave.

Yu Yuanzhen had been standing guard outside the door. Seeing this, his expression changed.

"Xiaoheng, don't act on impulse!"