Liu Erlong's Madness, Yu Yuanzhen: I Let Xiaoheng Down

Yu Xiaoheng, just be the backdrop beneath the brilliant image of my genius!

Those worthless things of yours would ultimately remain lesser paths.

And I would stand at the pinnacle of this continent!

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

Yu Yuanzhen withdrew his gaze from Liu Erlong. Though he had already made up his mind, he still retained a trace of concern for his eldest son.

Suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, he turned to the Deacon at his side.

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

The Deacon bowed, his expression strange.

"Reporting to Sect Master, Young Master... has disappeared."

"What?"

Yu Yuanzhen frowned tightly.

The Deacon hurriedly explained, "The people we sent reported that Young Master's room was empty. The bedding was still warm, so it seemed he had awakened. But... he did not come to the Martial Arts Arena."

As soon as those words fell—

The surrounding atmosphere instantly grew heavy.

It was not only Yu Yuanzhen. The several Sect Elders behind him all wore extremely grim expressions.

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

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

"Deserting at the crucial moment! When has our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan ever produced such a coward!"

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

Low murmurs filled with suppressed fury rose one after another.

Yu Yuanzhen's expression changed again and again upon hearing them.

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

He had run.

My son actually chose to run away.

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

I failed to teach him well...

This is my fault!

He had spent every day occupied with clan affairs, yet neglected to cultivate his child's character.

And indeed, the clan members focused on Xiao Gang every day and ignored Xiaoheng, yet he had never done anything about it.

Today, Xiaoheng had run away.

This is my fault!

Xiaoheng, Dad... let you down...

On the other side.

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

"Second Dragon."

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

As she grew older, she understood that she could no longer order the sect'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, as though she had not understood his words.

"...What did you say?"

Yu Xiaogang was quite patient and repeated himself.

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

Boom!

What kind of joke was this?!

Liu Erlong felt her mind buzz.

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

"You wish!"

The three words were forced out through clenched teeth.

Behind her, the crimson phantom of her Fire Dragon Martial Soul surged once more, scorching waves of heat rushing forward!

"Impudence!"

"How dare you disrespect the Young Master!"

Before she could make a move, several Clan Disciples who had recovered their senses immediately rushed forward and pinned her shoulders down.

Liu Erlong was only a child who had just awakened her Martial Soul. She possessed Soul Power but not the slightest Method of Use. How could she possibly be a match for them?

She was restrained so tightly that she could not move, and could only glare fiercely at Yu Xiaogang with blazing eyes.

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

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

The maiden gritted her teeth, her tone exceptionally vicious!

Her impassioned declaration stunned everyone around her.

No one could imagine such words coming from the mouth of a little girl barely six years old.

Seeing the farce grow increasingly serious, the Elders on the stands could no longer remain seated.

"Nonsense!"

An Elder's beard and hair trembled slightly as he rebuked her, "How dare you cause trouble during the Sacred Ritual of Martial Soul 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 madly, bracing her feet against the ground and clutching the nearby Awakening Stone Platform with both hands.

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

She screamed 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 lights that remained lit deep into the night...

She wanted to wait here, wait for Yu Xiaoheng... to cross to the other shore as though treading on thin ice!

"Drag her away!" The Guards were growing impatient and increased their strength.

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

Her nails scraped against the hard stone monument, producing a grating scrape that made teeth ache.

Soon, blood seeped from between her fingers.

One streak.

Two streaks.

Her fingers were connected to her heart, and agonizing pain surged through her, yet she seemed utterly unaware. With the last strength of her life, she dragged 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 frail girl in ragged clothes, her hands covered in blood, yet still unwilling 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 ten bleeding fingers.

The plan... 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 Sanpao to adapt to the form of the Golden Sacred Dragon in advance and take a shortcut.

This was the result he had obtained through painstaking calculations and careful steps.

He should have been happy.

But he could not smile.

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

He withdrew his gaze and turned his head aside.

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

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

She had remained very quiet, only silently watching everything that happened in the Martial Arts Arena.

"That girl just now..."

Her voice was soft, carrying a faint, barely perceptible trace of probing.

"Was she fighting so desperately for 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. She was a complete madwoman.

He had just earned her favor. If he showed concern for Liu Erlong now, the consequences would be unimaginable.

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 froze.

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

She was simply afraid.

Afraid that once 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 someone had picked up, only to see its owner looking elsewhere, she could only let out two pitiful cries.