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 Small Face had turned pale as paper, and her body went limp, nearly collapsing to the ground.

She was drenched in fragrant sweat, her aura weak to the extreme.

Several Elders who had already favored her rushed forward in a flash, supporting her with worried expressions.

Before anyone could figure out what was happening, a piercing laugh suddenly rang out.

It was Yu Xiaogang.

Standing where he was, he swept away his previous dejection. Pointing at the imposing Golden Sacred Dragon Young Body behind Yu Xiaoheng, he shouted:

"Fake!"

"So it was all fake!"

Everyone froze, following the direction of his finger. Only then did they abruptly realize.

As Liu Erlong withdrew from the Martial Soul fusion state, the dazzling Golden Sacred Dragon Martial Soul behind Yu Xiaoheng 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 mobilized her Soul Power again despite her weakness.

"Fusion!"

Her Small Face turned even paler as her Martial Soul connected with Yu Xiaoheng's once more.

Buzz!

The Golden Sacred Dragon Young Body, which had been on the verge of scattering, became somewhat more solid again.

Yet this state lasted less than three seconds.

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

At that moment, many people understood...

The Young Master's Martial Soul had yet to complete the final step of its evolution!

It was only with the support of Liu Erlong's Martial Soul Fusion Skill that the form of the Golden Sacred Dragon Young Body could be maintained!

"Erlong!"

Yu Xiaoheng's expression changed. No longer caring about any Spirit Bone, he rushed forward in a single stride and pulled the weakened Liu Erlong into his arms.

The girl no longer had the strength even to open her eyes and could only lean weakly against his chest.

"Sect Master Ning!" Yu Yuanzhen's face also darkened as he called to Ning Zhenyuan.

Ning Zhenyuan understood immediately. He stepped forward, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda appeared in an instant. Gentle seven-colored radiance spilled down, enveloping Liu Erlong.

As his majestic Level Seventy Soul Power flowed into her, Liu Erlong's face finally regained a faint trace of color.

Holding the petite body in his arms, Yu Xiaoheng's brows were tightly furrowed, his expression so grim it seemed as though water might drip from it.

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

It was very unusual.

Perhaps it was because he had consumed medicinal herbs before his Martial Soul Awakening. The vast medicinal power had intertwined with and catalyzed the power of his awakening within his body, causing his Martial Soul form to enter an extremely unstable state.

This instability was both a crisis and an opportunity.

The drawback was obvious: for the time being, he could not independently maintain the Golden Sacred Dragon Young Body'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 Level Eight Fire Dragon Martial Soul into pure fire power and attach it to the Golden Sacred Dragon.

This was also because the quality of his Martial Soul far surpassed Yu Xiaogang's. He simply did not need a "third person" like Flender to mediate. He could easily borrow Liu Erlong's Martial Soul power and directly manifest the complete Holy Dragon, with the surplus energy strengthening its combat power.

In the long run, if he could preserve this "instability," his Martial Soul would possess limitless possibilities in the future. It could accommodate even more power and perhaps even surpass the legendary Golden Sacred Dragon!

But right now...

Yu Xiaoheng lowered his head and looked at the sleeping Liu Erlong in his arms.

He could wait. He could slowly search for other Spirit 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 enormous. Even powerful Spirit Emperors and Soul Sages did not dare use one frequently without caution.

If she maintained his Martial Soul form for him like this every day...

Within a few days, she would be drained dry alive!

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

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

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

After transmigrating here and painstakingly planning all this, what had it been for?

Wasn't it to escape mediocrity, to grow stronger, to awaken the Golden Sacred Dragon Martial Soul!

Yet the price was her...

Uncontrollably, Yu Xiaoheng recalled the scene he had seen in the shadows beside the Awakening Platform.

That tiny figure had stubbornly argued for him. When she was forcibly dragged away, her little hand had pressed against the Stone Platform, 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 have to find a way to stabilize the Golden Sacred Dragon's form!"

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

Countless disciples and Elders of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had become frantic with worry.

Some who had once mocked him now wore expressions of panic and dread, as if the Martial Soul's collapse foretold the collapse of their own futures.

Amid the chaos, several enraged gazes locked fiercely onto Yu Xiaogang.

"It's all because of you, you piece of trash!"

One disciple gritted his teeth, rushed over, and kicked him.

"If it weren't for your inferior bloodline affecting Young Master Xiaoheng, there wouldn't be any problem with his Martial Soul at all!"

"Beat him to death!"

Fists and kicks 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 furious disciples to beat Yu Xiaogang until his face was bruised and swollen.

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

What basis did he have?!

What basis did he have to be the center of everyone's attention?!

It was all his fault!

Wouldn't it have been fine if he were trash just like me?!

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

"Sect Master Ning, could I ask you to remain in our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan for a few more days?"

What kind of person was Ning Zhenyuan? He understood Yu Yuanzhen's intentions instantly.

Yu Yuanzhen wanted him to use the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to continuously replenish Liu Erlong's Soul Power, then have Liu Erlong forcibly maintain Yu Xiaoheng's evolved Martial Soul form.

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

He was completely Stunned.

Burning her life!

This was simply burning Liu Erlong's life away!

Even with Ning Zhenyuan's support, it would only allow her to burn for longer. The essence of it would not change in the slightest!

Without the slightest hesitation, Ning Zhenyuan nodded solemnly.

"Sect Master Yu is too polite. Such a genius is the shared glory of our Upper Three Sects. Ning will naturally do his part."

Tang Wei immediately stepped forward as well. With a swipe over his Soul Tool, he took out several pills.

"These are the Clear Sky Sect's secret Firming Origin Pills. Though they cannot bring back the dead, they can greatly strengthen one's life essence and let this young lady hold on for a while longer."

Their attitude could not have been clearer.

A future Peerless Expert was far more important than a girl with Level Eight Innate Soul Power.

At this moment, Liu Erlong slowly woke up.

Before she could speak, several Elders hurriedly crowded around her. They discarded all dignity, their tones almost pleading.

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

Liu Erlong paused, then looked at Yu Xiaoheng. Seeing the noble and extraordinary Golden Sacred Dragon behind him, a proud flush appeared on her pale Small Face.

She nodded forcefully.

"Yes! No problem!"

Boom!

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

He truly felt that everything had changed.

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

Ning Zhenyuan, Tang Wei—these great figures who could make the continent tremble with a stomp of their feet—were pouring resources into him without regard for cost.

Those Elders who had once looked down on him were now humbling themselves before Liu Erlong.

Everything before him looked so wonderful.

A blaze of flowers, oil poured onto flames.

The humiliation from Qian Xunji's oppression had yet to fade when the authority of the Blue Electric Sect's Young Master had already been displayed to the fullest.

Yet Yu Xiaoheng's heart was ice-cold.

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

No one had told her that repeatedly exhausting her life force and Soul Power would truly kill her.

Could Yu Yuanzhen not have thought of that?

Of course he had.

But the Golden Sacred Dragon meant too much to the clan, so much that it outweighed everything else.

Forget sacrificing one Liu Erlong.

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

Everyone's eyes gathered on Yu Xiaoheng, waiting for his decision.

Yu Xiaoheng froze for a moment, then lowered his head to look at those sparkling eyes in his arms, filled with trust and joy.

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

"Thank you for your hard work, Erlong."

He could not bring himself to refuse.

Qian Xunji's pressure, that power which controlled 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 seize fate in his own hands and no longer be controlled by anyone!

Half a day later.

Inside the clan's most important cultivation chamber.

Liu Erlong sat cross-legged, her Small Face pale as paper and her aura dispirited.

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

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

They also knew that the most suitable Spirit Beast would possess both light and dragon attributes.

But how rare were such Spirit Beasts!

Yu Xiaoheng entered the cultivation chamber. Seeing the weakened Liu Erlong, he paused.

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 trace of reassurance.

"Young Master, there is no need to worry too much. With this old man here, Miss Erlong will not be in mortal danger. She can at least last for more than half a month. By then, with the Blue Electric Sect's intelligence network, you should have found a Spirit Beast suitable for you."

Yu Xiaoheng remained silent.

He knew Ning Zhenyuan was merely offering polite words.

Half a month?

At this rate of burning, it would be a miracle if Liu Erlong lasted 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, turned, and prepared to walk out.

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

"Xiaoheng, do not act on impulse!"