"It should be safe here."
Liu Erlong let out a sigh of relief and patted Yu Tiancheng on the shoulder. "Come on, let's find a carriage and head back to the academy. You should get some rest."
They soon hired a spacious, comfortable carriage at a roadside station.
The driver cracked his whip, and the carriage rolled steadily along the smooth main road toward Heaven Dou City.
At last, the carriage offered them a safe, private space and a little time to relax.
Liu Erlong looked at her nephew across from her. He had recovered quite a bit, but exhaustion and a trace of lingering fear still showed between his brows. Complicated feelings welled up inside her.
Of course, she knew what had happened.
Being pursued by Ghost Douluo, forced to join Hu Liena's group, then narrowly escaping death amid the chaos caused by the Titan Giant Ape... Every one of those events had left her terrified. She'd wanted to fly straight to her nephew and protect him.
That was why she had come.
She had searched all the way there, and finally, after hearing the roar of a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast, she'd followed its direction and found him.
Now, as she watched Yu Tiancheng put on a brave face and try to brush off those dangerous experiences, Liu Erlong felt both heartbroken and pained.
The child had been through so much, yet he was still trying to act tough in front of her.
She chose her words carefully, her tone gentler than usual, with a hint of tentative concern:
"Tiancheng, you're safe now. You can relax a little. Tell Auntie, how has the journey been? Has anything unusual happened?"
She asked delicately, leaving Yu Tiancheng plenty of room to answer—or not.
Yu Tiancheng leaned against the soft cushions and gazed at the scenery speeding past outside the window. He fell silent for a moment.
He knew his aunt cared about him, but he couldn't tell her the truth. The Spirit Hall's pursuit, the Diary's existence... He had to keep those secrets to himself.
"It's been all right," he finally replied vaguely. "The Star Dou Great Forest was more dangerous than I expected. I ran into some powerful spirit beasts, and it took a while to get away from them."
He paused, then added, "But I gained a lot from it, too. My practical combat experience has improved quite a bit."
Liu Erlong listened quietly without interrupting. She could hear that her nephew was holding back, and sense that he didn't want to say more.
She sighed inwardly. She was relieved to see how cautious he was, yet saddened that he had to bear all this alone.
"Running into powerful spirit beasts is inevitable," Liu Erlong said calmly, following his lead. "The fact that you made it out safely means you handled yourself well. But..."
Her tone shifted, and her gaze sharpened. "Besides spirit beasts, did you run into... anyone? Maybe another group of spirit masters?"
It was a clever question: not too direct, but it gave Yu Tiancheng a chance to share some of the truth.
Yu Tiancheng's heart stirred. Why was his aunt asking that? Had she noticed something, or was she just showing the usual concern?
He hesitated, then decided to tell her part of it—but keep it vague.
"I did run into a group of spirit masters," he said slowly.
"They were very strong and seemed well-trained. We... had a little friction, but soon went our separate ways."
He deliberately downplayed how serious the conflict had been, and didn't mention that they belonged to the Spirit Hall.
Liu Erlong nodded without pressing him for details. Instead, she said meaningfully:
"The Star Dou Great Forest is a mixed bag. It's no surprise to run into all kinds of groups there. Some have complicated backgrounds, so it's best not to provoke them if you can help it. But if anyone dares to bully you..."
Her voice suddenly turned cold, and a fierce flame flashed in her eyes. "I won't let them get away with it, no matter who they are."
Her words were firm and decisive, full of fierce protectiveness.
Yu Tiancheng felt a warmth spread through him. He could sense the wholehearted support in his aunt's words.
At the same time, he was even more confused. Was there some hidden meaning behind her words? Did she know something?
"Thank you, Auntie," he said sincerely. "I'll be careful."
Liu Erlong looked into her nephew's clear eyes, which held a trace of confusion, and felt a sudden urge to tell him that she knew everything. She wanted him to stop carrying this burden alone and to know that, whatever happened, she would always be there for him.
But she couldn't.
The rules of the Diary were like invisible shackles, locking her lips.
All she could do was find another way to express herself.
"Tiancheng," Liu Erlong said, her voice especially gentle, touched with a rare tenderness. "Remember, no matter what you face or what choices you make, Auntie will support you. Blue Tyrant Academy is your home, and I'll always have your back."
She reached out and gently patted the back of Yu Tiancheng's hand. "So don't try to shoulder everything alone. If you're tired, or you run into trouble you can't handle, come to me. I may not be some peerless powerhouse, but I can still protect my nephew."
Her words were heartfelt, almost an outright declaration: I know you're in trouble. I know you're hiding something. But I won't force you to tell me. I just want you to know I'm here.
Yu Tiancheng stared at Liu Erlong, an indescribable warmth welling up inside him. Her words were like a key, gently opening a door that had been firmly shut in his heart.
Suddenly, he felt that perhaps... he could trust his aunt a little more.
He didn't have to tell her every secret, but at least he didn't have to work so hard to pretend in front of her.
"Auntie..." He parted his lips, wanting to say something, but not knowing where to begin.
Liu Erlong smiled, her expression warm and understanding. "All right, enough of that. You're tired, so get some rest. We still have a while before we reach the academy. Save your energy."
She stopped asking questions and moved on to lighter topics: how things were at Blue Tyrant Academy, funny stories from Heaven Dou City, and a few students she had recently taken on...
Yu Tiancheng gradually relaxed, occasionally chiming in. The atmosphere in the carriage grew warm and peaceful.
He leaned against the carriage wall and closed his eyes, pretending to doze, but his thoughts continued to churn.
His aunt's appearance had been too much of a coincidence. And her words had been far too meaningful.
Could it be... that she had really noticed something? Or was this just the instinctive concern that came with being family?
Besides, Yue Guan's threat still hadn't been resolved. What should he do after reaching Blue Tyrant Academy? Keep hiding, or...?
Questions circled in his mind, but this time, he didn't feel quite so lonely or helpless.
Because his aunt was right there beside him.
Whatever lay ahead, at least for now, he wasn't alone.
The carriage continued onward, carrying the aunt and nephew, each lost in their own thoughts, toward Heaven Dou City, toward Blue Tyrant Academy, and toward an unknown tomorrow.
As Liu Erlong watched her nephew's peaceful sleeping face, she silently vowed:
No matter how many storms the future brought, she would protect this child.
Unless she was no longer alive.
Before you continue