You Can't Take Me Away

Several days later.

Mornings in September had begun to carry a slight chill, and the dawn dispelled the darkness.

Sunlight streamed through the window and spilled into the room.

Chen Xing lay on the large bed in the sleeping chamber, his chest wrapped in bandages.

Beside him, the golden-haired girl held a porcelain bowl. She scooped up the orange-brown medicinal liquid with a spoon, gently blew on it, and brought it to the boy's lips.

"Xiaoxing, after today, I'll be returning to Heaven Dou City."

"I want to know if you can come with me. Once we get there, you can cultivate by my side."

"You won't have to worry about anything else."

The girl's voice was not very steady. As though afraid he would refuse, even her beautiful golden eyelashes trembled faintly.

Then, changing the subject, she added,

"You don't need to worry about resources. She Long and Chi Xue will also teach you combat techniques."

"In short..."

"I want you to return to Heaven Dou City with me."

Seeing her act so cautiously, Chen Xing felt awful.

After spending these past days together, he had become absolutely certain of one thing.

Qian Renxue actually liked him!

Moreover, like an ordinary adolescent girl, she had been caring for him constantly these past few days...

Or rather, pursuing him!

Faced with such a situation, he truly did not know how to handle it.

Meeting the girl's golden eyes, Chen Xing forced a smile.

"Sister Xue'er, given my current circumstances, do I even have a choice?"

"In your eyes, I'm nothing more than a chess piece."

"Whether I go or stay, isn't that still up to you..."

As he spoke, he nodded slightly and swallowed the medicine from the spoon.

The bitterness mixed with pungency assaulted his taste buds, making him furrow his brows tightly as goosebumps rose all over his body.

The girl looked hesitant. After a long while, she finally forced out a sentence.

"I'm sorry!"

"Perhaps from the moment I took you out of Ye Mansion, this outcome was already destined!"

Having infiltrated the royal family for many years, how could she not understand Chen Xing's current predicament?

But Chen Xing's identity was truly special, and she believed that Spirit Hall would not do anything to harm him.

"Ye Mansion..."

Chen Xing murmured softly.

That was right. If Qian Renxue had not taken him out of Ye Mansion, who knew what kind of torment he might have suffered?

Perhaps this was fate.

Leaving one cage only to enter another.

"Sister Xue'er, can you let me go?"

The boy's eyes were vacant as he stared at the ceiling.

He asked this incredibly naive question.

Now that his Second Martial Soul had been exposed, and the secret technique allowing him to raise his Soul Power quickly had drawn attention—

Had Chen Xing not been bedridden these past few days, with Qian Renxue caring for him at his side, someone would have come to interrogate him long ago.

In such circumstances, Spirit Hall would rather kill him than let him leave.

Seeing the boy's dazed expression, the girl could not help feeling a pang of heartache.

She scooped up another spoonful of medicine...

"If you left Spirit Hall, where would you want to go most?"

"Hm?"

Caught off guard by the question, Chen Xing was momentarily stunned.

Where did he want to go most?

He had never really thought about it!

In his previous life, he had been an orphan and had grown up in an orphanage.

After coming to Douluo Continent, he had no relatives either.

The closest person to stir his emotions recently had been Bibi Dong, but he did not know where she was now.

Where did he want to go most after leaving Spirit Hall?

"There really isn't anywhere I can go."

"Maybe I'd travel across the continent!"

"See the sights..."

"Or simply hide somewhere and cultivate forever."

Qian Renxue was not surprised by the boy's answer.

She merely looked somewhat dejected. Gazing at the medicine swaying in her hand, she murmured,

"If I ever have the chance, I'd like to see the scenery across the continent too."

Chen Xing took the porcelain bowl and drained the medicinal liquid in one gulp.

"Mm! Sounds nice."

The intense pungency and bitterness churned his stomach. He leaned against the bed for a long while before finally recovering.

"Sister Xue'er, don't you want to know my secrets?"

Chen Xing turned his head toward Qian Renxue, whose face was filled with reluctance, and revealed his usual innocent smile.

"I reached level 36 at just six years old, and I have Twin Martial Souls."

"Do you know? Even Teacher deeply desires what's inside my body."

"I don't know whether other people are the same."

"Actually, I..."

"Don't say it!"

For some reason, Qian Renxue felt that what Chen Xing was about to say would completely shatter the harmony between them, perhaps even place him directly against Spirit Hall.

She did not want to know. She was afraid of knowing.

Or perhaps, she was afraid of losing Chen Xing, afraid of becoming his enemy.

"It's useless!"

"You can't take me away."

"After you leave, these secrets will be revealed."

"By then, you may never see me again."

With that, the boy gave a miserable smile and leaned back against the bed.

From the moment he exposed his Second Martial Soul, the ending had already been decided.

Everything that had happened to him was far too abnormal.

Whether it was his Soul Power Level, the Ultimate Ice he had suddenly displayed, or those Golden Light Orbs, none were things a normal person could possess.

Until he cultivated to level 60, he would remain in his juvenile stage.

Faced with questioning and investigation from Qian Daoliu and the other powerful experts, his identity as a Soul Beast would be exposed sooner or later.

Therefore, what awaited him next would inevitably be death.

The most likely outcome was that Qian Daoliu would keep Chen Xing by his side and have Qian Renxue personally kill him when she needed a Soul Ring.

Hah—

Seeing Chen Xing looking utterly despondent, Qian Renxue let out a long breath.

Her gaze gradually hardened. When she met the boy's eyes again, none of her previous unease remained.

"Come back to Heaven Dou City with me tomorrow."

"It's settled!"

"Don't worry about anyone else trying to stop us. As long as you're willing to come with me, I'll take you away."

After saying that, she ignored whatever reaction Chen Xing might have and rose resolutely, walking out of the room.

Leaving the boy alone on the spacious, empty bed.

The room fell silent once more.

The air still carried the bitter scent of medicine, as well as the girl's faint fragrance.

Heh.

Whatever!

Propping himself up with his elbow, Chen Xing lay back beneath the covers and closed his eyes.

He could not even be bothered to think anymore.

Spirit Hall was filled with powerful experts. Gui Mei and Yue Guan stood at the entrance alone, while numerous Soul Douluos guarded the perimeter. Even the guards at the main gate possessed the cultivation of Soul Kings.

Not to mention that Qian Daoliu, a level 99 expert, was here as well.

Escaping from this place was simply impossible.

As for what Qian Renxue had just said, all he could say was that she was being naive.

There was no way Qian Daoliu would let him go. With Bibi Dong no longer restraining him, Chen Xing now belonged solely to the Worship Hall.

Those old men would love nothing more than to slice him apart and study him.

He wondered how Bibi Dong was doing now. She probably was not dead...

Chaotic thoughts filled his mind, and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep on the bed.