Living Hope

Qian Renxue rushed over and hugged Bibi Dong.

Bibi Dong silently held Qian Xunji with one arm and tightly hugged her daughter with the other.

Behind him, the Asura God Sword was stuck in the scorched earth, its light extinguished.

Sunlight shone through the cracks in the dark clouds.

Gradually, the cloud of light slowly split open, the light grew wider and brighter, and finally covered the entire Spirit City.

The sunlight also shone on Qian Xunji's face.

He lay in Bibi Dong's arms, his face peaceful, the slight upturn at the corner of his mouth still there.

Ling Yuan walked wearily in from outside. Suddenly, the Light Brand on Qian Xunji's forehead lit up, though faintly, it was indeed glowing.

"Sister Dong'er! Look at your brother-in-law's forehead, the Light Brand is still shining!"

Upon hearing this, Bibi Dong lowered her head, her gaze falling on Qian Xunji's forehead.

"Is it really glowing?"

She reached out and touched the brand, and a faint Divine Light Power seeped out from it.

She immediately closed her eyes and probed Qian Xunji's body with her divine sense.

There was no heartbeat, no breathing, the blood had stopped flowing, the body was ice-cold, and all vital signs had disappeared.

But the Divine Light Power was slowly circulating through his meridians, not dissipating like a dead person, and maintaining the most fundamental vitality of his body in a faint manner.

Qian Daoliu stepped forward and asked, "Dong'er... Xunji, is he still alive?"

"It should be possible. If he were truly dead, his divine power should have dissipated, but it hasn't. There's still a faint but continuous flow of Divine Light Power within him."

"With these divine powers, we might be able to survive."

Qian Daoliu stretched out his hands. "I'll take Xunji back to recuperate."

"No need, I can do it."

Bibi Dong pulled Qian Xunji into her arms, supporting the back of his head with one hand and slipping the other under his knees to lift him up steadily. Then she turned around and carried him toward the Spirit Hall.

Qian Renxue followed behind, and that glimmer of hope, like the sunlight from before, illuminated the despair in the hearts of the mother and daughter.

After walking for a while, a voice came from the right.

"Um, Miss Qian, have you seen someone named Lin Xue?"

Qian Renxue was taken aback. She turned around and saw Xu Huanhuan, Chu Xuan, and Gu Xiaoman jogging over from the side street.

Their faces were dirty, Xu Huanhuan's sleeve was torn in half, and Chu Xuan had a gauze pad on her forehead, but all three of them were still alive.

Qian Renxue subconsciously glanced down at her right wrist, realizing she had forgotten that the Star Bracelet Xu Huanhuan had given her was still attached to it.

Unexpectedly, Xu Huanhuan saw it and then came to him.

Bibi Dong stopped, turned around with Qian Xunji in her arms, and her gaze fell on Qian Renxue.

Qian Renxue met her mother's gaze and said softly, "Mom, why don't you take Dad home first?"

Bibi Dong glanced at her, then at the other girls. "Are you sure you can manage on your own?"

"Um."

Xu Huanhuan only noticed Bibi Dong holding Qian Xunji Bibi Dong she got closer. Startled, she quickly tugged at Chu Xuan's sleeve, and the three of them bowed simultaneously. "Your His Holiness the Pope, Miss Qian, we apologize for disturbing you."

Qian Renxue shook her head. "It's nothing."

Su Jin straightened up and said politely, "Miss Qian, we are looking for a classmate of ours. Her name is Lin Xue. She's about this tall, with black hair and a slim figure. Have you seen her around here?"

Qian Renxue shook her head. "Sorry, Su Jin, I didn't see it."

"Okay, she didn't see her. Let's look around the East Gate again... Hmm? Wait, do you know me?"

Qian Renxue pointed to each of them with her fingers. "Your name is Xu Huanhuan, your name is Su Jin, your name is Gu Xiaoman, and your name is Chu Xuan."

The four girls looked at each other, Xu Huanhuan's gaze swept from Qian Renxue's face to the Star Bracelet on her wrist, and she heard her voice when she spoke.

A wildly audacious conjecture, too daring for her to believe, surfaced in her mind.

"Qian Renxue... Lin Xue?"

"You... you're Lin Xue?"

Qian Renxue did not deny it. She took a step back and bowed deeply to the four girls.

"I'm sorry, I disguised my appearance and Martial Soul using Disguise Soul Bone, and I've been keeping it a secret from you all this time. Lin Xue is me, and I am Lin Xue."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Xu Huanhuan choked back tears as she ran forward and hugged her tightly.

Gu Xiaoman and Chu Xuan also ran over, and the girls hugged each other tightly in the devastated landscape.

Surrounded by them, Qian Renxue felt the warmth, the smell of sweat, and the scent of ointment from their wounds. Her nose stung, and tears welled up again.

After hugging for a while, Xu Huanhuan let go of her arms and used her sleeve to wipe Qian Renxue's tears.

Looking at Qian Renxue's tear-streaked face, she praised, "Xiao Xue, you're so beautiful."

Qian Renxue was taken aback by her abrupt remark, then burst into laughter through her tears. "Your face is covered in ash, and you still say I'm pretty."

"The dust on my face doesn't affect your good looks."

Qian Renxue lowered her eyes and touched the Star Bracelet on her wrist. "You don't blame me?"

Chu Xuan asked, "What's it to blame you for?"

"It's my fault. I lied to you for so long. My Martial Soul, name, and identity were all fake."