After Qian Xunji left.
Silence settled over the Saintess Palace once more.
Bibi Dong walked alone to the window. She gazed at the bright sunlight outside, but her back looked lonely and desolate.
She knew that narrow-minded beast, Qian Xunji, all too well.
He hadn't managed to take Lin Yuan today, and he'd never let it go. He would surely find ways to trip her up in secret later.
Bibi Dong dug her slender fingers into the edge of the windowsill, her knuckles paling from the force.
She swore to herself that as long as she had breath in her body, she would never let anyone harm a single hair on Lin Yuan's head.
Time passed.
A brisk set of footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Lin Yuan pushed open the half-closed door and poked his black-haired head inside.
"Mother!"
Seeing Bibi Dong by the window, Lin Yuan hurried over.
He plunged straight into her arms and wrapped both arms around her slender waist.
Bibi Dong came back to herself. Looking down at the clingy little boy in her arms, the coldness in her eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by an exceptionally gentle expression.
She reached out and gently smoothed the hair at the back of Lin Yuan's head.
"Why aren't you playing with the others in the Guidance Room?" Bibi Dong asked softly.
Lin Yuan looked up, keenly catching the weariness and gloom hidden deep in Bibi Dong's eyes.
"Mother, are you feeling unwell?" Lin Yuan asked, furrowing his little brows.
Bibi Dong shook her head and managed a faint smile.
"I'm fine. I'm just a little tired from reading. I'll be all right after I rest."
Looking at her feigned show of strength, Lin Yuan understood perfectly well.
On his way here, he'd run into Qian Xunji storming off with a livid expression.
It didn't take much thought to figure out that the old bastard had come to make trouble for Bibi Dong.
Lin Yuan stepped half a pace back from Bibi Dong's embrace.
He clenched his little fists, raised his fair face, and stared straight into Bibi Dong's eyes.
"I'll fight to become stronger."
"Strong enough to protect you, and strong enough to overturn every rule on this Douluo Continent."
His childish voice echoed through the spacious hall.
Yet it carried an unshakable, invincible resolve.
Bibi Dong stared blankly at Lin Yuan.
The calm façade she had always maintained shattered completely in that moment.
A mist instantly welled in her beautiful eyes. They brimmed with shock and emotion she couldn't hide.
Though these were just a child's words, he might not even know how terrifying the enemies he'd face in the future would be.
Still, this was the first time in her life that someone had truly and firmly said they would protect her.
The man named Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but surface in her mind.
Whenever trouble arose, he did nothing but run away. He didn't even have the courage to stand up to those in power. In the end, he'd vanished without a trace, full of self-pity, leaving her alone to struggle in agony in this Abyss.
This child before her was only six, yet he was a thousand times stronger than that coward who knew nothing but how to retreat.
Bibi Dong crouched down.
She opened her arms and pulled Lin Yuan into a tight embrace, not caring about anything else.
A moment later, Bibi Dong let him go.
She looked at Lin Yuan's delicate face, her eyes red-rimmed, yet she broke into a smile.
"Mother, I said I'd protect you. Why are you still crying?" Lin Yuan raised a hand and wiped away a little moisture from the corner of her eye.
Bibi Dong took Lin Yuan's hand, her voice tender beyond measure.
"Mother isn't crying. I'm just so happy to hear you say that."
She stood and led Lin Yuan to the sofa. After they sat down, she changed the subject and asked with concern, "How is your cultivation going? With innate full Soul Power at level twenty, you'll need to obtain a Soul Ring soon if you want to keep advancing."
Lin Yuan nodded and answered directly:
"I've already reached a bottleneck, and I was planning to hunt for my First Soul Ring. I've spent the past couple of days consolidating my cultivation. I'm in great shape now, so I'm ready to head out."
Hearing this, Bibi Dong took a dark-gold token from her Storage Soul Tool and held it out to Lin Yuan.
The token was engraved with intricate patterns, and the distinctive emblem of Spirit Hall was etched into its center. It carried an extraordinary aura.
"This is a token for the highest-grade Soul Hunting Forest," Bibi Dong explained gently. "With it, you can enter any of the large Soul Hunting Forests controlled by Spirit Hall without hindrance. The personnel stationed there will all follow your orders."
Lin Yuan took the token and casually turned it over in his hands. Just as he was about to answer, a flurry of hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.
A moment later, Hu Liena ran in, panting.
The little girl was drenched in sweat, but her big golden eyes shone with excitement.
"Lin Yuan! Teacher!" Hu Liena exclaimed. "I broke through! I finally reached level ten!"
"Now I can get my First Soul Ring, too! Lin Yuan, the cultivation method you taught me these past few days worked so well. My Soul Power circulates so much faster than before!"
A hint of approval flashed in Bibi Dong's eyes.
Hu Liena had always been exceptionally talented, and with Lin Yuan's guidance, it was only natural that she'd broken through to level ten so quickly.
Lin Yuan stood up from the sofa and slipped the Soul Hunting token into his clothes.
"Perfect timing. I was just about to head to the Soul Hunting Forest to find a Soul Ring. I'll take you with me."
Hu Liena nearly jumped for joy. She grabbed Lin Yuan's arm and shook it excitedly.
"Wonderful! With a big brother like you leading me, I'm sure I'll find the most powerful Soul Beast!"
The large Soul Hunting Forest reserved for Spirit Hall wasn't far from Spirit City.
Half a day later, Lin Yuan and Hu Liena presented their token and passed through the tall iron fence, officially entering the dense, primeval forest.
Towering trees surrounded them, blocking out the sun.
Every now and then, the distant roar of a beast startled a flock of birds into flight.
Hu Liena followed close behind Lin Yuan, clutching the hem of his clothes. She looked a little nervous, but mostly excited.
"Lin Yuan, what kind of Soul Beast are we looking for?" Hu Liena asked, glancing around.
Lin Yuan casually pushed aside the thorny branches blocking their path.
"Something suitable for you. Your Martial Soul is the Demon Fox, so your First Soul Ring should preferably have mental-control or bewitching properties. And naturally, the older the better."
They wandered around the forest's outskirts for over half an hour.
Along the way, they encountered a few foolish Ten-Year Soul Beasts. As soon as they approached, the force of Lin Yuan's blood and qi pressed them to the ground, and he dispatched them with ease.
As they walked, the bushes ahead suddenly rustled.
A snow-white fox-like Soul Beast with two tails sprang out. When it saw them, it bared its teeth and let out a warning growl.
Hu Liena's eyes lit up, and she immediately tugged at Lin Yuan's sleeve.
"Lin Yuan, look at that Two-Tailed White Fox! I feel like its attributes are a perfect match for my Martial Soul!"
She was so excited that she even wanted to charge straight at it.
Lin Yuan grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.
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