Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, three years passed.
Cheng Duoyi was already nine years old.
He had grown a little taller, and the presence of Na'er and Tang Wuling had given him a healthier complexion. His hair, however, remained white.
Meanwhile, the Dragon God Heart resonated with the Silver Dragon King and Golden Dragon King auras within Na'er and Tang Wuling.
This not only stabilized his life but also raised his Soul Power to Level 15 without him even realizing it.
That was without Cheng Duoyi actively cultivating. Otherwise, he would have broken through Level 20 long ago, and even reaching Level 30 would have been no problem.
After all, with Leng Yaozhu around, Cheng Duoyi could easily get his hands on all kinds of heavenly treasures to strengthen his foundation and raise his level. But his body was only just maintaining a delicate balance, so he couldn't break through too quickly.
Over those three years, aside from spending time with Leng Yaozhu, Cheng Duoyi took Na'er to play with Tang Wuling every day. Leng Xue'er always followed behind them, quietly protecting them.
Whether they were collecting seashells on the beach, playing at the amusement park, or sampling every snack in Aolai City, Cheng Duoyi always paid for everything.
At first, Tang Wuling felt embarrassed and wanted to split the bill, but where could a little girl like her get any money?
Every time she took out some Federation Coins, Cheng Duoyi would smile and gently push her hand back. "Ling'er, why are you being so polite with me? My family may not have much, but we have plenty of Federation Coins. If you really feel bad about it, then when you grow up, you can protect me."
Tang Wuling nodded firmly. "Okay, Brother Yi'er. I'll protect you!"
Tang Wuling thought to herself, Brother Yi'er, even if you don't give me presents or treat me to delicious food, I'll still protect you!
As time went by, Tang Wuling got used to Cheng Duoyi paying.
She knew his health wasn't good, so whenever they went out, she would take the things he was carrying and look after him.
When Tang Wuling was six and a half, she became Mang Tian's apprentice and began learning how to forge under him.
But forging was grueling work.
Whenever Cheng Duoyi saw Tang Wuling get hurt, he would fuss over her and take care of her. He asked Leng Yaozhu for some wound salve and applied it for her.
The salve was specially made by the Spirit Pagoda, with several rare medicinal ingredients added to it. It worked exceptionally well: even a serious wound would be mostly healed by the next day, without leaving a scar.
Most importantly, it also helped Tang Wuling cultivate faster.
And because Cheng Duoyi had the aura of the Dragon God within him, Tang Wuling's body recovered twice as fast as usual whenever she was by his side.
Her Soul Power Level had also reached Level 6, bringing her one step closer to breaking through Level 10.
Tang Wuling knew it was all thanks to Cheng Duoyi, and began to feel something special for him.
Three years passed, and Tang Wuling's talent for forging began to shine.
Her level had also reached Level 18. That was thanks to Cheng Duoyi's presence. As long as he was by her side, Tang Wuling could cultivate twice as effectively. Cheng Duoyi had even chosen her first Soul Spirit for her: a little golden snake.
"Brother Yi'er, this is the rare metal I forged. I think I'll be able to start Thousand Refinement before long!" Tang Wuling ran over to Cheng Duoyi, eager to share her excitement.
Looking at her little face, glistening with sweat, Cheng Duoyi felt his heart ache. "Ling'er, you're amazing, but you need to take it slow. Don't push yourself so hard. What if you wear yourself out?"
Tang Wuling's cheeks turned faintly red. She lowered her head and said softly, "I want to become a forger as soon as I can, so I can earn money. I'll make lots and lots of money and buy the best medicine for you, Brother Yi'er. I'll cure you!"
Warmth filled Cheng Duoyi's heart. He looked up into Tang Wuling's earnest eyes and smiled. "All right. Then I'll wait for you to make a fortune and take care of me, Ling'er."
Na'er sat to one side, watching the two of them. She pouted, a little jealous. "Brother Yi'er, you only care about Sister Ling'er. You don't care about me anymore."
Cheng Duoyi smiled and reached out with his other hand to stroke Na'er's head. "How could I not care about you? You're both the most important people in my life."
Na'er had barely changed over those three years.
She was like a child who never grew up, always by Cheng Duoyi's side.
Her favorite thing to do was hold his hand and lean against his shoulder. Sometimes she would murmur, "You smell so nice. I wish we could stay like this forever..."
As long as she was with Cheng Duoyi, she felt completely at ease.
She and Tang Wuling also shared a remarkable enthusiasm for food. Whenever they went out to eat, they could put away an astonishing amount.
Cheng Duoyi always smiled as he watched them eat.
Whatever Na'er and Tang Wuling wanted to eat, Cheng Duoyi would get it for them.
At the same time, Cheng Duoyi knew that Na'er would leave sooner or later.
He also knew why she would leave, but he didn't bring it up. He simply treasured his time with her all the more. He used to hold Na'er's hand while he forged, but he no longer did that. Now, he stayed by her side.
Over those three years, Cheng Duoyi bought Na'er all kinds of beautiful dresses, took her to try every dish in the neighborhood, watched the sunrise and sunset with her, and counted the stars by her side.
He thought those days would last a long time.
But he hadn't expected their parting to come so soon.
The weather was lovely that day, with bright sunshine.
Cheng Duoyi took Tang Wuling and Na'er to the beach again.
Na'er sat on the sand, gazing at the vast, endless sea, her spirits low.
She lowered her head and played with the sand in her hands, without saying a word.
Cheng Duoyi walked over and sat beside her. "Na'er, what's wrong? Are you unhappy? Did someone upset you?"
Na'er looked up at Cheng Duoyi, her eyes red. "Brother Yi'er, if I leave you one day, will you be sad?"
Cheng Duoyi's heart sank.
He knew the day had finally come.
He reached out and gently wiped the tears from Na'er's face. "What nonsense are you saying? I'll always stay by your side! And if you really have to leave, then you must have no choice. I'll wait for you. Are you saying you want to leave me?"
"But I don't want to leave you!" Na'er threw herself into Cheng Duoyi's arms and burst into tears. "Brother Yi'er, I don't want to leave you! I want to be with you forever!"
Cheng Duoyi held her tightly and gently patted her back, soothing her softly. "I know, I know. There, there, Na'er. Don't cry. Don't cry. I won't leave you."
Na'er bit her lip. "Brother Yi'er, my family found me. They want to take me home to complete my awakening. Once it's done, I'll come back to find you. Will you wait for me?"
Tang Wuling stood a short distance away, watching the two of them embrace. Her heart ached a little. Hearing Na'er, she said, "Na'er, Brother Yi'er and I will both wait for you."
"Okay. I'll wait for you to come back," Cheng Duoyi said. "By the way, Ling'er will probably be going to Eastsea Academy. I'll go with her when the time comes. Na'er, once you've completed your awakening, you can come find us at Eastsea Academy."
Na'er nodded firmly. "Okay, I will!"
Tang Wuling exclaimed happily, "Yay! I get to stay with Brother Yi'er all the time again!"
The sun sank in the west. Golden rays fell over the three of them, casting long shadows...
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