In the room.
The cheerful atmosphere plummeted to freezing point. Lin Yan's face had darkened so much it looked ready to drip.
Honestly, he'd thought Ning Rongrong liked him enough to stand by his side unconditionally. After all, yesterday, she'd been so determined she would rather give up her life than leave him. That hadn't been an act.
But judging by Ning Rongrong's reaction just now, Lin Yan suddenly felt he might have been a little full of himself.
She seemed to care more about her sect. Otherwise, she wouldn't have instinctively asked that question...
Lin Yan drew a deep breath, then spoke.
"You know your father best. With his temperament, he won't easily give up on the secrets I possess."
"Like I said, if we have another conflict in the future, will you help him or me?"
"Of course I'll help you..."
Ning Rongrong answered without thinking.
But Lin Yan met her reply with an even more penetrating gaze.
"You're not stupid. You should know that this problem is far more complicated than it seems."
The two fell silent again.
Ning Rongrong bit her lower lip hard, tears welling in her eyes.
That was right. Her two grandfathers had already met Lin Yan, and both sides had laid their cards on the table. This problem no longer meant what it had before.
So... should she follow Zhu Zhuqing's example, abandon her old identity, and devote herself wholeheartedly to Lin Yan?
Or return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and continue being its little princess?
Warm light filled the room. The three of them lying on the bed should have made for a cozy, romantic picture, but the atmosphere was unbearably heavy.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me, Xiao Wu."
Lin Yan furrowed his brow slightly, but still pulled on his pajamas and got out of bed.
The little rabbit must still have been dwelling on what happened yesterday. She wouldn't rest until she got an answer.
He glanced back at Zhu Zhuqing, signaling her to stay quiet, then looked at Ning Rongrong.
"Think it over before you answer me. Sometimes, you can't have your cake and eat it too."
With that, he opened the door and left the room.
Silence settled over the room. Ning Rongrong finally couldn't hold it in anymore and burst into tears.
She buried her face in Zhu Zhuqing's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Zhuqing, I can't bear to leave my two grandfathers."
Zhu Zhuqing felt helpless, too.
Lin Yan had told her about the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. It was plainly going to become their enemy.
Ning Fengzhi had to consider Sword and Bone Douluo's feelings for now, so he couldn't do anything to Lin Yan. But given time, he would certainly come up with some other way...
"Sigh..."
"As for your father... I don't know how to talk you through it. You'll have to decide for yourself."
"Lin Yan has already been good enough to us. I hope you won't do anything foolish."
Zhu Zhuqing felt deeply sorry for Ning Rongrong's predicament, but Lin Yan mattered more to her.
Her attitude made that clear.
"But I really can't bear to leave them. Sob..."
"They're the two grandfathers who raised me!"
Seeing Ning Rongrong still like this, Zhu Zhuqing sighed helplessly again and could only comfort her softly.
"Lin Yan told me he can put up with Sword and Bone Douluo's hostility. It comes from the affection elders have for their juniors. But your father is another matter..."
"I'd already heard a little about him back when I was in the Star Luo Empire."
The top forces across the continent knew exactly what Ning Fengzhi was like.
He might usually treat people warmly and wear a smile, but every major force hated that man most of all.
A dagger hidden behind a smile! A sanctimonious hypocrite! A level-79 Soul Saint had two Super Douluos wrapped around his little finger. That alone showed just how formidable his methods were.
Fortunately, Ning Rongrong hadn't inherited his nature. Otherwise, Zhu Zhuqing wouldn't dare speak with her.
Under the covers, Zhu Zhuqing held Ning Rongrong in her arms, comforting her like a big sister.
"Rongrong, your situation really is different from mine. I don't have any family who dote on me, so I didn't have as much to consider when I made my choice."
"But even if I did, I'd still stand by Lin Yan forever."
"I don't know what else to say to convince you. Like Lin Yan said, you can't have your cake and eat it too. You should make your decision as soon as possible."
Ning Rongrong's breathing gradually steadied. Curled up in Zhu Zhuqing's arms, she slowly regained her composure.
"Make my decision?"
"Father, why do you have to keep going against Lin Yan?"
Elsewhere.
Lin Yan followed Xiao Wu to her room. The two sat facing each other on the sofa.
Lin Yan spoke first. "What is it?"
Xiao Wu lowered her head. Being alone with him gave her a little more courage, and in the end, she asked the question she'd been holding back.
"Why did you have Zhuqing tell me yesterday that people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had arrived?"
Lin Yan let out a soft sigh.
"Do you really have to ask? Knowing won't do you any good."
At that, Xiao Wu instantly sat on pins and needles. Even a few strands of her hair seemed to stand on end.
Her pupils trembling, she looked at Lin Yan.
"You know everything? Then why did you..."
Lin Yan didn't hide a thing. He told her everything he knew about her.
"Tang San's father is a Titled Douluo. He discovered you six years ago and has been keeping you around as a Soul Ring for Tang San."
"Like you, Ah Yin was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast from the Star Dou Forest. She was the Blue Silver Emperor, and she sacrificed herself to Tang San's father. He wants you to become Tang San's Soul Ring in the same way."
"So I didn't have a chance to make a move. Of course, I didn't want to, either."
Lin Yan's words were startling. After only a few sentences, Xiao Wu was trembling uncontrollably, her little face deathly pale.
"You... is all of that true?"
Seeing how frightened Xiao Wu was, how hard it was for her even to speak, Lin Yan shook his head slightly, feeling helpless.
"Believe it or not. It's up to you."
"I helped you yesterday only because we're classmates. I didn't want to see you die before your time."
"And there's one more thing. I didn't want the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to get their hands on you."
Lin Yan's tone was calm, even indifferent, without much feeling.
Xiao Wu burst into tears on the spot.
So it was true. Her identity as a Soul Beast had been exposed—and she'd been watched for six years already.
From the moment she'd stepped into the human world, someone had seen her as a Soul Ring and a Soul Bone. And for six years, she'd foolishly treated Tang San like her own brother.
It had all been one-sided...
Now she could barely protect herself. How could she avenge her mother?
When she thought of the brother she'd regarded as family, and how his father had long ago seen her as a Soul Ring, Xiao Wu felt as if the whole world had plunged into darkness.
If Lin Yan hadn't told her, she had no idea how things might have turned out.
Maybe she would have avenged her mother with Tang San's help. Maybe she would have uncovered the truth one day and returned to the Star Dou Forest...
Or maybe she would wake up tomorrow morning and find herself turned into someone's Soul Ring!
Despair spread through her heart. Trembling, Xiao Wu looked utterly helpless and pitiful.
At that darkest moment of her life, she looked at Lin Yan.
"Lin Yan! Take me away! I don't want to stay with Tang San anymore."
###
Before you continue