Xiao Qing's Heart

"Qian San is a child who has been precocious since he was young; he is deep-thinking and far more steady than his peers." Qian Xunji withdrew his hand, looked at Xiao Qing, and said earnestly, "However, there is an extremely radical and extreme side to his bones. Whoever touches his bottom line will surely be met with thunderous retaliation, and he will never show mercy. From childhood to now, besides me, he has had no one else to communicate with."

Xiao Qing was stunned. She recalled the calm look in Qian San's eyes during their sparring. Although Qian San usually looked very easygoing, that ruthlessness hidden in his bones really did not seem like that of a child.

But to say he was radical and extreme? Xiao Qing had not yet seen it.

"You are a good girl. I can tell that you and Qian San are very much alike—both are the type to hide their thoughts deep within their hearts."

"Therefore, I hope you don't have any psychological burden. In the academy, if you can, help me keep an eye on him when you have time. Don't let his extreme nature go down the wrong path. Consider this a small request from me as a father, can you?"

A powerhouse was actually speaking to her in such an equal, even pleading tone.

Thinking of the boy she had already accepted as her younger brother, Xiao Qing's heart skipped a beat for no reason. She lowered her head, a faint blush appearing on her originally fair earlobes, and nodded imperceptibly: "Mm... I promise you."

"Thank you." Qian Xunji smiled, then his tone shifted, and he asked softly, "Then what about you? Why not stay properly in the Lake of Life, and instead risk being hunted at any time to run into this perilous human world to reshape your form?"

At the mention of this, Xiao Qing suddenly raised her head, her eyes instantly filled with blood-red hatred. Her body trembled slightly, her fists clenched, and her nails dug deep into her flesh.

"Because... my mother." Xiao Qing's voice became hoarse with grief and indignation, "That Pope of Haotian Hall, Bibi Yin! It was she who forcibly killed my mother and took away her spirit ring and spirit bone!"

Large tears finally broke through the disguise she had been desperately maintaining, rolling down her cheeks.

"I swear! I will reshape my form, and I will kill Bibi Yin with my own hands!"

Looking at the girl in front of him who was sobbing uncontrollably yet had a face full of stubbornness, Qian Xunji also sighed inwardly. In this world where yin and yang are reversed, everyone seems to carry their own blood feud.

He stepped forward and gently wiped the tears from Xiao Qing's face with his sleeve.

"Don't cry. Your revenge may not be without a day of fulfillment."

"Because my lover, A-Dong... she was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, a Blue Silver Spider Emperor, and she was also forced to death by Haotian Hall. To save me, she had no choice but to choose sacrifice."

Sacrifice!

Xiao Qing suddenly stopped crying and stared fixedly at Qian Xunji. As a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, she knew the weight of the word "sacrifice" better than anyone.

What was even more unimaginable to her was that this man's lover was actually a soul beast? Then... wasn't Qian San a human-beast hybrid...

Like this... is it really okay?

Qian Xunji patted Xiao Qing on the shoulder, pulling her back from her sorrowful emotions.

Before Xiao Qing could recover from the huge shock, Qian Xunji flipped his wrist, and a jade box appeared out of thin air, slowly floating in front of Xiao Qing.

"Although your aura is well hidden, in front of a Title Douluo, or in front of certain special pupil techniques, you still have nowhere to hide." Qian Xunji pointed to the dark purple flower in the jade box, "This flower is called Hidden Orchid. If you wear it close to your body or integrate it into your hair accessories, it can perfectly mask your original aura as a soul beast, enough to let you evade the detection of most Title Douluo in this world."

Xiao Qing looked at the floating jade box with complex eyes. She could feel the high-level soul beast aura remaining on the flower; it belonged to another Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast of her kind.

She hesitated for a full ten seconds before finally slowly extending her hands to take the jade box, holding it tightly to her chest. She raised her head, looked at Qian Xunji's masked face, and bowed deeply:

"Thank you, Senior, for saving my life."

"Alright, let's not talk about these heavy topics. Since Qian San has accepted you as his sister, we are family. If you have any difficulties, remember to tell me. It's late, you should go back and rest."

With that, a golden feather, identical to the one given to Qian San, drifted gently into Xiao Qing's palm.

"Keep this. If you encounter any unsolvable trouble in this human world, or if someone wants to harm you, inject your spirit power into it." Qian Xunji looked at her deeply, "Since I have entrusted Qian San to you, I will naturally protect you as well. I promise you that I do not covet your spirit ring or spirit bone. Qian San does not know your identity yet, so don't feel pressured..."

Xiao Qing stared blankly at the golden feather in her palm that was emitting a warm glow. An unprecedented warmth surged through her entire body. Since her mother died, no one had ever said "protect you" to her like that again.

Before Xiao Qing could say thank you, Qian Xunji's figure had already slowly dissipated in place, turning into dots of golden light, completely blending into the night sky.

Xiao Qing gripped the feather in her hand and treasured it close to her body.

She turned around and glanced at the path leading to the dormitory building, but stopped in her tracks.

She couldn't go back now. That guy Qian San was very shrewd. If she followed him back one after another now, with his mind, he would definitely notice that she had followed him. Not only would it be impossible to explain, but it might even completely destroy their mutual trust.

Xiao Qing sighed, walked to a huge bluestone at the edge of the woods, jumped up lightly, and sat down cross-legged.

The night wind brushed her face. She raised her head and looked at the bright moon in the sky, her mind constantly replaying the time she had spent with Qian San over the years.

At first, it was just mutual appreciation of their strength. He was such a weak Blue Silver Spider, yet she couldn't beat him every time. Later, she found that he seemed very lonely, so they slowly started attending classes together, eating together, and becoming inseparable, until that time she went to his house and the two of them, as if by fate, recognized each other as siblings...

Qian San's sharp hidden weapon techniques and that mysterious father wearing a mask—she felt so confused. But looking at the Hidden Orchid and the sacred feather in her hand, she felt an inexplicable sense of peace in her heart.

Unknowingly, the heart of Xiao Qing, who had originally only intended to watch the human world coldly and only wanted to avenge her mother, had already been quietly cracked open by this pair of father and son.

She just sat quietly on the stone, thinking about revenge, thinking about promises, and thinking about the future, until the eastern horizon turned pale, having sat alone on the back mountain for the entire night.