Adopted by Liu Erlong at the Start

Heaven Dou City, Blue Tyrant Academy.

This was the largest primeval forest within Heaven Dou City, where rows of white buildings nestled among the trees, embraced by the jungle. This was the main campus of Blue Tyrant Academy.

In a forest clearing with fresh air, located a short distance from the campus, lay a tranquil lake.

A young boy sat cross-legged beside the lake. He had slightly messy black hair and a face that, while youthful, possessed a certain delicate refinement. His features were soft and his eyes clear, giving him a rather pleasant appearance.

Behind the boy, Liu Erlong, dressed in a black gown, stood with her hands on her hips, her brows tightly furrowed as she glared at him with visible displeasure.

Noticing the gaze behind him, Mo Li turned his head and looked at Liu Erlong with an awkward expression. Before he could even speak, Liu Erlong reached out in the next second, grabbed his ear, and said in a crisp voice:

"You brat, if you don't go awaken your martial soul today, do you believe I'll just drag you there myself?"

As Liu Erlong applied a slight pressure with her fingers, Mo Li's expression immediately turned pained. He gave a dry laugh, "Sister Erlong, take it easy. I'll go, I'm going right now."

Hearing this, Liu Erlong let out a soft huff and released her grip, though the annoyance on her face remained undiminished.

Mo Li rubbed his ear while slowly standing up.

He was not a native of the Douluo world; he had accidentally transmigrated here six years ago due to an unexpected accident.

Abandoned on the outskirts of Heaven Dou City immediately after birth, he happened to be found by Liu Erlong, who then took him in.

Three years ago, Liu Erlong brought him back to Heaven Dou City, purchased this primeval forest, and single-handedly founded the Blue Tyrant Advanced Spirit Master Academy.

Since then, the two had lived together within the academy.

Now, three years after the academy's founding, it had gradually gotten on the right track, and he had just turned six—the age to awaken his martial soul.

The time of Mo Li's arrival was not far from when Tang San had arrived; if nothing went wrong, they should be awakening their martial souls in the same year.

However, the martial soul awakening ceremony, which should have been completed a week ago, had been delayed until today by various excuses he had concocted.

That was how the current scene came to be.

This forest was their usual living space, with flat grass and clear lake water. Surrounded by lush green trees, the lake reflected the flowing clouds in the sky and the figures of the two, a scene of peaceful, timeless beauty.

But clearly, Liu Erlong was in no mood to appreciate it.

"I told you to go awaken your martial soul, but you keep coming up with one excuse after another. How much longer do you intend to drag this out?" Liu Erlong said, somewhat irritated.

The affairs of the academy were already bothersome enough. She had instructed Mo Li to awaken his martial soul last week, but instead, the brat treated her words like wind passing by his ears, forcing her to come and "invite" him personally.

"Get up this instant! I'm not doing anything else today; I'm just going to watch you and see what other tricks you can pull!"

Watching Mo Li slowly rise, Liu Erlong felt a surge of anger and raised her leg to kick him.

Fortunately, Mo Li reacted quickly and hurriedly dodged.

Just as Liu Erlong intended to follow up with another kick, he seized the opportunity to hug her thigh, putting on a pitiful expression, "Sister Erlong, please calm your anger. You are a dignified Spirit Saint; how could my small frame possibly withstand that?"

Seeing this, Liu Erlong rolled her eyes at him, "What, you know to be afraid now?"

"Let go. I was holding back my strength."

Mo Li naturally didn't let go, instead quietly observing Liu Erlong's expression. Seeing her cold, beautiful face soften, he slowly released his grip and breathed a secret sigh of relief.

Over six years of living together, Mo Li had gradually figured out Liu Erlong's temperament. In front of others, she was the cold, strict, and domineering Dean Liu, possessing both strength and authority, and all the teachers and students in the academy held her in awe.

In private, however, Liu Erlong never hid her forthright and generous nature. She founded the academy and welcomed civilian spirit masters, all driven by a sincere heart full of love and devoid of prejudice.

Most of the time, when facing him, she was just "sharp-tongued but soft-hearted" and would never truly act on her threats.

Seeing Mo Li standing there in a daze after getting up, Liu Erlong said with dissatisfaction, "Aren't you going yet?"

Since things had reached this point, Mo Li could only pat his clothes and walk toward the edge of the forest, with Liu Erlong following behind him.

Mo Li offered a helpless smile. His memories had only fully awakened two years ago. In the years prior, he had often fallen into a deep sleep, and his actions during those times were like those of a child, driven entirely by instinct.

After his consciousness fully awakened, he was astonished to discover that a mysterious cultivation technique he had obtained by chance in his previous life had followed him, hidden deep within his sea of consciousness.

Mo Li didn't overthink the existence of the technique. Since it was in his sea of consciousness, it was his own unique destiny. Besides, he had already transmigrated; what else was impossible?

In any case, the bold would feast while the timid would starve.

Thus, after two full years of painstaking study, he had successfully broken through to the first level of the technique just last night.

At the same time, as if some restriction had been broken, he learned the name of the technique—the Yin-Yang Reincarnation Art!

During his cultivation, he had vaguely sensed that only after a successful breakthrough would it be the optimal time to awaken his martial soul. But he couldn't just tell Liu Erlong that, which was why he had made up various excuses to delay.

The two walked side by side along a bluestone path, with the towering jungle and dense leaves overhead. This path led directly from their residence to the main campus of the academy.

"Sister Erlong, I can go by myself. Are you really going to follow me?"

"What, I can't even go to the academy I founded?" Liu Erlong crossed her arms, glanced at Mo Li, and said indifferently.

"That's not it," Mo Li laughed.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. I've been quite busy lately and haven't kept a close eye on you, but today, if you don't finish awakening your martial soul, you aren't going anywhere."

"Of course, if you really don't want to go, I don't mind dragging you there myself, if you don't mind the embarrassment."

A faint smile appeared on the corner of Liu Erlong's mouth, which, paired with her beautiful face, held a unique charm.

Mo Li, however, was not fooled by that smile; he knew all too well that Liu Erlong was truly capable of doing such a thing.

Blue Tyrant Academy had a dedicated area for martial soul awakening. If he were dragged there and paraded through the academy, he would lose all face, and he still had to survive in this school afterward.

"Cough, cough. I'm going, I'm going! Why wouldn't I? Since Sister Erlong has taken time out of her busy schedule to accompany me, I certainly have to give you that much face."

The two continued along the path, and Mo Li took another look at Liu Erlong beside him. He had to admit, in terms of figure and temperament, Liu Erlong was the best he had encountered in this world so far.

Her figure was full and tall, her dark hair unbound, cascading like a waterfall down to her slender waist, appearing both casual and natural.

A form-fitting black dress further accentuated her cold and stern temperament, and the legs beneath the hem were straight and long.

Her features were exquisite, her skin fair, and her black eyes always carried a chilling, "keep away" intensity. A faint, lingering melancholy between her slightly furrowed brows added a unique charm to her otherwise icy demeanor.

If she were to put on a luxurious gown, she would be the very image of an elegant, icy beauty.

Yet, quite the opposite, Liu Erlong's temper was notoriously explosive in the original story.

After she had adopted him, he had expected that life wouldn't be easy given her temperament.

Unexpectedly, however, their relationship had been surprisingly harmonious. Although they occasionally bickered, Liu Erlong never held a grudge against him.

Her care for him, while unpracticed, was as diligent as she could manage. This version of Sister Erlong felt quite different from the one in the original work.

Thinking of this, Mo Li couldn't help but chuckle aloud.

"What are you giggling at?" Liu Erlong looked at him suspiciously.

Mo Li smiled. "Nothing, just suddenly thought of something happy."

Liu Erlong didn't dwell on his answer, merely warning him, "No matter how happy you are, you are going to get your martial soul awakened today. Unless you can slip away right under my nose, I will drag you there myself."

Hearing this, Mo Li felt quite helpless. How could he possibly slip away from Liu Erlong, a Soul Saint, when he hadn't even awakened his martial soul yet?

"You wrong me, Sister Erlong! I never said I wasn't going. Don't we even have the most basic trust between us?"

"What do you think?" Liu Erlong replied with a half-smile, her red lips curling slightly.

"I was raised by you, after all. I think we should at least have that much trust."

Mo Li leaned in closer, asking with a smile.

Liu Erlong glanced at him. She knew Mo Li was playing the emotional card, but her expression softened, and she gave a light huff. "At least you remember that I raised you."

She hadn't interfered much with Mo Li's nature while he was growing up, only guiding him when necessary, which was rare.

Who would have thought that the obedient and cute Mo Li of his childhood would become so mischievous as he grew up?

She had clearly taught him well, so how did he end up like this?

Thinking of this, Liu Erlong couldn't help but look at Mo Li and sigh softly.

"That's not right, Sister Erlong. Why are you sighing? I'm the one who should be sighing. Look, what if I fail to become a Soul Master? You might just abandon me."

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Liu Erlong stopped abruptly and turned to glare at Mo Li.

"I was wrong." Realizing he had said the wrong thing, Mo Li apologized quickly.

Liu Erlong frowned, just about to speak, when she caught sight of Mo Li's guilty expression.

A moment later, she exhaled, reached out, and gently ruffled Mo Li's hair. Her movements were unexpectedly soft and protective, her tone gentle yet helpless.

"Enough, I didn't mean to blame you. Stop overthinking. When have I ever said I would abandon you?"

"You were raised by me, Liu Erlong, and that will never change because of anything. Do you hear me?" Liu Erlong's voice was crisp, yet exceptionally firm.

"Even if you can't become a Soul Master, I can still afford to raise you. Besides, you haven't even gone yet—who says you won't become one?"

Mo Li stood frozen as her hand rested on his head, his gaze fixed blankly upon her.

He had initially treated this as nothing more than banter, as he had never truly believed he couldn't become a Soul Master.

Yet, Liu Erlong's solemn response hit his heart like a sudden, warm current.

Feeling the touch on his head, his nose stung slightly. He pressed his lips together, suppressing the surge of emotion in his heart, and smiled. "Sister Erlong, hearing you say that... I'm almost moved to tears!"

"You brat, I knew you couldn't be serious for a second!"

After entering the main campus, the two arrived in front of a white building.

"We're here. Go on in." Liu Erlong turned to look at Mo Li.

"You don't need me to invite you in, do you?"

"I won't trouble you, Sister Erlong."

Mo Li smiled at her and walked into the room first, his movements devoid of any hesitation; it was clearly not his first time here.

Seeing his figure disappear behind the door, Liu Erlong finally let out a sigh of relief. This little guy—at least he didn't find an excuse to slip away this time.

Her gaze then fell upon the building before her, and she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous herself.

After a moment of contemplation, she exhaled softly and followed him into the building.