The fragments of memory that had surged into his mind gradually became complete scenes.
He saw himself holding a woman who had transformed from the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, fleeing from more than a dozen Titled Douluo pursuing them.
During their flight, the golden-haired, red-eyed woman in his arms said something into his ear.
Then crimson-gold flames blazed around her. In his arms, she transformed into a crimson-gold Soul Ring and merged into his body.
The scene shifted. He was kneeling amid a field of ruins, holding a jade pendant engraved with the character "Autumn," his eyes filled with grief and bewilderment.
Each scene was like a heavy hammer pounding against his heart.
After a long while, Liu Lin finally opened his eyes. His gaze was unfocused, as though he still hadn't come back to himself after the scenes he had just witnessed.
He looked up at the Three-Eyed Golden Lion holding him and asked her in a somewhat hoarse voice, "Is this the future you saw?"
The golden-haired girl heard Liu Lin's question and nodded, her voice sounding a little muffled. "Mm."
Liu Lin rose onto his tiptoes, patted the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's head, and looked at her earnestly.
"I swear that what happens in the future won't happen again. I'll protect you, no matter what."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion gazed at the determined look on Liu Lin's young face.
Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, but the curve of her lips showed how she felt.
He was only six, yet he put on the airs of an adult to comfort her.
"Mm. Then I'll wait for you to protect me in the future." The Three-Eyed Golden Lion looked at Liu Lin's resolute expression and spoke with a hint of pride.
"Okay."
"Then it's a promise. Let's pinky swear. If you don't protect me in the future, I'll have Uncle Di Tian beat you up."
After she finished speaking, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion let go of Liu Lin and took two steps back. Then she held out her little finger and brought it up to him.
Seeing the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's fair, tender hand, Liu Lin held out his own little finger and hooked it around hers. Their hands, one large and one small, made a promise unique to them in the space she had created.
"Oh, there's one more thing I have to warn you about." The Three-Eyed Golden Lion lowered her hand, her smile fading as she spoke to Liu Lin in a serious tone. "Beware of the people from the Divine Realm. The incident in the future is connected to someone from the Divine Realm."
"But I don't know his name. My future self told me that if I said his name, he might sense it, so she didn't tell me."
"Someone from the Divine Realm?" Liu Lin fell silent at her words. The moment the Emperor Auspicious Beast said that, Liu Lin knew who she meant.
Of course, it was none other than Tang San—the Great Buddha Tang, who had personally split his daughter into three and loved nothing more than training dogs.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion worried Liu Lin might not know about the Divine Realm, so she explained it to him again.
"So I'm telling you to be careful. Do you understand?"
Though Liu Lin knew about the Divine Realm, he had no idea how to tell her. He could only listen, then nod to show he understood.
"All right, I've told you everything I needed to. This is the gift I'm leaving you." As she spoke, a vertical eye appeared on the woman's forehead.
A golden beam shot from the vertical eye and landed on Liu Lin's forehead.
Liu Lin could clearly feel a wave of energy traveling from his forehead into his eyes.
"I have to go, Liu Lin. If I don't return soon, Di Tian will come looking for me."
"Oh, and your companions outside are just unconscious. I did that to them, so don't worry. Lastly, wait for me to come find you, Liu Lin." After the Three-Eyed Golden Lion said this, her figure faded away in that space.
On the other side, Liu Lin didn't even have time to say goodbye before he fell unconscious.
In the outside world, after the Three-Eyed Golden Lion awoke, she removed the mental attack affecting Old Wang and the others. She took one last look at Liu Lin, lying on the ground, then left.
After the Three-Eyed Golden Lion departed, Old Wang and the others slowly came to.
Old Wang rubbed his throbbing head and said to Sun Heng beside him, still shaken by their narrow escape, "Old Sun, we're not dead?"
"Mm." Sun Heng nodded, then noticed someone lying on the ground not far behind Old Wang. Pointing at him, he said, "Old Wang, look over there. Isn't that Young Master Liu lying on the ground?"
Old Wang looked where Sun Heng was pointing and saw Liu Lin lying nearby.
Old Wang sprang up and rushed to Liu Lin. Only after seeing his chest rise and fall steadily did he let out a breath of relief.
If the person in front of him had died, Old Wang wouldn't have known where to turn for help. Not only would he be unable to return to the Star Luo Empire, but he might even be hunted down.
"Old Wang, is he all right?"
"He's fine. He's just passed out. He'll be fine after resting for a while." As he spoke, Old Wang picked up the unconscious Liu Lin and carried him toward the carriage.
Sun Heng breathed a sigh of relief at Old Wang's words. If this Young Master Liu had died, he really would have wanted to run for it. After all, returning to the Star Luo Empire meant certain death.
In the carriage, Xu Jiujiu woke from her unconsciousness and rubbed her head. She looked around, and when she saw she was the only one inside, panic crossed her face.
Xu Jiujiu had just stood up, ready to go outside and find the others, when she saw Old Wang carrying Liu Lin into the carriage.
Xu Jiujiu looked at the unconscious Liu Lin, her face turning grim.
"Old Wang, what happened to Liu Lin? Does he need medicine to recover?"
As she spoke, she took several bottles of medicine from her Storage Soul Tool, ready to feed them to Liu Lin.
Seeing the worry in Xu Jiujiu's eyes, Old Wang shook his head.
"I checked him with my Soul Power. Young Master Liu has only passed out; he isn't injured, so he doesn't need any medicine."
"You just need to keep an eye on Young Master Liu. My brothers and I will follow Elder Lin's instructions and take you back to Star Luo City now."
"Then I'm grateful for your help." Xu Jiujiu thanked him.
"No need to thank us. It's our duty." After saying this, Old Wang helped Xu Jiujiu settle Liu Lin beside her.
Once he had settled Liu Lin, Old Wang got out of the carriage and said to his brothers:
"All right, everyone, get ready. We're leaving Star Dou Forest."
Sun Heng and the others nodded, then left Star Dou Forest.
In the carriage, Xu Jiujiu looked at Liu Lin, his brow furrowed as he leaned against her shoulder. Worried the jolting carriage might make him uncomfortable, she laid his head in her lap.
But as the carriage rocked along, Liu Lin's head shifted about on Xu Jiujiu's thighs, making her cheeks flush bright red.
Deep in Star Dou Forest, two figures fought fiercely in the air. Suddenly, one of them stopped fighting and turned to fly toward somewhere else.
When Elder Lin saw the Scarlet King leave, he was puzzled, but couldn't help feeling relieved. If he had kept fighting the Scarlet King, he would have died today.
He couldn't help but marvel at the Scarlet King's strength.
Elder Lin changed out of his tattered clothes, took out a locator Soul Tool, and flew in the direction Liu Lin had gone.