Love Is More Than Romantic Love Between a Man and a Woman

"Master!"

Lin Xia's voice was clear and crisp, filled with sincerity.

"You're amazing! Nothing can be hidden from you!"

Lin Xia paused, a serious expression appearing on her small face.

"However, before I answer you, I want to ask you a question, a very important question."

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.

Lin Xia took a deep breath, her clear eyes becoming incredibly solemn, and asked, word by word:

"Master, what if one day, something that can defy fate appears before you?"

"Its existence can fundamentally solve the problem of talent limitations in the quality of Martial Soul, and even... allow those Soul Masters with mediocre talent, or those who have already been judged to be unable to advance further due to age restrictions, to have the opportunity to continue cultivating and break through bottlenecks, no matter how old they are. If you obtained it, what would you do?"

"Defying fate..."

Bibi Dong chewed on those four words, and a storm raged in the depths of her purple eyes! Almost the instant Lin Xia finished speaking, a name flashed through her mind like lightning— Yu Xiaogang!

Bibi Dong was not surprised at all that Lin Xia knew this information.

As the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, Lin Xia has the right to access the Spirit Hall's top-secret files, which must include research records on Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang —a "waste" whose theories are invincible but whose Martial Soul can never break through level 30 in his lifetime.

Bibi Dong instantly understood the subtext of Lin Xia's question.

If such a thing truly existed, would you use it to save your former lover?

Do you still feel the same way you did back then?

Complex emotions surged forth like a tidal wave.

The name Yu Xiaogang was once the only light in her gloomy youth, but it was also the fuse that later pushed her into the Abyss.

That unforgettable love had long since become distorted and blurred by Qian Xunji's despicable methods and the tempering of hatred over the long years.

The exploitation and betrayal after their reunion almost completely severed the last vestige of warmth.

Bibi Dong fell silent.

Time seemed to stand still in the quiet courtyard.

Bibi Dong's stunning profile appeared somewhat hazy in the dappled sunlight filtering through the bamboo grove; her long eyelashes drooped, obscuring the turbulent memories swirling in her eyes.

There was pain, hatred, resentment, and also... a trace of long-buried melancholy for that pure first love.

After a long while, Bibi Dong slowly raised her head. She didn't look at Lin Xia; her gaze seemed to Infiltrator the courtyard wall, looking towards a distant and blurry past.

Finally, she let out a long and complex sigh, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Xiao Xia!"

Bibi Dong's voice returned to calm, carrying a clarity born of experience. She turned her head, her gaze refocusing on Lin Xia with unprecedented tenderness and determination.

"If... if such a divine object that can defy fate truly exists..."

Bibi Dong reached out and gently pinched Lin Xia's Limber cheek with her warm fingers, the gesture full of affection and doting.

"The master will give it to you without hesitation."

Bibi Dong's tone was resolute, without any hesitation.

"Because you weren't born at the top. Your efforts are seen and felt deeply by your mentor. You've put in far more effort than most people to get to where you are today."

"If I can help you reach a higher level faster and possess greater power to protect everything you want to protect, that's what I most want to see. Your future deserves the best starting point."

Lin Xia's heart skipped a beat.

Lin Xia stared intently into Bibi Dong's eyes. In those deep purple eyes, there was only pure love and earnest expectation for him at this moment. There was no longer any lingering affection or struggle for their past relationship.

Lin Xia took a deep breath, deciding to make a final confirmation, her voice carrying a hint of barely Frisk tension.

"Master, is that really what you think? Then... if... if Yu Xiaogang knew about this thing and asked you for it, would you still... give it to me?"

This time, Bibi Dong did not hesitate at all.

A gentle, serene smile bloomed on Bibi Dong's exquisite face, like a snow lotus blossoming after the first melting of snow.

Bibi Dong leaned down again, cupped Lin Xia's small face in her hands, gently pressed her forehead against his, and her purple eyes shone with a soft, watery light.

"Silly child!"

Bibi Dong's voice was as soft as a sigh, yet as heavy as a promise.

"Master has long since come to terms with it, especially after you came into my life..."

Bibi Dong's eyes became incredibly deep and warm.

You were like a ray of light, barging headlong into my cold, dark world.

"Your dependence, your efforts, the joy that comes with every step you take, even your occasional mischief and little temper tantrums... all made your mentor realize one thing."

Bibi Dong paused, each word clear and forceful.

"Love is not just romantic love between men and women. It is broader and deeper. It can be the blood ties of family, the unreserved inheritance and protection between master and disciple, or the warm bond of mutual reliance even when there is no blood relation."

Bibi Dong's fingers gently brushed across Lin Xia's eyebrows.

"Xue'er is my flesh and blood. Although you are not my biological child, you are engraved in my soul as if you were my own."

"Your existence has filled the most important, and also the most missing part of my life—the true ability to love and be loved."

"For you, I can let go of all my past obsessions and hatred, and I can even take up arms to fight against the whole world."

"Yu Xiaogang... he is just a chapter in my long life that I have already turned over, a chapter filled with mistakes and lessons. But you and Xiao Xue are the treasures that your master is willing to protect and cherish with everything he has now and in the future."

Bibi Dong straightened up, her smile bright and resolute.

"So, do you understand what your master means? Regardless of whether that heaven-defying, fate-altering artifact exists, and regardless of its value, as long as it benefits you, your master will fight for it for you. As for others... what do they have to do with me?"

This candid statement was sincere and frank, carrying a resolute farewell to the past and boundless anticipation for the future.

The last trace of doubt in Lin Xia's heart completely vanished.

Looking at the woman before him, so stunningly beautiful and powerful yet revealing her most Limber side, a surge of warmth and indescribable excitement welled up in his heart.

"Master!"

Lin Xia's voice trembled with joy, and a smile brighter than the sun bloomed on her small face.

Lin Xia no longer hesitated or tested the waters, and decided to reveal her true purpose in pursuing Dugu Bo.

"I didn't seek out Dugu Bo to discuss toxicology!"

Lin Xia's eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, sparkling with excitement and ambition.

"All of this is for one place, a legendary treasure that Dugu Bo considers his own private domain— the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!"

"The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?"