Tang Yuehua: What... had this woman been through?
Lin Xia shook her head vigorously, trying to banish this blasphemous thought.
The bond between teacher and student!
It can only be a pure teacher-student relationship!
She treats me well because I am her disciple, the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, and the successor she values!
My feelings for Bibi Dong must be pure admiration, respect, and loyalty!
However, a faint yet incredibly clear voice deep within my heart stubbornly refuted this.
Is that really all there is to it?
When he saw Bibi Dong suffering from the corruption of the Rakshasa, was the heart-wrenching pain he felt merely a disciple's worry for his teacher?
When he draped his robe over her shoulders and felt her trembling vulnerability, was his impulse to hold her tightly in his arms and shield her from all the storms of life merely loyalty?
When she smiled, the warmth and dependence that occasionally flickered in her deep purple eyes—a warmth reserved only for him—filled his heart with a sense of warmth and contentment. Was it merely filial piety?
He can't fool himself.
That deeply suppressed emotion, which dared not be spoken, had long since transcended the boundaries of teacher and student. In the daily interactions and in supporting each other in the fight against darkness, it quietly changed and took root.
It was not a deliberate act of "rebellion against one's master and disciple," but rather a complex and profound love and attachment that naturally arose from sharing life and death and resonating with one's soul.
However, this feeling was heavily suppressed by his identity, responsibility, ethics, and the existence of Qian Renxue, becoming his deepest secret and greatest taboo.
As for Bibi Dong... Lin Xia recalled the complex look in Bibi Dong's eyes when she looked at him, the subtle stiffness when he approached, and the bitterness that seemed to be hidden behind the heartfelt joy and pride when he achieved something...
And tonight, that dark obsession deep within his soul, arising from him, that stirred up the Rakshasa Evil Thought!
Could the root of her suffering be this same unspoken, and even more unbearable, feeling?
Was she afraid that he would discover her "forbidden" feelings?
Are you afraid this relationship will hurt her again?
Was he afraid that this relationship would drag him down and lead him to utter ruin?
Therefore, she preferred to wallow alone in the corruption of the Rakshasa, letting that obsession gnaw at her soul, rather than let him glimpse even a trace of the truth?
This speculation was like a bolt of lightning, instantly Slash all the fog in Lin Xia's mind!
Suddenly see the light!
Yet... it's as heavy as a mountain!
It turns out he wasn't going in the wrong direction; he had underestimated the depth and nature of the Abyss!
He thought he was breaking free from the shackles of the past, but little did he know that his teacher had already fallen into another, more profound and painful prison caused by him!
His so-called "revenge" not only failed to address the core issue, but may have inadvertently touched upon and deepened Bibi Dong's fear and shame about her "forbidden" emotions by publicly exposing Yu Xiaogang's ugliness!
"Teacher... you..."
Lin Xia's heart clenched, a complex mix of heartache, self-blame, pity, and an indescribable flutter of emotion surging within her.
He understood why Bibi Dong had fled in panic and why she dared not face him.
She wasn't running away from Yu Xiaogang's fate; she was running away from him!
She wanted to escape this whirlpool of emotions that caused her immense pain yet which she couldn't let go of!
Venusaur sensed the drastic change in its master's aura, shifting from confusion and pain to a heavy yet exceptionally resolute determination.
It tilted its enormous head in confusion and uttered a low question.
"Dana?"
Lin Xia suddenly stopped and took a deep breath.
The chilly air of the late autumn night rushed into his lungs, carrying a slight stinging sensation, yet strangely, it instantly cleared his confused mind.
Never mind!
We can't run away anymore!
Whether it's to free his teacher's soul from the torment of being corrupted by the Rakshasa, or to untie the heavy knot in their hearts, he must face it!
No matter where this relationship will ultimately lead, no matter if it leads to an Abyss or a sea of fire, no matter what blame and criticism he has to endure, he must ask them directly!
He couldn't bear to watch Bibi Dong struggle and sink alone in that dark Abyss.
She was his Pope, his mentor, and, more importantly, someone he could never part with deep in his heart!
I promised to protect her, and this promise should not only be directed against external enemies, but also to illuminate the darkness within her heart!
"Walk!"
Lin Xia's voice was deep and powerful, carrying a resolute determination.
Without further hesitation, he abruptly changed direction.
"Da na!"
Sensing its master's unwavering resolve, Venusaur gave a short, strong reply and immediately followed.
The enormous body turned on the silent street, and the flowers on its back seemed to sense that determination, straightening slightly and exuding an even more solid life force.
As night deepened, the hustle and bustle of Heaven Dou City seemed to be isolated in another world.
Lin Xia walked with firm steps, her shadow stretching and shortening under the dim streetlights.
The outline of the Moonlight Pavilion gradually became clear in the night.
It was a building that blended the grandeur of the Heaven Dou Empire with the solemnity of the Spirit Hall. At this moment, most of the windows were dark, except for a room on the top floor with a wide view and a quiet environment, which still emitted a warm, soft light, as if waiting for something.
Lin Xia stood before the magnificent yet cold gate of the Moonlight Pavilion, looking up at the window that let in light, her heart pounding heavily in her chest.
He knew that pushing open this door, climbing these stairs, and knocking on that door might signify the end of an era, or it might be the beginning of a storm.
But he did not back down; his eyes were like a tempered blade, filled with unwavering determination and the courage to break through everything.
"Teacher... I'm here."
He silently recited the mantra, took a deep breath, raised his hand, and firmly pushed open the heavy door of the Moonlight Pavilion.
On the top floor of the Moonlight Pavilion, the fragrance of incense filled the air, isolating the hustle and bustle of Heaven Dou City. Tang Yuehua sat gracefully on the Zither Table, the melody flowing from her fingertips like a clear spring under the moon, carrying a strange power to soothe the soul.
She looked at the mysterious woman opposite her, who was wearing a large black cloak and whose face was covered by a hood, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she was filled with inexplicable surprise.
This woman's sorrow... was as deep as an abyss, and chilling to the bone.
Tang Yuehua's "Noble Circle" domain opened silently, and a soft, moon-white halo filled the room. This was her proud innate ability, capable of soothing the most volatile soul and dissolving the deepest resentment.
Back then, her second Tang Hao, who had just emerged from the Slaughter City, filled with murderous intent and with a heart ashen with despair, gradually regained a sliver of clarity under the influence of her music and her domain, and restrained his madness that was about to destroy everything.
However, at this moment, facing the mysterious woman before her, Tang Yuehua felt an unprecedented resistance.
That overwhelming sorrow seemed to have solidified into an invisible, thorny, and icy barrier deep within her soul!
Her domain power, upon touching that barrier, seemed to sink into the sea, only managing to Wrap and penetrate its outer edges with minimal effect. The sorrow was not soothed; instead, it grew like the low growl of a wounded beast, carrying an almost desperate wariness and resistance, subtly radiating a chilling pressure.
Tang Yuehua's zither playing slowed down unconsciously for a moment.
What exactly did this woman go through?