"I can't absorb this Soul Bone?"
Qian Renxue had been ready to cultivate properly and absorb the Soul Bone to strengthen herself. The moment she heard Lord Heavenly Dao's voice, she froze.
She stared blankly at the Soul Bone in her hand. This Soul Bone clearly shared the same origin as her soul ring, coming from the very same soul beast. It was the Soul Bone best suited to her.
So why could she not absorb it?
"Lord Heavenly Dao, you're teasing Xiaoxue, right?" Qian Renxue asked uncertainly, holding the Soul Bone.
After Lord Heavenly Dao had teased her before, Qian Renxue had already developed a bit of psychological trauma.
She suspected that Lord Heavenly Dao was joking with her again this time.
Otherwise, how could she possibly be unable to absorb this Soul Bone? It made no sense at all!
"That truly hurts. I was clearly doing this for your own good, yet you actually doubt my motives." Lu Chen's tone brimmed with anger at not being trusted. "Since you don't believe what I say, then go ahead and absorb it! When you regret it in the future, don't come looking for me!"
?
No!
A question mark popped into Qian Renxue's mind. When did I say I didn't believe you? You've teased me over and over again. This time, I was only questioning it normally.
Besides, he had only said she could not absorb it without explaining why. Lord Heavenly Dao really was...
Yet hearing Lu Chen's stern tone, Qian Renxue could not help but put down the Soul Bone. She said:
"Lord Heavenly Dao, Xiaoxue doesn't distrust you. I just have some doubts in my heart. In Xiaoxue's heart, Lord Heavenly Dao is the best, best person—the person Xiaoxue trusts most! Can you tell Xiaoxue why she can't absorb this Soul Bone?"
"I have been deeply hurt by your earlier questioning, and I don't feel like answering your questions now."
Lu Chen's tone was resolute. "Go ask your grandfather. Don't come bother me again!"
"..."
I hurt... him? Little Qian Renxue was startled by those words!
Her words just now had actually hurt Lord Heavenly Dao! Had her question caused Lord Heavenly Dao such great harm? So serious that he had directly said, "You hurt me."
And it did not sound like a joke at all!
A deep unease rose in little Qian Renxue's heart. Her mother, her grandfather, the Spirit Hall where she had lived since childhood, and even her future self all needed Lord Heavenly Dao's salvation.
Yet under such circumstances, she had actually "hurt" Lord Heavenly Dao and damaged the trust between them.
Little Qian Renxue was terrified. What if Lord Heavenly Dao hated her from now on? Could she truly defeat the Evil God bewitching her "mother," the Outworld Evil God that would destroy Spirit Hall in the future, without Lord Heavenly Dao's help?
Without Lord Heavenly Dao's help, could Spirit Hall's future and her own future still be changed?
The more she thought about it, the more panicked Qian Renxue became. Especially when Lord Heavenly Dao's voice did not come from the room for so long, she began crying anxiously.
"Lord Heavenly Dao, I'm sorry! Xiaoxue didn't mean to! Xiaoxue trusts Lord Heavenly Dao the most! Could you just pretend Xiaoxue never asked that question, okay? It's all Xiaoxue's fault. Xiaoxue shouldn't have doubted Lord Heavenly Dao, waaah!"
Lu Chen: "..."
He had only made a little joke. Why was she crying again? She was even apologizing to him...
Lu Chen pressed one hand to his forehead, feeling utterly helpless. He had thought Qian Renxue had gotten used to his joking rhythm, but she was unexpectedly so easy to tease.
Seeing such a pretty little girl sitting on the bed, endlessly wiping her tears and crying as she apologized, he, as Heavenly Dao, could naturally tell that little Qian Renxue's emotions were sincere.
So Lord Heavenly Dao had a real headache now!
"I must never joke with an idiot again. She'll really take it seriously!"
Lu Chen had already figured it out. Qian Renxue at this age truly did not have much brainpower. She was a complete little fool.
Other than being talented and a little pretty, she was good for nothing!
For that reason, he could only...
"Alright, stop crying! If you keep crying, Heavenly Dao won't help you anymore!"
"Waaah! Lord Heavenly Dao, you finally spoke! Xiaoxue thought you completely hated her!"
"..."
Lu Chen's mouth twitched. "You're still crying? Have you forgotten your mother? Forgotten Spirit Hall? Forgotten those Outworld Evil Gods? Are you planning to cry them all to death?"
"Waaah, I won't cry anymore. Xiaoxue won't cry anymore. Xiaoxue is very strong. Lord Heavenly Dao, can you please not ignore Xiaoxue in the future? Xiaoxue is really scared..."
This time, Qian Renxue was truly afraid. She was only a little girl. After her father died, her mother had ruthlessly abandoned her. Then, on that very same day, she learned the terrifying news that her grandfather would die and Spirit Hall would be destroyed in the future. At the time, she had truly been lost and terrified.
It was only later, when Lord Heavenly Dao stood behind her and said he would nurture her and change her fate, that the confusion and fear in Qian Renxue's heart lessened, allowing her to become strong again.
That was also why little Qian Renxue had felt no fear after learning that her mother would walk the path of the Evil God.
Lord Heavenly Dao could be said to be the strongest pillar in little Qian Renxue's heart. Especially after Lord Heavenly Dao displayed his great divine power, that large, thick pillar had directly become a colossal pillar holding up the heavens!
But just now, that colossal pillar holding up the heavens had suddenly been pulled away.
In an instant, little Qian Renxue was overcome by deep unease and fear.
Thinking of the future after losing Lord Heavenly Dao, her already fragile psychological defenses collapsed at once.
Her mother, completely fallen into evil and transformed into an Evil God; Spirit Hall, reduced to ruins by the Outworld Evil Gods; and herself, with her Godhood shattered by the Outworld Evil Gods.
Faced with these terrifying scenes of the future, she truly could not imagine how she was supposed to change any of it without Lord Heavenly Dao.
"Sigh..."
Lu Chen let out a deep sigh. "Don't worry. As long as you stop crying, Lord Heavenly Dao will never abandon you. As the future Angel God, the heroine who will save Spirit Hall and drive away the Evil Gods, you must learn to be strong! What kind of sight is this, crying like that?"
"Mhm! Mhm! As long as Lord Heavenly Dao doesn't leave Xiaoxue, Xiaoxue definitely won't cry like this again in the future." Little Qian Renxue forcibly held back the tears in her eyes and promised firmly.
"..." Lu Chen was speechless. So she would keep crying after I left? What kind of strength is that?
Still, he could not be too harsh on the incomparably fragile Qian Renxue at this moment. After all, she had endured too much and learned too much at far too young an age.
And everything she had endured and learned had been given to her by him, Lord Heavenly Dao.
All he could say was that he had to repay the karma he had created himself...
"Alright, clean up that tear-streaked little face of yours. It's time to go ask your grandfather about the Soul Bone."
"Lord Heavenly Dao, can you tell Xiaoxue? Xiaoxue really, really trusts you! Xiaoxue absolutely believes every word you say!"
Qian Renxue sniffled, her tone filled with the deepest trust in Lord Heavenly Dao!
"It's not that serious..."
Lu Chen did not know whether to laugh or cry. "I was planning to have your grandfather explain it to you anyway. Matters related to Soul Bones are connected to the Angel God. Your grandfather is the Angel God's High Priest, so it would be better for him to explain the relevant details."
"Okay! Okay!"
Qian Renxue nodded her little head and quickly agreed. Since Lord Heavenly Dao said Grandfather would be best at explaining it, then she would go find Grandfather!
She was Lord Heavenly Dao's most loyal believer and trusted every word Lord Heavenly Dao said.
"Uh..."
Lu Chen rubbed his nose. He felt like he had been a little too cruel.
Before you continue