Qian Renxue gazed at Ye Tian with tender affection and made her most heartfelt confession.
If she wanted to stay with Ye Tian forever, marrying him was her only choice.
She believed Ye Tian would give her the happiness she wanted.
"Of course. Come marry me when you're grown up."
Ye Tian froze for a moment, then affectionately pinched her little nose.
"Brother Tian, it's a promise! Let's pinky swear!"
Qian Renxue held out her little finger and hooked it toward his.
"Sure, pinky swear!"
"Pinky swear, seal it tight, no changing it for ten thousand years!"
Ye Tian smiled and hooked his little finger around hers, reciting the pledge with Qian Renxue.
At that instant, an invisible wisp of auspicious energy descended from high above, joining his fortune with Qian Renxue's in a fortune bond.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, on becoming the one and only person Qian Renxue has entrusted herself to and forming a fortune bond. From now on, you and Qian Renxue will share your fortune.] [Note: Qian Renxue will receive the blessing of your fortune, improving her cultivation speed and aptitude. You can gain Qian Renxue's affection, emotional resonance, and soul power feedback. Once Qian Renxue becomes a god, you can also obtain a portion of her divine origin power.]
The system's notification rang out in Ye Tian's mind, allowing him to feel Qian Renxue's emotions deeply through their resonance. Her intense reluctance to part and emotional dependence moved him.
Looks like my plan to nurture Qian Renxue is complete.
"Hehehe, Brother Tian, you're mine from now on."
"Come on, I'll help scrub the grime off you!"
After their pinky swear, Qian Renxue pulled Ye Tian into the little pool to play.
And so, Qian Renxue played with Ye Tian all night, wreaking havoc on every little animal Qian Xunji had raised over the years.
When Qian Xunji got up early the next morning and found all his pets gone, his fury knew no bounds.
But he could guess that Qian Renxue had done it, so he could only swallow his anger.
Only once he sent Qian Renxue away would he finally have some peace.
"Brother Tian, I'm leaving. You have to think of me and come find me, okay? I'll be waiting for you in Heaven Dou City!"
Qian Renxue sat in the carriage, tears streaming down her face as she waved goodbye to Ye Tian.
Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo were responsible for escorting Qian Renxue away.
They would only return to Spirit Hall once Qian Renxue had successfully infiltrated her target and was out of danger.
Until then, the two Titled Douluos would protect Qian Renxue from the shadows.
"Xue'er, I will."
"It won't be long before we see each other again."
Ye Tian also waved reluctantly to Qian Renxue, a faint mist of tears gathering in his eyes.
After spending all these years with Qian Renxue, he too had grown dependent on her.
With Qian Renxue gone, his life would lose a measure of its joy.
Still, within a year at most, Qian Renxue would return to Spirit Hall to mourn Qian Xunji.
"Little Tiantian, you're back."
"Has Xue'er left?"
"How I wish I could escort her to Heaven Dou City myself. I hope that girl can stay strong."
Looking at the somewhat downcast Ye Tian, Bibi Dong felt a little despondent herself.
Li Ya had given birth to Qian Renxue in her place, helping conceal her identity.
Yet she could only watch Qian Renxue go off to suffer, filling her heart with guilt.
"Sister Dong'er, you'll have that chance someday."
"Going to the Heaven Dou Empire will help Xue'er grow, too."
"Once that bastard Qian Xunji dies, we'll bring Qian Renxue back."
Ye Tian replied forlornly, then lay straight down on the bed and fell asleep.
After playing with Qian Renxue all night, he was rather tired.
Time flashed past, and half a year went by in the blink of an eye.
Tang Hao had not disappointed Ye Tian. After suffering humiliation several years earlier, he had thrown himself into growing stronger. His soul power had successfully broken through to level 90, and he was heading to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a soul ring.
Seeing that the time had come, Ye Tian had Ah Yin disguise her appearance slightly and return to the Star Dou Great Forest alone, waiting for Tang Hao to deliver himself to her doorstep.
Meanwhile, Ye Tian seized the opportunity to have Chrysanthemum Douluo leak information to Qian Xunji, saying that a hundred-thousand-year soul beast that had taken human form had been spotted in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Qian Xunji was overjoyed at the news and immediately took Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt down this hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form.
Ye Tian left Bibi Dong a message telling her to prepare, then quietly followed them.
Ye Tian guessed that after successfully obtaining his ninth soul ring, Tang Hao would surely return to the place where the two had once planned to marry and try his luck.
Throughout all this, Ah Yin had no idea whom she was waiting for. She only knew that Ye Tian had told her to wait here and that someone would come.
Ye Tian, meanwhile, had Chrysanthemum Douluo lead Qian Xunji to the place where the two would meet.
Just as Ye Tian had expected, after successfully killing an eighty-thousand-year soul beast and adding his ninth soul ring, Tang Hao headed straight for the place where he and Ah Yin had been about to marry several years earlier.
Although Ah Yin had disguised her appearance, Tang Hao still recognized her at a glance.
"Ah Yin, is that you?"
"It's me, your Brother Hao. Are you waiting here for me?"
Tang Hao walked over excitedly, a faint mist of tears gathering in his eyes.
Over the past few years, he had thought of Ah Yin every day, wanting to explain everything to her and take her away from that hateful Auspicious Beast, Qilin.
He had never imagined that, after obtaining his ninth soul ring and coming here to try his luck, he would actually find Ah Yin.
Heaven still favored him.
"Tang Hao? What are you doing here?"
Ah Yin was utterly astonished to see Tang Hao.
What was going on?
Hadn't Ye Tian told me to wait for someone important, then lure Qian Xunji into a death trap?
Why had Tang Hao shown up instead?
"Ah Yin, it really is you! This is wonderful!"
"Where's that hateful Qilin?"
"I'm going to kill him so he can't harm you!"
Certain that she really was Ah Yin, Tang Hao ran over happily, looking around for any sign of Ye Tian.
But despite searching for quite some time, he found no trace of Ye Tian.
He knew Ye Tian must have left.
Although he could no longer take revenge, this gave him a chance to explain everything to Ah Yin and rekindle their love.
"Tang Hao, shut your mouth! You must not insult the Auspicious Beast!"
"I don't want to see you right now. Leave at once!"
Seeing Tang Hao disrespect Ye Tian, Ah Yin roared in anger.
Qian Xunji would arrive any moment. If this delayed Ye Tian's plan, she could not bear the responsibility.
"Ah Yin, listen to me. Things aren't what you think."
"I'm not a murderous lunatic, and I never wanted your Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring or soul bone. Qilin made all of that up."
"You mustn't believe his lies! My heart is yours alone, and heaven and earth can bear witness!"
"That Qilin isn't an Auspicious Beast, either. He's an evil beast who came specifically to tear us apart."
Seeing that Ah Yin still sided with Ye Tian, Tang Hao grew desperate. He stepped forward, wanting to take both her hands and explain.
But just then, Chrysanthemum Douluo arrived with Qian Xunji and Ghost Douluo.
"Your Holiness, look. That's the hundred-thousand-year soul beast that took human form."
Upon spotting Tang Hao and the disguised Ah Yin, Chrysanthemum Douluo immediately reported to Qian Xunji.
Hearing Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice, Ah Yin knew Qian Xunji had arrived and released her soul beast aura.
There's no other choice. I'll have to proceed according to the plan for now.
"It really is a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form."
"Elder Ju, Ghost Elder, seize her!"
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