Liu Erlong stopped where she stood.
Yu Xiaogang raised his hand and pointed at her.
"Liu Erlong is a Soul Saint, and one corner of the Golden Iron Triangle."
"She's stronger than I am."
"As long as you spare me, I can make her stay."
The courtyard fell silent.
Liu Erlong looked at Yu Xiaogang.
She said nothing.
Yu Xiaogang continued:
"As long as you're willing, I can hand her over to you."
Ning Xian looked at Liu Erlong.
Liu Erlong's face slowly drained of color.
"Yu Xiaogang."
Yu Xiaogang avoided her gaze.
"Erlong, you're more useful alive than I am."
"As long as you go with him, he won't pursue what happened today any further."
Liu Erlong raised her hand.
The flame dragon martial soul reappeared behind her.
This time, she did not attack Ning Xian.
"You want me to go with him?"
"It's the only way now."
Yu Xiaogang said:
"Erlong, I don't want to die."
Liu Erlong looked at him.
"So you're handing me over?"
"There are still so many things I haven't finished."
Yu Xiaogang tightened his grip on his staff.
"I can't die here."
"Didn't you say the Golden Iron Triangle would never part?"
Liu Erlong asked.
"That was before."
Yu Xiaogang lowered his head.
"Things are different now."
Liu Erlong looked at him for a long time.
The blazing fire dragon martial soul behind her slowly folded in on itself.
"Yu Xiaogang."
"You left me back then because you feared your family would stand in our way."
"Later, you came back to me and said you no longer cared about those things."
"Now, to save your own life, you're handing me over to someone else."
Yu Xiaogang opened his mouth.
"Erlong, I have no choice either."
"You do."
Ning Xian walked to her side.