Su Yu had not expected his teacher to bring this up. His cheeks grew slightly warm, and he said quietly:
"I was just lucky."
"Luck is part of strength, too." Bibi Dong stroked Su Yu's head.
"Can you tell me why you stayed so far away from me just now?"
"Teacher! I feel like you don't particularly like boys!"
Bibi Dong's fingertips still rested on the crown of Su Yu's head. At his words, her hand paused briefly before she withdrew it as though nothing had happened.
Her gaze settled on his slightly apprehensive face. Only after a moment of silence did she slowly speak:
"Why do you feel that way?"
"Your eyes told me. Teacher, every single time you have contact with a man, there's a trace of disgust and impatience in your eyes!"
His voice grew quieter as he spoke. When he finished, he even stole a glance up at Bibi Dong, as though afraid he had said something wrong and angered her.
Watching his cautious manner, Bibi Dong felt a flicker of complicated emotion.
She raised her hand. This time, instead of stroking his head, she gently patted his shoulder, her tone softer than before:
"You and Nana are both my disciples. As far as I'm concerned, there's no difference."
She paused, then added, "The problem before was mine. It won't happen again. There's no need to deliberately avoid me."
"Really, Teacher?"
Su Yu's eyes instantly lit up, as though studded with starlight, filled with scarcely believing anticipation.
"Yes."
Bibi Dong nodded gently, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the cuff link on her sleeve.
Su Yu hesitated, then asked quietly, as though he had summoned an enormous amount of courage:
"Then, Teacher, can I hug you like Nana does?"
"No!"
Bibi Dong refused almost instinctively. The words had barely left her mouth when she met Su Yu's instantly dimmed gaze.
That little flicker of disappointment pricked her gently like a fine needle.
She looked at the child's tightly pressed lips and lowered eyes, which seemed veiled in mist, and something stirred in her heart.
Never mind. He was only a child. She was being too sensitive!
At that thought, Bibi Dong's tone softened without her realizing it. When she spoke again, her voice was much gentler:
"...You can."
Su Yu abruptly lifted his head. The disappointment in his eyes vanished, and light shone in them once more.
He tentatively reached out his little hands and gently wrapped them around Bibi Dong's arm, moving cautiously, as though afraid of breaking some precious treasure.
Bibi Dong's body stiffened slightly before relaxing, letting him lean against her.
The child's warmth seeped through the fabric, carrying a trace of warmth that was not unpleasant.
Seeing this, Hu Liena came over with a grin and firmly hugged Bibi Dong's other arm. She even winked mischievously at Su Yu, as though saying:
"See? Teacher is wonderful, isn't she?"
The carriage continued smoothly onward, and the atmosphere inside grew more harmonious than ever before.
Bibi Dong lowered her head to look at the two children nestled against her, one on either side: one lively and spirited, the other well-behaved and reserved.
A trace of warmth seemed to spread quietly through the corner of her heart that the past had frozen over.
Perhaps this wasn't so bad, she thought.
Half an hour later, the carriage slowly stopped at the entrance on the outskirts of the Soul Beast Forest.
Spirit Hall maintained a guard post here. When several armored guards saw the carriage stop, they immediately approached and bowed respectfully:
"Your Holiness!"
Bibi Dong lifted the carriage curtain, her gaze sweeping over the dense forest before her. The faint growls of soul beasts drifted from within.
She nodded slightly. "Open the gate. I've brought my disciples to hunt for soul rings."
"Yes, Your Holiness!"
The guards answered in unison and quickly operated the mechanism. With a creak, the heavy iron gates swung open to either side.
Bibi Dong stepped down from the carriage first, her purple dress gleaming softly in the morning light.
The invisible pressure radiating from her made even the surrounding air seem to grow somewhat still.
For a moment, even the insects in the forest grew a little quieter.
Su Yu and Hu Liena jumped down from the carriage right behind her, looking curiously around this Soul Beast Forest.
The trees here were not particularly thick. Vines wound around their trunks, and a thick layer of fallen leaves covered the ground.
The air was filled with the damp scent of soil and the fresh fragrance of vegetation.
Occasionally, a few low-level soul beasts darted through the woods. At the sight of the group, they immediately fled back into the undergrowth in fright.
"Stay close to me!" Bibi Dong turned back to remind them.
"There aren't many thousand-year soul beasts in the Soul Beast Forest, but they do exist here. You mustn't run off."
"Understood, Teacher!"
The two answered in unison and hurried to keep pace with her.
The guards closed the wooden gates behind them and stood watch at the entrance.
Bibi Dong led Su Yu and Hu Liena into the forest, the fallen leaves rustling softly beneath their feet.
Her spiritual power slowly spread out like an invisible net, probing the auras of the surrounding soul beasts.
Sunlight filtered through gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled patches of light onto the ground.
"Xiao Yu, have you thought about what kind of soul ring you want to absorb?"
Su Yu hurried to keep pace with her and answered earnestly:
"Teacher, I probably don't need to worry too much about the type of soul beast. I just need to focus on its age."
"Hmm?" Bibi Dong stopped and turned to look at him, a hint of puzzlement in her eyes. "Why do you say that?"
"Teacher, I've always felt that my martial soul is different from ordinary martial souls. Please trust me just this once!"
As he spoke, Su Yu hugged Bibi Dong's arm and gently shook it twice.
His tugging made Bibi Dong pause slightly. Her brows instantly drew together, and her tone grew stern:
"Nonsense!"
She gently withdrew her arm, her gaze turning serious.
"Your academy's theory classes must have covered how important soul rings are to soul masters. This concerns the foundation of your entire life. How can you be so careless?"
"If you absorb an incompatible soul ring, at best it will hinder your cultivation. At worst, it will damage your martial soul or even endanger your life. Do you think this is child's play?"
"Teacher, even if my martial soul absorbs a soul ring, it won't produce a soul skill!"
"Mm, Xiao Yu, if you keep saying things like that to deceive your teacher, I really will get angry!"
"Teacher! I'm not lying to you!"
Seeing that Bibi Dong did not believe him and was about to continue forward, Su Yu hurried in front of her and blocked her path.
"Teacher, I really am not lying to you!"
"Xiao Yu!"
"Teacher, I know you don't believe what I'm saying, but I'll prove it!"
Just then, a sudden series of thuds came from the woods ahead, and a powerfully built Blazing Wind Pig burst out.
Gray-black bristles covered its body, and its two curved tusks glinted coldly.
Ferocity showed between the folds on its forehead. Judging by its age, it was a little over two hundred years old.
The Blazing Wind Pig immediately fixed its gaze on the two small figures of Su Yu and Hu Liena, a deep growl rumbling in its throat.
Its four hooves scraped the ground. Then, with its tusks thrust forward, it charged straight at them like a small war chariot!
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