Writing a Diary in Douluo, All the Heroines Gave Themselves Away

"Just a flesh wound. It won't kill me." Xiong Shaoqing frowned slightly, his tone stiff, but he did not push their hands away.

Feeling the two soft, warm, fragrant bodies beside him and their meticulous care, Xiong Shaoqing closed his eyes, sank his thoughts into his Sea of Consciousness, and summoned the Destiny Diary.

He knew that Qian Renxue, currently in her carriage on the return journey, must also be despairingly counting down the moments until their parting.

Tonight's diary absolutely could not sound like a sage who had seen through the mortal world, much less a resentful woman. He had to convey that loneliness of "the person gone, the building empty" and an extreme thirst for strength. That was the truest expression of a man's nature.

[The wind outside the inn seemed especially biting tonight.]

[Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing forced out quite a bit of the lingering poison beneath my ribs. My life was saved, at least. Those two girls bustled about changing my dressings, but inside, I felt like that draft sweeping through an empty hall, as though a piece of me was missing.]

[She left after all, bidding farewell beneath the cover of night.]

[Watching her turn and walk into the wind and snow, I felt as though that thin fox-fur cloak could never block the chill blowing from Heaven Dou City.]

[In this life of cultivating anew, I thought my heart was solid as a rock, no longer easily stirred by the sorrows of parting. But people aren't grass and trees, after all. In these few short days together, I actually grew used to having a young gentleman waving a folding fan beside me.]

[So be it. The road ahead is treacherous. May we each take care. Tang San's poison served as a warning, too. There are too many sinister schemes in this world. Without the strength to stand at the very summit, you don't even have the right to hold on to a stretch of time, or to a person.]

[Time to rein in my heart. Starting tomorrow, I'll train twice as hard.]

The golden writing slowly faded from his mind, carrying the clarity of awakening from a great dream and the composure of turning romantic attachments into motivation for cultivation.

Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu, who were bandaging him, paused slightly.

They looked at the diary, then at the man before them with his eyes tightly shut and his brows faintly furrowed, their hearts filled with admiration.

Big Brother never showed his weakness to others. No matter how reluctant he felt inside, he would only turn that reluctance into a blade for growing stronger.

Meanwhile, Qian Renxue was sitting in a carriage heading toward another luxurious hotel.

Reading the words "I actually grew used to having a young gentleman waving a folding fan beside me" in her mind, Qian Renxue covered her mouth and shed silent tears in the dim carriage.

"You blockhead who never says what he means..." Qian Renxue tightly clutched the clothes over her chest. Feeling the subtle yet fierce loneliness between those lines, the last trace of her fear of parting vanished like smoke.

"Brother Xiong, wait for me. I'll settle the muddy waters of this Heaven Dou Empire as quickly as I can." Fighting spirit rekindled in Qian Renxue's golden eyes, an edge belonging solely to the Young Master of Spirit Hall.

At the very moment the three women's hearts surged and their love took deep root.

Inside the inn room, Xiong Shaoqing was resting with his eyes closed when a string of heavenly system notifications suddenly erupted in his Sea of Consciousness:

[Ding! Detected extreme emotion and burn-the-boats determination from Qian Renxue. Emotional resonance has reached its peak!]

[Ding! Detected intense heartache and boundless admiration from Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing. Bond Points have soared!]

[The three goddesses' emotional resonance has broken through the threshold. Bond feedback mechanism activated at full power.]

[Congratulations, host. Received an enormous infusion of pure Soul Power.]

[Host's Soul Power has increased by one level.]

[Current Soul Power: Level 36.]

Chapter 68: Bibi Dong's Uncontainable Fury

Holy shit, Level 36.

This restrained, long-suffering farewell diary performance was an absolute landslide victory.

Sure enough, with powerful, sensitive women in high positions like these, the less you cling to them and the more you turn the sorrow of parting into ambition to grow stronger, the more their hearts ache until they're utterly devoted. This experience package came just in time.

Although his heart was already blooming with delight and he felt so good he could nearly fly, Xiong Shaoqing maintained perfect control of his body.

Not only did he show no hint of joy, but he also matched the Soul Power suddenly surging within him with a convincing muffled groan. His brows drew tighter, and his cold, stern face looked even paler and more resolute beneath the lamplight.

"Big Brother, does forcing out the poison hurt too much?" Xiao Wu started in fright and hurried to clean away the poisoned blood faster, tears pattering down her cheeks.

"It's fine. Just a little poisoned blood." Xiong Shaoqing slowly opened his black eyes, cold as ten-thousand-year-old profound ice. His deep gaze held the composure of someone forcibly suppressing pain, and his voice was cool yet gentle. "Don't cry. I'm not that fragile."

Meanwhile, in a vast snowy forest thousands of miles away.

The night wind was bitter. Bibi Dong drove the Six-Winged Purple Light Wings behind her, her body wrapped in purplish-black Soul Power like a phantom in the dark.

Occasionally tapping her toes against the crowns of towering pines for leverage, she skimmed the tops of the endless forest like the fleeting shadow of a startled swan, racing toward Heaven Dou Imperial City at tremendous speed.

Suddenly, the Diary in her mind updated.

Her gaze swept over the line [Watching her turn and walk into the wind and snow] and the line [In these few short days together, I actually grew used to having a young gentleman waving a folding fan beside me].

Bibi Dong abruptly halted her forward rush in midair and landed lightly on a thick pine branch.

But the terrifying hostility she could no longer suppress erupted from within her at that instant.

Crack-boom!

Violent purplish-black Soul Power swept outward like a hurricane, instantly shattering the ancient, towering pine beneath her, its trunk so thick it would take several people to encircle it.

Even the trees within dozens of meters were snapped in half by the terrifying blast, throwing accumulated snow into the sky as though a blizzard had risen from flat ground.

"What a touching, reluctant farewell!"

Bibi Dong's exquisite face twisted terrifyingly amid the flying snow. Netherworld karmic flames seemed to burn in her purple eyes, and her chest heaved with extreme anger and an indescribable sour jealousy.

That shameless, unfilial daughter Qian Renxue, the dignified Young Master of Spirit Hall and successor of the Angel Clan, had actually performed such a lingering, passionate scene of reluctant parting before a man.

Xiong Shaoqing's restrained yet plainly wistful tone in the Diary was like a rusty saw, dragging wildly across Bibi Dong's already deeply wounded nerves.

Just thinking of that daughter carrying Qian Xunji's filthy blood bidding this man a tearful farewell late at night sent nameless fury rushing to her head, burning away all reason.

"I sent you to the Heaven Dou Empire to steal a nation, not to indulge in romance and disgrace our name."

Bibi Dong gritted her teeth, her voice as bone-chilling as though it had been squeezed out of the deepest hell.

"It seems I've been too merciful to you all these years. That's why you've lost all sense of priorities and forgotten your place."

The last trace of tenderness in Bibi Dong's eyes was completely devoured by extreme jealousy and rage. "Since you're so reluctant to leave him, I'll go to Heaven Dou City myself and teach you with a whip what it means to sever affection and love, and what Spirit Hall's rules are."

The Six-Winged Purple Light Wings erupted with an unprecedentedly dazzling radiance. Bibi Dong pushed hard off the broken stump with her toes and once again became a streak of murderous light, tearing through the wind and snow.

She swore that once she caught that unfilial daughter in Heaven Dou City, she would make her pay a terrible price for these past few days of absurd behavior.

She would let her know just how terrifying the consequences were for challenging the Pope's authority and indulging in worldly romance.

The night was deep when Shrek Academy's gates were pushed open amid staggering footsteps.

Clutching his left shoulder, which had suffered a comminuted fracture, Tang San looked as pale as paper. With his remaining hand, he struggled to support Dai Mubai, whose chest was caved in and who kept coughing up blood.

Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun was being half-dragged along by Dai Mubai like a dead pig. The three looked as though they had just crawled out of a heap of corpses, utterly bedraggled.

Injuries this severe naturally could not escape the academy's teachers.

The dean's office was brightly lit.

Looking at the three's miserable condition, Flender, Zhao Wuji, and Yu Xiaogang all sucked in cold breaths.

"Wh... what happened? You only went to the Great Soul Arena. How did you end up looking this awful?" Flender's eyes widened, his usually shrewd, miserly face filled with shock.

Beside them, Tang San endured the agonizing pain in his shoulder. His legs buckled, and he dropped to his knees before Yu Xiaogang and Flender with a thud. His gentle face was pale and full of deep remorse, and his eyes instantly reddened.

"Dean, Teacher... I'm sorry. This was all my fault."

Tang San's voice trembled slightly. His self-reproachful appearance could truly make listeners grieve and onlookers weep. "We weren't as skilled as our opponents. Fists and feet have no eyes in the arena. Once we stepped into the ring, any injuries and bloodshed were our own responsibility. I have nothing to complain about."

He lowered his head slightly, his tone carrying heartbreaking restraint. "I only hate myself for being useless. As a control-type Soul Master, as the core of the team, I actually failed to protect Mubai and Fatty. I could only watch our opponent strike them so viciously..."

"I thought we were all just sparring for experience and would stop short of serious harm. I never expected every attack to be lethal, without the slightest mercy. I was too naive about people's hearts..."

At this point, Tang San bowed his head deeply to the floor. "Please punish me, Dean, Teacher. If I don't receive some punishment, I truly won't be able to bear the guilt or rest at night."

"A fall into a pit makes one wiser. Once my injuries heal, I'll train twice as hard. I'll never let today's humiliation happen again."

This speech was practically a textbook example of false innocence and calculating manipulation.

With every word, he took the blame upon himself, making himself appear considerate of the bigger picture, loyal, and devoted.

Yet between the lines, he quietly branded Xiong Shaoqing as "ruthless and murderous."

The most brilliant part was his retreat in order to advance: volunteering for punishment not only completely silenced any potential criticism from his teachers, but also instantly elevated his image into that of a good teammate who bore humiliation and heavy burdens.

Sure enough, hearing this, Yu Xiaogang's heart ached beyond measure. He hurried forward to help Tang San up, his own eyes reddening.

Chapter 69: Just What He Wanted

"Silly child, how could this be your fault?" Yu Xiaogang patted Tang San's back, comforting him repeatedly. "Victory and defeat are commonplace in battle. The Great Soul Arena has always been a dangerous place where fish and dragons mingle."

"You're still young. It's normal to suffer a little against opponents who strike so viciously. I'm glad you can learn from it without becoming arrogant or impatient. Why would I punish you?"

Flender and Zhao Wuji exchanged a look and sighed as well.

"All right, all right, Little San, stop blaming yourself." Flender waved a hand. "The arena certainly isn't a charity. Consider this a vivid lesson in actual combat. Wuji, hurry and fetch some medicine to treat them."

After a round of treatment, Dai Mubai's broken bones were set, and Ma Hongjun slowly regained consciousness.

Although both had suffered damage to their vitality, fortunately their lives were not in danger. They were ordered back to the dormitory to lie down and recuperate properly.

A strong smell of medicinal wine filled the boys' dormitory.

Lying in bed, Dai Mubai let out a long breath, then turned toward Tang San in the neighboring bed, his eyes full of admiration. "Little San, thank goodness for what you said tonight."

"We got beaten into this miserable state on our very first trip to the Great Soul Arena. If I'd been the one reporting it, Dean Flender would've pointed right at my nose and scolded me for disgracing Shrek."

"Exactly, exactly." Ma Hongjun chimed in, still shaken. "Third Brother, that speech was something else. Not only did we avoid getting scolded, Grandmaster actually comforted us instead. Third Brother, from now on, you're our pillar."

Tang San leaned against the headboard, his left shoulder wrapped in thick bandages.

A gentle, modest smile rested on his lips. "We're brothers. Why say things like that? Failing to protect you was my dereliction of duty as a control-type Soul Master."

Just then, the dormitory door opened.

Oscar walked in carrying several basins of hot water. Looking at the three wrapped up like rice dumplings, he could not help shaking his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. What did I tell you? I told you not to just run off showing off by yourselves."

"If you'd brought a genius support like me, with my Big Sausage and Little Sausage constantly restoring your Soul Power and healing your injuries, even if you had to wear them down, you wouldn't have lost this badly."

Oscar wrung out hot towels and handed them over, muttering, "Ignore your support's advice, and trouble's right before your eyes."

At Oscar's words, Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Ma Hongjun all showed wry smiles and agreement on the surface.

"Yes, yes, Little Ao, you're right." Tang San took the towel. "We were careless this time. We didn't expect our opponent to be so strong. Next time we go to the Great Soul Arena, we'll definitely bring an honored Buddha like you along."

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun also nodded repeatedly in agreement, coaxing Oscar into a beaming smile.

Deep inside, however, all three snorted coldly in unison.

Bring you? How would we take care of our real business with you along?

Dai Mubai cursed inwardly, You sausage seller. If you came along to the red-light district, who knows how you'd ruin my fun?

Besides, we absolutely can't let everyone know we went looking for revenge against Xiong Shaoqing. If the dean found out we fought a private battle over romantic jealousy, he'd skin us alive.

Tang San's thoughts were even more sinister.

On the surface, he smiled and chatted with Oscar, but nearly tangible killing intent churned in his slightly lowered eyes.

Bringing Oscar would be utterly stupid.

Many of his poisoned Tang Sect Hidden Weapons were killing moves that sealed the throat at the first sight of blood.

If I brought this big-mouthed support along, wouldn't all those dark methods be exposed for everyone to see?

Feeling the agonizing pain in his left shoulder, as though his soul were being torn apart, Tang San's hatred for Xiong Shaoqing had twisted into near madness.

Xiong Shaoqing, you damned bastard.

Tang San roared furiously inside like a venomous snake driven into a corner. If Xiong Shaoqing hadn't bewitched Xiao Wu right in front of her, why would I have lost my reason and gone to ambush him at the Great Soul Arena?

If Xiong Shaoqing hadn't deliberately hidden his strength, playing the pig to devour the tiger, how could I, Tang San, have suffered such a disgrace and fled back like a homeless dog?

Xiong Shaoqing had stolen his love, broken his arm, and destroyed his dignity.

All of this had been forced upon him by that damned Xiong Shaoqing.

Tang San tightly clenched his one remaining uninjured fist.

Just you wait. Once my injuries heal, once I forge even deadlier mechanism-based Tang Sect Hidden Weapons.

Next time, I absolutely won't give you any chance to get close.

I'll use the cruelest poison to turn you into a puddle of foul-smelling pus and blood, and make Xiao Wu watch you die without an intact corpse.

Meanwhile, in a top-tier guest room at the Listening Snow Inn.

The night had grown late. After confirming that Xiong Shaoqing's poisoned injury had completely stabilized, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing quietly withdrew to the neighboring room so they would not disturb his rest.

Only Xiong Shaoqing remained in the room.