Golden Crocodile Douluo frowned. "Since this brat is so blind to the circumstances, perhaps..."
"I'm very pleased." Qian Renxue smiled.
"???"
Golden Crocodile looked utterly bewildered.
"What?"
"Such wild defiance only makes me more interested," Qian Renxue said.
"If he meekly accepted everything and bent himself to accommodate us, I'd actually suspect he had ulterior motives."
Back in Heaven Dou City, surrounded by Baers and the Soul Masters under his command, Xuan Ming had been able to decide to fight to the death.
Now, after being put through one ordeal after another by Spirit Hall's people, Xuan Ming had almost no trust in them.
Under these circumstances, if Xuan Ming had casually believed her and agreed, that would have been the real sign that something was wrong!
"He would rather break than bend. I'm afraid you won't be able to control him," Qian Daoliu said.
This was not his first time encountering someone like this. The Seven Kill Sword lineage, for instance, all had this disposition.
There was no taming people like these.
"There are plenty of days ahead. I have all the time I need," Qian Renxue said.
Qian Daoliu sighed. "Use your own judgment, then. Just don't let it get out of hand."
Happy Children's Day
First, this book is just an ordinary slice-of-life story with a very slow pace, not a fast-paced wish-fulfillment novel.
Second, regarding the plot arrangements, this book may be somewhat unfriendly to readers who enjoy an entire cast of idiots, as well as half-sweet stories.
Third, regarding the characterization of the original cast, the author feels it is quite faithful. Take Qian Renxue in today's plot, for example. That's simply her personality. If you think this is a brain-dead move, the author can only respond, "Ah, yes, yes, yes. You're right. You're clever. You're the only clever one. You're a great big genius, all right?"
Next, regarding the protagonist's characterization, based on his visual design, everyone should know what elements this book uses. So labels like asking for abuse, beast, or a whore laughing at a prostitute won't appear. If you enjoy those things, I suggest finding another book.
Next, the atmosphere of this book's plot is rather oppressive, but it absolutely doesn't qualify as a protagonist-abuse story. The book is now a hundred thousand Chinese characters long, and the groundwork for the character relationships is basically complete. Those who could slap that label on it back at twenty or thirty thousand, or fifty thousand characters, are advised to go watch BabyBus.
Next, regarding the female lead, the author's personal intention is to have none, though the specifics will depend on how the plot develops. You'll see when the time comes. Feel free to offer suggestions, though of course the author won't necessarily listen.
Finally, I wish everyone happy reading. Thank you all for keeping up with the story.
Chapter 49: Feels nice
"You're quite a bit bolder than I expected."
When Xuan Ming opened his eyes again, he saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
Unlike the previous white-and-gold theme, this place was dark purple, making it rather more suitable as a graveyard.
"Have I been sold off again?" Xuan Ming sat up and looked at Bibi Dong, who was sitting outside.
"Can't you think of something good?" Bibi Dong picked up a pastry from the table and took a small bite.
"Never seen anything good. Can't imagine it," Xuan Ming said.
Bibi Dong nodded. "True. Even someone as widely experienced as I am has to say this about an unlucky soul like you."
"How miserable."
When Yue Guan had abducted him from Heaven Dou City, she had already sensed that the resentment in this child's heart was almost beyond containing. So she had only explained the situation without forcing him, letting him relax first and taking things slowly.
But he had barely had a few days to relax before Golden Crocodile came along.
Human endurance was not limitless. As misfortunes increased, psychological pressure would keep accumulating until it reached a critical point.
"Never let it happen a third time" described that limit of endurance. Once someone passed that limit, if they still hadn't erupted, they had basically gone numb.
And numbness meant they had been successfully tamed.
"Come have something if you're hungry. Don't say I abuse children," Bibi Dong said.
Xuan Ming jumped off the bed, walked over, sat down, and began eating without ceremony.
"You fought with Qian Renxue?" Bibi Dong asked, propping up her chin.
"How did you know?" Xuan Ming asked as he stuffed food into his mouth.
"You have burns from sacred Soul Power," Bibi Dong said.
"If it had been Qian Daoliu, you'd already be dead."
"But I am curious. How did you end up fighting her?"
"She talked to me about all the people under heaven. I didn't buy it and argued back a little," Xuan Ming said.
"She flew into a rage out of humiliation."
"All the people under heaven?" Bibi Dong paused.
"She didn't tell you about the Heaven Dou Empire, did she?"
"She said Xue Qinghe had already joined Spirit Hall for the sake of all the people under heaven," Xuan Ming said.
"She asked whether I was willing to help carry out this great plan."
"I see..." Bibi Dong nodded. She had thought Qian Renxue had been stupid enough to reveal that she had replaced Xue Qinghe.
"Then what do you think?"
"What the hell does it have to do with me?" Xuan Ming said.
"I think not going out and harming other people already makes me decent and kind enough."
"True." Bibi Dong nodded.
His father had been conscripted and never returned, his mother had died of illness, and the villagers hadn't taken care of this child at all. He even had a home he couldn't return to. After awakening his Martial Soul, he had been abducted and sold. In Heaven Dou City, he had nearly been beaten to death as a slave on the street, while passersby had watched with cold indifference.
And then there was his Martial Soul. It seemed exceptionally gifted, but in truth, every part of it was lethal to him.
Someone who had never been treated kindly by the world, who had even suffered countless acts of malice-and Qian Renxue had somehow gotten water in her brain and thought she could recruit him by invoking all the people under heaven...
"What else did she tell you?" Bibi Dong asked.
"She said she'd made a deal with you, and you'd help me resolve the trouble with my Martial Soul," Xuan Ming said.
"A deal?" Bibi Dong frowned slightly.
If Qian Renxue hadn't insisted on stirring things up, she would naturally have stepped in to help once this child had more or less settled into Spirit Hall Academy.
Yet after all this fuss, Qian Renxue ended up taking the credit instead?
"Do you believe what she said?" Bibi Dong asked.
"No," Xuan Ming said.
"Then do you believe what I say?" Bibi Dong asked again.
"More or less," Xuan Ming said.
Bibi Dong raised her eyebrows. "Why?"
"Because you're more straightforward, instead of trying to fool me right from the start," Xuan Ming said.
"You made it very clear from the beginning that I'd have to pay a price for your help."
"But she... it was as though she were bestowing charity on me from on high, and I was naturally supposed to be eternally grateful and obey her every command."
"I know I'm weak, but I don't think that makes me lowly."
"..."
"What are you doing?" Xuan Ming looked up in confusion at Bibi Dong, who had placed a hand on his head.
The two dragons on his back only reacted when someone tried to touch them. If someone touched him, they would only react while he was asleep, because his conscious will weakened when he slept, and so did his suppression of the two dragons.
While he was conscious, the two dragons could be considered half-dormant.
Of course, if he suffered a shock and subconsciously believed he was about to die, the two dragons would enter a berserk state and become exceptionally violent.
"This hair of yours..." Bibi Dong picked up a small lock and felt it.
"It feels nice. It's just too messy."
As she spoke, Bibi Dong took out a comb and a little red cord and handed them to Xuan Ming.
"Comb it and tie it up. Don't leave it hanging loose. It looks improper."
Xuan Ming looked at the little red cord before him. "Do you have a black one?"
"I have a pink one. Want it?" Bibi Dong said.
Xuan Ming paused, took the comb, combed his hair neatly, then picked up the little red cord to tie it.
"Stop, stop, stop. What kind of knot is that?" Bibi Dong could hardly bear to watch.
"Who taught you?"
Bibi Dong sighed, took out a mirror and placed it on the table, then stood and walked behind Xuan Ming. Taking hold of his hair, she said, "Watch carefully. This is how boys tie their hair."
"Wait, I can tie it myself."
"Keep squirming, and I'll knock you out and give you two skyward topknots."
"..."
"Xuan Ming, you're ba-"
At noon, after finishing her classes at Spirit Hall Academy, Hu Liena received word that Xuan Ming had returned and hurried over.
She was just about to greet him when she noticed that something was off about his mood.
He felt like a little wife who had just been ravaged, positively brimming with grievance!
"What's wrong? Did someone bully you?" Hu Liena approached cautiously.
"No." Xuan Ming wore a glum expression and didn't want to talk.
"Oh..." Hu Liena looked him over carefully and found that he was indeed perfectly fine.
"Huh? Your hair's tied really nicely. Better than when I do it. Just like Teacher's work."
"She did it," Xuan Ming said morosely.
"Nana, he still doesn't know how to tie his hair. Help him with it from now on." Bibi Dong walked over, having already changed into training clothes.
"Until he learns to tie it himself, his hair is your responsibility. Don't let it hang loose. It's unseemly."
"Uh..." Hu Liena's expression turned slightly awkward.
"Teacher, I don't dare get too close to his back."
There was no problem at all with pulling Xuan Ming from the front or the side, but if she approached from behind, those two dragons on his back had terrible tempers.
"Don't be afraid. He can control those two dragons," Bibi Dong said.
"If you get bitten, it definitely means he did it on purpose."
"On purpose?" The corner of Hu Liena's eye twitched slightly, and she turned to Xuan Ming.
"So when you nearly bit me before, that was on purpose?"
"When you suddenly approach from behind, they think they're about to be attacked," Xuan Ming said.
Hu Liena paused. "So as long as you know, you can keep them from biting people?"
"...Yes."
"Then can I touch them?"
"..."
Chapter 50: Two thoughts