Three years ago, during the Continental Elite Tournament of Advanced Soul Master Academy, she took Hu Liena to the Martial Soul Holy Temple in Heaven Dou City and stayed there for a full half month!
She made up many excuses to get Xuan Ming to the Martial Soul Holy Temple, but the girl made no progress at all!
"Teacher, about this, I..." Hu Liena blushed, her hands unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, too embarrassed to say it.
"I know you're a young girl and you're afraid to admit it, but with his temper, you have to be a little assertive." Bibi Dong gently held Hu Liena's hand.
"You're currently at a distance that's neither too close nor too distant. If you want to take things further, you'll have to take the initiative yourself. Relying on him..."
Bibi Dong sighed and shook her head helplessly, "Stop dreaming."
She knew everything about Xuan Ming's situation in Heaven Dou City over the years.
Even Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling, who could be said to be together day and night, always maintained a distance from him and never crossed that line.
Xuan Ming is a very slow-witted person, or rather, he is very suspicious. He not only doubts others, but he even doubts himself.
He won't believe anything unless you give him absolute certainty.
If it seems to exist but isn't, then it doesn't exist.
"But even if I take the initiative now, I can't get over it." Hu Liena smiled awkwardly, her face full of helplessness.
"You have to find an opportunity," Bibi Dong said patiently.
"Take it one step at a time. You need to get close to him first. If you just barge in like this tonight, he'll just think you're crazy."
"A relapse?" Hu Liena looked bewildered.
"Have you forgotten how you treated him back then?" Bibi Dong said with amusement.
During those months at the Pope's Palace, Hu Liena was excessively enthusiastic towards Xuan Ming, kissing and hugging him whenever she had the chance!
It was only because the girl had some sense of propriety and didn't go too far that Xuan Ming would have lost his temper long ago.
In Xuan Ming's eyes, Hu Liena's behavior back then wasn't a case of an older sister liking a younger brother; it was simply a case of her being ill!
"You didn't... notice?" Bibi Dong said.
"I..." Hu Liena felt a little guilty, and her eyes began to flicker.
She was too busy having fun to resist, and seeing Xuan Ming's expression of wanting to resist but giving up halfway through, she couldn't help but want to bully him even more!
She found Xuan Ming's helpless yet adorable expression particularly amusing.
"Didn't you notice the look in the eyes of the two dragons on his back?" Bibi Dong said.
"That's the look you give someone an idiot."
Hu Liena paused, trying hard to recall the scene. "But wasn't he always like that back then?"
"No, it's just that you'll show that kind of look when you arrive," Bibi Dong said.
Upon seeing Hu Liena arrive, Xuan Ming would give her that look. "That idiot is here again."
When Hu Liena was tormenting him, Xuan Ming would give her that look: Just think of it as fooling a fool.
Speechless, exhausted, and helpless.
Xuan Ming had always maintained this attitude towards Hu Liena.
Of course, sometimes when she catches him tying his hair up for fun, Xuan Ming will look at her like that.
However, every time Xuan Ming gave her that look, she would flick him on the forehead.
Then, his eyes instantly cleared.
It wasn't that he didn't react at all, but rather that he got angry and reacted suddenly.
Xuan Ming was so interesting back then!
Unfortunately, not long after, he was taken to Heaven Dou City by the clueless Qian Renxue.
That's ridiculous.
"What should I do then?" Hu Liena asked, somewhat worried.
"He won't just keep looking at me like that, will he?"
"First impressions are very important," Bibi Dong said.
"His first impression of you wasn't quite right, so... I'm not entirely sure either."
"However, he's not against you, so it shouldn't be too difficult for you to get close to him. As long as you're careful about boundaries and take it step by step, there shouldn't be any problems."
"Of course, if you're in a hurry, I can help you."
"Help me?" Hu Liena was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
How can I help?
"You can't beat him, but I can." Bibi Dong's lips curled into a sly smile. "I can knock him out, wash him clean, and throw him on your bed."
Hu Liena blushed. "Teacher, what are you saying! How... how can you do something like this?"
"Really?" Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow, a hint of teasing in her eyes. "You really don't have that intention?"
"I..." Hu Liena stammered, her eyes darting around nervously, "He'll hate me."
Bibi Dong looked at Hu Liena's flushed face and a teasing smile appeared on her lips. "Look at you, your face is so red, and you still say you're not in the mood."
"However, your concerns are not without merit. Xuan Ming may seem calm and collected, but he is actually sensitive and suspicious. If you really do this, he might hold a grudge against you."
Hu Liena sighed softly, her eyes filled with helplessness and resentment. "Then teacher, what should I do? Should I just keep waiting like this? I'm afraid if I keep waiting, he'll really have no place for me in his heart."
Bibi Dong gently patted Hu Liena's shoulder, her tone softening, " Nana, matters of the heart can't be rushed, especially with a boy like Xuan Ming. You need to let him feel your sincerity and your kindness first, instead of just thinking about how to get him quickly."
"He is a very stubborn person, but also a very simple one. Sincerity is the only way to get close to him."
Chapter 132 A wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall.
"Remember, never say one thing and do another. Whether you're dissatisfied with him or like him, express it directly. Don't be hypocritical, or he'll instinctively reject you. Because if you're pretending, it means you don't trust him. Once he senses your wariness, he won't trust you anymore," Bibi Dong said.
"On the contrary, as long as you are honest with him, he will accept you no matter what."
Xuan Ming can accept both kindness and malice with equanimity, but he strongly dislikes pretense.
Just like before, Hu Liena's feelings for Xuan Ming were purely platonic, so even though Xuan Ming found Hu Liena's annoyance with his constant fussing a bit annoying, he would still tolerate it.
Her initial attitude towards Xuan Ming was very direct: she valued him, she needed his value, and to put it bluntly, she wanted to use him.
Clear attitude! Well-organized!
This is a very crucial point.
Xuan Ming can accept anything with a clear stance, even if it's purely malicious, and he won't feel any aversion to it.
However, if someone, like Qian Renxue, tries to build a closer relationship with impure emotions while simultaneously scheming and manipulating others, mixing different things together in a tangled mess, it will make Xuan Ming feel extremely uncomfortable.
Because even impure emotions are still emotions, and incomplete calculations are still calculations.
Even if we separate these two things, it would be better to treat them one by one, just like how she used Xuan Ming while simultaneously toying with him like a child.
We speak only of interests, and we don't let emotions get involved.
The two matters are independent, and the attitude is clear, so Xuan Ming will not feel confused.
But Qian Renxue deliberately combined these two things together, using this vague and inexplicable element as a chain to try and restrain Xuan Ming.
As a result, he felt irritated, even angry.
Qian Renxue's lack of progress, and the occasional strained relationship, stemmed from this.
Perhaps Qian Renxue didn't understand, or perhaps Qian Renxue did, but her pride compelled her to forcefully control Xuan Ming in this way!
Qian Renxue's desire for conquest is to be satisfied, and she will not change her attitude unless Xuan Ming becomes stronger than her.
However, once Xuan Ming becomes even more powerful than Qian Renxue, whether her attitude changes or not... is no longer important.
"I understand." Hu Liena nodded seriously.
"Don't rush, you're still young, you have a long time ahead of you." Bibi Dong hugged Hu Liena.
"Two years after the Soul Master Tournament, I will find an opportunity to send you to the Martial Soul Holy Temple in Heaven Dou City for training. At that time, you will have to seize the opportunity."
"Mmm!" Hu Liena blushed and nestled in Bibi Dong's arms.
Thank you, teacher.
"Alright, go back and get some rest." Bibi Dong patted Hu Liena on the back.
"He won't stay in Spirit City for long, and you can't waste your time."
"Hmm." Hu Liena sat up, about to get up and leave.
"Oh, right, teacher, Xuan Ming gave me a special gift. He said he wanted you to take a look before deciding whether or not to use it."
"A gift?" Bibi Dong was slightly taken aback.
What gift?
"There's a very special lotus flower in my room. I'll go get it and show it to you now." With that, Hu Liena jogged away from Bibi Dong's bedchamber.
A short while later, Hu Liena returned carrying the Nine-Tailed Fox Heart Lotus.
"What is this?" Bibi Dong squinted slightly.
Such intense resentment!
" Nine-Tailed Fox Heart Lotus." Hu Liena explained the origin of this thing to Bibi Dong, along with the relevant information that Xuan Ming had told her.
"The remnant soul of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox?" Bibi Dong's eyes changed slightly.
"He said this thing was dangerous and he didn't want to give it to me in the first place," Hu Liena said.
"It is indeed very dangerous. This flower contains a terrifying resentment, which is hidden beneath an illusion. With your cultivation level, if you touch it lightly, you might have your mind corrupted by this eerie resentment," Bibi Dong said.
"Let me assess the situation first. You should go back and rest."
"Oh." Seeing Bibi Dong's serious expression, Hu Liena didn't say anything more and got up to leave.
"Resentment..." Bibi Dong reached out and gently touched the stamen of the Nine-Tailed Fox Heart Lotus. The pinkish-gold halo trembled slightly and instantly released a misty illusion that enveloped the entire room.
Bibi Dong felt the scene before her instantly distort and change. Countless ferocious and terrifying remnants of the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox souls emerged from the illusionary mist. They bared their fangs and claws, letting out sharp and piercing roars. Their resentment transformed into tangible black threads, frantically Entanglement Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong snorted coldly, and a layer of deep purple Soul Power shield instantly surged around her. However, the black threads passed through the Soul Power shield without any hesitation and Entanglement around her body. Bibi Dong subconsciously wanted to activate her Mental Immunity Skull Bone to resist the intrusion of this thing, but as soon as this thought arose, the scenery in front of her changed again.
In the blink of an eye, she was no longer in her bedchamber, but had arrived at the council hall of the Pope's Palace.
She stood below the stage, and there sat the figure she could never forget on the Pope throne.
" Qian Xunji!"
"Hiss!"
Xuan Ming rarely gets a good night's sleep, suddenly opened his eyes and sat up abruptly.
A chill ran down his spine, and the hairs on his body stood on end.
" Qian Daoliu to underhanded tactics?"
Xuan Ming frowned, and the thought subconsciously popped into his mind.
This isn't just dangerous, it's deadly!
That could really kill him!
With the dragon soul of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings present, even if Level 99 Peerless Douluo appears, he can still escape.
But that kind of threat is something you can't escape at all!
In Spirit City, only Qian Daoliu, who possesses Divine Power, could pose such a threat.
"No, that old man wouldn't be like that..." Xuan Ming got out of bed and looked out the window.
Although Qian Daoliu was ruthless, that old man only attacked Titled Douluo and wouldn't stoop to attacking a small Soul Ancestor like him.
Even if it were Qian Renxue who sent the message to kill him, at most it would be Golden Crocodile Douluo would take action.
But the Golden Crocodile couldn't possibly give him that kind of deadly threat...
"Brother, you'd better run now." The Ice Dragon King's somewhat solemn voice rang in Xuan Ming's mind.