Chen Xin and Chen Jianjun

Two months later.

Qian Xunling and Bibi Dong had stopped for the night in a small village called Soul King Village, which was not particularly close to either Spirit Hall or Death Canyon.

It was, however, a necessary stop on the best route for avoiding Spirit Hall and slipping away to Death Canyon.

"Martial uncle, I don't want to go out today." Little Spider looked aggrieved and a little impatient as she gazed at Qian Xunling, who lay on a wooden chair in the courtyard, leisurely basking in the sun with a wooden fan over his face.

Seeing that her martial uncle showed no reaction at all, Little Spider immediately decided he must disagree, so she told him the truth. "Martial uncle, those kids in the village keep coming to find me whether they have a reason or not. I'm sick of them, and they keep bringing me things.

"Yesterday they brought me candy, and today they actually brought me flowers. Martial uncle, they brought me flowers!"

But Qian Xunling still didn't react.

Bibi Dong stamped her foot and glared at Qian Xunling before turning toward the house. "I'm angry, martial uncle. You don't care about me at all."

"Little Spider, you're a child too. Isn't it perfectly normal for children to like other children? They only gave you flowers, and they haven't even said they like you. Why are you angry?" Qian Xunling hid the upward curl of his lips and spoke in a level tone.

"But I... I don't want them to like me so much." Bibi Dong stopped, hesitated for a moment, and said quietly, "I don't like them."

"Then that's your fault. If you don't like them, why not just turn them down? Wouldn't it be enough to reject them to their faces?" Qian Xunling chuckled and looked at Bibi Dong. "Could it be that deep down, Little Spider, you actually enjoy being the moon surrounded by stars?"

"No, I don't!" Bibi Dong replied at once.

Qian Xunling smiled, not believing her for a moment, and retorted, "Stop boasting. Never mind a little brat like you-even adults enjoy being the moon surrounded by stars."

Her little secret exposed, Bibi Dong blushed. She slowly shuffled over to Qian Xunling, carefully tugged at his clothes, and asked, "Martial uncle, have you come to dislike Little Spider?"

"That's only human. I understand, and I don't dislike you." Qian Xunling chuckled. Little Spider looked as though she had received a pardon, and her face relaxed, though her eyes were still downcast. "But, martial uncle, I really don't like them."

"Then go turn them down. It's that simple." Qian Xunling glanced at Bibi Dong, feeling that despite staying by his side, she still hadn't matured much.

Compared with falling for that brain-dead Grandmaster in the original story, though, she was probably much better off. Thinking that, Qian Xunling felt quite a sense of accomplishment.

"Enough nonsense. Hurry to the village chief's house and bring the food back, or tonight you can watch me eat and then have my leftovers," Qian Xunling said sternly, returning to his senses.

"Little Spider doesn't want leftovers." Bibi Dong stuck out her tongue, then ran to the gate and slipped out. Qian Xunling snorted. "Childish."

Then Bibi Dong's little head popped back around the doorframe. "Martial uncle, today is the village's Martial Soul Awakening day. Aren't you going to take a look?"

"Hurry up. Enough nonsense," Qian Xunling said impatiently.

Bibi Dong snorted and ran toward the entrance of the village.

Every villager who saw Bibi Dong along the way greeted her warmly.

It wasn't just because Bibi Dong was so cute, but also because Qian Xunling had saved quite a few people over the past few days, leaving them deeply grateful.

Before long, Bibi Dong reached the village entrance.

The Martial Soul Awakening was being held at the Spirit Hall Branch right next door. The many boys waiting outside immediately went starry-eyed when they saw Bibi Dong, though most didn't dare raise their heads and only stole glances at her.

Besides them, Grandpa Old Tom, the village chief, was standing outside the branch hall. But there were also two upright men in white beside him.

One man had a full head of white hair but a handsome face. The other had less white hair and carried a sword on his back. Both gave Bibi Dong an extraordinary impression.

Just then, a little boy waved, wanting to greet Bibi Dong. She immediately recalled what her martial uncle had just told her: if she didn't like them, she had to reject them to their faces.

But facing so many people, Little Spider was still too nervous. She didn't want her martial uncle to really dislike her, though, so she gathered her courage, walked up to the boys, closed her eyes, and shouted, "I don't like you! Stop liking me!"

With that, Bibi Dong ran over to Grandpa Village Chief, her face red.

The boys stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded.

A voice from outside their world rang out in their minds.

Snowflakes drifted down, the north wind howled~~

They had all suffered heartbreak together.

"Grandpa Village Chief, martial uncle sent me to pick up today's food," Bibi Dong said at once, lowering her head.

Old Tom had also nearly failed to recover, but he quickly smiled. "All right, it's inside. Grandpa will bring it out for you."

"Mm-hmm." Bibi Dong looked up and smiled, only to find the two elderly men in white beside her studying her intently. She didn't dare look at them and slowly lowered her head, but at that moment, Chen Xin asked in surprise, "Little girl, may I ask how old you are?"

Chen Xin and his elderly father, Chen Jianjun, had gauged Bibi Dong's Soul Power Level the moment they first saw her.

It was as high as level eighteen.

She didn't look old at all.

Bibi Dong looked fearfully at the two men. Her martial uncle had taught her that if she met strangers before she was strong enough, she should speak as little as possible unless she knew them well enough.

So Bibi Dong remained silent.

Chen Xin and Chen Jianjun clicked their tongues.

Were the two of them really that frightening?

Chen Jianjun crouched down, put on a kindly smile, and asked softly, "Little girl, we mean no harm. We're two swordsmen and Soul Masters passing through. We simply noticed that your Soul Power Level is quite high, and we're very curious. Might I ask where the adult looking after you is? Could you take us to meet him?"

Needless to say, Chen Jianjun, whose Soul Power Level was as high as ninety-seven, had already determined that Bibi Dong was definitely very young, probably only seven or eight.

To have a Soul Power Level like that at her age, she truly was a genius.

Bibi Dong sensed no ill intent from the two men. Moreover, they gave off a purity that was quite unfamiliar to her, a purity like that of the sword one of them carried on his back.

Even so, Bibi Dong shook her head. "No. My martial uncle doesn't like meeting outsiders, and he likes peace and quiet. If you go, he'll definitely scold you, and he'll scold me too, so please don't."

Old Tom came out carrying the food and handed it to Bibi Dong with a smile. "Hurry back with the food. Don't keep your martial uncle waiting."

"Mm-hmm." Bibi Dong nodded repeatedly, then turned and ran off.

Chen Jianjun and Chen Xin exchanged a glance.

Chen Jianjun looked at Old Tom and smiled. "Elder, that little girl is exceptionally gifted. I must speak with her family. Farewell."

Old Tom wanted to hold the two of them back for a while.

But Chen Xin glanced at him, and his gaze seemed to contain Soul Power, making Old Tom stop where he was, too afraid to approach.

He could only watch as Chen Xin and Chen Jianjun followed Bibi Dong.