Chapter 113: Lingering Affection
Bibi Dong, having completed Rakshasa's Fifth Trial, had no mood to deal with the Sixth Trial and hastily left the secret realm space.
In a hidden secret chamber within the Pope's Palace.
A flash of purplish-black light, and Bibi Dong's figure appeared on the bed in the corner of the chamber.
After exiting the Rakshasa Secret Realm, Bibi Dong's peerless beauty, elegant and regal, was restored. The panicked and fearful expression on her face made her seem less like the honored and glorious Pope of Spirit Hall, and more like an innocent noble lady from some sheltered noble family.
Without the constant negative emotional influence of the Rakshasa Secret Realm, Bibi Dong let down her guard and recalled the only warmth remaining in her heart.
The innocence of her first love brought a long-lost, guileless smile to Bibi Dong's face. Her soft, melodious voice was filled with deep longing.
"Xiao Gang, it's been so many years. Are you... doing well?"
...
Heaven Dou City, Blue Tyrant Academy.
In a room.
Yu Xiaogang was writing something on white paper. He was originally planning his cheap disciple's training schedule, but for some reason, the figure that he would never forget kept flashing through his mind.
Unable to concentrate, Yu Xiaogang irritably put down his brush and looked down. On the white paper, there was no training plan at all, but rather a portrait of a young woman.
Yu Xiaogang gazed at the portrait of the young woman with a wistful expression, unable to resist reaching out to caress her face.
Drip!
Two streams of tears slid down Yu Xiaogang's face, dripping onto the portrait.
"Xiao Gang, Xiao Gang!"
Liu Erlong's call came from outside the door. Upon hearing it, Yu Xiaogang became flustered and crumpled the portrait in his hand, throwing it into the wastepaper basket.
Before he could even wipe away the tear stains on his face, Liu Erlong pushed open the door and strode in.
"Xiao Gang, you never come to the academy's cafeteria during dinner time. I knew you must have been buried in work and lost track of time again."
"I asked the cafeteria chef to pack a few of your favorite dishes. Xiao Gang, eat while it's still hot."
As she spoke, Liu Erlong placed the food container she was holding on the table in front of Yu Xiaogang and opened its lid for him.
Instantly, the aroma of food filled the room.
"Erlong, thank you for your trouble."
Yu Xiaogang took the chopsticks Liu Erlong handed him, suppressing his longing for Bibi Dong. Feeling guilty, he avoided looking at Liu Erlong, instead lowering his head and glancing at the food in the container.
Although Liu Erlong wasn't the most perceptive, a woman's intuition allowed her to sense that something was wrong.
Yu Xiaogang's evasive eyes, the lingering tear stains on his face, and his sudden, polite thank you all told Liu Erlong that Yu Xiaogang was hiding something from her.
Her woman's intuition immediately directed Liu Erlong's gaze to the wastepaper basket at Yu Xiaogang's feet.
"It's no trouble. I'm happy to do this for you. Alright, Xiao Gang, eat quickly. It's cold in winter, and the food won't taste good if it gets cold."
On the surface, Liu Erlong urged Yu Xiaogang to eat quickly. Secretly, she used her Soul Power to draw the newest piece of crumpled paper from the wastepaper basket into her palm.
After doing this, Liu Erlong patiently waited for Yu Xiaogang to finish eating and left the room with the empty food container.
Bang~
The door was closed.
Outside the room, Liu Erlong leaned against the door and unfolded the crumpled piece of paper hidden in her palm.
When she saw the portrait of the young woman on the paper, her anger and jealousy instantly erupted. Flames emerged from her palm, burning the portrait to ashes.
Afterward, a bitter feeling replaced her anger. Liu Erlong turned and looked at Yu Xiaogang through the door, thinking:
"Bibi Dong, it's Bibi Dong again. Xiao Gang, where do I fall short compared to her?"
"Why do you call out her name in your sleep, and why is she the one you think of while working?"
"Sister, is it because I'm your sister? Do you really care so much about what society thinks?"
Liu Erlong wanted to push open the door several times and rush in to question Yu Xiaogang, but each time her hand touched the doorknob, she fearfully pulled it back.
She was afraid that if she questioned him, Yu Xiaogang would leave her side again.
Finally, Liu Erlong covered her face and wept before leaving.
On a snow-covered tree in the darkness of night.
Shi Nian, hidden among the branches, had witnessed the entire scene. He inwardly scorned Yu Xiaogang's behavior.
As a ruthless and vengeful person, Shi Nian had always looked down upon such weak, incompetent individuals who lacked any sense of responsibility.
"I've worked so hard for so long, and you're still content to stay here without confronting your first love about the truth of what happened back then."
"Truly, I've never seen such a cowardly and hypocritical gentleman."
"No, I have to increase the intensity of the Nightmare. I haven't completed the mission after so long. If that esteemed person thinks I'm incompetent, it won't be good."
In winter, it gets dark early, and people sleep early.
It was pitch black now. After finishing his dinner, Yu Xiaogang rested for a while before lying down to sleep.
Shi Nian quietly appeared before the bed. Gazing at Yu Xiaogang, who was asleep, his seventh Spirit Ring lit up, and he activated his Martial Soul True Body, Nightmare.
...
The next day, dawn broke.
As soon as Shi Nian returned to his secluded dwelling, he received word that Lin Rong had summoned him.
Lin Clan Estate, Main Hall.
The burning ground dragon dispelled the biting cold from outside, making the hall as warm as spring.
Lin Rong, who had only been home for less than a day, sat on the sofa, warming himself by the fireplace and drinking hot tea, waiting for Shi Nian.
At the third quarter of the Yin hour, Shi Nian arrived.
"My lord, the plan to lure Yu Xiaogang with Nightmare is proceeding in an orderly fashion. Did you summon me for something else?"
As soon as Shi Nian entered, he prefaced his arrival by stating that the mission was ongoing, preventing Lin Rong from asking about its progress, which he wouldn't know how to answer.
"You know Tang San, right."
Lin Rong drank his tea, and a piece of white paper filled with writing floated from in front of him to Shi Nian.
"Yes, the Sect Master of the Tang Sect."
Shi Nian replied, taking the white paper that floated before him and examining its contents.
"Oh, I see." Shi Nian browsed the paper, and its contents opened his eyes.
"So Tang San is actually from another world, an assassin organization called the Tang Sect."
"He stole the sect's most precious treasure and then jumped off a cliff, arriving in our world. No wonder he can produce such miraculous Hidden Weapons."
"But how does Your Lord know about such things?"
As soon as Shi Nian finished reading the contents of the white paper, it turned into a wisp of green smoke and dissipated into the air.
"Curiosity killed the cat. The more you know, the faster you die."
Lin Rong did not speak, but his voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Some things, just do as you are told and don't ask too many questions!"
A suffocating mental pressure suddenly appeared, but it vanished in an instant, as if it had never happened.
However, the extinguished fireplace in the hall told Shi Nian that the fleeting pressure was not his hallucination.
Suppressing the panic in his heart, Shi Nian replied respectfully:
"Yes, my lord, I understand."
Seeing this, Lin Rong put down his teacup and said:
"This is your reward for this mission. I am bestowing it upon you in advance. If you fail, then I will have no choice but to forcibly take it back."
As he spoke, a stream of green light flew from Lin Rong's wrist and hovered before Shi Nian.
"A Ten Thousand Year Spirit Bone!"
Shi Nian exclaimed in surprise when he recognized what was within the stream of green light.
But while he was happy, he immediately recalled Lin Rong's words.
If he failed the mission, the Spirit Bone would be taken back. If he had already absorbed it, then he would have to be dead for it to be taken back.
Thinking of this, Shi Nian broke out in a cold sweat, and the Spirit Bone before him suddenly seemed less appealing.
But Shi Nian ultimately accepted the Spirit Bone. Besides, he didn't have the right to refuse. After careful consideration, he also felt that this mission was not difficult at all.
"Yes, my lord, I guarantee I will complete the mission!"
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