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Back then, when Na'er left, she was only six years old—still a little girl. Now, she must be over twelve.
The changes a girl undergoes between the ages of six and twelve are tremendous.
The two of them talked until evening. As Tang Wulin looked at Na'er bathed in the sunset's glow, he sensed a trace of sorrow in her. Years had passed, and Na'er seemed to have changed a lot—or perhaps, she had only recently changed.
"Mom and Dad are missing too? I didn't even know…" Na'er's voice grew quieter as she learned about the family's misfortunes.
"It's not your fault, Na'er. I'll bring Mom and Dad back one day. We'll work hard together!"
Seeing the determination in Tang Wulin's eyes, Na'er felt a warmth in her heart.
"But… why don't you want to move into our dorm? Is it because of Bai Xu…?"
Na'er didn't answer his question. Instead, a hopeful glimmer appeared in her eyes, and she smiled slightly before asking in return, "Brother, what kind of person do you think I am?"
Tang Wulin, simple and sincere, didn't detect the deeper meaning behind her words. He answered firmly and gently, "Na'er, you're beautiful, kind… you've always been my little sister."
"Hehe, I see. Alright, brother, it's getting late. Let's head back. We'll see each other often from now on—I'll be studying in the outer academy next semester." Na'er's expression brightened with apparent joy.
"Mm, let's go. But you still haven't answered my question. Do you really… like Bai Xu?" Tang Wulin couldn't help but worry. Deep down, he didn't want Na'er to develop feelings for Bai Xu.
"No, brother. He's… not like us. No one can tell what he's really thinking. He's eloquent, clever… I could never match him."
Tang Wulin exhaled in relief. "If you're not comfortable around him, you can always move into my dorm."
"It's fine, brother. Things are good as they are. I'm happy now."
Outside the Dormitory.
Na'er pushed open the door, then turned back to Tang Wulin. "See you tomorrow, brother."
"See you tomorrow." As the door slowly closed, Tang Wulin caught a glimpse of Bai Xu and Gu Yue meditating inside—their beds positioned opposite each other, one on the far left and the other on the far right. Na'er's bed was next to Gu Yue's.
With a resigned sigh, Tang Wulin headed back to his own dorm.
Only then did Gu Yue slowly open her eyes. "You're back?"
"Mm."
"How was the talk?"
"It was nice. Brother hasn't changed toward me, despite everything…" Then, Na'er turned to Bai Xu and said, "I won the bet."
Bai Xu let out a quiet sigh as he opened his eyes. "Fine. I'll honor the terms. But I don't think a single chance will be enough to change Tang Wulin."
Na'er: "..."
Gu Yue interjected, "Alright, Na'er, come sleep with me."
Bai Xu's lips twitched. "You're trying to summon Gu Yuena again? Even though you two are perfectly fused, it's still too early. Sleep separately."
"Gu Yuena is us. What's your problem?" Gu Yue crossed her arms, pouting.
It was true—both Gu Yue and Na'er had changed somewhat, but when fused as Gu Yuena, they seemed particularly fascinated by Bai Xu, brimming with curiosity.
The last time they had merged, they had rambled on about strange topics deep into the night, not even pausing for tea.
Bai Xu sighed. "Are you both really that interested in my origins?"
"Of course!" +2
Their eyes gleamed as they stared at him intently, as if expecting him to weave a grand tale.
"I'll focus on my cultivation. The truth will come in time. There's no need to rush."
Just as Bai Xu was about to close his eyes again, the Spirit of the Plane manifested before them and declared, "My lord, you must reach the fiftieth rank as soon as possible. I shall bestow upon you another ten-thousand-year soul ring."
Bai Xu's interest was piqued. "Oh? What kind?"
"Causality."
!!!!
"You can't be serious. Causality isn't something to mess with. Are you certain?" Bai Xu frowned.
"Absolutely. As the acting agent of this plane, I will gradually transfer its authority to you. Though the power may be limited, this was the promise I made when I prayed to that unknown existence." The Spirit of the Plane spoke reverently before glancing at the two girls, a hint of disdain flashing in its eyes. Then, it added, "Though I've lost most of my memories from that time, one phrase remains in my mind."
Bai Xu stiffened. "What was it?"
"It said… you may gain enlightenment from these laws."
???
Bai Xu was baffled. Was there truly a higher power orchestrating his growth? And for now, it didn't seem malicious…
A long silence followed.
Bai Xu's brows furrowed as he meticulously reviewed every event, searching for clues. Yet aside from the scant information provided by the Spirit of the Plane, there was no evidence of an unseen entity overseeing everything from above.
And strangely… it seemed benevolent toward him.
Gu Yue and Na'er exchanged uneasy glances. They felt they had stumbled upon something they shouldn't have heard. What did the Spirit of the Plane mean? Was Bai Xu not merely an independent force, but someone being nurtured by an unfathomable power?
A chill ran down their spines.
If Tang San had turned the Douluo Continent into his chessboard, then the Spirit of the Plane's words suggested an existence even above the Sea God—one that watched over everything, using this world to facilitate Bai Xu's growth.
In either scenario, the Silver Dragon King was nothing more than an insignificant pawn.
How absurd!
The Silver Dragon King, one half of the Dragon God's divinity, wielder of the Dragon God's Creation Authority, was reduced to such triviality in the eyes of these higher beings.
Gu Yue sighed. "See? We've been dragged into a conspiracy far greater than we imagined. And from the sound of it, this is even more threatening than the Divine Realm."
Na'er smiled wryly. "The feeling of weakness is truly unpleasant. Bai Xu once spoke of 'there's always someone stronger beyond the heavens'—now I understand. Let's cultivate. The sooner you grow, the better. One day, I hope we can suppress him, so he can never look at us with such indifference again."
Gu Yue nodded. The two embraced, and the bed curtains closed on their own. A silvery light emanated from within, and the elemental atmosphere grew denser—likely an intentional adjustment to aid Bai Xu's Five Elements cultivation.
Gu Yue was already a One-Word Battle Armor Master and had reached the fortieth rank. With her talent no longer suppressed, her growth would be extraordinarily rapid from now on.
As for Bai Xu, he remained puzzled. He didn't know any supreme beings, nor had he offended any. Could it be the will of Earth's plane assisting him?
After some thought, that seemed the only plausible explanation.
"Whether this is good or bad, time will tell. A game within a game… Hah. Just how far will I grow?"
After a long pause, Bai Xu finally responded to the Spirit of the Plane. "Then I'll rush to the fiftieth rank and see what enlightenment this 'Causality' can bring me!"
He took out a portion of the Life Gold from his storage soul tool, placed it beneath him, and sat cross-legged in meditation, focusing entirely on refining his soul power.