"Shut up!"
Bibi Dong roared, slapping Qian Renxue across the face.
*Slap!
* The crisp, resounding slap echoed in the air, like a sharp blade cutting through it, making everyone's heart tighten.
Qian Renxue's eyes widened, staring at Bibi Dong in disbelief.
Her gaze was filled with shock and confusion, seemingly unable to accept what was happening before her eyes.
She never imagined in her life that Bibi Dong would hit her, especially because of Qian Renshang.
Bibi Dong's face was terrifyingly grim, her eyes flashing with anger and determination.
Her hand remained suspended in mid-air, trembling slightly, as if that slap had used up all her strength.
Qian Renxue covered her slapped cheek, her body trembling slightly, tears welling up in her eyes, but stubbornly refusing to fall.
At this moment, time seemed to freeze, and the surrounding atmosphere became unusually heavy.
Their gazes met in the air, as if countless lightning bolts were passing through them.
Bibi Dong's anger and Qian Renxue's grievances intertwined, forming an indescribable complex emotion.
"Didn't Mom hate that Qian Renshang guy?
Why are you on Mom's side, yet you're hitting her?"
Qian Renxue covered her face, her expression full of disbelief.
Bibi Dong looked at the incredulous Qian Renxue, her eyes instinctively darting away, and then uttered a single sentence.
"He's your own brother... You can't talk about him like that in front of me anymore."
"I know he's my own brother, but... Mom, don't you dislike him?"
Qian Renxue covered her face and argued, "I'm helping Mom, aren't I?
Hasn't it always been like this since we were little?"
"That was before... Now it's different."
"How is it different?"
"Qian Renshang... your brother is gone."
Bibi Dong said hoarsely, her expression extremely complicated.
Qian Renxue was also stunned, "Your brother is gone? What does that mean?"
"Literally, he's gone... He left the Spirit Hall, although I don't know how he did it."
"Ah... How is that possible?
It's the dead of winter, how could he leave the Spirit Hall alone, let alone the Spirit Hall itself!"
"He... he'll die!"
Qian Renxue's little face turned pale. After all, she was only a three-year-old child.
Although she was a bit precocious, it was one thing for her to dislike Qian Renshang, but she didn't want him to die.
"Yes, he might be dead... but he might also live.
It's been several days since that day, and it's too late to find him now."
Bibi Dong's expression flickered between light and shadow, her hands clenched tightly, her heart filled with complex emotions.
"Besides, I can't send anyone to look for him right now.
Qian Xunji is seriously injured, and that old man Qian Daoliu's attention is focused on him, so even though the three-year period has passed, he didn't come to take Qian Renxue and the others away immediately."
"If Qian Daoliu and the others find out now that Qian Renshang is missing... who knows what might happen?
Then all her plans will be ruined."
"So... we can't look for him!"
Qian Renxue stared at the floor, her face pale, thinking of the cake from earlier.
Her heart was also filled with complex emotions.
Her younger brother was gone just like that?
It was too sudden!
Qian Renxue's feelings for Qian Renshang were complicated because Bibi Dong had subtly influenced her view of him since childhood, making her feel that he was superfluous and that it didn't matter how she targeted him.
But now that he's gone, Qian Renxue doesn't know how she feels.
However, she's quite open-minded, knowing that what's done is done and nothing can be changed.
"Qian Renshang... it's good he's gone. He was just an eyesore here anyway.
Now that he's gone, it's just me and Mom!"
"Mom won't focus on him anymore... Mom will love me more."
Qian Renxue's lips curled slightly, quickly convincing herself.
This time, she was genuinely grateful to Qian Renshang.
Meanwhile, Bibi Dong, her face grim, finally made up her mind.
She went to the door and summoned all the maids who had been searching for Qian Renshang in the palace.
The maids looked at Bibi Dong anxiously, wondering what she wanted.
Bibi Dong's imposing eyes swept over them, and she said in a deep voice.
"That was just an accident. Qian Renshang is perfectly fine.
You absolutely cannot let any news about him circulate... Otherwise, none of you will be allowed to stay in the Spirit Hall anymore, along with your families outside!"
"Did you all hear that?"
A voice imbued with soul power startled everyone.
"Yes, sir !"
They all replied hastily, except for Aunt Mei, whose expression was complicated.
Based on what had just happened, she knew that Qian Renshang had likely already left the Spirit Hall, and perhaps even Spirit City.
She recalled that Qian Renshang had repeatedly asked her about the structure of the Spirit Hall and about Spirit City!
Perhaps he had already prepared to leave.
"Young Master is gone... It's good that he's gone.
A kind child like him shouldn't have had his childhood spent here..."
"Young Master, after you leave here... you must be happy every day!"
Aunt Mei's face was full of tenderness as she sincerely wished well to her child who was far away.
After everyone left, Bibi Dong sat back down on Qian Renshang's bed, her eyes fixed on the rotten cake not far away, lost in thought.
...
The Starry Sky Forest!
The Core Area!
In the mysterious and vast core of the Starry Sky Forest, sunlight struggled to penetrate the layers of leaves, casting dappled shadows.
Ancient trees towered all around, their massive trunks like ancient stone pillars supporting a green canopy.
The ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves and moss, exuding a damp and decaying scent.
A rich life energy permeated the air, making one feel as if they were in a fantastical fairyland.
Not far away, a clear lake, like a giant mirror, remained calm and still.
The Titan Ape and the Azure Bull Python, the two overlords of the forest, were leisurely drinking water at the lakeside.
The Titan Ape,with its mountain-like body, bent down, its thick arms reaching into the water to scoop up a handful of clear spring water and drink deeply.
The Azure Bull Python, on the other hand, gracefully brought its head close to the water's surface, gently sipping the lake water.
Suddenly, they seemed to simultaneously sense an extremely powerful and familiar aura, their eyes widening in shock.
The calm in their eyes was instantly shattered, replaced by endless astonishment and ecstasy.
They clearly sensed the Silver Dragon King's resurrection.
The aura of this ruler of all soul beasts, like an ancient summons, stirred an indescribable excitement and awe within them.
ln that instant, the entire core of the Star Dou Great Forest seemed to freeze, with only that powerful aura spreading, proclaiming the return of the soul beast king.
"She...she's awake!"
(End of Chapter)