"Bi… Bibi Dong?!"
Yu Xiaogang stared at the woman before him—his first love—with a deeply conflicted expression.
"What are you doing here?"
"Am I not allowed to come?" she retorted coldly, eyes flashing with disappointment as she tossed an unconscious figure onto his dorm room floor.
It was Tang San.
She had been hiding outside for a while, waiting. The moment Tang San stepped out, she struck.
Yu Xiaogang's heart dropped at the sight of his student lying unconscious. He knew that if Tang San's identity was exposed, Bibi Dong would never let him live.
But Tang San was his disciple—his one and only hope of proving his theories.
He couldn't let Tang San die.
After just a second of thought, Yu Xiaogang made his decision.
"Bibi Dong, what are you doing?!" he barked. "Tang San is my disciple! If you have a problem, take it up with me!"
Seeing him defend Tang San so fervently, Bibi Dong's disappointment deepened.
"Do you even know who he is?" she asked, her voice turning icy.
Yu Xiaogang's heart skipped a beat.
He knew what was coming… but still pretended to be calm.
"I don't know, and I don't care."
Bibi Dong laughed bitterly, her gaze sharp.
"Then let me tell you: he is Tang Hao's son."
Just as I feared.
Yu Xiaogang's suspicions were confirmed. The fact that she'd come to Nuoding City herself meant she had discovered Tang San's identity and Tang Hao's traces.
Still, a small part of him had hoped she had come for him.
But reality had other plans.
Tang San cannot die!
If Tang San died, who would help Yu Xiaogang achieve his dream? Sure, Qi Lin was another candidate—but his first soul skill was a support-type. That already made him flawed.
Even if Qi Lin became his disciple, he could never match Tang San.
Not to mention, there was no way his second martial soul could rival the Clear Sky Hammer.
"Bibi Dong, you can't kill Tang San!" Yu Xiaogang said firmly. "I don't care who his father is—he's my heir! I will not let you harm him!"
"What do you expect me to do? Wait for Tang San and Tang Hao to kill me instead?!" Bibi Dong suddenly snapped.
Her beautiful face twisted with emotion. Seeing that, Yu Xiaogang sighed and softened his tone.
"Dong'er… You weren't always like this. You used to be gentle, always by my side."
"I promise you—Tang San will never stand against Spirit Hall. Just spare his life."
"Please, Dong'er."
Bibi Dong drew a deep breath. Her expression was complicated.
"Xiaogang… you've changed. You're not the man I once knew."
"You know full well that Tang San bears a mortal grudge against Spirit Hall. You know… he also has twin martial souls."
Seeing she still wouldn't budge, Yu Xiaogang's expression twisted in frustration.
"I've already promised you he won't be our enemy! What more do you want?"
"Don't you trust me at all?"
"Listen to me, Bibi Dong—if you lay a hand on Tang San today, then you and I…"
"Are done for good!"
His words rang with finality.
Bibi Dong stared at him in disbelief, trying to find a hint of regret on his face.
But there was none.
Only cold determination.
She let out a laugh—bitter, angry.
"Yu Xiaogang… You really are something."
"Remember your words. If Tang San dares defy Spirit Hall, it won't just be the end of us—it will be total severance!"
As she turned to leave, her feelings for him vanished.
He really does look… very ordinary.
With those final words, Bibi Dong disappeared from sight.
Yu Xiaogang breathed a sigh of relief and rushed to Tang San's side—but before he could wake him, another figure suddenly flashed into the room.
Yu Xiaogang: Seriously? Another one?!
---
Elsewhere…
Bibi Dong walked aimlessly through a quiet street, her heart heavy with memories. Unknowingly, tears began to flow.
Then, a small hand offered her a tissue.
"Big sister, don't cry."
Surprised, Bibi Dong looked down and saw a little boy—no older than five or six—offering her the tissue.
He wore casual clothes, had soft, fair skin, slightly messy blond hair, and a relaxed, carefree aura. His features were delicate and handsome.
Qi Lin.
She recognized him instantly.
Three children with innate full soul power had appeared in Nuoding City. She had already gathered their information—and Qi Lin was one of them.
Besides hunting down Tang Hao and his son, she had also come to recruit Qi Lin and Xiao Wu into Spirit Hall.
Though their martial souls didn't guarantee success, full innate power made them worth the gamble.
After all, even Tang Yuehua had innate rank nine and a natural domain, yet her mutated martial soul kept her from advancing.
But there were always exceptions.
Maybe Qi Lin and Xiao Wu were such exceptions.
Looking at Qi Lin's lazy yet warm smile, the weight in her heart eased.
She knelt down and gently patted his head. "Thank you for the tissue, little one."
Qi Lin looked at the stunning woman and didn't think too much. How could someone like Bibi Dong appear here?
He just didn't like seeing women cry—especially beautiful ones.
With a mature smile, he said, "Pretty big sister, you should smile more."
His words were oddly adult-like for someone so young, making him seem adorably mature.
To Bibi Dong… he felt like a little sun.
Warm and comforting.
She couldn't remember the last time someone complimented her looks without hidden motives.
And just like that, the corners of her lips curled into a soft, genuine smile.