Moonlight, like water, quietly flowed through the corridor of the hotel on the west side of Spirit City.
After Tang Chuan parted ways with Dugu Bo, he returned to his room. When he gently pushed open the door, he unexpectedly discovered a figure standing by the window.
Her golden hair flowed with a soft luster under the moonlight; it was Xiao Ruier.
"Ruier?" Seeing the person, Tang Chuan was slightly startled. He closed the door behind him and asked, puzzled, "It's so late, why aren't you resting yet?"
Hearing this, Xiao Ruier slowly turned around, a faint trace of melancholy on her beautiful face. She gently shook her head, her voice softer than usual, and whispered, "I couldn't sleep. My heart felt a bit restless, so I came out for a walk and unknowingly ended up here."
Tang Chuan walked to the table, poured two cups of warm water, handed her one, and said,
"Are you worried about the upcoming finals?"
The two stood side by side by the window, looking at the sleeping city outside, and chatted for a few moments about the competition and Cultivation. But Tang Chuan could feel that Xiao Ruier's mind didn't seem to be on this; her gaze was somewhat unfocused, as if she was immersed in some emotion.
Sure enough, after a moment of silence.
She suddenly turned the topic to that heavy and sensitive direction.
"Although I also dislike Xiao Wu very much, when I saw her, for the sake of the person she loved, unhesitatingly burn everything of herself, even offering her Soul without a second thought... my heart was truly shocked." Her gaze turned towards the distant night sky, Xiao Ruier seemed to be recalling the scene from that day.
She turned her head, her unique eyes, as if containing starlight, looked earnestly at Tang Chuan, with a hint of probing and determination that she herself might not have fully understood, and softly said,
"I was thinking, if... if one day, the person I like also encounters such danger, and I need to save him in that way... I think, I would do the same as her."
When Xiao Ruier said this, her tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable firmness.
She thought Tang Chuan did not know her identity as an Emperor Auspicious Beast. To her, these words sounded more like a hypothesis and confession based on human emotions.
As her words fell, the room fell into a brief silence.
Tang Chuan looked at the unwavering determination in her eyes, identical to Xiao Wu's before her sacrifice, hidden beneath the calm, and the softest part of his heart felt gently touched.
He deeply understood the heavy weight behind Xiao Ruier's words.
If an Emperor Auspicious Beast were to sacrifice itself, its significance would be far greater than that of a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast. This involved the Luck of the entire Star Dou Great Forest. At that time, if Di Tian were to launch a beast tide, the entire human World would be plunged into misery! How could he allow her to sacrifice herself for him?
After a moment of silence, Tang Chuan did not expose Xiao Ruier's identity, nor did he use any frivolous words to respond to this profound and precious sentiment.
He simply turned around, faced her directly, his gaze becoming unprecedentedly focused and gentle, his voice deep and clear, carrying the weight of a promise, and said,
"Ruier."
He called her name.
"I will not let such a thing happen."
"But if... I mean if, such a day truly comes, and the one in danger is you..." Tang Chuan's words were without the slightest hesitation, direct and candid, "I will also be like Xiao Wu, at all costs, even if it means giving my life, I will save you."
This was not sweet talk, but a statement based on facts.
He possessed such ability, and also such determination.
Hearing these words, Xiao Ruier was stunned. She looked at the undeniable seriousness in Tang Chuan's eyes, her golden pupils widened slightly, and a storm immediately surged in her heart.
She had not expected her words to receive such a direct and solemn response.
Immediately, an indescribable warm current instantly washed away the gloom and sadness in her heart caused by Xiao Wu's matter, and an unprecedented sense of security and Throbbing enveloped her tightly.
Under the moonlight, the two looked at each other, no more words were needed... At the same time, inside the Hall of Worship, the atmosphere was solemn and grave.
Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo, the two Priests, knelt on one knee on the mirror-like floor, their heads bowed, their posture respectful with a hint of seeking forgiveness.
Before them, beneath the golden Seraphim statue.
High Priest Qian Daoliu stood with his hands behind his back. After listening to their report, his usually unperturbed face rarely showed a look of disbelief.
"What did you say?" Qian Daoliu's voice echoed in the empty hall, carrying a subtle tremor, and he said incredulously, "A Soul Beast whose Cultivation far surpasses a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast, even capable of directly confronting the two of you combined, ultimately leading to your mission's failure?"
At this point, his sharp, eagle-like gaze swept over the two kneeling below, as if to confirm that their words were not false. Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beasts were already as rare as phoenix feathers, but a Soul Beast whose Cultivation far surpassed a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast, and dared to directly intervene in the conflicts of top human powers, was even more unheard of!
Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo exchanged glances, both seeing the shock and helplessness of that moment in each other's eyes, then nodded heavily.
Thousand Jun Douluo said in a deep voice, "High Priest, this matter is absolutely true. The Soul Beast's true form is a three-headed demonic mastiff. Its strength... is probably already at rank ninety-seven, or even higher. If he hadn't interfered, Tang Chuan would definitely have been captured and brought back by my brother and me."
After a moment of silence, Demon Subduing Douluo said with reluctance in his tone,
"High Priest, what should we do next? Should we wait until the competition ends, then find another opportunity to strike at Tianxing Academy and capture that Tang Chuan...?"
His words were cut short by Qian Daoliu raising his hand.
"Forget it, this matter... let me think about it again." Slowly pacing, a cloud of doubt enveloped Qian Daoliu's brows. Then he gently waved his hand, his voice low.
Suddenly, he stopped, and looked up at the enormous Seraphim statue.
His eyes were filled with confusion and deep thought.
"I always feel that this Tang Chuan's identity is far from simple." He seemed to be talking to himself, and also seemed to be analyzing Tang Chuan's identity for Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo.
"He is clearly a human, Tang Hao's son; this is beyond doubt. But why would such a powerful Soul Beast protect him, even at the cost of being an enemy of Spirit Hall?"
"What exactly is hidden behind this?"
This illogical phenomenon.
It made this peerless expert, who stood at the peak of the continent, feel troublesome. If one were to rashly attack such a target, protected by mysterious forces, it was very likely to trigger unpredictable consequences.
Just as silence fell in the great hall and Qian Daoliu was deep in thought.
"Grandfather!"
A clear and somewhat urgent call came from outside the hall door.
Immediately after, the heavy door of the Hall of Worship was slowly pushed open.
A tall and agile figure walked in against the light.
Qian Renxue had changed out of her Crown Prince attire and was wearing a simple and neat golden dress. Her golden hair fell like a waterfall, her face was exquisitely beautiful, and she exuded a heroic spirit.
Seeing the arrival, the solemnity and confusion on Qian Daoliu's face melted away as quickly as ice meeting fire, replaced by undisguised affection and surprise.
He even disregarded Thousand Jun Douluo and Demon Subduing Douluo, who were still kneeling. With a flash of his figure, he appeared before Qian Renxue as if by Teleportation.
"Xue'er!" Qian Daoliu's voice was filled with joy and a hint of surprise, saying, "Why did you suddenly come back? Are things in the Heaven Dou Empire all arranged?"
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