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Gu Yue stood in her room, her dragon wings and tail still manifested, her gaze piercing through the walls as if she could see Bai Xu directly.
To be honest, she felt that Na'er was more suited to be by Bai Xu's side than she was. Though she had fallen for him, she had still ultimately used him.
From the very beginning, when she had approached him to verify the authenticity of his ability to "see through past and future," to later extracting information about the future, and finally having Na'er monitor Bai Xu—she had racked her brains to obtain as much information as possible.
Yet Bai Xu had hidden nothing, answering every question she asked. The more sincere he was, the more guilt weighed on Gu Yue's heart.
If Tang San hadn't intervened and severed her path to becoming the Dragon God, she truly would have resolved to fight Bai Xu in the future, to restore the soul beasts to their ancient glory.
But in a way, she was glad Tang San had acted. It had created an opportunity for a mutually beneficial outcome. At the very least, the will of the plane would demand a balance between humans and soul beasts, rather than the current situation where the soul beasts were confined to the Star Dou Fortress, their lives and deaths no longer in their own hands.
"Did you foresee this outcome long ago?" Gu Yue murmured, her eyes dimming. "You must have. Thinking back now, the only binding term in our alliance pact was that you and we would not harm each other… Because you were confident you could control the soul beasts."
"You finally figured it out? I thought it'd take you longer."
A calm voice came from outside the door, freezing Gu Yue in place and stealing her breath.
Creak—
Bai Xu pushed the door open, mischief in his eyes.
"How is this possible? Weren't you with Na'er? Why are you here?" Gu Yue flustered, watching as he stepped closer, forcing her to retreat until her back hit the wall once more.
"A clone of my own creation. What do you think? Convincing enough?" Bai Xu chuckled like a demon, reaching out toward her.
Gu Yue lowered her head, a hint of dejection in her voice. "You knew from the start, didn't you? That's why you never lied to us. Even though we learned everything, there was nothing we could do but follow the path you laid out. Am I right?"
"Yes."
"You're confident you'll control everything in the end? Don't forget, the other Bai Xu won't help you…"
"True. Scheming and exposing dark truths might stir the pot, but history is written by the victors. In the end, the future belongs to whoever has the stronger fist."
"And what about me? Was I just part of your plans?" Gu Yue asked.
"No. The outcome between us… was shaped more by you."
Gu Yue's eyes glistened with moisture as she voiced her thoughts. "But I hate this feeling of being completely in your grasp. No matter how I struggle, I can't break free. Bai Xu, is there anything you don't know?"
Bai Xu was momentarily at a loss for words.
Suddenly, Gu Yue moved. Chains of spatial energy bound his hands, her dragon tail coiled around his waist, and her wings enveloped them both. In an instant, their positions reversed—Gu Yue pinned Bai Xu against the wall and bit down hard on his lip.
"If you dare break free," she whispered, "I'll never see you again."
Bai Xu, who had been about to resist, hesitated at her words, his eyes flickering with surprise. He hadn't expected this from her.
"See? Once I got to know you, I realized that bold moves like this would catch you off guard." Gu Yue had seen right through his shock, as if she, too, wanted him to experience what it felt like to be controlled.
Bai Xu licked his numb, stinging lip—it was probably bleeding.
"You made me understand life, gave me the power to choose instead of forcing your way into my and Na'er's lives. Falling for you was my decision, so I don't regret it."
With that, Gu Yue lifted Bai Xu with her tail and strode toward the bed.
"But that doesn't mean you get to control me whenever you want. Tonight, you're sleeping with me. If you resist, I'll leave immediately—and you'll never find me again."
With a flick of her tail, she tossed him onto the bed. Bai Xu was stunned. He hadn't expected Gu Yue to be so… domineering.
Shouldn't she be crying or something?
Frowning, Bai Xu ultimately chose not to resist.
Gu Yue lay down beside him, pulling the covers over them. "Sleep. No cultivation tonight."
After a long silence, Bai Xu ventured a question: "Uh… can I touch your tail?"
Gu Yue glared at him. "At your core, you're a rake!"
"Only toward you."
Gu Yue had no retort. Silently, she draped her tail over his waist. Neither spoke another word, and the night passed without sleep.
---
The return journey was uneventful—no attacks from sea soul beasts. The delegation from Douluo Continent arrived safely, with Na'er returning to Shrek Academy alongside Elder Cai and the others, while Bai Xu and Gu Yue first headed to the Spirit Pagoda.
Spirit Pagoda Headquarters, Deputy Tower Master's Office.
Bai Xu gave a slight bow. "Greetings, Deputy Tower Master."
Heavenly Phoenix Douluo Leng Yaozhu smiled faintly. "No need for formalities. Since you're Yue'er's friend, you'll serve as her assistant here at the Spirit Pagoda, supporting her daily work. Your appointment comes directly from me—ignore any other arrangements."
She shot Gu Yue a meaningful glance. This was the most she could do; the rest would depend on Gu Yue herself.
Gu Yue, however, felt uneasy. She truly didn't want to be too entangled with Bai Xu right now. Her priority was to develop the ten-thousand-year spirit soul and the Ten Thousand Beasts Platform, freeing up more time for cultivation and preparing for future changes.
Fortunately, after that night, Bai Xu hadn't made any further unreasonable demands. It was as if he understood her thoughts and wouldn't interfere—aside from requiring her to spend an hour each day with him for his "research."
"I'm heading to Shrek to check on Na'er. Want to come?" Bai Xu asked.
"Sure. I need to apply for graduation from the outer academy anyway. After this, I'll focus on cultivation and research at the Spirit Pagoda."
---
Shrek Academy, Inner Court.
Yun Ming was astonished. "Na'er, your talent has truly recovered?"
"Yes." Na'er smiled, summoning her Silver Dragon Spear. "I'm now a 51st-ranked Soul King and a one-word battle armor master."
"That's wonderful. It's all thanks to Bai Xu…"
But then, Yun Ming and Yali exchanged glances. "Na'er," Yun Ming said gravely, "we know Bai Xu is important to you, but choosing a life partner requires careful consideration. Before you left for the outer academy, he was already involved with Gu Yue. Now, with you in the picture… Are you certain this is what you want?"
Na'er nodded firmly. "When I hit rock bottom, I saw the truth of many people and things. Even back when we were impoverished work-study students sharing a dorm, Bai Xu left a deep impression on me. Later, when I went to the Star Luo Empire to find him, we experienced so much together. He restored my talent and helped me grow stronger.
"So yes. I'm certain."
Her unwavering resolve stunned Yun Ming and Yali. This level of determination was beyond what they had imagined. If Na'er had shown even a hint of hesitation, Yun Ming would have refused to let Bai Xu take her away. But now, it was clear their bond ran deep.
Intervening might only backfire.