Chapter 32: Childhood Love and the Pillaging of Tang San and Du Busi
I told them everything—my situation, the events that had befallen me, even revealing Huo Yuhao's deception and the truth behind the "Iceworm." I explained Wang Dong'er's fractured condition and the shadowy conspiracy slowly taking shape behind the scenes.
While spending time with them, I was also searching for Tang Yi, my childhood friend and first love. An entire day passed before I finally found her. She seemed to have begun associating with members of the Holy Spirit Sect, just as the story's events had predicted… but I would not allow that to continue.
I entered her room without knocking, each step sending ripples of anxiety through me. Years had passed since I last saw her face, yet my heart raced with every heartbeat. For her, only a single year had passed. For me… twenty long years trapped within the Space-Time Book—twenty years of longing, of aching for her.
There she lay, asleep, a faint beam of light caressing her face, rendering her more beautiful than I remembered. I wanted to scream with joy, but instead, I paused, silently watching her, every cherished memory of our childhood flickering through my mind.
I approached slowly, my hand trembling as I reached out to her. Her eyes fluttered open, a mixture of disbelief and joy lighting them.
"Hey… my love… I finally found you," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.
Her lips quivered into a shy smile before she rested her head against my chest. I felt the warmth of her body melt into my embrace, as though every lost moment had been compressed into this single meeting.
"I've missed you… so much… more than words could ever describe…" she whispered, tears of happiness glistening in her eyes.
I could no longer restrain myself. I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, then intertwined our hands, holding them as if I would never let go again.
Everything else vanished… all the pain, the loss, the endless waiting—they melted into a single, indescribable warmth that filled my chest. In that moment, after such a long separation, the love born in our childhood overflowed in every glance, every touch, every heartbeat.
She smiled, a small, trembling smile that could not hide the tears beginning to glimmer in her eyes. Her voice quavered as she spoke, struggling to find the words:
"Y-you… you're back… I thought you'd never return… I searched for you everywhere and couldn't find you… Where… where were you?"
I stepped closer and pulled her into my arms, embracing her with all the strength of every lost moment, every pang of loneliness, every ache we had endured over the years. I could not speak—my arms alone carried the weight of everything I had kept hidden.
Her body shivered against mine, her quickened breaths falling in rhythm with my own heartbeat. Tang Yi whispered:
"I've been searching for you all this time… I couldn't live without you."
Tears welled in her eyes as she clung to me even tighter, as if terrified that the world might tear us apart once more. My heart felt ready to burst from the flood of emotions—longing, love, fear, and relief—all converging in this single, perfect moment. Everything inside me focused on this reunion, on finally returning to the place where my life truly belonged.
And then, softly, she added:
"And I… I couldn't live a single day without you either. I'm so sorry I couldn't speak to you back then…"
In that instant, everything around us ceased to exist. There was nothing but the two of us, bound by feelings that had endured every year, every separation. Our tears and hearts spoke a language older than words—a language we had known since childhood and had now, once again, been affirmed by our reunion.
The next morning, I awoke with a warmth swelling in my chest, as though the night itself had gathered up all our wounds, hidden some, and soothed the rest. Dawn slipped through the curtains in gentle rays, painting golden lines across her face, turning her into a living masterpiece. I gazed at her, my heart still pounding violently—but now, it was a different kind of pounding. A heartbeat laced with safety, gratitude, and the quiet fear of a tomorrow that might try to tear us apart again.
I held her hand as if it were a precious bead, feeling its coolness melt beneath the warmth of my own. In a soft voice—gentle enough to avoid waking the world around us—I whispered:
"Good morning… my love."
She smiled, eyes closing with a graceful, lazy tenderness, then turned toward me and pressed my hands against her chest, as if she wanted to keep this feeling sealed within her forever.
I sat beside her at the edge of the bed and began recounting everything that had happened—how I had endured my solitude inside the Space-Time Book for twenty long years of waiting and longing; how every moment away from her had deepened the ache in my heart; how Elder Mo An and Huo Yuhao had left me paralyzed. My words came out tight and restrained, like clouds of pain slowly dissolving in the warmth of her embrace. She listened without a single interruption, her eyes trembling as her hand traced light touches across my fingers to soothe my anxiety.
When I finally finished, she lifted her face, tears burning down her cheeks.
"I didn't know… I never imagined they had done this to you…" she whispered bitterly, her voice fading into a trembling hush.
I pulled her into my arms, holding her as if I could bring her fully into the only world I had left. My voice cracked but remained steady as I said:
"It doesn't matter anymore… because you're here now. I'll protect you. I'll keep anyone from ever touching you. You won't know pain alone ever again."
We stared into each other's eyes for a long time, as if words themselves had begun to lose meaning under the weight of our emotions. Then followed a silence—heavy, yet full.
A seed of a promise.A promise to build.A promise to heal.A promise to give every moment a new meaning.
We spent the day in long conversation—not idle chatter, but confessions of old scars, shared memories, and the gentle weaving of future plans: walks along the lake's edge, light training to strengthen her, and a promise to face any looming threat side by side. Every time she rested her head on my shoulder, something inside me came back to life—as if every broken fragment within me was being mended by her touch.
By evening, the clouds painted the horizon in soft purple hues, and I realized we were no longer just childhood friends, no longer just young lovers. Our bond had changed—it had evolved into something deeper, forged through pain, courage, and shared commitment. That night, no grand promises or extravagant words were needed; simply being together, breathing the same air, knowing someone would carry us when the world grew heavy, was enough.
Before she fell asleep, I whispered into her ear:
"I'll build a world for you where no one can ever hurt you."
She wiped away her tears with a tender smile and replied sincerely:
"And I'll stand by your side… no matter the cost."
We fell asleep in each other's embrace, as if the entire world had granted us a brief reprieve—yet enough to plant a new strength within us. A strength that would allow us to face tomorrow together, without fear.
The next morning, after breakfast, I took Tang Yi to Miles Rivers and Mountains Painting, introducing her to the rest of the girls.
Afterward, I went to bid farewell to the others, telling them I would meet them later at the Spirit Master's Pre-Tournament, which was approaching soon.
Then, it was time to use the Pillage Card. In truth, this card differed slightly from the others—it was specially tailored for the DOULUO Realm.
I began by selecting the original Body Spirit of Du Busi, the Tang San bloodline, and his Martial Spirit.
When my selection was complete, I felt a strange surge coursing through my veins—like warm water mixed with cold blood,intertwining with my own essence. I closed my eyes and examined my body. In that moment, I had successfully merged the Sea Bloodline, Tang San's chains, and Du Busi's Martial Spirit into one living vessel.