Xiang Si was still laughing hysterically when Feng Yongrui admonished him. His face had no remorse at all, making Feng Yongrui's blood boil. This was the first time Feng Yongrui actually had the urge to kill someone since he came to this world...
Before he realized what he was doing, Feng Yongrui had swung his sword at Xiang Si. However, before he could kill Xiang Si, a burst of crimson light erupted from the array on the ground.
"Hahaha!" Xiang Si roared. "It's finally working!"
The scent of blood grew thicker and Feng Yongrui frowned in disgust. The light emanated from the array was dazzling to the eyes. While Feng Yongrui was stunned, Xiang Si crawled over to the center of the array, laughing like a maniac.
"It's here, it's here! Oho~"
When Xiang Si stepped unto the array, the light grew brighter and wrapped him in a gauze of light. Feng Yongrui broke from his stupor and tried to grab Xiang Si.
"Are you trying to run away?" Feng Yongrui yelled in fury. Feng Yongrui chased after Xiang Si.
"Woof! Woof!" Little Prince wriggled out of Ma Bo's arms and dashed towards Feng Yongrui.
Right before Feng Yongrui stepped into the array, Little Prince flew into his arms and knocked him down. The impact made Feng Yongrui fall to the ground and roll away from the array.
"Master! Xiao Gou!!" Hou Renshu screamed.
Unfortunately, Little Prince was thrown into the array. When the dog landed on the ground, his black fur was immediately stained with blood. Little Prince tried to get up from the ground, but he collapsed instead.
Xiang Si, who had arrived in the array first, was suddenly sucked into a vortex. Feng Yongrui could only hear a mixture of laughter and screaming, and then Xiang Si disappeared.
Meanwhile, the light from the array was still glowing brightly. Little Prince seemed like he was unconscious, his eyes closed and his body lay motionless.
Under the stupefied gazes of Feng Yongrui, Hou Renshu, and the weak Ma Bo, Little Prince's body flew upwards in the center of the array. The crimson light enveloped him and covered his entire body.
"NOOO!" The System was screaming hysterically in Feng Yongrui's head.
"My Little Cutie Pie!!!"
After about 15 seconds, which felt like eternity, the bright light evaporated. The blood on the ground disappeared, and a figure collapsed unto the hard ground.
"Hurry! Hurry and check on my baby!" The System was panicking so much that its voice was shaking. Its usual calm and arrogant demeanor was wiped away in an instant.
Feng Yongrui got up from the ground and stepped on the array tentatively. He was afraid the array would be activated again, but nothing happened. Feng Yongrui bent down and looked at the figure lying on the ground.
It wasn't Little Prince.
Instead, it was a youth with silky black hair and milky white skin. The youth was stark naked and he lay on the ground, seemingly unconscious. Feng Yongrui pursed his lips, took off his outer robe, and wrapped the youth in it.
He carried the youth and laid him on the ground next to the wall. The youth did not seem injured, so Feng Yongrui decided to check on his disciples first.
Seeing Feng Yongrui getting closer to them, Ma Bo and Hou Renshu's faces turned pale. Hou Renshu was clenching his fists nervously, his hand slowly reaching for his sword.
However, Ma Bo grabbed Hou Renshu's hand, telling him to stop.
Ma Bo still remembered what his Master had said to Xiang Si.
"So what if someone is born with a Demonic Constitution? Did he choose it? Does he want it?"
Master had also said, "My disciple is the kindest person I know", and, "Ma Bo may have a Demonic Constitution, but his words and actions are more righteous than those people from the Righteous Sects..."
In his heart, Ma Bo felt a small glimmer of hope brewing inside.
Ma Bo opened his mouth and spoke hoarsely. "Master... Do you..."
Do you hate me? He wanted to ask.
Feng Yongrui knelt down next to Ma Bo and petted his head. He could see how anxious Ma Bo was, but Feng Yongrui was not angry.
"Are you injured anywhere?" He asked. "Let me see if you have any wounds." For Feng Yongrui, this was the most important thing.
Feng Yongrui gently checked Ma Bo's condition. Ma Bo pursed his lips as a lump formed in his throat.
"Master, don't you have any questions?" Ma Bo asked, his voice cracking at the end of his sentence. "Aren't you angry? Or disappointed?"
Feng Yongrui smiled and ruffled Ma Bo's head.
"Well, to say I'm not surprised would be a lie. I do feel a bit sad that you didn't tell me about this, but I can understand your reason for hiding your Demonic Constitution..."
Ma Bo's eyes glistened with tears.
"I'm not angry," Feng Yongrui said, reassuring both of his disciples.
"It's okay... it's okay..." Feng Yongrui said, petting Ma Bo's head while saying so.
Ma Bo couldn't stand it anymore and burst into tears. He burrowed into Feng Yongrui arms and cried without restraint.
"Master... Huhk..."
"I'm sorry for hiding it from you, Master..." Ma Bo stuttered and sniffled.
As if a great weight had been lifted off his chest, Ma Bo felt like he could finally breathe again.
Master wasn't angry... Master wasn't disgusted by him...
Finally all the barriers in his heart were broken. All the apprehension and fear he had vanished like smoke.
The long-awaited rain finally came down upon the cracked, dry ground of his heart.
Hou Renshu had also shed a few tears, but he regained his composure quickly. He watched as Feng Yongrui comforted the crying Ma Bo. Hou Renshu felt his heart growing warm.
Feng Yongrui did not notice that in the System, the task progress of 'nurturing the protagonist' had risen directly to 75%.
Feng Yongrui gave a helpless smile when he saw that Ma Bo couldn't stop crying.
"You're this old, but you're still a crybaby," Feng Yongrui joked.
Ma Bo gave a pout, but he asked again.
"Master, you're truly not angry with me? You really won't abandon me, right?"
Feng Yongrui shook his head. "I won't. Don't worry. You will always be my precious disciple. You too, Xiao Shu," Feng Yongrui said, petting Hou Renshu's head as well.
The master and disciples were enjoying a blissful reunion and they did not realize that the youth, who had been unconscious, had now opened his eyes and stared at them. The youth had a complicated look in his eyes...
After a few minutes, Ma Bo had finally calmed down. He had wiped away his tears in embarrassment and apologized profusely for hugging his Master like that.
How could he be so disrespectful, Ma Bo chided himself in his heart.
Feng Yongrui had checked both of his disciples' conditions. Except for a few scratches and bruises, his two disciples were alright.
Well, Ma Bo had swollen eyes, but that was okay.
"I'd like to hear your story and explanation about your Demonic Constitution," Feng Yongrui began, "But I have no idea when the guards will come here... Also, we still need to save the children. So, let's get out of here first and talk later."
Hou Renshu and Ma Bo agreed.
"As for this person..." Feng Yongrui gave a complicated look at the youth who was lying motionless on the ground.
"Master, do you think this is Little Prince?" Ma Bo asked, his voice hoarse from all his crying.
"Huh... that's possible. I guess we can only find out after we ask him..." Feng Yongrui's was about to continue speaking when the youth's eyes flew open.
The three of them were instantly on alert, and Feng Yongrui subconsciously pulled his disciples behind him.
"Who are you?" Feng Yongrui asked. "Where's Little Prince?"
The youth sat upright and looked at the three of them with a hurt expression.
"Masters... do you not want me anymore?" The youth said pitifully.
When he heard his own voice, the youth was stunned. He looked down at himself and gaped at his own body.
"M-my paws! Where are my cute padded paws?!"
The youth turned around and glared at his white skin.
"W-what about my glossy black fur? Why.... W-why am I like this?" The youth cried.
Ma Bo called out tentatively, "Xiao Hei?"
The youth's eyes grew brighter and he dashed to Ma Bo's side on all fours.
"That's right, it's me! Master, do you finally recognize me? Why am I like this, Master?"
Ma Bo gaped at the youth, but before he could say anything, the youth had already put his paws, no, his hands, on Ma Bo's arms.
"Master, since you can finally understand what I'm saying, can you change my name? It's so hard having three names, and it's even harder when all those names are so ugly..."
Feng Yongrui: "..."
Yup, there was no doubt about it. This youth was definitely Little Prince!
***
The youth: It's hard having three names...
System: Four! You have four names! Don't forget the name I gave you...
Feng Yongrui: See, even the dog doesn't acknowledge you...
System: QAQ