Chapter 26: Returning to the Demon Subjugation Pass with Cai'er

The bear cub’s gaze was so intense that Cai’er instinctively shrank back. Seeing her fear, Bai Yue slapped the cub on its forehead and glared at it. "You’re scaring her."

The cub felt aggrieved. As the noble Demon God of Bears, Vassago, he should have been a figure of awe and terror to the human race. Instead, he was now reduced to coaxing a child. He sighed, instantly shrinking until he was only a tenth of his original size—just right to be held in one's arms.

He tugged on Cai’er’s sleeve with a paw and pulled a silly, goofy smile across his bear face, exhausting every brain cell he had to amuse her.

Cai’er blinked and broke into a smile. She hadn’t actually been afraid; she had simply felt uncomfortable being stared at so intensely.

Using a twig, Cai’er wrote on the ground, "Is this your mount, big sister? It’s so cute! It can grow big and shrink small!"

It must be said that girls are powerless against the charm of cute creatures.

Cai’er noticed that the two people before her could expertly manipulate internal spiritual energy of the sacred light, which was proof enough that they were third-tier knights. Yet, they appeared only a year or two older than her, and the older girl even possessed a magical beast with significant potential as a mount.

"Little sister, his name is Bear Cub. Don't let his silly look fool you—he’s tough and sturdy, and he’s actually quite a fighter," Bai Yue introduced with a smile.

She recalled the footage from the original story that 66 had shown her, where Cai’er always had a guardian by her side. But after all this time, why hadn't that guardian appeared yet? Could it be that he, too, had been observing her and Long Haochen?

Just then, several men in black emerged from the nearby bushes. The leader charged straight at Cai’er, his sword drawn with murderous intent in every move.

Without a second thought, Bai Yue tossed the bear cub forward, shouting, "Grow big! Protective barrier! Fire breath!"

This bear possessed dual fire and earth attributes. When Fengxiu had tasked Vassago with creating a clone, he had specifically selected these two attributes, considering that his grandson and daughter needed a durable punching bag that could also dish out some damage.

Bai Yue and Long Haochen stood on either side of Cai’er, shielding her.

"Don't be afraid. With us here, we won't let them hurt you," Long Haochen said, his voice crisp and filled with such warmth that Cai’er felt profoundly reassured.

"What a surprise. The Knight Temple is full of talent; the rejuvenation of the Alliance is promising indeed!" A dozen beams of blinding light erupted from the chest of a man in white. Moments later, the men in black were all collapsed on the ground, barely clinging to life.

Long Haochen watched the man in white with wary eyes. The man chuckled lightly and said calmly, "Little ones, I am this little girl’s guardian. What just happened was merely one of her trials. Even if you hadn't appeared, I wouldn't have let anything happen to her."

"Judging by your techniques, you’re from the Assassin Temple!" Bai Yue crossed her arms, her tone sharp. "This little girl looks to be only seven or eight years old. What kind of 'trial' puts such a young child in mortal danger? Those men in black were clearly trying to kill her with every strike."

The man in white was left speechless by Bai Yue’s words. Of course he knew it was dangerous, but Sheng Cai’er carried the hopes of the Assassin Temple. Everything they did was for the future of the human race, and Cai’er simply had to endure the hardship.

The man in white replied dryly, "Jade must be carved to become a masterpiece. We do this only to unlock Cai’er’s potential."

Long Haochen stared at the man intently, then turned to Cai’er to confirm, "Little sister, do you know this person?"

Cai’er shook her head decisively. The man in white was stunned. *No, Holy Maiden, you can’t just burn bridges like this! I was the one who took out those men in black! I was only a moment late!*

Bai Yue suppressed a smirk, though her face remained cold as frost. She raised her sword, guarding Cai’er. "She shook her head, which means she doesn't know you. In that case, we certainly can't let her go with you."

The man in white gave a helpless, bitter smile. He couldn't resort to force to snatch someone away from these two children. The problem was that the girl looked no older than ten, and the boy was about the same age, yet both were already at the third tier or higher. Furthermore, the ring on the boy's finger was all too familiar—one of the two rings of inheritance.

It was clear that these two children had formidable backgrounds. If he hurt them, he would likely bring the wrath of their elders upon himself, potentially causing a rift between the Knight Temple and the Assassin Temple.

"How about this, then? Come with me to Exorcist Pass. Once you meet Cai’er’s parents, you’ll see that I’m telling the truth," the man in white conceded after a moment's thought.

Long Haochen looked at his mother. Seeing Bai Yue nod, he agreed, "Fine. We will go with you to Exorcist Pass."

Bai Yue felt a twinge of melancholy at the thought of meeting the future in-laws. She didn't know that this trip would only make her heart ache more for Cai’er and deepen her disgust for the high-ranking humans of the Temple Alliance.

...

Bai Yue, Long Haochen, and Cai’er rode on the back of the enlarged bear cub. The cub ran steadily and swiftly, filling Long Haochen with envy. He looked forward to his own future mount, though he knew he still had five years to wait before his father took him to the Knight Mountain.

The man in white rode behind them on a horse, watching the cub run with a thoughtful expression. This bear was only a fourth-tier magical beast, yet it possessed remarkable intelligence. He had considered riding with the three children, but the bear had bared its fangs at him, nearly lunging to bite him.

Little did he know, if it weren't for the need to keep his identity hidden, Vassago would have long since controlled his clone to tear this man to shreds. *Princess Yue, Princess Yu, and the future Imperial Granddaughter-in-law—I cannot afford to offend them, but you, a mere eighth-tier human, actually want to ride me? You have quite an imagination.*

After three days of travel, they finally caught sight of the walls of Exorcist Pass. Compared to the scale of Hao Yue City, Exorcist Pass was magnificent and imposing. Protected by a massive defensive barrier, it was impenetrable to ordinary demons.

Yet, the cruelty of war was on display at every moment; Long Haochen could even smell the faint scent of blood in the air.

The man in white led them to a meeting room. After settling Long Haochen and Bai Yue in, he tried to take Cai’er away, but she refused to let go of Long Haochen's hand.

He sighed helplessly. *Very well, we are back in Exorcist Pass now; there is no rush.*

He turned and left to find Sheng Lingxin and Lan Yanyu. Only Cai’er’s parents could truly explain the situation to these two children.

Throughout the journey, Long Haochen had been observing the reactions of those around them. He was certain that the man in white belonged to the Assassin Temple and held a significant position. Therefore, what the man said was likely true—after all, a high-ranking member of the Assassin Temple had no reason to lie to a child.

"Cai’er, tell me honestly, do you really not know him?" Long Haochen asked, looking at her with a serious expression.