Chapter 165
Li Sinian moved cautiously through the mist.
The dense, blood-red mist was icy cold, swirling around him and evoking an overwhelming wave of negative emotions that he struggled to suppress.
Unbidden, scenes buried deep in his memories began to surface—moments of profound pain and anguish from nearly forty years of his life.
Realizing something was wrong, Li Sinian covered his nose and mouth with his hand.
Although this made breathing difficult, it alleviated the oppressive sensation slightly. However, the coldness still seeped into his skin, continuing to affect him.
I must find Qiqi quickly and bring her back!
If this blood mist could have such a strong negative impact on him, it would be far worse for a young cub already struggling with bloodline berserk issues!
“Stop!”
A crisp, childlike voice suddenly rang out, causing Li Sinian to halt instinctively.
He turned toward the source of the voice, remaining on alert. But when he saw the speaker, he froze in place.
It was a child standing near a wall corner. Shrouded in the hazy blood mist, it was difficult to make out his features. The boy had short, ash-blond hair, amber-brown eyes, and a pair of fluffy ears atop his head. A lion’s tail swayed behind him.
Li Sinian momentarily forgot about pursuing Qiqi. Unconsciously, he floated closer to the boy, his heartbeat quickening with every step.
Finally, as he stared at the boy’s face, which bore a striking resemblance to his own, Li Sinian whispered, “Yangyang…”
Rong Heng, observing the man who seemed vaguely familiar yet unfamiliar, watched as he floated toward him with his feet off the ground. Rong Heng instinctively took two steps back, raising the small sword in his hand defensively.
The man wasn’t wearing a base uniform, making it clear he wasn’t from the base. He had emerged from the blood mist and could hover in mid-air without the use of a hovercraft. To Rong Heng, he seemed more like a monster than a person.
Rong Heng bared his teeth.
Since leaving the nursery, the blood mist had infiltrated his body, stirring the dormant power of his bloodline.
“Who are you?” the boy demanded, his eyes gradually tinged with crimson, filled with a fierce determination to fight.
He could sense the man’s strength, but fear or hesitation never crossed his mind. As Su Su had taught him, In a narrow encounter, the brave prevail. If you show fear before the fight begins, you’ve already lost.
“Yangyang, I’m your father!” Li Sinian exclaimed with emotion.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, the boy shouted, “You really are a monster!”
Li Sinian was momentarily stunned, and before he could react, the boy vanished from sight. The next instant, Li Sinian instinctively dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the boy’s attack.
The boy landed on the ground and turned to look at him. His face and hands were now covered in fur, resembling a real lion cub.
However, something unusual stood out—his amber-brown eyes were now glowing with a faint green light.
Li Sinian froze, then felt a surge of overwhelming joy.
That familiar bloodline energy… It was the power of the Sea Falcon’s Manipulation, combined with the unmistakable aura of familial connection!
There was no doubt about it—this was his child. This was Yangyang!
Seeing the boy preparing to attack again, Li Sinian had no time for a reunion. He quickly raised his hand, unleashing the power of an adult Sea Falcon.
The boy, who had been ready to pounce on him, was suddenly suspended mid-air, unable to move no matter how hard he struggled.
“Child, calm down!”
Li Sinian approached him, his voice trembling. “I really am your father! Can’t you feel it? The bloodline bond between us!”
Rong Heng stared at him intently, his reason teetering on the edge of collapse. Clutching the small sword in his hand, he waited for a momentary lapse in Li Sinian’s concentration, planning to thrust the blade into him.
But then—
“Xiang Yang!”
A strong, commanding voice echoed sharply in his ears, momentarily snapping Rong Heng back to his senses.
At the same time, he felt a wave of intense heat.
A Crimson Flame Tiger leaped down from the metal wall of the nursery and landed steadily beside the father and son. Blazing flames erupted from its paws, burning away the surrounding blood mist.
The flames also scattered the malevolent spirits that had been closing in on Li Sinian and Rong Heng.
Li Sinian felt an immense relief as he turned to the berserk boy. He quickly reached out and held him tightly, using their familial bond to help soothe and suppress the chaos within Rong Heng’s bloodline.
As he did, he realized something troubling.
His son had awakened both the Red-Tailed Lion and Sea Falcon bloodlines simultaneously. Could this mean that the child he had just found might soon be lost again?
His heart heavy with worry, Li Sinian didn’t stop pouring his energy into Rong Heng, working to stabilize him.
Ran Lie, who had been about to intervene, noticed Rong Heng’s aura gradually calming under Li Sinian’s efforts. Tilting his head curiously, he observed the man’s actions.
Who is this stranger? Ran Lie wondered. If he’s not a monster, why was he fighting Rong Heng?
Ran Lie couldn’t make sense of the situation but remained vigilant. With him there, the malevolent spirits dared not approach, and the encroaching blood mist was continuously burned away by his flames.
Rong Heng gradually returned to a peaceful state but ultimately passed out due to the clash of his bloodlines.
Li Sinian gazed at him, his hand gently caressing the boy’s cheek as if he were handling a priceless treasure. His expression was a mix of tears and laughter, a sight that tugged painfully at the heart.
Ran Lie, watching from the side, grew increasingly perplexed.
He eyed the man suspiciously, convinced that if he didn’t intervene soon, the stranger might do something bizarre to Rong Heng.
The Crimson Flame Tiger extended its long tail toward Rong Heng, intending to pull him away, but Li Sinian caught it in one swift motion.
The man’s sharp, eagle-like eyes glared coldly at the Crimson Flame Tiger, filled with a piercing intensity.
No one would take his child from him again. No one!
Ran Lie, provoked by the intensity in Li Sinian’s gaze, bristled with fury. Just as he was about to confront the strange man, Li Sinian finally regained his composure.
Looking at the small tiger before him, Li Sinian realized he had seen it in previous footage. If it hadn’t been for its timely arrival, he might not have been able to reach Rong Heng in time.
“Are you a cub from the nursery?” Li Sinian hesitated before releasing the tiger’s tail and asking the question.
Ran Lie glanced at him for a moment before giving a curt nod. He then extended his tail again, carefully wrapping it around Rong Heng’s waist.
This time, Li Sinian forced himself to stay calm. This is my son’s friend, he reminded himself. I haven’t reunited with my son yet—I can’t act recklessly.
He didn’t intervene further.
Ran Lie gently lifted Rong Heng and placed him on his back.
At that moment, Li Sinian remembered his original goal and cursed under his breath. Rising to his feet, he said, “Take Yangyang back to the nursery. There’s a new cub who’s gone missing—I need to find her.”
Yangyang…
Ran Lie cast a peculiar look at Li Sinian but didn’t follow his instruction. Since Rong Heng’s condition had stabilized and the blood mist couldn’t affect them with him around, he decided otherwise.
“I’ll go with you,” Ran Lie said coolly.
Li Sinian was momentarily stunned but glanced at his son, who was lying on the tiger’s back. Finally, he nodded. After this delay, finding Lai Qiqi is going to take some time anyway.
He extended his mental energy, carefully analyzing the traces left in the environment, and chose a direction to follow.
Ran Lie also extended his mental energy, sensing that Li Sinian’s power bore a striking similarity to Rong Heng’s.
This puzzled him, but for now, it was clear the man wasn’t a monster.
Together, they tracked Lai Qiqi’s trail.
*
In the blood mist…
Lai Qiqi continued running forward. She could feel the power within her boiling and her remaining consciousness slipping away.
I must get as far away from Mom as possible before I lose control!
I don’t want to hurt her again!
The little girl ran aimlessly, not knowing how long she had been moving until her too-long pant leg tripped her. With a thud, she fell flat onto the ground.
“Awoo! Awoo!”
Her clothes, now crumpled on the ground, formed a lump in the middle. From within, a small creature let out angry, childish growls.
“Awoo! Awoo!”
“Woof! Woof!”
After making several different sounds, the creature under the clothes finally quieted down.
Perhaps drawn by the noise, a beetle lurking in the shadows of a nearby corner cautiously extended its head. Its red compound eyes locked onto the lump of clothing as it slowly crept closer.
Just as the black beetle was about to make its move—
A pair of black leather shoes appeared nearby. In the next moment, the beetle froze mid-motion and shattered into pieces, disappearing completely before even hitting the ground.
The shoes didn’t pause and continued toward the lump of clothing.
A slender, fair hand reached out, rummaged through the pile, and pulled out a fluffy black-and-white bundle.
The bundle dangled limply, its limbs drooping. It was soft and bouncy, resembling an adorable plush toy.
However, the little bundle’s temperament was far less pleasant than its appearance. Despite being firmly held by the scruff of its neck, it barked angrily at its captor.
“Are you a dog?” Su Ci asked curiously.
Judging by its coloring, it should be a panda cub, right?
“Woof!”
The tiny panda cub opened its mouth, revealing baby teeth, and tried to bite Su Ci.
Naturally, Su Ci didn’t let it succeed. Instead, he commented, “You’ve got quite a bad temper.”
Then, he set the panda cub on the ground and began rubbing its head vigorously. At first, the little cub barked furiously, but soon, it was subdued by the head massage, flopping onto the ground like a plush toy.
Su Ci smiled faintly, finding the little panda cub surprisingly cute.
“Su Su.”
A voice interrupted him, stopping his “mischief.”
“Finished your onboarding?”
Su Ci picked up the panda cub again and handed it to A-Yan, who had just arrived.
Ayan had no choice but to hold the small panda in his arms. As he glanced at Su Ci, he wondered if Su Su had noticed that he had stolen a kiss before leaving earlier.
“Yes, I’m officially a trainee caretaker now,” A-Yan replied.
“Good,” Su Ci nodded before heading back toward the nursery.
A-Yan followed behind, holding the panda cub, and asked what they were going to do with it.
Su Ci shrugged and said, “Hand it over to the parents, of course.”
He smirked. Seriously? With both parents here, why should I waste my soul energy? If the mother can’t handle it, isn’t the father still around?
Well I guess this kind of counts as a reunion…