"Uncle Lin, if you want to absorb it, then go ahead."
The sudden words caused Lin Lang's body to stiffen.
He abruptly raised his head and stared at Yu Xiaogang in disbelief.
"What did you just say?"
For a moment, Lin Lang thought he had misheard.
"I said, if you want this Spirit Bone, then absorb it."
Yu Xiaogang calmly repeated himself.
"Xiao Gang, do you even realize what you're saying?"
Lin Lang stepped forward, his breathing growing heavier as he firmly grasped Yu Xiaogang's shoulders.
"Of course I do."
Yu Xiaogang met his gaze without hesitation.
"To be honest, if these Spirit Bones belonged to slots that my father was still missing, I would do everything possible to ensure they ended up in his hands."
"But the truth is, my father already possesses Spirit Bones for both of these positions."
"So even if I send them back to the sect, they won't end up with him. At best, they'll be given to one of the Spirit Douluos within the sect."
"If that's the case, why not save the trouble and let you absorb one directly?"
Lin Lang's hands trembled slightly.
His expression became unusually complicated.
"What about yourself?"
He stared intently into Yu Xiaogang's eyes.
"Have you considered that, given how highly the Sect Master and the elders value you, this Spirit Bone might eventually be given to you if it were returned to the sect?"
Lin Lang knew very well how intelligent Yu Xiaogang was.
That was precisely why he couldn't understand his decision.
Yu Xiaogang was fully aware of the value of a Spirit Bone.
He also understood his own status within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.
With his talent and importance, if the Spirit Bone were returned, Yu Yuanzhen would undoubtedly do everything in his power to secure it for his son.
Yet Yu Xiaogang was willingly handing the Spirit Bone over to him.
Could it really be that he had no interest in it at all?
As it turned out, that was exactly the case.
"I don't want this Spirit Bone."
Yu Xiaogang spoke without the slightest hesitation.
"A Spirit Master's cultivation is built upon compatibility."
"The same principle applies to spirit rings, and I believe it applies equally to Spirit Bones."
"If I ever absorb a Spirit Bone, it must be one that is compatible with me."
"Otherwise, I'd rather not absorb one at all."
His tone was firm and decisive.
Ever since obtaining his first two spirit rings, Yu Xiaogang had committed himself to a cultivation path centered around maximizing compatible attributes.
The improvements brought by those two spirit rings had only reinforced his belief that he had chosen correctly.
In fact, Yu Xiaogang suspected that the extraordinary strength of his first two Spirit Abilities was largely due to the exceptional compatibility between the Spirit Beasts and his martial spirit, Little Dragon.
Because of this, he intended to continue pursuing compatibility in every aspect of his future cultivation.
This principle applied not only to spirit rings but even more so to Spirit Bones.
He had spent years carefully laying the foundation for his future.
The last thing he wanted was for all that effort to be undermined by absorbing an incompatible Spirit Bone.
If that happened, it would be too late for regrets.
As Lin Lang listened to Yu Xiaogang's explanation and looked into his unwavering eyes, he finally realized that the young man was completely serious.
After a moment of silence, Lin Lang spoke again.
"What about the sect elders?"
"They're Spirit Douluos as well."
"If one of them obtained this Spirit Bone, they might be able to break through to the Titled Douluo realm."
"And compared to me, they're much closer to you."
His voice carried a trace of uncertainty.
Truthfully, even Lin Lang couldn't understand his own thoughts at that moment.
Normally, since Yu Xiaogang had already made his intentions clear, he should simply accept the gift and absorb the Spirit Bone.
Even if questions arose in the future, Yu Xiaogang would undoubtedly shoulder the responsibility.
Yet for some reason, Lin Lang couldn't stop himself from asking.
"But the person standing beside me right now is you, Uncle Lin."
Yu Xiaogang smiled.
"If the Grand Elder or any of the others were here instead, I would make the exact same decision."
"Besides, if you're worried about being blamed by the sect later, we can simply keep it a secret."
"And even if it does come to light, it doesn't matter."
"You can place all the responsibility on me and my father."
"We'll handle the consequences."
Yu Xiaogang shrugged casually.
To him, Lin Lang was more than just a guardian.
He was his Dao Protector.
A cultivator's safety depended heavily on the loyalty and strength of those protecting them.
Maintaining a strong relationship with his Dao Protector was naturally worthwhile.
After all, an emperor would never offend the royal chef responsible for his meals.
Likewise, a general would always treat his carriage driver with respect.
Some relationships were simply too important to neglect.
Lin Lang fell silent.
His heart surged with emotions he could hardly describe.
After a long pause, he took a deep breath and solemnly declared,
"I won't waste words on gratitude."
"But from this day forward, you can rest assured."
"As long as I live, there will never be any negligence when it comes to your safety."
His voice was filled with absolute conviction.
The moment he finished speaking, Lin Lang sat cross-legged on the ground and began refining the Spirit Bone.
Nearby, Yue Guan and Gui Mei had been stunned ever since Yu Xiaogang offered the Spirit Bone to Lin Lang.
When they saw Lin Lang actually begin absorbing it, envy flooded their hearts.
Their gazes unconsciously shifted toward Bibi Dong.
A trace of hope lingered in their eyes.
Perhaps she would say the same thing.
Perhaps she would allow one of them to absorb the remaining Spirit Bone.
Unfortunately, after remaining silent for a long time, Bibi Dong never uttered a single word.
The hope in their hearts gradually faded.
Disappointment settled in.
They understood her situation.
As the Pope's disciple, Bibi Dong was already carrying immense pressure.
She desperately wanted to earn the Pope's recognition and couldn't afford to make decisions that might disappoint him.
Giving away such a precious Spirit Bone without permission was simply impossible for her.
Understanding her reasons, however, didn't erase their disappointment.
Comparison was often the source of the greatest pain.
At this very moment, Lin Lang was happily refining a Spirit Bone while they could only stand by and watch.
That scene alone spoke louder than any words ever could.
---
White World – Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect
"So this is why you've spent all these years doing whatever Xiao Gang asked of you?"
Yu Yuanzhen raised an eyebrow as he looked toward Lin Lang.
Within the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, there was no one more obedient to Yu Xiaogang than Lin Lang.
Many disciples often joked that if Yu Xiaogang ever told Lin Lang to jump off a cliff, he would probably do so without hesitation.
For years, people had wondered why Lin Lang was so devoted to him.
Even Yu Yuanzhen, the man who had assigned Lin Lang to protect Yu Xiaogang in the first place, had never known the exact reason.
Now it seemed that everything had begun with this Spirit Bone.
Lin Lang laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! Of course not."
He shook his head.
Just as everyone was about to question him further, he continued.
"That was merely the beginning."
"The beginning of my loyalty to Young Master Xiao Gang."
His gaze became distant as memories from those years resurfaced.
During the time he had accompanied Yu Xiaogang, he had witnessed countless extraordinary things.
Bit by bit, he had been completely won over by the young genius.
The age difference between them had never mattered.
What mattered was the character Yu Xiaogang displayed.
His wisdom.
His foresight.
His generosity.
His courage.
Everything gradually earned Lin Lang's complete admiration.
By the end, it was no exaggeration to say that he would willingly lay down his life for Yu Xiaogang without the slightest regret.
When Yu Xiaogang eventually matured and no longer required his protection, Lin Lang had felt lost for quite some time.
After all, safeguarding Yu Xiaogang had become a central purpose of his life.
Fortunately, Yu Yuanzhen had helped him understand.
People like Yu Xiaogang were destined to soar through the heavens like true dragons.
Being allowed to accompany such a dragon on part of its journey was already a tremendous honor.
As for the future, their role was simply to support him, bless him, and watch him fly ever higher.
A faint sigh escaped Lin Lang's lips.
"It's a pity."
"The appearance of this heavenly curtain has left a stain on Young Master Xiao Gang's reputation."
His eyes turned toward the screen in the sky.
The pathetic behavior of the parallel-world Yu Xiaogang still filled him with frustration.
How could such a person possibly be compared to the Yu Xiaogang he knew?
The two were worlds apart.
A cold snort escaped him.
"If I had a way to travel to that parallel world..."
Lin Lang's eyes flashed with lightning-like fury.
"I would personally make that Yu Xiaogang experience the wrath of Thunder Wolf Douluo!"
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)