Night.
Nuobai’s body was damp with moisture, and she lay limply on the bed.
Another advantage of her loli form was that she could sleep on her stomach.
Bai Luxin walked out of the bathroom drying her hair and saw a cascade of snow-white hair spread across the bed.
Through the gaps in the hair, Nuobai’s youthful skin glowed with a rosy tint.
She lifted the hair to see that underneath, she wasn’t wearing anything.
“Why aren’t you wearing clothes?”
Her butt was slapped, but Nuobai buried her head without any reaction.
She had to be dragged into a bath every day, so she no longer cared about this kind of minor contact.
Why did her sister love bathing so much? She treated Nuobai like a little kid, personally rubbing every inch of her skin to make sure she was truly clean.
Bai Luxin crouched by the bed. “Help me dry my hair. Time to sleep.”
Nuobai turned her face away and covered Bai Luxin’s head with her tail, evaporating the moisture.
Bai Luxin touched her hair. It was completely dry, with a scent like it had been dried in the sun.
How convenient.
She didn’t know exactly how strong Nuobai was, but Nuobai really knew a lot of things.
Other than cooking, it seemed she could fulfill any request Bai Luxin had.
Through her hair, Nuobai sensed Bai Luxin lie down beside her.
The next second, Bai Luxin’s arm wrapped around Nuobai’s waist, and Nuobai was irresistibly pulled into her embrace.
They fit together perfectly, without any gap.
Nuobai’s body temperature was relatively low, and since it was summer, Bai Luxin loved holding her.
“It’s been almost a year, Nuonuo.”
Bai Luxin nuzzled her ear as she spoke. Who would have thought that the little kitten from before had now become the little sister in her arms?
At first, she’d been really worried about taking care of Nuobai. Back then, Nuobai had been so aloof.
She’d barely mustered the courage to hold Nuobai in her arms and cuddle.
But it turned out Nuobai was pretty easy to get close to. As long as Bai Luxin let down her pride and took the initiative a few times, Nuobai would start responding.
Now, Nuobai would occasionally act spoiled on her own, giving Bai Luxin a sense of accomplishment, like she’d raised a daughter.
After saying that, Bai Luxin fell silent. Nuobai thought she was feeling insecure again, so she turned and wrapped her tail around Bai Luxin’s neck.
Bai Luxin was still reminiscing when she felt a tug on her neck. She looked down to meet Nuobai’s eyes.
Their heterochromatic pupils shimmered with affection and concern.
“Sister… why are you always so sad?”
Bai Luxin’s emotions were intense. At first, they would intoxicate Nuobai—sweet, charming, intoxicating.
But over time, Nuobai could see the undertone hidden deep in her heart: an indescribable loneliness and sorrow.
Even if Bai Luxin covered it up with kindness and strength, hiding it well enough to fool others, she couldn’t fool Nuobai.
“Sad? I’m not sad.”
“When I’m with Nuonuo, I’m super happy.”
Bai Luxin herself hadn’t realized that deep down, she was always sad.
She pressed Nuobai down beneath her and whispered in her ear with a smile.
“What, Nuonuo isn’t happy being with her sister?”
“Happy…”
If she didn’t want to say it, fine. Nuobai closed her eyes and didn’t dare look at her. Bullying her wasn’t right.
“How happy~”
Bai Luxin clearly wasn’t going to let her off easily. Her tone was teasing as she breathed into Nuobai’s ear.
Under the tyranny of oppression, Nuobai’s fine hairs trembled in protest, complaining to their owner.
Nuobai felt like that single breath was about to blow her soul away.
Her whole body felt light and airy. She stammered for Bai Luxin to move away.
“Boo-hoo, my kitty doesn’t want me anymore!”
Nuobai knew she was joking, but she couldn’t refuse.
“I don’t not want you!”
“Go to sleep!”
Bai Luxin pressed her body down a little more. Nuobai was pitifully trapped, with nowhere to retreat. A voice appeared in her mind.
‘Call out, scream all you want. No one will come to save you.’
“I’m wagging my tail happily!”
Having resigned to reality, Nuobai gave up entirely. Stuttering, she described it with clumsy words.
“I want to stay by sister’s side forever. I’ll… I’ll…”
Nuobai kept stammering, unable to get the next words out. Bai Luxin couldn’t help but snort a laugh.
“Dummy sister!”
“Alright, alright, I’m the dummy.”
“Thank you, Nuonuo, for sticking with this dummy and never abandoning me.”
“Y-you know that’s enough. If you bully me again… I won’t let you hold me.”
Bai Luxin cooperatively made a scared face and whispered sweet things in her ear.
The tail that had been wrapped around her neck was already grasped in Nuobai’s hands.
It wasn’t obedient. It kept wanting to wag!
…
The “Torch” selection was held once every ten years. Normally, only the first-place winner was chosen as the sole focus for the city’s subsequent training.
But this time was a bit different. News had spread that Dragon Sleep City was about to open the Dragon Sleep Land, and several neighboring cities discussed holding the event together.
Each city would contribute resources, and the top ten would be selected to form a “Torch” squad.
News that the Blood Feather Lord had emerged from the Feather Dove Core City made many inner cities and border cities uneasy.
The last time a powerhouse of this level appeared, it had set off a catastrophic calamity.
Seizing this opportunity, sticking together was the best choice.
Thus, the entire competition system changed. Each city would receive a certain number of seeded spots based on their strength, followed by a ranking match to pick the top ten.
Finally, all participants would be eligible to enter the Dragon Sleep Land, where they could seek a stroke of fate and opportunity.
It’s important to note that the Dragon Sleep Land secret realm had no rules. The one who survived was the winner.
That meant even if someone became a “Torch” in the ranking match, if they died in the Dragon Sleep Land, everything would be wasted.
And whoever killed a “Torch” would obtain the “Torch” qualification.
“Nuobai, as a seed, you only need to defeat those who challenge you to earn the ‘Torch’ spot.”
“But this selection is exceptionally brutal. The ranking match is just a facade. The Dragon Sleep Land is a giant fighting pit.”
“Think it over carefully before you make your choice.”
On the eve of the competition, Qin Nian gave one last warning. Knowing that the Dragon Sleep Land would become a huge mess, they were still jumping in.
Qin Nian really wanted to crack open their heads and see what was inside.
“Nuobai, are you trying to get yourself killed for revenge and drag Bai Luxin along with you?”
“I’m not doing it for revenge. And I’m confident I can protect my sister.”
If it were just revenge, Nuobai wouldn’t need to enter the Dragon Sleep Land. But if it were related to advancement?
She didn’t want to stay stuck at the second-tier late stage forever, nor did she want to betray Bai Luxin.
So she had to find a way to try a new path of advancement.
Since she couldn’t replenish the Betrayal Power, the Dragon Sleep Land, as an inheritance secret realm, held the best opportunity for her to advance.
Of course, if she could get revenge along the way, Nuobai wouldn’t spare Long Qianwu. She still believed Long Qianwu was the killer.
“I support Nuobai.”
Before Qin Nian could even ask her, Bai Luxin spoke up.
“Get lost, both of you!”
Seeing Qin Nian angry, Nuobai scooped up Bai Luxin and ran.
The “Torch” selection required participants to be no older than twenty-five. Nuobai believed that no one in that age range could be her opponent.
A year had passed. That Silverback Dragon was probably only third-tier by now.
And she, in one year, had gone from a zero-tier cub to second-tier late stage.
Moreover, her actual combat power was close to fourth-tier.
There would be no more accidents on this trip.