Bai Lian sat at a nearby desk, focused on the matters at hand. His quill pen moved across the paper, making a soft SCRITCH-SCRATCH sound.

Su Yaoyao was not far away, quietly flipping through ancient books about the Star Shining Empire.

As she turned the pages, the history of the Empire unfolded before her, largely matching what Bai Lian had told her before.

But seeing this history laid out so plainly in writing, Su Yaoyao felt the Empire’s almost desperate longing for females even more keenly.

Absently, Su Yaoyao found a register listing those who had died from the rage sickness. Her fingers trembled slightly as she opened it.

The register was densely packed with the personal information of the deceased. Most of the entries were for army soldiers or Royal Guard Knights.

Behind each name was a life once vibrantly lived. They had been the pride of the Empire, the backbone of its defense.

They shouldered immense pressure and great responsibility, constantly engaged in tense battles and guard duties. Their Rage Value rose far more quickly than that of an ordinary person.

Su Yaoyao’s gaze slowly swept over each line. Her eyes reddened, and tears welled up.

These once-brave and fearless elites were supposed to be the sharp edge protecting their homeland, charging into battle to defend the nation.

But because of this terrifying rage sickness, they were gradually consumed, becoming prisoners of their own emotions and power, turning into uncontrollable beasts.

In the end, unable to be matched with a female and without the soothing of spiritual power, they could only walk helplessly toward death.

Su Yaoyao didn’t dare to imagine it. If she hadn’t awakened her spiritual power, would she have had to just stand by and watch Reg die the day he went berserk?

Bai Lian was focused on his work when he suddenly heard Su Yaoyao’s soft sobs. He shot his head up, and the moment he saw her tear-streaked face, his heart plunged into panic.

He rose swiftly and crossed to her side in a few strides, his voice filled with concern and anxiety. "Yaoyao, what’s wrong?"

As if finding a pillar of support, Su Yaoyao suddenly threw her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. Her voice was choked with tears. "Leon, will you also... die from the rage sickness one day?" 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

’What if, one day, I see the names of Bai Lian, Reg, and Pani in a book like this? And the soldiers I know?’

Bai Lian’s expression froze. His once-bright eyes instantly dimmed as if her words had stirred some painful memory.

He glanced down at the book the little female was reading and immediately understood everything.

He took a deep breath and forced a smile, raising a hand to gently stroke Su Yaoyao’s head. He soothed her tenderly, "Silly girl, as long as you’re here, nothing will happen to me. Your spiritual power is so strong; you’ll definitely be able to protect me always."

Hearing this only made Su Yaoyao cry harder. "But I’ve tried in secret! I can feel that my spiritual power is abundant, but I just can’t get the hang of it! I can’t release it."

She remembered what Pani had said—that many people in the Empire were still afflicted by the rage sickness. She had grown to love this Empire and didn’t want anyone else to die.

’But I’m not strong enough.’

The thought of those tormented by the rage sickness made her frantic with worry.

Bai Lian’s heart ached for her. He tightened his arms slightly, holding Su Yaoyao closer in his embrace, trying to calm her down. "Yaoyao, don’t rush. Spiritual power isn’t something you can master in a day. Take it slow."

Su Yaoyao looked up, her tear-stained face filled with stubbornness. "I don’t want to see anyone else suffer from the rage sickness. Leon, you don’t know how awful I feel seeing those names on the list and thinking about their desperate lives."

Bai Lian sighed softly, his fingers gently wiping the tears from her face. "I know. I know everything. But this sickness isn’t something that can be solved overnight." His eyes were full of worry, and his gaze on Su Yaoyao was filled with heartache.

Listening to Bai Lian’s comforting words did little to ease the bitterness in Su Yaoyao’s heart.

She bit her lower lip, the dense list of names from the register replaying in her mind.

Suddenly, as if she had made a momentous decision, she snapped her head up. She looked at Bai Lian with a steady gaze, a fiery determination burning in her eyes.

"Leon, I’ve decided. From now on, I’m going to train my spiritual power every day until I can master it. Too many people are suffering. I have to do something."

She paused for a moment, a hint of shyness and anticipation flickering in her eyes. Her hands unconsciously tightened on the hem of Bai Lian’s clothes as her voice took on a slightly wheedling tone.

"Will you help me? Be my test subject? I want to try using my spiritual power on you in different ways. It’s the only way I can get better and truly help those tormented by the rage sickness."

Bai Lian looked at the small figure before him. She seemed completely unaware of how alluring her words sounded.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he nodded gently. "Alright, Yaoyao. No matter what you want to do, I’ll be with you."

He raised his hand and gently ruffled Su Yaoyao’s hair, as if soothing a small, wounded animal.

"So... shall we try it now?" Bai Lian suggested.

Su Yaoyao took a deep breath and nodded firmly.

She pulled Bai Lian to sit on the soft sofa, their knees touching as they faced each other.

Su Yaoyao closed her eyes, her long lashes trembling. A sheen of sweat appeared on her forehead as she focused all her attention on channeling the spiritual power within her.

At first, her mind felt chaotic, as if shrouded in fog. Her spiritual power scattered in all directions, difficult to gather.

But she didn’t give up. She kept encouraging herself, trying to recall the feeling from the times her spiritual power had been released naturally, trying to capture that wondrous sensation.

Gradually, she felt a faint, wispy power gathering at her fingertips—the nascent form of her spiritual power.

Bai Lian watched her quietly, his eyes full of trust and encouragement.

He closed his own eyes slightly, clearing his mind, trying to sense the spiritual fluctuations coming from Su Yaoyao to help guide her through this attempt.

Su Yaoyao bit her lower lip, beads of sweat rolling down her cheeks. She focused all her attention on the space between them, attempting to build a bridge on the spiritual plane.

Suddenly, she seemed to catch Bai Lian’s familiar spiritual aura. It was like a ray of dawn in the darkness. Without hesitation, she moved toward that light and successfully connected to Bai Lian’s Spirit World.

Su Yaoyao opened her eyes to a world of chaos. Ink-black darkness churned violently, and vast, distorted shadows writhed across the sky, as if the very foundations of this world were crumbling inch by inch.

Su Yaoyao stared at the scene in disbelief. ’This place is far more terrifying than Reg’s Spirit World.’