Bibi Dong found the exclamation somewhat amusing and, with a touch of helplessness, tapped Wang Zhong's forehead again. "Now, try to retract the Six-winged Purple Light Wings back into your body, and then change your shirt."
Wang Zhong rubbed his forehead and looked at his clothes, then nodded resignedly. "Alright."
His back was completely torn, and his front clothes had fallen off. He was bare-chested. While Bibi Dong wasn't seeing it for the first time, a lesson still needed to be taught.
"Um, the Six-winged... Six-winged Purple Light Wings, how do I retract them?"
Wang Zhong felt his body but found no switch-like mechanism. External spirit bones seemed different from ordinary spirit bones.
"Imagine these six pairs of wings as extensions of your limbs. Just as you extend your arms and legs, and retract your hands and feet, do the same to retract them."
Bibi Dong explained gently.
Wang Zhong nodded, pondered Bibi Dong's description, blinked his eyes, and in an instant, the Six-winged Purple Light Wings on his back folded like a fan and vanished back into his body with a swish.
This fluid movement even momentarily stunned Bibi Dong. Normally, any soul master who had just acquired an external spirit bone would need time to adapt, typically between fifteen minutes and an hour, before they could achieve simple retraction and deployment.
Yet, Wang Zhong had retracted the Six-winged Purple Light Wings in the blink of an eye, right after she finished speaking. His control was dozens of times stronger than hers.
On the day Bibi Dong acquired the Six-winged Purple Light Wings, it had taken her a full ten breaths to retract them, and another five to deploy them.
Glancing at the vanished Six-winged Purple Light Wings, Wang Zhong willed them to reappear, unfurling them fully.
He retracted and deployed them repeatedly, having fun. Seeing Bibi Dong's displeased gaze, Wang Zhong chuckled sheepishly, obediently retracted the Six-winged Purple Light Wings again, took out a shirt from his soul tool, put it on, and then asked Bibi Dong, "Your Excellency, you know the name of this external spirit bone?"
At this, Bibi Dong's lips curved upwards. Under Wang Zhong's curious gaze, identical Six-winged Purple Light Wings unfurled from her back.
Wang Zhong's eyes lit up. He walked behind Bibi Dong, staring intently at her Six-winged Purple Light Wings, then unfurled his own. Upon careful comparison, he found them to be identical, save for a difference in size.
After letting Wang Zhong scrutinize them for a while, Bibi Dong turned to face him and said with a light laugh, "Now you understand!"
"So, Your Excellency, you have them too!"
Wang Zhong said, looking at her smiling face with a cheerful grin.
Reaching out to stroke Wang Zhong's head, Bibi Dong explained gently, "Yes, I do."
"Unlike yours, my Six-winged Purple Light Wings originated from a hundred-thousand-year-old Purple-winged Spider Empress, while yours came from a sixty-thousand-year-old one."
"External spirit bones grow stronger as the soul master's power increases, which is why my Six-winged Purple Light Wings are considerably larger than yours."
Bibi Dong's smiling face conveyed kindness and tenderness as she softly asked, "Little Wang Zhong, do you want to fly?"
Wang Zhong nodded vigorously. Of course, he wanted to. Who would refuse the temptation of flying in the sky!
"Come, I'll teach you."
Bibi Dong extended her hand, taking Wang Zhong's. The Six-winged Purple Light Wings behind her gave a gentle flap, and she floated silently in the air, her toes lifting off the ground.
"Infuse your spirit power into the Six-winged Purple Light Wings and control them to flap. Feel the power of the wind at this moment, and let that power lift you up."
"The power of the wind!" Wang Zhong murmured. Following Bibi Dong's instructions, he continuously infused spirit power into the Six-winged Purple Light Wings on his back and gave them a forceful flap.
This single flap sent Wang Zhong shooting upwards. If Bibi Dong hadn't been holding his hand, he might have become a bolt of lightning, soaring into the sky and vanishing to an unknown destination.
"The amount of spirit power is the key to the speed the Six-winged Purple Light Wings can provide. The more spirit power, the greater the force generated by the flap, and the faster the speed."
"You need to balance your own weight with the speed you require, and infuse the corresponding amount of spirit power."
Holding Wang Zhong's hand tightly, Bibi Dong guided him back to the ground and explained in detail, her encouraging gaze signaling him to try again.
Under her gaze, Wang Zhong suddenly felt a warmth spreading through him, a warmth different from what he felt with Hu Liena, Xie Yue, Yan, or Dugu Yan.
It was like the pervasive warmth he'd felt in his slumber that day, or the warm and intense feeling on the mountain peak. Back then, the word that had slipped from his lips was "mother."
But this time, Wang Zhong was fully conscious. He simply focused on experiencing this feeling and returned a brilliant smile.
"Okay, I'll try again."
He infused a little more spirit power. The Six-winged Purple Light Wings flapped, but this time, Wang Zhong's body remained motionless; there wasn't even a hint of upward lift.
"Too little spirit power," Bibi Dong explained.
Wang Zhong nodded. After two attempts, he had a rough idea of the right amount.
He infused spirit power again, to a suitable level. As he flapped the Six-winged Purple Light Wings, his body slowly rose, reaching the same height as Bibi Dong.
He hadn't shot into the sky, nor did he remain rooted to the spot. It was just right.
Bibi Dong nodded with satisfaction and continued, "Come, maintain the infusion of spirit power, and flap your wings again."
Wang Zhong nodded and complied. His body gradually lifted into the air, and Bibi Dong ascended with him. When they reached a suitable altitude, Bibi Dong let go of his hand, allowing Wang Zhong to hover in mid-air.
The large and small figures floated silently in the sky. Below them lay vast, unbroken stretches of forest, and above, a clear blue sky. Sunlight bathed them both, casting a gentle glow.
"Try to fly on your own," Bibi Dong encouraged with a smile.
Wang Zhong took a deep breath, and the Six-winged Purple Light Wings on his back flapped continuously. Strangely, he didn't fly away with this force but remained still in mid-air.
However, as Wang Zhong exhaled the air he had inhaled, the Six-winged Purple Light Wings gave a mighty beat. Wang Zhong's figure transformed into a purple afterimage, vanishing from his original position with a burst of speed.
The six wings flapped relentlessly, and Wang Zhong's speed increased exponentially. In what seemed like a blink of an eye, he appeared hundreds of meters away on the other side.
His figure darted back and forth. Wang Zhong was like a child with a new toy, brimming with excitement and joy.
"Haha, Your Excellency, look, I've mastered the method of flying with the Six-winged Purple Light Wings!"
Triumphant laughter echoed in the air, interspersed with Wang Zhong's words. Bibi Dong merely smiled faintly, remaining silent, her gaze fixed on him.
"Alright, stop now."
"We should head back."
After watching Wang Zhong play for a while, Bibi Dong finally spoke with a smile.
"Yes, okay."
He turned in mid-air and rapidly flew towards Bibi Dong. But when he was only a few meters away, his expression suddenly changed. He exclaimed anxiously mid-flight, "Your Excellency, how do I stop these Six-winged Purple Light Wings!"
But at such a short distance, with the speed of the Six-winged Purple Light Wings, it was over in the blink of an eye. Bibi Dong had no time to reply.
In this situation, Wang Zhong crashed headlong into Bibi Dong's embrace. To his surprise, Bibi Dong didn't dodge; instead, she held him tightly in mid-air.
The two figures met in the sky, like a child rushing into an embrace, or a young swallow returning to its nest.
The large and small pairs of Six-winged Purple Light Wings, bathed in sunlight, made the purple wings appear so warm and tender.
Holding Wang Zhong tightly, with her chin resting on his head, Bibi Dong felt a warmth she hadn't experienced in nearly ten years.
The scene before her was almost identical to a story that had unfolded in her dreams.
In her dream, she was gentle, serene, and happy. She poured all her affection and care into that playful and beautiful child, watching her grow, teaching her to fly, and then watching her dart all over the sky with joy, eventually crashing into her arms when she tired.
She would then embrace her tightly, feeling the warmth from their bloodline.
But that dream was only the first half. Its latter part had devolved into intense hatred and madness!
Darkness had consumed her entirely. The beautiful dream had ultimately transformed into a cold, dark cage, and within it, Bibi Dong felt only disgust, madness, and a killing intent.
But now, things were different. The beautiful scene from her dream had reappeared before her eyes, and it was the complete dream, without the latter half!
The child in her arms had the same purple wings as hers, identical Six-winged Purple Light Wings. They originated from the same race, from the same bloodline!
Yes, the same bloodline, the same.
Her massive Six-winged Purple Light Wings slowly closed, enveloping Wang Zhong tightly in Bibi Dong's embrace. She looked like a mother bird spreading her wings to shield her young, protecting him.
Wang Zhong leaned quietly against Bibi Dong's chest. The warmth and intensity in his heart filled his entire being at that moment, a heat that swept away all negative emotions lurking in the shadows.
Mother's love, family affection, he had it too!
Extending his arms to embrace the warm body before him, Wang Zhong whispered softly, "Mom!"
This whisper was like a thunderclap, making Bibi Dong tremble from the depths of her heart to the surface of her body.
Her embrace tightened, and she replied in the softest, gentlest voice, "I'm here!"