Li Wei's heart tightened and shock. When he knows that his grandpa has been lurking around to protect him, this is what he was most afraid of to happen.
"You mean—" He closed his eyes, steadying his voice. "I know who you speak of grandpa."
The Crocodile Douluo's smile flickered with surprise and relief. "You know?"
Li Wei opened his eyes to meet his grandfather's. He must ask a question, to seek a clarity. "The spirit beast that you talk about grandpa, is that Xiao Wu?"
"Is that the one that bear the bunny martial spirit then yes, it is her." The question that was ask by his own grandson, he answer it with confidence and without hesitation.
He look again straight toward his grandpa and in his eyes—they blazed with expectation. "Grandpa, she is no longer can be considered just a spirit beast. She is also a human being. She chose a human form long ago. To me she is already more human than any tool or weapon. I cannot—will not—let you harm her."
Silence stretched between them. Then the Crocodile Douluo bowed his head, understanding shining in his gaze. "I see…" Thinking that the beast might have ensnare and bewitched his only grandson. Yet, a small part of him acknowledged the conviction in Li Wei's words.
Li Wei nodded. "Spirit Hall exists to protect the weak from tyranny—those who would exploit spirit power and their strength to bully and take advantage of ordinary people. Xiao Wu, despite her origin, has never harmed the innocent. We always fight spirit beast for their ring. They might have some resentment about it but that resentment they do not use it to terrorized normal people. Not only that, she is also my friend."
The Crocodile Douluo grimaced, an old ache flaring within him. "You speak with compassion because you do not know the full truth," he said quietly. "There are reasons behind the endless battles between spirit masters and spirit beasts… dark reasons. Still, those reasons must be weighed carefully." Listening to this make him felt headaches, he felt pity for the spirit beast as he also knows the real reason for the fight between spirit master and spirit beast as the second worship of spirit hall.
"Even if that truth is just to separate and divide our world, then we the people of spirit hall should be the one to dictate it. Not some no name that already disappear from our history."
"Even so," Li Wei insisted, voice firm as iron, "spirit beasts are like humans — there are both good and evil among them. Shouldn't they be given a chance?"
"This moment, this place, it will be a start that I—no, we will prove to the world that human and spirit beast that turn to human able to coexist."
Tears glimmered beneath the elder's brow. Never had he imagined a thirteen-year-old boy could speak with such conviction. "You speak the ancient truths of Spirit Hall more purely than many who bear its title." To start something it must have a beginning, maybe his grandson might able to do it to change the status quo and he knows this is not something that can be done by half-ass will.
If something can be proven from this and it might be able to promote the relationship between the human and the spirit beast. The world of spirit master will change completely.
"Are you sure that you want to do this?" The elder then turn his body away from his own grandson and cross both his hand toward the back. "This is not something that can be done easily. You might need to face the whole world." He want to warn his grandson whether he got a resolve to do it.
He can also see it. Human have limited livespan but spirit beast can live a long times, they might be able to protect spirit hall for a long times. But it hard to change the thing that has become a common perception.
Hearing that word from his grandpa. "Of course, I have the resolve for it. I have been readying myself for a long times."
"That's so." He humn slowly. So that is why he came here. A beginning to something new. Then he can only accept it and support the grandson silently, he just hope that this kid will be able to recover from despair when it fail. "A beginning must always have a seed. I will support you — from the shadows if need be. But be warned: despair awaits those who waver."
The Crocodile Douluo's voice softened, as if recalling a distant hymn. "Long ago, Spirit Hall rose to stand against those who used spirit power to oppress. Our first masters gave their lives so the powerless might live without fear. Their oath was to compassion, not conquest." But he knows that the lower level people in spirit hall that far away from the politic of spirit hall might still have that mentality but for the higher it will be hard. Especially after Bibi Dong came to power.
Li Wei's grip tightened around his hand. "Then I will carry that oath forward. I will protect the innocent, human or human spirit beast against cruelty and injustice." Maybe should include spirit beast that develop intelligence itself.
The Crocodile Douluo's lips curved into a proud, bittersweet smile. "This is why I hid in the darkness. To see if your heart bore the right fire. And now I know: though your path differs from what I had imagined, your spirit is true."
Above them, the moon bathed their silhouettes in silver light, as if blessing the vow that had been forged this night — one of protection, and one of revolution.
Before turning away, the Crocodile Douluo's expression darkened once more. "There is another matter. Your grandpa has been feeling a Title Douluo of unknown origin wandering around near this academy semingly. His intentions… are shrouded in the unknown."
Li Wei's heart pounded. A Title Douluo—one of the highest spirit masters—was no trivial threat. "Do we know his name? His domain?" He know who that is. There is only one person right now that can be considered a Title Douluo that hiding near the academy—that is Tang Hao.
"Grandpa, I think he will not be a problem right now. If it is who I think that person is he will try to lay low at this times." He want to keep it a secret but then he remember, about the bastardation of the son and father duo. For his safety he will need to make sure that his grandfather can protect him and have a counter for Tang Hao.
"Do you who that is?" It make him shock that his own grandson know who that person is that even he still do not know the person. The person always longing around the Shrek academy, he want to take action but he do not want to startle that person and maybe causing harm to his grandson.
"It might be Tang Hao, the father of Tang San." He reveal the secret without a second thought or feeling guilty about it. "Tang San is the person that have blue silver grass martial spirit."
The moment that he know that the person is Tang Hao, the person that became the thorn for spirit hall. For the public that is. He knows that Tang Hao is the scapegoat of Bibi Dong when she devour Qian Xunji. He also knows that anyone that bearing the name Tang from the Clear Sky Clan is one of the troublemaker. If he tried to harm his grandson, then he will know why he is call Crocodile Douluo.
What make him shock is that a person like that have a son. Now that he tried to remember it, the previous supreme pontiff is hunting spirit beast turn human and that spirit beast is pregnant. It just mention in passing as he never bothered with trivial matter like that.
"You do not have to worries if a weakling like that tried to harm you, it will be the death of him. Just be careful, do not let your guard down. You must stay vigilant." But to have the son having just a blue silver grass martial spirit, it really is a melancholy.
"I know grandfather, I will keep myself safe from harm." Well as long as he able to solve it, of course he will keep himself safe.
Li Wei's eyes gleamed with steely calm. "One more thing, grandfather, do not strike first. There will be a times as we wait for the right moment. You taught me that patience is its own power. When the time comes, we will strike."
The Crocodile Douluo placed a hand on Li Wei's shoulder, firm and steady. "I trust your judgment, grandson. Tonight, we rest. Tomorrow… we prepare."
As the elder melted back into the night's embrace, Li Wei remained beneath the gingko tree, gazing up at the moon. A silent guardian had revealed himself, and threats now lurked closer than before. Yet he felt no fear—only a resolute calm.
"I will protect them all," he vowed to the moonlit sky. "No darkness, no matter how deep, will stand against my resolve."
And with that final promise, Li Wei turned toward his dorm, the silent stones beneath his feet echoing the path of a new dawn—one he would guard with every ounce of his spirit.