"Baobao, how are you feeling?" Hikaru's voice was soft and full of concern.
Feng Baobao slowly opened her eyes. For a brief moment, her gaze appeared hazy, but it quickly sharpened and returned to its usual clarity.
As she took in the sensation of her brand-new body, a faint smile bloomed across her face—warm and radiant like the morning sun.
"No problem~" she replied softly, her words carrying a trace of dialect.
Hearing that, Hikaru couldn't help but lightly slap his own forehead, a helpless smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
After speaking, Baobao blinked in surprise, seemingly realizing something. A flicker of panic crossed her face.
She tried hard to express herself, but found her words jumbled. Her cheeks flushed a deep red.
Clearly, while her soul had successfully entered this new body, it hadn't fully adapted yet—leading to some minor hiccups.
Watching her pouting lips and reddened face, Hikaru couldn't help but laugh.
He gently examined her physical state, then comforted her in a warm tone:
"Don't worry. This is just a side effect of the soul damage. Give it some time—you'll fully recover."
Hearing Hikaru's reassurance, Feng Baobao let out a sigh of relief.
She really didn't want to return to that muddled, blank state she had been in before.
It was then she suddenly realized—though she'd come back to life, she had absolutely nothing on her. Her skin, smooth and flawless, was completely exposed to the air.
Due to the soul's incomplete fusion, she didn't fully understand what was wrong. She only tilted her head slightly and looked at Hikaru with a hint of confusion in her clear eyes.
Hikaru, seeing her adorable expression, couldn't help but lightly tap her forehead.
"Ow!" Baobao winced and quickly covered her forehead with both hands.
Taking the opportunity, Hikaru handed her a set of clothes.
Afterward, he pulled aside Xia He and Chen Duo—who had been inching closer out of curiosity—and briefly explained Baobao's situation, reminding them to take good care of her.
Then, he left the pocket dimension.
Upon returning to the world of The Outcast, Hikaru immediately felt a surge of fate's blessing.
It was as if the laws of the world unfurled before him, and his mind grew extraordinarily clear.
He understood—it was the world expressing gratitude.
On one hand, he had eliminated the Demon who sought to sacrifice the world. On the other, it was a plea, hoping he would remain here.
But to Hikaru, no reward could compare to the recognition he'd earned in the world of Naruto.
After all, the Naruto world practically made him the World Lord—they were one step away from calling him "Dad."
More importantly, all his bonds existed there. He could never stay in a place that was still unfamiliar.
As if sensing his intentions, the world's laws that had once been at his disposal quietly receded.
Hikaru could only shake his head with a laugh—this world really was practical to the core.
Still, he wasn't upset by the world's "stinginess." After all, most world wills were mechanical, devoid of sentiment.
They simply chose the option that best suited their own survival.
Brushing the thought aside, Hikaru sensed Zhang Chulan and the others nearby—and teleported straight to them.
He found that everyone who knew Feng Baobao had already gathered around Zhang Chulan, while Zhang Zhiwei was explaining Baobao's situation to them.
Xu San and Xu Si looked utterly defeated, like withered eggplants.
They'd been furious at Zhang Zhiwei for attacking Baobao without cause. But after learning the truth, they realized—there really was no blaming the Old Celestial Master.
As for Zhang Chulan, his feelings were more complicated.
With the disappearance of the Tian Shi Du, Zhang Zhiwei had laid everything out for him.
Back in the day, Zhang Chulan's grandfather, Zhang Huaiyi, along with Wugen Sheng, had pried open a gap in the Tian Shi Du and discovered that the Demon's physical body was sealed within the Twenty-Four Seasonal Valleys.
So, they led the 36 Bandits there to comprehend the Eight Forbidden Techniques.
Of course, all of this had been subtly manipulated by the Demon. Without its scheming, things wouldn't have progressed so smoothly.
Wugen Sheng's true goal had been to resurrect his daughter—Feng Baobao.
Thankfully, at the critical moment, Wugen Sheng saw through the Demon's plot and sacrificed himself to stop it.
Had he not, the Demon might have revived back then.
Unfortunately, with the recovery of spiritual energy, the Demon's power had grown significantly stronger.
Even someone as powerful as Zhang Zhiwei now struggled to contend with it alone.
Fortunately, there was Hikaru—this anomaly from beyond their world—who had stepped in. Without him, the outcome might've been catastrophic.
When Hikaru appeared, he was surprised to see Zhang Zhiwei's strength had clearly risen, and his appearance had returned to that of his younger self.
Walking over, Hikaru clapped Zhang Zhiwei's back and teased, "You got younger, but somehow you looked better when you were old."
Zhang Zhiwei blinked in surprise—being patted on the back without even noticing was no small thing, especially at his current power level.
But upon hearing Hikaru's voice, he relaxed and laughed heartily: "Hahaha! I knew you'd be fine, my young friend!"
Seeing that Zhang Zhiwei didn't mind the joke, Hikaru smiled and shook his head.
At that moment, Xu San and Xu Si hurried over, asking anxiously, "How's Baobao? Is she okay?"
Seeing their frantic expressions, Hikaru felt a mischievous urge rise.
He wiped the smile from his face and fell silent.
Sure enough, the two panicked instantly.
Xu San dropped to the ground and burst into tears. "Baobao… how could this happen…"
Xu Si, trembling, pulled out a cigarette. But no matter how many times he flicked the lighter, the flame wouldn't catch. His face was a mess of worry and helplessness.
Finally, Hikaru couldn't hold it in—he burst out laughing.
With a wave of his hand, he dispelled the illusion and said, "Relax, Baobao-jie is fine."
The two froze for a second, then broke into grins, tears still clinging to their eyes as they hugged Hikaru tightly.
Caught off guard by their sudden enthusiasm, Hikaru laughed awkwardly and gently pushed them off.
He motioned for them to calm down, then explained everything—what had happened to Feng Baobao, and how he had brought her back.
By the end, Xu San and Xu Si were full of gratitude and admiration.
They knew—if not for Hikaru's timely intervention, Baobao might've been lost forever.
"Brother Hikaru, you're truly our greatest benefactor!" Xu San said emotionally.
"Yeah! If you ever need anything from the two of us, just say the word!" Xu Si chimed in right away.