Wang Dong'er: Someone Wants to Steal My Mom

As soon as Wang Dong'er heard that, she poked her head out from beside Jiang Wu and patted her chest. "Don't worry, Sister Tang Ya. My Third Soul Skill is Butterfly God Slash. It's long-range, so I can help you hold the Soul Beast off."

Jiang Wu peeled Wang Dong'er off his arm and pushed her a step forward. "Let's go. It's still early, so let's head farther in."

The group of six set off again, following a beast trail through the woods toward the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Bei Bei led the way, with Tang Ya half a step behind him. Jiang Nannan walked in the middle, watching both flanks, while Jiang Wu and Wang Dong'er brought up the rear. Huo Yutong hesitated, then followed alongside Jiang Wu.

Wang Dong'er glanced at Huo Yutong out of the corner of her eye and edged closer to Jiang Wu, forcing half a body's width between herself and Huo Yutong.

Huo Yutong said nothing. She merely lowered her head and slowed her steps.

Jiang Wu saw what happened but said nothing about it. He simply reached out and nudged Wang Dong'er aside to make some room. "The path's so wide. Do you have to stick so close to me?"

"I want to," Wang Dong'er said, perfectly confident.

Jiang Wu couldn't be bothered to argue with her.

After walking for about half an hour, Jiang Wu's group found the Soul Beast Tang Ya wanted.

It was a Mandala Snake, thirteen hundred years old.

The Mandala Snake lay coiled beneath a tree root, its entire body emerald green with black spots. Its head was raised half a foot off the ground, its tongue flicking as its slit pupils coldly swept over the uninvited guests.

Bei Bei raised a hand to signal everyone to stop and lowered his voice. "Around thirteen hundred years old. Its age is just right. Xiao Ya, get ready."

Tang Ya nodded and was about to step forward when Wang Dong'er darted out.

"I'll go first! Butterfly God Slash!"

A golden blade of light flew from her hand and struck the Mandala Snake squarely at its vital point. The Mandala Snake recoiled in pain, then sprang up in a rage and lunged at Wang Dong'er.

Bei Bei's expression changed. "Dong'er, look out!"

Jiang Wu was already moving.

His Third Soul Ring lit up. Instant Beast Flash.

He vanished from where he stood and appeared beside the Mandala Snake the next instant. He channeled Soul Power into his right leg and kicked the snake's body.

Purple lightning burst forth. The Mandala Snake's entire body went flying sideways and slammed into a tree. It twitched twice, then lay still.

Bei Bei: "..."

Tang Ya: "..."

Huo Yutong's mouth fell open in a round O.

Bei Bei looked down at the Martial Soul he had just summoned, then at the Mandala Snake, whose eyes had already rolled back. Silently, he withdrew his Martial Soul.

Tang Ya crouched down to check the Mandala Snake's condition and couldn't help letting out a sigh of relief. "Good, good. It's still clinging to its last breath."

With that, she took out a knife and plunged it into the Mandala Snake's body.

A purple Soul Ring rose from the snake's corpse. Tang Ya sat down cross-legged and guided the Soul Ring into her body.

The others spread out to stand guard over her. Bei Bei watched the front, Jiang Nannan guarded the left, and Jiang Wu and Wang Dong'er guarded the right. Huo Yutong stood behind Jiang Wu, craning her head to watch curiously.

Wang Dong'er glanced at Huo Yutong and, without showing it, edged another half step toward Jiang Wu.

Huo Yutong paused, then quietly moved half a step to the other side.

Jiang Wu looked down at Wang Dong'er on his left and Huo Yutong on his right. Feeling like the filling in a sandwich cookie, he couldn't help asking, "Are you two measuring the distance between you?"

"I'll stand where I'm comfortable," Wang Dong'er said, perfectly confident.

Huo Yutong said softly, "I-I'm comfortable here too."

Jiang Wu said, "...Fine."

He was a little speechless.

After about half an hour of absorption, the purple Soul Ring fully merged into Tang Ya's body. She opened her eyes, jumped up, and flexed her wrists, a satisfied smile on her face. "Done. Level thirty-one."

Bei Bei nodded but said nothing.

Tang Ya looked at Jiang Wu and the others, thought for a moment, and asked, "Would you be interested in joining the Tang Sect?"

Wang Dong'er had no interest when she heard the name Tang Sect.

Jiang Nannan and Jiang Wu weren't very interested either, especially Jiang Wu.

Huo Yutong was the only one who was interested.

Seeing that none of them answered, Tang Ya wasn't worried. Smiling, she began counting on her fingers. "Our Tang Sect has a long history, going back ten thousand years. Our founding patriarch, Tang San, held Dual Godhood as the Sea God and the Asura God, and his hidden weapon techniques were unrivaled across the continent. The Tang Sect has fallen into decline now, but its legacy hasn't been broken. Hundred Separations of Hidden Weapon, Mysterious Jade Hand, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track-all those secret techniques are still here. If you join, I'll teach you myself."

When Jiang Wu heard the words "founding patriarch Tang San," he instinctively glanced at Wang Dong'er.

Wang Dong'er looked completely calm, and even seemed a little inclined to laugh.

Jiang Nannan thought for a moment and asked, "What obligations come with joining the Tang Sect?"

Tang Ya put away her playful smile and grew more serious. "The Tang Sect is short of people right now, people we can trust. If you join, you'll be Tang Sect disciples. If the Tang Sect needs something in the future, lend a hand if you can. Of course, we won't make you do anything that offends heaven and defies reason."

Jiang Nannan glanced at Jiang Wu.

Jiang Wu thought it over.

He had no particular attachment to the Tang Sect, but he was somewhat interested in the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

"All right, I'll join," Jiang Wu said.

Wang Dong'er immediately followed. "If Xiao Wu joins, I'll join."

Jiang Wu glanced at her. "You're not even going to ask?"

"Ask what?" Wang Dong'er said, perfectly confident. "Would you ever harm me?"

Jiang Nannan sighed. "Then I'll join too, so I can keep an eye on you two."

Tang Ya beamed and turned to Huo Yutong. "What about you, Xiao Yutong?"

Huo Yutong stared for a moment and pointed at herself. "I... I can join too?"

"Of course you can." Tang Ya patted her shoulder. "You came to the Star Dou Great Forest all by yourself to get a Soul Ring. You've got guts, and the Tang Sect needs people like you."

Huo Yutong's eyes grew a little warm. She nodded firmly. "I'll join!"

Tang Ya clapped her hands in satisfaction. "Good. From now on, the four of you are Tang Sect disciples."

The group of six continued toward the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

As the sky grew dark, Bei Bei found a clearing near a stream and made camp.

The six sat around a campfire. Bei Bei took dry rations from his Storage Soul Tool and handed them out, while Tang Ya set up a small pot and cooked a batch of hot soup.

Holding her bowl of soup, Wang Dong'er naturally sat down on Jiang Wu's left, shoulder to shoulder with him.

Huo Yutong hesitated, then took her bowl and sat on Jiang Wu's right, leaving half a fist's width between them.

Bowl in hand, Jiang Wu had a blue-and-pink-haired girl on his left and a black-haired girl on his right, with himself caught between them. He was the spitting image of the meat in a sandwich.

He lowered his head and drank his soup, pretending he hadn't noticed a thing.

After a couple of sips, Wang Dong'er turned to look at Huo Yutong. "Xiao Yutong, why are you sitting here?"

Huo Yutong cradled her bowl and said softly, "It's warm here."

"It's warm over there too." Wang Dong'er pointed to the spot beside Bei Bei.

Huo Yutong pressed her lips together but didn't move.

Wang Dong'er narrowed her eyes and edged closer to Jiang Wu again.

She thought to herself, This woman wants to steal my mom from me.