A Young Man Comes of Age

Yu Xiaogang decided to leave the choice to Su Xiao. He handed him a dagger. "A Xiao, decide for yourself."

Su Xiao took the dagger and strode toward the Radiant Rhinoceros Dragon mother. The Thousand-Year Soul Beast did not resist. It even exposed the vital spot atop its head.

"Don't worry. Since I'm taking your Soul Ring, I'll take good care of your little dragon. Let's give it a name—how about Xiao Bai?" Su Xiao said softly.

Hiss—

The Radiant Rhinoceros Dragon mother let out a piercing cry, as though agreeing to Su Xiao's proposal, yet also as though bidding farewell to her child.

Su Xiao swung the dagger and plunged it into the mother's vital spot. Its eyes slowly closed, and its three-meter-long body crashed to the ground.

Seeing that its mother was no longer moving, Xiao Bai kept rubbing against her with its horn, but no matter what it did, it received no response.

A purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring floated above the Radiant Rhinoceros Dragon's corpse. With a thought, Su Xiao absorbed it into his body without encountering any resistance.

"This mother willingly sacrificed herself, which is why A Xiao absorbed the Soul Ring so easily," Yu Xiaogang explained.

Su Xiao pulled down the black cloth to cover the Radiant Rhinoceros Dragon mother's corpse, doing his best to keep Xiao Bai from seeing it.

Yu Xiaogang and Tang San dragged Xiao Bai's mother's corpse away. Once it completely vanished from Xiao Bai's sight, it began howling and thrashing wildly, rattling the black iron cage with its impacts.

Su Xiao used Martial Soul Possession, and his first Soul Ring appeared. Only then did Xiao Bai calm down, repeatedly letting out gentle cries toward him.

As Su Xiao stroked Xiao Bai's skin, his Soul Power warmed it. "My name is Su Xiao, and your name is Xiao Bai. From today onward, we're friends. Your mother went somewhere very far away. She asked me to protect you. What do you think?"

Xiao Bai let out a cheerful cry, its expression turning joyful as well.

Seeing that Xiao Bai had accepted him, Su Xiao opened the iron cage and let it out.

"This happens to be a stable. From now on, Xiao Bai, the two of us will live here. But you have to promise me you won't run around and that you'll behave, understand?"

Xiao Bai swished its tail in response to Su Xiao.

When Tang San and Yu Xiaogang returned, they saw the boy and dragon playing together happily. Though surprised, they were also relieved. Su Xiao had fulfilled his promise to a mother.

Afterward, Yu Xiaogang had people redecorate the stable and build a small room in the backyard. It became Su Xiao's new residence, so there was no need for him to return to Dormitory Seven.

After Tang San told Xiao Wu about it, she often came to play with Xiao Bai as well. The two of them seemed even more familiar with each other than Xiao Bai was with Su Xiao.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, six years had passed. Su Xiao, Tang San, and Xiao Wu were all twelve years old.

Over those six years, all three of their Soul Powers had grown rapidly. Su Xiao had progressed the most, reaching level thirty-nine as a Battle Soul Elder with three Thousand-Year Soul Rings. Tang San and Xiao Wu were both level twenty-nine, with two Hundred-Year Soul Rings.

The three of them were the finest graduates of Notting Junior Soul Master Academy. Any one of them alone was enough to dominate the academy.

"Xiao San, A Xiao, so many intermediate Soul Master academies are willing to accept us. Why does Master insist on sending us to this Shrek place?" Xiao Wu asked unwillingly.

Su Xiao and Tang San exchanged smiles. "Master only told Xiao San and me to come. Xiao Wu, you were the one who insisted on following us, and now you're complaining."

"Hmph!" Xiao Wu made a face at Su Xiao. "But this lousy academy doesn't even have a rank, and it's so far away. I'm exhausted!"

Suotuo City was already visible. Su Xiao took a drink of water, then gave some to Xiao Bai as well. "Sister Xiao Wu, you rode on Xiao Bai's back the entire way here."

"So what? Xiao Bai is willing to carry me, right, Xiao Bai?" Xiao Wu tossed a piece of fruit to Xiao Bai. It swallowed it in one bite and let out a delighted cry.

Su Xiao sighed helplessly. "We're about to enter the city. Xiao San, Xiao Wu, go find a hotel first. I need to settle Xiao Bai down."

Xiao Wu leaped off Xiao Bai's back and wrapped her arm around Tang San's. "Finally, we can get away from that stinky Su Xiao! Brother, let's go. There must be lots of delicious food in the city!"

Tang San wore an awkward expression and did not even have time to speak to Su Xiao before Xiao Wu dragged him away with a laugh.

"A Xiao, see you later!" Tang San waved.