Meeting Xiao Wu, Luring a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast

Incidentally, You Chen had confirmed the exact whereabouts of Xiao Wu, the original story's female lead, three days ago.

If it had been some other world's Hundred-Thousand-Year old monster, You Chen definitely would not have made such a "crude" entrance before them.

At the very least, he would have come up with a logical reason.

But when he thought of this being the Love-Brain Continent, and of this person being Xiao Wu, he suddenly felt exhausted just thinking about all the scheming. So, after confirming Xiao Wu's route, he casually chopped down a roadside tree without the slightest civic awareness and silently sat on the newly made stump.

There was no falsehood in what he said. There really were bandits roaming this area, so his reason for calling out to stop Xiao Wu, who looked like nothing more than a child, was entirely reasonable.

"Hmph! Bandits?"

Xiao Wu wore a disdainful expression and waved her little fist. "If any bandit dares cause trouble for Sister Xiao Wu, Sister Xiao Wu will teach him a harsh lesson!"

A one-ring Soul Master still could not completely ignore being swarmed by ordinary people.

But Xiao Wu possessed a certain beastly instinct and naturally knew how to avoid danger. She also had combat experience far beyond that of an ordinary child her age.

She truly was not very afraid of common bandits.

Yet You Chen shook his head. "Looking at you, you must be some rich young lady who ran away from home, right? You've never been tempered by the ways of the world, so you don't know how vicious these bandits can be."

You think Sister Xiao Wu has no life experience? Sister Xiao Wu's real age would scare you to death if I told you!

Xiao Wu indulged in a little Ah Q spirit internally, silently expressing her disdain for You Chen. She curled her lips and said, "Uncle, what about you? Aren't you afraid? I've heard that some mountain bandits don't care what they eat. After going months without tasting meat, they'll even get jealous when they see a man! Uncle, you look like some weak scholar. I bet they'd beat you to your knees and drag you back to be their Star Slave!"

The first part was fine, but even You Chen's forehead darkened with black lines at the latter half.

Was Xiao Wu really supposed to be this kind of character?

You Chen thought back, and a scene from his memories suddenly surfaced...

It seemed Xiao Wu had asked Tang San the moment they met whether he was afraid she would force herself on him, which was why he did not dare share a blanket with her.

It was also because of that scene that she earned the elegant nickname Rogue Rabbit among netizens.

If it were a real little brat saying such lewd things to him, that would be... no, that would not be okay either.

Not to mention Xiao Wu, this old rabbit.

"Hey!"

You Chen raised an eyebrow and gave a soft shout. With a smack, by the time Xiao Wu sensed the fluctuation of Soul Power passing through You Chen's hand, her butt had already been struck.

Self-Created Soul Skill—Extreme Speed Shadowless Loli Butt-Slapping Hand!

"Ow!"

Xiao Wu cried out in pain and jumped sharply. Then, covering her butt with a face full of shame and indignation, tears glistening in her eyes, she glared at You Chen through gritted teeth. "P-perverted Uncle!"

"Hmph."

Having slapped Xiao Wu and found the same pleasure in it as slapping Hu Liena, You Chen's mood instantly improved considerably. With ample leisure, he clasped his hands behind his back and assumed the air of an expert. "You ill-mannered little radish, I haven't even mentioned how you insulted me with your words, and you're already accusing the victim first? I merely used my actions to tell you what happens when you act too recklessly while traveling and provoke someone you shouldn't! And that is only because I'm as kind as I am. If you had encountered a villain instead, then seeing as you're rather pretty, they might have already tied you up and sold you at auction as a slave! So you see, I did this for your own good!"

You Chen's righteous speech had at least the persuasive power of a three-ring Soul Master!

But when had Xiao Wu ever been the kind of rabbit to let things go just because someone had the upper hand?

"Someone not to be messed with? You only caught me off guard, yet you're already so smug!? Sister Xiao Wu will make you understand that you're the one who offended someone you shouldn't have!"

Xiao Wu charged forward through gritted teeth.

Then, naturally, she was beaten to her knees.

She finally realized that You Chen's effortless slap to her butt earlier had not been luck, but the result of an absolute gap in strength!

"Do you know what you did wrong?" You Chen asked.

"I-I do..." Xiao Wu had no choice but to bow her head under someone else's roof.

"Then tell me, what did you do wrong?" You Chen followed up with another attack.

Xiao Wu immediately lifted her head and glared fiercely at You Chen. "Perverted Uncle, don't push your luck! Didn't you say I was a rich young lady who ran away from home? Be careful, or my family will catch up and teach you a harsh lesson!"

Watching Xiao Wu, clearly humiliated and furious yet utterly unable to do anything to him, You Chen broke into a delighted smile and began patting her little head as though it were a ball.

Even as her teeth itched with hatred, Xiao Wu showed no intention of restraining her anger.

Perhaps because, through this brief exchange, she had also realized that this "perverted Uncle" before her was actually a good person in the usual sense.

Someone who had seen a human child run away from home for no apparent reason and come over to meddle, eager to lecture her.

So even if she showed a little anger or even hostility, there would not truly be any danger.

"Alright, remember to be more wary of strangers next time!"

You Chen removed his hand. It seemed that, having given her his lesson, and having seen the strength Xiao Wu displayed as a Soul Master, he was no longer particularly worried about her safety. He then turned to leave.

Watching You Chen prepare to depart, Xiao Wu silently breathed a sigh of relief.

But as You Chen's back grew smaller and smaller in her eyes, a thought suddenly occurred to her.

Wait, didn't he say just now that he was heading somewhere remote?

Having only recently left the Star Dou Great Forest, Xiao Wu's understanding of the human world was extremely limited. She had only gained a rough idea of things in a small city she had passed through in the Balak Kingdom.

She had entered the human world because she needed to cultivate by coming into contact with human auras. Ideally, she needed to find a place without too many powerful people and safely pass through the juvenile stage after a Soul Beast took human form.

Since this young human man was heading somewhere relatively remote, and was also a "good person"...

"Wait, Uncle!"

Although You Chen seemed to be walking neither hurriedly nor slowly, he was moving astonishingly fast. Xiao Wu hurriedly chased after him. Afraid of losing sight of his back, she even directly activated her first Soul Skill, shouting loudly as she ran.

"What is it, little radish?"

The corners of You Chen's lips curled upward. After quietly concealing his expression of a plan coming together perfectly, he turned around with a puzzled look on his face.

"Um, where are you going?"

Only then did Xiao Wu realize that her attitude before and after seemed somewhat inconsistent. Her eyes widened slightly as she asked timidly.

Clearly, she was making use of her status as a human child and launching a cute attack on You Chen.

You Chen could not be bothered to beat around the bush. "I'm crossing the border of the Balak Kingdom and heading to Fanos Province, to a small place called Notting City. What is it? Asking me that because you want to be lured away by the perverted Uncle you mentioned?"

Looking at You Chen's teasing expression, Xiao Wu's breathing caught, and she secretly clenched her fists.

Yet she wore a surprised expression. "Notting City!? Isn't that the same as my destination!? Kind Uncle, didn't you say bandits are running rampant around here? Could you... give me a ride?"

As she spoke, she put on a pitifully cute expression once more.