Preparations for Xiao Wu's Transformation into a Human

Liu Erlong cried.

She and Bai Ying had actually done such a thing. Even if it had not been of her own will, it had already happened.

Liu Erlong returned to Shrek Academy in a daze. Sunlight spilled over the academy gates, mottled shadows outlining her figure and making her seem especially lonely. She lowered her eyes slightly, concealing the confusion and pain within them, then stepped heavily through the gates.

The moment she entered the academy, Liu Erlong saw Yu Xiaogang's anxious back. He stood in the middle of the courtyard, constantly looking around as though searching for something. Warmth rose in Liu Erlong's heart. She knew he was waiting for her.

She took a deep breath and tried her best to calm herself before walking toward Yu Xiaogang as if nothing had happened. When Yu Xiaogang saw her return, delight immediately appeared on his face. He hurried over and asked nervously, "Er Long, are you all right?"

The tension on Yu Xiaogang's face finally eased the moment he saw Liu Erlong. He pulled her into his arms, his voice trembling slightly. "Er Long, thank goodness you're all right." Liu Erlong lightly patted his back, wanting to comfort him, but her voice sounded somewhat stiff. "What could have happened to me?"

Yu Xiaogang released her, gripping her shoulders tightly as his gaze swept over her again and again, as though confirming that she was truly unharmed. He took a deep breath before asking, "Bai Ying... did he hurt you?"

Liu Erlong avoided his gaze. After hesitating for a moment, she forced a casual smile. "I don't know. I didn't go looking for him." There was something unnatural in her words, and Yu Xiaogang noticed it, growing even more doubtful. He knew Liu Erlong was not someone who gave up easily, yet she now seemed unwilling to discuss Bai Ying at all. He could not understand it.

Liu Erlong hurried back to her room. Though her steps were quick, each one felt as heavy as if she were carrying an enormous burden. She pushed open the door, and with a bang, it slammed shut behind her, as though shutting out all the turmoil of the outside world.

The room was completely silent, with only the sound of her breathing echoing through the air. She walked to the bed and collapsed onto it, tightly hugging her knees and burying her head in her arms. Tears silently slid down, soaking her sleeves. Her shoulders trembled faintly as she desperately tried to suppress her sobs.

Her heart was filled with pain and humiliation. That beast had actually defiled her. She did not know how to face any of this, much less how to explain it to Yu Xiaogang. When she thought of his anxious back and concerned eyes, her heart twisted as though it were being cut by blades.

She slowly raised her hands, trembling as she undid her buttons and removed her clothes piece by piece.

The marks of violation on her skin were clearly visible, branded deeply into her body like searing scars. She closed her eyes, and tears fell again, dripping onto those wounds as though telling of the pain in her heart.

She picked up the basin beside her, poured water into it, wet a towel, and began scrubbing her body desperately. Every scrub seemed like an attempt to erase those unbearable memories, but the pain was not merely physical. It was agony buried deep within her soul, rooted too deeply to be easily erased.

Her hands had already turned bright red, and the towel was stained with blood, yet she continued mechanically scrubbing her body, as if she could wash away all her humiliation and pain this way.

Her tears had run dry, leaving only soundless sobs echoing in the air. Her shoulders shook violently as she murmured, "Why... why..." Her voice was filled with despair and unwillingness, as though she wanted to pour out all the pain in her heart.

The air in the room seemed to have frozen. Only Liu Erlong's low sobs and the sound of the towel rubbing against her skin continued to echo. Her body was already covered in bloody marks, yet she seemed unable to feel the pain, merely repeating the scrubbing motion mechanically.

At that moment, Yu Xiaogang hurried to Liu Erlong's door. His eyes were filled with concern and anxiety as he gently knocked.

"Er Long, are you in there? What exactly happened?" Yu Xiaogang's urgent voice came through the door.

Liu Erlong was startled. She quickly composed herself, took a deep breath, then slowly stood and walked to the door. She gently opened it, revealing a face pretending to be strong, though the redness and exhaustion in her eyes were impossible to hide.

"What could have happened? I'm just a little too tired, that's all." Liu Erlong tried to make her voice sound relaxed, but its tremble betrayed her feelings.

Yu Xiaogang stared at Liu Erlong, his eyes full of worry. He gently took her hands, and the icy coldness of her fingertips made his heart tighten further.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Yu Xiaogang's tone carried unquestionable concern. His gaze examined Liu Erlong repeatedly, as if he wanted to see through her true thoughts.

Liu Erlong gently pulled free from his grasp and forced out a faint smile. "I'm really fine, Yu Xiaogang. I just didn't sleep well last night and feel a little tired. Go take care of your business. I want to rest."

Yu Xiaogang stood before Liu Erlong's room, gazing deeply at her as though searching for the true emotions hidden in her heart. He softly sighed, but Liu Erlong's denial did nothing to lessen his worry.

"Hmph. I searched all morning and still couldn't find Bai Ying. I don't know where he went." Liu Erlong's voice suddenly broke the silence, carrying a trace of unwillingness and confusion. Yu Xiaogang turned to look at her, a complicated emotion flashing through his eyes.

"Bai Ying is extremely cunning, and he is very powerful. You must remember not to confront him head-on." Yu Xiaogang's tone was serious and earnest. He knew Bai Ying was an enormous threat to Liu Erlong.

"Enough, I already know. Don't worry, I definitely won't be so reckless again."

"Good that you know."

Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, and Hu Liena stood quietly in an open clearing, all their gazes focused on Bai Ying.

He swept his eyes across the group before finally settling them on Xiao Wu, a trace of approval flashing through his eyes.

"Xiao Wu, your cultivation has reached a bottleneck. Obtaining a Spirit Ring this time is crucial for you. As long as you succeed, you can truly transform into human form. That will be something worth celebrating for all of us."

Most of the Soul Beasts in the Chaotic Area of the New Dou Great Forest are Ten-Thousand-Year Scholar Trees. That is where we are going, but you must all stay closely behind me.

Ning Rongrong spoke up. "Got it, got it. How many times have you said it already?"

Bai Ying nodded slightly and turned to walk ahead, with everyone following close behind. They passed through the dense forest, cautiously avoiding powerful Soul Beasts as they headed toward their destination.

Suddenly, a low roar shattered the forest's silence, and everyone immediately stopped in alert. Not far ahead, a massive Ten-Thousand-Year Scholar Tree Soul Beast was glaring at them with blood-red eyes as it advanced. Its body radiated a powerful aura. It was clearly an exceptionally formidable Soul Beast.

Bai Ying's expression changed slightly. He quickly turned to the others and said, "Careful. This is a Ten-Thousand-Year Scholar Tree Soul Beast, and it is extremely powerful. Don't act rashly. Let me deal with it." With that, his figure flashed as he charged toward the Soul Beast.

"First Soul Skill, Shadow Dragon Roar. Second Soul Skill, Dragon Claw. Third Soul Skill, Bloodthirsty Berserk."

Bai Ying's figure turned into a black shadow in midair as he charged fiercely toward the Ten-Thousand-Year Scholar Tree Soul Beast. Powerful Soul Power gathered in his hands, forming a sharp Dragon Claw that slashed viciously at the Soul Beast.

The Ten-Thousand-Year Scholar Tree Soul Beast roared, its massive body shaking the surrounding air as a powerful wave of Soul Power spread outward. Its branches whipped about wildly like giant tentacles, attempting to block Bai Ying's attack.

However, Bai Ying was incredibly fast. He nimbly evaded the branches while continuously launching attacks. Every strike landed precisely on the Soul Beast's vital points, gradually weakening its aura.

Bai Ying's fighting style was both swift and precise, every move seeming carefully calculated. At that moment, a longsword emitting a dense bloody aura suddenly appeared in his hand—the Asura Blood Sword. The sword seemed alive, its blade glowing with a dim red light and releasing an immense pressure.

Bai Ying gripped the sword tightly, his speed instantly increasing as he transformed into a black bolt of lightning and rushed at the Ten-Thousand-Year Scholar Tree Soul Beast. The Soul Beast roared as its branches lashed out frantically, trying to block the fatal strike. Yet before the Asura Blood Sword, those branches were as frail as paper.

Bai Ying swung his sword, and the Asura Blood Sword instantly erupted with a dazzling red glow. A terrifying sword aura cleaved toward the Soul Beast. Wherever it passed, the air itself seemed to be ripped apart, emitting a piercing howl. The Ten-Thousand-Year Scholar Tree Soul Beast had no power to resist. Its enormous body was directly cut down, and it let out a miserable scream.

"Lingling, quickly, finish it. This Spirit Ring suits you perfectly."

Ye Lingling walked to the fallen Ten-Thousand-Year Scholar Tree Soul Beast, determination gleaming in her eyes, and ended its life in an instant. She sat cross-legged and gently touched the Spirit Ring on the Soul Beast's body, feeling the powerful energy contained within it.

The Spirit Ring slowly rose, radiating a soft glow as it gradually fused into Ye Lingling's body. Her body began to tremble, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. She was clearly enduring the painful process of absorbing the Spirit Ring.

The surrounding air seemed to grow heavy as an invisible pressure spread outward. Bai Ying and the others stood nearby, watching Ye Lingling nervously, their hearts filled with worry and anticipation.

Time seemed to slow to an extraordinary crawl. Every second felt unbearably long. Finally, amid everyone's anticipation, Ye Lingling's body stopped trembling, and the Spirit Ring completely merged into her body.

Ye Lingling rose excitedly, joy shining in her eyes after her success. She felt the powerful energy surging within her, as though the entire world had become clearer.

"I succeeded!" she cried excitedly, her voice echoing through the forest.

Bai Ying smiled and nodded, satisfied with her performance. He turned to the others and said, "All right, let's continue on our way."

Everyone responded and packed their things, preparing to move on. Xiao Wu then made a suggestion. "Let's go directly to the Core Area. Da Ming Er Ming guard the Core Area, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth there is extremely dense. It will definitely be safe there."

Bai Ying nodded in agreement with Xiao Wu's suggestion, then took an exquisite Flying Soul Tool from his Storage Soul Tool. The Soul Tool emitted a faint blue glow, as though it contained some mysterious power. Everyone boarded it, and at Bai Ying's command, it slowly rose into the air and flew toward the depths of the forest.

As they flew above the dense forest, everyone looked down at the scenery below. The trees were lush and verdant, and occasional Soul Beasts could be seen among the branches, either leisurely foraging or warily watching the sky. A breeze blew past, carrying the fresh scent of grass and leaves, leaving them refreshed.

After flying for some time, the sky gradually darkened. Everyone decided to find somewhere to rest and continue tomorrow. They found a relatively open clearing and descended. Bai Ying set up a watch to ensure no powerful Soul Beasts were nearby. They sat together, took out dried rations and water, and ate a simple dinner.

The group began chatting casually.

When Hu Liena heard Xiao Wu's words, surprise and curiosity flashed through her eyes.

"Xiao Wu, are you really a Soul Beast? Not a human?" Hu Liena's voice carried undisguised astonishment.

Xiao Wu nodded lightly, determination shining in her eyes. She smiled and said, "Yes, I am a Soul Beast. But like all of you, I have my own dreams and goals. I hope to work hard together with everyone and become a stronger Soul Master."

Ning Rongrong could not help but interject, "It's more than unbelievable. When we heard her say it herself, we were all stunned. Who could have imagined that such a powerful Soul Beast had been hiding among us?"

Xiao Wu nodded gently, a complicated light flickering in her eyes. She took a deep breath, seeming to gather her thoughts before slowly speaking. "I didn't mean to hide it from you."

Her voice was soft yet resolute, carrying a trace of apology and helplessness. Everyone looked at her as she lowered her head, her hands tightly twisted together, as though recalling something.

"Actually, I was always afraid—afraid that humans would discover my true identity. I know there is an uncrossable divide between humans and Soul Beasts. But the days I spent with all of you made me truly happy. You let me feel warmth and friendship I had never known before."

Ning Rongrong gently patted Xiao Wu's shoulder, her eyes filled with understanding and encouragement. Her voice was gentle yet firm, as though it could give someone endless strength.

"All right, don't say such things." Ning Rongrong smiled, warmth shining in her eyes. She took Xiao Wu's hand and held it tightly, as though passing on some belief and strength.

"Bai Ying said that as long as you break through rank 70, you can truly become a human. What an exciting thing to look forward to!" Ning Rongrong continued, her tone filled with longing and anticipation for the future.

Xiao Wu looked up at Ning Rongrong, emotion shining in her eyes. She held Ning Rongrong's hand tightly, and in that moment, all her worries and unease seemed to vanish.