Wuque, I'm Going to Shrek

While Wu Feng was absorbing her soul ring.

Ning Wuque and Ning Tian sat close together, perhaps a little too close. The latter's little face was slightly flushed, and her expression was hesitant, as though she wanted to say something but could not bring herself to voice it.

Ning Wuque, meanwhile, did not look at Ning Tian at all. Given his current strength, background, and talent, he was destined to be unable to take the initiative.

He was not stupid. He could sense that Ning Tian's feelings toward him had gradually become a little unusual. Back in the carriage, she had practically been on the verge of making it explicit!

Neither of them took things any further. In the silent forest, the atmosphere became ambiguous and tense for a time, yet nothing else progressed—until Wu Feng successfully absorbed the soul ring into her body and fell backward.

Without the slightest hesitation, the recovered Ning Wuque flashed behind Wu Feng and caught her. Seeing the fine beads of sweat on her forehead and her exhausted expression, he smiled faintly.

She must have suffered quite a bit!

With a casual flip of his hand, he took out meatballs and pills that replenished strength and stuffed them into her mouth, gently patting her back to help her catch her breath.

"Huff—huff—"

Wu Feng panted heavily, looking as if she had come back to life as she said:

"That scared me to death. I almost thought that soul ring was going to burst my body apart! It was a little too close to my limit. Good thing you were here."

She naturally meant that Ning Wuque had helped her test things with his own body. If she had rashly pressed ahead, the consequences might have been unimaginable!

Not far away, Ning Tian brushed the dust off her skirt and stood up. After walking over to the two of them, she crouched beside Wu Feng and asked:

"How is it, how is it, Feng Mei? What's this thousand-year soul skill like?"

"This soul skill had better meet expectations. Your impulsiveness this time cost me an excellent punching bag. I'll probably have to wait a few extra days before breaking through Level 20."

Ning Wuque crossed his arms, pretending to be displeased. Wu Feng scratched the back of her head awkwardly at the sight.

She had only wanted to show off in front of Ning Tian!

But Wu Feng's delighted expression made it obvious that the thousand-year soul ring had given her an excellent soul skill. She slowly introduced it to the two of them:

"Ning Tian, Wuque, my Second Soul Skill is amazing. It's called Dread Hunt Stance. It has to remain continuously activated, constantly consuming my Soul Power to greatly enhance my reaction speed, combat instincts, and speed. It improves things related to my physical constitution and combat ability!"

Wu Feng could not have been more satisfied with this soul skill's effects. As expected of a powerful soul skill provided by a subdragon overlord.

Even after she cultivated to the rank of Titled Douluo, this would still be one of the permanent soul skills she could use!

"Not bad at all. Congratulations, Feng Mei~"

"It's all right. At least it lives up to the advice I gave you back then."

Though his words said otherwise, Ning Wuque continued:

"If there's no problem, let's return to the clan first. I plan to increase my training and see whether I can break through Level 20 this month."

"Tch, you hopeless tsundere~ Is it really so hard to praise me, Wuque?"

"You know it's hard too? Hurry up, or you can look through the soul beast guide yourself for your Third Soul Skill!"

"Hahaha, you two~ Come on, come on. Feng Mei has gained a lot today, so training can wait until tomorrow. Dinner's on me tonight!"

"Yay! Ning Tian really is the best!"

Very soon, five days after Wu Feng's soul hunt ended, Ning Wuque successfully reached the Level 20 bottleneck, becoming a prospective two-ring Soul Grandmaster before turning twelve!

He did not waste much time. With Ning Tian's help, he quickly located a Dark Gold Terror Ant of suitable age—6,700 years old.

Then, with Zhang Can's help, he fought it one-on-one.

As expected, Ning Wuque lost. While in his gate-opening state, he could trade blows with the Dark Gold Terror Ant, but once that state ended, it would be his death!

After one attempt, Ning Wuque gave up on continuing to fight it alone. Once he had recovered his energy, he had Zhang Can knock the Dark Gold Terror Ant unconscious. After personally ending its life, he began absorbing the soul ring.

Just like the first time.

Ning Wuque's Soul Spirit evolved once again, evolving from a Dark Gold Soldier Ant into the High-Grade Soul Spirit Dark Gold Terror Ant. His physical constitution was further strengthened.

"The duration of the Soul Power boost from Ring Blasting my First Soul Ring has already shortened to three minutes? That's really outrageous."

After re-forming his First Soul Ring, Ning Wuque conducted a simple test. After blasting his First Soul Ring, he tested the enhancement that the released Soul Power gave him.

The boost was still considerable. As a newly advanced two-ring Soul Grandmaster, Ning Wuque's physical constitution could rival that of a level 42 Soul Ancestor with a top-tier Beast Soul Spirit after blasting one soul ring!

The price was a further reduction in duration.

However, after gaining his Second Soul Ring, Ning Wuque had another advantage: after the Soul Power supplied by blasting his First Soul Ring ran out, he no longer fell into a weakened state.

This was thanks to the Second Soul Ring continuously sending Soul Power into his body. When the effects of blasting the First Soul Ring ended, he was no longer drained dry all at once. Instead, it became a rapid loss, effectively giving Ning Wuque a brief buffer period.

During this buffer period, Ning Wuque could do many things. For example, he could blast his Second Soul Ring to continue the enhancement of the First Gate and extend its duration, or he could directly suspend his gate-opening state.

If he wanted to open the Second Gate, however, he would need to blast his Second Soul Ring immediately after opening the First Gate and use the stacked power for an impact!

"Wuque, when do you plan to blast your Second Soul Ring?"

"L-let's wait a little longer. Maybe I can try when the duration of my First Soul Ring has shortened to one minute. The activation method I developed for the Flesh Grinding Gate is a little too brutal."

Ning Wuque shook his head and gave Ning Tian his answer in response to her concerned question.

He did not intend to immediately experiment with blasting his Second Soul Ring. He wanted to wait until his physical constitution grew stronger first!

This concerned his life. After his first experience, Ning Wuque could already vaguely sense when he could risk everything.

Thus, time began to pass, and the days slipped quietly by amid Ning Wuque's daily training.

Until the graduation ceremony of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's junior Soul Master Academy ended.

That day, Ning Wuque was eleven years and six months old.

It was also on that day, after the graduation ceremony, that Ning Tian invited Ning Wuque to the place where they had first met.

Beneath the shade of a tree beside the academy field—the place where their friendship had begun.

"Wuque... I..."

As Ning Tian spoke, she placed her left hand on her right shoulder and rubbed it lightly. Her head was lowered, and her gaze wandered.

She was not wearing her academy uniform today. Instead, she wore a pale yellow patterned dress, and even her face had been carefully adorned with light makeup.

A short distance away, Wu Feng leaned against the tree trunk and watched the scene. She felt both gloomy and deeply reluctant.

Not long ago, when she and Ning Tian had shared a bed, she had heard Ning Tian's true feelings. She had also suddenly understood what the two of them had been discussing during that soul hunt a few months ago.

Her mood right now... was terrible!

"Wuque, I'm going to Shrek."

"Do you need me to accompany you, Young Mistress?"

Ning Wuque played dumb.

The author's favorite part of the story is about to begin. The author is Xiao Chunan and likes imagining sweet, pure romance—whether loving only one person or always making love, both are favorites.