So They Were Our Own People

The sixteen-hundred-year Soul Ring did not seem to be Qian Gu Changkong's limit. In just two hours, he completed its absorption.

By contrast, Tang San's aura had only just stabilized. It would take him at least another hour to finish absorbing the Soul Ring.

"Brother Wu Qi, don't tell me we still have to stand guard for him?" Ning Rongrong could not help complaining.

She did not have the slightest favorable impression of Tang San.

In her view, if Tang San truly cared about Xiao Wu, why had he not protected her properly from the start and allowed her to be taken away?

Who was he putting on this act for afterward?

Just as the three were about to leave, a figure emerged from the bushes nearby.

"Xiao Wu?" Wu Qi noticed the newcomer.

Xiao Wu was greatly surprised to see them. "Y-you... why are you here? What happened to Third Brother?"

After hearing the explanation, Xiao Wu bowed to the three of them in thanks.

Qian Gu Changkong could not help asking, "Weren't you taken away by the Titan Giant Ape? How did you come back?"

Knowing that the matter was difficult to explain, Xiao Wu simply shifted the "blame" onto the Sky Azure Bull Python.

Qian Gu Changkong had no idea where that bovine roar had come from. He only felt that the Star Dou Great Forest was far from peaceful tonight.

"Wu Ge, let's get out of here quickly. If some powerful Soul Beast sets its sights on us, we might end up dying here."

Ning Rongrong nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Wu Qi had no intention of staying either, so they immediately withdrew.

While leaving the forest, the Golden Eagle Douluo, who had been secretly following the three of them, sent Wu Qi a voice transmission.

"Young Master, I have a feeling there is something wrong with that girl's identity."

"Back then, this subordinate followed the previous pope to hunt down Tang Hao. That girl's aura was very similar to Tang Hao's wife's..."

They had not spent long with Xiao Wu just now. The Golden Eagle Douluo had only taken a few glances and had not confirmed Xiao Wu's true identity.

Wu Qi suddenly stopped and rubbed his stomach. "I'm going to relieve myself. You two go on ahead and wait for me."

Ning Rongrong and Qian Gu Changkong did not think much of it. Wu Qi left the group and headed toward the nearby bushes.

The Golden Eagle Douluo immediately came to his side.

"Young Master, did you discover something?"

Wu Qi asked in return, "The Titan Giant Ape is a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. If a human falls into its hands, can they still survive?"

The Golden Eagle Douluo did not understand what he meant. His gaze sharpened. "As expected, she is a Soul Beast that underwent Humanoid Transformation. Young Master, wait here. This subordinate will capture her and bring her back—"

Wu Qi raised a brow and grabbed his sleeve. "Can you let me finish?"

If they captured Xiao Wu and brought her back to Spirit Hall, once Tang Hao realized what had happened, there would never be a peaceful day again!

Besides, the good show that would unfold in the future could not happen without Xiao Wu.

"Didn't you hear the bovine roar she mentioned? In the Soul Beast Forest, what kind of existence could make a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast back down?"

The Golden Eagle Douluo fell into thought. After a long while, he said in a low voice, "You mean there may be an Expert protecting that girl?"

This guy had finally caught on. Wu Qi added, "That possibility cannot be ruled out. Besides, even if she is a Soul Beast that underwent Humanoid Transformation, if you make a move against her, do you think the Soul Beasts in the forest will let you go?"

The Golden Eagle Douluo looked thoughtful.

How many Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were there on the continent to begin with? And how many of them chose Humanoid Transformation?

How could he possibly run into one so easily?

Elsewhere, after Zhao Wuji woke up, he immediately gathered the four Shrek monsters and searched the forest for Tang San's trail.

Hard work paid off. Following the direction Tang San had gone, they soon found him.

What surprised them was that Xiao Wu had actually escaped.

As for Xiao Wu's explanation, it was exactly the same as in the original timeline.

For a moment, Zhao Wuji did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Xiao Wu's luck was simply absurd. After being taken away by the Titan Giant Ape, she had even gotten a Soul Ring for free.

Tang San's luck was not bad either. After chasing after her, he had likewise obtained his third Soul Ring.

Seeing the Soul Beast corpse nearby, Xiao Wu secretly rejoiced. Third Brother has finally come to his senses. A plant-type Spirit Master should hunt plant-type Soul Rings. The effects are far better than animal-type Soul Rings.

I wonder what the Grandmaster was thinking. Third Brother actually listens to him in everything.

As a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, she had lived through long years and knew many secrets of the Spirit Master world very well.

When it came to systematic knowledge, she was certainly inferior to Yu Xiaogang. But when it came to experience and insight, she was eighteen streets ahead of him.

Unfortunately, Tang San would not listen to her and had taken many unnecessary detours.

While standing guard for Tang San, Zhao Wuji's gaze noticed several azure feathers scattered across the nearby ground.

Feeling the residual Soul Power within it, he could not help asking, "Xiao Wu, were there other people here just now?"

Xiao Wu replied, "Yes, Wu Qi and the others. But we only crossed paths once in Suotuo City. I don't know what they said to Third Brother either. I only know that they helped him obtain his Soul Ring."

"Wu Qi!" Dai Mubai was greatly startled.

So they had spent half the day searching in Suotuo City, only for those people to have entered the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt Soul Beasts.

"Xiao Wu, was there someone among them named Qian Gu Changkong?"

Xiao Wu nodded, somewhat surprised. "You know them? There was also a Ning Rongrong with them."

Ning Rongrong was there too?

Dai Mubai was completely dumbfounded.

Both he and Flender had guessed wrong. Who was secretly hunting geniuses? Wu Qi and the others had clearly just left Suotuo City!

For some reason, Ning Rongrong had joined Wu Qi and the other man, and they had happened to enter the forest to hunt Soul Beasts on the day Shrek Academy held its enrollment.

No matter what, now that they knew where the others had gone, they could look for them after returning.

Zhao Wuji smacked him on the head and said irritably, "What are you thinking about, kid?"

Dai Mubai let out a long breath and explained the whole story.

Xiao Wu suddenly understood. "No wonder they helped Third Brother. So he's the headmaster's disciple."

Ma Hongjun muttered, "It's not set in stone yet. Even if he becomes the teacher's disciple, he'd only be a junior brother."

Dai Mubai shot him a glare. "You dead fatso, don't you know your own limits? Let me tell you, Little Wu is even stronger than me. When he comes to the academy, you'd all better be more polite."

"If you get beaten up, don't come asking me to stand up for you."

Stronger than Dai Mubai!

Everyone had different thoughts.

Zhao Wuji secretly chuckled. A promising seedling had finally come along—he had to drag the other party into some proper training.

Oscar clutched his head and wept. Another Expert was joining the academy, and he even came with lackeys. His position as the academy's little brother was probably no longer secure; from now on, he might have to be everyone's grandson.

Dai Mubai smiled. "Teacher Zhao, the headmaster must have misunderstood something before. Once Little San finishes absorbing his Soul Ring, we'll return to the academy immediately."

"The academy is going to get lively in the future."

About the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Tang San finished absorbing the Soul Ring.

The Soul Beast that provided his third Soul Ring was different from the one in the original timeline, so he did not obtain a Soul Bone.

The moment he finished absorbing the Soul Ring, he inexplicably felt a sense of unease and loss.

Once he noticed Xiao Wu, he quickly cast those emotions to the back of his mind.

Xiao Wu had returned. That was enough.

As for his third Soul Ring, although it was not from the type of Soul Beast Yu Xiaogang had selected for him, its Soul Skill was still quite good. From the bottom of his heart, he was grateful for Wu Qi and the others' help.