Without affecting the early plot of the original story, what method could I use to lure Tang Hao away from Suotuo City so I would have time to absorb Xiao Wu's Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring?
Inside a private room at the Rose Hotel.
Just as Li Xiaoyao was pondering...
Knock, knock, knock—
A knock sounded at the door.
"Hello, sir!"
"Your meal has arrived. Please enjoy!"
After the waiter finished serving the dishes—
The door to the private room slowly closed as well.
In an instant, the fragrance of delicious food filled the room.
"Could I lure Bibi Dong, Qian Daoliu, and those old worshippers to Suotuo City, then use them to deal with Tang Hao?"
"But if I did that, that transformed 100,000-Year-Old Rabbit, Xiao Wu, would have nothing to do with me."
Li Xiaoyao picked up a bite of food with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth. While his taste buds were satisfied, his mind remained busy.
As long as Tang Hao left Suotuo City, he could sweep through all of Shrek Academy. After dealing with Xiao Wu, he would also have enough safe time to absorb the Soul Ring.
"Huh! I've got it!"
"I've thought of a perfect opportunity where Tang Hao definitely won't be present!"
Li Xiaoyao's eyes suddenly lit up.
In the original story, not long after Tang San and Xiao Wu joined Shrek Academy, Oscar would break through to level 30 and become a prospective Soul Elder. At that time, all of the Shrek Seven Monsters would follow Zhao Wuji to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt Soul Beasts.
In the original story, Xiao Wu was forcibly taken away by the Titan Giant Ape during this Soul Beast hunt, throwing everyone at Shrek into chaos. Tang San would then recklessly pursue the Titan Giant Ape in order to save Xiao Wu.
Although Tang Hao secretly protected Tang San, the Titan Giant Ape was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. With the incident happening so suddenly and deep within the core region of the Star Dou Great Forest, given Tang Hao's concern for Tang San, he would definitely follow personally to protect him in secret and prevent any mishap from befalling him.
Once Tang Hao focused all his attention on Tang San, Xiao Wu would leave the range of Tang Hao's secret surveillance. At that point, he could take advantage of Shrek's confusion to quietly slip away from the group.
He only needed to rely on his own strength to quickly find and kill Xiao Wu, then absorb her Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and retrieve her soul bone before Tang Hao returned from the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest.
And that opportunity was not far away.
It would happen this very month—
"Mm! It's decided!"
"In a few days, I'll pay a visit to Shrek Academy!"
"Then I'll slowly wait for that day to arrive!"
The more Li Xiaoyao thought about it, the better he found the plan. A smile inevitably curled across his lips.
By the time he finished eating, night had fallen.
Li Xiaoyao chose to rest at the Rose Hotel. After all, it was not his money being spent.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Only after eating and drinking his fill did Li Xiaoyao leisurely arrive at Shrek Academy.
Just like in the original plot, the person in charge of admissions this time was Li Yusong, a Six-Ring Soul Emperor whose Martial Soul was a long staff.
At that moment, Li Yusong was speaking to a father and son. "Your child does not meet our academy's admission requirements. You may leave. Don't stand here and affect the people behind you."
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man hurriedly smiled ingratiatingly. "Teacher, my son only had his birthday last night. Could you make an exception?"
"Make an exception?"
Impatience appeared on Li Yusong's face.
He raised his voice. "Shrek Academy only accepts geniuses and monsters—under XX years old, with Soul Power above Level 21, and possessing two yellow hundred-year Soul Rings. If even one of those requirements is missing, Shrek Academy will not accept them."
What happened next was just like in the original story. The middle-aged man flew into a rage and demanded the return of the ten Gold Soul Coins he had paid for registration.
But when Dai Mubai revealed his Evil-Eyed White Tiger Martial Soul and three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple—the middle-aged man instantly froze. His anger was replaced by fear, and he hurriedly dragged away his pale-faced son in disgrace.
Then, after Li Yusong also revealed his Martial Soul and six Soul Rings and loudly announced Shrek Academy's admission requirements, more than half of the people previously waiting in line disappeared in an instant.
It was at that moment that Li Xiaoyao swept his gaze over the remaining crowd and quickly noticed an especially eye-catching figure.
The girl had long black hair draped over her shoulders, skin fairer than snow, and a cold temperament. Her figure was far more voluptuous than those of girls her age, creating a striking contrast. She was Zhu Zhuqing, who had fled from the Star Luo Empire to Suotuo City.
"Tsk, tsk. Such an eye-catching figure, yet she just had to set her sights on Dai Mubai and refuse to let go of that position as empress of the Star Luo Empire."
Li Xiaoyao secretly shook his head. Zhu Zhuqing's figure was indeed outstanding, but unfortunately, he had no time to waste on her. Who knew how much time it would take to wait for this "Kitten" to fall for him on her own?
Seeing Zhu Zhuqing go take Shrek's entrance test, Li Xiaoyao did not pay her much more attention. Instead, he continued looking through the crowd and spotted another familiar face.
She was a young girl standing in line alone, dressed in an exquisite white dress. She had neat, short pink hair, and her delicate features carried an air of charming nobility.
The girl's figure was not as "broad-minded" as Zhu Zhuqing's "Kitten" physique, but her face was bright and beautiful, while her skin was as tender as peeled lychee flesh. It instead made those barely budding curves seem even more pure and lively.
"Huh! Short pink hair?"
"Isn't this Ning Rongrong, that Little Demoness?"
From the girl's short pink hair and fair, delicate skin alone, Li Xiaoyao could identify Ning Rongrong at a glance.
At this point in time, among those who matched so many traits, there could be no one besides Ning Rongrong, that Little Demoness.
And Li Xiaoyao's guess was instantly confirmed when the pink-haired girl summoned a seven-tier Pagoda Martial Soul.
The pagoda was pure white throughout, each tier giving off a faint glow. It was the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul, the signature Martial Soul of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Once no one remained in line for testing, Li Xiaoyao walked over to Li Yusong.
"Hey! Old man, don't be in such a hurry to pack up!"
The moment Li Xiaoyao said that, he instantly drew everyone's attention.
This included Zhu Zhuqing, whose expression remained utterly calm as she merely glanced at him, as well as Ning Rongrong, who looked both curious and surprised.
Ning Rongrong could hardly be blamed for reacting that way. Even knowing that Li Yusong was a Six-Ring Soul Emperor, Li Xiaoyao, someone their age, still dared to call him an "old man."
That arrogant attitude, as though he did not even regard a Six-Ring Soul Emperor as worthy of notice, was rare not only in Soul Master Academies but throughout the entire Soul Master world. Few young people would dare act so recklessly.
For someone as lawless as Li Xiaoyao, either he had the backing of a major power like she did, or his talent was extraordinary enough for him to disregard such trivial matters. Only then would he dare speak so carelessly before a Soul Emperor.
Ning Rongrong's face flushed red as she watched—
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