Inside the room, Xiao Wu stood awkwardly in a corner, her pink rabbit ears trembling slightly as her fingers nervously twisted the hem of her skirt.
She didn't dare look up, much less meet Su Ling's icy gaze.
"You... What exactly do you want? I'm warning you, if you try anything weird, I'd rather blow up my Soul Ring than let you have your way!" Xiao Wu's voice trembled, but she still tried to sound composed.
"Tell me, what exactly did you all talk about with my mother today?"
Su Ling instead turned and brought a cup of hot tea from the kitchen, placing it on the table in front of Xiao Wu at an unhurried pace.
Then he leaned against the window. Moonlight outlined his handsome profile, his black hair and golden eyes giving him an air of nobility with a hint of wickedness.
Looking at his striking profile, Xiao Wu's heart skipped a beat, then began pounding like a drum. A wave of scorching heat rushed to the tips of her ears, down her neck, and across her cheeks.
She hurriedly lowered her head and, avoiding his gaze, smoothed her hair as she recounted every detail of her conversation with Su Ling's mother.
It turned out that after Su Ling left, Yu Xiaogang had produced a Spirit Hall Elder Token and invoked his status as the "greatest Martial Soul Theory master," personally certified by Bibi Dong.
And Ye Wanqing—or, for that matter, most female Soul Masters—admired Bibi Dong.
Once she learned of Yu Xiaogang's relationship with the Pope, her attitude softened considerably.
On top of that, every member of Shrek was exceptionally talented.
As a result, Ye Wanqing came to believe the Grandmaster's theories wholeheartedly.
She not only agreed to let him teach Su Ling, but also said she was willing to invest in Shrek Academy.
That was because Su Ling had, astonishingly, started cultivating.
But his Martial Soul had mutated, so an ordinary person really couldn't teach him.
After all, with the opposing attributes of destruction and life coexisting in one body, the slightest mistake could cause him to explode.
That was why she had never forced Su Ling to cultivate.
When Xiao Wu finished, she sneaked a glance at Su Ling.
Since coming to the human world, she had never seen a man this handsome. For a moment, she couldn't tear her eyes away.
His personality was a little awful, but if it was him, perhaps she wouldn't mind after all.
The thought had barely appeared when Xiao Wu startled herself. She quickly ducked her head even lower, her cheeks so hot they could fry an egg.
"I see." Su Ling took a small sip of tea, a barely perceptible glint of coldness passing through his eyes.
What kind of person was Yu Xiaogang?
Su Ling knew all too well.
In his second life, he had been Bibi Dong's vile senior brother.
Su Ling knew that Yu Xiaogang's so-called "theories" had all been plagiarized from the Martial Soul Hall Archives, and yet he still dared to trade on Bibi Dong's name and swindle people.
"So... can I leave now?"
Xiao Wu bit her lip. Thinking about what might happen next made her heart beat even faster.
Even her voice sounded timid. Her hand unconsciously pinched the corner of her skirt, her knuckles turning faintly white with the pressure.
"Tell me—which kind of man does Ning Rongrong hate the most? The more detail, the better."
Su Ling asked calmly. His goal was to fail at winning her favor, after all, so he still had to do his homework.
Xiao Wu: ???
No, I'd already gotten ready to take my clothes off, and that's what you ask me?
Xiao Wu's rabbit ears shot straight up, and her pink eyes widened in disbelief.
Looking at Su Ling's perfectly calm expression, she suddenly felt like he had played her for a fool.
"R-Rongrong hates... men like you the most. Arrogant, conceited, and spoiled young masters who throw their weight around."
Xiao Wu puffed out her cheeks in anger, her pink rabbit ears twitching with her agitation.
"But, you... if you want to pursue her, I-I can help you. I may not look it, but Sister Xiao Wu knows a lot about romance!"
Xiao Wu suddenly changed her tune, doing her best to put on a mature and composed air, though the blush on her cheeks made her look especially adorable.
She sneaked a look at Su Ling, silently working it out in her head: This guy's a jerk, but he's good-looking. If I can get him to pursue Rongrong, then Xiao San will come back to me.
"No need," Su Ling cut her off decisively, then glanced toward the kitchen. "I'm hungry. Go make dinner."
Hearing that Ning Rongrong hated men like him actually lifted his spirits a little. It looked like this task would be easy.
Soon he'd claim the godhood of the Spacetime Overlord, travel across countless worlds, and return to reality.
Xiao Wu froze, her cheeks instantly turning bright red. "You want me to cook for you?!"
"Can't do it? That's fine." He tilted his head and flashed a wicked smile. "Then lie down on the bed. I can eat you instead."
"You... You're shameless!" Xiao Wu's eyes reddened with anger and her rabbit ears sprang upright, but in the end she could only stomp her foot and rush into the kitchen.
As she chopped vegetables, she muttered curses under her breath. "I hope you choke to death."
Meanwhile, Tang San had just been given a brutal beating by the Su Family Dark Guard and thrown outside in a heap.
He fell to his knees in agony, pounding the ground again and again with his fists. Tears mingled with the dust and blurred his vision.
The thought that Xiao Wu might be pinned beneath Su Ling, or even already violated, made his heart feel as if it were being cut apart. He could barely breathe.
"Dean! Are we really going to stand by and watch? Xiao Wu's one of us, too!" Tang San looked toward Flender, his voice nearly breaking.
Flender pushed up his glasses, his gaze flickering with complicated emotions behind the lenses.
How could he not want to rescue her? But the Su Family had immense influence, and even had a Soul Douluo-level expert stationed there. They were far beyond anything they could challenge.
The Heaven Dou Imperial Family looked honored on the surface, but its rule was built on shaky foundations. The five great provinces governed themselves like states within a state, with independent military power. The Imperial Family could only maintain its nominal authority by relying on the great clans.
And the province guarded by the Su Family bordered the Star Luo Empire. They commanded a powerful army, and even the Heaven Dou Imperial Family had to show them deference.
"I... I'll go back and find my father! He'll know what to do!"
Ning Rongrong suddenly turned and ran off, tears streaming down her face.
She had thought that being reborn would let her protect the people who mattered most to her, but she hadn't expected to feel so helpless again.
After sending Xiao Wu off, Su Ling lay down wearily on the sofa and closed his eyes.
He was sleepy and exhausted.
The backlash from forcing the Destruction God Armor into action had left him mentally drained, even though Ye Wanqing had already healed his injuries.
But all he could picture was Gu Yuena curled up weakly in a cage, her silver hair dull and her tiny body trembling slightly from the cold and hunger.
"Lock her in the Dungeon! Don't give her a single drop of water or a grain of rice."
Tang Yuehua's vicious words echoed in his ears. Su Ling suddenly opened his eyes, his chest heaving.
When he saw Xiao Wu reaching toward him, he grabbed her hand, his gaze frighteningly cold.
"Uh... um... dinner's ready. Are you all right? You look really pale. Are your injuries from earlier still bothering you?"
Xiao Wu asked cautiously.
She had already brought out the dishes, but seeing the boy's brows still knitted even in his sleep, she couldn't help reaching over to smooth them out.
The instant her fingertips touched Su Ling's brow, he seized her wrist.
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