The King of Earth was brutally ravaged.
It was a good scorpion. It had helped Yu Xiaogang out of a bind and solved Ma Hongjun's Soul Ring problem.
Inside the tent.
After calming the surging blood and qi within him, two warm streams slowly trickled from Yu Xiaogang's nostrils.
He gently wiped them with his hand, and a bright red smear appeared on his palm.
"I've even got a nosebleed. Just how potent is this tonic?"
Yu Xiaogang helplessly took out a few sheets of paper and wiped away the blood, then poured some water from his canteen to clean off the stains.
Once everything was tidied up, he straightened his collar and stepped out of the tent, heading toward the others.
The battle was already over. The King of Earth, which had been around four thousand years old, had been completely dismembered by the Female Tyrant Dragon. The scene was truly gruesome, with blood everywhere—though all of it belonged to the King of Earth.
Yu Xiaogang glanced at the scene and shuddered. After swallowing and soothing his fragile nerves, he turned to Ma Hongjun and said, "Go absorb your Fourth Soul Ring."
Ma Hongjun had been stunned by the brutal scene, too. Only when he heard Yu Xiaogang's words did he come back to his senses. He hurried forward to put the King of Earth out of its misery, then sat down cross-legged and began absorbing its Soul Ring.
Liu Erlong had returned to her usual cool and aloof demeanor, but as she walked toward everyone, the others couldn't help looking tense.
Liu Erlong didn't pay them any mind. Her beautiful eyes shifted to Yu Xiaogang, full of resentment, before she returned to the tent.
Yu Xiaogang quickly turned away, squeezed his eyes shut, and went rigid from head to toe. He was only short of clasping his hands together and chanting, "Amitabha."
Why did this trip to Sunset Forest feel like a journey to the West to fetch scriptures?
"Xiao Gang, how did it go?" Flender came over with a suggestive grin.
"How did it go? It's all because you, that Pigsy, gave me terrible advice."
Yu Xiaogang's anger flared. He kicked Flender in the rear.
Flender circulated his Soul Power, and without even pushing off anything, his body shifted several inches backward, easily dodging the kick. Then he asked, "How did I become Pigsy?"
"I meant you were clever."
Yu Xiaogang rolled his eyes, walked a few steps, and sat beneath a tree beside the campfire.
"Don't try to fool me, kid." Flender followed him over with a laugh. "I was only trying to help because I could see you two were worried. You and Erlong are both forty. How much longer are you going to wait? Most of your lives are already behind you."
"That doesn't mean you should throw out advice like that. Erlong and I can't sort out our relationship so easily. Given the situation, this is the best outcome." Yu Xiaogang watched the flames dance before him and sighed. Then he fell silent, lost in thought.
Seeing this, Flender said no more. He leaned against the tree, looking at the fire and Yu Xiaogang beside him, and couldn't help recalling the first time the three of them had met as young men.
Back then, after they had met and begun making their way across the continent as the Golden Iron Triangle, they would often sit around a campfire together just like they were tonight.
But in those days, the three of them could joke around, tease one another, and talk about anything and everything. Now they were each troubled, weighed down by so many things.
"Xiao Gang, wouldn't it be wonderful if the three of us could stay just as we were when we first met?"
"Yeah. If only time could have stopped back then. But we're all just passersby in time."
"'Passersby in time'—that's a vivid way to put it. No wonder you're a theoretical master. We were all young back then. Now you and Erlong are over forty, and I'm over fifty."
"No need to get so sentimental. Even when you're old and toothless, Erlong and I will keep you company. Just don't complain if the two of us get on your nerves."
"All right. I suppose a lifetime of bickering wouldn't be so bad."
Flender smiled, then patted Yu Xiaogang and grew serious. "I was wrong about what happened this time. Don't blame Erlong."
Yu Xiaogang shot him a glance, then smiled. "All right, enough of that. We'll make do here for tonight. Tomorrow morning, I'll go make it up to her myself, and that'll be the end of it."
Flender relaxed at his words. With the tree behind them, the two began their long night watch.
The night passed without incident. By dawn the next day, Ma Hongjun had finished absorbing his Soul Ring, and the group set off again. This time, the teachers would lead the way to speed up the search for Soul Rings.
When Liu Erlong came out of the tent, her eyes were bloodshot, as if she hadn't slept all night.
Yu Xiaogang took the initiative to comfort her, telling her how he felt in a whisper. After spending the night thinking it over, Liu Erlong understood that the gap between their identities couldn't be overcome. She decided that she and Yu Xiaogang would be spiritual companions.
They both smiled. Then Liu Erlong glanced at Xiao Wu among the group and brought up the matter of adopting her as their goddaughter.
Yu Xiaogang readily agreed, and Liu Erlong decided to find a chance to make it official.
The group searched Sunset Forest at speed. At first, their luck was decent: they came across a Pink Lady, which gave Oscar his Fourth Soul Ring.
But in the days that followed, they didn't find a single suitable Soul Beast.
With no other choice, they took Tang San's suggestion and went to the area near the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. There, they used the poison array Dugu Bo had laid and the Aromatic Silk Beauty to attract Soul Beasts.
Events returned to their original course. Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing both successfully obtained purple Soul Rings that were around four thousand years old. After Tang San used his Eight Spider Lances to devour a Man Faced Demon Spider, he planned to rely on all his cheats and challenge the ten-thousand-year Soul Ring of a Cave Demon Spider.
Watching Tang San head up the mountain, Xiao Wu looked full of worry, tears glistening in her eyes.
Liu Erlong stepped forward and held Xiao Wu, gently stroking her head. "Child, all you need to do now is believe in him."
"Mm." Xiao Wu naturally nestled into Liu Erlong's arms. It felt as if she had returned to her mother's embrace many years ago.
"Xiao Wu, would you be willing to be my goddaughter?"
Xiao Wu froze for a moment as a familiar feeling welled up inside her. Then she nodded. "I would, Mom."
Mother and daughter embraced. Watching them, Yu Xiaogang looked relieved, yet a complicated light also flickered in his eyes.
Perhaps, for Xiao Wu's sake, he ought to take the initiative and change something.
Yu Xiaogang sank into deep thought.
Night fell.
At the foot of the mountain, a young woman in a pink dress stared anxiously toward the summit, her small hands clenched so tightly that they had turned pale.
Everyone else was also watching the summit, hoping the figure would appear again.
The next moment, as if he had heard their calls, a long cry suddenly rang out from the mountaintop.
Immediately afterward, a young man appeared in their sight and ran toward them at full speed. Seeing him, Xiao Wu rushed up the mountain at once.
Watching the two embrace beneath the moonlight, Yu Xiaogang smiled in quiet understanding. His resolve to make a change grew even stronger.
A clear system notification rang in his ear.
[Updated entry: External Soul Bone Evolution] [Updated entry: 10000 Year Cave Demon Spider Soul Ring]
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