"Your parents and grandparents were killed? The entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan wiped out?"
When she heard those words in the diary, Duoxu's eyes widened. She stood frozen in place, her face full of disbelief.
"Impossible! That can't be! Your parents and grandparents couldn't have died, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan couldn't have been wiped out! What on earth are you talking about?!"
In the brief silence that followed, Huoyao was the one who felt regret. If she had been there with Duoxu, she would definitely have tried to talk her out of it.
Unfortunately, no matter how furious Duoxu was, there was nothing she could do now.
The nearby Chenxin noticed Duoxu's expression and spoke gently.
"Duoxu, what's wrong? You've been acting strange ever since you got back from the deputy dean's office. Could it be that you've changed your mind about going to Shrek Academy?"
When she heard about Duoxu going to Shrek Academy, her fellow students and Chenxin had all been astonished.
What was Taolangke Academy's dean and the old master thinking?
It wasn't like they were going to the Heavenly Emperor's Family Academy. Even the resources offered by the five elemental academies couldn't compare with those of Taolangke Academy, which was tucked away in some remote corner.
Besides, Xuan had refused to accept anyone except monsters. She really didn't know what had gotten into him to make him send out that ridiculous invitation.
Duoxu had even gone so far as to turn down a perfectly good academy, insisting on attending Shrek Academy. No matter how hard they tried to persuade her, it was no use.
The reason Duoxu wanted to go to Shrek wasn't because she cared about its so-called reputation as an academy for monsters. It was because the rebellion was approaching, and she wanted to escape home and have a little more freedom.
After reading the diary's latest entry, which revealed that strange future, she became even more determined to attend Shrek Academy.
She had to find out whether the information in the diary was true. No matter what, she couldn't let those things happen!
The most troubling part was that Duoxu had already bought things in the shopping district in advance. Without even blinking, she could pull out any item she wanted, leaving the entire Douluo Continent in an uproar.
And there was only one way to become famous: make sure her name appeared in Huoyao's diary every day. What could be easier than getting herself written about in the diary just by being around Huoyao?
Thinking of that, Duoxu smiled and turned to Chenxin.
"Of course not. I was just curious about what kind of people my future companions would be."
Chenxin clearly wasn't satisfied with that answer and asked again.
"Given Shrek Academy's resources and reputation, even if there really are talented people who join, they'll most likely come from humble backgrounds and won't have much experience. They may think the academy is wonderful, or they may have no better options for personal reasons. Duoxu, you're going to be disappointed."
Duoxu didn't agree with Chenxin, but she kept her thoughts to herself.
"Even if my parents and grandparents don't live forever, they'll have to die someday. If Shrek Academy really isn't right for me, I'll leave. It's not as though I'll be trapped there."
"All right."
Chenxin sighed and said no more. She accompanied Duoxu as they headed toward Suotuo City, where Shrek Academy was located.
Duoxu wasn't the only one on the diary's list of readers heading to Suotuo City. Xiao Wu was also on her way.
Compared with Duoxu's shock, however, Xiao Wu was much more willing to accept the contents of the diary.
"Third Brother is an otherworldly demon? Was I tricked into offering up my soul bones and spirit ring? So even Ming and Er Ming were killed because he wanted their souls and spirit bones?"
"Ridiculous! That can't be true. The diary must be talking nonsense!"
Xiao Wu stared at the diary's contents, furious and troubled at the same time.
She didn't dare believe it, nor did she want to believe the contents were true. She even thought about throwing the diary into the sea as soon as she got the chance.
But no matter how she tried to convince herself, it was no use. The information had made Xiao Wu keenly aware that the diary was something unusual.
Though Xiao Wu was a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, even if her strength wasn't exceptional, no one could simply sneak the diary into her spiritual sea without her noticing—not even the strongest soul beast in the Star Dou Great Forest, the Azure Bull Python.
Especially since the diary's owner had deliberately tested her by revealing that the diary existed. Her first reaction had been a surge of fear, and she understood that if she were discovered, she would surely die.
As her thoughts raced, Xiao Wu gradually calmed down. She no longer hoped to destroy the diary, but that didn't mean she believed everything written in it.
After all, she and Tang San had been together for so many years. To her, he had always been like an older brother who looked after her. Xiao Wu had relied on him long ago.
I'll definitely see through your disguise, you fake Third Brother! Just you wait!
Xiao Wu clenched her teeth. After a moment, she looked down at the diary again.
[Duoxu and Xiao Wu are probably on their way to Shrek Academy right now. Duoxu is likely one of the soul beasts assigned to protect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's young miss, but this is the first time she has ventured out alone.]
[Xiao Wu is traveling with Tang San, but what she doesn't know is that besides Tang San, someone else is secretly following them in the dark. That person is Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Douluo.]
[As far as I know, when Tang San and Xiao Wu first encountered the Clear Sky School's Soul Master Academy, Tang Chen had already discovered Xiao Wu's identity as a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. At the time, he had intended to act.]
[But after observing them in secret for a while, Tang Chen still didn't make a move. It wasn't because he had suddenly become kindhearted. He wanted to give Xiao Wu a little more time, waiting until Tang San's body had absorbed enough of her hundred-thousand-year soul ring before he struck.]
[That way, Tang San could obtain both the hundred-thousand-year soul ring and the hundred-thousand-year soul bone, making the most of their value.]
When she read that, Xiao Wu's pupils contracted. Cold sweat instantly drenched her back. Her steps faltered, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.
My identity as a soul beast was exposed long ago?!
Xiao Wu was stunned. She sank down onto the ground, her mind in turmoil. She even began searching around for Tang Chen, hoping to test whether what Huoyao had written was true.
Tang San noticed how distracted she looked and hurriedly asked,
"Xiao Wu, what's wrong?"
Feeling Tang San's gaze on her, Xiao Wu took a deep breath. She forced herself to settle down and put on a smile.
"I... I'm fine. I just don't know what came over me."
Just as Tang San was about to ask her more, Xiao Wu quickly got to her feet and changed the subject.
"All right, Third Brother. Let's keep going."
Before you continue