[I'm just saying, forget reaching Titled Douluo with this approach-even reaching Soul Saint would be a struggle, wouldn't it? Yu Xiaogang really has done people no end of harm!]
[Tang Ya's martial soul has already been marinated in poison until it turned into dark blue silver grass, yet she's still courting death by hunting soul beasts according to Tang San's original soul ring configuration. If you don't become an Evil Soul Master, who will?]
Tang Ya's face suddenly went pale.
What Aoyao had written in his diary had once again struck her where it hurt.
She had actually discovered her martial soul's peculiar nature long ago. A martial soul that could devour other life force to strengthen itself was indeed no different from an Evil Soul Master's. She had simply kept that instinct and desire under control all this time.
But now, she was falling further and further behind in cultivation. Driven by her desire to restore the Tang Sect's glory and avenge her parents, her willpower was steadily weakening.
Perhaps, just as Aoyao had said, it would not be long before she fell completely and became a true Evil Soul Master.
Bei Bei, standing beside Tang Ya, did not notice anything unusual about her. An apologetic look appeared on his refined face. "Sorry, Yuhao. We got here too late."
"You..."
Bei Bei looked uncertainly at the Wind Baboon's corpse on the ground, then at Huo Yuhao, who had clearly broken through from Soul Scholar to Soul Master. Regret showed on his face.
A Soul Master's first soul ring was especially important. For a Soul Master whose first ring was a ten-year soul ring, half his prospects could already be considered cut off.
If only they had arrived a little earlier.
"It's all right, Brother Bei Bei."
Huo Yuhao answered, but his gaze unconsciously drifted toward Aoyao, who stood some distance from the others.
Of everyone present, only Aoyao had clearly witnessed his fusion with Brother Sky Dream, and only Aoyao knew that his soul ring had not come from the Wind Baboon.
However inexperienced he might be, he knew that the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was now his greatest source of confidence. But someone else now knew of Brother Sky Dream's existence...
This left Huo Yuhao deeply uneasy.
[Huo Yuhao has now obtained his Million-Year Soul Ring. Next, he should enter Shrek Academy and share a dorm room with Wang Dong'er. After that, he'll head to the Extreme North Land to find the Ice Empress, obtain his second martial soul, and officially start his cheat-powered journey.]
[But... now that I've snatched Electrolux away, I wonder how Huo Yuhao will end up... Still, that's not something I need to worry about. The most important thing is that this guy is the key to all of Tang San's schemes. Tang San will definitely pay special attention to him.]
[Even if I can veil heaven's secrets and keep Tang San from noticing me, I should still minimize my contact with Huo Yuhao. Yep, exactly. So... time to make a clean getaway!]
After writing this, Aoyao turned toward Ning Tian and Wu Feng, whose brows were slightly furrowed-or, more precisely, toward Ning Tian alone.
"Shall we go?"
Ning Tian had been thinking the same thing and readily agreed.
But when Tang Ya noticed what Aoyao and the others were doing, her expression shifted slightly.
Her name had indeed appeared many times in the diary just now, but she had not counted carefully and did not know whether hers had appeared the most.
That meant she might not receive the diary's reward.
Having finally encountered Aoyao, Tang Ya naturally wanted to make her presence felt a little more.
In a flash, Tang Ya cleared her throat twice and called out:
"You three are heading to Shrek Academy to enroll too, aren't you? Why don't we travel together?"
But to Tang Ya's surprise, Aoyao not only failed to stop when he heard her voice, but actually quickened his pace.
[Holy shit, what's Tang Ya trying to do? Don't tell me she's planning to recruit us into the Tang Sect?]
[You know what? With Tang Ya's personality, she really might do that. But the problem is, your Tang Sect has nothing. You're a commander without an army, with Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao thrown in at most...]
[What? You're saying joining the Tang Sect lets me learn the Tang Sect Secret Arts?]
[Oh, please! Never mind whether those Tang Sect Secret Arts are versions Tang San has gutted-even if they're complete, I wouldn't deign to learn them, all right? Isn't my Grand Mystery Scripture far stronger than that Mysterious Heaven Skill?]
[Even if I conceded ten thousand steps, the Tang Sect couldn't measure up to so much as a hair on the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, all right?]
Reading the last line, Ning Tian's lips unconsciously curved upward, and even her steps grew considerably lighter.
Behind them, Tang Ya's expression stiffened slightly. Aoyao's mockery angered her, yet she could do nothing about it.
After all, everything he had said was true.
The Tang Sect really did have only her, Bei Bei, and Huo Yuhao left now.
This guy...
Bei Bei's brow furrowed slightly, his expression turning somewhat unpleasant.
Xiaoya had offered them goodwill. Even if she'd been a little abrupt, surely she didn't deserve to be treated like this?
Those three were so rude! They wouldn't even say a word, avoiding her as though she were a plague god!
"Xiaoya, never mind those three. We should hurry back."
Bei Bei offered Xiaoya some comfort. Seeing how lost she looked, he could not help sighing softly. He was just about to pat her shoulder when Tang Ya discreetly took a step back.
A startled look immediately appeared on Bei Bei's face.
"Xiaoya, what's wrong?"
Realizing that her behavior was unusual, Tang Ya took a deep breath before forcing a faint smile onto her face. "Nothing. I just feel sorry that Yuhao only absorbed a ten-year soul ring."
As she spoke, Tang Ya moved aside with Qin Qin, leaving Bei Bei looking utterly bewildered, with no idea what had happened.
Even Qin Qin found it strange.
When they first came to the Star Dou Great Forest, she had been force-fed plenty of Bei Bei and Tang Ya's lovey-dovey displays. Although their gestures had not been particularly intimate, the sour stink of a couple in love had still been obvious.
But now...
It felt as though a barrier had materialized between the two of them out of thin air.
But nothing had happened just now, had it?
Qin Qin could not make sense of it, but her eyes unconsciously settled on Bei Bei, her gaze brimming with envy.
Bei Bei was young, tall, handsome, and powerful-the man of so many girls' dreams in the Outer Court. Although she was happy that Tang Ya had found such a perfect boyfriend, it was impossible not to feel envious and jealous.
She even found herself thinking how wonderful it would be if Bei Bei were her boyfriend.
Qin Qin, oh, Qin Qin, what on earth are you thinking?
He's your friend's boyfriend!
Seeing that no one was paying attention, Qin Qin hurriedly patted her slightly flushed cheeks, then linked arms with Tang Ya as though nothing had happened.
Before you continue