Ye Qiu gave an awkward laugh. Xiao Wu was right, after being possessed, he knew every little thought she had about him.
He didn't dwell on it. After all, they'd already sealed the deal.
"Fine. I can give you three more carrot-flavored lollipops."
"Really?"
Xiao Wu's eyes lit up as she looked at Ye Qiu in surprise.
"Of course. But there's one condition: you have to beat me! How about it?"
Ye Qiu nodded seriously, then teasingly crooked a finger at her and taunted her a couple of times.
"Sure, sure! I'll definitely win this time!"
Xiao Wu looked delighted. A few days had passed, and she'd regained her confidence in her abilities. Then she suddenly remembered something and clasped her hands behind her back, covering her bottom. Blushing, she said, "But... you can't kick my butt like last time, and you can't hit Sister Xiao Wu in the eyes."
"Don't worry. I won't hit you in the eyes or the butt."
Ye Qiu nodded readily, then smiled mysteriously and took two steps back.
"All right, let's start now!"
"Okay!"
As soon as she spoke, Xiao Wu didn't dare let her guard down. A Yellow Soul Ring appeared beneath her feet and spun rapidly. Two soft pink rabbit ears sprouted from her head, and a little tail appeared above her lower back. Her figure grew noticeably taller, too.
By contrast, a Soul Ring spread out beneath Ye Qiu's feet, and black markings quickly covered his body. He looked completely black, with only a pair of large eyes visible on his face. His dark form blended into the night, making him difficult to spot.
The Yellow Soul Ring glimmered faintly. Ye Qiu felt lighter than before. His muscles drew in slightly, while his legs and waist became firmer and more flexible.
"Huh?"
Xiao Wu studied Ye Qiu, blinking her large, crimson eyes as if she sensed something unusual. She added, "Ye Qiu, don't hit too hard. It hurts!"
"I'll try. If you get hurt, I'll heal you." Ye Qiu's hoarse voice came from within his black form. Its white patches drew together, as if he were staring at Xiao Wu.
After obtaining his Soul Ring, Ye Qiu had discovered that his perception had improved greatly, too. He could clearly see the faintly nervous expression on Xiao Wu's face.
"All right, I'm coming for you!"
Ye Qiu gave an excited shout and immediately charged forward. In just a few breaths, he was right in front of Xiao Wu. Like her, he raised one leg high in a near-split, his toe aimed straight at her chin.
To Venom, this kind of Soft Skill was child's play!
Xiao Wu's expression changed. Recognizing the familiar move, she didn't have time to think and immediately leaned backward, bracing herself with one hand for a back handspring and dodging Ye Qiu's attack.
Then she quickly crouched low, braced both hands on the ground, and swept both feet toward Ye Qiu's shins.
Seeing this, Ye Qiu used the momentum as he lowered his raised leg to flip in place, then switched legs and brought one down in a kick. His heel came down on Xiao Wu's head like a battle-axe.
Thud!
With a muffled bang, Ye Qiu's body rocked twice, and the paving stones beneath his feet cracked. Xiao Wu rolled away from the attack in a somewhat awkward fashion.
After only a few moves, Xiao Wu's eyes were filled with astonishment. Ye Qiu's moves seemed almost identical to her Soft Skills.
"Little rabbit, if you keep rolling around on the ground, you'll have to take another bath later. Otherwise, you can forget about getting into bed."
"Shut up! Don't call me a rabbit! Sister Xiao Wu will teach you a lesson!"
Xiao Wu was about to lose it. She sprang up, sprinted a couple of steps, and leapt off a flower bed, flying toward Ye Qiu with a scissor kick.
"Heh."
Ye Qiu chuckled to himself.
He climbed a few steps up the nearby tree, then launched a scissor kick of his own at Xiao Wu.
Bang!
Their right feet collided in midair.
Xiao Wu stared at Ye Qiu, her face flushed and her eyes full of suspicion. But with his black covering, Ye Qiu's expression was impossible to see.
After exchanging a glance, Ye Qiu kicked off with his right foot. Both of them flew backward, turned several times in the air, and landed in steady half-crouches.
"Ye Qiu, you actually stole my Soft Skills!" Xiao Wu gritted her teeth in anger.
"Don't accuse me, you silly rabbit. I didn't steal anything."
Ye Qiu stood and stretched.
"You're the silly one! I'm not silly at all. Just watch Sister Xiao Wu beat you until you're crawling on the ground!" she huffed.
With that, Xiao Wu clenched her teeth and stalked toward Ye Qiu.
She wasn't silly at all!
Ye Qiu stood quietly, waiting for her. He knew full well that Xiao Wu's first Soul Skill could only do its job at close range, where it could hurt her opponent.
That was exactly why he waited for her to come to him, instead of wasting time going after her himself.
As Xiao Wu reached him, Ye Qiu pretended to throw a punch. She lightly twisted her body and slipped behind him.
Xiao Wu let out a soft snort.
Her scorpion braid had already wrapped around Ye Qiu's neck.
Her rabbit-like legs kicked him in the butt. Just as Xiao Wu was about to use it as a pivot, swinging her waist and braid to throw Ye Qiu violently to the ground—
She herself let out a startled cry first.
"Ah!"
A black strand suddenly extended from the back of Ye Qiu's head and wrapped around Xiao Wu's neck. At the same time, one of his feet kicked her soft bottom.
"Ye Qiu, don't even think—Ugh!"
Xiao Wu immediately realized what was happening. The pressure around her neck hurt, and she couldn't catch her breath. The Soul Ring beneath her feet lit up rapidly.
First Soul Skill, Waist Bow!
Her waist strength instantly doubled!
She was about to fling Ye Qiu high into the air.
"Waist Bow!"
At the same time, a hoarse voice rang out, tinged with a hint of slyness.
"Ah-wu!"
Xiao Wu's eyes suddenly rolled back, and she couldn't draw breath.
She looked up at Ye Qiu above her, her face filled with utter terror. Because it wasn't Ye Qiu who had been flung into the air—it was her.
At last, she understood what she had lost!
Her Soul Skill!
"Ah—!"
The ground was right in front of her. She was about to smack into it face-first.
Xiao Wu couldn't help screaming. She shut her eyes tight.
Pff!
"Ah~"
Ye Qiu laughed as he caught her horizontally in his arms. Xiao Wu was still squeezing her eyes shut, flailing her arms and legs, and screaming. He looked a little exasperated.
"Silly rabbit, are you done screaming?"
"Huh?"
Xiao Wu froze. With her eyes still closed, she cautiously felt around with her little hands. She couldn't feel the ground. Instead, she felt a firm, warm chest.
"Ye Qiu..."
Xiao Wu turned over in Ye Qiu's arms and saw the black covering slowly fade away, revealing his young face. Her cheeks flushed. "Y-you'd better put me down!"
"Sure!"
Ye Qiu smiled and immediately let go.
"Ah—!"
Xiao Wu's eyes widened in alarm. She grabbed at Ye Qiu's black form, but couldn't find a hold. Amid her scream, she and the ground met in a very intimate fashion.
"Ow, that hurts..."
Xiao Wu sat on the ground, clutching her bottom. Her face was scrunched up, and tears glimmered in the corners of her eyes.
"Ye Qiu, why did you drop Sister Xiao Wu?"
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