The Golden List's introduction was brief, yet it sent the entire continent into an uproar.
In an instant, countless bullet comments representing the thoughts of people everywhere streaked across the sky.
[My god! No wonder it symbolizes pure love. The conditions for picking it are terrifying!]
[You have to risk your life just to pick a flower? That's way too much trouble! And this is only ninth place?]
[What do you know, up there? This test isn't about strength, but sincerity! It's priceless! Whoever can pick this flower must possess love that moves heaven and earth!]
Allied Forces Camp.
Inside the central tent, the subtle atmosphere that had formed after Ma Hongjun's words was swept away by the Golden List's sudden turn.
When everyone saw the words on the list, they were stunned.
"Lovesick Heartbreak Red!"
Dai Mubai was the first to shout, then immediately burst with joy.
"It's ours! Another one of our treasures! Hahahaha, Shrek really is favored by fate!"
"What does Spirit Hall amount to? Even the Heavenly Dao is on our side!" Ma Hongjun was also visibly excited.
The gloom that had clouded Tang San's face after Buddha Wrath Tang Lotus's failure vanished at once, replaced by surprise and excitement.
It was Xiao Wu's Lovesick Heartbreak Red!
The thought flashed through his mind, and another, even more thrilling idea immediately followed.
Xiao Wu is mine, so naturally, everything that belongs to her is mine too!
The reward from the Heavenly Dao Gold Ranking this time will surely be mine as well!
As Tang San listened to everyone's praise and Dugu Bo's exclamations, the corners of his mouth lifted involuntarily. His heart swelled with pride.
If I hadn't had such a discerning eye and found that treasure ground, these immortal herbs would probably still be gathering dust.
This is all thanks to me!
Just as everyone was getting excited, the scene on the Heavenly Vault Golden List shifted again.
The image showed the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
The Shrek girls appeared one by one. They tried to pick the beautiful little white flower, but none of them succeeded.
At last, the image settled on Xiao Wu.
She closed her eyes. Tang San's figure appeared in her mind, and the love she felt for him—pure and without a trace of impurity—burned fiercely.
She let a drop of blood fall.
The next moment, the Lovesick Heartbreak Red trembled lightly, then detached itself from its stem and drifted down into her palm.
After leaving its stem, the flower did not wither. Instead, it glowed with a soft white light, as though it were alive. Its fragrance spread through the air, refreshing the soul.
[The Lovesick Heartbreak Red has three effects.]
[First: When consumed, it grants a lifespan as enduring as heaven and earth, greatly extending one's life.]
[Second: When consumed, one's Soul Power will undergo an innate enhancement, surging by at least ten levels, without any side effects.]
[Third: It can perfectly conceal the aura of a Soul Beast. Even a deity would struggle to discern its true form.]
The words on the Golden List boomed through the minds of everyone on the continent like successive bolts of thunder!
The bullet comments across the sky exploded in an instant!
[Holy crap! That's insane! Those effects are ridiculously powerful! It extends your life and boosts your Soul Power by ten levels?]
[Even deities can't discern a Soul Beast's true form? This is practically a life-saving divine artifact tailor-made for Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts!]
[If ninth place is already this terrifying, what could the rare treasures ranked above it possibly be like?]
[...]
The people of Shrek inside the tent were in a complete frenzy.
"Xiao Wu, your love for Third Brother is truly incredible!"
Ning Rongrong's beautiful eyes sparkled as she praised her from the bottom of her heart.
"That's right! Only a devoted man like Third Brother could find such a perfect immortal herb for Xiao Wu!"
Oscar chimed in too.
Xiao Wu was so moved she could hardly contain herself. Her limpid eyes gazed at Tang San, filled with love and admiration.
Her delicate body, transformed from a Soft Bone Rabbit, trembled slightly, her graceful curves rising and falling beneath her close-fitting clothes.
Her jade feet, clad in pink crystal shoes, instinctively drew together. Her long, straight legs radiated astonishing springiness and beauty.
As Tang San basked in everyone's admiration and Xiao Wu's adoring gaze, his smug pride swelled to its utmost.
He stepped forward and gently drew Xiao Wu into his arms, then lifted his gaze to the Heavenly Vault Golden List, his eyes burning.
Everything is under my control!
So what if it's Spirit Hall? So what if there's that mysterious powerhouse?
I, Tang San, am the true protagonist of this world!
He eagerly awaited the bountiful reward the Heavenly Dao Gold Ranking would bestow this time.
Yet for some reason, deep in his heart, a faint unease lingered.
That tranquil courtyard, those few Buddha Wrath Tang Lotuses that had vanished without a sound—they haunted him like nightmares.
No!
Tang San shook his head sharply, casting the distracting thought from his mind.
It must be an illusion!
I am blessed with great fortune. I am destined for greatness!
How could Spirit Hall's tricks possibly shake the glorious Heavenly Dao?
High above, the Golden List's light flowed and shimmered. The crowd's excitement and uproar had yet to die down when a new scene unfolded.
It was neither a celestial treasure ground nor a divine ruin, but a setting familiar to countless Soul Masters: the arena of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.
In the image, a pink figure darted and weaved with agility. It was Xiao Wu as a young girl.
Her opponent was no weakling, yet she always managed to deflect his attacks with near-instinctive finesse and claim victory.
She was lively and adorable, brimming with youthful energy. No one could connect her with a ferocious Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
That was because in her arms lay a small flower, quietly glowing and perfectly concealing the essence of her Soul Beast aura.
It was the Lovesick Heartbreak Red.
The moment the scene appeared, the bullet comments across the sky fell silent for a brief instant.
[Wait a minute! What did I just realize? Tang San knew Xiao Wu was a Soul Beast all along?]
[Hiss! Now that you mention it, I've realized it too!
The Lovesick Heartbreak Red's third effect is to perfectly conceal a Soul Beast's aura. Tang San gave it to Xiao Wu, so he must have known her true identity!]
[Then here's the question! If he knew, why did he let Xiao Wu take part in such a high-profile tournament?
Wasn't he pushing her into a fire pit? Spirit Hall was watching from below the stage at the time!]
[And this immortal herb can be eaten, right? Eating it boosts your Soul Power by ten levels and extends your life. Why didn't he let Xiao Wu eat it to strengthen herself? Why leave it on her like an accessory?]
[The more I think about it, the more terrifying it gets! Could Tang San have done it on purpose? Was he using Xiao Wu's identity as a Soul Beast to make a big splash in the finals and make a name for himself?]
[No way... She's his beloved. How could he plot against her like that?]
The tide of opinion in the comments turned sharply. Doubts and speculation surged in like a rising flood.
Allied Forces Camp.
Inside the central tent, the previously jubilant atmosphere froze in an instant.
The smile on Tang San's face stiffened, replaced by a grim scowl.
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