Xiao Wu fought back the urge to charge over and kick Tang San, then kept reading...
[One day, you faintly sensed a sharp gaze land on you.]
[It lasted only an instant, yet every hair on your body stood on end.]
Xiao Wu's eyelid twitched.
That was right!
She'd felt that way these past two days! It was as if a pair of eyes were watching her from the shadows, making her skin crawl!
She'd thought it was just her imagination—
[That night, in the woods near Notting Academy.]
[Tang San stood facing a shadowy figure.]
[The figure was burly, his aura as imposing as a mountain—none other than the renowned Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao! Tang San's father!]
Xiao Wu's breath caught.
What??
A Titled Douluo?!
She instinctively gripped the carrot in her hand.
[Tang Hao: Xiao San, get along with that Xiao Wu and keep her by your side.]
[Tang San: Yes, Father.]
[Tang Hao: Your cultivation is still too shallow. You can't absorb a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring yet. When the time comes—]
[Tang Hao let out a cold laugh: Your father will do the dirty work for you. Then you'll have your Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone.]
[Father and son exchanged a look and let out sinister, lecherous laughs.]
Xiao Wu's pupils contracted.
The carrot slipped from her hand, rolled twice across the table, and went "plop" onto the floor.
So that was it...
So that was what was going on!!!
She lifted her head and looked at Tang San.
The Tang San who was still happily fantasizing about having a woman in each arm had become a devil in human skin in her eyes.
No, he was even more revolting than a devil!
Xiao Wu took a deep breath, then another.
She wanted to charge over right then, kick Tang San flying, and flee back to the Star Dou Great Forest under cover of night.
But she didn't move.
Because she remembered that sharp gaze.
Tang Hao.
That Titled Douluo was watching her from the shadows.
The moment she showed even the slightest crack—
Xiao Wu slowly lowered her head and pretended nothing was wrong as she picked up the carrot.
Her fingers trembled slightly, but she forced them still.
Stay calm.
She had to stay calm.
She couldn't let them catch on.
She took a bite of the carrot and chewed.
It tasted like sawdust.
[The Simulation continued—]
[You had no idea about Tang Hao and his son's scheme.]
[Tang San obeyed your every whim and treated you with tenderness, as if you were the only person in his world.]
[You didn't feel anything special for him, but at least you didn't dislike him.]
Xiao Wu's mouth twitched as she read this.
Didn't dislike him?
That was the old her.
Now, just looking at Tang San's face made her feel sick.
[At twelve, you graduated alongside Tang San and entered Shrek Academy.]
[Shrek was full of monsters—Boss Dai, Oscar, Fatty. Each one was more of a handful than the last.]
[Later, Shrek moved to Heaven Dou City and merged with Blue Tyrant Academy.]
Xiao Wu rubbed her eyes.
Heaven Dou City? What place was that?
Whatever. She'd keep reading.
[In Heaven Dou City, you happened to meet a young man.]
[His Martial Soul... was the Golden Dragon King!]
[The instant that golden dragon's shadow appeared, your soul trembled! It was an instinct etched into the blood of every Soul Beast—submission! Fear! Trembling!]
Xiao Wu's pupils shrank.
The Golden Dragon King?!
A Martial Soul that could make even a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast tremble??
What kind of monster was that?!
[There was an innate quality about the young man that made you want to draw closer to him.]
[Later, you learned that his name was Lin Jiang. The two of you even became friends.]
Xiao Wu blushed.
Lin Jiang?
That name... was pretty nice.
[At fourteen, the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament began.]
[You fought your way through the competition with Shrek and made it to the finals.]
[Then Lin Jiang's team slapped you flat.]
Xiao Wu: ...
Fine. Lin Jiang was so strong that losing to him wasn't embarrassing.
[However, during the competition—]
[Your identity was exposed.]
Xiao Wu's heart tightened.
[Word that you were a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form spread across the arena! Every powerful figure set their sights on you!]
[The Pope of Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong, personally made her move!]
[You closed your eyes in despair, thinking that this was how your life would end.]
[Then—]
[Lin Jiang rushed over.]
[He stood in front of you and took Bibi Dong's full-force attack with his body.]
["Run!"]
[You stood there, stunned.]
[He looked back at you and smiled.]
["What are you standing there for? Run!"]
[You fled.]
[When you looked back, all you saw was his figure swallowed by the crowd.]
Xiao Wu covered her mouth.
Her eyes stung.
[You fled back to the Star Dou Great Forest and spent several years in a daze.]
[At nineteen, that day—]
[Tang San came.]
[Tang Hao came too.]
[Every elder of the Clear Sky Sect came.]
Xiao Wu's breath caught.
[Tang San stood outside the forest, brimming with confidence.]
["Xiao Wu! This time, you won't escape my grasp!"]
[He smiled and turned his gaze toward the depths of the forest.]
["And you're not the only one—Sky Azure Bull Python and Titan Giant Ape will both become Soul Rings for my Clear Sky Hammer!"]
[Behind him, every elder of the Clear Sky Sect answered in unison, their momentum surging like a rainbow.]
Xiao Wu went cold all over.
Da Ming... Er Ming...
They wouldn't even spare Da Ming and Er Ming?!
Xiao Wu lowered her head and clenched her fingers.
Lin Jiang...
His name turned over and over in her mind.
She took a deep breath and silently said to herself:
Lin Jiang, where are you?
[The elders of the Clear Sky Sect advanced as if no one could stop them.]
[In the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest, they found you.]
[Titled Douluos' auras surrounded you from every direction.]
Cold sweat beaded on Xiao Wu's palms.
[Tang San stood at the very front, hands behind his back, full of confidence.]
["Xiao Wu!" he called. "It's been a long time."]
[You stood protectively in front of Da Ming and Er Ming, glaring at him.]
["Tang San, are you really going to wipe us all out?"]
[Tang San smiled.]
["Xiao Wu, that's not fair..." He shook his head. "If it hadn't been for that Lin Jiang, you'd have been mine long ago."]
["I chased after you for over ten years, and you ran off with some outsider?"]
["Tell me, shouldn't I kill you?"]
Xiao Wu: ???
You chased after me for over ten years?
You call that chasing?
You followed me around, sucking up to me every day, then turned around and discussed with your father how to turn me into a Soul Ring?
Who are you trying to fool!
["Hmph!" You let out a cold laugh. "You call that chasing? You were fattening me up for slaughter!"]
[Tang San's expression stiffened.]
[Then he regained his composure, his face even taking on a hint of condescending pity.]
["My Xiao Wu, sacrifice yourself." He spread his arms. "Sacrifice yourself to me and become my Soul Ring. That way, you can keep living in another form, and we won't have to do it ourselves—it would hurt quite a bit."]
Xiao Wu clenched her fists.
Sacrifice herself?
For you?
Dream on!
["In your dreams!" You spat out each word. "I'd rather die than sacrifice myself to a beast like you!"]
[Tang San's expression turned cold.]
["Then don't blame me for what happens next."]
[He stepped back and waved his hand.]
[Behind him, the Sky Azure Bull Python raised its head and let out a deafening roar!]
["Sister Xiao Wu! Why waste words on him!"]
["Er Ming! Protect Sister Xiao Wu!"]
Before you continue