Three hours later, Li Pei safely completed the absorption of the Azure Vine's soul ring, leaving Tang San burning with quiet jealousy as he looked at her four-hundred-year first ring.
He had accompanied Yu Xiaogang to the Soul Hunting Forest last time too, so why had he only encountered a bare-century Black Scaled Snake soul beast while Li Pei had found a four-hundred-year Azure Vine?
Gazing at the optimal-limit soul rings worn by both Xiao Wu and Li Pei, Tang San's resentment toward Yu Xiaogang grew heavier in his heart, for he believed it was Yu Xiaogang who had ruined his own original optimal-limit first soul ring.
Yu Xiaogang asked anxiously instead, "Li Pei, what is your spirit skill?"
Li Pei said happily, "My spirit skill is the Azure Whip, just like when the Azure Vine attacked Little San and Xiao Wu earlier, and it also carries a trace of lightning attribute." With that, she executed her First Spirit Skill, and the martial soul vines instantly transformed into a long whip that lashed toward a tree with the motion of her hand.
As a result, the spot on the tree trunk struck by the long whip emitted a sizzling sound and quickly turned to charcoal, demonstrating just how formidable the power of this century-old spirit skill was.
Xiao Wu said happily, "Li Pei, your spirit skill is amazing."
Li Pei was equally delighted. "Really? I was able to acquire such a powerful spirit skill entirely thanks to the help of Xiao Wu and Little San. Thank you both."
Tang San said with a hint of sorrow, "It's nothing. As long as Junior Sister was able to obtain a suitable spirit skill, this trip was well worth it."
Perhaps because she had just acquired a powerful spirit skill and was in high spirits, Li Pei, who was usually sharp, completely failed to notice Tang San's hidden sorrow.
Yu Xiaogang was also pleased. "It seems your spirit skill is truly powerful, Li Pei."
On this trip to the Soul Hunting Forest, Yu Xiaogang, Xiao Wu, and Li Pei were all happy, with only Tang San still immersed in his secret sorrow.
At that moment, Li Pei realized to her shock that her entire body was covered in bloodstains. "Xiao Wu, what happened to me?"
Yu Xiaogang said, "Li Pei, the process of absorbing your soul ring just now was extremely perilous. It was likely because your Innate Soul Power wasn't high enough, making the absorption of this four-hundred-year soul ring rather strenuous, and you nearly met with disaster."
"If Xiao Wu hadn't stepped in to help you, Li Pei, you might have burst from excess energy and died on the spot," Yu Xiaogang said in a tone that narrowly escaped disaster.
Hearing this, Li Pei felt deep shock, never expecting that Xiao Wu, whom she disliked the most, would actually help her. "Thank you, Xiao Wu. It's a good thing you came along, or I might not have been able to absorb such a great soul ring."
Xiao Wu said with complacent pride, "Not at all. Although I helped out, your own willpower was also very resolute, Li Pei."
Seeing Li Pei so happy, Xiao Wu felt genuinely glad as well, feeling that following Tang San, whom she despised most, into the Soul Hunting Forest had not been in vain.
"Li Pei, why don't you go wash up by the river? It can't be comfortable walking around covered in blood like this."
"But where would there be a river in the Soul Hunting Forest?" Ever since entering the forest, Li Pei had not heard the sound of flowing water once, and she looked thoroughly puzzled when Xiao Wu suggested washing up in a river.
Xiao Wu blinked and said, "Don't worry, I saw where the river was earlier. Why don't I take you there? I wouldn't feel at ease letting you go alone."
Before long, Xiao Wu genuinely tracked down a river within the depths of the Soul Hunting Forest, leaving Yu Xiaogang utterly astonished. "Xiao Wu, how did you know there was a river here? I've come to the Soul Hunting Forest so many times and never discovered it."
Xiao Wu replied with a guilty conscience, "It was just an accident. I found this place while helping Li Pei search for a soul beast." As a soul beast, Xiao Wu was extremely sensitive to locations with flowing water, whereas Yu Xiaogang had only visited the Soul Hunting Forest a mere three times, so how could he ever have discovered such a place?
"Alright, you two hurry up and leave. Li Pei is going to take a bath, so no peeping." In order to prevent the topic from continuing, Xiao Wu hastily chased Tang San and Yu Xiaogang away.
While rinsing her body, Li Pei watched Xiao Wu playing with the water by the riverbank and couldn't help asking, "Xiao Wu, back when I was absorbing the soul ring, how did you help me? Didn't they say spirit masters can only rely on themselves when absorbing soul rings?"
"At that time, you had just been absorbing the soul ring for less than an hour when blood suddenly started seeping from your body and the orifices of your head, which terrified me." Xiao Wu slowly recounted the events, making the previous incident sound so terrifying that her body even trembled slightly as she spoke.
"Then I realized your body's foundation of spirit power might not be enough. Grandmaster originally wanted Tang San to channel spirit power into you, but Tang San refused. I didn't want anything bad to happen to you, so I sat directly behind you and slowly transferred my spirit power into your body."
Li Pei asked in disbelief, "Why didn't Little San help me? Aren't we family?"
"After your expression calmed down, I also asked Tang San, and he told me that men and women should not touch hands when giving or receiving. He probably considered your situation and chose not to help; after all, you've already absorbed the soul ring now, and your figure has developed quite a bit. For all you know..." Xiao Wu left her words unfinished, yet she left Li Pei with boundless room for imagination.
Could it be that Little San was afraid of losing control and that's why he didn't touch me? I never imagined Little San liked me this much. Truth be told, Li Pei's imagination ran far too wild; in reality, Tang San simply disliked Li Pei, which was why he hadn't helped her.
Seeing Li Pei sink into her own imagination, Xiao Wu's expression shifted as well. Ever since she unilaterally severed ties with Tang San, she had also considered steering Li Pei away from him. After all, if a kind-hearted girl like Li Pei were to find out what kind of scheming person Tang San truly was, would she be able to bear it?
Yet if she were to fall out with Tang San for no reason and even snatch away the people by his side, wouldn't she be captured by Tang San's father in no time? Besides, Li Pei also liked Tang San. For her own sake and for the sake of Li Pei's feelings, Xiao Wu still refrained from urging Li Pei to leave him, but this thought nonetheless filled Xiao Wu with guilt toward Li Pei.
Although she kept claiming it was for the sake of Li Pei's feelings for Tang San, she had still utilized Li Pei's kindness toward her in order to save her own skin, which led Xiao Wu to resolve that she must help Li Pei escape from this sinister villain, Tang San.
Yet looking at Li Pei's current state-so infatuated with Tang San-this kind of attachment was not something that could be severed on a whim, leaving Xiao Wu increasingly worried about Li Pei's future. If Li Pei truly ended up walking the path with Tang San, would such a kind girl genuinely find happiness?
"Oh right, Xiao Wu, why have you and Little San seemed somewhat distant lately?" Li Pei's voice interrupted Xiao Wu's deep contemplation.
Seeing her hidden emotions so easily observed by Li Pei, Xiao Wu was deeply moved as well. "It's nothing. What were you saying earlier? Don't you like Tang San? I'm a girl myself, after all, so it wouldn't look good if I stayed too close to him."
"Xiao Wu, do you really think that? I'm so happy." Though her tone was joyous, Li Pei's guard against Xiao Wu had not diminished in the slightest.
"Yeah, don't worry, Li Pei. I will never fall for Tang San, I promise." Xiao Wu usually spoke in a playful tone, but this time her words were exceptionally solemn, forcing Li Pei to turn serious as well.
Li Pei smiled and said, "I know, Xiao Wu, we're good friends after all." This time, Li Pei observed Xiao Wu carefully and noticed that whenever Xiao Wu uttered the two words 'Tang San', she could not conceal the aversion in her eyes.
Only then did Li Pei set her mind at ease, knowing that the current Xiao Wu did not like Tang San.
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