Dispersing His Power

Xiao Wu's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Da Ming, are you saying Li Han has the potential to become a god?"

The Sky Azure Bull Python gave a slight nod with its enormous head, confirming its guess.

"My luck is incredible. After leaving the Star Dou Great Forest, the first friend I met has the potential to become a god."

Excitement shone on Xiao Wu's face.

"Sister Xiao Wu, is Li Han good to you?"

"Mm-hmm! He's really good to me! He gives me these Heavenly Thunder Bamboo Leaves to eat every day.

And there's more. At the academy, he took great care of me.

Just now, when Er Ming pretended to attack us, he was doing everything he could to protect me."

Whenever she spoke of Li Han, Xiao Wu's eyes sparkled with delight.

The Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape exchanged a glance, each seeing a trace of relief in the other's eyes.

They could finally feel at ease knowing someone was protecting Xiao Wu so well in the human world.

"Your friend seems like a good person.

But if he finds out you're a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who has taken human form, there's no guarantee he won't grow greedy.

Few Soul Masters could resist the temptation of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring.

So you still need to keep your guard up.

At the very least, don't let him learn your identity."

"Li Han wouldn't do that."

Xiao Wu shook her head again and again.

"Sister Xiao Wu, do you remember the Blue Silver Emperor who left the Star Dou Great Forest more than ten years ago?

Like you, she took human form and went in search of a chance to become a god.

But she never came back.

If she hadn't died, she would have reached at least the cultivation level of a Titled Douluo by now.

Yet we've never heard anything about her again.

Human society is complicated and dangerous. You're too innocent, so you need to keep your guard up at all times.

You have to protect yourself. Only then can Er Ming and I feel at ease."

Xiao Wu lowered her head at his words.

As a fellow Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, she had naturally heard the stories about the Blue Silver Emperor.

Although there was no conclusive evidence, she knew the Blue Silver Emperor was almost certainly dead.

After all, she hadn't heard a single thing about her since she left.

So the Blue Silver Emperor's story really was a warning to her.

But Xiao Wu couldn't help feeling that Li Han was different.

"I understand, Da Ming. Don't worry, I'll protect myself.

Besides, I feel these Heavenly Thunder Bamboo Leaves are helping me hide my identity tremendously.

Look, hasn't the Soul Beast aura around me gotten weaker?"

Xiao Wu spread her arms and spun around, letting the two beasts examine her.

The Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape scrutinized her closely, and were genuinely surprised to find that the Soul Beast aura around Xiao Wu had faded considerably.

"It really has! With her aura this faint, only a Titled Douluo might notice something amiss.

These bamboo leaves are that miraculous?"

The Titan Giant Ape exclaimed in surprise.

"This person's Martial Soul is even more extraordinary than I imagined.

Sister Xiao Wu, if you keep eating these leaves for a few more years, I fear only a Limit Douluo would be able to see your true form."

The Sky Azure Bull Python sighed.

"See? I told you Li Han was amazing."

Xiao Wu looked smug.

You'd think the one who was amazing was her, not Li Han.

"All right, it's getting late. I need to hurry back.

Li Han is still unconscious over there by himself, and I'm a little worried.

Da Ming, Er Ming, I'll come visit you again next time."

Seeing how late it was, Xiao Wu immediately said goodbye to them both.

"Sister Xiao Wu, I'll take you back," the Titan Giant Ape hurriedly offered.

"Okay. But keep it quiet this time. Don't let Li Han notice."

The Titan Giant Ape immediately took Xiao Wu back at speed.

The Sky Azure Bull Python watched them leave, its expression thoughtful.

"Li Han... Heavenly Thunder Bamboo... I hope you can help Xiao Wu, not become her calamity. Sigh..."

The Sky Azure Bull Python sighed and slowly sank beneath the lake.

Elsewhere.

After putting away the Soul Crystal refined from the five-thousand-year-old Purple Thunder Roc, Li Han returned to the nest and stored the three-thousand-year-old Purple Thunder Roc's corpse in his Storage Bag.

"Even though I've already absorbed its Soul Ring, the corpse is still valuable.

Maybe I can use it to refine a few Dharma Artifacts when I get back."

Monster corpses were excellent materials for refining Dharma Artifacts. A single Ink Flood Dragon had yielded several, and even if the Purple Thunder Roc was a little inferior, it couldn't be much worse.

"Judging by the time, they should be coming back soon."

Li Han released his Divine Sense at full strength, covering everything within a thousand meters.

After breaking through to Soul Elder, his Divine Sense had undergone another transformation, and its maximum range had exceeded a thousand meters.

Within that range, even if something unexpected happened, he could calmly evade it in the complicated terrain of the Star Dou Great Forest.

"I'll follow the Titan Giant Ape's footprints and see what's going on."

Li Han made up his mind and set off.

A quarter of an hour later.

The Titan Giant Ape, on its way back, suddenly stopped in its tracks.

"What is it, Er Ming?"

"Sister Xiao Wu, Li Han is just ahead. It looks like he's coming to find you."

"What? He's awake?"

Xiao Wu exclaimed.

"Yeah. Looks like I underestimated his physical strength. He woke up so quickly."

"Quick! Put me down. He can't see us together."

The Titan Giant Ape hurriedly set Xiao Wu down.

"Er Ming, you'd better go back now. I'll handle the rest myself."

"All right, Sister Xiao Wu. Be careful. If you can't get by in the human world, remember to come home."

"Mm, I will."

The Titan Giant Ape left reluctantly, disappearing from Xiao Wu's sight.

Only then did Xiao Wu breathe a sigh of relief.

"Li Han didn't notice anything, did he?"

Praying as much, Xiao Wu headed toward Li Han.

Before long, they met in the forest.

"Xiao Wu! Are you all right?"

Li Han feigned surprise and hurried over, concern on his face.

"I'm fine. You passed out, so I dragged you into the Purple Thunder Roc's nest, and then the Titan Giant Ape grabbed me.

I thought I was done for, but halfway there, the Titan Giant Ape was suddenly startled by a bull's roar.

Then it dropped me and ran off.

So I came back.

What about you? Are you all right?"

Hearing Xiao Wu's clumsy lie, Li Han couldn't help smiling to himself.

Only someone who trusted Xiao Wu would believe a lie like that. Anyone else would hear it and find it full of holes.

"I'm fine."

"Then did you absorb the Purple Thunder Roc's Soul Ring?"

Li Han nodded slightly.

"I did. After absorbing it, I recovered completely, so I dared to come look for you.

Now that I see you're all right, I'm relieved.

You came to the Star Dou Great Forest with me, after all. If anything had happened to you, I'd have been to blame.

This place isn't safe. Let's get out of here first."

"Okay."

Looking at Xiao Wu's docile expression, Li Han suddenly felt a little guilty.

It seemed he'd tricked the little rabbit pretty badly.

But she hadn't actually suffered any losses, so it should be fine, right?

At worst, when they got back, he'd follow the animal-rearing methods in the Insect Repelling Technique and make Xiao Wu some extra beast feed as compensation.

With a haul full of gains, Li Han and Xiao Wu left the Star Dou Great Forest and returned to Nuoding Academy.

The waterfall behind the mountain.

Li Han sat cross-legged, quietly cultivating the Azure Essence Sword Art.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, a flash of azure light passing through them.

"My cultivation is now at level thirty-three, and the Azure Essence Sword Art has broken through to the fourth layer. I should be ready to cultivate the Three-Turn Heavy Origin Technique.

Let's begin. Disperse my power!"