As soon as the words left her mouth, a soft white light shone from Xiao Wu.
When the light faded, Xiao Wu, who had been sitting there, was gone. In her place was a snow-white Soft Bone Rabbit about the size of a basketball.
The Soft Bone Rabbit's fur was fluffy and soft. Its two long ears were a tender pink, its ruby-red eyes were bright and dewy, and its nose twitched.
Tang An's eyes went wide. Half of it was an act, but the other half was because he really had been charmed.
"Sister-in-law?" Tang An called tentatively.
The little rabbit gave a slight nod, its long ears swaying with the movement. A clear flush of embarrassment flashed in its ruby-red eyes.
Tang An couldn't hold back any longer. Carefully, he reached out and scooped the little rabbit into his arms.
It felt warm and soft to the touch, its fur silky smooth. He could clearly feel the steady beat of the little rabbit's heart in its chest, and the warmth beneath its skin.
It was real, after all.
There was no difference at all between this and a living, breathing Soft Bone Rabbit.
He had to admit, Xiao Wu as a rabbit was so adorable that she was impossible to resist. Even Tang An, who had lived two lifetimes, couldn't help petting her for a while longer.
Tang An couldn't resist gently squeezing the little rabbit's soft body, then slowly stroking its long ears.
His actions looked like a child's curious play, but each touch was really a test of how sensitive this body was.
The little rabbit in his arms immediately began to struggle. Its short legs kicked as it let out soft, muffled squeaks, nudging Tang An's palm with its head as it tried to wriggle free.
Tang An only held it tighter. He buried his face in the little rabbit's soft fur and rubbed against it, his voice brimming with a child's excitement:
"Wow, Sister-in-law, you're so soft! You're adorable!"
"Mm... let go of me... Tang An!"
The little rabbit's voice was soft and sweet, with a hint of annoyance, but not the slightest bit intimidating.
Tang An chuckled inwardly.
Looks like Xiao Wu's patience with me is even greater than I thought. If anyone else dared to treat her like this, she'd have sent them flying with a swing of her braid.
After fooling around for a good while, Tang An decided he'd tested things enough and reluctantly let go.
A flash of white light later, Xiao Wu had changed back into a human.
Her cheeks were flushed red, all the way to her ears. Even her neck and the exposed skin above her collarbones were faintly pink, and her eyes glistened.
Her expression held a hint of embarrassment and annoyance, her breathing was slightly quick, and her whole being carried the delicate, alluring air of someone who had just been bullied.
Tang An's heart stirred slightly.
He had to admit that Xiao Wu looked enchanting when she was blushing like this, but he quickly pushed the thought aside. This wasn't the time for it.
Xiao Wu raised her hand and lightly tapped Tang An on the head, saying crossly, "You little rascal, you don't keep your word. I told you not to touch me all over! I'm never changing into a rabbit for you again!"
Tang An immediately put on an obedient, apologetic expression and tugged at Xiao Wu's hand.
"Sister-in-law, I'm sorry. You were just so cute as a rabbit, I couldn't help myself."
Tang An kept up his childlike, pleading tone. "Next time, I'll be gentler, okay?"
"You're already thinking about next time?" Xiao Wu glared at him, but she didn't look angry at all.
Tang An kept pleading. "Of course! You're the best, Sister-in-law."
Xiao Wu couldn't resist Tang An's pestering, and finally gave in. She poked him on the forehead.
"I really can't do anything with you. Well... we'll see how you behave from now on. If you train obediently and mind your manners, I'll consider it."
"Yay! Thank you, Sister-in-law!" Tang An cheered at once, acting the part to perfection.
Xiao Wu shook her head with a smile. Just as she was about to explain the essentials of cultivation to Tang An, Niu Tian's voice came from outside the carriage.
"Xiao Wu-jie, little brother Xiao An, we're almost at the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest."
Tang An lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside. A vast, dark-green forest had appeared in the distance.
Tang An couldn't help exclaiming, "This Green Wind Unicorn is really fast!"
But inside, he murmured to himself:
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, Xiao Yuhao, heh heh~ I'm coming!
I wonder what kind of surprise Sky Dream Ice Silkworm will bring me in the form of a Soul Skill.
Tang An and Xiao Wu exchanged a glance, then got up together and lifted the carriage curtain to step outside.
They had only just entered the forest when the sounds of a fierce fight reached their ears from nearby.
A skinny boy was being chased by a Wind Baboon, dodging in a panic.
The boy was slender, with very pale skin and features so delicate that he looked far more refined than other boys his age.
The "boy" clutched a dagger in his hand. He was already injured, and his steps were unsteady. He was about to be struck by the Wind Baboon's claws.
The child of destiny, the future God King of Emotion, was being beaten up by a Wind Baboon.
Tang An smiled and flipped his right hand. The Crimson Annihilation Hammer appeared in it.
He casually hurled it out. The hammer streaked through the air, trailing a faint, dark-red glow.
Before it even struck the Wind Baboon, the aura of annihilation swirling around the hammer enveloped it. The Wind Baboon didn't even get a chance to scream before its entire body crumbled into ash, leaving not a trace behind.
The Crimson Annihilation Hammer flew back into Tang An's hand on its own. Tang An put his Martial Soul away and was about to walk over to Huo Yuhao.
Just then, everything around them suddenly came to a standstill.
The leaves stopped fluttering in midair, the grass on the ground stopped swaying, and even the wind fell still.
The Crimson Annihilation Hammer and Immortal Scythe inside Tang An's body both trembled faintly. The Power of Life and Death began to flow on its own, canceling out the effects of the time freeze.
He looked toward Xiao Wu. She gave a slight nod, clearly unaffected as well.
Niu Tian and Tai Tan, not far away, were likewise calm. The two silently stepped back half a pace and stood with their arms crossed, watchfully scanning their surroundings without interrupting.
Tang An didn't move. He simply watched ahead in silence, waiting for Sky Dream Ice Silkworm to appear.
"Crack."
The hard soil suddenly split open, and a snow-white shape slowly emerged from beneath the ground.
It was a plump, snow-white worm, more than a meter long, with a segmented body. Each segment bore a faint golden pattern, and two round, black eyes sat atop its head. It was none other than the million-year-old Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.
Tian Meng's little eyes darted around, then lit up at once.
"Wow, sis, we've really struck it lucky today. We've run into two Soul Masters with Mental Attributes!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice was clear and sweet. It glanced first at Huo Yuhao, unconscious on the ground, then turned to look at Tang An.
"This girl's Mental Attribute is very pure, but she's too weak. She can't contain my power at all.
"This boy's mental power is so resilient, and there's a special aura about him... He's perfect!"
Tian Meng furrowed her tiny brows and turned around once.
Strange. Why is there some force in my heart pulling me toward that little girl?
But this boy would clearly let me escape my suffering and be reborn.
She hesitated between the two for a long while, then stood there shaking her head, unable to make up her mind.
Seeing the worm hesitate, Xiao Wu took a step forward.
An extremely faint, subtle trace of Asura God's aura drifted from her and landed precisely on Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's senses.
Tian Meng froze instantly. Her round body curled tightly into a ball, her little eyes full of terror. She nearly collapsed on the ground.
"A god! This is the aura of a true god!"
"Choose him. Offer yourself." Xiao Wu raised a hand and pointed at Tang An, her tone leaving no room for argument.
How could Tian Meng dare hesitate? She quickly nodded, her voice trembling even as excitement filled her expression.
"Yes, yes! I'll obey the divine decree. Being able to follow the inheritor of a god's legacy is a blessing I wouldn't receive in eight lifetimes!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Tian Meng sprang into action.
Her enormous body slowly floated into the air, turning into a gentle golden light. It gradually shrank until it was only the size of a fist, then drifted lightly toward Tang An's brow.
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