Two Battlefields

Tang San couldn't shake the feeling that something was inexplicably strange about Xiao Wu today.

Her concern for Fu Qin seemed to transcend the boundaries of a "sister looking after a younger brother."

What made his heart feel even more stifled was her attitude when refusing to share a room.

It was as if an invisible wall had been erected, locking him completely outside.

Could I really be overthinking this? Tang San raised a hand to rub his brow, attempting to suppress that inexplicable agitation.

Xiao Wu had always doted on Fu Qin like a real younger brother; extra concern was only natural.

As for refusing to share a room... perhaps, having been reborn, she hadn't yet adapted to this body, nor to the intimacy of being close to him again.

He tried to soothe himself with this logic, yet deep down, he remained deeply uneasy.

Before long.

He ultimately forced his thoughts to settle, shifting his focus to the Dragon Whisker Needle in his palm.

Memories of his past life were as clear as yesterday; this seemingly delicate hidden weapon was his trump card for victory during the Spirit Master Tournament. Only by mastering it quickly could he establish a firm footing in these early stages.

As his fingertips traced the cold, hard texture of the Dragon Whisker Needle, the internal energy of his Mysterious Heaven Skill circulated quietly, attempting to reclaim the muscle memory of his previous life.

He was completely unaware that the atmosphere in Room 301 next door was vastly different from the heavy tension on his side.

Xiao Wu stood before the vanity mirror, her fingertips gently smoothing the wrinkles on her skirt. The young girl in the reflection had flushed cheeks, as if stained with the color of peach blossoms, yet her eyes were filled with undisguised anticipation, shining with startling intensity.

She took a glass-colored perfume bottle from her Soul Tool, pressed her fingertip down, and a crisp, floral fragrance enveloped her, carrying a hint of seductive sweetness.

By evening.

The conflict between Tang San and Dai Mubai at the Rose Hotel erupted as scheduled.

Tang San and Dai Mubai played out the scene exactly as it had in the original timeline.

They came to blows at the slightest disagreement.

Unlike the green, inexperienced youth of the original story, the Tang San of today had lived three lifetimes; his state of mind and strength were no longer what they once were.

He skillfully evaded Dai Mubai's fierce assault, his Blue Silver Grass coiling out like a venomous snake.

"Good lad! To think you could break my White Tiger Intense Light Wave!" Dai Mubai wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, not angry in the slightest, but instead grinning broadly, his eyes full of admiration.

"You're young, yet your spirit power is not weak, and your martial soul is so bizarre. Are you also headed to Shrek Academy?"

Tang San nodded, the warm sensation of the Mysterious Heaven Skill still lingering at his fingertips.

"Indeed." He deliberately reined in the mental shock of his Purple Demon Eye; his victory just now was supported by his strength, but relied even more on the memories of his past life.

Had they clashed head-on, the outcome would have been uncertain.

Dai Mubai raised an eyebrow and reached out to clap Tang San on the shoulder, the force so heavy it made Tang San stagger.

"Came here all by yourself? Come on, big brother will show you the ropes." A playful glint flashed in his eyes, his tone carrying a hint of temptation.

"The brothels in the south of the city are one of a kind. The supple waists of those young ladies can hook a man's very soul."

"A brothel?" Tang San's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

Xiao Wu's delicate, pretty face instantly surfaced in his mind, along with the phrase she always kept on her lips: "Third Brother can only be good to me." Her soft, sweet tone seemed to linger in his ears.

Yet, since their rebirth and reunion, although Xiao Wu remained clingy, she always skillfully avoided him whenever he tried to get close. The girl's body carried a kind of distant, youthful reserve that left his accumulated heat and grievances with nowhere to vent.

The bone-deep bond of husband and wife from his past life, contrasted with the ignorant distance of their present, felt like a fine, sharp thorn pricking his heart, throbbing with pain.

"What? Too scared to go?" Dai Mubai's mocking voice pulled him back to reality.

A flash of resolve crossed Tang San's eyes, the fierce internal energy of the Mysterious Heaven Skill surging within him, overriding his hesitation. "What is there to be afraid of?"

Dai Mubai laughed heartily, threw an arm around his shoulder, and swaggered toward the south of the city, their flamboyant backs drawing glances from passersby.

This scene happened to be witnessed from the small window behind Fu Qin's room.

Xiao Wu stood beside Fu Qin, her fingertips gripping her hem so tightly her knuckles turned white. Yet, there was no sadness in her eyes—only a cold, playful glint.

She had assumed that after their rebirth, Tang San would cherish this hard-won opportunity and treat her with single-minded devotion. She hadn't expected to see such an eyesore of a scene after only half a day.

Once upon a time, she, too, had naively believed that Tang San would be good to her forever.

But the result? How ironic. After Tang San became the God King, he had more than once selected stunningly beautiful women from the continent to be appointed as his divine officials.

Divine officials... heh.

Xiao Wu sneered in her heart; they were nothing more than golden canaries kept under his thumb.

"Tang San..."

She had long guessed that the reborn Tang San might not be honest, but she never expected him to dare go off seeking pleasure with others right before her eyes.

She turned slowly to look at Fu Qin behind her.

The youth was leaning against the sofa, flipping through an ancient book. The setting sun fell upon his profile, outlining soft contours and making him appear exceptionally focused.

Although she was dissatisfied with Tang San's actions, she knew clearly that she no longer had the qualifications to blame him.

In the tens of thousands of years in the God Realm, she had grown tired of forbearance and tired of self-deception.

After this rebirth, she would never again foolishly hope for Tang San to be single-minded.

"Fu Qin, tell me, is the book in your hands better looking, or is Big Sister Xiao Wu?"

A flicker of surprise flashed through Fu Qin's eyes, but he immediately replaced it with the naive, nervous expression unique to a young boy.

He gripped the book in his hands tightly, his gaze darting away as his voice carried a hint of shyness.

"Big Sister Xiao Wu, didn't you say there was no hot water in your room? I still have some here, would you like to..."

At seven the next morning, Tang San snuck back into his room.

His clothes were disheveled, his hair was as messy as a bird's nest, and the scent of alcohol still lingered on his face as he panted like an ox.

Dark, heavy circles rimmed his eyes, and he swayed as he walked, his steps so unsteady that it seemed a gust of wind could knock him over.

Last night at the brothel, those young ladies had taken turns offering him drinks; with soft bodies and fragrant perfume in his arms, and the sound of their sweet voices lingering in his ears, it wasn't until the second half of the night that he managed to break free with a shred of sobriety.

But the moment he tried to circulate his Mysterious Heaven Skill, he discovered his internal energy was sluggish and obstructed—clearly a lingering side effect from the excessive exertion of the previous night.

"Damn it." Tang San gripped the doorframe and cursed under his breath, filled with regret over his lack of self-control.

At the break of dawn.

Xiao Wu, wrapped up tightly, returned to her room with a flushed face.

The moment she stepped inside, she could no longer hold herself up; she collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.