Upon hearing this question, Xiao Wu's first reaction was, Isn't it perfectly normal for Soul Beasts to eat other Soul Beasts?
Then Xiao Wu felt that the question Yu Yan had deliberately asked might not be as simple as it appeared. There had to be some deeper meaning hidden within it.
No matter how wildly Xiao Wu let her thoughts wander, she could not come up with an explanation that seemed reasonable to her.
"Isn't it perfectly normal for Soul Beasts to eat other Soul Beasts?"
Unable to think of any other answer, Xiao Wu voiced what was on her mind, hoping Yu Yan would reveal the answer he was trying to convey.
"I also think it is perfectly normal for Soul Beasts to eat other Soul Beasts."
Seeing Xiao Wu's puzzled expression, Yu Yan continued asking:
"Since it is perfectly normal for Soul Beasts to eat other Soul Beasts, why do you think it is cruel for humans to hunt Soul Beasts for Soul Rings? After all, both involve killing Soul Beasts. As far as I can see, there is not much difference."
To be honest, Yu Yan did not find it strange at all that Xiao Wu pitied the Soul Beasts that were killed and turned into Soul Rings.
Yu Yan loved spicy chicken, braised chicken, big-plate chicken, saliva chicken, mushroom chicken, and KFC chicken. Yet after seeing chicks rapidly raised and slaughtered in chicken farms, he would also feel sorry for them and think it was somewhat cruel.
Yu Yan's words plunged Xiao Wu into silence. It was the first time she had heard such a perspective.
At first, it sounded a little strange, but with even a little thought, one would realize there was nothing wrong with it.
The more Xiao Wu thought about it, the more she felt that there was nothing wrong with what he had said.
At last, facing Yu Yan as he waited for her answer, Xiao Wu replied somewhat uncertainly, "It... it does seem like there isn't much difference?"
After giving that answer, Xiao Wu lay back in her chair and looked up at the starry sky. Her expression became extraordinarily complex. She was thinking, she was confused, and she was a little lost.
"Actually, I have had similar thoughts before."
With that one sentence, Yu Yan drew Xiao Wu's full attention. She looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
"Take crayfish, which both of us love to eat, for example. Whenever I cook crayfish, I also wonder whether throwing them straight into the pot is a little cruel."
"From the perspective of life, they should count as living beings too."
Upon hearing Yu Yan say this, Xiao Wu's expression became even more complicated. She had thought Yu Yan would say something to comfort her, but she had not expected him to say this.
For a moment, Xiao Wu suddenly felt that crayfish no longer seemed appetizing. She even began wondering whether she should keep eating crayfish in the future.
"Hahaha... I was only giving an example. Any kind person would not know how to deal with these questions. Don't take it too seriously. Eat and drink as you please; life will not become impossible just because of such questions."
Xiao Wu's expression reminded Yu Yan of himself after he had just finished watching a documentary. It felt strangely familiar.
"It is completely impossible not to care. Do you have any way to solve these problems?"
Even though Yu Yan had said that, Xiao Wu still did not feel much better. How could she simply stop caring about something like this?
"To be honest, I really do."
There was no solution to this on Blue Star, but there really was one on Douluo Continent.
"Hm?" Xiao Wu, who had expected a negative answer, looked at Yu Yan in surprise. "What way?"
"As long as you become strong enough, you can change whatever you want to change. You can force everyone to stop hunting Soul Beasts, or you can make all living beings coexist peacefully."
"As long as you become strong enough, you can even create new rules, allowing Soul Masters to increase their levels without hunting Soul Beasts."
Yu Yan gave her the solution. Douluo Continent was a fantasy continent—so long as one was strong enough, one could solve all one's troubles.
If one could not solve one's troubles, it only meant one was not strong enough yet.
So long as one was strong enough, everything would change according to one's will, and nothing would trouble them.
"Ah?"
Xiao Wu widened her eyes. She had never imagined that this would be the answer.
"What is there to be surprised about? It is a very simple principle. Think about it yourself and you will understand."
"But this..."
Yu Yan stood up and rubbed Xiao Wu's head, interrupting her thoughts.
"Don't think too much. The more you think about this sort of thing, the more upset you will become, and you will not reach any conclusion. Rather than thinking about useless things, it is better to find a way to become stronger. Once you are strong enough, thinking about these questions will be far more useful than it is now."
"It is time to sleep. We have been busy all day, so it is time to go back and get some rest."
"Good night. I hope you have a good dream tonight."
After giving Xiao Wu a cheeky grin, Yu Yan removed his hand from her head, quickly returned to his room, shut the door, and prepared to sleep.
His purpose in saying all this to Xiao Wu had simply been to exchange thoughts and let her know some different perspectives and ways of thinking.
Yu Yan was not actually very good at comforting others.
Yu Yan felt that Xiao Wu had only thought of these matters on a whim. After all, in the original storyline, Xiao Wu had merely thought about them and had not taken any actual action.
Because he had been busy all day, Yu Yan quickly fell asleep after lying down on his bed.
In the other room, Xiao Wu suffered from insomnia. She tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.
Whenever she closed her eyes, the views Yu Yan had explained appeared in her mind. Occasionally, her own childish views flashed through her thoughts as well, and the two perspectives collided.
How could she possibly sleep under such circumstances?
As she drifted hazily into sleep, Xiao Wu had a very strange dream.
She dreamed that she had become an incredibly powerful expert. With a casual lift of her hand, she changed the rules of the world, changing the rule that Soul Masters had to hunt Soul Beasts in order to advance, making the entire world operate according to her wishes.
In addition, Xiao Wu dreamed that she made Yu Yan cook delicious food for her every day. Even if he was unwilling, he still had to make delicious food every day.
While having this dream, Xiao Wu wore a happy expression in reality.
When awake, Xiao Wu was conflicted. She was still thinking about what she should do.
But in the subconscious of her dreams, Xiao Wu had already made her choice. She felt that Yu Yan was right: as long as she became strong enough, she could solve the problems troubling her.
As the saying went, one who stayed near vermilion became red, while one who stayed near ink became black. Growing up alongside Yu Yan, Xiao Wu might truly do some things that would surprise and astonish him.
The next morning, a sleepy Xiao Wu was dragged by Yu Yan to the mountaintop to wait for the sunrise.
Standing on the mountaintop, Xiao Wu thought of last night's dream, and she suddenly no longer felt so conflicted.
Watching Yu Yan cultivate cross-legged, Xiao Wu put away her lazy attitude. She decided that from now on, she would cultivate seriously and never slack off.
Thinking this, Xiao Wu also sat down cross-legged and absorbed the high-quality Soul Power drifting from Yu Yan's body.
Before you continue