Tang San: Xiao Wu! My Xiao Wu!

The next day, just as the sky began to brighten, morning light filtered in through the gaps in the window.

Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes, feeling groggy. She rose from her bed, slipped into her black leather outfit, and decided to get in some cultivation before the day's lessons began.

As her hand rested on the door, her peripheral vision inadvertently caught sight of Xiao Wu's empty bed.

Why is Xiao Wu up so early today?

Zhu Zhuqing felt a flicker of confusion, but she didn't dwell on it. She shook her head, gently pushed the door open, and stepped out.

In the dense forest behind Shrek Academy.

"Little San, I heard you had a great harvest during your trip to the Star Dou Forest," Yu Xiaogang said, looking at Tang San. "Let me see."

"Yes, Teacher."

At this moment, Tang San did not yet know that his Xiao Wu had been taken away. He nodded obediently.

"My Blue Silver Grass underwent a change while absorbing the third soul ring," Tang San said, raising his hand to summon his Blue Silver Grass.

A strand of Blue Silver Grass, the size of a Lone Bamboo, extended toward Yu Xiaogang.

Yu Xiaogang picked up the grass, carefully observing the golden patterns on it, and brought it to his nose to sniff the faint fragrance it emitted.

"Little San, your Blue Silver Grass has indeed evolved. You should now call it the Blue Silver Emperor," Yu Xiaogang said, setting the grass down.

"Blue Silver Emperor?" Tang San asked, puzzled. "What is that?"

Yu Xiaogang straightened his collar; it was time to show off his theoretical prowess. He cleared his throat behind his hand.

"The Blue Silver Emperor is the sovereign among Blue Silver Grass. Generally speaking, when a Blue Silver Grass Soul Beast cultivates for one hundred thousand years, it can become a Blue Silver Emperor. The most obvious characteristic is these golden patterns on the grass."

"I see," Tang San nodded, then thought of Xiao Wu's Soft Bone Rabbit martial soul. "Then, Teacher, can Xiao Wu's Soft Bone Rabbit also evolve into a Soft Bone Rabbit Emperor?"

Yu Xiaogang fell silent.

Everything he knew about the Blue Silver Emperor came from the secret rumors regarding Tang Hao and Ah Yin from years ago; how would he know anything about a Soft Bone Rabbit Emperor?

He desperately wanted to ask Tang San why he didn't ask if there was a Luo Sanpao Emperor as well.

At least he could answer "no" to that one.

Finally, looking at his disciple's thirst for knowledge, he gave an ambiguous answer. "The opportunity for a martial soul to evolve is rare and cannot be sought. That your Blue Silver Grass could evolve into a Blue Silver Emperor is already a stroke of immense fortune."

"Let me see your third soul skill."

Yu Xiaogang quickly changed the subject, terrified that Tang San might ask if there was an Evil Eye White Tiger Emperor or a Nether Civet Emperor.

"Yes. Third soul skill, Blue Silver Bamboo Thorn Formation!"

Tang San's third soul ring flashed beneath his feet. The ground instantly split open with fine fissures, and Blue Silver Grass tipped with sharp bamboo blades burst from the earth, thrusting violently toward the distant trees.

"This soul skill of yours must come from a Sword Bamboo," Yu Xiaogang said, his finger brushing against the cold, gleaming bamboo blade. The moment he made contact, it left a bright red cut on his finger.

"Teacher!" Tang San cried out in alarm.

"It is nothing," Yu Xiaogang said, calmly hiding his hand behind his back.

"Yes, Teacher, it came from a Sword Bamboo just over a thousand years old," Tang San said, finally relaxing once he saw Yu Xiaogang was unharmed.

"One thousand years is just right. Your first soul ring was only ten years old; rashly absorbing a seventeen-hundred-year ring might not have succeeded." Yu Xiaogang continued to stubbornly flaunt his theories.

Just then.

"Tang San! Grandmaster! This is bad!"

Ma Hongjun came flying from the direction of the school, landing heavily in front of them like a cannonball.

"What is it, Fatty?"

Tang San stepped forward, frowning as he asked.

"Xi... Xiao Wu is gone!"

Ma Hongjun bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for air.

"What?!"

Tang San's expression changed drastically. He grabbed Ma Hongjun's shoulders with terrifying force.

"Little San," Yu Xiaogang patted Tang San's shoulder, signaling him to calm down. "Ma Hongjun, tell us exactly what happened."

Tang San finally released his grip, his eyes locked onto Ma Hongjun as if he were the culprit behind Xiao Wu's disappearance.

Ma Hongjun rubbed his aching shoulders and glanced at Tang San, seemingly surprised by the sheer strength Tang San possessed. However, he understood Tang San's state of mind and felt no resentment.

"When Zhu Zhuqing got up to cultivate today, Xiao Wu wasn't in the dormitory," Ma Hongjun took a deep breath. "Since it was almost time for training, Zhu Zhuqing woke up Ning Rongrong, and the two of them searched the entire school, but they couldn't find Xiao Wu."

"How could Xiao Wu suddenly disappear..." Tang San's eyes went vacant.

"The Dean and Teacher Zhao are already out searching," Ma Hongjun patted Tang San's back.

"Xiao Wu wouldn't just leave suddenly." Tang San suddenly grabbed Yu Xiaogang's arm, his voice trembling. "Teacher, Xiao Wu must have been taken! She must have!"

"Tang San, I just finished telling you that no matter when or where, you must think and judge with a cool head," Yu Xiaogang reprimanded Tang San. "The more critical the moment, the more you need to remain calm."

"Teacher, Xiao Wu..." Tang San tried to say something, but was interrupted by Yu Xiaogang. "Impulsiveness cannot solve any problems!"

"Let's go back and regroup with Flender and the others first." Yu Xiaogang waved his hand. "Tang San, use this time to calm yourself down as well."

Shrek Academy.

As soon as Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, and Ma Hongjun returned, they saw Flender standing in the open space with a grave expression.

"Dean Flender, did you find any sign of Xiao Wu?" Tang San asked, his voice hoarse.

"I just scouted the area around the academy thoroughly and didn't find any traces," Flender shook his head, his face grim.

Of course, it was impossible to find any traces; Xiao Wu hadn't touched the ground once, terrified that leaving a single footprint would allow someone to track her down.

"Teacher, I still feel like Xiao Wu was taken by someone." The way Xiao Wu had been distracted yesterday surfaced in his mind. "She was already acting strange yesterday."

Flender frowned, denying Tang San's speculation. "If she had been taken by force, Xiao Wu definitely would have resisted. It's impossible for there to have been no commotion at all."

"Could she have been lured to a deserted place first before the culprit made their move?" Tang San pressed.

"Tang San, why would that person want to capture Xiao Wu?" Yu Xiaogang hit the nail on the head. "Does Xiao Wu possess anything worth that person coveting?"

Tang San fell silent.

That was true; Xiao Wu didn't even have a single precious item on her.

At this moment.

Zhao Wuji returned to the academy with the other Spirit Emperor teachers from Shrek. As soon as he entered the gate, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "We didn't find Xiao Wu. We searched the entire perimeter of Soto City."

Tang San's face turned ashen, yet the voice in the depths of his heart grew clearer—Xiao Wu must have been taken by someone.

A short while later, Dai Mubai ran back with Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Oscar, all of them drenched in sweat. "We searched Soto City inside and out, but we didn't find a single trace of Xiao Wu."