Whether it was a meeting of minds or a mother-daughter bond, the moment Wang Dong'er's gaze landed on Xiao Wu, she turned around as if sensing her presence.
When she saw Wang Dong'er, Xiao Wu didn't hesitate for a second. Her woebegone little face instantly broke into a smile, and she hurried over to Wang Dong'er, hugging her as if they hadn't seen each other in ages.
"Dong'er, what brings you here?"
"I was a little worried about you, so I came to check on you."
Wang Dong'er coughed awkwardly.
After merging with Lovesick Heartbreak Red, Xiao Wu had been developing faster and faster.
How long had it even been?
How had that once utterly ordinary little rabbit already grown to the point where she could knock people over with her curves?
"Sister Xiao Wu, let go first. There are so many people watching."
When two boys hugged, few people paid much attention. But when two young women hugged, it easily drew people's eyes and set their imaginations running wild.
Wang Dong'er shyly turned her head aside.
Xiao Wu, on the other hand, didn't mind at all. She led Wang Dong'er to the end of the line and stood with her. She had a decent grasp of human etiquette—just not much of it.
Grass! (A kind of plant.)
What was Wang Dong'er doing here?
Tang San's bloodshot eyes widened, and an angry cry rang out in his heart.
Once again, Xiao Wu had left him behind.
The moment Wang Dong'er appeared, Xiao Wu's eyes had shut him out completely. Why was this happening?
Could it be that, in Xiao Wu's heart, he wasn't even worth a single strand of Wang Dong'er's hair?
A grudge against Wang Dong'er began to fester in Tang San's heart.
With no other choice, he left his place in line and went to stand behind the two girls at the end.
But before long, he regretted it.
Xiao Wu completely ignored him, chatting away with Wang Dong'er in hushed tones.
He was like a stranger, like a lapdog. Xiao Wu only paid him any attention when he went out of his way to approach her.
His heart ached.
Another grudge began to fester in Tang San's heart.
This one was aimed at Tang Hao.
On the first day the three of them met at Notting Academy, Xiao Wu had already stuck to Wang Dong'er.
Why had Xiao Wu stuck to Wang Dong'er?
Because Wang Dong'er was pretty.
In his previous life, he hadn't been particularly handsome, but he had at least counted as a fresh-faced young man.
But in this life... he'd inherited Tang Hao's genes perfectly. With his utterly ordinary looks, how was he supposed to catch Xiao Wu's eye?
If not for his Innate Full Soul Power talent, Tang San was afraid he wouldn't even have qualified to meet Xiao Wu and Wang Dong'er.
His teeth clenched, Tang San silently balled his fists.
But when Wang Dong'er wasn't around, Xiao Wu was gentle and attentive toward him.
He couldn't let go of Xiao Wu. Across two lifetimes, she was the one who cared about him and treated him better than even his father, Tang Hao.
If only Wang Dong'er weren't here. His world would be perfect without her... right?
Wang Dong'er suddenly sensed a chilling presence locking onto her.
When she turned around, she met Tang San's icy gaze. But the chill in his eyes quickly vanished, replaced by the warmth of a friend.
"What is it?"
Tang San asked with a smile.
"Nothing. I just... feel a little cold."
Wang Dong'er's mouth twitched.
She was sure she hadn't imagined it. The coldness in Tang San's eyes had been terrifying.
Could the kindhearted God King really be so narrow-minded that someone chatting with his "kept woman" could trigger his passive skill, "You've Earned Your Death"?
"Cold? I feel fine."
As she spoke, Xiao Wu took a coat out of her Soul Tool and draped it over Wang Dong'er.
"Is that any better?"
"If not... if not, I can make a little sacrifice and hug you. That'll warm you up."
Wang Dong'er was stunned. Suddenly, the air seemed to grow even colder.
"Don't get the wrong idea. You call me Sister Xiao Wu, so I have to look after you. Otherwise, what kind of big sister would I be?"
What about me? Sister Xiao Wu, I'm your dear little brother too. Why can't you look after me a little?
Tang San wailed inwardly.
Before long, an old man came out of the academy.
He went to a wooden table by the entrance and cleared his throat with a couple of coughs.
The line fell silent at once, and everyone's gaze gathered on him.
"My name is Li Yusong. I'm one of the academy's admissions teachers. You all know the rules, or you wouldn't have traveled all this way to get here. Registration starts now."
With that, he sat down in a rocking chair.
The father and son at the front of the line stepped up and greeted him with a smile.
"Pay the fee first."
Li Yusong said coldly.
Only after the boy's father placed ten Gold Soul Coins into the cash box on the table did Li Yusong look at the boy.
"How old are you this year?"
The boy glanced at his father, who smiled and said, "He just turned twelve this year."
"Mm. Hold out your hand."
The boy held out his hand. Li Yusong briefly felt along the bones in his arm, then waved him away.
"Too old. You don't meet the academy's admission requirements. Next!"
"B-but, teacher, my boy only turned thirteen a few weeks ago. Sorry for the trouble, but please make an exception."
The boy's father pleaded humbly.
"Rules are rules. Next!"
Li Yusong glared at the boy's father.
"Then what about the registration fee?"
"Once paid, the registration fee is nonrefundable."
Even a clay figure had a temper. The boy's father couldn't help snapping, "You're obviously just cheating people out of their money. Give us our registration fee back, or we're not leaving. If we'd known this so-called Shrek Academy was such a dump, we wouldn't have come."
Li Yusong glanced at him and said blandly, "Dai Mubai, someone wants his registration fee back. Take care of it."
"Teacher Li, Boss Dai is on a date at the Rose Hotel and hasn't come back yet. Fatty's dealing with his Evil Fire, so I'm the only one here."
A white-haired, white-bearded man pushed out a grilled-sausage cart.
This man was Oscar, a genius food-type Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power.
Wang Dong'er recognized him right away. Suddenly, she felt another chill run down her back. This time, she wasn't the only one; Xiao Wu and Tang San felt it too.
The three of them turned around in perfect unison and saw a cool, stern-faced young woman dressed in tight black leather, her expression dark.
"Only you are here? Then forget it."
Li Yusong rose to his feet. Six Soul Rings appeared beneath him—white, yellow, yellow, purple, black, and black. His surging Soul Power created an invisible pressure in the air, and the terrifying presence frightened the boy and his father into collapsing on the ground.
"Want your registration fee back? Easy. Beat me."
In the little city of Suotuo, a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor could do whatever he pleased. And the man standing before them was a legendary Six-Ring Soul Emperor. Who would dare challenge him one-on-one?
The boy and his father were filled with despair. Ten Gold Soul Coins! Though they were a subsidy from Spirit Hall, ten Gold Soul Coins would be enough to feed and clothe their family of three for a year if spent wisely.
Parents who had faith in their children's abilities beamed with delight.
Even the teacher in charge of admissions was a Soul Emperor. What kind of being must the dean of Shrek Academy be?
No wonder every student who graduated from Shrek Academy went on to achieve something. With a powerful teacher behind them, even a feather could soar to the heavens.
Just as the boy and his father were preparing to accept their bad luck and leave, Nether Sky trembled, and a gale swept through the village.
A bone-chilling presence, heavy with despair, bore down on them. Li Yusong, a mighty Soul Emperor, turned deathly pale in an instant and spat out a mouthful of blood.
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