Seriously Wounding the Dreadclaw Bear!

Criminals often returned to the scene after the crime. Cheng Xiao had indeed returned, though as a family member here to collect the bodies.

This truly made things difficult for him. He had racked his brains to force out some tears, then threw himself over the corpses and wailed his heart out.

Nearby, Zhu Mo frowned. His gaze fell on Cheng Xiao before withdrawing as he asked in a deep voice, "Are you certain? Did you search carefully?"

"Reporting to the Clan Head, we did search. One of them had an arm severed at the shoulder, and it is nowhere to be found." The servant paused before lowering his voice. "Perhaps someone learned that he possessed a soul bone and set an ambush for them."

Although most of the seven men's fatal wounds had been caused by soul beasts, every one of them bore supplementary wounds. The angles of the blade strikes were vicious, clearly the work of an experienced killer who murdered for loot. They had also examined the state of decay; the group had likely died within the past day.

Zhu Mo fell silent for a while, then finally sighed softly. His reasons for not letting that boy leave were rather complicated.

Part of it was because he harbored doubts and was suspicious of the boy's words. But more than that, it was greed—greed for that soul bone. He simply could not instill such thoughts in his daughter, so he disguised them beneath an air of pity.

He had thought he would obtain a soul bone today. Though its age was not high enough for his own use, its Soul Bone Skill was quite decent and would be just right for his two daughters.

Unfortunately, despite all his calculations, someone else had gotten there first.

"Ah..."

Zhu Mo sighed softly. Perhaps it was fate. He looked at Zhu Zhuqing, standing apart from the others with an icy expression. If he could have given that soul bone to Zhuqing, perhaps it would have given her a little hope and changed her temperament, so she would not be so lifeless at such a young age.

"Enough. Bring that boy along and prepare to leave." Zhu Mo gestured with his chin.

"Yes."

In just this short while, Cheng Xiao had already thought through every sad thing from his eleven years of life, as well as his previous life, just to squeeze out a few tears. For example, he had a friend who had simped after his first love for years without even holding her hand, only for someone else to steal her away and take her to a hotel within days...

Anyway, Cheng Xiao felt pretty bad for that friend.

Why is nobody coming to console me yet? I can't keep this up... Unable to think of any more tear-jerking scenes, Cheng Xiao was starting to panic.

Suddenly, a chill ran down Cheng Xiao's spine for some reason. Not understanding why, he took the chance while wiping the corners of his eyes to look up—and directly met the gaze of Zhu Zhuqing, who was leaning against a tree.

Zhu Zhuqing's face was expressionless as she stared straight at Cheng Xiao. There was an indescribable sharpness and indifference in her eyes, as though she were watching his clumsy act from the sidelines.

Her gaze made Cheng Xiao's heart skip, and even his tears retreated. Did she see through something?

He hurriedly lowered his head and resumed wailing, but he could not force out a single tear. He could only howl dryly at the top of his lungs.

Could you stop staring at me?! Feeling that Zhu Zhuqing's gaze had still not shifted away, Cheng Xiao cursed inwardly. Is this woman really a cat? Why is her gaze so creepy? It's like she can see straight through people, ghosts, and monsters.

Fortunately, the situation did not last long before someone came over at Zhu Mo's signal.

"Hey, kid, stop howling. Get yourself together. We're leaving."

Cheng Xiao "choked up" and sniffled. "But... but I haven't gathered my elders' remains yet."

Zhu Mo frowned. His earlier patience had only been because of the soul bone. Now that the soul bone was gone, so was his interest.

They could not possibly wait for this kid to collect the corpses here, could they? How long would that take? He still had to help Zhu Zhuyun find a suitable soul beast; he had no time to waste here.

"Once you become a soul master, life and death become commonplace. This is the Star Dou Great Forest. If you carry around a pile of mangled corpses, the smell of blood will draw soul beasts here. If you want to die, don't drag us down with you!" The servant impatiently waved a hand. "Hurry up! We don't have time to wait for you."

How could Cheng Xiao agree so easily? He had wanted to use this chance to separate from them all along. Wasn't it perfect if they did not want to take him with them?

"No! If you want to leave, then leave!" Cheng Xiao hurriedly shook his head.

"You brat, you won't listen to reason, huh?" The servant glared viciously at him. "If you still don't—"

But Cheng Xiao ignored him completely. He walked straight to Zhu Mo, cupped his hands, and said, "Senior, thank you for protecting me today. But my uncles have protected me since I was little. I cannot bear to leave them exposed in the wilderness like this. Let us part ways here."

"Though this place is dangerous, even if this junior dies here, I must gather their remains. I hope Senior will grant my request!"

Zhu Mo had exhausted his patience and could not be bothered to say more. Seeing how resolute Cheng Xiao was, he waved a hand. "Since you insist, we cannot persuade you otherwise. Be careful..."

At these words, joy had just begun to rise in Cheng Xiao's heart when a furious roar suddenly rang out from the forest.

"Roar!"

A giant bear covered in wounds tore through a massive tree blocking its way and appeared before them. Its blood-red eyes locked onto Cheng Xiao, while foul-smelling breath poured from its savage maw. Its chest heaved as though it were enraged beyond measure.

The Dreadclaw Bear charged toward Cheng Xiao with savage might. Though the massive bear looked cumbersome, it was astonishingly swift when it ran. In the blink of an eye, it had closed in on the group.

"This mad bear again?"

Zhu Mo frowned. He had already been in a foul mood because of the soul bone, and seeing this crazed Dreadclaw Bear again stirred an inexplicable rage within him.

"You all leave first."

Zhu Mo grabbed Cheng Xiao by the collar and threw him backward. Then eight soul rings appeared beneath his feet, and a dark spirit cat attached itself to his body.

He had everyone leave first. A bear in such a frenzy was rather troublesome, and he did not want the fight to injure his two daughters.

Damn it, did it have to interfere now?

Cheng Xiao was furious. He had put on such a long act just to separate from these people. He had finally reached the very end, only for a bear to ruin everything!

"No, I'm not leaving! I have to collect the bodies!" Cheng Xiao stubbornly refused to go.

"Hmph! If you want to die, then stay!" No one tried to persuade him at a time like this. Since this kid wanted to court death, they would let him...

Cheng Xiao let out a breath of relief. He could finally get rid of them.

"Go!"

A cold voice suddenly sounded. A black shadow flashed before his eyes, intending to seize him and flee with him. Cheng Xiao reacted swiftly, grabbing the hand reaching for him and trying to evade her.

"Hmm?"

The moment their fingers touched, both of them seemed to sense something. They raised their heads at the same time, disbelief appearing on their faces as surprise and confusion filled their locked gazes.

"Boom!"

Zhu Mo clashed head-on with the Dreadclaw Bear, knocking it back with a single strike. Several wounds appeared on its body, blood scattering everywhere. Yet this did not make the Dreadclaw Bear fear him in the slightest. Instead, it aroused the beast's ferocity, and it charged forward again without fear of death.

"It really is thick-skinned!" Zhu Mo sneered. A glance from the corner of his eye showed Zhu Zhuqing and that boy standing frozen in place, and he immediately shouted, "What are you standing around for? Get out of here!"

"Move!"

Without giving Cheng Xiao any choice, Zhu Zhuqing grabbed his hand and took off running with him. Cheng Xiao frowned, hesitated for a moment, then allowed her to pull him away.

Seventh Soul Skill: Spirit Cat True Body!

Zhu Mo stomped his foot and instantly transformed into an enormous Hell Spirit Cat. The spirit cat was exceptionally fierce. It bared its teeth with a hiss, flashed forward, and crossed paths with the Dreadclaw Bear. In an instant, two savage claw marks appeared on the bear's body.

One claw mark was on its chest, tearing through its formidable defenses and exposing its ribs. One could even see the beating heart between the gaps in those ribs. The other was on its hind leg, ripping apart muscles as tough as steel.

The Dreadclaw Bear was ferocious. When it went mad, it even dared to fight a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Yet it still could not withstand a single strike from a Soul Douluo.

"Roar!"

The Dreadclaw Bear let out a mournful roar and collapsed weakly to the ground.

The Hell Spirit Cat vanished, and Zhu Mo reappeared. He glanced at the Dreadclaw Bear struggling on the ground, then flashed forward and caught up to Cheng Xiao and Zhu Zhuqing, who had fallen behind.

Seeing the two holding hands, Zhu Mo could not help frowning, though under the circumstances, he did not voice any displeasure.

He forcibly pulled them apart, grabbed one in each hand, and swiftly caught up with the others ahead.

The Dreadclaw Bear behind them still tried to rise, but its powerless hind leg gave out and it fell again. Watching the group flee rapidly into the distance, it could only rage helplessly from behind.

"Father, why didn't you kill that mad bear?" Once they were out of the Dreadclaw Bear's pursuit range, Zhu Zhuyun vented her dissatisfaction.

Zhu Mo shook his head. "It will not live long."

That strike had already severely wounded it. In the perilous Star Dou Great Forest, no matter how ferocious the Dreadclaw Bear was, other soul beasts would inevitably target it.

He did not wish to remain entangled in battle with it. Having spent years in the military, he knew how terrifying the potential unleashed at the brink of death could be. He already carried old injuries. If he truly drove that mad bear into desperation and it detonated itself in its final moments, triggering those old injuries and alerting the Star Luo Empire, then the Zhu Family would be left in a passive position.

Besides, that Dreadclaw Bear was only three thousand years old and was not suitable for Zhu Zhuyun. Killing it would at most allow them to see whether it had a soul bone.

But the chances of finding a soul bone were so low that the gains did not justify the cost. It was better to keep it bleeding like this and let it die at the hands of another soul beast. Once Zhu Zhuyun had obtained her soul ring, they could return tomorrow and collect its corpse to search for a soul bone.

After all, soul beasts would not eat soul bones.

Cheng Xiao's body trembled. It would not live long? Then didn't that mean... An uncontrollable greed sprouted from the depths of his heart.

A three-thousand-year Dreadclaw Bear's soul ring, or the shadow of a three-thousand-year Dreadclaw Bear!

The temptation made Cheng Xiao's heart pound.

"Thank you for protecting me, Senior. But now that my elders have passed away, and I did not even have time to gather their bodies, I am heartbroken and cannot travel with Senior. Let us part ways here." Cheng Xiao cupped his hands.

Zhu Mo raised his eyes, somewhat displeased. His mood was already terrible, and this kid just had to create more trouble for him at a time like this.

"You—"

Just as he was about to speak, Zhu Zhuqing, who rarely spoke at all, suddenly stepped forward and said, "I want to go back."

"Go back?" Zhu Mo flared up. "We're almost there, and now you want to go back? I brought you out this time so you could learn how to determine a soul beast's age and observe your sister absorb a soul ring. This is the optimal soul ring configuration our Zhu Family has established through years of trial and error. You—"

"I memorized the optimal soul ring configuration long ago. As for determining their age, I probably will not need to worry about that." Zhu Zhuqing said coldly, "I do not think I will live long enough for it to matter."

Zhu Mo was rendered speechless, his expression particularly grim. Zhu Zhuqing's words had torn open the family rules in all their bloody reality, leaving him unable to respond.

When had he ever wanted such rules? No matter what, he was the father of two daughters. How could he bear to watch them kill each other? Unfortunately, such rules were not something Zhu Mo had the power to abolish.

"Father, just let her go. She's only dead weight if we take her along anyway." Zhu Zhuyun sneered, shooting Zhu Zhuqing a sidelong glance. She could not stand Zhu Zhuqing's corpse-like face, as though the entire world owed her something.

"Go, then!"

Irritated, Zhu Mo impatiently waved a hand and casually pointed at two people. "You, and you. Escort her back."

"Yes!"

Zhu Zhuqing did not hesitate in the slightest. She turned and left, with the two servants immediately following her.

"Aren't you leaving?"

As she passed Cheng Xiao, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly stopped without any warning.

Cheng Xiao pointed at himself, full of confusion.

"Together. Safer." Zhu Zhuqing's words were concise and direct, as if she did not want to say even one extra word.

"Let's go!"

Just when he had needed a pillow, someone had brought him one. Cheng Xiao was overjoyed.

Compared with a Soul Douluo, a little girl and two servants would be much easier to escape from!

Watching the four depart, Zhu Zhuyun curled her lips and looked at Zhu Mo, teasing, "That girl didn't learn anything else, but she learned your soft heart perfectly."

"Say less." Zhu Mo glared at her irritably, but did not reprimand her.

"Hehehe..." Zhu Zhuyun smiled as she wrapped her arms around Zhu Mo's. "Don't be angry, Father. Don't worry. I'll persuade Davis to spare that girl's life someday..."

Following an ice sculpture, Cheng Xiao could feel an inscrutable chill permeating the air even while sitting beside a campfire.

But considering the Zhu Family and Dai Family's inheritance method of raising children like venomous insects in a jar, it was understandable that she had developed such a habit at such a young age.

Night fell. Tomorrow, he would finally leave the Star Dou Great Forest completely.

But Cheng Xiao did not want to leave just yet. The Dreadclaw Bear's strength was beyond doubt. Even if he could not obtain its soul ring, he wanted to see whether he could summon its shadow to serve him.

A three-thousand-year Dreadclaw Bear fighting desperately could rival a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. To deal with a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, one needed at least a six-ring Soul Emperor to even stand a chance!

Three thousand years was the limit for the shadows he could summon, yet it could raise his upper limit of strength. Together with the other fourteen Shadow Soul Beasts, it would make him unafraid of even a Soul Emperor powerhouse.

Such an opportunity was incredibly rare. There was no way he could remain unmoved!

The firelight flickered, alternating between light and darkness as it reflected Cheng Xiao's shifting thoughts.

How should I get away?

I have to act tonight. Otherwise, by tomorrow, it may be too late. His gaze quietly swept across the three people.

"What is your name?" A voice devoid of warmth suddenly sounded.

Cheng Xiao's eyes shifted. "My name is Tang San. I never change my name standing or sitting."

When traveling outside, one had to be cautious.

He did not think his lies were flawless. If Zhu Mo realized later that something was wrong and traced the name back, the one waiting to greet him would be Tang Hao, once the youngest Titled Douluo.

"Martial Soul?" Zhu Zhuqing had no intention of introducing herself. It sounded more like an interrogation.

"..." Cheng Xiao felt a little helpless. He had already used his soul skills; no one would believe him if he claimed his Martial Soul was Blue Silver Grass.

"It's inconvenient to say."

Zhu Zhuqing frowned, but did not get angry.

"Do you know about Martial Soul Fusion Skills?"

Cheng Xiao nodded. "I've heard a little."

"The prerequisite for using a Martial Soul Fusion Skill is resonance between Martial Souls." Zhu Zhuqing spoke faintly, but did not continue. Her eyes remained fixed on Cheng Xiao.

Cheng Xiao's heart stirred. Could it be...

PS: There should be another chapter later. Consider it a bonus chapter to connect this plotline. I'll write it as quickly as I can, so no need to wait—just read it tomorrow.