Tang: The Incompetent Husband, Part Three

Su Mo looked at her.

Xiao Wu tilted her head and said as a matter of course, "The weak are prey to the strong; survival of the fittest. This has been the law of survival for Soul Beasts since ancient times."

Su Mo blinked.

Xiao Wu continued, "To fill their bellies or increase their cultivation, Soul Beasts will also eat other Soul Beasts. I ate quite a few when I was little."

"As long as they aren't of the same species, anything can be food or medicine."

She said it so nonchalantly, as if she were talking about what she had for dinner.

"Besides," Xiao Wu added, "even among the same species, just like you human Spirit Masters, there are all sorts of reasons to harm one another. Isn't that perfectly normal?"

Su Mo understood.

He recalled the debates about "Soul Beast rights" from his past life and suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

In this world, the survival laws of Soul Beasts were far simpler than humans imagined.

The weak are prey to the strong; survival of the fittest.

As long as there is no wanton slaughter and the survival of the entire race isn't threatened, everyone lives by their own ability.

This was the logic of the Soul Beasts.

Su Mo nodded. "I get it."

Xiao Wu smiled and went back to staring at the rabbit over the fire.

After a while, her expression suddenly dimmed, as if she were thinking of memories from the past.

"Only by becoming strong enough can one avoid being bullied, protect those one wants to protect, and do the things one wants to do."

"Xiao Wu must cultivate well."

Her voice was soft, carrying a trace of seriousness not usually seen.

"Cultivate to be exceptionally strong and protect Master."

"And find the enemy who killed my mother."

"Kill her with my own hands to get revenge!"

Su Mo's movements paused.

Tang San was also stunned.

He looked at Xiao Wu; that face, usually always grinning, now wore a look of determination that didn't match her age.

Xiao Wu did not cry.

She simply stated those words calmly, as if she were stating a fact.

Tang San was silent for a second.

Then, he walked over and reached out to pat Xiao Wu on the shoulder.

"Bajie."

Xiao Wu looked up at him.

Tang San said earnestly, "Senior Brother will help you."

Xiao Wu blinked.

"Really?"

"Really."

Xiao Wu smiled, returning to her usual carefree self.

"It's a deal then! You go to the front when we fight!"

Tang San nodded. "Fine."

Xiao Wu: "You let me taste the good food first!"

Tang San hesitated for a moment. "...Fine."

Xiao Wu: "If Master asks, you take the blame for me!"

Tang San's face darkened. "That won't do."

"Stingy."

"This isn't about being stingy!"

The two began to bicker, and the heavy atmosphere from just a moment ago was swept away.

Su Mo watched them, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

The rabbit was roasted.

Xiao Wu was the first to rush over, tearing off a leg and eating until her mouth was covered in grease.

Tang San took a piece as well, eating it slowly.

Su Mo took the meat Xiao Wu handed him and took a bite.

Mm, not bad.

Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, cooked to perfection.

The Big Black Ox lay nearby with a pile of grass in front of it, but it looked at the rabbit that had been gnawed down to the bone with a resentful gaze.

"Moo." (I was clearly the one who found the rabbit first.)

Su Mo glanced at it. "Aren't you a herbivore?"

The Big Black Ox was silent for a second.

"Moo." (Sometimes I want to change up my palate.)

Su Mo nodded and handed the gnawed bone in his hand to it.

The Big Black Ox stared at the bone, its expression complex.

It felt like Su Mo was teasing it.

But it had no evidence.

Helplessly, it went back to eating grass, only to discover a large rabbit leg hidden within.

Alright, now it had evidence.

It was just... should it eat the evidence? It looked so delicious!

After eating their fill, the group sat around the campfire.

Tang San sat to one side, holding his Blue Silver Grass in his hands, attempting to twist it into the shape of a sword.

His face turned red from the effort as he gave it a hard twist—

The Blue Silver Grass hung down limply, like an overcooked noodle.

He twisted again—

Still limp.

Refusing to give up, Tang San tried twisting it from a different direction.

It remained limp.

Just like an incompetent husband.

Watching from the side, Su Mo couldn't help but tease him.

"San, you're not cutting it."

Tang San looked up. "What do you mean I'm not cutting it?"

Su Mo didn't answer. He chewed on a sweet grass root, glancing at him sideways. His gaze drifted downward inadvertently, followed by a meaningful smile as he shook his head.

He hadn't said a word, yet it felt like he had been insulted...

You're not up to the task.

A "hehe" sound came from nearby.

It was the Big Black Ox.

It lay in the shadows, its eyes shining brightly, laughing in a particularly lewd manner.

Xiao Wu looked up, glancing at them in confusion. Not understanding, she buried her head back into gnawing on a carrot.

Tang San's face flushed red. "I am not!"

Su Mo spread his hands. "I didn't say anything."

Tang San grew anxious. "Your eyes said it!"

Su Mo replied leisurely, "Oh? Is that so? Why would you think that? ⌓⌣⌓ (Nuclear-level kindness)"

Tang San: "???"

The Big Black Ox laughed even harder, its whole body trembling, its tail whipping through the air.

Tang San held it in for a long time before finally blurting out, "Master, you're bullying me!"

Su Mo smiled and said nothing more.

The campfire crackled, sparks flying toward the night sky and disappearing into the boundless darkness.

Above, the stars twinkled.

Deep in the forest, the occasional roar of a beast echoed, distant and mysterious.

Xiao Wu leaned against Su Mo, hugging the gnawed bone, her eyes half-closed.

Tang San put away his Blue Silver Grass and silently added a few more logs to the fire.

The Big Black Ox lay in the shadows, its tail flicking lazily.

"Moo." (Speaking of which, where did that guy who rides a dog and calls himself a Master go?)

Su Mo thought for a moment, then replied, "Who knows?"

The night gradually deepened.

The next day.

Yu Xiaogang finally stood at the entrance of the Royal Hunting Park. Looking at the familiar forest before him, a smile of certainty curled at the corners of his mouth.

The Royal Hunting Park was the exclusive hunting ground of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family, where various Soul Beasts were kept in captivity for nobles and Spirit Masters to hunt for their Spirit Rings.

In his previous life, it was here that Tang San encountered that century-old Datura Snake and nearly lost his life.

It was he, Yu Xiaogang, who appeared in the nick of time, using his wealth of theoretical knowledge and decisive judgment to save Tang San.

From then on, Tang San was devoted to him heart and soul.

That was what Yu Xiaogang believed.

He took a deep breath and pulled a small bottle from his bosom.

The bottle contained a dark red liquid that emitted a pungent odor.

A Berserk Potion.

It could make Soul Beasts go mad and greatly increase their aggression.

He had just bought it from a sneaky merchant outside the hunting park.

He had spent his last fifty Copper Spirit Coins on it.

Yu Xiaogang chuckled sinisterly.

That brat Su Mo, wasn't he quite the fighter?

Once they encountered a Soul Beast inside, he would secretly sprinkle this potion over it—

The Soul Beast would go berserk, its strength surging.

When that happened, he would like to see how the brat would die.

Even if he didn't die, he would at least be stripped of a layer of skin.

And he, in turn, could seize the opportunity to "save" Tang San and win back his disciple's heart.

Two birds with one stone.

Perfect.

Yu Xiaogang tucked the potion away and stepped into the hunting park.

An hour later.

Yu Xiaogang stood in a patch of woods, drenched in sweat and panting heavily.

"This isn't right..."