Xiao Wu's Lie

When Ye Xuan and the others returned, they saw Tang San pacing anxiously.

When Tang San saw Xiao Wu coming back with Ye Xuan, he had a bad feeling.

He hurried over and asked, "Xiao Wu, why were you gone so long? And why are you with Young Master Ye?"

Xiao Wu and the others had already thought up an explanation for Tang San's questions before they came back.

"After I left, I found a Soul Beast that had been injured by the shockwaves. It happened to be a good match for my Martial Soul, so I spent some time absorbing its Soul Ring. Big Brother Ye came across me while he was hurrying over and guarded me for a while. Once I finished absorbing it, we came straight back together. Third Brother, I'm sorry for making you worry."

Xiao Wu explained apologetically.

Zhao Wuji was taken aback. "Y-you mean you've reached Soul Grandmaster too?"

"Mm!" Xiao Wu nodded.

"Excellent! I never expected us to gain three Soul Grandmasters all at once. One is fourteen, and two are twelve. You're all the pride of our academy."

Zhao Wuji was visibly excited. Two twelve-year-old Soul Grandmasters—this had to be unprecedented in the entire Soul Master World!

At least, Zhao Wuji had never heard of anyone like them.

"Xiao Wu, congratulations. Young Master Ye, thank you for guarding Xiao Wu while she absorbed her Soul Ring."

After hearing Xiao Wu's explanation, Tang San congratulated her first, then thanked Ye Xuan.

"Enough with the formalities," Zhao Wuji said. Then he turned to Ye Xuan and asked, "Young Master Ye, what happened to the Titan Giant Ape?"

"I injured it, and it ran off," Ye Xuan replied.

"Good. Since it's gone, we can keep looking for a Soul Ring for Xiao San, right?" Zhao Wuji asked.

"Of course." Ye Xuan nodded.

Then the group set off once more to find a Soul Ring for Tang San.

Ye Xuan couldn't help marveling at just how powerful Tang San's protagonist's luck was.

Even though Ye Xuan's intervention had changed the timeline, as they wandered around the Star Dou Great Forest, Tang San still ended up encountering a Human-Faced Demon Spider.

The difference was that Tang San had originally encountered the spider alone, whereas now the whole group ran into it together, so they took it down with ease.

Just as Zhao Wuji was about to kill it as an afterthought, Tang San suddenly called out to him.

"Teacher Zhao, this Soul Beast's Soul Ring might be one I can absorb," Tang San said.

After saying this, even Tang San himself felt a little puzzled.

He had never thought of absorbing a spider's Soul Ring. But just now, it was as if some voice from deep within had told him to absorb this Soul Beast's Soul Ring.

The unfamiliar feeling seemed strange, but he chose to trust it anyway.

At this, Zhao Wuji quickly withdrew his hand.

Only then did Tang San step forward and finish off the Human-Faced Demon Spider.

Just as Tang San was about to absorb its Soul Ring, three people suddenly hurried toward them.

Seeing the three approaching, Ye Xuan smiled to himself.

As expected, they had all ended up gathering here after all.

The newcomers were Meng Shu, Chao Tianxiang, and Meng Yiran—a family of three.

When they arrived and saw Tang San about to absorb the Soul Ring, Meng Yiran flew into a rage.

"He's stealing my Soul Ring again! Damn it! Grandpa, they were the ones who bullied me before." Meng Yiran angrily pointed at Zhao Wuji and the others.

With Meng Shu backing her up, she was more confident than ever.

After all, what was a Soul Saint to her? What did one matter in front of her grandfather?

"That's Zhao Wuji," Chao Tianxiang whispered to Meng Shu.

Meng Shu looked toward Zhao Wuji and said coldly, "You're Zhao Wuji?"

"That's right. You must be Senior Dragon Duke." Zhao Wuji remained courteous. Ye Xuan was here, but there was no need to trouble him unless it was necessary.

"You took a Soul Ring my granddaughter had her eye on before, and now you've killed a prey we had just set our sights on. What do you have to say for yourself?" Meng Shu demanded.

"Senior, you misunderstand. We had no idea this Soul Beast was the one you were after. Please don't get angry. Come aside and let me explain. I'm sure you'll calm down once you hear me out," Zhao Wuji said.

"What's there to discuss?" Meng Shu was reluctant to step away.

"What, are you afraid to hear me out?" Zhao Wuji challenged him.

"Fine. Let's hear what you have to say."

Prodded by Zhao Wuji, Meng Shu agreed.

After Meng Shu followed Zhao Wuji away, Meng Yiran glanced over at Ye Xuan, her face full of scorn, as if to say:

"You arrogant brat. Just wait—you'll be begging me soon enough."

Before long, Meng Shu and Zhao Wuji returned.

But Meng Shu's earlier anger was gone. Instead, he said with a broad smile, "So the young friend who's about to absorb the Soul Ring is Grandmaster's disciple. Since he's Grandmaster's disciple, you may have the Soul Ring. Let's go."

"??"

Meng Yiran was dumbfounded. Why had her grandfather suddenly changed his tune?

Grandmaster?

Who was Grandmaster, to earn such respect from her grandfather?

She looked at him, unwilling to accept it. "Grandpa, why?"

"Yiran, this Soul Beast has already been killed by Young Friend Tang San. There's no point fighting over it now," Meng Shu said with a shake of his head, urging her to let it go.

But Meng Yiran wasn't about to agree so easily. On the spot, she challenged Tang San.

"Tang San, I refuse to accept this! I challenge you. Do you dare?"

"You already lost to me once. What's the point of challenging me again?" Tang San replied.

"This time, we'll compete in something else."

As she spoke, Meng Yiran took the little throwing knives from her Soul Tool.

When she explained the rules, everyone from Shrek Academy laughed.

They had all seen Tang San use Hidden Weapons before. Now Meng Yiran wanted to compete with him at that? She was practically walking right into his trap.

Tang San naturally accepted without hesitation.

The result was exactly as expected: Meng Yiran lost.

After winning, Tang San began explaining Hidden Weapons to Meng Yiran, and the two exchanged questions and answers.

Once Tang San started talking about Hidden Weapons, he became impossible to stop. He explained and taught her at the same time.

In that short while, Meng Yiran's opinion of Tang San changed dramatically. Looking at the boy a few years younger than her, her eyes sparkled, and she seemed to regard him with newfound admiration.

After listening to him, she leaned close and kissed Tang San on the face before he could react. Smiling, she said, "Little brother, thank you for teaching me all this. I hope we meet again someday."

With that, she left with Meng Shu.

She hadn't merely lost the contest this time—she had lost her heart, too. Naturally, she had no interest in fighting over the Soul Ring anymore.

Tang San blushed scarlet, and Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and the others teased him mercilessly afterward.

At that point, Ye Xuan glanced over at Xiao Wu.

To his surprise, Xiao Wu was perfectly calm. She wasn't angry or jealous at all.

That doesn't make sense! She's seeing something like this, and she's not reacting at all? Ye Xuan wondered, baffled.