System

Jiang Mu and Jiang Nannan did not hesitate. They quickly ran toward the source of the scream.

Once they got close, they finally saw what was happening.

Below them stood a man and a woman. The woman was likely the one who had screamed earlier.

She wore a fitted blue outfit, her hair tied in a high ponytail. Short boots covered her feet, while black thigh-high stockings wrapped around her long legs beneath her skirt.

She had a youthful air about her.

But was this really the time to be appreciating that?

Her beautiful phoenix eyes watched the swarm of snakes ahead with some tension.

"Blue Silver Grass Parasitism!"

Blue Silver Grass erupted wildly at the woman's call, instantly trapping the swarm of Mandala Snakes.

Looking at the Blue Silver Grass she had summoned, her identity was not hard to guess.

Tang Ya?

Then the other one should be Bei Bei. Jiang Mu shifted his gaze to the man, whose right hand crackled with lightning. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul indeed belonged to Bei Bei.

What a coincidence. He had actually run into them here.

Jiang Nannan glanced over the scene below and pouted helplessly. "So that's all it was."

Though they were facing a swarm of soul beast snakes, their average cultivation was only around a hundred years. Most were even ten-year soul beasts. They had most likely eaten something that had drawn the snakes over.

As for the scream, it seemed she had merely been startled. Jiang Nannan rolled her eyes and turned to look at Jiang Mu.

Only to discover that her little brother was staring fixedly at the woman below.

"Hm?"

For a moment, Jiang Nannan thought she was seeing things. She frowned and looked back and forth.

"Huh?"

What was so good about that woman? She only had a lousy Blue Silver Grass martial soul. She screamed after getting frightened, so she clearly had no courage. And she was not even prettier than Jiang Nannan!

As though jealous, Jiang Nannan subconsciously compared herself with Tang Ya below.

Due to certain changes, Jiang Nannan had not enrolled at Shrek Academy and did not know Tang Ya.

What was more, Tang Ya had attracted her little brother's attention the very first time they met. Naturally, Jiang Nannan could not feel any goodwill toward her.

But was that really the case?

Jiang Mu was merely thinking.

He had already met someone who counted as a key protagonist, so why had his cheat not arrived yet?

He happened to be facing Tang Ya's direction, so it looked like he was staring at her. In truth, though, he was simply lost in thought.

Is getting a cheat really this difficult?

But Jiang Nannan did not know that Jiang Mu was still checking things over. She immediately gave a snort.

"Hmph. What's so good about her? If you like it, I can wear it for you too."

"Hm?"

Jiang Mu withdrew his gaze in confusion and looked at Jiang Nannan's jealous expression.

Black stockings?

Why was he a little lost?

Still...

Jiang Nannan's suggestion just now...

If she meant black stockings...

Jiang Mu subconsciously looked over Jiang Nannan's long legs, currently wrapped in white thigh-high stockings. Her skin was snowy white and tender, her legs round and straight.

They would probably look even more alluring in black stockings.

"..."

"Mm~"

Jiang Nannan lightly raised her leg and stomped on the tree trunk. Her short boots made tapping sounds as she puffed out her cheeks, looking rather adorable.

Crackle, crackle! Snap, snap!

While they were chatting, the battle below had already neared its end. One was a rank-thirty Soul Elder, while the other was a rank-twenty-nine Grand Soul Master. Dealing with some hundred-year Mandala Snakes was easy enough.

"Xiaoya has finished them off."

"Yeah."

Though Tang Ya had been startled at first, she had recovered afterward. Her Blue Silver Grass had also dealt with quite a few snakes.

"It's just a pity none of them are useful to me."

Tang Ya sighed. She had initially been hoping for Mandala Snakes, but her third soul ring had to be at least a thousand years old. There were only ten-year and hundred-year ones here.

"Hehe, it's fine. Since there are Mandala Snakes here, there will definitely be thousand-year soul beasts that meet your requirements."

Bei Bei continued comforting her. They had been searching for so long that even his patience was starting to wear thin.

Just as he was about to say something else, a sound from the trees caught his attention.

He abruptly looked toward where Jiang Mu and Jiang Nannan were standing.

"May I ask who is hiding nearby? We are students of Shrek Academy."

Bei Bei did not know who was lurking in the shadows, but anyone who could hide and observe them for so long was clearly not weak. They were at least on par with them, perhaps even stronger. He quickly revealed their identities to prevent them from being robbed and killed.

Seeing Bei Bei act so cautiously, Tang Ya also assumed that some great danger was nearby. She swallowed hard and looked around.

Shrek Academy's status was still useful against most people.

Even those who looked down on it would not deliberately provoke it. Shrek was notoriously protective of its own; that was common knowledge.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, most people would give them some face.

Up in the tree, Jiang Mu glanced lightly at Jiang Nannan.

Jiang Nannan looked somewhat embarrassed as well. She pressed her palms together and apologized to Jiang Mu. She had acted without thinking and had not expected to be discovered.

The two could no longer remain hidden. With two whooshes, they jumped down.

The appearance of one young man and one young woman made Tang Ya and Bei Bei breathe a sigh of relief.

Even if a conflict broke out, they would not necessarily lose. Besides, at least from their appearances, they did not seem like bloodthirsty people.

Especially when Tang Ya saw Jiang Mu's face.

The little deer in her heart began racing uncontrollably.

Ah~ How could someone be this handsome?

The rustling sound was swallowed by the forest, where grass and leaves constantly stirred in the wind, making it difficult to notice.

"Um, you two are?"

"Hehe, we came to the Star Dou Forest to hunt soul rings, of course. We heard someone scream and thought someone was in danger, so we came over," Jiang Mu said with a shrug.

He was not lying. After all, that was why they had come here.

And they truly had come with the intention of saving someone. They were not evil people or evil soul masters. If they encountered someone in danger in the forest, they should help if they could.

Of course, they still had to remain cautious. There was no ruling out the possibility of scammers using others' kindness to lure them into an ambush.

Bei Bei relaxed upon hearing that. Just as he let out a sigh, Tang Ya beside him hurried two steps forward and asked excitedly.

"Then... then what's your name?"

Hearing Tang Ya's reaction, Bei Bei felt that something was wrong. The heart he had just put at ease tightened again!

"Huh?"

Jiang Mu did not react at first. He shifted his gaze away from Bei Bei and back to Tang Ya, only then noticing that she was staring directly at him. The heat in her eyes was impossible to hide, making him feel strange.

And the small hand that had just been swinging Blue Silver Grass was now half-clenched into a fist, nervously gripping the hem of her blue-and-white training outfit.

"Mm~"

The moment Jiang Nannan saw this, she became jealous. Women understood women best—this woman was trying to steal her little brother!

Just as Jiang Mu stood there looking utterly bewildered, a voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

Ding!

[Important supporting male character Bei Bei has developed killing intent toward the protagonist. Congratulations, you have awakened the Causal Retribution System.]

"Hm?"