Heart-to-Heart

After flying for a while, Yuwen Tuo arrived directly above Gong Changlong.

His wings became blades as he gathered the power of flames and slashed downward. The attack pattern was somewhat similar to Wang Dong's Wing Guillotine.

Gong Changlong raised one hand and caught Yuwen Tuo's strike. The next moment, he saw that his palm had turned pitch-black. Of course, he was not injured. No matter how formidable Yuwen Tuo was, a mere two-ringed Soul Master could not possibly harm a Titled Douluo like him. His hand had simply been blackened by the flames.

But this also meant that Yuwen Tuo's flames had not immediately gone out upon coming into contact with his soul power. They had burned for a short while.

For a Soul Grandmaster's flames to last even a second against a Titled Douluo was already exceedingly rare.

Yuwen Tuo landed before Gong Changlong and asked, "Senior Beast King, what do you think of this soul skill of mine?"

"What do I think? One soul skill combining flight, acceleration, and offense, with no weak attack power either—and you're asking me what I think? Did you come here specifically to show off in front of me?" Gong Changlong said irritably. He had to admit that among his earlier soul skills, none before his fifth skill from a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring could compare to Yuwen Tuo's move.

Yuwen Tuo smiled. "Hehe, it seems Senior thinks it's not bad too. Thank you, Senior, for giving me such an excellent soul ring. Then I'll take my leave."

Gong Changlong waved him off. "Get lost, get lost. You brat, you've already fleeced me for two fine soul beasts. Once you grow stronger, remember to catch two more and return them to me."

"I understand," Yuwen Tuo replied. Even if Gong Changlong had not said so, he would have taken the initiative to repay him in the future.

After all, only after returning what he owed would he be qualified to reclaim what was rightfully his.

After leaving the Soul Duel Arena, Yuwen Tuo headed to Sea God Lake as he had arranged with Xiao Xiao.

Xiao Xiao had long been waiting there. The moment she saw Yuwen Tuo, she immediately waved. "Tuo Tuo, I'm over here."

Night had already fallen, and there was no one around Sea God Lake. Her voice carried clearly.

"Xiao Xiao, did Dean Yan Shaozhe make you some kind of promise?" Yuwen Tuo asked as he walked over.

"Yes. The Dean said that as long as I remain at Shrek Academy and cultivate diligently, they will certainly do everything they can to nurture me until I become a Titled Douluo. They'll give me at least three soul bones and do their utmost to attach a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring for me," Xiao Xiao said excitedly. Such generous terms were impossible for her not to be tempted by.

Yuwen Tuo nodded. It was indeed a decent promise.

When Yan Shaozhe learned of Huo Yuhao's Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor martial soul in the original story, he had also made a promise, one far more generous than the one given to Xiao Xiao.

Aside from guaranteeing at least one Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, he had even promised Huo Yuhao a complete set of high-grade soul bones.

But that was only natural. Even though they were both Twin Martial Souls, Xiao Xiao's two martial souls were still far inferior to the Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor with its Ultimate Ice.

Her value was naturally lower. In truth, Yan Shaozhe's offer to win her over was already quite sincere.

The main reason was that Xiao Xiao was not from an influential noble family and had yet to join any faction. If Shrek did not tie down this Twin Martial Soul owner who still had no home now, then when would they?

"Xiao Xiao, those terms are exceptionally generous. If you want to stay at Shrek in the future, then cultivate well here. But if I can offer you better treatment someday, would you be willing to leave with me?" Yuwen Tuo estimated that there would be no shortage of people he would have to contend against in the future.

The more talented soul masters he had, the better.

"Leave with you? Tuo Tuo, I heard the Dean say today that the Academy feels guilty toward you. What exactly did he mean?" Xiao Xiao asked curiously.

"It's nothing much. But since you want to know, I won't hide it any longer. I'll tell you the whole truth!" Yuwen Tuo took Xiao Xiao by the hand, sat down by the lake with her, and slowly began recounting his past.

He told her how his parents had abandoned him in a small rural village, how the villagers had taken him in, how Evil Soul Masters slaughtered the villagers when he was four and he narrowly escaped death, and how, at six, after awakening his martial soul and possessing Innate Level 20 Full Soul Power, he had been forcibly brought back by Shrek. For six whole years, he had been made into Ma Xiaotao's cultivation tool. No matter how many times he restored his soul power, it would soon be crippled again.

There were basically no omissions, though Yuwen Tuo made a slight alteration to one part. After all, he had told Xiao Xiao that he had a master and mistress.

But his greatest secret—his transmigration—was something he could never tell anyone.

No matter how much he trusted someone, he would never reveal it.

Thus, he inserted his master and mistress into the period after the village massacre, saying that he had met them sometime during the year between the ages of four and five. He only said that they had taught him for a year before drifting away.

As for the two neighbor friends he had mentioned before, he naturally said that they had been villagers as well, and had been slaughtered alongside everyone else by the Evil Soul Masters.

Nine parts truth, one part lie. Xiao Xiao believed him completely.

By the time she finished listening, she was already crying her eyes out. In the end, she threw herself against Yuwen Tuo's shoulder. "Sob, sob... Tuo Tuo, you're so pitiful. You've already suffered so much. Why did the Academy have to treat you like this?"

His parents had not loved him, his village had been massacred, his two brothers had been killed, his master and mistress had left, and Yuwen Tuo had already been utterly alone. Yet the Academy had crippled him for six entire years.

If not for that, Yuwen Tuo would surely have been a genius renowned throughout the world by now.

Innate Level 20 Full Soul Power... Throughout the history of the Douluo Continent, only the Six-Winged Angel martial soul had ever possessed such talent.

The Academy truly had wronged Yuwen Tuo terribly.

Yuwen Tuo gently stroked Xiao Xiao's hair and smiled. "All right, don't cry. Aren't I doing fine now? I do have hatred and resentment in my heart, but don't worry. I have never thought of giving up on myself, nor will I allow hatred and resentment to control me. There is still a long road ahead. I'll live it full of hope, and I'll work hard to take back everything I lost from those who took it."

Xiao Xiao lifted her head and looked at the smile on Yuwen Tuo's face.

It was as warm as sunlight.

Judging from his appearance alone, no one could possibly tell that he was someone burdened by such deep hatred.

Someone who should have been consumed by bitterness and vengeance could still smile so brightly and openly. Xiao Xiao could not help thinking that being with someone so warm would surely make every day feel warm as well.

Xiao Xiao wiped away her tears, leaned close to Yuwen Tuo's ear, and whispered, "Tuo Tuo, if the day comes when you want to leave this place, I'll definitely go with you. I-I'll treat you well!"

Xiao Xiao's boldness caught Yuwen Tuo slightly off guard. As expected of the brave girl who had boldly confessed to a boy in reverse at Sea God's Fate—she did not hide her feelings in the slightest.

Now that she knew of Yuwen Tuo's past, how could she fail to understand him? No wonder he had not feared Teacher Zhou Yi expelling him at all. If he had truly been expelled, it would probably have been exactly what he wanted.

Xiao Xiao knew that Yuwen Tuo must want to leave this place. Since that was the case, she would not force him to stay.

As for Yan Shaozhe's instructions to win back Yuwen Tuo's heart and soothe his resentment toward Shrek, she could go to hell with that. At worst, she simply would not accept those promises of soul bones and Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings.

Yuwen Tuo had already suffered here for six years. How could she bear to make him remain in this place because of her?

She had even begun to question this "bright and righteous" Shrek Academy herself. Crippling one child for the sake of another student—how was that any different from Evil Soul Masters?