Contempt from Xiao Wu

The moment Tang San charged forward with a dagger in hand, the killing intent in his eyes nearly solidified.

The hatred of broken bones,

The resentment of having his Soul Ring stolen,

Along with the humiliation that had built up over the past several days,

All surged to his head in that instant, burning away every shred of reason!

He wanted Ye Hua dead!

Right here, right now!

Yet a slender figure flashed out from Ye Hua's side!

Xiao Wu's right foot swept through the air and struck Tang San squarely in the chest!

Bang!

Amid the dull impact, Tang San flew backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily into a tree trunk before bouncing onto the ground and sending up dust and rotten leaves.

The dagger flew from his hand, spun twice across the ground, and rolled to Yu Xiaogang's feet.

Tang San lay sprawled on the ground, clutching his chest as a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

He raised his head, his gaze passing over Ye Hua before landing on Xiao Wu, his eyes full of disbelief.

"Xiao Wu... why?"

Xiao Wu withdrew her leg and returned to Ye Hua's side with a cold expression.

"Brother, is there something wrong with this guy? You saved him, and he turned around and tried to kill you!"

Brother?

The word slipped from her lips lightly, as though it were the most ordinary form of address.

But to Tang San, it was like a dull blade gouging into his heart, sawing back and forth twice.

His pupils abruptly contracted, and all color drained from his face. "Xiao Wu, you called him... what?"

Xiao Wu could not be bothered with him. She hooked her arm through Ye Hua's. "Brother, let's go. This place reeks. I don't want to stay here anymore."

"Xiao Wu!"

Tang San abruptly pushed himself upright. The splint around his broken leg snapped with a crack, and pain made the veins on his forehead bulge.

But he paid no attention to it. He stared fixedly at Xiao Wu's face, as if he wanted to carve her expression into his mind.

"Do you know what you're doing? What does Ye Hua even count for? A useless piece of trash who turned things around through cheating, and you call him brother?"

"Shut up!"

Xiao Wu suddenly turned around, her gaze icy. "Tang San, if my brother hadn't stepped in just now, you'd already be that Mandala Snake's dinner!"

"It would be one thing if you weren't grateful, but you even pulled a dagger on him? Have you no shame?"

"I didn't need him to save me!" Tang San's lips trembled, his voice bordering on hysteria. "I already shot the Mandala Snake in the mouth with my Sleeve Arrow! Its upper jaw was bleeding heavily!"

"As long as I held on for another five minutes, that snake would have died from blood loss! Its Soul Ring was supposed to be mine!"

"Ye Hua stuck his nose in and stole my Soul Ring, and you're still taking his side?"

Xiao Wu froze for a moment.

Not because Tang San had made any sense...

But because she had never seen someone so shameless!

The Mandala Snake was a Soul Beast, and so was she. Did Soul Beasts not understand the thoughts of other Soul Beasts?

Would any Soul Beast risk its life and fight to the death without retreating just for one meal?

Would it? Would it?!

Only an old wolf on the verge of starvation, or lions and tigers that had not eaten meat in ten days or half a month, would do that!

Besides...

"Five minutes?"

"Tang San, you said you could hold on for another five minutes?"

"You can't even stand up. What are you going to use to hold on for five minutes?"

Tang San's face turned incredibly ugly.

He wanted to argue, but he realized he could not find any angle from which to refute her.

Yet he could not admit it.

Once he admitted it, it would mean that Tang San was not only not the victim, but an ungrateful wretch repaying kindness with enmity!

But what could he do if he refused to admit it?

Was he supposed to reveal the truth?

Say that the Mysterious Heaven Skill protected his body, that his internal power was abundant, and that holding on for five minutes would be easy?

That was his greatest secret, and his final trump card!

Tang San's lips moved for a long while before he finally squeezed out, "I... I have my own way."

Xiao Wu looked at him, and the anger in her eyes turned into complete speechlessness.

To her, Tang San's reaction was nothing more than stubbornly refusing to admit defeat!

"My brother was right. You're a hypocrite."

"I have nothing left to say to you."

After saying that, she turned around, walked back to Ye Hua's side, and once again hooked her arm through his.

Tang San slumped on the ground, staring blankly as Xiao Wu clung to Ye Hua's arm. He could do nothing, and his chest felt so tight that he could barely breathe.

Xiao Wu.

The girl he had deemed his fated person from the moment he first saw her was now intimately holding another man's arm.

And Tang San no longer had even the slightest common ground with her.

Why?

Why?!

[Ding—]

[Xiao Wu's Rescue Progress +5%]

[Current Rescue Progress: 40%]

[It has been detected that Xiao Wu has recognized Tang San's hypocrisy and hindered Tang San's growth. Keep up the good work. A stage reward will be issued at 60% Rescue Progress.]

A smile crossed Ye Hua's lips. He had not expected such an unexpected gain.

He had done what needed to be done. The rest would be left to Wang Sheng!

Just as he was about to leave, a shout suddenly came from behind him.

"Cough, cough, wait..."

Yu Xiaogang finally spoke.

He forced himself to stand, though half his body was still numb.

"Student Ye Hua," Yu Xiaogang said, forcing out a smile, "what happened today was thanks to your help."

"If not for you, Xiao San and I would likely have met with disaster. I'll remember this kindness."

Ye Hua stopped and glanced back at him, his expression blank.

You ignored the kindness Bibi Dong and Liu Erlong showed you. Why would I expect anything from you?

"You're too polite, Grandmaster. It was only a small effort."

"However, before hunting Soul Beasts next time, it would be best to weigh your own capabilities. Not every time will someone happen to pass by."

Yu Xiaogang's smile froze on his face.

The thought of trying to get closer to Ye Hua had just arisen, only to be forcibly scattered.

Yu Xiaogang sighed regretfully. Innate Full Soul Power, and combat strength capable of instantly killing a four-hundred-year Mandala Snake—he was the perfect test subject for his theories!

Once he became Ye Hua's teacher, once Ye Hua achieved the rank of Title Douluo, he would soar to the heavens. Everyone who had once looked down on him would have to beg him with smiles and tears!

The clearing in the woods fell silent for a long time.

"Teacher..." Tang San's voice was hoarse. "I'm not willing to accept this."

Yu Xiaogang shook his head, walked over to him, and laboriously helped him up, letting him lean against the tree trunk.

"What can you do even if you're unwilling?"

"He stole my Soul Ring!"

Tang San suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot. "Teacher, that was a four-hundred-year Mandala Snake! It was highly compatible with my Martial Soul! And he just stole it from me!"

"I know." Yu Xiaogang closed his eyes.

"If you knew, why didn't you speak up for me just now? Why did you thank him instead?"

Yu Xiaogang fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking. "Xiao San, didn't you notice? When Ye Hua attacked, the Soul Ring that lit up on him was yellow."

Tang San's pupils abruptly contracted.

Yellow was the mark of a hundred-year Soul Ring!

But the problem was that the Mandala Snake's Soul Ring had appeared before he killed the snake...

Ye Hua already had a Soul Ring!

He had already become a true Soul Master!

"Xiao San, think about it. A twelve-year-old child hunted a hundred-year Soul Beast alone, then stood before you completely unharmed. What do you think that means?"

Only then did Tang San realize it, and a bone-chilling cold crept up his scalp. "It means that if he had wanted to kill us just now, we wouldn't even have had a chance to resist."

"Smart." Yu Xiaogang nodded. "Besides, we're both seriously injured. Forget a four-hundred-year Soul Beast—even an ordinary person without Soul Power could defeat us."

"But he stole my Soul Ring..." Tang San said unwillingly.

"You can find another Soul Ring if this one is gone. If your life is gone, then nothing is left." Yu Xiaogang patted his shoulder. "Let's go. Dawn is almost here."

"Today is the last day. We need to hurry and can't delay any longer!"

Tang San said nothing more.

He supported himself with a wooden crutch, rose to his feet, and followed behind Yu Xiaogang as they began searching carefully.

But he knew clearly that, in their current condition, it would be difficult for them to hunt another powerful Soul Beast.

Reality was exactly as he expected.

The master and disciple wandered through the forest for half a day. The Soul Beasts they encountered were either too young, or too strong for them to defeat.

As the sun passed its zenith, Yu Xiaogang understood that if they spent another night in the forest, they would have no chance of surviving!

He finally stopped walking and looked at Tang San with slight guilt. "Xiao San..."

The moment those words left his mouth, Tang San exploded!