Xiao Wu

Qian Renxue slowly held the letter to the candle flame and watched it turn to ash.

The firelight illuminated her pale face. One half looked sacred and imposing in the light, while the other revealed a profound darkness in the shadows.

Perhaps the truth could only be revealed once that child was born.

Before then, she had to play the role of a perfect crown prince.

Emerald Palace.

Eva reclined lazily on a couch covered in soft furs, watching the scene at the Crown Prince's Residence through the Magic Mirror before her.

"Heh."

Eva gave a languid chuckle, twirling a lock of golden hair around her fingertips. Her eyes gleamed with the teasing amusement of a cat toying with a mouse.

"It seems our little angel has completely lost her composure."

Eva stroked her flat abdomen. Naturally, there was nothing there. The so-called pregnancy pulse was merely an illusion she had created with magic, enough to deceive even the imperial physicians and Title Douluo.

As for everything after the child's birth, Eva had long since prepared for it. That night, she had collected Qian Renxue's blood, infused with pure angelic power.

That blood was now stored in a tiny crystal vial, which she gently rubbed between her fingers.

"Bai Xue, my darling daughter."

Eva's gaze turned toward the distant west, as though it had pierced space itself and seen that pure and kind princess.

"When you come to this continent, Mother will prepare a grand gift for you. You will possess the most noble identity and the most powerful Martial Soul, becoming Mother's most perfect creation and most useful pawn."

Eva intended to mix this drop of sacred blood into a potion and inject it into Snow White's body, making her an indisputable bearer of the Angel Bloodline.

Eva's smile grew increasingly bewitching.

By using Qian Renxue's bloodline to create a Snow White with the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, she would establish that the child was truly flesh and blood of the Angel Lineage. Then, she would control both the Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit Hall.

The plan was so perfect that even Eva could not help admiring herself.

Whether Qian Renxue was enraged or shaken, she would ultimately never escape Eva's grasp.

As for Snow White's own wishes? Eva's Red Lips curved into a cruel smile.

Kindness was precisely the trait Eva could exploit best.

She would love that child—in a way that gave her absolute control.

"Little Qian Renxue, enjoy this surprise."

Eva raised a goblet of scarlet wine, red as blood, and offered a distant toast toward the Crown Prince's Residence, her gaze as deep as an abyss.

At the edge of the Core Area of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Here, the towering ancient trees had lost their absolute dominion, allowing mottled sunlight to filter through.

Yet this once-peaceful land was now filled with the pungent stench of blood and violent energy fluctuations.

A pink figure tumbled miserably through the air. It was Ah Rou, the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Soft Bone Rabbit, in Human Transformation.

Blood spilled from Ah Rou's lips, and her gentle face was smeared with blood and pain.

Her pink dress had also been torn apart, exposing wounds so deep that bone could be seen.

There was also a purple-black wound on her chest, glowing ominously.

That wound had been inflicted by Bibi Dong's sixth spirit skill—Eternal Wound.

It ignored physical defenses, directly damaged one's origin, and severed all life force.

"Mom!!"

Xiao Wu, who had only recently undergone Human Transformation, had no power at all. She could only hide within the pink barrier Ah Rou had created to protect her and scream anxiously.

"Go! Xiao Wu, go! Enter the Core Area!"

Ah Rou's voice was hoarse and resolute. Enduring the heart-rending agony, she used the last of her strength to hurl the pink barrier protecting Xiao Wu toward the deepest reaches of the Star Dou Great Forest—the core region where the life energy was most abundant.

The barrier became a streak of light and instantly vanished into the dense sea of trees.

"No! Mom! Don't leave Xiao Wu behind!!"

Xiao Wu's cries became indistinct as she flew away at high speed.

Almost the instant Xiao Wu was thrown away, several powerful attacks descended upon Ah Rou once more.

At their head was none other than Bibi Dong, the current Pope of Spirit Hall.

She floated in midair, surrounded by a chillingly evil aura. Nine Soul Rings slowly revolved beneath her feet, especially the final blood-red 100,000-Year Spirit Ring, which radiated suffocating pressure.

Bibi Dong's eyes were icy as she looked at the heavily wounded, dying Ah Rou as though she were a precious material already within reach.

As long as she killed this Soft Bone Rabbit, her Second Martial Soul would gain another 100,000-Year Spirit Ring. Her Soul Power would surely rise another level as well.

Behind Bibi Dong stood Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei, both of whom had submitted to her, sealing off every possible route of escape for Ah Rou.

The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum in Chrysanthemum Douluo's hand shone with golden light as countless petals sliced through space like blades.

Ghost Douluo melted into the shadows, waiting for the chance to launch a fatal ambush.

Farther out, several elite Soul Sages and Soul Douluos of Spirit Hall had formed a tight encirclement, ensuring that Bibi Dong could hunt down Ah Rou without fail.

"Struggling on your deathbed!"

Bibi Dong snorted coldly and raised the Rakshasa Demon Scythe once more. Deadly purple-black light gathered along its blade.

"Your Soul Ring and Soul Bone are mine!"

Despair flashed in Ah Rou's eyes, but her concern for Xiao Wu outweighed it.

She could feel the flame of her life rapidly being extinguished by the erosion of Eternal Wound.

She refused to accept this! Her Xiao Wu was still so young...

Meanwhile, at the edge of the Core Area of the Star Dou Great Forest, in another relatively tranquil forest clearing.

A small deer whose body shimmered with nine-colored radiance was quietly observing the forest.

It was still small, no larger than an ordinary pony, yet the aura it emitted was incomparably pure and peaceful, as though it had gathered all the finest blessings of heaven and earth.

It was the Nine-Colored Deer that had come to the Star Dou Great Forest.

During this period, it had cultivated day and night near the Lake of Life and had finally reached the realm of a Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

Thus, Di Tian had permitted it to venture a suitable distance from the Lake of Life under Scarlet King's protection.

The Nine-Colored Deer's clear eyes curiously surveyed the towering ancient trees and lush vegetation around it, feeling the pulse of life flowing through the forest.

Peaceful by nature, it loved this forest brimming with vitality.

Scarlet King, however, was far more cautious. He knew exactly what the Auspicious Beast meant to the Soul Beast race and did not dare let down his guard in the slightest.

Suddenly!

A small figure wrapped in a weak Soul Power barrier came plummeting rapidly toward them.

"Hmm?"

Scarlet King's three heads instantly lifted, and ferocious cold light burst from his six eyes. His overwhelming aura erupted as he prepared to crush this uninvited visitor.

"Scarlet King! Wait!"

The Nine-Colored Deer's pure mental fluctuation instantly entered Scarlet King's mind.

Just as the small figure was about to smash into the ground, Scarlet King's enormous body shifted slightly. One tail, burning with dark-red flames, gently curled around and steadily caught the tiny figure.

It was Xiao Wu, whom Ah Rou had desperately thrown away.