Xiao Wu

"Teacher, what could a child like me possibly do? Besides, you're right up front. If you think I do anything inappropriate, you can stop me whenever you want!"

Zhou Liang did not know whether to laugh or cry as he spoke to Teacher Wang Hu through the carriage.

"Besides, I'll have to return to the academy sooner or later. If I dared to mess around, Master would probably break my legs!"

"That's true enough. But you're quite mature for your age, kid!" After saying that, Teacher Wang Hu fell silent.

Instead, he slowly reduced the carriage's speed.

By the time the carriage drew near the little girl in pink, it had slowed until it was moving alongside her.

At that moment, young Xiao Wu looked at the carriage keeping pace with her and lightly furrowed her pretty brows.

"Who are these people? Could they be the evil nobles Mother warned me about?"

Xiao Wu glanced twice at the carriage, something ordinary people had no means of riding in, and a faint sense of danger arose within her.

"This place is close to Star Dou Forest. As long as I call for Da Ming and Er Ming, they can get here within an hour."

With that thought, Xiao Wu snorted inwardly.

Hmph, if you really are some disgusting nobles, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of heaven today.

Just as Xiao Wu was about to use her spiritual power to call Da Ming and Er Ming at any moment, a peculiar fragrance drifted over.

"It smells so good!"

That intoxicating scent—or rather, the scent that intoxicated Xiao Wu—made her cry out without realizing it.

Her face immediately reddened, and she hurriedly covered her mouth with both hands as she looked to the side.

A young man appeared at the carriage window, with his entire upper body leaning out.

He held a bag in his hand, from which he took out a crystal-clear strip of dried carrot.

Then he took a bite.

Crunch!

The crisp sound came from Zhou Liang's mouth. Together with the sweet fragrance, it made Xiao Wu swallow.

"These dried carrots soaked in sugar water and dried with warm air are truly crisp, sweet, and leave such a lingering aftertaste!"

Zhou Liang chewed the dried carrot in his mouth as he sighed appreciatively.

"Hmph!"

Xiao Wu, whose attention had been drawn over, snorted at the sight of Zhou Liang and turned her head away.

Teacher Wang Hu, who saw this from the side, shook his head with an amused smile and thought to himself.

"Though he's mature for his age, he's still too childish. How could he possibly win over a girl like this?"

Teacher Wang Hu shook his head at the thought, but what happened next left him questioning his entire life.

A wooden stick extended from the carriage window. One end of it was tied to a string, and the other end of the string was tied to a large piece of dried carrot.

The dried carrot was held before Xiao Wu and gently swayed.

Xiao Wu's brows immediately knitted together, and her face twitched slightly.

Yet the sweet scent drifting toward her made saliva flood her mouth.

Seeing this, Teacher Wang Hu thought helplessly.

"She's just wearing rabbit-ear accessories. She isn't actually a rabbit. Could a piece of dried carrot really hook her?"

Then Teacher Wang Hu saw the little girl in pink reach out and grab the dried carrot.

She pulled it down and took a bite. The crisp sound and her narrowed eyes both made it clear just how much Xiao Wu liked the carrot.

"This... this actually worked?" Teacher Wang Hu's eyes widened as he began questioning his entire life.

"Hey, your dried carrots are really delicious!" After Xiao Wu finished the dried carrot in her hand, she stuck out her pink tongue, licked the sugar residue from her fingers, and turned to Zhou Liang.

"Hey, my name isn't Hey."

Zhou Liang took out another dried carrot, bit into it, and said.

"My name isn't Hey either. I'm Xiao Wu, Wu as in dancing. What's your name?"

As Xiao Wu spoke, her gaze remained fixed on Zhou Liang's hand.

"My name is Zhou Liang. Zhou as in week, Liang as in excellent."

Seeing that Xiao Wu had already taken the bait, Zhou Liang smiled, took another piece of dried carrot from the bag, and handed it over.

"Want to come up and eat with me?"

Upon hearing that, Xiao Wu nodded repeatedly and accepted the dried carrot.

Teacher Wang Hu, who was still questioning his entire life, hurriedly stopped the carriage as well.

Then Xiao Wu climbed into the carriage and began another chapter of her life.

As Teacher Wang Hu drove the carriage and listened to the two chatting happily behind him, he sighed.

"I've lived for over forty years, yet I'm not even as capable as a seven-year-old brat!"

Another four months passed.

Inside a secluded courtyard in a town.

Zhou Liang and Teacher Wang Hu were engaged in a back-and-forth battle.

The shield and long blade Zhou Liang condensed from Soul Power had become more solid, and he had even formed a suit of armor over his body.

These were all effects of the First Soul Ring.

The First Soul Ring could summon a Shield-Blade Soldier.

The Shield-Blade Soldier wore Soul Power Armor over its entire body, held a Tortoiseshell Round Shield in its left hand, and wielded a Soul Power long blade in its right.

It could also allow Martial Soul Soldiers to condense Soul Power Armor, a Tortoiseshell Round Shield, and a Soul Power long blade, transforming them into Shield-Blade Soldiers.

If Martial Soul Soldiers could do it, why couldn't Zhou Liang?

After eight months of research and constant experimentation,

he had started by condensing a Soul Power long blade, then a tortoiseshell shield, and finally the most difficult part: Soul Power Armor.

Zhou Liang's own strength had now grown even greater, especially his defensive capabilities, which had improved tremendously.

At that moment, the battle in the courtyard changed. Zhou Liang was too eager to attack, causing his balance to shift slightly.

Teacher Wang Hu seized the opportunity and instantly brought his weapon down in a powerful overhead slash.

Fortunately, Zhou Liang raised the Tortoiseshell Round Shield in his hand in time and blocked the heavy blow.

Bang!

Although Zhou Liang blocked the strike, the immense force still drove him back several steps.

"Teacher, your strength is incredible!"

After retreating several steps and steadying himself, Zhou Liang shook his slightly numb arm.

"Of course it is! What level am I, and what level are you? Naturally I'm much stronger than you. And your strength is the real freakish part. In just four months, it's increased by at least half again. You really are a monster!"

Teacher Wang Hu immediately laughed and scolded him.

Ever since their previous conversation, Teacher Wang Hu seemed to have finally shown Zhou Liang his true self.

He was no longer so rigid and cold, carrying instead a touch of warmth.

"Teacher, be careful! I just came up with the next move, and I still don't fully understand its effects," Zhou Liang said seriously, his expression turning solemn.

"Come at me! My level is far above yours. If you want to hurt me, you're still a long way off," Teacher Wang Hu said.

Zhou Liang nodded and began circulating the two peculiar powers within his body.

Immediately, the Soul Power shield in his left hand turned ice-blue, and waves of cold air rose from it.