Xiao Wu's Sacrifice!

A nearby village outside Notting City.

Beiming Lieyang had been searching with Ice Empress and Snow Empress for three full days, yet they still had not found any trace of that rabbit.

Ice Empress walked along the dirt road outside the village, her golden eyes sweeping around.

"Is that rabbit even really here? We've practically turned all the nearby villages upside down these past few days, and we haven't even found a single rabbit hair."

Beiming Lieyang walked ahead, his gaze constantly scanning the road before them.

"She's definitely here. If she wants to obtain a work-study student spot at Notting Academy, she has to settle in one of the nearby villages and follow the proper process to obtain a recommendation.

For a transformed Soul Beast to infiltrate human society and obtain legitimate papers, it would take at least several months."

"There are only a few villages nearby. If she isn't in this one, we'll go to the next.

If she's not there either, we can only search farther away. But those villages fall under other towns, so it's unlikely."

Snow Empress followed behind Beiming Lieyang. "Then let's search these villages first. We aren't short on time anyway."

The three continued onward. Before long, at the entrance of a small village somewhat farther from Notting City, they finally spotted their target.

Beneath the old locust tree at the village entrance stood a little girl in a pink dress, her scorpion-tail braid hanging behind her. She carried a small cloth bundle over her shoulder, as though she were about to leave.

Her face still carried traces of excitement and anticipation.

More than half a year ago, she had disguised herself as a wandering child and slipped into this village. At last, Spirit Hall had come to awaken the children's Martial Souls.

Naturally, she had awakened a Soft Bone Charm Rabbit Martial Soul and Innate Full Soul Power.

This work-study student recommendation was her stepping stone into human society.

"Mother, I'll definitely avenge you." Xiao Wu gripped the strap of her cloth bundle, her eyes turning slightly red as that night resurfaced in her mind.

Her mother had been killed by that woman, while she had desperately fled for her life.

"So you were here."

A voice suddenly came from the side.

Xiao Wu jolted and hurriedly retreated two steps, warily sweeping her gaze around.

She saw a blond, red-eyed youth walking toward her, with two others behind him.

One was a petite figure in a green dress with twin ponytails, while the other was a tall woman with white hair and blue eyes.

They're so beautiful... The thought instinctively flashed through Xiao Wu's mind, but she immediately became wary again.

She put on an innocent expression, her voice soft and sweet. "You two sisters are so pretty. Big brother, did you need something from me?"

Ice Empress folded her arms and looked Xiao Wu over from head to toe, tilting her head.

"Xiaoyang, is this the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast rabbit you mentioned?"

The instant those words left her mouth, every hair on Xiao Wu's body stood on end.

They had seen through her identity at a glance?

Could they be... Title Douluo?

She forcibly suppressed her fear and pretended to remain calm. "Big sister, what are you talking about? My name is Xiao Wu. I'm not a rabbit."

Beiming Lieyang stared at her. "Stop pretending. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Charm Rabbit who transformed into a human, intending to join Notting Academy.

You planned to cultivate and grow while infiltrating the human world, all so you could find the enemy who killed your mother."

Xiao Wu's pupils contracted, and her voice changed pitch. "Y-You... how do you know?!"

She backed away repeatedly, staring at the three of them with vigilance.

Who exactly were these people?

Beiming Lieyang did not answer. He simply continued.

"Rather than going to Notting Academy and eventually becoming someone else's spare Spirit Ring, why not sacrifice yourself to me now?"

"A spare Spirit Ring? Sacrifice?" Xiao Wu's entire body tensed as she backed away two steps, her eyes widening.

"I came here to avenge my mother. I'll never sacrifice myself to you!"

Her eyes darted around as she searched for a route to escape.

"Do you think you can run?" Ice Empress suddenly narrowed her eyes, releasing a trace of her aura.

That faint aura made Xiao Wu's entire body turn cold. "Y-You're a Soul Beast too? You... you didn't transform and start cultivating again... You're a Fierce Beast!"

Her bloodline might not have been particularly powerful, but she was still a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

Soul Beasts faced a tribulation every hundred thousand years. Once they reached one hundred thousand years, even ordinary bloodlines would undergo some degree of transformation.

Having lived for so long, she naturally knew certain things.

When Soul Beasts transformed into humans, they either discarded all their cultivation and started over, or passed the second Heavenly Tribulation to become Fierce Beasts. Only Fierce Beasts could take human form without starting cultivation anew.

The aura Ice Empress possessed could only belong to a Fierce Beast that had passed a tribulation.

"You're a Soul Beast too, so why are you helping humans?"

Xiao Wu glared at Ice Empress, her tone both shocked and furious.

"Hmph. Xiaoyang is someone we've chosen. Besides, you aren't from the Far North."

Ice Empress crossed her arms, speaking as though it were only natural.

She disliked other humans just the same.

She simply did not dislike Xiaoyang.

Snow Empress said nothing, merely watching Xiao Wu.

Beiming Lieyang looked at Xiao Wu. "Do you think you can avenge her? The one who killed your mother was Spirit Hall's Pope, Bibi Dong. She possesses Twin Martial Souls and is a Super Douluo.

Spirit Hall also has Qian Daoliu, a peerless Rank 99 Douluo, six Super Douluo enshrined elders, and the nine elders of the Elders' Hall are all Title Douluo. There are also quite a few who have recently broken through to Title Douluo.

You're a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who started cultivating again. What do you have to fight her with?"

Xiao Wu stood frozen, as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over her.

She had never imagined that her mother's killer would be the Pope of the strongest force on Douluo Continent.

That side possessed so many Title Douluo, even Super Douluo.

The sheer number made her face turn pale.

After remaining silent for a long time, she finally raised her head. "Then what about you? Can you avenge my mother?"

"I can." Beiming Lieyang's tone was resolute.

"Although we haven't come into direct conflict yet, we'll clash sooner or later.

Bibi Dong is a madwoman. She wants to destroy Spirit Hall. She recruits geniuses, and those who refuse to submit are hunted down. If I am to walk among human society, there will inevitably be a battle between us."

"Why should I believe you?" Xiao Wu clenched her fists, her voice trembling.

"There are so many Title Douluo, along with Super Douluo, and even a peerless Douluo. What gives you the confidence to kill that person?"

Beiming Lieyang did not explain further. He simply raised his hand.

Void Mysterious Ice emerged in his palm, radiating a deep blue icy glow.

At the same time, a golden phantom slowly appeared behind him.

One phantom was ice, the other fire; one cold, the other scorching. They hung behind him together as four pitch-black Spirit Rings rose from beneath his feet and slowly revolved around him.

"I possess Twin Martial Souls as well."

Xiao Wu froze.

Twin Martial Souls... and all-black Spirit Rings...

She had lived for tens of thousands of years and seen countless human Soul Masters, yet she had never seen anyone whose First Spirit Ring was black.

"Sacrifice yourself to me, and you will still have a chance for revenge."

"If you refuse, I'll kill you and obtain your Spirit Ring and Spirit Bone anyway."

Xiao Wu's body trembled.

She looked at Ice Empress and Snow Empress standing behind Beiming Lieyang.

"Y-You... who are the Fierce Beasts beside you?"

"Mother Xue is Snow Empress, Lord of the Far North. Auntie Bing is Ice Empress, one of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North."

Xiao Wu's body went completely rigid.

Lord of the Far North... Ice Empress...

She finally understood why those two could see through her identity at a glance.

Even though she had long lived in the Star Dou Great Forest, she had heard of the Lord of the Far North.

"You... what exactly is going on here?"

"How could the Lord of the Far North be together with a human?"

"Xiaoyang is the child I raised."

Upon hearing Snow Empress's calm words, Xiao Wu finally understood everything.

So that was it.

"Mother..."

Tears filled Xiao Wu's eyes. Based on what he had said, she had no chance of avenging her mother on her own.

This human... this human...

He had the Lord of the Far North and one of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North by his side.

Twin Martial Souls.

And such terrifying Spirit Ring configuration.

She lowered her head and remained silent for a long time. Her tightly clenched fists slowly loosened.

"I... I hope... you'll keep your word."

Xiao Wu raised her head, tears glimmering at the corners of her eyes, but her tone had become firm.

Only this way, only this way, could she avenge her mother.

The light of sacrifice rose from her body, enveloping her completely.

Her body began to turn transparent, transforming inch by inch into motes of light that gathered toward Beiming Lieyang.