Little Guga's promise
Jiang Lan smiled.
He took a deep breath, channeled his Soul Power, and retracted his Martial Soul Avatar.
Golden light shone from his body, and the boy's figure rapidly shrank, his bones receded, his muscles tightened, and his features changed from handsome outlines back to that chubby round face. His hair also went back to short, with a few fluffy tufts sticking up.
When the light faded, Jiang Lan transformed back into the chubby little boy in the penguin onesie, his hat askew on his head, his webbed feet resting on the moss of the lake shore—a completely different person from the handsome young man he had been moments before.
Doro also transformed back into its white dumpling form, its round body landing at Jiang Lan's feet. Its large purple eyes blinked, as if it were having a dream.
Xiao Wu looked down at the familiar little boy in front of her and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"You look better like this." Xiao Wu bent down and picked Jiang Lan up, weighing him in her arms. "He's so chubby, it's comfortable to hold him."
"You just said I was easier to hug the way I used to be." Jiang Lan kicked her little legs in her arms.
"It's easier to hug you now." Xiao Wu hugged him tighter, resting her chin on the top of his head. "You were too high up before, my neck hurt when I hugged you."
Doro squatted down beside them, holding an Ju Zi in his little hands, tilting his head to watch Xiao Wu cling to Jiang Lan and not let go, and silently stuffed the Ju Zi into his mouth.
Di Yue lay on the lake shore, her golden vertical pupils half-closed, her tail slapping the ground idly.
"It turned back?" Di Yue yawned.
"It's back to normal." Jiang Lan waved its little hand at it. "Di Yue, thank you for leading the way today. Although there were a few minor hiccups along the way, it went smoothly overall."
"A minor incident?" Di Yue's tail stopped. "You call draining half a bucket from the Lake of Life a minor incident?"
"Auntie has agreed."
"She only agreed because you bothered her so much."
Anyway, she agreed.
Di Yue stared at him for a while, then exhaled a puff of hot breath from her nose and turned her face away.
Jiang Lan said to the Lake of Life, "Thank you, Auntie. I'll remember this favor. I will resolve the conflict between humans and Soul Beast in the future."
Jiang Lan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried across the empty lake.
Then the water began to churn, and silver scales rose from the emerald green lake. Gu Yuena's dragon head emerged from the water, her silver vertical pupils staring straight at Jiang Lan.
"What did you say?" Gu Yuena said.
"I said I remembered." Jiang Lan looked up at her, her little hands behind her back, not repeating her boastful words. "When I grow up and have the ability, I will find a way to resolve the troubles between Soul Beast and humans. You might think I'm bragging now, but I keep my word."
Gu Yuena stared at him for a long while.
"Do you know how many years the feud between humans and Soul Beast has been building?" Gu Yuena asked. "Since the beginning of Soul Master, Soul Beast have been prey for humans. Soul Ring, Soul Bone, Soul Beast materials—everything is stained with the blood of Soul Beast. What do you want to resolve?"
"I know it won't be easy," Jiang Lan said, "But I want to try. I don't think killing Soul Beast to obtain Soul Ring is the only way; there must be other methods. I haven't thought of everything yet, but I've remembered them."
Gu Yuena remained silent for a while.
"Okay," Gu Yuena said, "I'll remember that."
She sank into the lake, her silver scales flashing in the emerald water before disappearing into the depths.
The lake surface returned to calm.
Xiao Wu stood to the side, looking down at Jiang Lan with a complicated expression on her face.
"Were you serious about what you just said?"
"Seriously." Jiang Lan nodded. "I've thought about this for a long time. The Workshop I'm building and the Pill I'm refining are all aimed at finding a way for Soul Master to become stronger without killing Soul Beast. Although I haven't found it yet, I'm trying."
He actually had an idea: to learn from the Douluo IV Artificial Soul Ring, and that Soul Bone could also be created.
Xiao Wu looked at him for a while, then bent down and picked Jiang Lan up, resting her chin on his head.
"Okay, I'll help you."
"Thank you, Sister Xiao Wu."
Don't give me that.
Di Yue stood up from the lakeside, shook her fur, and looked at Jiang Lan with her golden vertical pupils.
"Let's go, it's getting dark. If we don't go back soon, the Star Dou Great Forest at night is not like the daytime."
Jiang Lan carried Doro and climbed onto her back, with Xiao Wu following beside them. The three of them walked towards the outer perimeter.
It was completely dark when we got back to the Wooden House.
Er Ming squatted beside the Wooden House, piling up the dry branches he had cut down during the day. When he saw Xiao Wu return, he pointed with his huge hand toward the stove, indicating that the fire was ready.
Xiao Wu patted its arm, went inside and found the mushrooms and dried meat, and then cooked a pot of soup.
Jiang Lan sat on a straw mat drinking soup, Doro was next to him munching on Ju Zi, and Di Yue was leaning against the door with a bowl containing three times the amount of mushroom soup and two pieces of dried meat.
After finishing their meal, Jiang Lan handed over all the Pill she owed to Di Yue.
Jiang Lan touched Di Yue's body and said, "It feels so good to touch."
"Of course." Di Yue snorted. "None of the Soul Beast in the entire Star Dou Great Forest have the same quality fur as me. Those sables and silver foxes may look nice, but their fur feels rough to the touch. My fur is warm in winter and cool in summer, has its own luster, and doesn't even attract dust."
"So how do you usually take care of it yourself?" Jiang Lan asked.
"Lick it," Di Yue said matter-of-factly, "Lick it once a day, from beginning to end."
Jiang Lan paused for a moment.
"... all?"
"All of them." Di Yue nodded. "For the part you can't reach at the base of the tail, ask the Scarlet King for help."
Jiang Lan imagined the scene of the three-headed, crimson-gold lion licking Di Yue's fur and found it somewhat amusing.
"Why isn't the Scarlet King with you today?" Jiang Lan asked.
Di Yue's expression froze for a moment.
"I don't know." It turned its face away. "Maybe it overslept."
Jiang Lan didn't ask any further questions and continued to stroke its back.
Di Yue felt comfortable being petted, so she simply spread all four legs out, rested her chin on her front paws, half-closed her eyes, and swept her tail on the ground.
Xiao Wu walked over from the stove carrying a bowl of soup. When she saw Di Yue's appearance, she couldn't help but laugh.
"You certainly know how to enjoy yourself." Xiao Wu placed the soup in front of Jiang Lan. "Drink it first, then you can touch me."
Jiang Lan picked up her bowl to drink the soup, her other hand still resting on Di Yue's back. Di Yue swept her tail even more diligently, leaving a small patch of clean moss on the ground.
"Doro." Doro squatted down beside them, holding her bowl in her little hands, her big purple eyes looking at Jiang Lan and then at Di Yue, and made a muttered sound that was neither salty nor sweet.
The general translation is: You touch it, but you don't touch me.
Hearing the grumble, Jiang Lan turned to look at Doro, broke off half an Ju Zi from its hand and put it in her own mouth, then reached over and ruffled its head a couple of times.
Doro was then satisfied and continued drinking his soup.
After finishing the soup, Jiang Lan put down the bowl, clapped her hands, stood up, and stretched.
"Di Yue, will you come again tomorrow?"
What are you doing here?
"Take me for a stroll through the Star Dou Great Forest," Jiang Lan said matter-of-factly. "I've come all this way, I can't just stay by the lake. You're the local, it wouldn't be right not to show me around."
Di Yue raised her eyelids and glanced at him.
What's in it for me?
Jiang Lan took out a small porcelain bottle from her Storage Soul Tool and waved it in front of Di Yue.
"Lead the way tomorrow, and get three more."