Better... Start Now!

The instant those eyes fixed on her, Xiao Wu let out a scream and shrank behind Ning Ze, clutching his clothes tightly with both hands, her voice trembling out of tune.

"Ning Ze... save me! I don't want to go back to Shrek! Please... don't let him take me away! Please!"

Ning Ze reached back and took her little hand resting on his shoulder, sending a thread of warm divine power through his fingertips.

"Don't be afraid, Xiao Wu. He won't be taking anyone away today."

Feeling the warmth flowing from Ning Ze's palm, Xiao Wu finally calmed down somewhat.

At that moment, Tang Hao raised his hand, and the majesty of a Titled Douluo spread outward from him.

"Young man, big words come with a price! Today, she must come with me—"

Rumble—!!

Before he could finish, a pitch-black rift tore open above the forest.

An enraged roar carrying the might of a level ninety-five Titled Douluo crashed down, shaking the entire canyon.

"Tang Hao—!! You mangy stray dog! A dignified Titled Douluo ambushing my precious little ones halfway down the road?! Do you take our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for clay? Do you even want that damned Clear Sky dog face of yours anymore?!"

A spatial storm swept through the woods, grinding Tang Hao's pressure into dust inch by inch.

Nine soul rings descended explosively from the rift!

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black!

A Bone Dragon phantom covered the sky as a gaunt old man, thin as a skeleton, shattered the void and landed steadily before the carriage.

Bone Douluo, Gu Rong.

"Grandpa Gu!"

The moment Ning Rongrong saw him, her eyes reddened.

"Grandpa Gu, you finally came! This Titled Douluo stopped us halfway and even tried to take our people! Hurry and beat him to death for Ning Ze and me!"

Gu Rong turned his head, his withered face crinkling with smiles. "Be good, Rongrong! Don't panic! Grandpa will explain everything to you later!"

Then he abruptly turned back, his smile vanishing completely as he pointed a finger at Tang Hao's nose.

"Tang Hao! After all these years, you've only gotten more pathetic!"

"You hid like a dead rat for more than ten years, and today you actually have the nerve to bully two twelve-year-old children? What kind of fucking Clear Sky Douluo are you?!"

Tang Hao clenched his fists beneath his black robe, his expression dark as water. "Gu Rong... I didn't expect you to come!"

"Of course I came! Was I supposed to stand by and watch you, you mad dog, use dirty tricks?"

Gu Rong sneered. His bones crackled, and the Bone Dragon phantom rose behind him.

"Tang Hao, let me make this clear! These two girls openly withdrew from Shrek. They are Ning Ze and Rongrong's closest friends, honored guests of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"

"With me here today, don't even think about touching a single finger of theirs!"

"Unless... your Clear Sky Sect wants to go to war with our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"

Tang Hao's face was hidden beneath his black robe, but his muscles twitched.

He glanced at Gu Rong standing like an immovable wall before the carriage, then swept his gaze over Xiao Wu, who was nestled behind Ning Ze in the cabin.

Gu Rong was no ordinary Titled Douluo. His Bone Dragon Martial Soul was known as the greatest defense in the world, and with his spatial traversal, he came and went without a trace. Even if Tang Hao used the Clear Sky Avatar, he would not be able to break through that turtle shell anytime soon.

Not to mention that he had long since been expelled from the Clear Sky Sect and still had debts to the sect unpaid. If he dragged the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into an all-out war for Tang San, then Tang Hao would become the sinner who destroyed the sect's thousand-year foundation.

Today, he could not take Xiao Wu away.

"Hmph."

Tang Hao withdrew his aura, turned around, and vanished instantly into the depths of the ancient forest path.

Only then did the pressure of the Titled Douluo hanging over the forest completely dissipate.

"Whew... he's finally gone!" Zhu Zhuqing leaned weakly against the carriage wall, her chest rising and falling.

Xiao Wu's back was soaked in cold sweat.

But compared to the lingering fear, her heart felt even colder.

Tang Hao was a Titled Douluo.

Behind Tang San, who usually called her his sister and acted dull and honest, stood a nine-ringed god of slaughter.

She was a hundred-thousand-year-old transformed soul beast. How could he possibly have failed to recognize her true form after she had wandered beneath a Titled Douluo's nose for so many years?

Xiao Wu gripped Ning Ze's hand tightly, her knuckles turning white.

The last trace of old affection she held for Tang San had completely gone cold.

But though Tang Hao had left, a level ninety-five Bone Douluo was still standing right in front of her.

Her shoulders hunched again as she lowered her head.

Yet there was not the slightest bit of killing intent on Gu Rong's old skeletal face.

Rubbing his hands together, he trotted to the carriage with a face full of wrinkles from smiling. He looked Ning Rongrong and Ning Ze up and down, just like an old man fussing over his grandchildren.

"Oh my! My good little Rongrong, you weren't frightened just now, were you?"

"Ning Ze, come let Grandpa Gu take a good look at you. Did that mad dog hurt you? If he dared touch even a hair on your heads, I'll chase after him right now and hammer the shit out of him!"

"Hehe! Grandpa Gu is the best! With Ning Ze here, we were completely fine!"

Ning Rongrong jumped up happily and clung to Gu Rong's arm in a spoiled manner.

Ning Ze smiled as well and gave him a respectful salute. "Thank you for arriving in time, Grandpa Gu."

"Ah, nonsense! Why be so formal with family?"

Gu Rong grinned from ear to ear, his eyes filled only with his two precious little ones. He did not even spare Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, who were huddled nearby, a proper glance.

Only then did Xiao Wu's hanging heart settle, and she let out a long breath.

"You're heading to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul rings, right?"

Gu Rong sat boldly on the front of the carriage, grabbed the reins, and waved one hand.

"Enough! Now that I'm here, how could I let you juniors handle such rough work as driving? Get into the carriage and rest!"

"Today, I'll personally serve as your coachman. Let's see who dares block our path! Hyah!"

Gu Rong drove the carriage quickly and steadily.

But the atmosphere inside the carriage was rather subtle.

Ning Ze sat cross-legged, squeezed between three stunning girls, with a faint fragrance hanging in the air.

A slight blush colored Zhu Zhuqing's face, but her gaze was exceptionally firm.

"Ning Ze... we discussed it on the road just now."

"To grow stronger, and so we don't waste your Martial Soul's abilities, starting today, we'll take turns meditating in dual cultivation with our backs pressed against yours every day! No one gets to monopolize you, and no one gets left out!"

Ning Ze's mouth twitched.

Good grief, they were dividing me up like a cake on the spot?

"The road ahead is still long, and we have nothing better to do. How about... we start now, so we don't delay the journey!"

"Wait! This young lady hasn't agreed yet!"

Ning Rongrong sprang to her feet and stood in front of Ning Ze with her hands on her hips.

"According to the rules just now, this young lady goes first every day! Even if we're starting, I go first! You two sneaky cats can forget about cutting in line!"

Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue and giggled. "Alright, alright, we know you're first. We weren't trying to steal your spot."

After bickering for quite a while, Ning Rongrong happily secured the first turn.

Blushing, Ning Rongrong lifted her chin and shuffled behind Ning Ze. She wrapped both arms around his waist, pressed her whole body against his back, closed her eyes, and began circulating the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Cultivation Method.

Ning Ze chuckled softly and closed his eyes as well, the pink-gold light of the God of Love within him beginning to circulate.

Gu Rong, seated on the carriage shaft, heard the jealous squabbling from inside and smiled smugly.

"Hahaha! Just as expected of someone I watched grow up! Those moves are far more romantic and domineering than Fengzhi's were back then!"

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has worthy successors! This old bag of bones is well worth being a coachman! Damn well worth it! Hyah!"

Several days later, the group arrived at the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

After cultivating together day and night throughout the journey, the three girls' Soul Power surged rapidly.

Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong broke through their bottlenecks one after another, both reaching level thirty.

Xiao Wu was only one step away, but as a transformed hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Rabbit, she could produce her own soul rings and had no need to hunt soul beasts, so she was not in a hurry.

Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong had already done their homework on the road, each setting their sights on soul beasts suited to agility attack and defensive support.

Ning Ze was not picky. With his Divine Love God Martial Soul, as long as the age was sufficient, any soul beast attribute absorbed into his body would mutate into an exclusive God of Love divine skill.