Xiao Wu's Return

"Everything that Titled Douluo did was to make you willingly offer yourself as a sacrifice. If you leave now, he may kill everyone to vent his anger."

Tang Hao had prepared for years for his son's Soul Ring and Soul Bone. Now that Xiao Wu had left, Tang Hao would likely lose control—

and execute everyone to vent his rage.

If Lu Shi left Shrek now, that would not work either. Setting aside Zhu Zhuqing and the others, they would meet again in the future. No matter how he explained it then, Tang Hao would never believe him—

Why was Lu Shi still alive? Why had he left back then?

In this world, where someone could kill simply because they were in a bad mood, a Titled Douluo needed neither reason nor evidence to do anything.

Until he had absolute certainty, he could not take the risk.

"At the very least, you'll be safe until Tang San's Soul Power breaks through level ninety. As long as you keep your distance from me and act like you hate me, he won't grow suspicious."

Xiao Wu looked worried and hesitated. "Then what should I do once Tang San reaches level ninety? Can we still be together?"

I don't want to be apart from you.

Lu Shi stroked her hair. "I've been searching for a solution these past years. I learned of an Immortal Herb called Lovesick Heartbreak Red. It can conceal the aura of a Soul Beast in human form. Once we return to Shrek, I'll find a chance to leave and search for it."

"Once I find it, I'll come back for you, and we'll leave together."

"Mm!"

After making everything clear, Lu Shi knew they had to separate. He had Xiao Wu go back first, and he would return afterward.

A flush had already crept onto Xiao Wu's pretty face, but she understood that she could no longer be alone with Lu Shi. The warmth in her heart faded, replaced by a rising reluctance to part.

She pulled herself together and asked her final question:

"What about Zhu Zhuqing?"

Was he going to keep it from her forever?

Lu Shi said, "You are both my wings..."

As he spoke, he lowered his eyes, his expression dimming slightly. "Zhu Qing is a pitiful person too. In fact, the two of you are very alike..."

Lu Shi then told Xiao Wu about Zhu Zhuqing's experiences: how she had been born into the Zhu Family and taught from childhood to fight her sister to the death; how her sister had openly hunted her down while secretly protecting her escape from the Star Luo Empire; how they had met in Star Dou Forest; her relationship with Dai Mubai; and how Dai Mubai spent his days frequenting brothels, utterly casting his responsibilities aside...

Xiao Wu felt heavy-hearted after hearing it. Thinking of her mother, tears welled in her eyes, and she unconsciously felt closer to Zhu Zhuqing.

She had her mother, while Zhu Zhuqing had her sister. She had come to the human world to avenge her mother, while Zhu Zhuqing had come to the Heaven Dou Empire to resist her fate...

Their destinies were so alike.

At last, Xiao Wu smiled sweetly, wrapped her arms around Lu Shi, raised her head, and lightly stood on tiptoe.

Before Lu Shi could recover from his surprise, she swiftly pulled away and vanished into the forest.

"..."

Lu Shi stared blankly in the direction where Xiao Wu had disappeared, her taste still lingering on his lips.

In truth, Xiao Wu had known even without Lu Shi explaining it that turning around and returning to Star Dou Forest was the safest, least risky option.

She could have cultivated all the way to the Titled Douluo stage under the protection of the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python.

Yet Xiao Wu still chose to return to Shrek.

Not for herself, but for Lu Shi.

She had willingly chosen danger in order to protect Lu Shi.

Xiao Wu...

Lu Shi raised his head to gaze at the pitch-black night sky, where only a few stars glimmered. Guilt spread through his heart. From beginning to end, Xiao Wu had been giving so much for him, while he had given nothing in return.

Xiao Wu, don't worry. I'll come back for you as soon as I can.

"..."

After waiting for about ten minutes, Lu Shi rose and began his return journey.

Zhao Wuji was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth. Then a light sound suddenly caught his attention. "Who's there!?"

His gaze turned cold as he looked in one direction.

The others also became alert.

"Teacher Zhao." A slender figure ran out from the woods. Upon seeing her, not only Zhao Wuji but everyone else froze.

It was Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu looked somewhat bedraggled. Her clothes were torn in several places, and her neatly braided scorpion-tail braid had become messy.

Yet she was uninjured, and she seemed to have grown taller. Her hips and chest had become noticeably fuller and more pronounced.

She appeared somewhat more mature than before.

Her complexion was rosy as well, without any tear stains.

"Xiao Wu, you're not dead?" Oscar blurted out, only realizing afterward how unpleasant his words sounded.

Though unpleasant, that was everyone's question.

Xiao Wu explained that she had heard a bull's bellow. The Titan Giant Ape had then looked nervous, tossed her aside, and left. By luck, she had broken through level thirty. Then she had seen Soul Beast corpses all over the ground, selected a suitable one to absorb—

and returned.

Everyone was completely baffled. A bull's bellow?

What kind of bull could frighten off the Titan Giant Ape?

Fortunately, no one present could think of any other way Xiao Wu could have escaped from the Titan Giant Ape's grasp. Out of trust in her, they did not question how much truth there was in her words.

They believed all of it.

Xiao Wu glanced at Tang San, unconscious on the ground. His skin blended entirely with the night, and though her face still wore a happy expression, her heart held only disgust.

That Titled Douluo should be nearby, right?

"Then where's Lu Shi? Did you see Lu Shi?" Zhao Wuji asked urgently.

Lu Shi absolutely could not come to harm.

Her heart stirred. She shook her head and said she had not seen Lu Shi.

Zhao Wuji clenched his fist and slammed it into a tree trunk. Frustrated by how slowly his Soul Power was recovering, he said, "Oscar, make me more sausages. I'm going to bring Lu Shi back!"

Even if his Soul Power was insufficient and his body weak, he had to find Lu Shi.

As he spoke, another rustling sound came from nearby, drawing everyone's attention.

That figure was Lu Shi.

Warmth flashed in Xiao Wu's eyes before she forcibly suppressed it.

She could only show a hint of emotion.

The boulder weighing on Zhao Wuji's heart was finally lifted. He felt his breathing ease and his entire body relax.

He hurried over to check whether Lu Shi was injured.

Lu Shi smiled. "Teacher Zhao, I'm fine. The Soul Beasts were all scared away by the Titan Giant Ape's aura."

Except for the Man Faced Demon Spider.

"Good, good, good." After such prolonged, intense tension combined with his physical weakness, Zhao Wuji felt somewhat drained upon seeing Lu Shi. Even his iron-cast arms trembled faintly. "It's good that you're fine. Good that you're fine."

He turned around, picked up Tang San, who was sprawled on the ground like a dead dog, and immediately announced their departure.

There was no delay. No one wanted to remain here any longer.

After several hours of rushing onward, they did not pass through the forest's outer region until dawn.

On the distant horizon, half of the golden sun remained hidden.

Though they had escaped danger, everyone's fingers still trembled faintly beyond their control.

The morning light shone on their faces, making them feel as though they had entered another lifetime.

This moment seemed strangely unfamiliar, as though they had not seen sunlight in a very long time.

Only when their feet stepped onto the firm yet soft grass outside Star Dou Forest did everyone finally come back to their senses:

We're still alive.

We're still alive!

The suffocating oppression of death finally vanished.

Their hearts surged with emotion, yet no one spoke. There was no reason other than exhaustion.

After arriving at the inn, everyone, their minds battered once more, fell into an exhausted sleep.

They did not wake until the following evening.

Afterward, Zhao Wuji gathered everyone for a meeting.