Lately, Tang San's insomnia had been getting worse and worse.
Ever since he had secretly caught Su Mo putting a ring on Xiao Wu's finger.
Every time he went to bed, that scene would surface unbidden in his mind.
He had thought about it for a long time and finally realized one thing.
He had to act before Xiao Wu fell completely in love with Su Mo.
If things went on like this, he feared Xiao Wu would sooner or later belong entirely to Su Mo.
So Tang San decided to do something.
At the very least, he had to carve out a place in Xiao Wu's heart.
And so.
The following afternoon.
Tang San found Xiao Wu while Su Mo was away.
"Xiao Wu, I... I have something to tell you. Could you come with me to the little slope on the Back Mountain?"
Xiao Wu paused, looking puzzled. "Can't you just say it here?"
For a moment, Tang San had no idea how to explain. After thinking for a long time, he finally said, "There's something I want to show you. It's very important. I hope you'll come with me."
Xiao Wu was even more confused. "What is it? Can't you show me here?"
Tang San shook his head. "No."
Xiao Wu looked Tang San up and down. After considering it for a while, she nodded in agreement. "Fine, but I have to let Su Mo know."
Tang San hastily said, "Don't. It won't take long. There's no need to tell Su Mo."
Xiao Wu gave Tang San a suspicious look. "Then make it quick. I still need to get back for dinner."
Delighted, Tang San hurriedly nodded.
Then he led Xiao Wu toward the slope behind the school.
As it happened, evening had fallen.
The setting sun gilded the entire slope with a layer of gold.
Standing on the slope, Tang San's heart raced. He looked at Xiao Wu before him, but even after thinking for a long time, he still had no idea how to begin.
He suddenly felt a little regretful. He had been too impulsive. What if she rejected him?
If he failed, wouldn't Xiao Wu avoid him whenever she saw him from then on?
But they were already here, and he didn't want to give up just like that.
So Tang San steeled himself and spoke. "Xiao Wu, I've actually wanted to tell you this for a long time. Actually... from the first moment I saw you, I thought you were very special."
Xiao Wu paused. She blinked, her face full of curiosity. "Special how?"
"It's just..." Tang San's face flushed red, and even his voice trembled. "It's just that I think you're especially cute."
Xiao Wu nodded earnestly. "Of course! Sister Xiao Wu has always been cute!"
Xiao Wu thought he was stating the obvious. She considered herself a natural beauty, after all.
Did she need anyone else to tell her that?
Besides, she thought Tang San was acting strangely. Had he called her out here just to spout this nonsense?
"No, what I mean is..." Tang San struggled for ages before finally blurting it out. "Xiao Wu, could... could you accept me as your big brother?"
The moment those words left his mouth, even Tang San froze. That wasn't what he had wanted to say at all.
Still, he had already said it. Becoming Xiao Wu's big brother wouldn't be so bad. Then he would have a legitimate reason to stand by her side.
Xiao Wu froze too, staring at Tang San for a long moment.
"Wait, who do you think you are, just walking up and trying to be Sister Xiao Wu's big brother?"
Xiao Wu lashed out with a kick straight at Tang San.
Tang San had no time to react before she kicked him down the slope.
Watching Tang San tumble several times, Xiao Wu planted her hands on her hips and snorted. "You think you're worthy of being my big brother?"
"What on earth is wrong with you? Are we even that close?"
Tang San raised his head, his expression ugly. So, had he failed?
"Is it because of Su Mo?!" he demanded through gritted teeth.
He believed that if it weren't for Su Mo, Xiao Wu would definitely have agreed.
So all of this was still Su Mo's fault.
Fine. He had made up his mind. He would challenge Su Mo again.
He was a Soul Master now.
He didn't believe he would lose.
In fact, as far as Tang San knew, Su Mo was still a worthless weakling with level-three soul power.
Tang San had no idea that Su Mo and Xiao Wu had already broken through.
Or rather, his return had happened to coincide with Su Mo and Xiao Wu leaving to hunt for soul rings.
At the time, he hadn't given it much thought, assuming they had taken leave to deal with something.
Of course, this was also a blind spot in his thinking. He believed a worthless weakling with level-three innate soul power couldn't possibly break through to level ten in such a short time.
When he had overheard Su Mo and Xiao Wu talking about drawing a Thousand-Year Soul Ring, he had assumed they were lying too.
So he had never considered that possibility for Su Mo.
He had never even seen Su Mo fight using his martial soul.
Su Mo's only fight had been that encounter on the Back Mountain, but Tang San had happened to launch himself away with Blue Silver Pole Vault at the time.
So he knew nothing about any of this.
Now that Xiao Wu had rejected him, Tang San believed it was all because of Su Mo.
So he made up his mind to challenge Su Mo again.
He no longer cared even if others accused him of using his strength to bully the weak.
And so Tang San ran straight toward the dormitory.
He arrived at the entrance to Dorm Seven.
Tang San shouted, "Su Mo, I challenge you!"
Su Mo paused, then glanced at Xiao Wu behind Tang San. "What's going on?"
Xiao Wu shook her head, looking bewildered. "Don't ask me. I don't know either. Anyway, I think Tang San has gone crazy."
"He actually asked me to accept him as my big brother just now. This guy has definitely lost his mind."
"Huh?!" Su Mo wondered whether he had heard her wrong.
What on earth was all this?
Xiao Wu had nothing to do with Tang San now, yet he still had that much nerve?
"What, are you scared?" Seeing Su Mo actually ignore him, Tang San couldn't help burning with rage.
Su Mo shook his head. "Not really. I'm just wondering why I should fight you."
"What's in it for me? You've already lost to me before."
Tang San spluttered in fury. "You..."
Su Mo looked at Tang San. "I can fight you if you want, but you'll have to put up a stake."
Tang San's expression shifted back and forth as he began to think.
What did he have on him that he could put up as a stake?
He had to crush Su Mo utterly. Only then could he show Xiao Wu that he was the only person she could rely on.
His gaze finally settled on the Twenty-Four Bridges Bright Moonlit Night at his waist.
Although it was a gift from his teacher, Yu Xiaogang.
Putting it up as a stake now wasn't quite appropriate, but he believed he would definitely win.
So he gritted his teeth and took off the belt.
"I'll put this up as my stake. A country bumpkin like you has probably never seen anything like it, right?"
"This is a storage-type soul tool, worth a fortune. Well? Do you dare fight me?"
Tang San's expression was contemptuous. He looked down on Su Mo completely.
He even looked forward to seeing shock appear on Su Mo's face.
After all, this was a soul tool, something exceedingly rare throughout the Douluo Continent.
Presumably, a country bumpkin like Su Mo couldn't possibly have seen one before.
Unfortunately, Tang San was disappointed. Su Mo's expression didn't change at all.
Still, Su Mo was indeed a little surprised inwardly. He hadn't expected Tang San to actually put up this Storage Soul Tool.
It really was quite rare in this era.
Soul tools hadn't yet undergone the rapid development they would see later.
"Heh, in that case, I'll gladly accept your soul tool." Su Mo smiled. He didn't believe he would lose.
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