Xiao Wu's shock: Da Ming and Er Ming became gatekeepers?

Filled with sorrow, Xiao Wu told Ji Yang of her mother's death.

But as she spoke, she held a few things back.

For instance, she did not reveal that her mother had been a hundred-thousand-year soul beast who had undergone Human Form Transformation, or that she herself was one as well.

This was simply a precaution.

After all, she had only just met Ji Yang.

Even if Ji Yang had known her mother, she could not reveal her greatest secret until she was certain she could trust him and that he could accept her as a soul beast.

Otherwise, her very existence would draw countless covetous eyes and dangers.

"I know. It was Bibi Dong, the Pope of Spirit Hall, wasn't it? I'm the chosen successor of a deity in the Divine Realm. I asked that deity about Aunt Rou's situation before, so I learned what happened."

"Through that deity, I also learned that Aunt Rou was a soul beast who had undergone Human Form Transformation, and that you would choose to do the same and come to Nuoding City, where I live. That's why I've been waiting here for you and had them help look for you."

Faced with Xiao Wu's grief-stricken account, Ji Yang nodded calmly and once again told an earth-shattering lie.

This time, his lie was even more astonishing.

"A deity's successor?"

"You know Mom and I are..."

Xiao Wu was stunned.

Either revelation alone was enough to shock the color from her pretty face.

And it made her all the more wary.

There was no other reason!

Her identity had been exposed.

If Ji Yang coveted her soul ring and soul bone, then the situation awaiting her would undoubtedly be dangerous.

At the thought that this might truly happen, Xiao Wu felt chilled in both body and soul, and she began trembling slightly.

If that were the case, her luck was truly terrible.

She would never be able to avenge her mother, either.

"You don't need to worry. Aunt Rou helped us, and I could never repay kindness with betrayal. Besides, I'm a deity's successor. However precious a hundred thousand year soul ring and soul bone might be, I'm hardly lacking them."

Seeing Xiao Wu's wariness and worry, Ji Yang shook his head as he spoke.

Xiao Wu immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Judging by Ji Yang's expression and reaction, his words did not seem false.

Yet what Ji Yang said next made her unbearably tense again.

"But the same might not hold true for the other people in Nuoding City. In particular, there's a Titled Douluo here, and the faction behind him once carried out a massacre in the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain soul bones."

"If he sees you, he'll definitely recognize what you are. He won't possibly let you go-he'll take your life."

In a calm tone, Ji Yang spoke words that filled Xiao Wu with both panic and anger.

The Titled Douluo he meant was, of course, Tang Hao.

And the faction behind him was naturally the Clear Sky Sect.

The Great Sumeru Hammer created by Tang Chen, along with a series of self-created soul skills including Ring Detonation, placed considerable demands on the body. To strengthen their physiques, the Clear Sky Sect's experts would naturally set their sights on soul bones.

The soul beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest were bound to suffer disaster as a result.

On that point, he was not simply making things up.

"Thank you, Ji Yang!"

Her face as pale as paper, Xiao Wu thanked Ji Yang, still shaken by what might have happened.

After what Ji Yang had just said, she now had almost no doubts about him.

Had she foolishly entered Nuoding City without knowing this, the Titled Douluo there might have discovered her before long, and she would have ended up as his soul bone.

"Don't thank me. If you really want to thank someone, thank Aunt Rou and the 'deity' behind me!"

Ji Yang chuckled.

Then his tone turned serious. "In short, you can't stay in Nuoding City. Returning to the Star Dou Great Forest would be safer for you."

"But..."

Xiao Wu understood the gravity of the situation, too, but one thing made her hesitate.

The reason she had risked entering a human city was that, as a soul beast who had undergone Human Form Transformation, she needed prolonged contact with humans. She had to use their aura to gradually wash away the soul beast aura on her body, allowing her to grow more quickly.

If she left now, she naturally would not achieve that goal, which would affect her subsequent cultivation and growth.

"I know your circumstances are special and that you need contact with humans. I can return to the Star Dou Great Forest with you and help with your cultivation and growth."

"If I alone am not enough, once I use the means granted to me by the deity to improve your younger brothers Da Ming and Er Ming's cultivation, they'll become two-hundred-thousand-year soul beasts and gain the ability to take human form. Then they can stay by your side at all times and keep you safe in the human world."

Ji Yang offered his suggestion.

"Really?"

Xiao Wu's face filled with anticipation.

Given how much Ji Yang knew about them, she was not surprised that he also knew of her two "younger brothers."

More than that, she was delighted that Ji Yang could help her younger brothers, allowing them to take human form this way and protect her.

In truth, it was not that Da Ming and Er Ming had been unwilling to accompany her to the human world and protect her.

The main reason was that she felt the two of them would be far too conspicuous as hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. Afraid of bringing trouble upon them, she had refused.

But if they could take human form, that would be wonderful.

Then she would no longer have to worry, nor fear bringing danger and trouble upon Da Ming and Er Ming.

"Really!"

Ji Yang nodded firmly.

"You might not know much about it, but Da Ming and the others certainly do. Soul beasts whose cultivation reaches two hundred thousand years enter the ranks of ferocious beasts. Taking human form is still very easy for them."

"For example, several ferocious beasts are hidden in the depths of the Lake of Life. They're absorbing a certain soul beast's power to strengthen themselves and have no time to spare for anything else. Da Ming and Er Ming are guarding the Lake of Life on one of those ferocious beasts' orders, keeping anyone from approaching."

Ji Yang explained.

The soul beast he spoke of whose power was being absorbed was, of course, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.

After escaping from the Ice Empress in the Far North, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had come to the Star Dou Great Forest, only to be captured by Di Tian and the others and reduced to their power bank.

Still, he did not know whether the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had already become a million-year soul beast at this point.

If he had the chance in the future, he could try to get his hands on the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.

Whether for a second martial soul or the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's Million-Year Soul Ring, he could not afford to miss out.

"So the Star Dou Great Forest has such terrifying beings, too!"

Xiao Wu was utterly shocked.

This was the first she had heard of it.

Before this, she had thought that she, her two younger brothers, and her mother were the strongest beings in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Who would have thought they were so far behind?

No wonder Da Ming and Er Ming have always guarded the Lake of Life...

Xiao Wu kept muttering to herself inwardly.

Previously, she had only heard Da Ming and Er Ming say that they needed to guard the Lake of Life properly. She had not known the reason behind it, merely assuming that they valued the Lake of Life as their "home."

Who would have imagined that the real reason was that those ferocious beasts had ordered Da Ming and Er Ming to become the Lake of Life's gatekeepers?

They really were such bullies!

Furthermore, when her mother had died, every one of them had remained hidden, choosing to "stand by and watch her die." That left Xiao Wu with some resentment toward the ferocious beasts deep within the Lake of Life.

But resentment was one thing; she could only keep such thoughts to herself.

In terms of strength, she was no match at all for those ferocious beasts, much less now that she had long since undergone Human Form Transformation and no longer possessed the cultivation or power of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.