Cao De returned to his seat, took out his wine bottle, and had a sip, a look of contentment spreading across his face.
Footsteps pattered as Zhao Wuji hurried down the stairs and asked with concern, "Cao De, are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Teacher Zhao," Cao De replied with a smile.
"Good, good." Zhao Wuji let out a long breath of relief.
Watching Cao De lower his head and resume eating, Zhao Wuji's eyes flashed with venom.
Cao De merely smiled without saying anything. He knew exactly what Zhao Wuji was plotting: he had wanted that Green-haired Turtle from Canghui Academy to deal with Cao De and vent his anger by proxy.
"Brother." Xiao Wu came over, supporting a deathly pale Ning Rongrong.
Even though Ning Rongrong was a girl, Xiao Wu still struggled a little to support her.
Zhu Zhuqing was cold and aloof, and Xiao Wu felt too awkward to trouble her. Now she could only call on Cao De for help.
Following behind them, Tang San tried several times to reach out and support Ning Rongrong, but she dodged him every time.
Ning Rongrong frowned. If vomiting hadn't left her utterly drained, she would have chopped off Tang San's paws, no matter what.
Cao De hurried forward and supported her from the other side.
Xiao Wu let out a long breath. She had no idea how the things on Ning Rongrong's chest had grown so big.
Xiao Wu was envious.
Leaning against Cao De's chest, Ning Rongrong couldn't stop her heart from beating faster.
"Thank you," Ning Rongrong said softly.
"It's nothing. Should I help you to your room, or...?" Cao De asked.
"My room," Ning Rongrong said quietly.
"Xiao Wu, which room did you choose?" Cao De asked.
"The one at the end upstairs," Xiao Wu said. After catching her breath, she supported Ning Rongrong again and headed upstairs with Cao De.
But Xiao Wu noticed something strange. No matter how she tugged Ning Rongrong toward herself, she couldn't budge her.
The little rabbit couldn't understand it, but seeing Ning Rongrong's deathly pale face, she didn't dwell on it.
When Ning Rongrong saw that Xiao Wu had finally stopped pulling her, she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
Vomiting had left her with hardly any strength. If Xiao Wu kept pulling, she really would have been dragged over.
Fortunately, Xiao Wu gave up, and Ning Rongrong shifted her weight toward Cao De.
Cao De only felt the pressure on his arm increase.
Another case of someone ramming him with a pair of balls-only these balls were much bigger than the last pair.
Tang San stared fixedly at the two going upstairs, a flame called jealousy burning in his eyes.
Cao De, once I'm strong enough, I'll never let you off. And you too, Xiao Wu. You're the one keeping Rongrong away from me.
I've remembered every single one of these debts.
Tang San thought viciously.
"All of you, go upstairs and get some sleep. We're entering the Star Dou Great Forest tomorrow morning," Zhao Wuji told the remaining students.
"Yes, Teacher Zhao," Oscar and Tang San answered.
Zhao Wuji headed upstairs first, with Oscar close behind.
Tang San glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, who was sitting in a chair, and said, "Zhu Zhuqing, let's go upstairs together. It won't be good if the people from Canghui Academy come back."
Zhu Zhuqing stood up and picked up two wine bottles. Tang San courteously shifted aside to make room.
Without so much as a glance at Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing hopped lightly past him and vanished into the stairwell in an instant.
Tang San was left standing alone, clenching his fists until his knuckles cracked.
Cao De laid Ning Rongrong on the bed.
"Thank you," Ning Rongrong said softly.
"Xiao Wu, can you look after her by yourself?" Cao De asked.
"I can." Xiao Wu nodded. "Get some rest."
Cao De nodded and returned to his own room. He had a room to himself. As for why, it was because he was rich.
At the first glimmer of dawn, everyone had already reached the Star Dou Great Forest.
"We're about to enter the Star Dou Great Forest. Unless your lives are in danger, I won't intervene," Zhao Wuji said, moving to the back of the group.
Usually, Dai Mubai was the first to speak up and organize everyone, but today he remained silent.
Tang San wanted to speak up and organize the group several times, but he feared being slapped in the face by their response, so he said nothing.
And so Cao De, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing formed one little group, while Dai Mubai and Oscar formed another.
Left drifting outside both groups, Tang San's eyes were filled with venom.
Walking at the rear, Zhao Wuji felt quite helpless as well.
After they had walked for nearly an hour, Tang San was the first to speak. "A soul beast is approaching."
Tang San appeared atop a tree in an instant. After observing it, he said, "It's a Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent."
"About fifteen hundred years old," Tang San said slowly, rubbing his chin.
I'm so alert, and I can even explain this soul beast's characteristics. Rongrong must admire me now.
With that thought, Tang San looked toward Ning Rongrong, only to find that she was still chatting with Xiao Wu and hadn't even glanced his way.
That immediately infuriated Tang San.
Damn Xiao Wu! She's always ruining things for me!
Though he thought this, there was nothing he could do. He couldn't beat Cao De, so he could only endure it for now.
With that thought, Tang San jumped down from the tree.
Zhao Wuji, however, was thrilled. He knew Oscar had already reached level thirty, and this soul beast was a perfect fit for him.
But seeing the state of the group, Zhao Wuji decided to act himself.
"Gravity Crush!" With two soul skills, Zhao Wuji battered the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent until it was barely alive.
"Oscar, come here," Zhao Wuji said.
Oscar drew a dagger from his waist and walked toward the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent.
Now everyone knew that Oscar had also reached level thirty.
Standing off to one side, Tang San felt that Oscar had stolen his thunder.
Remembering the way Oscar had looked at Ning Rongrong earlier, Tang San decided to teach him a lesson.
Tang Sect Rules: if someone displeases you and is weaker than you, you may strike without hesitation.
Recalling that rule from the Tang Sect Rules, Tang San felt no qualms about acting.
Blue Silver Grass created a tremendous noise in the distance, and as Zhao Wuji looked over warily,
a Dragon Whisker Needle shot from Tang San's fingertips, killing the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent one second before Oscar could.
Oscar plunged his dagger into the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, and a purple soul ring emerged.
No one noticed anything, but Cao De saw it all perfectly clearly.
That's Tang San for you. He really is insidious. But what would Oscar do if he found out? Cao De was a little curious.
"Oscar, hurry and absorb it," Zhao Wuji said with a smile.
"Thank you, Teacher Zhao." Oscar sat cross-legged on the ground and used his spiritual power to draw the soul ring toward him.
But no matter how he tried, it was no use.
"What's going on?" Zhao Wuji asked, noticing that something was wrong.
"Teacher Zhao, I can't draw this soul ring toward me." Oscar looked bewildered too.
"How could this happen?" Zhao Wuji furrowed his brows.
Standing nearby, Tang San judged that the time was right and spoke up. "My teacher told me that some mutated soul beasts have soul rings that can't be absorbed. This soul beast must have mutated."
Tang San rubbed his chin, his eyes fixed on the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent as though he were genuinely investigating whether it had mutated.
Inside, however, Tang San was already bursting with glee. My teacher is the Grandmaster. You country bumpkins certainly won't know whether what I'm saying is true.
Zhao Wuji's brows remained tightly knitted. He had never encountered this situation either. Hearing Tang San's explanation, he could only accept it for now.
"It seems Oscar and this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent weren't meant for each other," Zhao Wuji said.
Zhao Wuji's words effectively confirmed Tang San's conjecture.
Oscar let out a long sigh. Dai Mubai patted his shoulder. "It's all right. We'll find something better."
Oscar nodded.
They continued onward, but Tang San, who had been gloomy before, now walked with a noticeably lighter step.
Cao De walked up beside Oscar and whispered a few words in his ear.
Oscar's expression changed several times.
"Teacher Zhao, I left my dagger back by the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent," Oscar told Zhao Wuji.
"Then let's go back and get it."
"No need, Teacher Zhao. It's just a dagger. I'll grab it and be right back," Oscar said, smiling and waving his hand.
"All right. We'll wait here. Hurry back," Zhao Wuji said.
Oscar nodded and quickly retraced their route.
Before you continue