Little Beggar

Far away at Shrek Academy.

Xiao Wu picked up an apple and took a vicious bite. "Rongrong, what do you think Cao De is doing right now?"

"Who knows? Maybe he's flirting with some other girl and doesn't want you anymore, little sister Xiao Wu," Ning Rongrong teased.

"It's fine if he finds other girls. Better than certain people who talk a big game but beg for mercy the fastest when it's time for some real action." Xiao Wu glanced at Ning Rongrong, her eyes brimming with contempt.

"Little Xiao Wu, where did you get that apple?" Ning Rongrong decisively changed the subject.

"From the cafeteria. Want to try one?" Xiao Wu took a smaller apple out of her Storage Soul Tool and offered it to Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong frowned. "They say the cafeteria food isn't clean. Oscar went to the School Clinic right after breakfast this morning. It was probably food poisoning. I'd advise you not to eat it."

"Then I'll finish this bit and stop." Xiao Wu hesitated, but still decided to finish it before seeing what happened.

Oscar, whom Ning Rongrong had described as suffering from food poisoning, was curled up on a bed, clutching his chest.

"It hurts!!! It hurts!!!"

Oscar clutched his chest and howled helplessly, venting his agony the only way he could.

Flaide turned an icy gaze on the doctor beside him. "Have you found the cause?!"

The doctor standing before Flaide trembled all over, his voice shaking. "N-no..."

The doctor suddenly felt his whole body grow heavy as an enormous wave of soul power pressure descended, crushing him straight onto the floor.

"Dean, Tang San did this! Little Oscar must have accidentally killed the Man Faced Demon Spider back then, so Tang San attacked him. He even used a Poison Needle.

"Even if he removed the poison afterward, who knows whether he got all of it out?! That must be it! That must be it!"

Zhao Wuji grew more agitated as he spoke, and by the time he finished, he was even more certain of his theory.

"Don't spit blood at people without evidence!" Flaide said coldly, pushing up his glasses.

Zhao Wuji could only suppress his anger and glare at Tang San.

But afterward, Tang San's life gradually grew harder and harder. That, however, was a story for another time.

Back with Xiao Wu.

Zhu Zhuqing found Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong. "I'm going home for a while. Take care of yourselves."

"Zhu Zhuqing, you're leaving? Make sure you bring everything." Xiao Wu linked arms with Zhu Zhuqing and spoke with concern.

"Do you have enough money?" Ning Rongrong immediately took a gold card out of her Storage Soul Tool.

"No need, no need." Zhu Zhuqing didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

After finishing their meal and resting for the night, Cao De and Huo Wu boarded their carriage again and headed toward Longxing City.

The journey wasn't nearly as boring this time, because Huo Wu was simply too attentive.

"Master, how is this tea?" Huo Wu handed Cao De the tea she had just brewed.

Cao De accepted the cup and took a sip, feeling refreshed in body and mind. "This tea is delicious."

Dressed in her maid outfit, Huo Wu picked up a poetry collection written by Nuomi, A Step-by-Step Guide to Reciting Beautiful Poetry, and said with a smile, "Master, drink your tea and enjoy the scenery. I'll read you some poetry."

Cao De leaned beside the carriage window, sipping his tea and watching the scenery slowly retreat outside. "If only I had another maid," he murmured.

Listening to Huo Wu recite poetry while sipping tea and admiring the scenery outside, Cao De couldn't have been more at ease!

Outside Longxing City, a luxurious carriage slowly came to a stop, and Huo Wu and Cao De stepped out one after the other.

"Master, this is Longxing City. Skywater Academy, one of the Five Elemental Academies, is here."

Huo Wu explained to Cao De what she had just learned from her book.

"Who's the head of Skywater Academy?" Cao De asked.

Faced with a gap in her knowledge, Huo Wu scratched her head awkwardly. "I don't think the book said."

"Hahaha." Cao De stroked Huo Wu's head in amusement, feeling that she had a bit of a naturally ditzy streak.

"If you don't know, you don't know. Your master will show you around Longxing City." Cao De smiled, took Huo Wu's hand, and headed into the city.

Girls seemed to have an innate talent for shopping, and they never grew tired of it.

Huo Wu was exactly like that now. Even though she had explored every street and alley in Spirit City over the previous two days, she still shopped around Longxing City with tireless delight.

Cao De followed beside her, buying a few novel little trinkets.

When Huo Wu took out some money from her storage space to pay, a grubby little hand snatched it away, then its owner turned and ran toward the crowd.

Before Little Beggar could take more than a few steps, fate caught her by the back of her collar and lifted her into the air.

Cao De held Little Beggar up just like that.

"Please, kind sir, let me go! I won't steal money ever again!"

Little Beggar hunched her shoulders and bowed her head low, offering the stolen money back with both of her filthy little hands.

Cao De looked Little Beggar over, then set her on the ground.

Huo Wu stepped forward and looked at the filthy beggar. "Master, she's rather pitiful."

As she spoke, she took a dozen or so Gold Soul Coins from her Storage Soul Tool and was about to press them into Little Beggar's hands, but Cao De reached out to stop her.

Huo Wu's eyes filled with confusion.

"Giving her money would only hurt her. If she has that much, plenty of people will covet it. A little beggar like her can't protect it," Cao De explained.

After thinking it over, Huo Wu realized he was right and put away the Gold Soul Coins.

Just then, a middle-aged matron and a middle-aged woman rushed over and grabbed Little Beggar in an embrace.

"My child! Your mother had such a hard time finding you!" The middle-aged matron hugged Little Beggar and began wailing.

"I'm not-" Little Beggar looked panicked and tried to say something, but the middle-aged man beside her pulled her into his arms, covering her mouth in the same motion.

"My poor child! Your father had such a hard time finding you!"

The middle-aged man and matron sobbed loudly right there in the street.

"Kind sir, our child was starving so badly that she stole your money. We're sorry, we're sorry!" the middle-aged man hastily apologized.

Huo Wu listened in a daze and tugged at Cao De's sleeve. "Master, they're so pitiful."

"Get up. You've finally reunited as a family. Hurry home," Cao De said soothingly.

"Thank you! Thank you!" The middle-aged man and matron hurriedly thanked him, then picked up Little Beggar, turned, and left.

"Master, they're so pitiful."

Cao De flicked Huo Wu straight on the forehead with a crisp snap.

Just enough force to leave her stunned, not hurt her head.

"Follow them."

"Oww... okay." Huo Wu covered her forehead and followed Cao De. Although she didn't know why they were following them, she knew she should simply follow him.

As he walked, Cao De took out the Thousand-Blade Demon Sword and shifted it slightly, revealing the Evil Spirit Rune on its hilt. The rune was now giving off a faint blue glow.

When those two had approached earlier, Cao De had felt a faint flutter of unease in his heart, and his martial soul, the Thousand-Blade Demon Sword, had seemed to stir as well.

Cao De had also seen at a glance that the two weren't Little Beggar's parents. He wanted to discover their true purpose and find out what had caused that uneasy flutter in his heart.

Only the silly Huo Wu had believed that the girl's birth parents had found their lost child, and she had even been moved to tears.

At that thought, Cao De gave Huo Wu, who was behind him, another flick on the forehead, producing a crisp snap.

Huo Wu clutched her forehead and said miserably, "Master, why did you flick me again?"

"I'm helping you learn your lesson. One day, someone will sell you, and you'll help them count the money and even thank them afterward."

"That won't happen. If anyone sells me, it can only be you, Master. Even if you sold me, I'd still be happy to help you count the money," Huo Wu said earnestly.

Her blunt words instantly scattered the little spark of anger in Cao De until not a trace remained.

"There's just no helping you."

Cao De ruffled Huo Wu's hair.