This Was Twelve Parts Wrong out of Ten

"Information?" Xiao Wu raised her head and stared blankly at Jin Jiuxiao. "What information?"

Only after receiving Zi JI's signal and confirming that Tang Hao was not nearby and knew nothing of what had happened here did Jin Jiuxiao speak.

Jin Jiuxiao's face was expressionless, his tone flat. "Someone has their eye on you."

"Someone... has their eye on me?" Xiao Wu did not quite understand. "Please explain, Lord Jiuxiao."

"A Titled Douluo has his eye on you."

"And he sees you as a reserve Soul Ring and Soul Bone for his own junior."

Xiao Wu's expression changed dramatically, her face turning white with fright. "Lord Jiuxiao, please don't tease me... How could there possibly be a Titled Douluo in a little place like this?"

A Titled Douluo could see through to her true form.

But how could a Titled Douluo possibly be in a little place like Nuoding City?

She had deliberately chosen this inconspicuous little town!

"Tang San's father is the once-renowned Clear Sky Douluo, one of the Clear Sky Sect's twin stars."

"Believe it or not. That's up to you."

Having said his piece, Jin Jiuxiao walked past Xiao Wu and headed outside.

Whatever Xiao Wu chose to do next was none of his business.

Even after Jin Jiuxiao had gone far away, Xiao Wu remained rooted to the spot.

She muttered to herself, "No... San wouldn't do that..."

"San's Martial Soul is clearly blue silver grass. How could he be a Titled Douluo's son...?"

"But if what Lord Jiuxiao said is true..."

A Titled Douluo saw her as Tang San's reserve Soul Ring and Soul Bone...

Just then, Xiao Wu felt a flash of inspiration.

"Wait..."

"If San's father really is a Titled Douluo, and he intends to use me as San's reserve Soul Ring and Soul Bone..."

"Wouldn't that mean I could use his protection to get through the early stages?"

Her eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Since Tang San's father had discovered her identity, he surely already considered her a prize in his pocket.

If another Titled Douluo tried to kill her first...

Then Tang San's father would certainly refuse to allow it.

And Tang San would have to cultivate to at least Soul Saint before he had any hope of absorbing a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.

Didn't that mean she would be safe until Tang San reached level seventy?

She was a Soul Beast who had taken human form, and her cultivation speed was not slow either.

She was confident she could reach somewhere above level fifty by the time Tang San reached level sixty.

When the time came, she could find an opportunity to escape back to the Star Dou Great Forest, and she would be safe.

Whether the Ferocious Beasts valued her was one matter.

But if a human dared venture deep into the core of the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt down a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast like her, that would be another matter entirely.

Xiao Wu was certain the Ferocious Beasts would never stand idly by.

"That's right. That's exactly it."

At that thought, all of Xiao Wu's earlier fear and worry vanished.

Smiling, she skipped away.

A year of steady cultivation passed in the blink of an eye.

Tang San cultivated from level thirteen to level sixteen.

During that same year, Jin Jiuxiao's cultivation rose from level sixteen to level twenty.

"Sister Zi JI, let's set off now. It's time to go home for a visit."

Having requested leave from the academy in advance, Jin Jiuxiao would not need to attend school for a while.

He planned to return home, form a contract with a second Ferocious Beast, and condense his second Soul Ring.

"Coming!"

Zi JI emerged from her room carrying a pile of pastries and food packed in advance, then thrust it all into Jin Jiuxiao's arms. "Little Brother Jiuxiao, take these to eat on the way."

Jin Jiuxiao stored everything in his Space Soul Tool. "Didn't we already prepare everything? Why is there so much more?"

The pastries were gifts for the others.

The other food was for the journey.

"It didn't feel like enough, so I bought some more."

Zi JI came to Jin Jiuxiao's side and scooped him into her arms, spreading her dragon wings behind her. "Off we go!"

After flying to a certain height, Zi JI tossed Jin Jiuxiao high into the air.

She immediately transformed into her true form, the Hell Demon Dragon King, and caught Jin Jiuxiao securely. "Huh? That didn't scare you?"

Sitting atop the Hell Demon Dragon King's head, Jin Jiuxiao patted Zi JI beneath him. "Has it occurred to you that I can already form lightning wings and fly?"

"Oh... I forgot you could fly already." Zi JI really had forgotten.

Jin Jiuxiao had not used his lightning wings in a long time.

Even his sparring matches with Xiong Jun took place on the ground.

Zi JI flew so smoothly that he could barely feel any jolting.

Jin Jiuxiao ate breakfast while chatting with Zi JI.

Once they entered the airspace above the Star Dou Great Forest, Zi JI stopped concealing her Ferocious Beast aura.

Their journey was unobstructed, and they reached the Lake of Life without incident.

Upon sensing Zi JI's aura, Bi Ji and Xiong Jun opened their eyes simultaneously, breaking out of their cultivation.

They moved almost at the same instant, rushing out of the Lake of Life.

Di Tian opened his eyes and glanced at the eager pair, then merely shook his head and resumed cultivating.

The other two did not move either. Even if they went out, they would never beat those two to it.

The first three contract slots definitely would not fall to either of them. Back to cultivating, back to cultivating.

Jin Jiuxiao jumped down from Zi JI's head and greeted the pair. "Sister Bi Ji, Uncle Xiong, I'm back."

He took out the pastries they had prepared and placed them on the pavilion's table. "Sister Bi Ji, I brought you all some pastries from the human world. They taste pretty good."

"Uncle Xiong, come try some too."

After returning to human form, Zi JI sat down to Jin Jiuxiao's left, picked up a pastry, and popped it into her mouth.

"Thank you, Jiuxiao." Bi Ji was delighted that Jin Jiuxiao had brought her a gift.

Though Xiong Jun had little interest in such things, he picked one up and tasted it. "Not bad. The flavors really are a bit richer."

"Little Jiuxiao, you came back this time because you reached level twenty, right?"

Jin Jiuxiao nodded lightly. "Yes. I came back to sign my second contract and then condense my second Soul Ring."

Bi Ji immediately asked, "Jiuxiao, who are you planning to sign your second contract with?"

Xiong Jun promptly began winking and making faces at Jin Jiuxiao. Me, me.

"I suggest signing the second contract with Xiong Jun," Zi JI suddenly interjected, even offering a reasonable explanation. "Bi Ji, you still need to stay in the Star Dou Great Forest and oversee things. You shouldn't leave."

She did not even need to think hard to know what Bi Ji was plotting.

Wasn't she simply hoping to hurry up and sign a contract so she could tag along to the human world?

"..." Bi Ji stared at Zi JI for a long moment, then glanced at Jin Jiuxiao and gave him a sweet smile. "True. Then I'll sign the third contract."

Yet inwardly, she thought, What difference will it make if I let you enjoy a little more time alone with him? A mere Zi JI is nothing to fear.

"?"

Zi JI looked at Bi Ji in surprise.

She apparently had not expected Bi Ji to agree so easily.

Something was wrong...

This was twelve parts wrong out of ten.

Xiong Jun, on the other hand, had not bothered with any of those twists and turns. "Then shall we start now?"

"All right, I'll sign the contract with Uncle Xiong first." Seeing that they had already decided, Jin Jiuxiao wasted no more words.

He led Xiong Jun to the open ground outside the pavilion.