Tang Tianlin watched the scene, silently lamenting the missed opportunity.
It seemed he would not get to test his strength today.
Just then, Tang San and Dugu Yan recovered their senses and turned to Xiao Wu in unison, their eyes full of confusion.
Xiao Wu stood where she was, looking at the two dumbstruck people behind her, and said somewhat apprehensively:
"Um... let me introduce him. His name is Er Ming. He's my friend."
"Your friend?"
Dugu Yan looked astonished.
Tang San's brows knitted tightly as he said gravely, "Xiao Wu, the Titan Giant Ape is the overlord of the Core Area of the Star Dou Great Forest. Ordinary Soul Masters never even get to see him. How do you... know him?"
His tone was not accusatory, but more one of bewilderment.
Xiao Wu wrung her hands together, her lashes lowered, as though struggling with something.
After a moment's thought, she raised her head, gave Tang San a long look, and said quietly, "Actually... I'm a Soul Beast too."
"My true identity is a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit who took human form."
"No wonder."
Dugu Yan exhaled, her expression calming instead. "I was wondering why you always liked hopping around. So you're a rabbit."
Xiao Wu blinked, not having expected Dugu Yan to accept it so quickly.
"Yanyan... aren't you afraid of me?"
"Afraid of what?"
Dugu Yan rolled her eyes, stepped forward, and pinched Xiao Wu's cheek. "Soul Beast or whatever else, you're still my sister. That won't change."
Xiao Wu's eyes grew hot. She was just about to throw herself into Dugu Yan's arms when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Tang San still standing motionless where he was.
At that moment, Tang San stood rooted to the spot, his mind a sea of churning waves.
Xiao Wu was a Soul Beast.
A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit who had taken human form.
The little sister who had grown up with him, who had been by his side day and night, was not human?
Tang San opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no sound came out.
Watching Tang San's expression, Xiao Wu said softly, "San, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hide it from you."
Tang Tianlin took in the scene and shook his head slightly.
As feudalism's purest warrior, Tang San's ingrained beliefs held that Soul Beasts and Soul Masters were naturally locked in a struggle where one side had to die, with no second path possible.
But now, Xiao Wu had revealed her identity as a Soul Beast too early, delivering such a tremendous shock to the present Tang San that he could not accept it all at once.
Tang Tianlin did not rush to speak. Instead, he stepped forward and patted Tang San's shoulder. "What, can't accept Xiao Wu's identity?"
"...That's not it." Tang San shook his head.
He was merely a little shocked.
Tang Tianlin chuckled. "Strictly speaking, San, you aren't human either."
Xiao Wu said, "Huh?"
Dugu Yan said, "???"
Both girls froze.
Tang San went completely rigid, staring at Tang Tianlin in disbelief.
"Big Brother, what did you say?"
"To be precise, half your bloodline is Soul Beast."
"Half my bloodline is Soul Beast?"
Tang San started, instinctively thinking of the mother he had never met.
Tang Tianlin continued, "As you know, Martial Souls are inherited from one's parents."
"Your Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul came from your father, while your Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul naturally came from your mother."
At those words, thoughts surged through Tang San's mind.
A moment later, he seemed to realize something and said gravely, "Big Brother, do you mean my mother also underwent Soul Beast Transformation?!"
Tang Tianlin did not say it outright, merely nodding slightly.
With his big brother's confirmation, Tang San smiled in relief.
Yes, he was not purely human either. What right did he have to look down on Xiao Wu?
Though Soul Beasts were evil, there were kind Soul Beasts too.
Just then, Xiao Wu imitated Tang Tianlin, raising her hand to pat Tang San's shoulder.
"Don't worry, San. Sister Xiao Wu won't turn her nose up at you."
In the world of Soul Beasts, mixed-blood Soul Beasts were mocked.
But what could she do? She was a good person.
Tang San was taken aback by her words, then smiled faintly.
"Roar, roar!"
Nearby, seeing Xiao Wu and Tang San acting so intimately, Er Ming let out two disgruntled growls.
"Stop grumbling, Er Ming."
Xiao Wu withdrew her hand and said to the Titan Giant Ape, "Hurry up and take San and me to find our fourth Soul Rings."
"Roar, roar, roar."
The Titan Giant Ape gave a couple of low growls and shook his enormous head.
He meant that he could take Sister Xiao Wu, but not that human.
"So you won't even listen to me anymore?"
Xiao Wu was so angry that her rabbit ears stood upright, but there was little she could do about him.
"The Titan Giant Ape, a strength-type Soul Beast with formidable strength and defense, born with a Gravity Domain."
Tang Tianlin suddenly stepped forward and said gravely, "Even before reaching a hundred thousand years, he has enough power to clash head-on with a Titled Douluo. You probably couldn't find a second one in the entire Star Dou Great Forest."
Hearing this, the Titan Giant Ape lifted his enormous head, finding Tang Tianlin a little more pleasing to the eye.
This human... does have a point.
"But..."
Tang Tianlin abruptly changed tack. "Rumors are only rumors, after all. I'm rather curious just how powerful the legendary Forest King really is."
"Simply put, let's have a contest of strength. The loser must unconditionally agree to one request from the winner."
This was the best solution he could think of without revealing the Golden Dragon King's aura.
If he could bring a hundred-thousand-year Titan Giant Ape into the Sect, perhaps he would receive some surprises.
After all, in the original story, had Da Ming and Er Ming not ended up as Tang San's guard dogs, despite being Soul Beasts?
And if Tang San could take them in, why couldn't he?
At these words, silence fell for a moment.
The Titan Giant Ape tilted his head, a flicker of confusion crossing his eyes.
Was this human brainless, actually wanting to compete with him in strength?
In terms of raw strength alone, even Da Ming was not as strong as he was.
The Titan Giant Ape thought it over, but still shook his head.
This person was clearly Sister Xiao Wu's friend, and there was also an aura about him that made Er Ming feel inexplicably close to him.
All these factors combined left him rather unwilling to attack this human.
Just then, Tang Tianlin took a crimson fruit out of his Storage Soul Tool.
The fruit was heart-shaped and palm-sized, with fine golden patterns flowing across its surface.
The instant it touched the air, a bloodline aura so rich it almost took solid form burst out in every direction.
It was a hundred-thousand-year Dragon Heart Fruit.
Er Ming's dark golden pupils abruptly contracted, and drool ran uncontrollably from the corners of his mouth.
He stared fixedly at the fruit, his Adam's apple bobbing, even his breathing growing heavier.
Tang Tianlin held the Dragon Heart Fruit on his palm and chuckled. "The rules remain the same. If you win, it's yours. If you lose, you agree to one request from me."
Er Ming stared intently at the Dragon Heart Fruit, his eyes practically glued to it.
He had a premonition that if he ate this fruit, he would definitely break through to a higher age!
Finally, Er Ming nodded and let out a low growl.
He agreed.
Seeing this, Tang Tianlin put the Dragon Heart Fruit back into his Storage Soul Tool and said evenly, "One punch each. Whoever retreats first loses."
Er Ming growled and pounded his enormous fists against the ground.
He had absolute confidence in his strength. Even if this human's aura was somewhat strange, he did not believe for a moment that he would lose.
"This..."
Xiao Wu was just about to step forward, but Tang San stopped her.
"It's fine. Trust Big Brother."
Tang San spoke gravely.
From what he knew of his big brother, his big brother never did anything he was not confident of.
Before you continue