Who is your darling Xiao Wu?

Dai Mubai's first and third Soul Rings flashed at the same time as he activated his White Tiger Vajra Transformation once more. At the same time, a white dome of light formed around him, protecting him within.

Immediately afterward, his second Soul Ring lit up as well. Immense white light instantly gathered, and with a tiger's roar from Dai Mubai, a milky-white ball of light burst from his mouth.

In that brief span, he unleashed all three Soul Skills: White Tiger Protection Barrier, White Tiger Fierce Light Wave, and White Tiger Vajra Transformation.

It had to be said that Dai Mubai was not entirely worthless. His talent was quite good. Not many people at the Soul Elder level could unleash three Soul Skills in one breath.

Although Xu Ran scorned Dai Mubai's character, he still acknowledged his talent.

But Dai Mubai's talent was outstanding only compared to ordinary people. Before him, Xu Ran could only say that he was too weak. Pitifully weak, even.

Xu Ran stamped down hard and charged straight at Dai Mubai with his sword raised, making no attempt to dodge.

Against Dai Mubai, a Power Attack System practitioner, Xu Ran could have easily defeated him with a more agile approach, but he disdained using such methods. He wanted to show Dai Mubai just how vast the gap between them was.

"Slash." Xu Ran gave a low cry, and a streak of sword light cleaved straight through the White Tiger Fierce Light Wave Dai Mubai had unleashed.

Boom! Boom! Terrifying sonic booms rang out as the White Tiger Fierce Light Wave was cleaved apart. By then, Xu Ran had already hurried right up to Dai Mubai.

At the sight of Xu Ran, Dai Mubai's soul nearly fled his body. All he saw was an incomparably terrifying streak of sword light, which swallowed his consciousness before he could react.

Thud. Dai Mubai crashed to the ground. A shallow sword cut marked his face, extending from between his brows all the way down to between his legs. Blood quickly seeped from the fine line, staining his body red.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host on completing the mission and earning two hundred Skill Points."

"Brother Xu Ran." Seeing Dai Mubai fall, Xiao Wu hurried straight to Xu Ran's side and gripped his sleeve. Worry could not help showing on her little face.

"Don't worry. I knew how far to go. I left him a breath," Xu Ran said calmly, sliding the God-Slaying Sword back into its sheath. Only after he withdrew his Martial Soul did his expression return to normal.

"Brother Xu Ran, the presence around you just now was so frightening. You were like a demon walking out of hell," Xiao Wu said, involuntarily tightening her grip on his sleeve. She could not help feeling a little afraid, and only sighed in relief when it seemed that the familiar Xu Ran had returned to her side.

"Wasn't that all because of you? Someone actually dared to harbor improper thoughts about my darling Xiao Wu. If it had been anyone else, I would definitely have killed him outright," Xu Ran said. His Soul Rings had been bestowed by the system and possessed extraordinary power. The dense killing intent within his first Soul Skill, Bloodshed, had actually affected him as well. However, when he took on the God of Slaughter state, Bloodshed became far more powerful too.

"Brother Xu Ran, you're talking nonsense again. Who is your darling Xiao Wu?" Xiao Wu's pretty face flushed slightly, and everything else vanished like smoke and clouds. All she could think about was what Xu Ran had said to Dai Mubai earlier. Xu Ran actually said I was his woman. How shameless! I haven't even agreed yet!

And he won't even let anyone else have thoughts about me. Who would dare like me in the future? How am I supposed to get married?

"What else can you do? I'm an Auspicious Beast. If I say you're not allowed to marry anyone else, then you can't," Xu Ran said with a smile, teasing Xiao Wu.

"Brother Xu Ran, you're too wicked. If you won't let me marry anyone, what am I supposed to do in the future?" Xiao Wu could not help asking. Once she finished, her pretty face turned crimson, and she lowered her head, staring at her crystal shoes as they gleamed silver in the sunlight. Her little feet, wrapped in tights, trembled restlessly. Her heart kept pounding.

Xu Ran was right. As long as an Auspicious Beast wanted to reproduce, it would cause a sensation throughout the Soul Beast Realm. Her mother had once told her that if an Auspicious Beast took consorts, all female Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts would be more than willing. Even if they were unwilling, as long as the Auspicious Beast took a fancy to them, they had to accept.

That was because Auspicious Beasts were far too important to the Soul Beast race. Increasing their growth rate and their chances of surviving tribulations-those two abilities were enough to drive every Soul Beast mad.

Auspicious Beasts were rare. Once one died, there was no telling how many years would pass before another was born, because Auspicious Beasts were born in accordance with the fortune of heaven and earth. But if an Auspicious Beast reproduced, there was a very good chance that another Auspicious Beast would be born.

Moreover, if two Auspicious Beasts married, the chance of producing an Auspicious Beast would be even higher. There was nothing wrong with that at all. It was perfectly scientific.

These were all things those powerful Soul Beasts had tested over countless years. Auspicious Beasts held lofty status and were far too important to the Soul Beast Clan, so their reproduction naturally received great attention. Unfortunately, Auspicious Beasts thought so highly of themselves that they took no interest even in female Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. They were also extremely indifferent to matters of producing offspring. Even if those Ferocious Beasts wanted to arrange something, they could not. After all, Auspicious Beasts were Soul Beast Emperors, and they did not dare force them to do such things.

Auspicious Beasts were beasts of good fortune. If someone disrespected one, there was a very good chance they would bring an ill omen upon themselves.

So if Xu Ran wanted her now, even if she refused, the entire Soul Beast Clan would force her to agree. After all, an Auspicious Beast interested in that sort of thing had finally been born. Absolutely nothing could be allowed to go wrong with its reproduction.

"Don't worry. Even if you really do fall for someone in the future and want to be with him, as long as he's a decent person, I won't oppose you being together. No matter how much I like you, I can't hold you back," Xu Ran said. His hand involuntarily slipped around Xiao Wu's slender, willow-like waist as he lightly breathed in the wafts of delicate fragrance coming from her.

Of course, that was what he said. If such a situation really arose, Xu Ran would definitely run that person through with his sword.

"Brother Xu Ran, I won't fall for anyone else. But I still need some time." Xiao Wu lowered her head. Feeling Xu Ran's hand gently stroking her body, she surprisingly did not object.

She, too, felt some affection for Xu Ran in her heart. Leaving everything else aside, Xu Ran, like her, was a Soul Beast who had undergone Human Transformation to cultivate anew. That gave her a different kind of feeling toward him. After all, everything she had not dared say before, everything she had wanted to hide in her heart, she could tell Xu Ran.

Moreover, as Soul Beast Emperors, Auspicious Beasts wielded great influence in the Soul Beast Realm. If Xu Ran truly liked her, then marrying him and bearing his children afterward would also be a kind of duty for her as a Soul Beast.

It was just that she still needed some time to digest all this. No matter how deep her affection for Xu Ran was, she could not possibly agree so quickly. Especially if she had to take the initiative to agree-she still found it a little difficult to say.

Dai Mubai woke from his stupor, feeling nothing but excruciating pain throughout his body and a muddled, dizzy head. He wanted to call for help, but he had not a trace of strength, not even enough to speak. He opened his eyes, only to see Xu Ran and Xiao Wu flaunting their affection, and promptly fainted from anger again.

He was already so badly wounded that he felt he was about to die.

Yet they could still flaunt their affection without a care. It made him pass out from sheer anger, plunging him into unconsciousness once more.