(A beautiful picture of Xiao Wu)
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu sat down to meditate where she was, and her third Soul Ring soon formed.
With the appearance of her third Soul Ring, the lines of Xiao Wu's body seemed to grow more harmonious.
She looked somewhat more grown-up overall. Both her chest and hips seemed a little fuller and rounder, and her feminine features became more perfect.
Er Ming crouched beside her, bringing his enormous head close. Xiao Wu's reflection showed in his yellow crystal-like eyes as he spoke with a goofy smile:
"Sister Xiao Wu, you're so beautiful."
Xiao Wu opened her eyes, stood up, and brushed the bits of grass off her clothes. "All right, I should go back."
Er Ming hurriedly reached out to stop her. "Wait, Sister Xiao Wu."
Xiao Wu turned back. "What is it?"
Er Ming thought, If I finish this mission, I'll have another hundred thousand years to see Sister Xiao Wu. No, I have to complete it!
He scratched his head and struggled for a long while before finally squeezing out a sentence:
"Sister Xiao Wu... well... you're not getting any younger. Isn't it time you found Da Ming and me a brother-in-law?"
Xiao Wu: "???"
She froze for a moment, then raised her foot and kicked Er Ming.
"What are you talking about?!"
Er Ming drew his neck back, scratched his head, and gave an awkward chuckle.
Xiao Wu planted her hands on her hips. "That came out of nowhere!"
Er Ming still refused to give up and leaned closer again. "Isn't there anyone you like among the people traveling with you?"
Xiao Wu's face reddened slightly, and she turned away. "If you keep talking, I'll ignore you!"
Er Ming's eyes darted around, and he tried another approach. "I took you away, so they must be worried too. Do you think anyone will come looking for you?"
Er Ming thought, If anyone dares to come looking, that means he really is worried about Sister Xiao Wu!
A face surfaced in Xiao Wu's mind: Xiao Jue's face.
But she immediately shook her head and muttered, "You've come so far. How could they get here in such a short time?"
Er Ming said, "True..."
Er Ming sighed inwardly. Looks like I can't complete this mission.
Just then, a figure flew through the forest at tremendous speed, eight black-and-white wings tracing a streak of light between the shadows of the trees.
"Xiao Wu!"
Xiao Wu looked up, her eyes widening into saucers. "Brother Jue? You can actually fly?"
Xiao Jue folded his wings and landed steadily in front of the two of them.
Er Ming immediately put on a stern face and bared his teeth, pretending to be fierce as a low growl rumbled from his throat.
Xiao Jue didn't even bat an eyelid. Completely unfazed, he looked straight at Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu, I finally found you. I'm glad you're all right."
Xiao Wu still hadn't recovered from her shock. She pointed behind him. "Brother Jue, you actually have wings..."
Xiao Jue smiled. "Yes. Come on, I'll take you back."
Seeing that he was being ignored, Er Ming immediately grew disgruntled. "Wait, how can you just ignore me like that?!"
Xiao Wu hurriedly grabbed Xiao Jue's sleeve and lowered her voice. "Um, Brother Jue, when we get back, could you not tell them that I..."
Before she could finish, Xiao Jue nodded. "Of course."
Er Ming stamped his feet in anger. "Pay attention to me!!!"
His system panel did pay attention to him, at least.
[Ding! Matchmaker System notification: The male guest has arrived.] [The woman has been detected to have feelings for the man! Matchmaking mission progress: 50%!]
Er Ming was startled. Sister Xiao Wu has feelings for him! And he's so worried about her. Besides, judging by what I've seen, he's quite powerful! At the very least, an ordinary Soul Master couldn't fly that fast!
He cleared his throat, straightened his back, and spoke with a solemn expression:
"Ahem, Sister Xiao Wu, and... Xiao Jue, today, I, Er Ming, will play matchmaker for you two."
Xiao Wu's face flushed red in an instant, and she stamped her foot. "Er Ming! Stop fooling around!"
Xiao Jue thought, Looks like the system fragment is getting to work.
The corner of his mouth lifted, and he cupped his hands. "Thank you, Er Ming. I'm very satisfied with the woman."
Xiao Wu's face was so red it was almost smoking. "??? Brother Jue, you're fooling around with him too!"
Er Ming nodded happily. "Mm~ Then congratulations to you both on successfully joining hands!"
He was so happy that his enormous body danced and gestured, his feet pounding against the ground.
Then, with his enormous hands, he carefully and gently lifted Xiao Jue's and Xiao Wu's hands and brought them together.
Xiao Wu's face was unbearably red. She lowered her head, her thoughts in a jumble.
She really did feel her heart stir for Xiao Jue. On the first day they met, Xiao Jue had made her feel very warm...
Xiao Jue held Xiao Wu's cool little hand, soft and smooth.
A system panel popped up in front of Er Ming.
[Progress: 100%. Successfully made a match!] [Reward obtained: Break through the hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation!]
Er Ming let out a howl and jumped up. "Great!!!!"
Boom! The earth trembled.
Xiao Wu stared at him, speechless. "Er Ming, did you take the wrong medicine today?"
A system panel also popped up in front of Xiao Jue.
[Ding! Recovered 3 Wrath Points and 3 Gluttony Points.] [Current Wrath Points: 5] [Current Gluttony Points: 4]
Xiao Jue smiled. "Haha, Er Ming, we'll be heading back, then."
Er Ming waved his big hand. "All right! Brother-in-law, treat my sister well!"
Xiao Jue took Xiao Wu into his arms. Her soft body pressed against him, and a faint fragrance wafted into his nose.
Xiao Wu blushed and struggled slightly, chiding him in a low voice, "Er Ming, stop talking nonsense!"
Xiao Jue gave his wings a beat and flew up.
Er Ming waved happily from below. His enormous figure grew smaller and smaller until it became a black speck and vanished into the sea of trees.
Xiao Wu clutched Xiao Jue's clothes, her voice as thin as a mosquito's whine.
"Brother Jue, don't listen to Er Ming's nonsense... and you were fooling around with him too."
Xiao Jue lowered his head to look at her. "Xiao Wu, I wasn't fooling around. I meant it."
Hearing that, Xiao Wu grew terribly shy, her ears burning red.
Did that mean... Xiao Jue liked her too?
Xiao Jue smiled. "Xiao Wu, you're so beautiful. Who could not like you?"
As he flew through the dense forest, dodging left and right, branches swished past them, and Xiao Wu was so frightened that she was forced to wrap her arms around Xiao Jue's neck.
Xiao Jue's voice came steadily through the wind:
"Xiao Wu, since Er Ming has entrusted you to me, I'll protect you. Even if you're a Soul Beast, I'll treat you the same and keep you safe."
Xiao Wu's body stiffened. Her arms tightened around his neck, and her voice grew quiet.
"You already knew..."
Xiao Jue said, "I won't tell anyone else."
Xiao Wu held him even tighter and buried her face in his chest, calling out in a muffled voice:
"Brother Jue..."
Xiao Jue lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead.
Afterward, everyone naturally returned to Shrek Academy together.
Zhao Wuji, who had been sent flying, also came back with a battered and bruised face, limping all the way.
That night, in Flender's office.
Flender leaned back in his chair with his legs crossed, amused as he looked at the flat-topped man with a rigid expression before him.
"Xiao Gang, I really didn't expect you to come."