Even though Xiao Yan was a member of the Spirit Hall at the time, the most dazzling genius under Bibi Dong's command, and the leader of the championship team of the Soul Master Tournament.
But he also took a step forward.
Xiao Wu remembers that figure from behind.
So no matter what happened to Xiao Yan later, no matter what his relationship with the Spirit Hall became, Xiao Wu always remembered that Xiao Yan had stood up for her when she was most helpless.
She kept this kindness in her heart.
Upon hearing Xiao Wu Wu's words, the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python looked at Xiao Yan with even gentler eyes.
The wariness and scrutiny that had remained in the Titan Giant Ape's scarlet eyes vanished in that instant.
It tilted its enormous head, spewing out two white jets of air from its nostrils, seemingly re-evaluating this human who had earned the respect of its Sister Xiao Wu.
Although the Sky Azure Bull Python remained silent, its head, suspended in mid-air, nodded slightly.
The cold glint in the snake's upright eyes softened slightly.
To them, any human who has ever helped Xiao Wu deserves respect.
"Brother Xiao Yan, what are you doing here?"
Xiao Wu tilted her head slightly, looking at Xiao Yan with a curious expression.
Her gaze swept over him, from his somewhat tattered black robe to the pair of dazzling blue-white flame wings on his back, and then to the powerful aura emanating from him that was completely different from that of two years ago.
Especially after she felt the oppressive power emanating from Xiao Yan, her eyes widened and her mouth gaped open, looking as if she had seen a ghost.
"And this power emanating from you... how did it become so strong?"
"I remember you only broke through to Soul King two years ago, how come your aura is stronger than that of an average Soul Saint now?"
"It's a long story..."
When Xiao Yan saw Xiao Wu and understood her relationship with the two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, his tense nerves finally relaxed a little.
The chilling pressure he felt when facing the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python had largely dissipated with Xiao Wu's appearance.
The Twin Flame Wings on his back slowly retracted, the two enormous fiery wings transforming into two tiny flames that darted back into his palms, leaving only a slight, lingering warmth on his shoulder blades.
He explained to Xiao Wu, his tone tinged with helplessness:
"The energy within me is a life-saving technique left to me by a senior."
That senior's strength far surpasses mine. He sealed a wisp of his power in a stone, so that I could use it when I faced mortal danger.
If I hadn't provoked the Spirit Hall and been driven to a dead end by Bibi Dong, I wouldn't have activated this life-saving trump card.
That power has now been completely exhausted; what you sensed just now was merely the last remnant.
Mentioning the Spirit Hall, Xiao Yan couldn't help but show a bitter and helpless expression on his face.
Ultimately, the reason he and the Spirit Hall ended up like this was because of Yu Xiaogang.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Wu Wu's smile gradually faded.
Her relationship with Yu Xiaogang was equally complicated.
Yu Xiaogang is Tang San's teacher and one of the people Tang San respects most.
From Tang San's perspective, Yu Xiaogang is a good teacher.
However, from Xiao Yan's perspective, Yu Xiaogang was an absolute enemy.
These two completely different identities put Xiao Wu in a very difficult position.
Let's not talk about this anymore.
Xiao Yan shook his head, suppressing his surging emotions.
He took a deep breath, looked at Xiao Wu again, and changed the subject.
"By the way, you and Little San were taken away by Clear Sky Douluo back then, how are you two doing now?"
Xiao Yan didn't dwell on the matter of the Spirit Hall, but instead looked at Xiao Wu and smiled, his tone more relaxed than before:
You look much older now than before.
I remember two years ago you were such a tall little girl, now you're already up to my shoulder.
How's Tang San, that blockhead? Is he taking good care of you?
Xiao Wu still looks a bit young.
That delicate baby face and those bright, lively eyes still retained some childlike innocence, but compared to the naive little girl she was at the Soul Master Tournament...
She has become a genuine teenage girl.
She had grown quite a bit taller, and her pink dress had changed from the original children's style to a more fitted cut, making her look lively and pretty.
When Xiao Wu heard Xiao Yan mention Tang San, her originally bright eyes suddenly dimmed a little.
A look of undisguised loneliness appeared on his face.
Her fingers unconsciously twisted the ends of her scorpion braid.
Seeing Xiao Wu's expression, Xiao Yan understood what was going on.
He understood Xiao Wu; she was someone who couldn't hide her emotions.
Happiness is happiness, sadness is sadness; all emotions are written on one's face.
Only when Tang San was mentioned would this slightly melancholic tenderness appear in her ever-energetic eyes.
As expected, Xiao Wu spoke softly, her voice much lower than before.
"After Clear Sky Douluo took me and my Third Brother away, my Third Brother was taken away by his father."
They said they would take him to a place to train and make him stronger.
As for me... Clear Sky Douluo said that if I stayed by Third Brother's side, I would only be a burden to him, and my identity has already been exposed, so it would be too dangerous for me to stay in the human world.
So I was sent back to the Star Dou Great Forest.
Da Ming and Er Ming have been waiting for me here, so I'll stay here and cultivate.
As for where my Third Brother is now, I don't know either...
Clear Sky Douluo didn't tell me the specific location, only that it was very, very far away, so far that even Soul Beast couldn't find it.
Xiao Wu's tone was filled with deep longing.
She knew that with her and Tang San's strength at the time, forcing them to stay together would not do them any good.
She was just a human who had transformed from a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. Before she broke through to the Titled Douluo, her identity was a ticking time bomb.
It could bring Tang San annihilation at any moment.
This is also why she resolutely left Tang San after Tang Hao tried to persuade her.
She wasn't running away; she was protecting Tang San in her own way.
But now, nearly two years have passed, and Xiao Wu's longing for Tang San has only grown stronger.
She would cultivate every day with Da Ming and Er Ming by her side, striving to improve her strength, but whenever the night was quiet, she would still think of that resolute face.
Xiao Yan listened as Xiao Wu recounted the story after their separation.
He didn't say much, he just listened quietly.
He knew that Xiao Wu didn't need comforting.
She is Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form, and her mind is far more mature than she appears.
She chose to leave Tang San not because she didn't love him enough, but because she loved him too much.
Xiao Yan also briefly recounted his experiences after leaving Spirit City to Xiao Wu, but omitted the specific details of the Dou Qi Continent.
When Xiao Wu heard that the Spirit Hall was now fully committed to hunting down Xiao Wu Xiao Yan, a complex expression appeared on her face.
Because Xiao Wu knew better than anyone else that the conflict between Xiao Yan and Yu Xiaogang had gone to extremes.
What Yu Xiaogang did to Xiao Yan back then was not a misunderstanding or a minor conflict, but a premeditated betrayal and scheming.
A person was imprisoned for half a year by the teacher he trusted, had his Martial Soul coveted, and was treated like an experimental subject.
This kind of hatred cannot be resolved with words.
The two are irreconcilable; the only way to end this is for one of them to completely collapse.
However, Tang San was Yu Xiaogang's disciple.
So when Xiao Yan seeks revenge on Yu Xiaogang, whose side will Tang San stand on?
The answer is obvious.
This means that Xiao Yan and Tang San will eventually become adversaries.
" The Grandmaster..."
Xiao Wu bit her lower lip, wanting to say a few words in defense of Yu Xiaogang.
But her lips moved, and she ultimately fell silent.
Yu Xiaogang's actions became completely clear after Liu Erlong interrogated him.
That time, in front of everyone at the Shrek Academy, Liu Erlong listed out all the things Yu Xiaogang had done to Xiao Yan, laying them out in broad daylight.
Even those who once held the Grandmaster in the highest esteem fell silent.
They coveted Xiao Yan's Martial Soul and forcibly imprisoned Xiao Yan's Spiritual Soul Power for half a year, subjecting Xiao Yan to double torture in terms of both body and mind.
To Xiao Yan, the Grandmaster's actions were no longer a misunderstanding or discord between master and disciple, but rather a fight to the death between mortal enemies.
Even now, Xiao Yan's being wanted by the Spirit Hall and targeted by Bibi Dong is inextricably linked to Grandmaster.
Who else but Yu Xiaogang could have revealed the secret of Xiao Yan's martial soul to Bibi Dong?
"Okay, let's not talk about him anymore."
When Yu Xiaogang was mentioned, Xiao Yan's eyes turned even colder.
Those once gentle black eyes now surged with undisguised, icy killing intent, like an undercurrent surging beneath a Ice Seal lake, ready to break through the ice at any moment.
Xiao Yan forcibly suppressed his surging killing intent, and his expression returned to its usual calm.
He took a deep breath, changed the subject, and spoke to Xiao Wu, his tone softening slightly compared to before:
The matter between him and me will be settled in the future.
When that day comes, no one can stop me.
But not now. My immediate priority is to find Zhu Zhuqing.
"I'm worried about her being out there alone for so long."
Xiao Wu nodded upon hearing this.
She knew Xiao Yan didn't want to put her in a difficult position, so she deliberately avoided the topic of Yu Xiaogang.
She is no longer suited to travel to areas inhabited by humans.
Her identity as Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast has been exposed, and she will be exposed once she leaves the Star Dou Great Forest.
Whether it's the Spirit Hall or other Soul Master forces, they all regard her as a walking Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and Soul Bone, and they all vie to make a move against her.
All she could do was work hard to improve her strength in the Star Dou Great Forest.
This place possesses the most suitable natural energy for Soul Beast to cultivate, is protected by Da Ming and Er Ming, and has countless Soul Beast for her to spar with.
She wanted to become stronger, strong enough that she would never have to hide again, strong enough to stand openly and honestly beside her Third Brother in front of everyone.
After catching up for a while, Xiao Yan took the initiative to say goodbye to Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu jumped back onto the Titan Giant Ape's large palm, turned around and waved to Xiao Yan, her playful smile shining brightly in the moonlight.
The Titan Giant Ape slowly turned its massive body, each step causing the earth to tremble slightly, while the Sky Azure Bull Python's enormous head silently disappeared into the shadows of the treetops.
Xiao Yan stood there, watching the three figures disappear into the depths of the dense forest.
He took a deep breath, slowly suppressing the complex emotions surging in his chest.
Seeing an old friend here is a pleasant surprise.
On this perilous continent, it is already extremely difficult to reunite with an old friend.
He turned around, and his Twin Flame Wings unfurled once more.
He turned back for one last look at the core area of Star Dou Great Forest.
Without further hesitation, he flapped his wings and transformed into a streak of blue and white light, hurtling towards the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest.