Xiao Wu's Sacrifice?

After spending the entire holiday in Holy Soul Village, Xiao Wu had been spoiled to the heavens by the villagers. None of them had ever seen such a cute girl; even the noble girls in Nuoding City could not compare to her.

Whenever Xiao Wu went out for a stroll, a few aunties would press vegetables they had grown into her hands. It was hard to say whether they simply liked Xiao Wu or felt sorry for Han Yu and Tang San.

Born commoners, they naturally knew that Xiao Wu, a Soul Master, would not take a fancy to their children. They understood that perfectly well, but it did nothing to stop them from liking her.

"We're going back tomorrow."

Sitting at the entrance to the smithy, Han Yu watched the children playing in the distance and spoke softly to Tang San and Xiao Wu beside him.

"So soon?"

Xiao Wu's ears perked up in surprise. She counted on her fingers and found that it really was time, leaving her a little dejected.

"I'll just bring you back next time."

Seeing how cute she looked, Han Yu laughed and reached out to gently stroke the little rabbit's soft hair.

"Then are we going to Grandpa Jack's for dinner tonight to say goodbye, Brother?"

Sitting on the other side, Tang San watched the two of them fooling around and asked.

"No need. I already told Grandpa Jack last night. We'll set off tomorrow morning."

Han Yu shook his head slightly and spoke softly. Then he felt a delicate little hand slide down his clothes to his waist, its palm opening to tickle him. Before the hand could act, Han Yu reached out and caught it by the wrist.

Xiao Wu struggled a little, but could not break free. Seeing the ill-intentioned look in Han Yu's eyes, she scrunched up her little face and spoke ingratiatingly.

"Brother, I was wrong. I won't tickle your ticklish spots again."

Yes, Han Yu had ticklish spots, something Xiao Wu had only discovered a couple of days ago. Ever since then, she had been thinking every moment about sneaking an attack on Han Yu, but she had never succeeded.

"Little San, watch the door."

Han Yu ignored her and turned to speak to Tang San instead.

"Mm."

Tang San felt quite helpless. Although he no longer thought anything of it, whenever he saw Xiao Wu and Han Yu like this, he felt as though someone had used a Soul Skill on him.

"Brother, Brother Yu, Brother Han Yu. I was wrong. I won't tickle you again."

With Tang San's confirmation, Han Yu rose and pulled Xiao Wu into the smithy, turning a deaf ear to her pleas for mercy behind him.

Thud.

With a soft sound, the smithy door was gently shut tight. Outside, only Tang San remained, sitting on the steps, his thoughts unknown.

Inside were Han Yu and Xiao Wu, who had just entered. Listening to Xiao Wu continue to beg for mercy, Han Yu turned and raised her arm above her head. The sudden move caught Xiao Wu off guard, and she stumbled back a few steps until her back rested against the wall.

"Brother Yuyu. Brother Han Yu."

Watching Han Yu's face draw closer and closer, Xiao Wu's fair little face flushed red in an instant. She tried to push him away with her other hand, but Han Yu pinned it above her head as well.

"Ah!"

Xiao Wu gave a soft cry. Han Yu had caught both her hands in one of his and brought his face close to hers. The warmth of his breath fell on her earlobe, making her already red face turn even redder.

Just as Xiao Wu's mind was in a whirl, she felt a hand settle on her waist, and Han Yu's whisper reached her ear.

"Let's see how you like having your ticklish spots tickled."

The next second, Han Yu's mischievous hand began to move, followed immediately by Xiao Wu's heart-rending laughter. Even Tang San, standing guard outside, was startled.

"Brother!! Brother, I was wrong, I really was wrong, hahahahaha. Spare me, please spare me!"

The tickling at her waist made it hard for Xiao Wu to stay on her feet. Her legs went weak and she nearly collapsed, but Han Yu held her hands up with one hand and braced her with his knee, keeping her from crumpling.

But Han Yu's hands kept tickling her waist, and Xiao Wu twisted back and forth like a worm under someone's control, trying to escape his clutches.

Only when Xiao Wu laughed until tears sprang to her eyes did Han Yu stop. With a soft snort, he looked at her flushed cheeks and tear-bright eyes and spoke.

"Are you going to tickle my ticklish spots again?"

Given a brief respite, Xiao Wu hurriedly shook her head like a rattle-drum, all the while repeating herself.

"I won't, I won't. I'll never do it again. I know I was wrong."

Seeing that Xiao Wu truly meant to mend her ways, Han Yu finally relented and let her go.

The moment Han Yu released her, Xiao Wu could no longer stand. She slumped to the floor with her back against the wall, gasping for breath.

"Just you wait."

Unwilling to admit defeat, Xiao Wu looked up and glared fiercely at Han Yu. But when he raised his hand, she was so startled that she sprang off the floor and hurried elsewhere, watching him warily.

"Wh-what are you trying to do?"

Xiao Wu's expression, timid yet eager to play, caught Han Yu's attention. He pondered for a moment, then looked her up and down, coughed twice, and spoke with a serious look.

"I don't want to."

Don't want to? Don't want to do what?

Those words echoed in Xiao Wu's mind. She tilted her head, unable to figure them out. Only when Han Yu had already walked out of the smithy did she recall what she had just asked. Her pretty face reddened, and she spat under her breath at his retreating figure, replying fiercely in her heart.

"There'll come a time when you do."

As though startled by her own thought, the rabbit who had lived for over a hundred thousand years blushed even more deeply.

And so the brief holiday in Holy Soul Village passed, and Xiao Wu followed Han Yu and Tang San back to Nuoding Academy in Nuoding City to study.

It was called studying, but most of it consisted of distinguishing the ages of common Soul Beasts and learning the most basic knowledge about Douluo Continent. The rest of the time, the students simply cultivated on their own.

The academy did not even have physical exercise to strengthen the body.

Returning to Nuoding Academy was like coming home for Xiao Wu. Almost every student who saw her called her "Sister Xiao Wu," and the teachers had grown accustomed to it.

After all, it did the academy no harm, and it did even more to prevent the deplorable behavior of students fighting and brawling, so they let her be.

In the blink of an eye, two years had passed. Two years at the academy had not brought Han Yu much improvement. His Soul Power had reached level twenty, and he needed a new Soul Ring.

But ordinary Soul Rings were beneath his notice, leaving Han Yu deep in thought, unsure what to do.

Find a time to have Xiao Wu sacrifice herself?

Han Yu frowned as he looked at Xiao Wu beside him, then dismissed the thought.

He would treat it as keeping a pet. The time was not right yet.