The Barak Kingdom borders the Fasno Province and is one of the four kingdoms under the Heaven Dou Empire.
It directly borders the Star Luo Empire to the south, making it arguably the empire's gateway, thus possessing formidable military power.
Soto City within its borders is the most important city besides the kingdom's capital, Barak City.
Even the Spirit Hall has established a Level 3 Spirit Hall here, earning it the nickname "Barak's Granary"!
At noon, under the blazing sun, pedestrians still thronged the west gate of Soto City.
A two-wheeled cart slowly approached the gate.
Pulling the cart was a black-haired, black-clad youth, over 1.7 meters tall, with twenty-four gems adorning his waist.
A wide cloth slung over his shoulder, his hands gripping the cart's arms, he slowly pulled the cart forward.
His face was resolute; despite the scorching sun and profuse sweat, his steps remained steady, without uttering a sound.
A young girl sat cross-legged on the two-wheeled cart behind him, holding a lotus leaf to shield herself from the blazing sun.
A pair of pink rabbit-shaped hairpins swayed gently above her head. Her delicate face was expressionless, her beautiful eyebrows occasionally twitching as she looked at the pink ring on her ring finger, seemingly deep in thought.
"Xiao Wu! Soto City is just ahead!"
Tang San's hurried voice came from ahead. Xiao Wu snapped out of her reverie and looked ahead.
Soto City was indeed large, but it didn't pique her interest.
Her crimson eyes watched Tang San's retreating figure, a mocking sneer playing on her lips.
This guy actually wanted to carry her?
Heh, in this heat, riding in a cart would be much more comfortable than him carrying her!
The two entered the city. Two-wheeled carts were prohibited, but Xiao Wu didn't seem to care, nimbly jumping off the cart.
A pink dress clung to her developing body, highlighting her slender waist and long, shapely legs, making her appear quite tall. She
was a full half-head taller than Tang San beside her, making him seem rather ordinary.
"Thank you for your hard work!"
Xiao Wu's voice was flat, devoid of joy or sorrow. Although she spoke to Tang San, she didn't even glance at him, instead surveying her surroundings.
"No trouble at all, no trouble at all. We're classmates and friends, it's what I should do! Besides, it was my idea,"
Tang San quickly wiped the sweat from his brow, waved his hand, and kept his eyes glued to her.
In truth, he should be thanking Xiao Wu for turning down invitations from other intermediate academies to accompany him to Soto City.
"Xiao Wu, how about we find a place to stay first?"
"Whatever!"
"Okay, let's look together."
This was Xiao Wu and Tang San's usual way of getting along. Although Xiao Wu didn't really want to talk to him, she wouldn't be too cold for her own safety.
Tang San, on the other hand, often had various little schemes to get closer to her.
Unfortunately, Xiao Wu didn't fall for it. In the past few years, except when she was in a bad mood and would challenge him to a sparring match, she basically wouldn't take the initiative to talk to him.
The two walked on the road, and Tang San's eyes were quickly attracted by a three-story red building.
Although he felt that it might be a bit expensive, he had saved up a little money over the years from his blacksmithing career and the subsidies from the Spirit Hall.
"Xiao Wu, how about we go there and ask?"
"Hmm?" Xiao Wu looked at the red building in the distance. Just in terms of color, it was indeed very much to her liking. Without thinking too much, she agreed.
"Okay."
...
Just as Xiao Wu and Tang San were looking for a place to stay, Zhu Zhuqing had already arrived in Soto City and found a place to stay because she had promised to help Ye Qiu.
Originally, she planned to go out for a stroll, hoping to run into her protected person.
Unexpectedly, quite by chance, she encountered a stranger she'd met a few times before on the street.
At that moment, she was coldly following behind a blond man with heterochromatic eyes, watching him with one woman on each arm, a hint of mockery and sarcasm playing on her lips.
The group was heading towards the rose-shaped building—the Rose Hotel.
Meanwhile,
upon entering the Rose Hotel, Xiao Wu frowned.
The atmosphere, especially the seemingly ambiguous glances from the receptionist, made her very uncomfortable.
"Hello! We'd like two rooms?" Tang San asked the receptionist.
"I'm sorry, sir, we only have one room left!" The receptionist stood up, looking at Tang San with a hint of envy.
"One room?" Xiao Wu frowned, feeling increasingly uneasy.
"Yes, but don't worry, our hotel rooms are fully equipped and spacious; there's more than enough room for the two of you!"
The receptionist said, occasionally casting knowing glances at Tang San.
It was unclear whether the pure and innocent Tang San had understood.
He turned to Xiao Wu, wanting to ask for her opinion.
Seeing this, Xiao Wu's eyes turned cold. Was there even a need to ask?
What wishful thinking!
"You can stay here yourself!" With that, Xiao Wu turned and left.
"Xiao Wu!" Tang San was about to follow when a wicked laugh and a frivolous voice came from the doorway.
"Hehe... looks like I'm quite lucky, actually encountering such a high-quality resource! Little girl..."
"What are you!? Get out of Xiao Wu's way!"
Tang San rushed forward, his eyes flashing with malice. He saw a man and two women standing at the doorway, blocking Xiao Wu's path.
The two women were actually twins, around seventeen or eighteen years old, a little taller than Xiao Wu, heavily made up, with good figures, but their demeanor was rather vulgar.
The man they were embracing looked young, about fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a white-gold outfit, with long, straight golden hair reaching his waist.
What was strange was that his eyes were two different colors—
one red and one blue—making him quite striking .
"A good dog doesn't block the way, get out of the way! Or don't blame me for being impolite!"
Xiao Wu frowned and shouted again, her eyes filled with disgust.
"Pfft, haha!"
Xiao Wu's voice hadn't even subsided when another burst of laughter erupted.
"Sister, did you hear that? This little girl actually dares to be impolite to Young Master Dai?"
"Haha... I'd like to see how impolite she is! Young Master Dai~"
The twin sisters seemed to have heard a joke, giggling incessantly, swaying their bodies teasing Dai Mubai, their eyes sparkling with desire.
Dai Mubai's voice also turned cold; he wasn't known for his good temper.
"You dare to insult me? I probably won't let you pass! You must be a Soul Master too, so let's have a fight. If you win, I'll immediately step aside; if you lose, hehe!"
Looking at Xiao Wu, a hint of wickedness flashed in his eyes; what would happen if he lost was self-evident.
The twin sisters beside him smiled foolishly at him, released his arm, and stood aside.
"Fight then! I'm not afraid of you!"
Having been the big sister of Notting Academy for several years, she couldn't stand this kind of humiliation.
Just as she was about to make a move, Tang San had already stood in front of her, his eyes somewhat dangerous.
"Xiao Wu, let me do it!"
"Get out of the way! I'll do it myself."
"Heh. So you're all in this together. No need to argue, you can all come at me, I can handle it!"
Dai Mubai waved at them, his eyes contemptuous, not taking it seriously.
"Young Master Dai, why don't we just let it go? My little shop can't withstand your antics. Let's keep things peaceful!"
At this moment, the shop manager finally came over, his face showing anxiety.
"Enough nonsense, all losses are on me!"
"White Tiger Possession!"
Dai Mubai shoved the manager aside, and three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—immediately appeared on his body.
A burst of milky white light flashed, his bones cracked, his muscles swelled, stretching his clothes, and the lines of every muscle became clear.
Sharp claws emerged from his hands, his hair turned black and white, and a 'king' character appeared on his forehead.
"Dai Mubai, Martial Soul: White Tiger, Level 37 Battle Soul Master!"
"Xiao Wu, step back, I'll handle this!"
Tang San didn't hesitate, immediately following, his palms outstretched, two yellow soul rings rising from his feet.
A deep blue Blue Silver Grass sprouted from his palm, and several more Blue Silver Grasses swayed around him like seaweed.
"Tang San, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass, Level 29 Battle Soul Master!"
Seeing the purple soul rings on Dai Mubai's body, Xiao Wu frowned, slowly retreating a few steps behind him, observing coldly from the side, saying nothing more.
"Haha... I didn't expect that a useless Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass could be cultivated to this level!"
Dai Mubai was initially surprised that Tang San had such cultivation at such a young age, but upon seeing the useless grass in his hand, he laughed out loud.
"There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters!"
Tang San's face was cold, uttering the truth he had always believed in, Yu Xiaogang's exact words.
"Excellent! Excellent! What a spirit with no useless members!" This somewhat chuunibyou-esque, hot-blooded remark made Dai Mubai's eyes light up.
"Then let me see what's so special about your Blue Silver Grass!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Dai Mubai crossed his arms and swung them violently, sending a gust of wind towards Tang San. Then, with swift movements, more than a dozen fingers extended sharp claws, attacking Tang San.
Tang San remained unmoved, the Blue Silver Grass around him constantly twisting and turning, dissolving the fierce wind into nothingness.
The claws slashed past, Dai Mubai thought he could easily cut through the weeds, but unexpectedly, his claws got stuck in the middle of the arm-thick Blue Silver Grass.
Xuan Yu Hand! Light flowed in Tang San's hand, transforming his palm into a fist and attacking Dai Mubai's chest.
"Hmph!" Dai Mubai snorted coldly, withdrawing his claws and meeting Tang San's fist head-on.
Bang bang bang!
After several punches, Tang San was forced back, several white marks appearing on his hands, his blood surging within him, his eyes looking at Dai Mubai with a serious expression.
"Haha. Good lad, you've got some tough hands! Let's go again!"
Dai Mubai laughed, raising his claws to clash once more.
Suddenly, a multitude of blue silver grasses appeared beneath his feet, sweeping towards him, their patterns bearing the markings of snake-like spirit beasts.
"First Spirit Skill, Entanglement!"
Tang San, not far in front of him, had his first spirit ring flashing, already activating his spirit skill.
"First Spirit Skill, White Tiger Protective Barrier!"
Dai Mubai also shouted, his spirit rings flashing, a white shield appearing around him, preventing the surrounding blue silver grasses from getting even a fraction closer.
"Second Soul Skill, White Tiger Blazing Light Wave!"
"Roar!"
Faintly, the surrounding people seemed to hear a tiger's roar. Dai Mubai's chest began to expand, and suddenly a milky white beam of light shot out from his mouth, striking Tang San's face directly.
The surrounding Blue Silver Grass was completely pulverized, leaving behind a faint scent of grass.
"So fast!" Tang San's eyes narrowed, and he immediately reacted, a hint of purple light appearing in his eyes.
Purple Demon Eye! Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps!
His footwork became strange, even leaving afterimages, but the space here was narrow, and he barely managed to dodge.
Bang!
With a loud explosion, a crater appeared on the pink wall, and large cracks appeared around it.
"Second Soul Skill, Parasitism!"
Seeing that Dai Mubai was about to attack again, Tang San immediately used the spores that had fallen on him when the Blue Silver Grass broke to use his second soul skill.
Dozens of thick vines formed from Blue Silver Grass grew from Dai Mubai's body, with some barbs tearing through his clothes, trying to wrap him up layer by layer.
"Hmm? Poisonous!" Dai Mubai's expression changed; his body was slightly numb, and he was losing strength.
*Tap tap!* Footsteps approached, and Tang San drew near, feeling a gust of wind on his face.
Just as the two were about to touch, a burst of purple light flashed!
"Third Soul Skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation! Hah!" *Bang
!
* "Cough cough." Tang San was thrown back by the sudden burst of power, his chest feeling tight. If it weren't for his Xuan Tian Gong protecting him, he would likely have suffered serious injuries.
At this moment, Dai Mubai's body swelled further, his clothes ripped apart, and black and white stripes even appeared on his skin. He was just a few hairs away from becoming a true tiger! His
tiger paws extended again, their sharp claws gleaming coldly.
The Blue Silver Grass that had bound him was destroyed in an instant.
"Tang San, is it? Your Blue Silver Grass is indeed impressive, actually forcing me to use my third soul skill. However... that's enough! Your Blue Silver Grass is utterly useless against me in this state, and the toxins it contains are useless!"
Dai Mubai's gaze towards Tang San no longer held contempt, but rather a sense of predatory delight.
To cultivate Blue Silver Grass to such a level, he truly lived up to his monster status!
"Let me see how long you can last!"
Dai Mubai's sinister eyes were fixed on Tang San, without further ado.
His third soul skill could simultaneously double his resistance to abnormal states, as well as his attack power, defense, and strength, for half an hour.
Crack! The floor beneath his feet cracked, and Tang San felt as if he were being targeted by a ferocious tiger, locked onto, the air itself becoming turbulent.
"First Soul Skill, Entanglement!"
Bang bang!
His Blue Silver Grass couldn't hinder Dai Mubai at all. Dai Mubai attacked with a punch, and Tang San could only hastily respond.
After several more collisions, the once elegant hotel was now riddled with dents and cracks in its walls and floor.
"Cough cough."
Tang San coughed incessantly, clutching his chest, half-kneeling on the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"What a piece of trash!" At this moment, Xiao Wu, who had been watching the spectacle, slowly approached.
She had expected a mutually destructive outcome, but Tang San was proving utterly useless!
If this continued, wouldn't she be subjected to pointless insults? She wasn't some worthless resource!
"Xiao Wu, wait a minute, I can still fight!" Tang San immediately struggled to his feet.
"You sick cat, if you've got the guts, come and play with your sister Xiao Wu!"
Xiao Wu glanced calmly at Tang San, ignoring him, and instead beckoned to Dai Mubai not far away.
"Heh. I was originally thinking of letting you off the hook for Tang San's sake, but you actually dared to insult me! Then don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Dai Mubai didn't care about men or women; if you provoked him, he'd beat you without hesitation!
"Let's give it a try!"
Xiao Wu put her hands behind her back, and three spirit rings—two yellow and one purple—rose from beneath her feet.
The rabbit on her head swayed gently, a soft, snow-white tail appeared at her lower back, and her figure became much taller and more slender, her lines becoming much softer.
"How is this possible! How old are you, and you're already a Spirit Master!"
Dai Mubai's shocked voice rang out. He had thought Tang San was the leader of the two, but he hadn't expected this girl to be a Spirit Master!
"Hmph! You sick cat, are you going to fight or not? If not, then obediently kowtow and apologize!"
"Little sister, don't be too arrogant. Don't think I'm afraid of you. You're just a newly entered Spirit Master! Come on!"
Dai Mubai was indeed considering retreating. He had already consumed a lot of spirit power, and now, facing a Spirit Master, he would likely be outmatched.
His expression darkened. Since that was the case, he had no choice but to finish the fight quickly!
"Second Soul Skill, White Tiger Blazing Light Wave!"
Dai Mubai's movements were incredibly swift. Before anyone could react, a milky-white beam of light shot towards Xiao Wu.
He couldn't possibly lose to a girl!
"Not good! Xiao Wu!"
Tang San, still basking in the joy of Xiao Wu standing up for him, suddenly realized that Dai Mubai's sudden attack was already close to Xiao Wu's face.
His eyes flashed with purple light as he stared intently at the two of them, his hands already subtly resting on the Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moon at his waist.
Anyone who dared to harm Xiao Wu deserved to die!
If Dai Mubai dared to let Xiao Wu suffer even the slightest harm, he would stop at nothing to kill Dai Mubai on the spot!
Bang! Another large crater appeared on the hotel wall.
"What happened!? Where did she go!"
Dai Mubai's eyes widened in surprise. His attack had been launched, and the woman had vanished without a trace.
"Xiao Wu!" Xiao Wu, still within the Purple Demon Eye's field of vision, suddenly disappeared. Tang San panicked, and the Zhuge Crossbow was already in his hand behind him.
Whoosh!
Fortunately, Xiao Wu only disappeared for a moment. When she reappeared, she was already in the air, one leg sweeping towards Dai Mubai.
"So fast!" Dai Mubai's eyes widened slightly, only to see the light of Xiao Wu's purple spirit rings dimming. What
Xiao Wu had just used was her third spirit skill, teleportation!
Boom!
"Ugh!" A leg swept across, striking Dai Mubai's left cheek. A few drops of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he staggered, about to fall to the ground.
"First Soul Skill, Waist Bow!"
As Xiao Wu's voice rang out, she clamped her feet together, her two shoes trapping Dai Mubai's head between them. Using her hands to brace herself, she propelled him high into the air.
'Not good!' Dai Mubai felt the weightlessness; with nowhere to grab his weight, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and activate his first soul skill.
First Soul Skill, White Tiger Protective Barrier!
Thud! Dai Mubai crashed heavily to the ground with a dull thud, leaving several cracks.
Even with the white protective barrier, his internal organs were still shaken, and he struggled to breathe.
Seeing that Xiao Wu was about to stomp on his face, her face turning a deep purplish-red, she immediately rolled away, simultaneously swinging her sharp claws.
Swish!
Xiao Wu's purple spirit rings flashed again, reappearing in their original positions.
"Is this Xiao Wu's third spirit skill? It's amazing."
Tang San looked surprised. Xiao Wu had just broken through to the Spirit Master level before graduation, so he didn't know what her third spirit skill was.
"Hehe. Those two shoe prints on your face are quite fitting, little kitten!"
Xiao Wu put one hand on her hip, looking mockingly at Dai Mubai, who had just gotten up and was glaring at her.
"This time. I, Dai Mubai, admit defeat!"
Dai Mubai's eyes were fierce, his fists clenched, but at this moment, he was outnumbered and outmatched, and had no choice but to admit defeat.
The spirit possession on his body slowly dissipated.
"Haha. Now you look even more like a stray cat! Since you admit defeat, then hurry up and apologize to this young lady!"
"You!" Dai Mubai glared at Xiao Wu, his face flushed.
At this moment, he was ragged, with some bruises on his face and two shoe prints, making him look rather comical.
"Sorry!" Dai Mubai coldly uttered an apology before turning to leave.
"Young Master Dai, Young Master Dai!" The manager, who had been watching from the sidelines, quickly chased after him, not wanting to suffer any losses.
"Get out of my way!" Dai Mubai tossed down a bag of gold soul coins and shoved aside the twin sisters who were about to greet him.
"Hmph! Don't be so smug. You're probably here to register for Shrek Academy, right? We'll meet again!"
Reaching the door, he turned back, uttering harsh words, before turning to leave.
As he passed the door, a figure brushed past him. Sensing something, he turned back, only to see a black silhouette.
Frowning, he knew he couldn't linger in his current state. Suppressing his inner turmoil, he quickly left.
"Hmph! I'm not afraid of you!"
Xiao Wu snorted coldly, also dispelling her martial soul possession.
Tang San looked in the direction Dai Mubai had left, never expecting him to be a Shrek Academy student.
At this moment, Zhu Zhuqing had also walked up to her, sizing up Xiao Wu and comparing her to herself.
"Xiao Wu, are you alright?"
Ignoring Tang San's concerned words, Xiao Wu looked at the 'big girl' who had suddenly appeared before her with a puzzled expression and asked.
"Who are you?"
Tang San also noticed the leather-clad girl standing before them. Although she had a voluptuous figure, she exuded a cold aura, seemingly devoid of emotion.
"Xiao Wu?" Her voice was ethereal, as melodious as a gentle spring.
"You know me?" Xiao Wu frowned, looking at her in confusion; she shouldn't have seen her before.
Having confirmed Xiao Wu's identity, Zhu Zhuqing remained silent, slowly moving to Xiao Wu's right side.
Then, her lips parted slightly, her clear, cold voice, though not loud, was enough for Xiao Wu and Tang San to hear clearly.
"From now on, I will protect you every step of the way!"
"Huh?!" Turning back to look at her, Xiao Wu's eyes were even more strange, completely unaware of what was going on.
"Who exactly are you?" Tang San, who had just taken out the Zhuge Crossbow, hadn't put it back yet, his eyes filled with a dangerous look.
Zhu Zhuqing frowned and looked at Tang San beside her, giving Xiao Wu a deep look, a hint of disappointment in her eyes.
Xiao Wu was even more confused, but Zhu Zhuqing's next words made her pupils tremble violently.
"This is a love hotel, aren't you afraid of hurting him?"
Zhu Zhuqing's voice rang out, but it was also colder than before, making Xiao Wu's body tremble.
The 'he' she mentioned made Xiao Wu's heart pound wildly, her breathing became rapid, she wanted to ask something, but for a moment she didn't know how to speak.
"You're talking nonsense, Xiao Wu! Ah!"
Slap!
Hearing Tang San's voice, Xiao Wu immediately raised her hand, but then immediately lowered it, she didn't want to dirty her hands!
Immediately following, a swift movement left a bloody gash on his face from the scorpion braid, eliciting a scream.
"Xiao Wu."
After the sharp sound, Tang San covered his face, looking at Xiao Wu in confusion, only managing to utter two words before a sharp pain shot through his face.
"Tang San, you clearly knew this was a lovers' hotel, why did you bring me here! You disgust me!"
"Xiao Wu... I... I don't know either!" Tang San covered his face, his eyes filled with panic.
"You know me, I've hardly ever left the academy, how could I possibly know a place like this?" He was just a pure and innocent twelve-year -
old child, fresh out of the elementary soul master academy! (End of Chapter)