Chapter 83: Xiao Wu: Trust me! I'm really not a hundred-thousand-year soul beast!
"Still… didn't make it in time?"
In a dark corner of Shrek Academy, Tang Hao looked utterly miserable.
He had rushed back from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan without rest, burning his soul power, practically staking his life on it.
But what was the result?
Earlier, Ah Yin and the right leg soul bone were stolen by villains and were never recovered.
Now, Xiao Wu had also been kidnapped in secret by despicable people.
And he, the mighty Clear Sky Douluo, possessed immense strength, yet could protect nothing at all!
Anger, sorrow, regret, pain…
All kinds of emotions piled together, making Tang Hao appear extremely worn and aged.
"Who exactly did all this?"
Leaning against the wall, pressing his temples, he tried hard to think.
"An unknown white tiger youth, a Soul Emperor, extremely powerful…"
"Could he really be that tiger emperor's illegitimate son?"
He thought of the Star Luo Emperor Dai Tianfeng.
That man had been quite the playboy in his youth. It wouldn't be strange if he had left a child somewhere outside.
"But who is the companion of the White Tiger Youth who has transformed into a shadow?"
White Tiger… companion… Shadow… Hell Spirit Cat!
Suddenly, Tang Hao had a flash of inspiration, and a stunningly beautiful figure appeared in his mind—Zhu Zhuqing!
That mysterious girl who had escaped from his hands outside Suo Tuo City!
Her martial soul was the Hell Spirit Cat.
Moreover, she was young, yet her level was not low, and she even possessed multiple soul bones.
Most importantly, she had a grudge against him!
Last time, driven by greed, he had wanted to seize her soul bones directly.
But the girl had suddenly vanished into thin air, and since then, he had never gotten any information about her again.
"If… it really is that Hell Spirit Cat girl named Zhu Zhuqing…"
Tang Hao's thoughts sank as he subconsciously began to deduce:
"She couldn't defeat me, so she wanted revenge and found Holy Soul Village to look for leverage."
"Then somehow, by chance, she discovered Ah Yin and the Blue Silver Emperor right leg soul bone."
"After that, she met that equally talented Dai Tianfeng's illegitimate son, and they joined forces."
"The two hit it off immediately and planned to deal with Xiao San and me."
"For some reason, they also accidentally discovered that Xiao Wu is a hundred-thousand-year transformed soul beast…"
"And then, together, they planned this entire operation."
Although he didn't know how Ah Yin and Xiao Wu had been exposed, the overall logic made more and more sense to Tang Hao the more he thought about it.
'So… all of this was caused by me?'
Tang Hao's expression turned complicated. His already dull mind began to ache.
It could be said that his reasoning process was completely wrong, yet the answer was mostly correct!
No, no, no!
Tang Hao suddenly shook his head, his eyes regaining their sharpness.
"I am the Clear Sky Douluo. I cannot be wrong!"
The ones in the wrong are those two little thieves!
He stopped overthinking and didn't bother with any evidence.
"Don't let me find out where you are. Otherwise, I will kill you!"
After all, Zhu Zhuqing already had a grudge with him.
Now, it was simply one more reason to kill Zhu Zhuqing.
'No! Since I can't find Zhu Zhuqing, I'll go ask Dai Tianfeng about the illegitimate son first.'
After a brief rest, Tang Hao's figure flashed, turning into a streak of light as he flew toward the Star Luo Empire.
…
Star Luo Empire, imperial palace.
Dai Tianfeng was reviewing memorials in his study when suddenly, a familiar yet powerful aura appeared.
He slowly stood up, dismissed the attendants, and looked at Tang Hao, who had appeared at some unknown moment.
"Tang Hao? What are you here for?"
"I came to ask you something."
Tang Hao stared at him intently. "Do you have an illegitimate son?"
"An illegitimate son? Me?"
The usually composed Dai Tianfeng pointed at himself with a face full of astonishment.
The Clear Sky Douluo, who had vanished for over ten years, suddenly appeared just to ask him if he had an illegitimate son.
Was that even reasonable?
"A young man in his twenties, with a white tiger martial soul, strength comparable to a Soul Saint, even a Soul Douluo."
Tang Hao's eyes remained locked on him. "Do you have such an illegitimate son?"
"You… are you serious?"
Dai Tianfeng felt like Tang Hao was making fun of him.
If he had such an outstanding illegitimate son, how could he himself not know?
"Answer me. Do you or not?"
"Of course not."
Dai Tianfeng said firmly, "The royal bloodline cannot be allowed to flow outside!"
"That's for the best… it had better truly not exist."
Tang Hao stared at him for a long time before snorting coldly and disappearing.
A trace of confusion flashed in Dai Tianfeng's eyes.
"This man… is he sick or what?"
…
At the same time, deep within towering mountains, inside a hidden cave.
"Crash—"
Zhu Zhuqing opened the spirit-nourishing earring and threw out a sack.
She untied the opening and dumped the girl inside onto the ground.
"You… who are you? Why did you capture me?"
Xiao Wu's hands and feet were shackled with chains, her soul power completely sealed. She curled up on the ground like a captured rabbit.
She raised her head and saw the two people standing before her—
A sinisterly handsome young man stood with his hands behind his back, a playful smile on his lips.
A cold and stunningly beautiful girl, extremely familiar, stared at her with burning eyes.
"You are… Zhu Zhuqing?!"
Xiao Wu froze for a moment, then her eyes widened in disbelief.
"We have no grudges between us. Why did you capture me?!"
"…"
Zhu Zhuqing said nothing, merely looking at her silently.
That gaze was calm and deep, as if she were looking at… prey.
"Why?"
Bai Lu crouched in front of Xiao Wu, smiling.
"For a hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone. Isn't that enough?"
Xiao Wu's pupils shrank suddenly, but she forced herself to remain calm.
"What hundred-thousand-year soul ring? I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Don't know? That's fine~."
Bai Lu raised an eyebrow and smiled casually. "After we use all the torture methods, you'll know."
"You'd better let me go!"
Xiao Wu struggled desperately, trying to threaten them.
"Otherwise… otherwise… my brother, Dean Flender, and Teacher Zhao will definitely not let you off!"
"Sigh, you don't even know how to threaten people properly."
Bai Lu shook his head with a laugh. "Just three useless people who don't even have the strength of a Soul Douluo. Who could they possibly threaten?"
"If you threatened me with the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python, I might hesitate a little."
He paused, his smile turning dangerous.
"Hesitate about which one to turn into a soul ring next!"
"You… you…"
Hearing about Da Ming and Er Ming, Xiao Wu's face turned deathly pale.
It seemed… her identity had truly been exposed.
But she couldn't understand how it had been exposed!
"Enough of that."
Bai Lu stood up, looking down at her.
"Time is tight; the task is heavy. Be obedient and sacrifice yourself quickly."
"You'd better not think you can survive."
His voice turned cold. "If you refuse to sacrifice, don't blame me for being ruthless."
"I know your origins, and I know who you care about most. You'd better obediently sacrifice yourself, understand?"
He bent down and spoke word by word:
"Otherwise, your helpless brother Tang San, who has just broken through to the Soul Elder level not long ago, I really can't guarantee his safety."
At this time, Xiao Wu still didn't know that Tang San's father was the famous Clear Sky Douluo.
Hearing this, she trembled all over in fear.
"Don't hurt my brother."
But she was still making her final struggle, putting on a pitiful expression.
"Trust me! I'm really not a hundred-thousand-year transformed soul beast!"
"Oh, I believe you."
Bai Lu nodded and looked at Zhu Zhuqing. "Do you believe her?"
"I don't."
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head. Her calm voice shattered Xiao Wu's illusion.
"When you condensed your soul ring at rank thirty, I was right there."
"Th… that's impossible!"
Xiao Wu's expression stiffened, then she forced herself to remain calm.
With the hundred-thousand-year Er Ming protecting her, it was absolutely impossible for anyone to have discovered her condensing a soul ring.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Bai Lu waved his hand, and a light screen formed from spiritual power projection appeared in the air.
In the image, the Titan Giant Ape stood in the forest like a loyal guard. In front of it, Xiao Wu sat cross-legged, her body glowing with a blood-red light.
Then, a purple soul ring slowly condensed into form.
This operation… was not human.
Xiao Wu stood frozen in place, her mind completely blank.
Despair spread through her heart.
—
End of Chapter