"Bad guy Arthev! Why is he so shameless?!" Xiao Wu huffed, stomping her foot in frustration.
Her voice, loud and clear, traveled all the way to Tang San, who was still washing up.
"Xiao Wu?" Tang San glanced up, wiping his face. "Why is she out here already?"
Before he could ask, Xiao Wu approached, hands on her hips.
"Tang San, are you going to stay here forever? We still have to clean the dormitory, you know!" She waved her hand in front of his face, looking impatient.
Tang San smiled helplessly. "I'll be done in a moment."
Just as he was about to finish up, a calm voice interrupted them.
"Xiao San, are you ready?"
Tang San turned to see the master approaching with slow, steady steps.
Immediately, Tang San straightened up and respectfully stepped forward. "Teacher, I'm ready. When should we set off?"
The master chuckled, noticing the eagerness in his disciple's eyes. "You seem impatient. We still need to buy some supplies before heading out. Otherwise, just the two of us might face unnecessary trouble."
"Oh?" Tang San's interest piqued. "What do we need to buy, teacher?"
The master reached out and lightly tapped Tang San's forehead, a rare trace of warmth in his expression. "Don't rush. I've already planned everything. Once we leave the academy and gather the necessary items, we'll head to the soul-hunting forest."
Hearing this, Tang San nodded obediently.
However, just a few steps away, Xiao Wu's expression changed.
Soul hunting…
Her hands clenched into fists, and her playful demeanor disappeared.
She knew all too well what "soul hunting" meant. It wasn't just about gaining power—it was the slaughter of her kind, her fellow soul beasts.
Her lips trembled slightly, but she quickly bit them, forcing herself to stay calm. She couldn't let anyone notice her reaction.
Taking a deep breath, she spoke up, masking her unease with an annoyed tone.
"Tang San, once you leave, how are we supposed to divide the cleaning duties?"
The Grandmaster naturally noticed Xiao Wu's reaction. A mix of warmth and irritation flashed across his face as he scolded, "You kid, do you have any idea how important soul hunting is? You can't just run around making a mess! I'll have someone clean this up later, but no excuses—Mistress, you must go soul hunting today!"
When the Grandmaster got angry, both Tang San and Xiao Wu instinctively straightened up. Sure, his strength wasn't all that high, but his temper? That was on par with a Titled Douluo.
Xiao Wu pouted, feeling wronged. It wasn't like she wanted to make trouble—she just didn't want her kind to be harmed. But now that she was officially a human, there was nothing she could do about it… except sulk.
Tang San glanced at Xiao Wu's pitiful expression, and for some reason, his heart clenched. He wasn't sure why, but it felt like something precious was slipping away.
The Grandmaster was just about to give Xiao Wu another round of scolding when he suddenly felt Tang San tugging on his sleeve. He froze for a moment and then sighed. This boy… oh, I see how it is.
With a dramatic huff, he turned away and waved his hand. "Fine, fine! Mistress, I'll give you an hour. Not a second more! Be at the door in exactly one hour, or I'll personally drag you there!"
Yu Xiaogang said with a huff, his voice cold and authoritative. He turned on his heel, hands clasped behind his back, and walked away with a deliberate, almost theatrical pace.
Xiao Wu stood frozen, her expression a mix of confusion and hurt. What had she done to upset Yu Xiaogang so much? She was lost in her thoughts when suddenly, the feeling of loneliness crept in. Without even realizing it, a tear slid down her cheek.
"Mom... Xiao Wu misses you." The words escaped her in a whisper as her tears fell, one by one, splashing onto the ground like rain. Her heart ached, and the sorrow felt so overwhelming that it nearly consumed her.
"Xiao Wu..." Tang San's voice cut through the quiet air. He stood there, his own heart breaking as he watched her, unable to bear seeing her like this. He couldn't help himself—he rushed over to her and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I'm so sorry, Xiao Wu," Tang San murmured, his voice strained with emotion. His hands trembled as he held her, feeling the weight of her sadness pressing against him. "I never wanted you to feel this way. It's all my fault."
Xiao Wu blinked in surprise as she felt the familiar warmth of Tang San's embrace. She opened her eyes, staring up at him for a moment, before slowly resting her head on his shoulder. For the first time in a long while, she felt the comfort of someone else. She had missed this. She had missed him.
The two of them stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, lost in the quiet understanding they shared. So much unspoken was passed between them in that moment, a bond stronger than words could ever express.
Meanwhile, Arthev—ever the calm and composed one—walked past them without a single glance in their direction. He had already gathered everything he needed from the scene: Xiao Wu was upset, Tang San was comforting her, and the situation... was none of his business. Arthev was more interested in the fact that he was not involved in this drama. He shook his head and continued walking, his pace steady, his mind already on other matters.
An hour later, Tang San pulled away from Xiao Wu, giving her a gentle smile. "I'll be back soon, Xiao Wu. I'll bring you something delicious."
Xiao Wu wiped her eyes, her smile returning as she playfully clenched her fists. "I know! But when you come back, you better make sure to do your hygiene duties for the next semester!"
Tang San chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, alright, I promise. Hygiene duties it is!"
Xiao Wu watched him go, but as his back disappeared around the corner, her smile faltered. She slowly sank down onto the steps, her face clouded with thought. What am I even thinking? she wondered, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the hem of her sleeve.
Then, a realization hit her. "By the way, where did Arthev go?" She patted her butt, standing up with a groan. Her eyes scanned the dormitory, but to her surprise, there was no one in sight.
"Ahh! The mistress is gone, and so is Arthev! It's so boring!" Xiao Wu exclaimed, throwing her arms up dramatically. She let out a sigh that sounded like a mix of frustration and boredom, pacing around the empty room like a lost kitten.
----------------
As they stepped through the academy gates, one tall and one short figure departed—Grandmaster and Tang San.
"Teacher, where are we going to find spirit beasts?" Tang San asked.
Grandmaster replied, "We'll travel 400 li northeast of Nuoding City to the Spirit Hunting Forest. The empire keeps spirit beasts captive there, so we should be able to find one that suits you."
"Captive? Spirit beasts can be held in captivity?" Tang San was surprised.
"Teacher, can you explain more about spirit beasts?"
Grandmaster nodded. "High-level spirit beasts cannot be captured, but lower-level ones can. Spirit beasts are animals that possess spirit power, growing stronger as they age. They are classified into five levels based on their years of cultivation: ten-year spirit beasts, hundred-year spirit beasts, thousand-year spirit beasts, ten-thousand-year spirit beasts, and hundred-thousand-year spirit beasts. The names indicate their age—spirit beasts that have cultivated for over ten years are ten-year spirit beasts, and so on.
"Spirit rings follow the same classification, easily identifiable by their color: white for ten-year spirit beasts, yellow for hundred-year beasts, purple for thousand-year beasts, black for ten-thousand-year beasts, and red for hundred-thousand-year beasts. The empire primarily captures ten-year and hundred-year spirit beasts to supply spirit masters. Thousand-year spirit beasts are rare in captivity."