Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends.

The town is small, but it is unusually lively. The streets are bustling with people, almost all of whom are Soul Masters carrying knives and swords and exuding a powerful aura.

The air was filled with the smells of dust, sweat, and the distinctive stench of soul beast materials, as well as a tense, hunter-like atmosphere.

Shouts, haggling, and the clanging of weapons filled the air. Everywhere along the roadside, vendors sold soul beast pelts, bones, or unknown herbs, while groups of three or five soul masters loudly discussed their harvests or dangers in the forest.

This is one of the countless small towns near the Star Dou Great Forest. It is remote, but it is full of abnormal vitality because of its proximity to this treasure trove of soul beasts.

The carriage stopped in front of an inn that looked fairly clean. Yu Xiaogang got off first, his steps a little unsteady from the long, bumpy journey.

He took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with a wild and dangerous atmosphere, and tried to calm himself down.

Tang San and Cinderella followed closely behind as they got out of the car. Tang San's gaze quickly swept across the surrounding environment, his eyes calm, only lingering briefly on each passing Soul Master as he assessed the potential threats.

Cinderella frowned slightly and gently covered her nose with her handkerchief; the smell and atmosphere here made her uncomfortable.

"Let's settle down here and rest for the night," Yu Xiaogang said to the two, his voice a little hoarse.

His mood was far from as calm as it appeared; Tang Hao's presence weighed on his heart like a boulder.

The three entered the inn and booked two adjacent rooms. Yu Xiaogang had a room to himself, while Tang San and Cinderella shared one.

After settling in quickly, Yu Xiaogang locked himself in his room, sat on the hard bed, and watched the sky gradually darken outside the window and the still noisy crowds on the street, feeling uneasy.

He knew that Tang Hao must be nearby. That man was like a shadow following them, and could appear at any moment.

As night deepened, the sound of footsteps in the hostel corridor gradually diminished.

The oil lamp in Yu Xiaogang's room was still lit. He was wide awake and waiting for Tang Hao to arrive.

Suddenly, the door was pushed open silently.

Yu Xiaogang froze and turned his head sharply to look.

A tall figure slipped in like a ghost and gently closed the door behind him.

The newcomer was dressed in coarse linen clothes and wore a wide-brimmed straw hat with the brim pulled low, obscuring most of his face.

But Yu Xiaogang would never admit that the oppressive feeling, even when deliberately restrained, was still unsettling.

It's Tang Hao.

Yu Xiaogang almost sprang to his feet, staring nervously at the other person, his throat tightening, unsure of what to say.

Tang Hao took off his bamboo hat and casually placed it on the table beside him, revealing his weathered, stubble-covered face. His gaze swept across the simple room, finally settling on Yu Xiaogang.

"Have you found a target?" Tang Hao asked, his voice low and hoarse, without any pleasantries.

Yu Xiaogang nodded quickly and took out a notebook from his bag and handed it to Tang Hao.

"Based on my and Cindy's analysis, we have initially selected several potentially suitable thousand-year soul beasts."

Tang Hao took the notebook and casually flipped through a few pages. It was filled with the names, characteristics, and possible soul skills of the soul beasts, along with some simple sketches. His gaze swept over it quickly, almost in a flash.

Yu Xiaogang stood to the side, his heart pounding in his chest, his palms sweating.

He was afraid that Tang Hao might find something wrong with his choice or question it.

These candidate soul beasts were carefully selected from a vast amount of soul beast data, taking a great deal of effort to combine the characteristics of Tang San's Blue Silver Grass with the agility of Cinderella's strange crystal dancing shoes.

But Tang Hao clearly wasn't very interested in these theoretical things.

He closed the notebook and handed it back to Yu Xiaogang, his movements swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

"Hmm." Tang Hao uttered a short syllable through his nose, which was his way of expressing approval.

Tang Hao didn't care about the specific types of soul beasts or the combinations of soul skills that Yu Xiaogang treasured.

He only needed to confirm that Yu Xiaogang had done his best and hadn't just found some random people to fool his child.

As for the thousand-year-old soul beasts themselves, in the eyes of Haotian Douluo, who once stood at the top of the continent, as long as the age is sufficient and the attributes are not particularly conflicting, the specific type doesn't matter much.

Strength is the fundamental element.

"Yes, Your Majesty Haotian."

Yu Xiaogang quickly took the notebook with both hands, secretly relieved. He had passed this hurdle.

Tang Hao glanced at Yu Xiaogang and said calmly, "From now on, there is no Your Majesty Haotian. I am just a mercenary you hired to help you hunt for soul rings, and my surname is Wu."

Yu Xiaogang was stunned for a moment, then realized that this was a disguise that Tang Hao had planned beforehand. He quickly nodded: "I understand, Mr. Wu... Mr. Wu."

Tang Hao said no more, put his straw hat back on, and pulled the brim down. "Meet at the inn entrance tomorrow morning."

After saying that, he opened the door silently, just as he had come, and disappeared into the darkness of the corridor.

Chapter 181 Xiao Wu and Er Ming

Yu Xiaogang looked at the closed door and let out a long sigh of relief. His back was already soaked with cold sweat.

Every second he spent with Tang Hao put him under immense pressure.

He walked to the window, looked at the completely dark sky outside, and the outline of the Starry Sky Forest in the distance, which looked even more mysterious in the night, like a giant beast lying down. A sense of bewilderment rose in his heart.

……

The core area of ​​Lake of Life.

Xiao Wu was sitting by the lake, staring blankly at the shimmering surface of the water, feeling a surge of irritation as she thought about what she was going to do next.

Just then, that familiar, slightly obsequious voice rang in her mind once again.

"Hey! My dear little Wu sister~ Are you in a bad mood today?"

It is the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm.

Xiao Wu rolled her eyes and thought irritably, "What's it to you? What do you want now?"

This guy comes to harass her every few days, saying the same few things over and over again, until she's practically sick of hearing them.

"Don't be so cold!" Tianmeng Bingcan's voice was full of temptation.

"I didn't come empty-handed this time! I've thought of a brilliant, special method that can help you quickly improve your cultivation! As long as you're willing to listen to my plan and cooperate with me a little, I guarantee..."

"Guarantee what? Guarantee to get you out of the lake?" Xiao Wu interrupted it directly, her tone filled with undisguised sarcasm.

"And then you'll offer yourself as a sacrifice to me to help me become a god? Tianmeng, you've said that so many times, can't you come up with something new?"

The Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm at the bottom of the lake was momentarily choked, but its million-year-old thick skin was not to be underestimated. It immediately adjusted its strategy, and its voice became even more mysterious.

"This time is different! Absolutely different! I guarantee it with my million years of cultivation! This method doesn't require you to rescue me immediately. You just need to do as I say, and I can help you increase your cultivation speed. Then we can discuss the follow-up. How about it? It's a sure win!"

Xiao Wu pursed her lips, not believing it at all.

She stood up, brushed the grass clippings off her skirt, and made a face at the bottom of the lake.

"Save your breath! I'm not falling for that! You'd be better off going to sleep!"

After saying that, she ignored the cries of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm in her mind, "Hey, hey, don't go! Let's talk about it some more!" and directly severed her mental connection with it.

This guy is really persistent. Unfortunately, Xiao Wu is smart enough not to be fooled by such sweet talk.

She turned and walked in the direction where the nine-colored deer was.

"Lord Ruishou, I'm leaving."

The nine-colored deer nodded gently, its clear and pure eyes looking at her.

"be careful."

Xiao Wu hummed in agreement, turned around, and with a few leaps, her slender figure disappeared behind the dense ancient trees, heading towards the outer perimeter of the core area of ​​the Star Dou Great Forest.

She was going to find Daming and Erming, who were guarding the gates of the core area.

After passing through familiar woodlands and crossing babbling brooks, a relatively open area soon came into view. The air was filled with the solemn aura unique to powerful soul beasts.

Xiao Wu smiled, quickened her pace, and called out from afar, "Er Ming!"

The sound was clear and crisp, echoing through the forest.

The next moment, a massive figure, as large as a small mountain, stood up from behind a huge thicket of bushes. Its body was covered in thick, dark brown fur, and its muscles were bulging, exuding an explosive sense of power. It was none other than Titan Giant Ape Erming.

Its twin lights, like the sound of a lone eel, emitted a deep yet clear voice: "Sister Xiaowu, is it time again?"

Xiao Wu walked to Er Ming's huge feet, sighed, patted its rough toes, and said, "That's right, it's time to go out again."

The reason she came to find Erming was because she was now going to the human world outside the Star Dou Great Forest.

Since she took human form, she has had to go to human society every now and then to experience the warmth and life there and absorb the essence of humanity.

This is of indispensable benefit to her accelerating her cultivation.

This is an unavoidable hurdle for a 100,000-year-old soul beast after it takes human form.

But Xiao Wu's hatred for humans was deeply ingrained. Every time she thought of her mother A Rou's sacrifice, and of those greedy humans who invaded the forest and wantonly slaughtered Soul Masters, she felt a tightness in her chest.

Therefore, she never stays out for long. She usually only stops briefly at the edge of the human world to feel the uncomfortable yet necessary atmosphere before eagerly returning to the Star Dou Great Forest.

Only in the forest, by the side of Daming, Erming, and Lord Ruishou, could she feel a sense of security.

For her safety, Erming would secretly follow and protect her whenever she went out.

After all, her cultivation level is currently low; she is merely a Great Soul Master with two Soul Rings. She could be in danger if she encountered even a slightly stronger human Soul Master.

Normally, Erming would lurk in the outer area of ​​the Star Dou Great Forest, relying on his strong strength and familiarity with the forest to ensure that he could provide support at any time.

Xiao Wu, on the other hand, will travel alone to the outskirts of a small town that is near the forest, in a remote location and with a mixed population.

In such places, the Soul Masters who come and go generally have low cultivation levels. Most of them are rogue cultivators who hunt low-level Soul Beasts or do small-scale trading. Basically, there will be no powerful figures of the Title Douluo level.

Relatively safe.

Erming looked down at Xiaowu, and it could sense the reluctance in Xiaowu's emotions.

It didn't quite understand why it had to go to the human world, but it knew it would be beneficial for Xiao Wu's cultivation.

It didn't say anything comforting; it just nodded vigorously to show that it understood.

"Let's go, Sister Xiaowu."

Erming lowered his mountain-like body and carefully spread out a huge palm, placing it flat in front of Xiaowu.

Xiao Wu lightly leaped into its palm, and Er Ming then steadily lifted her up and placed her on his broad and sturdy shoulders.

After settling in, Xiao Wu patted Er Ming's thick neck. Er Ming understood and began to walk with heavy steps, causing the ground to tremble slightly, towards the outer edge of the forest.

After some time, they arrived at the outer edge of the Star Dou Great Forest. Not far away was the secluded, bustling town that Xiao Wu often frequented.

Xiao Wu could already vaguely see the outlines of the low-rise buildings on the edge of the town.

Erming stopped behind a dense thicket of trees, his massive body perfectly concealed in the shadows.

It bent its knees slightly, allowing Xiao Wu to easily jump off its shoulder.

"Sister Xiaowu, I'll stay here." Erming's deep voice rang out again.

Xiao Wu nodded: "Yes, I'll be back soon."

She straightened her clothes, took a deep breath as if to encourage herself, and then strode towards the remote town whose outline was vaguely visible outside the forest.

Chapter 182 Abnormality

Xiao Wu's steps were slow, her pink scorpion braids swaying gently behind her.

Every time she left the forest, she felt as if she were leaving a safe haven and stepping into a world full of unknowns and dangers.

She hated that feeling.

But for the sake of cultivation, it is necessary to do so.

Erming watched Xiaowu's figure disappear into the woods, a trace of worry flashing in his huge eyes.

It knew that Sister Xiaowu didn't like humans, and that she was never in a good mood whenever she went out.

All it can do is stay here and make sure it can appear immediately when Sister Xiaowu needs it.

Its massive body was as stable as a mountain, its aura restrained, patiently waiting.

……

On the other side, in the outer area of ​​the Star Dou Great Forest.

Under an ancient tree that required several people to encircle, Tang San and Cinderella sat cross-legged, each closing their eyes to regulate their breathing and adapt to their newly acquired second soul ring.

Two soul rings floated around each of them, one yellow and one purple.