Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends.

Although he had already planned out the future for that 100,000-year-old transformed soul beast, there's always a chance of something going wrong.

He would absolutely not allow any unexpected factors to interfere with his plans or threaten Tang San's safety.

The journey back was unusually silent and oppressive because Tang Hao deliberately sped up and took detours.

Yu Xiaogang wanted to ask Tang San about his feelings after absorbing the second soul ring several times, or to discuss the direction of his cultivation, but after seeing Tang Hao's silent and cold back, he swallowed all his words.

Tang San spent most of his time silently sensing the changes in power brought about by the second ring of the Thousand-Year Soul, which he had just acquired, as well as the new soul skill information that had appeared in his mind.

Occasionally, he would glance at Cinderella beside him.

As Cinderella hurried along, she mentally reviewed what she had gained from the trip.

The second ring of the millennium undoubtedly greatly enhanced her strength.

But for some reason, she always felt that Tang Hao must be hiding something from them this time.

Led by Tang Hao in an almost forced march, they successfully exited the Star Dou Great Forest, which resembled the entrance to a giant beast, in just over half the time it had taken to get there.

When he stepped onto the solid dirt road outside the forest and saw the outline of that familiar town in the distance, Yu Xiaogang's tense nerves finally relaxed, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

Tang Hao also stopped and looked back at the lush, seemingly boundless forest.

His gaze was deep, as if piercing through layers of trees to see the core lake of life and the figure of the girl in pink.

The seeds have been planted.

Next, it's time to wait and guide it to take root and sprout.

"Let's go back to Nottingham."

Tang Hao withdrew his gaze, his voice remaining calm and devoid of any emotion.

He headed towards the place where the horse-drawn carriages were parked in the town.

Tang San and Cinderella followed.

Yu Xiaogang dared not delay and quickly followed.

……

The core area of ​​the Starry Sky Forest, the Lake of Life.

Unlike the bustling and dangerous surroundings, this place is like a secluded paradise.

The lake surface is as smooth as a mirror, filled with a rich, almost tangible, life force. Exotic flowers and rare herbs surround it, and ancient trees reach for the sky. Every breath carries a refreshing and invigorating energy.

This is the true forbidden area of ​​the Star Dou Great Forest, jointly occupied by several ferocious beast kings, including Di Tian.

A pink figure nimbly passed through an invisible energy boundary with a gentle repulsive force and entered the area.

Xiao Wu landed lightly on the soft grass, letting out a long sigh of relief, her face beaming with a relieved smile of returning to absolute safety. She was able to enter entirely thanks to the privilege granted by the auspicious beast.

"My Lord, the Auspicious Beast! I'm back!" she called out to the figure radiating a soft glow by the lake.

The nine-colored deer walked over with graceful steps, its clear and pure eyes looking at Xiao Wu. It nodded slightly and its ethereal and gentle voice rang out: "Hmm, how does it feel?"

Xiao Wu ran to the lakeside, squatted down, and splashed the icy water with her hands. She pouted and complained, "What else can I do? It's just like that. The human world is noisy and chaotic, and it smells awful. If it weren't for cultivation, I wouldn't want to go there!"

She shook the water droplets off her hands, stood up, and a sly smile appeared on her face again.

"However, I only stayed for a short time this time. I felt I had absorbed enough human energy, so I rushed back! It's still most comfortable inside!"

What she meant by "inside" was the core area of ​​this Lake of Life.

Compared to the place where Daming and Erming only guard the main gate of the core area, this place is more peaceful, safer, and has more abundant energy.

The nine-colored deer looked at her gently and said softly, "This step is unavoidable on the path of cultivation. You've worked hard."

"Okay, okay." Xiao Wu waved her hand, clearly not wanting to talk about the human world anymore.

She ran to the Nine-Colored Deer and asked curiously, "My Lord Beast, what fun things happened here while I was away?"

The nine-colored deer shook its head slightly: "Nothing special has happened. Everything is as usual."

Xiao Wu blinked her big eyes, seemingly a little disappointed, but quickly cheered up: "It's okay! Anyway, I'm back! From now on, I'm going to cultivate hard and try to break through as soon as possible!"

She clenched her small fist, looking full of energy. Here, she didn't need to worry about any disturbances and could completely immerse herself in cultivation.

Seeing Xiao Wu become lively again, a gentle smile appeared in the eyes of the Nine-Colored Deer. To it, Xiao Wu was like a little sister in this forbidden forest who needed to be cared for.

Xiao Wu played and frolicked with the nine-colored deer by the lake for a while, then completely forgot about the discomfort and depression she had experienced in the human world.

She lay on the grass by the lake, looking at the blue sky fragmented by the tall tree canopy, the crisp scent of exotic grasses and lake water filling her nostrils, the only sounds in her ears being the rustling of leaves in the breeze and the occasional birdsong.

Chapter 186 Suppression

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, Dai Mubai is twelve years old.

His studies at the Star Luo Royal Soul Master Academy are about to reach a crucial juncture.

As a whole, the Star Luo Royal Soul Master Academy strictly divides students into classes according to their age and soul power level.

Dai Mubai has now reached the point where he needs to advance to the next level. His current soul power has reached level 29, just one step away from obtaining the crucial third soul ring at level 30.

Therefore, he will soon be entering a brand new class.

Logically speaking, reaching level 29 in soul power at this age would place him among the top geniuses on the entire continent, enough to command the attention of any force.

But Dai Mubai's mood at this moment did not show any joy after the breakthrough. Instead, it was as if a huge boulder was pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe.

Inside the spacious yet cold bedroom, Dai Mubai finished a day of cultivation, feeling the surging level 29 soul power within his body, but there was not a trace of a smile on his face.

His cultivation level was his greatest asset, but it also became a death warrant.

All of this was naturally due to the investment he received from Ge Duo. Those potent pills made his cultivation twice as effective, and his soul power increased at a rate far exceeding that of ordinary people.

But this excessive speed, like a firefly in the night, is hard to miss.

Naturally, Dai Mubai aroused Davis's suppression and suspicion.

Davis wasn't stupid. When the Star Luo delegation returned from Heaven Dou City, they brought back information about Ge Duo and elixirs.

Although Zhu Tianlin brought back most of the pills to present to his father, Davis also had some for himself, and he was well aware of the effects of these pills.

As for Dai Mubai, his younger brother who went to Tiandou City with him, his cultivation speed became exceptionally rapid after returning.

It's hard not to wonder if Dai Mubai really did meet Ge Duo in private and obtained more beneficial pills for cultivation from her?

This conjecture left Davis, who had always viewed Dai Mubai as a potential threat and had been continuously suppressing him, feeling extremely shocked and solemn.

Regardless of whether the speculation is true or not, given Dai Mubai's cultivation speed, Davis knows that he must now give him more severe targeting and suppression.

We must not allow him to grow up smoothly and threaten our position.

Therefore, Dai Mubai's days at the academy became particularly difficult during this period.

Openly, Davis's faction gave him special treatment in various courses and combat training, using ruthless methods under the guise of helping His Highness improve his combat skills.

After several encounters, Dai Mubai sustained considerable injuries.

Secretly, the cultivation resources he could obtain were drastically reduced, and the mentors he was assigned were always half-hearted, even implying surveillance.

Even the few servants who were already by his side were transferred or replaced for various reasons.

Dai Mubai sat in the chair and rubbed his still sore shoulders, which were a result of today's practical lesson.

His face was gloomy, and his eyes held suppressed anger and exhaustion.

Although Ge Duo's help made his cultivation speed faster, Dai Mubai suffered greatly from the omnipresent and ever-increasing pressure from Davis.

He felt like an insect trapped in a spider web, the more it struggled, the tighter the bindings became.

He had known the cruelty of royal struggles since childhood and had always disguised himself as a nobleman to protect himself, but had he ever truly suffered such real hardship?

The physical pain, the lack of resources, and the oppressive environment made him feel extremely frustrated and uncomfortable.

Dai Mubai, however, is clearly not a person who can truly endure hardship or be patient.

His decade-long indulgence and pretense had already worn away most of his resilient character.

"Damn it..." Dai Mubai cursed under his breath, slamming his fist on the table beside him with a dull thud. The table remained motionless, but a sharp pain shot through the back of his hand.

If he stayed in Star Luo, he had no doubt that Davis would become even more ruthless.

Once they enter that higher-level class, the competition there will be more direct and blatant, and Davis will have more methods at his disposal, making it even more difficult to defend against.

He might not even grow up before being completely ruined, or even die unexpectedly.

A strong sense of fear and resentment welled up inside me.

Dai Mubai didn't want to die, nor did he want to be forever trampled under Davis's feet. The blood of the Star Luo royal family flowed in his veins, and he also had ambitions; he too wanted to sit on that supreme position!

However, staying in Xingluo offers no way out.

A thought, like a flash of lightning in the darkness, instantly appeared in Dai Mubai's mind.

Leave Xingluo.

Yes, get out of here! Go somewhere Davis can't reach!

Head to the Heavenly Dou Empire!

The Star Luo royal family has a long-standing tradition of selecting its heir through brutal competition.

His competition with Davis coincided with the upcoming Elite Tournament for Advanced Soul Master Academies across the continent in a few years, and almost everyone assumed that this tournament would be the final stage for the two brothers to compete.

However, within the Star Luo Royal Academy, Dai Mubai simply couldn't compete with the deeply rooted Davis in terms of networking and recruitment of truly top-tier geniuses.

He was outnumbered and unable to assemble a strong team to counter Davis's team.

In order to find reliable teammates and build a team that can defeat Davis, he must step out of the Star Empire controlled by Davis and look for opportunities and help in a wider area.

The Heavenly Dou Empire is undoubtedly the best choice.

Moreover, his departure from Xingluo to Tiandou did not violate the rules of royal competition.

This is part of the competition itself—seeking external forces to strengthen oneself.

His father, Emperor Dai Tianfeng of the Star Luo Empire, wouldn't say much about it, and might even be happy to see it happen, as long as the most powerful successor can be chosen in the end.

Moreover, Heaven Dou City has Ge Duo! That mysterious and powerful alchemist.

Since she chose to invest in me in the first place, wouldn't it be only natural for me to go and rely on her?

With her protection and resources, he could avoid Davis's sharp edge and develop in peace.

Once we are strong enough, we will compete with Davis for everything!

Once the idea emerged, it quickly took root, spread, and became incredibly tempting.

Although escaping Star City would be ridiculed, compared to the imminent danger of losing one's life, the distant risks seemed bearable.

He was fed up with this life of constant anxiety and being controlled at every turn.

He's going to the Heavenly Battle Arena! He's going to find His Majesty Godot! He's going to become powerful and then return everything that Davis has imposed on him, with interest!

As for when to leave, Dai Mubai already had a plan in mind, which would naturally be during the Continental High-Level Soul Master Competition not long from now.

Chapter 187 Admission by Recommendation

The finals of the Continental High-Level Soul Master Tournament will be held in Wuhun City. All teams that have made it to the finals will travel to Wuhun City.

At the same time, almost all forces on the mainland will send people to watch the game.

Dai Mubai knew that Davis wouldn't let go of this opportunity to expand his prestige. Therefore, he would inevitably go to Wuhun City, where Davis's attention would be diverted.

This was Dai Mubai's best opportunity.

This thought grew wildly in Dai Mubai's heart like weeds, dispelling the repression of the past few days and bringing a kind of almost morbid excitement.

He sat in the cold bedroom, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table, making a soft, resonant sound.

Outside the window was the bustling night view of Xingluo City, brightly lit, but those lights could not penetrate his room, nor could they penetrate his heart.

Previously, he could still gain some breathing space under Davis's nose by disguising himself as a mannequin.

But now, ever since he returned from Tiandou City and his strength began to rise abnormally, that pitiful breathing space has been completely taken away.

Davis was like a shark that had smelled blood, relentlessly pursuing him. The targeting within the academy, the cuts to resources, the increase in spies around him... all of this made it clear to him that Davis had come to see him as a threat that had to be eliminated.

If we stay any longer, we'll die.

This realization was both incredibly clear and incredibly cold.