Douro Continent

Chapter 251 Xiao Wu: Swear You'll Never Leave Me (Part 2)

Listening to the master's words, Tang San couldn't help but secretly admire himself. Although he had made a lot of progress, his companions hadn't been idle either. Everyone's strength had improved considerably, and now they were all above level 30. The Shrek Seven Devils' combat power would undoubtedly be greatly enhanced.

"Teacher, I'm going to see them." Tang San was already eager to see his companions.

The master smiled and patted Tang San's head, saying, "You've just gotten back, why don't you rest for a bit?"

Tang San shook his head. "I'm not tired. I still have gifts to give everyone."

The master said, "Then let's go, I'll go with you. Erlong, you two go and get on with your work."

Tang San glanced at Grandmaster, then at Liu Erlong. Both of them remained calm, showing no outward signs of change. Although they weren't particularly intimate, it seemed that Grandmaster could now accept Liu Erlong's presence with equanimity.

Liu Erlong nodded, his gaze not lingering on the master for long, and led the group of soul masters toward the academy's main teaching building.

Watching them walk away, Tang San couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, what about you and Aunt Erlong...?"

The master said calmly, "Children shouldn't ask about adult matters. Let's go. Your companions are all cultivating in the simulated environment."

Instead of heading towards the teaching building, the master led Tang San directly towards the forest behind it.

As they walked, the master asked, "Little San, what did Dugu Bo teach you? What's really going on between you and him?" This question had been on the master's mind for a long time. From Tang San's performance after their battle with Dugu Bo, the master knew that Dugu Bo's interest in Tang San was far more than just his talent. For the past six months, he had been constantly worried about Tang San. After all, Tang San was his only disciple, and they were like father and son.

Tang San said, "Dugu Bo captured me because of Dugu Yan. Dugu Yan must have told her grandfather about my victory over her, which made Dugu Bo interested in my Eight Spider Spears. That's why he captured me. He wants to study the toxins in my Eight Spider Spears."

"So what happened next? Judging from Dugu Bo's tone, it seems you helped him?"

Tang San nodded and said, "I suppose so. Dugu Bo's poison skills had some flaws, which I discovered by chance and remedied. That's why he taught me a lot about using poison out of gratitude. If it weren't for that, I probably wouldn't be alive to see you."

Tang San didn't offer a detailed explanation; he couldn't very well tell Grandmaster that he came from the Tang Clan. His time with Dugu Bo not only greatly improved his poison skills but also provided him with the perfect excuse for using Tang Clan poison techniques. Dugu Bo would never tell anyone that Tang San's poisons were originally his. With the world's number one poison master as a cover, no one would doubt the origin of Tang San's poison abilities.

"I see." The master's thoughts deepened. He had told Dugu Bo about Tang San's background before, and he knew that Dugu Bo's reluctance to kill Tang San, and instead his teaching of poison, was closely related to Tang San's origins. With this in mind, he felt relieved.

"Little San, you've been studying poison with Dugu Bo all this time, so don't neglect your soul power cultivation. Your companions are all geniuses; if you fall too far behind them, you'll never catch up. What level is your soul power now?"

Tang San said, "Thirty-seven."

"Hmm." The master casually replied, but he quickly realized what he meant, his forward step halting abruptly, his expression hardening further. "What did you say? Your soul power is already level thirty-seven?"

Tang San said earnestly, "Yes! Last time at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, under the pressure from that education committee member, my soul power increased to level thirty-four. Later, I cultivated under Senior Dugu and increased it by three levels. Senior Dugu has many precious plants, perhaps because that environment is most suitable for my cultivation. Therefore, my soul power has increased very quickly and has already reached level thirty-seven."

The master smiled slightly. "It seems my worries were completely unnecessary. Even with the poison from Dugu Boxue, your soul power increase is still the fastest among everyone, which puts my mind at ease. In less than half a year, the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament will begin. Judging from the current situation, perhaps you will have a chance to reach level 40 by then. If that's the case, then it will be impossible for the Shrek Seven Devils not to become famous."

As they were talking, the master stopped. Ahead was a thicket of bushes, nearly as tall as a person, and quite dense. The master smiled slightly and called out into the bushes, "Xiao Wu, stop for a moment. Look who's coming."

Upon hearing the name Xiao Wu, Tang San's smile froze, and his eyes revealed deep gratitude. He knew that the reason Grandmaster brought him to see Xiao Wu first was clearly because of their close relationship. Xiao Wu was also the person he was most eager to see.

In a flash, a white figure quickly emerged from the bushes. Her childlike pink face, her exceptionally long and taut legs, her tiny yet incredibly elastic waist, and her scorpion braid hanging to the ground—it was none other than Xiao Wu.

"Master, you've arrived..." Xiao Wu's words were cut short as the person she had been eagerly awaiting appeared in her eyes.

Her pupils contracted almost instantly. "Brother—" Ignoring the fact that Master was still there, Xiao Wu leaped into Tang San's arms. Her two long legs instinctively wrapped around Tang San's waist, holding him tightly. Her pink face was buried in the crook of Tang San's shoulder, and her shoulders trembled violently.

Tang San could clearly feel Xiao Wu's rapid heartbeat. How could he not be excited to see Xiao Wu again?

He wrapped his arms around Xiao Wu's slender waist, his eyes instantly reddening.

At this moment, Xiao Wu was still a little taller than Tang San, but she was hanging on Tang San's body, which gave people a strange feeling.

The master wisely avoided looking at them and turned his gaze to the distance.

"Little Wu, don't cry. I'm back now, aren't I?" Tang San gently stroked Little Wu's back, comforting her with a sob in his voice.

"Waaah—, brother, don't you want Xiaowu anymore? Why have you been gone for so long..."

No wonder Xiao Wu was so excited. Since she met Tang San, the two of them had never been separated for more than a month in the six or seven years since they met. This time, Tang San was gone for half a year and his whereabouts were unknown. Xiao Wu missed him terribly. She asked Master Tang San's whereabouts many times. Of course, Master could not tell her that Tang San was with Dugu Bo. Otherwise, what if Xiao Wu impulsively went to Sunset Forest?

"How could I? How could I bear to leave you? It's all my fault for making you worry." Tang San's clothes were already soaked with Xiao Wu's tears, and her long legs were tightly wrapped around Tang San's waist, as if she was afraid that Tang San would run away again.

Xiao Wu looked up, her eyes now completely red, and pouted, saying, "Then you can't leave me anymore. Even if you go to cultivate, you have to take me with you."

"Okay, okay, I promise you." Tang San wiped away Xiao Wu's tears while comforting her.

Tears welled up in Xiao Wu's big eyes as she blinked. She wrapped her arms around Tang San's neck and sobbed, "Brother, do you know how much I miss you? You swear, you swear you'll never leave me."

Tang San replied without hesitation, "I swear, unless I die, I will never leave Xiao Wu."

Xiao Wu then stopped crying and smiled, leaning on Tang San's shoulder again. "Xiao Wu also swears that she will never leave Brother San, not even if it means death."

The master beside him shook his head helplessly, thinking to himself, "Young people these days are really open-minded. These two kids aren't even fourteen yet. They're quite precocious." However, he didn't want to disrupt the harmony before him, and simply waited quietly.

Tang San was much calmer than Xiao Wu. He gently patted Xiao Wu's pert bottom and said, "Be good, come down. Your teacher is still here."

Xiao Wu then remembered the existence of the master, and her pretty face immediately turned red. She loosened her long legs that were wrapped around Tang San's waist and landed on the ground, but she still clung to one of Tang San's arms and refused to let go no matter what.

"Teacher, let's go find someone else."

The master turned to look at the two of them. Although they were still young, they were a perfect couple. A smile appeared in his eyes. He nodded and continued walking deeper into the woods.

Simulated environment training involves choosing different training locations based on the different martial souls of the Soul Master.

Like Xiao Wu, whose martial soul is a rabbit, she naturally cultivates in the bushes that best suit her. Dai Mubai cultivates in the animal pen, while Oscar's cultivation is the simplest—as a food-type soul master, the kitchen is the place that best stimulates his soul power improvement. As for Ma Hongjun, he cultivates in a room filled with stoves.

Of course, these are just relatively ordinary simulated environments. Under better conditions, the assistance to cultivation will be enhanced.

For example, if Ma Hongjun's training location could be placed in the crater of a volcano, the benefits to him would be greater, but of course, the danger would also increase significantly.

(End of this chapter)