She continued wriggling on top of Ye Qiu, pressing down on him as if she really intended to crush him.
Her small face was flushed—whether from exertion or embarrassment, it was hard to tell.
This is really terrible!
Ye Qiu's face turned red as well. He was genuinely struggling to breathe.
"You little rascal! Don't go too far!"
"A scholar can be killed, but not humiliated!"
"Hey! You dare call me a Rogue Rabbit?" Xiao Wu exploded.
"I'm going to beat you up today!"
…
Another farce finally came to an end under Ye Qiu's Sharingan gaze—though it would have been better if his left eye socket hadn't turned purple.
"Ye Qiu… are you okay? Are you really okay?"
Xiao Wu stretched out her hand and waved it in front of his face anxiously.
"I'm not dead," Ye Qiu replied curtly.
"I—I didn't mean it…" Xiao Wu crouched in front of him, pointing at her eyes.
"At worst, you can hit me back, okay?"
"No need. Just take it as an apology to Xiaobai."
...
Early the next morning, Ye Qiu's impatient voice echoed from inside the stone house.
"Hey! What exactly did you forget to pack? I told you to prepare everything yesterday. All you do is play!"
The swelling around his eye had already subsided, but a clear tooth mark remained on his cheek. Ye Qiu had no idea what that silly rabbit had done last night.
Not only had she insisted on sharing a blanket—she had even bitten him in the middle of the night.
Ye Qiu suspected it was intentional retaliation, but he had no evidence.
"It's fine now! Why are you so fierce…" Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue mischievously.
"I only bit you once!"
That grin only confirmed his suspicions.
"Why are you wearing a blindfold?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.
At the moment, Ye Qiu's eyes were wrapped in black silk. From the outside, his eyes couldn't be seen at all, yet his vision was barely affected.
"My martial soul is my eyes. Of course I have to protect such a fragile area," Ye Qiu explained calmly.
"That's reasonable, right?"
In truth, it was a form of protection. The tomoe of the Sharingan were far too conspicuous. If someone with ulterior motives noticed the changes in his martial soul, trouble would inevitably follow.
It also helped suppress that… troublesome ability.
Xiao Wu then looked at the wooden toys laid out nearby—bows, arrows, slingshots, and the like.
"It's a pity I can't take these with me…"
"If you want them, I'll make more for you later—as long as I have wood," Ye Qiu said lightly.
I'm just afraid you'll look down on my craftsmanship once you see Tang San's hidden weapons…
"Then it's settled!" Xiao Wu smiled brightly. She grabbed Ye Qiu's hand and pulled him outside.
Clutching her pink pouch tightly, only she knew that something new had been added inside—a bamboo dragonfly, the very first toy Ye Qiu had ever made for her.
"Wait for me a moment," Ye Qiu said. He walked over to the peach tree, lit some incense, knelt down, and kowtowed three times.
"Grandpa… Xiao Qiu is leaving now…"
Just as he was about to stand up, he noticed Xiao Wu kneeling beside him as well.
"What are you doing?" Ye Qiu asked, completely confused.
"I—I can't kneel for my mother?" Xiao Wu stammered guiltily.
She muttered something under her breath, hurriedly kowtowed a few times, then immediately jumped up and ran off.
"…This is inexplicable."
Ye Qiu was utterly baffled.
--
Before long, the two arrived at the village entrance. Old Zhang was already there, waiting beside his oxcart.
"Grandpa Zhang, long time no see!" Xiao Wu greeted cheerfully.
Old Zhang nodded repeatedly.
"Ah, this little girl is really adorable…"
When it was Ye Qiu's turn to speak, Old Zhang's expression darkened before he even opened his mouth.
Still, Ye Qiu greeted him politely.
"Good morning, Grandpa Village Chief."
"Oh no, no!" Old Zhang waved his hands.
"You're a future Soul Master now—you've already drawn a clear line with money!"
"…Uh." Ye Qiu froze for a moment, then smiled bitterly.
"So that's what this is about."
"Grandpa Village Chief, what are you saying? That was just a token of respect."
"Grandpa Zhang, what did Ye Qiu do to make you angry?" Xiao Wu asked in confusion.
"It's nothing. Come here," Old Zhang said gruffly. He pulled out a small money pouch and stuffed it into Xiao Wu's hand.
"This is your living expense. Keep it safe."
"Thank you, Grandpa!"
Xiao Wu accepted it without hesitation.
Seeing that, Old Zhang shot Ye Qiu a smug glance.
"Hmph! Get in the cart!"
"Hehe…" Ye Qiu scratched his head helplessly.
What a childish old man.
---
The transportation was simple—a sturdy yellow ox pulling a two-wheeled cart layered with straw. The air carried a faint natural fragrance.
With open ventilation and sunlight streaming in from all sides, the scenery along the way was breathtaking.
Biyou Village isn't far from Notting City. At this speed, we should arrive by afternoon…
By noon, Old Zhang was driving the cart while Ye Qiu and Xiao Wu sat facing each other.
The rabbit who had been full of excitement earlier was now drowsy, gnawing on a carrot with half-closed eyes.
She shifted closer, hugged Ye Qiu's arm, and yawned loudly.
"Ye Qiu~ I'm sleepy…"
"If you're sleepy, just rest," Ye Qiu replied casually beneath his blindfold.
"Okay!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Wu's head rested on his shoulder, her arms wrapping around his.
Ye Qiu glanced down briefly, then looked away.
On this trip to Notting City… Tang Hao will likely discover Xiao Wu's identity as a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
He wasn't completely opposed to taking her away—but where could they go?
He was only at level four innate soul power. Even joining a small faction offered no guarantee of safety.
For Xiao Wu, following the original path was probably the safest choice—for now.
At least… it would buy him time to grow stronger.
Besides, he had his own reasons for coming here.
Outside of Ye Qiu's sight, Xiao Wu secretly opened her eyes and gazed at his profile, a soft smile curving her brows.
When she noticed Old Zhang watching her, she blushed—earning an amused chuckle from the old man.
---
Time passed slowly, and towering spires appeared in the distance. The architecture of the Douluo Continent was largely Western in style.
"Wow! Ye Qiu, look! It's so beautiful!"
Xiao Wu shook his arm excitedly.
"It really is…" Ye Qiu admitted. He wasn't much better than her—a true country bumpkin.
"Haha… I was just like you when I first came here," Old Zhang laughed, reminiscing.
...
The oxcart stopped outside the city gate, and the three walked into the city.
At the entrance to the Soul Master Academy, they didn't receive the harsh treatment Tang San once had—perhaps the guards had already learned their lesson.
The procedures went smoothly, and the two were assigned to the same dormitory.
Dormitory 7.
At the entrance, after bidding farewell to Old Zhang, Ye Qiu and Xiao Wu stepped inside with their luggage.
Inside were more than a dozen boys, most with bruised and swollen faces.
Only one stood out.
Though thin and slightly malnourished, he was neatly dressed and carried himself with calm confidence.
That must be Tang San.
Seeing the protagonist with his own eyes, Ye Qiu felt a subtle sense of emotion.
"Are you new students of Dormitory 7?"
Wang Sheng stepped forward.
"I'm Wang Sheng, and this is our leader—Tang San. Whoever defeats him becomes the new boss!"
"Being the boss?" Xiao Wu's eyes lit up.
"Great! Sister Xiao Wu likes that!"
Wang Sheng then turned to Ye Qiu.
"What about you?"
"My abilities are limited," Ye Qiu said apologetically. He chose a bed quietly and placed his belongings down.
"Ye Qiu, just wait! Once Sister Xiao Wu becomes the boss, I'll protect you!" she said proudly.
"Thank you in advance."
Ye Qiu smiled faintly, wondering whether she'd still be so carefree if she knew her identity might already be exposed.
"Hey! Why are you staring at me like that?" Xiao Wu pointed at a skinny, dark-skinned boy.
"Come here and get beaten!"
"Boss… Boss!" Wang Sheng called out urgently.
"Huh?"
Tang San finally snapped out of his daze.
---