Ao Tian's school year had been easygoing.
He'd attend classes when he felt like it and skip them when he didn't. Occasionally, he'd return to Wuhun City to see Bibi Dong.
On Qian Renxue's birthday, he even went to Heaven Dou City and brought her back to the Papal Palace.
Xiao Wu was also living a carefree life. As a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who had taken human form, her talent was naturally unmatched. Even without much cultivation, her strength steadily increased.
In the dormitory, the work-study students were packing their bags, and Tang San was doing the same.
Tomorrow was the start of their holiday, and they were all eager to go home.
They'd been at the academy for almost a year; how could they not miss home?
Especially Tang San, he was very worried that his father wouldn't be doing well after he left. He even bought a new forging hammer to take back and give to his father.
In the dorm, only Ao Tian and Xiao Wu hadn't packed anything.
Ao Tian leaned comfortably against his bed; he didn't really have anything to pack.
Xiao Wu was also leaning on her bed, watching her roommates busily packing. Her eyes held a trace of loneliness.
Ao Tian glanced at Xiao Wu, asking with interest, "Why aren't you packing? Aren't you planning to go home?"
Xiao Wu looked a little sad, and said, "I might not go home. I'll probably stay at the academy."
Hearing her words, all the classmates looked over, wondering if something had happened at Xiao Wu's home.
"Why not go back? You've been away for so long. Don't you miss your mother?" Ao Tian asked.
He knew that Xiao Wu's mother hadn't died. Back when Bibi Dong advanced to Title Douluo, he had personally helped her choose a more powerful soul beast, allowing the rabbit to escape death.
Xiao Wu was a little conflicted. Suddenly, she leaned close to Ao Tian's ear and whispered, "It takes several days to get back to the Star Dou Great Forest. I was lucky when I came here, I didn't meet any bad people. But that black-clothed person broke into the academy last time, it really scared me to death. I... I don't dare to go back."
She felt that it was safer to stay in the academy. If someone identified her on the road, she would only be facing death.
However, she missed her mother very much, so she was very conflicted.
Ao Tian joked, "Are you telling me this? Are you suggesting I escort you home?"
He didn't try to conceal his voice, immediately attracting everyone's attention again.
Hearing Ao Tian's words, the dorm erupted in a chorus of playful laughter.
"Sister Xiao Wu, are you meeting the parents so soon?" someone teased.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Xiao Wu was furious, her little face turning red. She reached out and twisted Ao Tian's arm hard.
\n\nAfter a moment, she calmed down and said, "You're only a Soul Master right now; you can't protect me at all."
Ao Tian chuckled, "Have you forgotten? I have an older brother."
Xiao Wu's eyes lit up; she was very tempted.
Ao Tian's older brother could drive away a Title Douluo, which meant his strength was probably extremely powerful among Title Douluos, enough to protect her return to the Star Dou Great Forest.
"No!" She suddenly shook her head like a clacking drum. How could she bring a powerful Title Douluo home?
Wouldn't that harm her mother, Da Ming, and Er Ming?
She felt that Ao Tian's older brother wasn't interested in her soul bone, but that might not be the case for other Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.
Ao Tian could see Xiao Wu's worry. He said, "I can stop my big brother from going inside. He listens to everything I say."
"Really?" Xiao Wu looked at Ao Tian, a little tempted.
Ao Tian nodded. "Really. Whatever I tell him to do, he has to do it."
"Then let me think about it first." Xiao Wu didn't agree immediately; she needed to consider the risks involved.
"Alright." Ao Tian didn't mind.
Xiao Wu thought for a moment, then suddenly her eyes lit up. She asked, "Ao Tian, is your home far from here? How about I go to your place to play?"
"About the same distance as your home," Ao Tian replied. He suddenly lowered his voice and said, "My home is in Wuhun City. Do you dare to go?"
"Ah—" Xiao Wu exclaimed, quickly covering her mouth and shaking her head repeatedly. "I'm not going."
Ao Tian smiled and said nothing more.
Wang Sheng suddenly stood up, clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention. He then announced, "I became a Soul Master this semester. My dad wrote to me recently, saying they'll throw a celebration banquet in the village when I go back. Anyone who wants to go, food and lodging are on me."
"I'll go."
"Me too."
"…"
Hearing about the food, several people couldn't resist.
"Tang San, are you going?" Wang Sheng asked.
Tang San shook his head. Wang Sheng's village was quite far from Holy Soul Village. He didn't want to waste that much time.
The bet between Grandmaster and Ao Tian had only a few months left. After the new semester started, it would be his chance to compete with Ao Tian.
So, he needed to seize every moment to cultivate.
"Ao Tian, just how many levels have you reached? How strong are you?" Tang San thought, looking at Ao Tian leaning against the bed.
After the competition on the small hill, the two hadn't fought again.
During this semester, Tang San had never seen Ao Tian cultivate or make a move, so he didn't know what realm Ao Tian had reached.
"Ao Tian, Xiao Wu, what about you guys?" Wang Sheng asked, looking at Ao Tian and Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu said, "I'll consider it."
Ao Tian shook his head, "I'm not going."
Ao Tian's answer was as Wang Sheng expected. A young master from a wealthy family wouldn't be interested in a village banquet.
That night, Xiao Wu tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She kept thinking about going home.
Could she really trust Ao Tian?
As she thought, a sudden clarity dawned on her.
Ao Tian's brother was a Title Douluo. Even without her leading the way, he could find his way into the depths of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Furthermore, Ao Tian knew she was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. If he really wanted to use her to threaten her family into giving up resistance, he could just capture her, even if she didn't go back.
So no matter what she chose, the outcome would be the same.
"Then I'll let him take me back. I trust him," Xiao Wu turned and glanced at Ao Tian.
Over the past year, she realized she had become accustomed to Ao Tian sleeping beside her.
If Ao Tian suddenly disappeared one day, she thought she would probably be lonely for a very long time.
"I wonder if I'll end up next to him again tonight…" Xiao Wu thought, blushing.
This entire semester, she had woken up on Ao Tian's side almost every morning.
After it happened so many times, she finally believed that she rolled over there in her sleep.
It was a very strange phenomenon. Whenever she fell asleep, she wouldn't roll in any other direction, only towards Ao Tian.
Thinking about it, she closed her eyes, her cheeks slightly flushed. Well, she would just have to accept it. After all, that guy was still so young, he couldn't do anything bad.
The next morning, Tang San, Wang Sheng, and the others left eagerly.
"Have you thought it over? If you really don't need me to see you off, I'll go," Ao Tian said, looking at Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu smiled sweetly and said, "Didn't you say a long time ago that you wanted to take me to see the secrets of the Star Dou Great Forest? Let's go then."
(End of this chapter)