However, Tang Hao stared at Xiao Wu relentlessly, not giving her the slightest chance to escape.
That night,after seeing Xiao Wu already asleep, father and son went to the next room to discuss matters.
What they didn't know was, once they left, Xiao Wu quietly got up from bed, pressed her ear against the wall, and used her sharp hearing to listen in on their conversation.
In the next room,
Tang Hao looked deeply at Tang San and said:
"Xiao San, it's been over a year now, and still no progress?"
Tang San replied:
"I can feel Xiao Wu has developed some affection for me, but… it always feels like something is missing."
"Missing something? Could it be what she often says—that she's a slow-to-warm-up girl, conservative, doesn't want to confirm the relationship so early, and that she's testing you?" Tang Hao asked back.
"Yes, yes, yes! Father, Xiao Wu is testing me. As long as I pass her test, she will definitely love me." Tang San said excitedly.
Tang Hao: "…"
Both father and son were love-obsessed fools, but Tang Hao's infatuation was for A Yin.
Because of this, when it came to Xiao Wu, he saw things much clearer than Tang San did.
He patted his head helplessly and said:
"Xiao San, do you even realize there were several times Xiao Wu tried to escape, but I stopped her?"
"Ah—really?" Tang San froze, his face blank.
"So when she says she's slow-to-warm, conservative, doesn't want to settle too early, and needs to test you—most likely, she's just stalling, trying to find a chance to escape from us!" Tang Hao explained.
"Why…" Tang San's face darkened, and he dropped to his knees in pain.
"Xiao Wu… why? This whole year, haven't I treated you well? Several times when you were in danger, I saved you (danger Tang Hao had staged). Why… even so, do you still want to leave me?"
"Enough, stop crying! A man shouldn't cry!" Tang Hao pulled Tang San up and said:
"Xiao Wu is right in front of you, she won't run away. Sooner or later, she'll be yours."
"But…" Tang San said painfully, "why can't I ever move Xiao Wu's heart?"
Tang Hao said:
"That's because your methods are wrong. From now on, you need to listen to me."
"Father, you have an idea?" Tang San asked.
"Hmm." Tang Hao nodded, then moved his lips slightly, using sound transmission to send words directly into Tang San's ear.
"Ah… wouldn't that be too fast?" Tang San's dark face flushed slightly.
"Too fast? You've already been here for a year and you're still in the so-called 'slow phase.'" Tang Hao mocked.
"What, do you plan to stay slow forever? Aren't you going to the Slaughter City, Xiao San?"
"But…" Tang San hesitated.
"No buts. First, get her on the carriage—best if you have a child first. With that child as a bond, feelings can slowly grow over time. As for me, I'll watch her closely, make sure she doesn't mingle with those shady men whose spirits can fuse with hers. You can head to the Slaughter City without worry." Tang Hao said decisively.
After more than a year of observation, Tang Hao had long seen that Xiao Wu didn't love Tang San at all.
At this rate, there was no chance they would end up together.
Thus, Tang Hao had already decided to change tactics.
"But… if it's like this, I'm worried about my relationship with Xiao Wu…" Tang San realized what his father intended and began to worry.
Because he thought of Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong—if he forced himself on Xiao Wu, and in the end she resented him like Bibi Dong resented Qian Xunji, then it would be beyond repair.
"I'll play the black face, force her to marry you. You'll play the white face, treat her kindly. Anyway, first have a child. Affection can be nurtured with time." Tang Hao said.
Tang San was swayed by Tang Hao's words. He also desperately wanted his relationship with Xiao Wu to bear fruit.
The father and son discussed in secret for a short while, then went their separate ways.
Under the dark moonlight, Tang Hao's figure stood outside Xiao Wu's room.
Through the crack of the window and door, his blood-red eyes stared inside at the "sleeping" Xiao Wu.
After confirming nothing unusual, Tang Hao turned and left.
The moment that oppressive gaze faded, Xiao Wu opened her eyes on the bed.
She began piecing together the information she had just gathered.
Tang Hao and Tang San had hidden one critical part of their discussion.
But one thing was clear:
They seemed to want me to love Tang San, that dark-faced fool?
Such an abnormal goal could only mean one thing:
Tang Hao wanted to repeat the same trick, doing to me what he once did to A Yin.
Make me fall in love with Tang San, then sacrifice myself for him, helping that dark brat succeed.
Tang Hao, you are despicable.
Love Tang San? Bear his child?
Not in a thousand lifetimes. Even sewn shut, I wouldn't let that happen.
Sacrifice myself to become your Tang family's spirit ring and spirit bone? I'd rather kill myself.
Xiao Wu was certain: she could never love Tang San.
But father and son clearly had a conspiracy.
She didn't know the details, but she had heard Tang Hao clearly say:
"First get her on the carriage, first have a child, then form a bond."
One thing was sure—this endless stalling had worn down Tang Hao's patience.
He was now prepared to use force.
It seemed she could no longer sit and wait for death—she must find a way to escape.
But how? This was within Tang Hao's perception range.
Xiao Wu felt extreme distress.
Her previous attempts to escape had already made Tang Hao alert.
If she tried again, it would only be more difficult.
Would she really fall into Tang Hao and Tang San's trap?
If so, she'd rather die.
But she wasn't willing to die yet—she hadn't avenged her mother.
Just as Xiao Wu was tormented by these thoughts, suddenly—
she felt her chest heat up, as if something inside wanted to burst out.
"Wh-what is this? Something is coming out of my chest?"
Xiao Wu was forced to arch her body, her chest glowing with blood-red light.
From within her body, a sword sheath slowly floated out.
She stared blankly as the sheath hovered in midair, flooding the room with crimson light.
"What is this? Why would something like this be inside my body?"
Xiao Wu's rabbit brain was too stunned to react.
Soon, the sheath retracted its glow, the door opened on its own, and the sheath flew out.
It was connected to Xiao Wu somehow, summoning her to follow.
After hesitating a moment, Xiao Wu went out after it.
At this point, you can probably guess—something small had just happened in the God Realm.
Specifically, Tang San's great patron, the Shura God, had encountered a little accident!
Although she didn't know where the sword sheath came from, Xiao Wu instinctively felt that it was something of great importance to her. She had to follow its guidance.
When she stepped outside, Tang Hao and Tang San's house was quiet. They didn't seem to be disturbed by the strange occurrence just now, which puzzled Xiao Wu greatly.
The sword sheath first floated into Tang San's room. Xiao Wu came outside his door and peeked inside.
Tang San was sitting cross-legged on his bed, cultivating his Xuan Tian Gong, completely unaffected by the sword sheath's presence.
Xiao Wu withdrew her gaze from Tang San, and the sword sheath drifted toward Tang Hao's room.
Treading softly, Xiao Wu followed the sheath to Tang Hao's door and peered through the crack.
Inside, Tang Hao sat by a table. On the table was a pile of spiced beans and a bowl of cheap barley wine. He ate one bean and took one sip of wine, but his eyes were fixed firmly on Xiao Wu's room, as though monitoring the activity inside.
And this was what truly baffled Xiao Wu.
If Tang Hao had been watching her, then the sudden anomaly in her room, the appearance of the sword sheath, and her stepping out of the room—had he not noticed any of it?
He seemed like a blind man with his eyes wide open, completely unable to perceive what was happening before him.
The sword sheath allowed Xiao Wu only a single glance inside, then flew off into the distance.
Though Xiao Wu was still confused by Tang Hao's behavior, she realized this was her chance to escape.
She followed the direction of the sheath while glancing back from time to time at Tang Hao's room.
Confirming that the old dog Tang Hao had made no move, she felt relieved and trailed the sheath deep into the forest.
Once she had left Tang Hao's surveillance range, Xiao Wu let out a sigh of relief. At last, she had escaped. But confusion lingered—where exactly was this sword sheath leading her?
She didn't know, but a force deep inside compelled her to follow.
At last, she arrived at a fork in the forest maze. The sheath hovered in mid-air, stopping there.
Xiao Wu's rabbit ears twitched—she sensed approaching footsteps from one of the paths.
Before the people even arrived, she felt a strong resonance of martial souls.
The footsteps quickened in response.
Soon, a group emerged from the path.
They were: Dai Mubai, Davis, Yu Tianheng, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Xue Beng, Tai Long, Er Ming, Bu Le, and Feng Xiaotian.
"Xiao Wu!" When they saw her, everyone was overjoyed.
"Everyone—" Xiao Wu responded happily.
She rushed forward, hugging them one by one.
After confirming each other's identities, they began sharing what they had experienced over the past year.
After the end of the Soul Master Tournament, they had all mobilized their factions' resources to search for Xiao Wu, but to no avail.
"What about you, Xiao Wu? Did that little brat Tang San and his father hurt you?" Yu Tianheng asked worriedly.
Xiao Wu shook her head. "No, don't worry. Tang Hao hasn't harmed me. On the contrary, he seems intent on pairing me with Tang San—making me like him, love him. He's only ever tried to push me toward Tang San."
Feng Xiaotian frowned. "But Tang Hao knows you're a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. Shouldn't he have locked you up, waiting for Tang San to reach Titled Douluo before—"
Xiao Wu interrupted: "Tang Hao once had a relationship with a soul beast who took human form—A Yin. Tang San is her child. According to Aunt Yin, Tang Hao back then wanted to use love to bind her, then place them in danger so that through love, she would sacrifice herself for him. But his scheme failed due to miscalculation. In the end, he targeted my mother instead." Xiao Wu's eyes flashed with hatred.
"I think Tang Hao intends the same with me—he wants me to sacrifice myself so his precious son can gain my spirit ring and spirit bone faster."
Hearing this, all the men present erupted with anger. How dare Tang Hao plot against their beloved Xiao Wu—it was intolerable!
Er Ming's eyes bulged in rage. "What! Tang Hao, you despicable, shameless dog!"
Yu Tianheng declared: "Xiao Wu, when I advance to Titled Douluo, I'll see that justice is done for you."
Davis said: "Xiao Wu, once I ascend the throne of the Star Luo Empire, I'll make Tang Hao the most reviled man in the empire."
"My Heaven Dou Empire will do the same," Xue Beng added, unwilling to be outdone.
Among them, only the three reincarnators didn't join in the outcry. Though they were angry too, their past-life memories made them think more deeply.
As Dai Mubai pondered, he happened to glance upward—and saw a sword sheath hovering above them, overlooked by everyone else.
The sight shocked him. He nudged Ma Hongjun and Oscar with his elbow.
They too looked up, and upon seeing the sheath, their faces filled with astonishment.
"Xiao Wu, that sheath—" Dai Mubai pointed at the floating sword sheath, struggling to speak coherently.
Everyone's gaze shifted to the sheath.
Xiao Wu explained: "I don't know either. This sheath just appeared from within my body and guided me out of Tang Hao's control to this place. By the way, how did you all get here?"
Bu Le replied: "I heard a voice calling me in the dark. Following it, I was able to meet you, Xiao Wu. So I just kept going until I got here."
The others confirmed that their experiences were the same as Bu Le's.
"Xiao Wu, did you say this sheath came from inside your body?" Dai Mubai asked, his breathing quickening.
"Yes, is there something strange about that?" Xiao Wu tilted her head curiously.
Ma Hongjun exclaimed in horror: "Xiao Wu, don't you really know where this sheath comes from?"
Xiao Wu shook her head.
"That sheath is the Shura God's sword sheath," Oscar said gravely.
In their past lives, the three of them had dealt with Tang San for a long time. Even though their ties in the God Realm had grown distant, they still recognized the Shura Sword Sheath's appearance.
"What—the Shura God Sword Sheath?!" Those familiar with divine lore were shocked. Others, like Xue Beng, Bu Le, and Tai Long, didn't understand but felt the weight of its significance.
"What's the Shura God Sword Sheath?" Xiao Wu asked in confusion.