"So fast!"
Zhu Hao instinctively crossed his two bear claws in front of him, defending against the blur of pink. The impact was instant and devastating. He felt a colossal, shocking force smash into his defense, not the gentle push he expected, but a true physical blow that sent his small, round body skidding backward over a dozen yards, carving shallow troughs in the earth. He came to a halt only after tumbling over a thick tree root.
"Interesting! You have quite a bit of physical strength, little pig. I heard you can transform; use it! Otherwise, you won't stand a chance against me."
Xiao Wu stood still, her posture radiating an effortless pride. She hadn't used any of her Soul Power, relying purely on the dense, 100,000-year-old body she possessed. Her gaze was sharp, a testament to her experience.
"You asked for it!"
Zhu Hao didn't hesitate for a second. This rabbit wasn't playing around.
"Activate: Law of Heaven and Earth!"
BOOM!
His magical power erupted. Having just leveled up to Level 3, the surge was even more violent than before. Zhu Hao's body swelled, golden fur shining as he became the colossal, imposing form of the giant bear. The powerful, almost divine aura emanating from him caused the grass beneath him to ripple, and the big white rabbit, Xiao Liu, who was watching from the sidelines, trembled uncontrollably.
"How did he get so strong now? He must have been holding back his true strength before!" Xiao Liu was genuinely horrified. She would never have guessed that Zhu Hao's strength had skyrocketed merely moments ago thanks to an unexpected upgrade.
"That power has increased at least a hundredfold. Truly amazing!"
Xiao Wu's ruby eyes narrowed in surprise, but the look of fear never touched her face. Instead, a greater excitement sparked within her. She took the initiative, her small pink form launching forward with terrifying speed. Though small, the power concentrated in her quick limbs was earth-shattering. The very air before her exploded, unable to handle the sudden displacement.
Zhu Hao met the charge without hesitation, clapping his massive paws together.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The bear's paw, now the size of a large fan, collided repeatedly with Xiao Wu's seemingly thin arms and legs. Each impact resonated like a gong, sending shockwaves through the forest. Despite his vastly superior mass and the Law of Heaven and Earth boost, Zhu Hao found himself being driven back, step after painful step. This was a direct testament to the raw physical dominance of a 100,000-year-old Soul Beast.
"No more fighting! That's enough!" Zhu Hao suddenly roared, halting his retreat.
His initial urge to test his newfound, surging strength had been satisfied. The thrill of battle was replaced by the pragmatic realization that the Law of Heaven and Earth consumed a massive amount of Energy. He had just refilled his stores, and wasting them against an unyielding fortress of a rabbit was poor strategy. He couldn't keep this form sustained long enough to genuinely tire her out.
"So you admit defeat? Good. Then apologize to Xiao Liu right now, and I, Xiao Wu, will be magnanimous enough to let you go." Xiao Wu stood, chest heaving slightly, but otherwise completely unharmed and full of triumphant fighting spirit.
"Apologize to this little rabbit? No way! Absolutely not!" Zhu Hao reverted to his smaller form, shrinking instantly. He stood firm, refusing to yield on principle.
"Are you looking to continue this fight, little pig?" Xiao Wu raised her small paws, waving them dismissively, a vicious threat in her movements.
"You can catch Lord Pig first!"
Zhu Hao instantly activated his new, coveted Magical Power. Four pairs of golden wings, thin as cicada wings but structured with overlapping, sharp-edged scales, unfurled from his back. He shot straight up into the sky, hovering a hundred yards above them.
"Come back down here!" Xiao Wu screamed, stomping her foot.
"Come up if you dare, little brat!" Zhu Hao called down proudly. "You want to beat me up? Impossible! Can you beat Lord Pig whenever you want? No, you cannot!"
"Damn it! Bastard!" Xiao Wu gritted her teeth, glaring at the little golden bear gently swaying his wings in the air. "Let's see how long your little wings can keep you up there!"
"Lord Pig's endurance is beyond your wildest imagination, heh heh! And I'm not playing with you anymore. Lord Pig is leaving!"
The Eight Wings of Flying vibrated with astonishing speed. Zhu Hao transformed into a golden blur and rocketed toward the heavens, disappearing from Xiao Wu's sight in the blink of an eye.
Xiao Wu cursed loudly, helpless fury radiating from her. She knew in her heart that with Zhu Hao's incredible vertical speed, catching him was virtually impossible.
Meanwhile, high in the sky, Zhu Hao was experiencing sheer, unadulterated joy.
"Awoo! Lord Pig can fly to the sky too!"
He soared freely. The mountains, the rivers, and the entire Star Dou Great Forest sprawled out beneath him like a living map. He crossed thousands of miles in a flash.
But the speed was disorienting. He had to learn control. After flying aimlessly for a period, Zhu Hao decided to practice. He practiced banking, diving, and stabilizing his speed.
The initial attempts were disastrous. He'd try to turn slowly and end up spinning wildly. He'd attempt to halt and instead plummet for hundreds of feet before recovering.
I need precision! This isn't just flapping; it's subtle energy control!
He focused, pushing the powerful Energy granted by his Level 3 status into the wing structure. The golden wings responded with fine-tuned control. The wind, which had previously roared in his ears, now moved smoothly past him. He learned to adjust the angle of the individual wing segments, turning a massive wind-resistance issue into an aerodynamic advantage.
After what felt like hours, Zhu Hao had mastered the Eight Wings of Flying. He was now an experienced pilot, flying with the steady, practiced ease of a veteran.
"Rabbits!"
Suddenly, in the sprawling greenery below, Zhu Hao spotted Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu. His figure instantly corrected its trajectory, diving like a missile. He braked using his wings with exquisite precision, coming to a perfect, stable stop a hundred meters above their heads. The landing was flawless.
"It's you again!"
Xiao Wu looked up, teeth clenched, fully expecting him to mock her.
"Hey, Rabbit, why so ferocious? Did Lord Pig eat your rice or steal your carrots?" Zhu Hao asked, genuinely puzzled by her persistent hostility. "All I did was catch that big white one once. I didn't hurt her! Is there really a need to hold such a massive grudge?"
"Hmph! I have a name! My name is Xiao Wu, which means 'dancing.' You bullied Xiao Liu, and I'm her boss, so naturally, I have to seek justice!" Xiao Wu retorted.
"Xiao Wu, how about this? Lord Pig didn't actually harm her. Let Lord Pig take both of you flying! We can soar hand-in-hand, and still be good friends! What do you say?"
Zhu Hao proposed the truce with his most charming smile. He wasn't afraid of Xiao Wu, but he was acutely aware that a 100,000-year-old Soul Beast usually had very powerful friends. He knew of the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Blue Bull Python. Getting into a prolonged, unnecessary conflict with their small group over a mere prank was strategically unsound. Peace, bought with a fun trip, was the better investment.
"Take us flying?" Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu were dumbfounded. They hadn't expected the golden bear to offer such a spectacular prize.
They looked up at Zhu Hao, the four sets of golden wings shimmering in the sun. They were both strongly tempted.
However, Xiao Wu, as the100,000-year-old big sister, had a sense of pride. A girl must maintain some reserve; she couldn't agree immediately!
"Sister Xiao Wu, he truly didn't hurt me. He just got me dirty," Xiao Liu advised, her voice brimming with excitement. She no longer found Zhu Hao hateful. In fact, seeing his perfectly round, golden, furry body, backed by the four pairs of magnificent golden wings, he looked like some ancient Divine Pig—majestic, powerful, and utterly captivating.
"It turns out this guy is incredibly handsome," Xiao Liu thought, her heart racing when she recalled the terrifying power of his transformed giant form.
"If you don't want to go, then forget it!" Zhu Hao, sensing Xiao Wu's hesitation, decided to play his final card. He deliberately flapped his wings and pretended to rush away.
Playing hard to get always works!
"Sister Xiao Wu, please! I have no objection! Can you just agree?" Xiao Liu panicked, clutching Xiao Wu's leg and begging.
"Fine! Since Xiao Liu has forgiven you, I suppose I have no choice but to agree," Xiao Wu said, taking the diplomatic off-ramp. She secretly wanted to go flying, too. She worried that if she pressed the issue, Zhu Hao would genuinely leave, and she'd miss the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Wonderful!"
Zhu Hao landed, extending a small paw. "Let me properly introduce myself. My name is Zhu Hao (Zhu as in Thousands of Colors, Hao as in Emperor Haotian). You can call me Master Zhu or Master Hao!"
"My name is Xiao Wu (Wu means dancing). I'm older than you, so you can call me Sister Xiao Wu!" Xiao Wu extended a pink paw and gave Zhu Hao a firm, sisterly shake.
"My name is Xiao Liu! Just call me Xiao Liu!" The big white rabbit hurried over, extending her own tiny paw.
"Alright, Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu! Let's go! Lord Pig will take you flying!"
Zhu Hao scooped up a rabbit in each of his little paws, gave his eight flying wings a powerful thrust, and shot skyward.
"Aaah!" Xiao Liu screamed, clutching Zhu Hao's fur tightly. The initial acceleration was terrifying.
Xiao Wu was equally startled, but as the big sister, she refused to show fear. She kept her face stoic, a façade of cool composure hiding her rapidly beating heart.
"Lord Pig can be even faster, heh heh!"
Zhu Hao noticed Xiao Wu's forced calm. His eyes twinkled mischievously. He pushed a sudden burst of power into the wings. His speed instantly doubled, and they streaked across the sky, a golden ray leaving the vast landscape in a blur.
"AAAAGH!"
The sudden acceleration shattered Xiao Wu's composure. Her body tensed, and her two pink paws involuntarily clamped down onto Zhu Hao's fur with the strength of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast.
"Uncle Pig, slow down!" Xiao Liu begged weakly. Although the speed was exhilarating, she couldn't see anything, only hearing the deafening rush of wind.
"Alright!"
Having satisfied his need to tease them, Zhu Hao eased off the throttle, slowing to a moderate speed. They soared in the heavens, appreciating the magnificent, boundless beauty of the land below.
"Wow..."
Slowing down allowed Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu to take in the spectacle. White clouds drifted below their feet and sailed overhead. The Star Dou Great Forest was laid out beneath them in all its glory. Their minds felt free, as if they were standing atop the world's highest peak.
Then, a truly surreal scene unfolded above the Star Dou Great Forest: a perfectly round, golden, eight-winged piglet was majestically flying through the sky, holding two rabbits—one white, one pink—who were both clinging on for dear life, a sight that baffled every powerful Soul Beast and Soul Master below.