"Xiao Wu!"
In front of the humble wooden cottage nestled in the quiet valley, the beautiful woman looked up at the sky. Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her exquisite features were momentarily softened by a look of profound surprise.
It took her a few moments to recognize the tiny, pink speck clinging to the side of the flying golden blur. Seeing that Xiao Wu was not only unharmed but appeared to be shouting with uncontrolled glee, the woman relaxed, a familiar, slightly exasperated smile gracing her lips.
"What strange Soul Beast is that? Why have I never seen it before?" she murmured to herself.
Looking at Zhu Hao's figure, which was still just a shimmering speck in the high atmosphere, the beautiful woman felt utterly perplexed. The Star Dou Great Forest was home to countless ancient species and bizarre mutations, so she didn't dwell on the mystery for too long.
After all, the strange creature was providing an aerial tour rather than an attack. As long as her precious Xiao Wu was safe and happy, nothing else mattered.
Meanwhile, Deep within the secluded core of the Star Dou Great Forest, beside the tranquil, massive lake, a figure of staggering size was looking skyward.
"Brother, this is terrible! Xiao Wu has been captured by a flying pig!"
The voice was a deafening, booming alarm, like a thousand temple bells rung in unison. This mountain-like figure was over fifteen meters tall, a black beast combining the ferocious aspects of an ape and a chimpanzee.
Its eyes, massive and the size of dinner lanterns, sparkled with an intelligent, citrine luster. This was the mighty Titan Giant Ape, Er Ming—one of the two undisputed kings of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Splash! Crash! Whoosh!
In the center of the lake, the water suddenly churned with terrifying violence, as if a volcanic eruption was occurring beneath the surface. The waves parted violently, and a monstrous creature emerged. It was a serpent of impossible length, easily over a hundred meters long, with the sleek, muscular body of a python topped by the broad, terrifying head of a bull.
This was the true emperor of the Great Forest, the Azure Bull Python, Da Ming.
"Xiao Wu captured? Impossible!" The Azure Bull Python's voice rumbled, shaking the earth like a low-frequency earthquake. "How could that be? Could it be that Xiao Wu has chosen to transform into a human and lost her power?"
Da Ming was instantly filled with alarm and doubt. Xiao Wu was 100,000-year-old Soul Beast; her fighting prowess, though sometimes erratic, was ranked among the strongest. Ordinary Soul Beasts wouldn't dare approach her, and truly powerful ones wouldn't waste effort on a mere capture. The only logical explanation for her sudden vulnerability was the process of human transformation.
The 100,000-year transformation was the ultimate gamble for Soul Beasts. They shed their immense power and colossal bodies, becoming six-year-old humans with only their original form as a Martial Spirit.
This sacrifice, shortening their massive lifespan and subjecting them to the 100-year cycle of human life, offered a sliver of hope: the chance to cultivate to godhood and achieve true immortality. For a Soul Beast, it was a terrifying choice between long, stable life and a tiny chance at eternal power.
"No, Brother! Look closely! Xiao Wu has been caught up in the sky by that golden thing!" Er Ming bellowed, pointing a fist the size of a small boulder toward the distant golden streak.
Da Ming raised his colossal bull-head, scanning the heavens with his massive, lantern-like eyes.
"Hmmm. She doesn't look like a captive, Er Ming," Da Ming observed, his voice tinged with confusion. He saw the pink rabbit not struggling, but leaning out slightly, enjoying the view. "She actually looks... happy."
But the sight of Xiao Wu enjoying herself with another Soul Beast—especially one who could fly and apparently had no issues carrying the Soft Bone Charm Rabbit—filled Da Ming with an immediate, deep-seated resentment. He realized quickly that Er Ming hadn't called him out to mount a rescue; he had summoned his brother to help deal with a rival. A highly mobile, annoyingly golden, flying rival.
"Brother, that piglet is clearly the aggressor!" Er Ming insisted, his eyes narrowed with profound hostility. "He is luring her with a novelty! We must save Xiao Wu and then beat that pig senseless! We'll teach him the meaning of true strength, ensuring he never dares to fly near her again!"
"Agreed," Da Ming nodded seriously, the movement causing small tidal waves in the lake. "Considering he hasn't actually harmed Xiao Wu, we can spare his life, but he must be taught an unforgettable lesson."
The idea of simply destroying the pig was appealing, but the thought of Xiao Wu being upset was unbearable. "Once that pig realizes the gap between his trivial flying and our peerless power, he'll disappear forever."
"Brother, what's the plan?" Er Ming asked, his immense frame trembling slightly with restrained fury.
Da Ming pondered, tapping a colossal python segment on the surface of the lake. "We can't do this in front of Xiao Wu. That would only annoy her. We must mobilize our subordinates. Have them track that pig's location. The moment Xiao Wu separates from him, we strike. We need to be swift, brutal, and make it look like a tragic accident involving an overconfident, flying pig-bear."
"Brother Shengming (Wise Brother)!" Er Ming roared with delighted laughter. He immediately issued commands, sending out various subordinate Soul Beasts to locate Zhu Hao's landing point.
"Flying, is it so great?" Er Ming grumbled internally, clenching his fists until the air crackled. The image of Zhu Hao holding Xiao Wu was a sharp, acidic pain in his heart. "Strength is the only thing that matters. Just wait and see how I deal with your tiny wings!"
Despite their 100,000-year wisdom, the core instincts of Soul Beasts remained primal: dealing with a love rival meant dealing a devastating physical blow. If you were weak, you simply had no right to compete for a partner. In the brutal world of the forest, only the strongest were qualified to choose their mates first.
Far outside the protective ring of the Star Dou Great Forest, atop a barren mountain peak, two figures stood silhouetted against the sky. They exuded a terrifying, silent power, their auras so refined they seemed to blend into the very fabric of the world.
"Hmm, what a strange Soul Beast," remarked the first man. He was burly, radiating an air of profound, battle-hardened heroism. His gaze was deep and vast, spanning the horizon. He turned to his companion, a handsome man with a gentle, almost holy aura. "Brother Qian, your Spirit Hall's archives are vast. Do you recognize that creature?"
The handsome man, Qian Daoliu (a Peerless Douluo and one of the world's most powerful humans), squinted slightly, concentrating his Spirit Power to enhance his sight.
"I do not recognize it," Qian Daoliu replied after a moment of deep contemplation. "It appears to be a highly mutated bear-type Soul Beast, but its energy signature is completely obscured. However, the pink rabbit in its grasp is unmistakable: a Soft Bone Charm Rabbit, and by its energy fluctuation, it is indeed a 100,000-year-old one."
He frowned, then dismissed the scene with a wave of his hand. "A 100,000-year-old Soul Beast is no longer of much use to us. Our goal lies far beyond this forest. I've heard rumors of the Sea God Island outside the mainland, a place where a true Sea God once walked the earth. Do you wish to investigate that legend, Brother Ju?"
"Excellent," the burly man, Ju Douluo (or perhaps just another powerful companion), nodded, his eyes lighting up with ambition. "The petty squabbles of a few Soul Beasts hold no interest for those who chase the divine. Let us go."
The two figures turned and vanished, the strange, flying golden piglet instantly forgotten as their sights were set on the much greater, more distant prize of godhood.
Whoosh! Swish!
Half a day later, having traversed the entire Star Dou Great Forest multiple times and given two rabbits the flight of their lives, a golden light flashed brightly. Zhu Hao executed a flawless, feather-soft landing in the small yard in front of the cottage in the valley.
"Ah, the familiar scent of home!"
Xiao Wu opened her paws, breathing in the air. The long, exhilarating flight had left her feeling joyful and wonderfully exhausted.
Xiao Liu did not let go. She remained tightly clutching Zhu Hao's soft, golden fur. Her white coat was now tinged a faint pink from the friction of the wind and the sheer excitement. Her mind was racing with the image of Zhu Hao's powerful form, shining gold as he soared across the azure sky—a majestic, domineering, and utterly charming divine pig.
Master Pig is so powerful, so majestic, and so warm!
Zhu Hao twitched his little paw, but it was immobile in Xiao Liu's death grip. He turned his head to see the white rabbit staring at him with a look of pure, unadulterated obsession.
"Xiao Liu, we're home now," Zhu Hao reminded her gently, using his free paw to rub her head.
"Oh! Oh-oh!" Xiao Liu snapped out of her trance. Her face flushed a deep crimson—not just her fur, but the skin beneath it—as she realized she was still clinging to him. She quickly released his paw.
Zhu Hao dusted himself off, straightened his fur, and put his two short, sturdy legs behind his back. He strutted forward a few steps, adopting the posture of a profound, lonely master whose life was like a fleeting dream.
"Don't be obsessed with Lord Pig," he declared with an exaggerated sigh, twisting his neck to appear casual. "He is merely a legend."
Xiao Liu's eyes were wide and glistening with adoration; she was a certified fangirl now. She completely missed the pretentious irony in his voice.
"Little rat! You'll die if you don't stop bragging!" Xiao Wu, having recovered her composure, immediately returned to her big-sisterly dissatisfaction. She yelled loudly at his ridiculous posture.
"Don't call Lord Pig a 'little mouse' or 'little pig.' You must call me Master Hao or Master Zhu!" Zhu Hao countered, his small face stern.
"Fine, little pig!" Xiao Wu retorted with a serious, challenging tone.
"Hmph! Little rabbit, Lord Pig is a man of massive tolerance and will not argue with a mere child!" Zhu Hao snorted coldly, genuinely too lazy to escalate the argument.
"A man? You're still a child! You look more like a big, round belly on two tiny legs, heh heh!" Xiao Wu teased, pointing at his perfectly spherical midsection.
"Ah, that," Zhu Hao said, puffing out his round belly even further, as if presenting an accomplishment. "That is not fat, little rabbit. Lord Pig is a vessel of great tolerance! My mind is broad, able to tolerate things that are difficult to tolerate, and my smile is ever-present, laughing at the ridiculous people of the world!" he declared proudly.
"A broad mind that can tolerate even the most difficult things in the world, and a smile that can laugh at the ridiculous people in the world... that is indeed a profound philosophy of life. Master Pig is truly extraordinary!"
Suddenly, an intellectual, elegant, calm, and deeply peaceful voice chimed in. Zhu Hao spun around to see the Guardian Mother walking out of the wooden cottage. Her beautiful, flawless face was illuminated by a warm, gentle smile that made the air feel refreshing and comfortable.
"What a magnificent view!" Zhu Hao thought, his eyes widening. This woman's beauty was profound, possessing a mature, intellectual charm that was a perfect foil to Ah Yin's more purely elegant grace.
"Mother!"
Xiao Wu immediately launched herself into the woman's arms, rubbing her head against her affectionately.
"Xiao Wu, you've brought friends home, but you haven't introduced them to Mother?" The beautiful woman looked at Zhu Hao with curious, twinkling eyes and a captivating smile.
"Hello, beautiful sister! My name is Zhu Hao, the Zhu of riotous colour, the Hao of the Lord of Heaven!"
Without waiting for Xiao Wu's introduction, Zhu Hao leaped with unexpected agility right into the beautiful woman's free arm. He raised his head, his large, innocent eyes fixed on her, and began his proud, slightly ridiculous self-introduction in a baby voice.
The beautiful woman did not shoo him away. Instead, she laughed—a soft, melodic sound—and reached out a hand, gently rubbing the top of Zhu Hao's head, right between his little golden ears.
BZZZT!
A prompt text instantly flashed across Zhu Hao's vision:
Experience +3
Zhu Hao froze, his eyes squinting in confusion and delight. A simple head rub from the 'Beautiful Sister' grants Experience? What sort of incredible passive buff is this? Could it be a hidden artifact? A supreme being's unintentional offering?
Xiao Wu giggled at Zhu Hao's stunned, frozen posture, while the beautiful woman continued to stroke his fur gently, radiating warmth and kindness. Zhu Hao quickly settled into the comfortable sensation, already plotting how to turn casual affection into a repeatable Experience farm. This day was truly turning into a win.
The golden piglet, nestled comfortably in the arms of a beautiful, experience-granting woman, was blissfully unaware of the two towering kings already plotting his demise.
What profound philosophy will Zhu Hao try to use next to earn more experience, or will the jealous kings strike first?