"No need, I'm already awake!"
Just as Xiao Wu anxiously rushed over, Lin Yue suddenly opened his eyes and sat up from the ground.
"Ah! You... you're already awake!"
Seeing that Lin Yue had actually woken up, Xiao Wu couldn't help but be shocked.
This is bad, really bad! Her identity seems to have been exposed!
"Big Sis Xiao Wu, this human is already awake. What should we do? He seems to know about us. Should we kill him?"
Beside them, seeing that Lin Yue had woken up, the Titan Giant Ape immediately flared its nostrils, exhaling two streams of hot air, then fixed its fierce gaze on Lin Yue.
Similarly, though the Sky Azure Bull Python didn't speak, its cold stare was locked onto Lin Yue as well.
While the Sky Azure Bull Python didn't harbor as much hatred for humans as the Titan Giant Ape, it certainly held no goodwill either.
Had Lin Yue remained unconscious, the Sky Azure Bull Python wouldn't have done anything to him, given that he was Xiao Wu's friend.
But now that Lin Yue had discovered the relationship between Xiao Wu and them, they couldn't let him live!
"You don't need to look at me like that. Actually, I already knew about Xiao Wu's identity several days ago. This time, I pretended to be unconscious so you'd bring me here because I wanted to discuss something with you..."
Despite being stared down fiercely by two hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, Lin Yue showed no panic and spoke calmly.
"Nonsense! You're just a human kid—probably far from being a Soul Douluo. There's no way you could've seen through Big Sis Xiao Wu's identity. If you're begging for mercy, just say it outright!"
The Titan Giant Ape scoffed, completely dismissing Lin Yue's words.
Meanwhile, the Sky Azure Bull Python remained silent, its cold gaze still fixed on Lin Yue.
As for Xiao Wu, her mind was in complete turmoil.
She definitely didn't want to harm Lin Yue, but the problem was that he seemed to have discovered her true identity. What should she do now?
"I couldn't see through it myself, but that doesn't mean no one around me could. I have Soul Douluo-level experts by my side."
Lin Yue wasn't angered by the Titan Giant Ape's mockery. Instead, he shook his head and calmly explained.
In truth, when devising this plan, Lin Yue had anticipated that communicating with hundred-thousand-year soul beasts like the Titan Giant Ape might be difficult.
After all, soul beasts had always harbored hostility toward humans—that was a fact.
Even if he was Xiao Wu's friend, the hundred-thousand-year soul beasts were more likely to assume he had ulterior motives rather than believe he had good intentions.
Lin Yue had prepared for the worst-case scenario: using his second 99th-ranked Title Douluo experience card to fight his way out of the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest.
But if he could avoid using it, that would naturally be for the best.
After all, the three trump cards he had were limited—once used, they were gone for good.
"Human, don't try to fool me! Don't think I don't know that in your human world, Soul Douluo-level soul masters are as rare as soul beasts with over fifty-thousand-year cultivation in our Star Dou Great Forest. You claim to have one by your side, and we're just supposed to believe you?"
"You think threatening us like this will make us spare you? Dream on! Even if you're Big Sis Xiao Wu's friend, now that you know her secret, we can't let you live—for her sake!"
The Titan Giant Ape still refused to believe Lin Yue. Its hostility and wariness toward humans ran deep.
Hearing Lin Yue mention having a Soul Douluo by his side, the Titan Giant Ape assumed he was threatening them—implying that if they killed him, the Soul Douluo behind him would spread the news that Xiao Wu was a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form.
But it didn't believe Lin Yue actually had a Soul Douluo with him.
Based on its understanding of human greed, if someone had discovered Xiao Wu's identity as a hundred-thousand-year soul beast, they wouldn't have let her go. Thus, the Titan Giant Ape concluded that Lin Yue was lying.
Hearing the Titan Giant Ape's words, Lin Yue immediately grasped its line of thinking.
This made him sigh inwardly—he truly hadn't meant it that way!
"I'm not threatening you. I'm just stating a fact: I do have a Soul Douluo-level expert by my side."
"However, even though he discovered Xiao Wu, I managed to persuade him to spare her for now. The reason I came to see you is to discuss Xiao Wu's safety..."
As Lin Yue spoke helplessly, he flipped his hand and summoned his Nine Spirit Immortal Begonia martial soul.
With the rise of five soul rings—yellow, purple, black, black, and black—from beneath his feet, he continued.
"My cultivation is at the Soul King level. Given my age, if I didn't have a powerful soul master faction backing me, there's no way I could've reached this level so young."
"I've always treated Xiao Wu as a friend, but the faction behind me doesn't see it that way. To them, Xiao Wu is just a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form—a target for hunting."
"I can't stop them, which is why I came here. I hope you can keep Xiao Wu in the core area of the Star Dou Great Forest and prevent her from leaving. Otherwise, she'll definitely be in danger!"
Lin Yue continued to explain.
"No! I can't stay here forever. Third Brother is waiting for me at Shrek Academy. If I don't return, he'll be heartbroken!"
Hearing Lin Yue's words, Xiao Wu grew anxious.
"Xiao Wu, going back will put you in danger. The faction behind me won't give up on hunting a vulnerable hundred-thousand-year soul beast like you!"
"Right now, everyone thinks the Titan Giant Ape took you away. Tang San and the others must believe you're already dead. You should take this chance to stay here and cut ties with the outside world."
"Tang San has already grieved for you. If you go back now, you'll only give him a brief moment of joy. But if you're hunted down later and die in front of him, he'll suffer even more—and he'll be dragged into danger too. It's better to endure short-term pain than long-term suffering!"
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Hearing Xiao Wu's words, Lin Yue frowned and tried to persuade her.
"No! I won't accept this. I can't leave Third Brother!"
Despite Lin Yue's earnest advice, Xiao Wu refused to listen, leaving him somewhat helpless.
Xiao Wu was great in many ways, but she had one flaw—she was too childish and lacked mature reasoning.
Then again, considering she was a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form, it made sense for her to be a bit naive.
As Lin Yue and Xiao Wu spoke, the Titan Giant Ape exchanged a glance with the Sky Azure Bull Python. Both soul beasts seemed uncertain.
From what they could see, Lin Yue genuinely seemed to regard Xiao Wu as a friend and was wholeheartedly concerned for her safety.
But their long-held impression of humans was that they were inherently greedy, hunting soul beasts without remorse and never treating them as true friends.
Thus, the two soul beasts remained unwilling to trust Lin Yue.
While Lin Yue was advising Xiao Wu, the Sky Azure Bull Python slightly closed its eyes, replaying Lin Yue's words in its mind and assessing their validity.
But after some thought, the Sky Azure Bull Python suddenly frowned.
Because it realized that while Lin Yue's words sounded sincere—claiming to care for Xiao Wu as a friend—his actions could also imply another motive!
"Human, you say you wholeheartedly treat Big Sis Xiao Wu as a friend, but why do I feel your actions suggest another possibility?"
"It's true you may have discovered Big Sis Xiao Wu's identity, but the reason you didn't kill her is simply because you're keeping her for later—since your cultivation isn't yet at the level to absorb her soul ring."
"As for pretending to be unconscious and having Er Ming bring you here, it's because you saw Er Ming and suspected my existence. You wanted to confirm our whereabouts!"
"And you're urging Big Sis Xiao Wu to stay here because you're planning to capture all three of us in one fell swoop! Isn't that right?!"
The Sky Azure Bull Python spoke in a low voice, its eyes turning red with fury as it roared at Lin Yue.
As the Sky Azure Bull Python's anger erupted, a terrifying draconic aura burst from its body, sweeping outward.
Dark clouds gathered from all directions in the sky, rolling with thunder and lightning, while fierce winds howled across the land.
With the Sky Azure Bull Python's rage, the very weather had changed!
This was the power of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast—truly formidable!
"You bastard human! So this was your plan all along? I'll crush you to death!"
Hearing the Sky Azure Bull Python's words, the Titan Giant Ape grew even more enraged. With a furious roar, it leaped into the air, raising its massive fist to smash down at Lin Yue.
"Human, die!"
[T/N: Ahoy~ brothers and sisters, check out my latest novel, "One Piece: The Living Devil", an EVIL MC on the Grand Line with devil fruits, danger, and lust. If you're hooked, don't forget to drop a Powerstone and add it to your Collection—every bit of support keeps the journey alive and the story blazing forward]
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