25: Chapter 25: The Soul Beast Clan's Counterattack Begins!

Xiao Wu sat up, her slightly messy hair clinging to her sweat-dampened neck. A lingering flush still remained on her pretty face, and the confusion in her eyes deepened: "Brother, what exactly is wrong? Why did you stop all of a sudden?"

She reached out to touch Tang San's cheek, but he subconsciously dodged it.

That momentary estrangement made Xiao Wu's heart tighten, and she vaguely felt that something was wrong—Tang San had never looked at her with such eyes before; shock wrapped in panic, as if the sky were collapsing.

"Xiao Qi..." Tang San's voice was as harsh as if it had been rubbed by sandpaper, every word heavy as a thousand jun: "Xiao Qi has disappeared."

"Xiao Qi?"

Xiao Wu was stunned for a moment, then her face suddenly turned deathly pale. She grabbed Tang San's arm violently, her fingertips turning white from the force: "What did you say? How could Xiao Qi disappear? Isn't she training on the Douluo Continent? Did you sense it wrong?"

Tang Wutong was the daughter she and Tang San loved the most, nicknamed Xiao Qi. Ever since her daughter went to the lower realm for training, she worried every day. If it weren't for Tang San saying that training would allow Xiao Qi to grow faster, she would never have been willing to let the child leave the Divine Realm for even half a step.

"It cannot be wrong."

Tang San shook his head, his tone so heavy it could almost crush someone: "The bloodline connection between her and me has been severed, and even the divine sense I left in her soul has completely lost its response. This situation... there is only one possibility."

He didn't continue, but Xiao Wu already understood. It meant death, it meant eternal loss.

"No... it's impossible..."

Xiao Wu's voice began to tremble, and her eyes instantly turned red: "Xiao Qi is so powerful, and she has your divine sense protecting her, how could she..."

Tang San took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He quickly put on his divine robe, his movements carrying an undisguisable urgency: "I must go to the Douluo Continent to find out exactly what happened."

Xiao Qi cannot have an accident.

Not just because she is his and Xiao Wu's daughter, the treasure he holds in the tip of his heart.

But also because Xiao Qi is a key link in his layout—now that the Child of Destiny of the Douluo Continent has appeared, coupled with the reasons for the luck of the Star Dou Great Forest, otherwise, Tang Wutong would never have been able to descend to the lower realm. He wanted to use this opportunity to win the Child of Destiny to his side, as well as to plot for the luck of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Therefore, both emotionally and rationally, he must find Xiao Qi, even if there is only a one in ten thousand chance.

"I'll go with you!" Xiao Wu hurriedly rolled out of bed, about to get dressed.

"You stay in the Divine Realm."

Tang San pressed her shoulders, his eyes firm: "Someone needs to hold down the fort here, and... I'm not sure what I will encounter in the lower realm, taking you along would instead be inconvenient."

Xiao Wu bit her lip, knowing that what he said was the truth, but the worry in her heart surged like a tide, making her almost unable to breathe. She looked at Tang San's resolute back, suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly shouted: "Brother, should we tell the God of Destruction first?"

The God of Destruction is a colleague on the Divine Realm Committee. Although he has a stubborn temper and often disagrees with Tang San, he is exceptionally fond of Xiao Qi, even closer than a real uncle. Xiao Qi also always likes to pester the God of Destruction and the Goddess of Life, and their relationship is very close.

"Usually he might not agree to neglect his duties, but this time it's different. It concerns Xiao Qi, he might..."

Tang San's footsteps paused, he looked back at Xiao Wu, a trace of hesitation flashed in his eyes, then he nodded: "You are right. It's better to let him know. In case I encounter trouble on the Douluo Continent, there can be someone to look after things here in the Divine Realm."

He turned and walked out of the hall, his blue-gold divine robe tracing a sharp arc in the morning light, his back upright but carrying a heaviness as if a storm were coming.

Xiao Wu stood in place, looking at his figure disappearing into the clouds and mist, her hands tightly clutching her clothes, silently praying.

Tang San did not delay at all, heading straight to the palace of the God of Destruction. The aura of destruction outside the temple was still biting, but it could not stop his anxious footsteps at this moment.

...

Meanwhile, deep in the Star Dou Great Forest, at the Lake of Life.

The lake water was as green as emerald, calm without a ripple, reflecting the towering ancient trees and swirling mist on the shore. Di Tian hovered in the center of the lake, his huge dragon claws gently grazing the water surface, stirring up ripples.

Bi Ji stood on the shore, her voice soft but carrying a trace of gravity: "We have asked all the Spirit Beasts over fifty thousand years old in the core area, and none of them admitted to killing a human with the Holy Dragon of Light Spirit. I have also used life aura to investigate the outer perimeter of the forest, and there is indeed no remaining Soul Power of that kind of Spirit."

King of Ten Thousand Demons played with the vines at his fingertips, his feminine face filled with confusion: "According to what Dragon God Douluo Mu En said, that young man had a Spirit Saint protecting him. To be able to take care of both of them simultaneously without leaving traces, it is definitely not something an ordinary Spirit Beast can do. But our people truly didn't make a move, could it be..."

"Could it be other forces?" Xiong Jun interjected in a muffled voice, a trace of ferocity flashing in his crimson eyes, "Could it be that bunch of evil Spirit Masters from the Holy Spirit Cult? They love to do these kinds of sneaky things the most."

Di Tian was silent, his golden vertical pupils reflecting the ripples on the lake, but his thoughts were racing rapidly.

Where exactly did that young man go? He couldn't have just evaporated into thin air. Dragon God Douluo Mu En insisted that it was Star Dou's doing, but after checking and re-checking, there wasn't even a trace of a clue. This conflict came strangely, and ended strangely, as if an invisible hand were pushing it from behind.

"Regardless of where he went, it is no longer important." Di Tian suddenly spoke, his voice carrying a trace of cold laughter, "What is important is that Shrek Academy has already been severely damaged."

Xiong Jun stepped forward, his claws digging several deep marks into the ground: "Then what to do next? Just let it go like this? I haven't fought enough yet!"

"What's the rush." Di Tian slowly turned around, his huge dragon head looking at the various fierce beasts, "Go do one thing—let out the news indirectly, saying that Shrek Academy has suffered heavy losses this time, and three of their old elders have fallen."

Bi Ji frowned slightly, somewhat worried: "Wouldn't that be too obvious? Other forces might not believe it, after all, Shrek Academy's prestige is right there."

"Whether they believe it or not is not important." Di Tian waved his dragon claw, a calculating light flashing in his golden pupils, "What I want is not for them to believe it completely, but to plant a seed of doubt. After the news is released, naturally someone will be unable to resist probing and investigating."

What he wanted was to stir up the muddy water.

Shrek Academy is like a great mountain, pressing down on other forces on the continent so they cannot catch their breath. Now that this mountain has cracks, those covetous forces will never let go of this opportunity. The Sun Moon Empire, the Holy Spirit Cult, and even other academies... will definitely take action.

By then, Shrek Academy will be too busy to take care of itself, how could they still have the energy to come and trouble Star Dou? And they, can just take advantage of this gap to find out the truth of the young man's disappearance, while accumulating power.

"I understand."

Bi Ji nodded, the worry in her eyes dissipated, replaced by understanding, "I will go arrange it right away."

After speaking, everyone left one after another, leaving only Di Tian standing in place alone.

He looked up, looking at the sky above, and murmured: "The counterattack of the Soul Beast Clan has begun!"