55: Chapter 55: Wang Dong'er: My young master of the Haotian Sect actually helped outsiders to turn the wife of the Haotian Sect's ancestor against his own side?

Xiao Wu lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously picking at the corner of her clothing, the fallen leaves on the ground crushed into powder by her.

Lu Jing's words weighed on her heart like a stone, but years of vigilance made her afraid to believe easily—especially when facing someone from Spirit Hall.

A moment later, she suddenly raised her head, her tender, pink face carrying a hint of stubbornness, and her voice held a barely perceptible tremor: "Even if what you said is true... why should I believe you?"

She took a deep breath, looked directly into Lu Jing's eyes, and said word by word: "You know better than me what a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring and Spirit Bone mean to a Spirit Master. How many Titled Douluo have stopped at nothing for these things? Why should I believe you don't want them? What if... what if you are just tricking me into following you, and then you make a move once we reach a place where no one is around?"

These questions were asked quickly and urgently, as if the fear she had accumulated for so long had finally found an outlet.

She knew better than anyone what her body meant to a Spirit Master—it was a shortcut to the pinnacle, a treasure countless people dreamed of.

Even if the young man in front of her spoke nicely, she didn't dare to gamble; after all, one careless mistake would cost her her life.

Lu Jing looked at her tense little face and suddenly laughed, his laughter sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet woods.

He stood up, patted the dust off his body, and said with a hint of nonchalance: "Do you think if I wanted to make a move, I would need to waste so much breath?"

He took two steps forward, squatted in front of Xiao Wu, his gaze calm yet carrying an unquestionable sense of oppression: "From taking you out of Nuoding Academy to sealing your Soul Power just now, I have had plenty of opportunities to make a move. If I really wanted to kill you, do you think you could still be sitting here bargaining with me?"

Xiao Wu was choked by his gaze and subconsciously shrank back.

Indeed, from last night until now, if the other party really wanted to harm her, she wouldn't even have room to resist.

But...

"That doesn't prove anything."

She bit her lip, still refusing to yield, and retorted: "Maybe you want to take me back and present me to the big shots in your Elder Hall; that would be an even greater merit."

Lu Jing raised an eyebrow, thinking this girl was quite quick-witted.

He simply spread his hands, his tone even more casual: "Fine, it doesn't matter if you don't believe me. Anyway, your life is in my hands right now; I can take you wherever I want and do whatever I want to you—do you think you have a choice?"

He pointed to the dense forest around them: "In this wilderness, even if I killed you right now, no one would know. But I haven't done that; instead, I've told you so much. You weigh it yourself."

Xiao Wu was left speechless by his words, her cheeks flushed red.

She knew Lu Jing was telling the truth; she was currently like fish on a chopping block, with absolutely no qualifications to bargain.

But she couldn't bring herself to trust someone from Spirit Hall just like that.

"I..."

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, she just lowered her head and muttered softly: "Anyway, I can't run away..."

Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum, yet it carried a hint of resignation.

Seeing her like this, Lu Jing found it interesting—she was clearly a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast, but at this moment, she looked like a wronged little rabbit.

"Rest assured, I wouldn't deceive a rabbit."

He stood up, patted her head, the hair feeling soft to the touch, and said in a gentle tone: "As long as you are obedient, I guarantee I won't touch a single hair on you."

Xiao Wu jerked away from his hand, glared at him vigilantly, but her cheeks quietly turned red.

The young man's actions were too natural, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

She turned to look at Wang Donger, who was absorbing the Spirit Bone, the pink-blue figure glowing with a soft halo in the morning light, making that inexplicable sense of familiarity bubble up in her heart again.

She hesitated for a moment and asked: "Where are we going next? Back to Spirit Hall?"

At the thought of going to the place that caused her mother's death, her voice couldn't help but tremble.

"No."

Lu Jing shook his head and said indifferently: "We'll go to Heaven Dou City first. There's no rush to return to Spirit Hall; there's nothing to do there anyway. Besides, we came out to train and have fun. Why would we go back?"

Xiao Wu was stunned for a moment, a flash of surprise in her eyes: "Go to Heaven Dou City? But... but my identity..."

Heaven Dou City was the capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, with many Spirit Masters. If some Titled Douluo recognized her, wouldn't she die even faster?

"Afraid of being recognized?"

Lu Jing saw through her thoughts, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he teased: "Then why don't you just stay in the room and not come out?"

Xiao Wu's face instantly fell, and she pouted aggrievedly: "But I can't stay in the room forever, right? I still want to see the scenery outside..."

She had come out of the Star Dou Great Forest to see the World outside and to avenge her mother. If she were kept in the carriage the whole time, how would that be any different from not coming out at all?

Lu Jing was amused by her appearance: "You have no way to deal with it, yet you dared to run out alone? You certainly have guts."

He remembered that in the original story, Xiao Wu hid her identity by staying at Nuoding Academy for several years, and later she was always cautious when she went to Shrek. He hadn't expected her to look so fearless afterward.

"So what? Is there a problem?"

Xiao Wu lifted her head, her chin held high, and said righteously: "I came out for revenge in the first place. I can't just not do anything because I'm afraid of being recognized, right?"

Her stubborn temper reminded Lu Jing of those spoiled young girls from later generations—clearly terrified inside, but refusing to admit it out loud.

"No problem, as long as you're happy."

Lu Jing waved his hand with a smile and stopped teasing her, saying softly: "When we get to Heaven Dou City, I'll find a way to get you something to conceal your aura. I guarantee no one will be able to tell your identity."

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"What benefit would I get from lying to you?" Lu Jing raised an eyebrow.

Xiao Wu finally breathed a sigh of relief, a smile finally appearing on her face, like a freshly peeled candy, sweet and pleasant.

She turned her head to look at Wang Donger again and asked curiously: "By the way, what is her name?"

"Wang Donger." Lu Jing replied.

"Wang Donger..."

Xiao Wu murmured the name twice, frowned again, and said puzzledly: "Strange, why do I always feel like she looks familiar? Clearly, this is the first time I've met her..."

That feeling was very subtle, as if she had seen her somewhere before, or as if there was a pull in her bloodline, making her want to get close, yet she couldn't say exactly why.

Lu Jing understood, but didn't explain.

He couldn't exactly tell her that the girl in front of her would be her daughter in the future. No one would believe that; after all, Wang Donger was eighteen, and Xiao Wu was only six.

An eighteen-year-old woman is the daughter of a six-year-old girl? Even without Xiao Wu, if it were him, without knowing the situation, he wouldn't believe it either.

He changed the subject: "You rest for a while. When she finishes absorbing the Spirit Bone, we'll hit the road."

Xiao Wu nodded and sat on the ground obediently, but she peeked at Wang Donger from time to time, her curiosity growing stronger.

Time passed bit by bit, the sun gradually rose to the top of her head, the mist in the forest completely dissipated, birds chirped on the branches, and the air was filled with the scent of grass and soil.

The halo around Wang Donger became brighter and brighter, the blue-gold Spirit Bone circulated in her palm, and the immense life force poured into her body like a tide, causing her aura to grow at a visible speed.

Xiao Wu watched, dumbfounded, and couldn't help but lean over to Lu Jing and ask in a low voice: "She... what is she absorbing? Why is her aura so strong?"

"A hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone." Lu Jing said concisely.

"A... a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone?!"

Xiao Wu almost jumped up, her eyes wide, and she asked very curiously: "Where did you get it?"

She had lived for a hundred thousand years and had never seen a real hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone. She didn't expect to see one with her own eyes today, and it was even being absorbed by someone!

Lu Jing glanced at her: "Don't ask what you shouldn't."

Xiao Wu pouted and didn't pursue it, but she was more certain that these two were not simple—perhaps they could really help her get revenge.

Perhaps... what he said was true?

Once this thought emerged, it could no longer be suppressed. Xiao Wu secretly looked at Lu Jing, then at Wang Donger, and the scales in her heart quietly tilted.

Until the sun set and the sky was stained with orange-red sunset clouds, the halo around Wang Donger gradually receded.

She slowly opened her eyes, a glimmer of luster flashing in her pupils. Her Soul Power fluctuations were several times stronger than before, and the phantom of the Radiant Goddess Butterfly behind her flapped gently, sprinkling a patch of gorgeous light powder.

"Done?" Lu Jing walked up and asked.

Wang Donger stood up, stretched her body, and a satisfied smile appeared on her face: "Yes. The power of this Spirit Bone is even stronger than I imagined. Not only can it amplify Soul Power, but it also comes with two skills, although one of them is useless to me."

She couldn't figure it out and didn't understand why the Blue Silver Emperor's Spirit Bone would have the ability to fly after absorption. Logically speaking, shouldn't this skill only be effective for flying-type Spirit Beasts?

How could it appear on a plant?

"That's good."

Lu Jing nodded and said: "If there are no problems, let's hit the road and try to find a place to stay before dark."

Wang Donger responded, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over Xiao Wu, who was sitting on the ground, with a hint of confusion in her eyes.

Why isn't this girl afraid at all?

She walked to Lu Jing's side and asked in a low voice: "What is going on? What did you say to her while I was absorbing the Spirit Bone?"

"Nothing much, you just need to know that she is one of us now." Lu Jing explained with a smile.

"One of us?"

Wang Donger widened her eyes, and seemingly understanding something, she subconsciously raised her volume and exclaimed: "You subverted her?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it—what if Xiao Wu heard this? Wouldn't it be very awkward?

She secretly glanced at Xiao Wu and, seeing that the other party hadn't noticed, she breathed a sigh of relief, but a storm was raging in her heart.

Good heavens... As a young Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect, not only did she help an outsider steal the Spirit Bone of Tang San's mother, but now she was watching someone subvert Tang San's future wife... If this were passed back to the Clear Sky Sect ten thousand years later, she was afraid she would be skinned by the Elders in the sect!

Lu Jing saw her looking conflicted, his face darkened instantly, and he said testily: "What do you mean by subverted? They haven't even spoken a few words to each other yet; at most, they are acquaintances. Don't forget what time it is now; don't always look at things with a future perspective."

The current Tang San and Xiao Wu are just two roommates who have only known each other for a short while, not even friends; where would there be so many bonds?

His taking away Xiao Wu is at most changing the plot in advance; it has nothing to do with "subversion."

Wang Donger was left speechless by his words and could only pout, muttering softly: "But I still feel weird..."

After all, she knew what would happen in the future, and watching everything deviate from its original track made her feel uneasy.

"Don't think so much."

Lu Jing patted her shoulder and comforted her: "Our goal is to go back. To achieve this, making some changes is nothing."

Wang Donger was silent.

She knew Lu Jing was right. Their purpose for coming here was to find a way back. Paying some price and doing some out-of-the-ordinary things for this seemed justifiable.

It's just... she secretly glanced at Xiao Wu, who was fidgeting with her hair, and couldn't help but sigh in her heart.

Hopefully, Tang San won't come knocking in the future... Otherwise, her identity as the young Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect would likely be branded as a "traitor."

"Let's go, we need to find a town to stay in before dark." Lu Jing called out.

Seeing this, Xiao Wu immediately followed.

"Sister, is your name Wang Donger?"

On the way to Heaven Dou City, Xiao Wu tilted her little face, her eyes shining, and asked: "My name is Xiao Wu, the 'Wu' for dancing."

Wang Donger was stunned for a moment. Looking at her bright smile, that sense of familiarity surged up again.

She nodded, her tone softening: "Yes, my name is Wang Donger."

"Sister Donger, your Spirit is so beautiful, what is it?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.

She hadn't been in the human World for long, so she didn't recognize many Spirits, let alone the Radiant Goddess Butterfly Spirit, which had never appeared on the Douluo Continent.

To be honest, even now, Lu Jing didn't know why Tang San would arrange for the Butterfly God to give Tang Wutong the Radiant Goddess Butterfly; was the Sea God Trident trash, or was the Asura Demon Sword not available?

Being complimented like this, Wang Donger couldn't help but smile: "Radiant Goddess Butterfly. What is your Spirit?"

"My Spirit is the Soft Bones Rabbit!"

Xiao Wu proudly puffed out her chest and said with a smile: "Although it's not as beautiful as yours, it's very powerful!"

Watching the two of them chatting back and forth, Lu Jing shook his head helplessly and continued toward the distant town.

Night fell, and the stars filled the sky like a handful of crushed diamonds.

The three of them traveled on the quiet official road, and the laughter of Xiao Wu and Wang Donger occasionally drifted by, diluting much of the boredom of the journey.

Lu Jing walked on the very edge, looking at the starry sky, a subtle smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

The change has only just begun.

And what he has to do is to find his own path to godhood amidst this change!