Chapter 287: Xiao Wu's Version 2.0

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"What are you going to do with me?"

Gu Yuena walked beside Tang San, holding a candied hawthorn skewer. As she strolled down a street in the Food Capital, licking her candied fruit, she asked her question.

"You talk as if I'm going to butcher you like a chicken or duck." Tang San couldn't help but roll his eyes at her. "My Blue Silver Emperor isn't suitable for animal soul beasts."

"Don't you also have a hammer and a five-clawed golden dragon?" Gu Yuena bit into a hawthorn, eyeing Tang San warily. "Who knows if you're keeping me around just to kill me later when you need a soul ring, slaughtering the dragon to get the ring and bones."

"First, my five-clawed golden dragon is already perfect and can't gain another soul ring. Second, my Haotian Hammer has a unique situation, and until I solve that, I'm unlikely to add a soul ring to it." Tang San explained briefly, then laughed. "Besides, I'm not as powerful as you. How could I possibly kill you?"

"True." Gu Yuena nodded, then suddenly froze, her face darkening. "You know you're not a match for a hundred-thousand-year soul beast like me?"

It was well-known that once a hundred-thousand-year soul beast took human form, their strength was limited, barely able to self-destruct if faced with a powerful enemy.

Yet Tang San claimed he couldn't defeat her!

Did he suspect her deeper identity? But how could he know?

"Uh...I was just joking, but from your reaction, it seems I really wouldn't be able to beat you?" Tang San curiously blinked as if he had seen through Gu Yuena.

"You insufferable guy!" Gu Yuena blushed, angrily biting into her candied hawthorn and cursing herself for being foolish. She then asked, "Guess how many years I've cultivated?"

"Judging by your soul rings, all four are pale gold. From what I know, a soul beast's ring gains a golden stripe every hundred thousand years. If your pale gold rings indicate a million-year level, then you must be approaching ten million years, right?" Tang San analyzed calmly. "A soul master reaches godhood at level 100, so a million-year soul beast would become a divine beast. Your former self must have been incredibly powerful, even surpassing ordinary gods."

"You're quite sharp to figure that out." Gu Yuena was pleased with Tang San's indirect compliment, even pouting slightly. "Actually, I'm the ruler of the Star Dou Forest. All soul beasts must obey me. Impressive, right?"

"Yes, very impressive." Tang San responded perfunctorily.

"I'm serious!" Gu Yuena puffed her cheeks, annoyed at Tang San's indifferent expression. "With just one command, all soul beasts must bow down to me!"

"Really? Do sea soul beasts listen to you too?"

At this, Gu Yuena paused, turning her head with a cold snort. "Most sea soul beasts worship the Sea God, and a few who don't still don't heed my orders. They can just dive into the ocean, and there's nothing I can do to stir the entire sea."

In her injured state, she could destroy the planet's core by reaching the center of the Douluo Star's continental plate, but exploring the entire ocean was impossible.

If the Sea God hadn't emerged, she could have controlled the water elements. Unfortunately, now the sea was the Sea God's domain.

In her weakened state, facing a first-level deity with nearly the entire ocean's faith, there was no chance other than death.

"Hah."

"Why are you laughing? I'm not joking!" Gu Yuena grew anxious, eager to prove her power to Tang San. "Apart from the sea creatures loyal to the Sea God, all other soul beasts would kneel at my command."

"I believe you."

"You still sound dismissive." Gu Yuena felt a bit dejected. After finishing her candied hawthorn, she stretched out her hand to Tang San, mimicking the expression of a gorilla begging for food—except Gu Yuena was more delicate and beautiful.

Tang San took a candied hawthorn from his storage wristband and handed it to Gu Yuena.

As Gu Yuena accepted the treat, she noticed the two storage soul tools on Tang San: a white jade belt and the storage wristband.

Seeing that Xiao Wu and Guang Ling each had a storage soul tool, Gu Yuena decided she wanted one too. "Tang San, I want a storage soul tool as well."

"Sure."

Tang San nodded and led Gu Yuena to the Seven Treasures Pavilion located in the Food Capital.

The staff immediately recognized Tang San and welcomed him and Gu Yuena into a private lounge, respectfully asking, "Holy Son, what would you like to purchase?"

"A storage soul tool."

"A set!" Gu Yuena corrected. "I want two!"

"As she said," Tang San instructed the staff.

"Please wait a moment."

The staff retreated, and Gu Yuena leisurely helped herself to the pastries and fruits from a nearby counter, much like Xiao Wu used to.

However, when Tang San glanced at the treats on the table, Gu Yuena guarded them like a dragon hoarding treasure. She pushed a small cake, the size of a baby's fist, toward Tang San. "Here, don't eye the treats on my plate."

"You're stingier than Xiao Wu. She used to share everything with me, and now she even lets me have the first bite." Tang San picked up the cake, bemused by Gu Yuena's possessiveness.

"I'm a dragon. Everyone knows dragons don't share!" Gu Yuena proudly stuffed various pastries into her mouth, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Watching the dwindling pastries, Tang San guessed he'd leave the Seven Treasures Pavilion with a reputation for freeloading.

When the staff returned with over ten sets of storage soul tools, they were stunned to see the nearly empty counter.

"I'll pay for it later," Tang San said.

The staff quickly smiled. "No need, the pastries are free. As long as the Holy Son's friend is happy."

Then, they displayed the storage soul tools on the table and began explaining each one.

"Which one do you like?" After the introductions, Tang San signaled Gu Yuena to choose.

"This one." Gu Yuena pointed at two small black pouches, each about the size of a palm. According to the description, each had a storage space of thirty cubic meters and could hold living creatures.

More importantly, the drawstrings were gold and silver, which had a fatal attraction for Gu Yuena.

"Alright, we'll take these." Tang San spent 350,000 gold soul coins on the pair of gold and silver treasure pouches and the pastries, then left with Gu Yuena.

As Gu Yuena played with the treasure pouches, she suddenly handed the silver-stringed pouch to Tang San. "Here, a gift for you."

"Thanks," Tang San said, attaching the silver-stringed pouch to his white jade belt. "You bought me a gift with my money and kept half for yourself. Not bad business."

"Give it back if you don't want it." Gu Yuena reached out to grab it, but Tang San dodged.

"That's not how it works. A gift given is like water spilled; it can't be taken back."

"Hmph!"

(End of Chapter)