Hearing his elder brother's instruction, Er Ming—eyes brimming with tears—gently lifted A Rou's lifeless body.
Together, they all leapt into the air, swiftly heading back toward the Lake of Life.
Once they arrived, Da Ming slowly waded into the water and brought Xiao Wu's cocoon up from the lakebed.
"Big Brother, Xiao Wu's about to finish her transformation into human form."
"…It's just a pity Aunt Rou won't get to see it," Er Ming choked, voice heavy with grief as he looked at the cocoon resting on Da Ming's head.
Lin Feng followed Er Ming's gaze toward Xiao Wu.
The cocoon containing Xiao Wu trembled faintly, as if it had sensed her mother's corpse in Er Ming's hands.
The next moment, overwhelming sorrow surged through Xiao Wu from within.
Her pained cry echoed from the cocoon.
A soft red light radiated from it, and under its glow, the threads of the cocoon slowly unraveled, gradually revealing a human form within.
With a soft "pop", the pinkish light scattered—and in its place, a snow-white-skinned young girl appeared atop Da Ming's head.
Ignoring everything else, she leapt down and threw herself onto her mother's body.
Tears poured from her eyes like a broken dam, and her sobs echoed through the quiet lakeside.
"Xiao Wu… be strong," Da Ming said gently, walking to her side.
"I will avenge my mother!" Xiao Wu wiped her tears, lifting her head with steely determination.
Watching her, Lin Feng sighed inwardly.
Still too young… too naive about how cruel the world truly is.
"Xiao Wu, the human world is far too dangerous—you can't go," Er Ming said anxiously, stepping forward to stop her.
"I have to. I must seek justice for my mother," Xiao Wu said firmly, her heart resolute.
"The enemy is too strong. Going now would be suicide!"
"We should plan carefully," Lin Feng interjected with a frown.
"Who are you?" Xiao Wu paused, only now noticing the man in the sky and looking at him warily.
But as her eyes met Lin Feng's, an odd sense of warmth and familiarity welled up inside her.
"Xiao Wu, this is Uncle Heishan," Da Ming explained. "He helped us rescue Aunt Rou today. Before she passed, she asked us to treat him as family."
"…Mother said that?" Xiao Wu blinked in surprise and quietly looked at Lin Feng for a long while.
Silence lingered for a time.
"…If that's what Mother and you both wish, then from now on, you're my uncle," she said softly, voice trembling with emotion.
"Mm." Lin Feng nodded, gazing at her while thinking to himself:
So this is the golden-tier Daughter of Destiny…
[Innate Soul Power: Rank 10]
[Martial Soul: Soft-Boned Rabbit (High-Grade)]
[Current Soul Power: Rank 10]
[Traits: Naïve (White), Reincarnated Soul Beast (Purple), Exceptional Talent (Purple), Daughter of Destiny (Gold)]
[Daughter of Destiny (Gold): You are the most important person to the Fate's Chosen. If you die, he will do everything in his power to bring you back to life. "Revive, my love!"]
Nope. I don't want that.
Right now, I'm the Fate's Chosen. There's no way I'd sacrifice everything just to revive Xiao Wu.
"System, copy the 'Daughter of Destiny' trait," Lin Feng commanded without hesitation.
He didn't plan to keep this trait forever—it would be replaced during a future trait refresh. As for which one to sacrifice, he'd decide later.
"Uncle, can I go to the human world to cultivate?" Xiao Wu asked, adjusting her emotions.
"I want to become stronger… I want to avenge my mother."
"Are you certain about this?" Lin Feng looked her in the eyes and asked seriously.
"Yes. I've made up my mind."
"You're really going to the human world, Xiao Wu?" Er Ming exclaimed in shock.
"It's so dangerous out there. Isn't it better to stay in the forest?"
"Now that she's taken human form, human society is better suited for her," Lin Feng explained, turning to Er Ming.
As he spoke, he sent a streak of dark light into Xiao Wu's body.
"This power will protect you from one fatal blow," he said.
Only then did Da Ming and Er Ming feel slightly at ease, though their hearts still ached at the thought of her leaving.
After all, Aunt Rou's final concern had been Xiao Wu's safety.
Soon, Lin Feng, Da Ming, and Er Ming escorted Xiao Wu to the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Xiao Wu, this is as far as we go," Da Ming said gently. "If you're ever in danger out there, don't hesitate to come back to us."
"I will. I'll miss you both—Da Ming, Er Ming." Tears welled up in her eyes as she waved goodbye, then turned and left.
Behind her, the two soul beasts watched her retreating figure, unwilling to turn away for a long time.
As Xiao Wu continued forward, all the soul beasts along her path—sensing the aura of hundred-thousand-year soul beasts like the Titan Giant Ape clinging to her—instinctively kept their distance.
Lin Feng, watching from the side, thought to himself:
Looks like it's time for me to move too.
Turning to Da Ming and Er Ming, he said, "I'll take a stroll through the forest. Take care of yourselves."
"Okay, Uncle Heishan. Da Ming and I will keep training hard!" Da Ming nodded proudly, and Er Ming let out a loud bellow, pounding his chest.
A wave of black mist drifted toward the inner forest… and vanished.
But in truth, Lin Feng had simply deactivated his special effects and quietly followed Xiao Wu from the shadows.
Inside a carriage, Lin Feng sipped tea leisurely, thoughts quietly turning.
In the original story, Xiao Wu first appeared in Nuoding City. But there's no guarantee that's her actual first stop.
Based on the route, Linshan City—not far ahead—was the closest logical destination.
Activating his Observation Haki, he scanned the surroundings.
Sure enough, Xiao Wu wasn't far.
"Ugh, the scenery's all the same. I'm bored," Dugu Yan yawned beside him.
"How about a game?" Lin Feng offered with a smile. "Let's guess the gender of the next person we meet."
"Loser has to call the winner 'Daddy.' I guess… girl."
Dugu Yan's eyes lit up, about to reply—but then a vivid image of Lin Feng finding Ye Lingling popped into her mind.
"…Girl. I guess girl too."
She quickly blurted it out, startled.
"You both guessed the same? What's the point of the game then?" Ye Lingling said with a wry smile. "Fine, I'll guess boy."
Dugu Yan sipped her tea, lips curling into a smirk.
Let's see how this plays out.
"You're hiding something from me, aren't you?" Ye Lingling asked, noticing Dugu Yan's secretive smile.
Dugu Yan shook her head quickly, though a trace of panic flickered in her eyes.
Ye Lingling glanced between her and Lin Feng, suspicion growing. Something's definitely going on between those two…
Xiao Wu emerged from the woods flanking the road, stretching her limbs. Her body was sore, but her heart was full of excitement.
"So this is human society?"
"Amazing! These roads are so long and narrow!"
She stepped onto the path curiously, marveling at the unfamiliar ground beneath her feet.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of hooves and wheels.
Turning, she spotted a carriage approaching in the distance and waved cheerfully.
Her mother had told her stories about the human world—including how to ask passing carriages for help.
Perhaps this one could take her closer to civilization.
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