Chapter 185: Interrogating Xiao Wu
After exchanging polite but hollow pleasantries with Emperor Xue Ye, Xiao Yu led his group to the Nine Stars Hall branch located in the Sunset Forest.
In coming to Heaven Dou City, titles and connections were secondary to Xiao Yu's true objectives: the elusive 100,000-year rogue rabbit and the Sea God's artifact, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud.
The rogue rabbit had been captured by Radamanthys and imprisoned in the Sunset Forest. Initially, she was defiant, yelling threats and obscenities in her cell. She declared that Da Ming and Er Ming would slaughter everyone at the branch and vowed that her beloved brother Tang San and her "father-in-law" Tang Hao would avenge her.
However, the soul masters tasked with guarding her had no sympathy for such antics. They weren't going to indulge a soul beast whose mind was filled only with troublemaking and romance.
A few soul skills later, Xiao Wu—whose soul power had been sealed by Radamanthys—was utterly defenseless and left to endure the beatings. After several such lessons, she finally grasped her predicament and settled into being a subdued prisoner. Inside, though, she undoubtedly harbored countless fantasies of carving up her jailers into pieces.
"Xiao Yu, you despicable bastard!"
Nearly two years of captivity hadn't extinguished the rabbit's inexplicable arrogance. The moment she was dragged out of her cell and saw Xiao Yu, her pent-up rage erupted. She pointed at him and unleashed a torrent of curses.
Boom!
Xiao Yu's cold gaze swept over her as he unleashed his soul power. Xiao Wu, now no different from an ordinary human, stumbled and fell to her knees with a thud.
"You're nothing more than a domesticated beast. Who gave you the courage to point at your master and curse him?"
Xiao Yu stood slowly, towering over Xiao Wu as he spoke. "Your mouth reeks. If I recall, it caused plenty of trouble for your dear Tang San back then. I think it's time to shut it for good!"
"You—"
The icy glint in Xiao Yu's eyes filled Xiao Wu with dread. After a long pause, she summoned the courage to speak. "Xiao Yu, if you dare to harm me, Uncle Tang won't let you off, and neither will my brothers Da Ming and Er Ming!"
"That old fool Tang Hao tried to pick a fight and ended up running with his tail between his legs after we crushed him. As for your two 'loyal' brothers..."
Xiao Yu sneered, flipping his wrist to reveal a soul bone in his hand.
"Does this look familiar?"
He held the soul bone close to Xiao Wu's face.
"T-this is... Er Ming's soul bone!"
Xiao Wu's voice trembled. After tens of thousands of years together, she was all too familiar with the Titan Giant Ape's aura. Tears streamed down her face.
"Your so-called protectors are nothing but ants before me," Xiao Yu said coldly. Her tears didn't soften him in the slightest. His voice remained devoid of warmth. "Understand your place, or I'll send that Azure Bull Python to join the Titan Giant Ape right now!"
"No! Please, I beg you!"
Having already lost one brother, Xiao Wu couldn't bear the thought of losing another. Her pride shattered completely, and she kowtowed repeatedly before Xiao Yu.
With a wave of his hand, Xiao Yu conjured a pen and paper, placing them before Xiao Wu. "You've lived for tens of thousands of years as a soul beast. You must know a lot about the soul beast world. Write down everything you know about the powerful soul beasts—their cultivation ages, attributes, abilities, habitats—everything!"
This was the true purpose of Xiao Yu's visit. Before absorbing Xiao Wu's soul ring, he intended to extract every ounce of value from her.
By the time of the Douluo Dalu II era, 100,000-year soul beasts were plentiful. It was unlikely they had collectively broken through in just the thousand years between Douluo Dalu I and II. A far more plausible explanation was that these soul beasts had been in hiding during the events of Douluo Dalu I.
Xiao Yu was determined to uncover their secrets.
Xiao Yu speculated that during the events of Douluo Dalu I, the Silver Dragon King's severe injuries likely kept Di Tian and other powerful soul beasts confined within the Lake of Life. Without these formidable guardians, ordinary 100,000-year soul beasts would have been easily hunted by humans. Consequently, most chose to go into hiding, leaving only a few 100,000-year soul beasts at the periphery to serve as sentinels. It was likely during this period that the Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape moved into the core area of the Star Dou Forest.
"You want me to betray my kind!"
Upon hearing Xiao Yu's intentions, Xiao Wu immediately understood and angrily retorted, "Dream on!"
Xiao Yu replied coldly, "Then you can wait until the day I bring the Azure Bull Python's soul bone to show you as well!"
"Da Ming will understand me."
Xiao Wu's tone was resolute. "We soul beasts would never betray our own kind!"
"Oh, really?"
Xiao Yu sneered. "It seems the Azure Bull Python's 'weight' isn't enough. I wonder if adding your dear brother Tang San into the equation will make you talk!"
"My brother San? What are you planning to do to him?"
The mention of Tang San caused Xiao Wu's previously unwavering stance to falter. As expected, in the face of her love for Tang San, all principles and loyalties became negotiable. To Xiao Wu, nothing mattered more than her "San Ge."
"Not much," Xiao Yu said with a cruel smirk. "At most, I'll capture him and then..."
He proceeded to explain in detail the so-called Ten Great Tortures of the Qing Dynasty. The graphic descriptions left the lovesick rabbit pale and trembling.
Despite her fear, Xiao Wu clung to a sliver of hope. Tang San was under the protection of Tang Hao, a Title Douluo. Even if Tang Hao couldn't defeat the Nine Stars Hall, surely he could escape with his life and protect Tang San, right?
"Don't pin your hopes on Tang Hao. If I want to capture Tang San, Tang Hao won't be able to save him."
Xiao Yu's tone carried a faint mockery. He gestured to a subordinate, who promptly retrieved a monitoring soul tool and played a recording.
The screen showed Tang Hao's desperate battle against Aiakos and Radamanthys, culminating in his use of Ring Detonation to flee in disgrace.
"You're a 100,000-year soul beast. Even though your cultivation is gone, your spiritual perception should still be sharper than that of ordinary humans," Xiao Yu said icily. "You should be able to sense how much damage that move caused to Tang Hao's body. Do you think he can use such a life-saving skill many more times?"
Xiao Wu was completely crushed. As Xiao Yu pointed out, her heightened perception allowed her to discern the rapid decline of Tang Hao's vitality after the Ring Detonation.
"Fine, I'll write!"
For the sake of her beloved brother Tang San's safety, Xiao Wu resolutely chose to betray her own kind.
Thinking back to her earlier resolve to uphold her principles at the cost of the Azure Bull Python's life, one could only imagine how the Azure Bull Python would react if it knew. It might just cry itself unconscious in the bathroom.
Truly, as the saying goes: A bootlicker's fate is always tragic in the end!
"Don't think about deceiving me," Xiao Yu warned. "I'll verify the information you provide immediately. If you try to fabricate anything, you'll learn the true meaning of regret."
This warning extinguished Xiao Wu's last flicker of defiance. With her head bowed, she suppressed the seething hatred in her heart and began writing everything she knew about the soul beasts—their locations, abilities, ages, and more—with meticulous detail.
(End of Chapter)
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