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Over the past few days, Ye Wen remained convinced that Tang Hao hadn't noticed he had taken Xiao Wu away.
But to be sure, he decided to test it again.
In the following months, Ye Wen repeated his tactic of taking Xiao Wu out on trips once or twice a month. By now, even Huo Yu'er was starting to feel jealous.
Ye Wen found this utterly exasperating. "If it weren't for you causing trouble, why would I have to drag Xiao Wu around to those remote places instead of focusing on my cultivation? Though the local food is pretty tasty."
Once or twice might have been fine, but after so many tests, Ye Wen finally reached a conclusion:
Either Tang Hao wasn't around at all, or some powerful presence was secretly deterring him from making a move against Ye Wen and Xiao Wu.
Meanwhile, Ye Wen also noticed something odd about Tang San.
Though Tang San had never been particularly proactive before, he would still make an effort to remind Xiao Wu of his existence every few days. However, ever since Ye Wen started frequently taking Xiao Wu out on trips, Tang San had stopped courting her altogether, as if he were no longer the same lovesick puppy.
Something was off—something big.
Ye Wen was certain that Tang San's change in behavior wasn't because Xiao Wu had publicly declared her feelings for him. Someone must have given Tang San a stern warning.
Otherwise, with Tang San's resilient nature, how could he give up so easily? After all, they were still young, and Tang San still had plenty of opportunities to steal Xiao Wu away. Moreover, considering his past life, where he had gone so far as to steal secrets from his sect to prove his worth, how could such a minor setback deter him?
The consistent absence of Tang Hao and the sudden shift in Tang San's behavior pointed to one thing: a terrifying presence loomed near Ye Wen, keeping these two unruly father-and-son figures in check.
"So, who could it be?" Ye Wen lay on the bed, lost in thought.
A wise man once said, "All the world's hustle and bustle is driven by self-interest."
Thus, there must be something valuable enough in Ye Wen's vicinity to attract the attention of such a supreme being—one capable of suppressing Tang Hao and preventing him from acting recklessly.
Ye Wen turned his head to look at Huo Yu'er, peacefully asleep under the bright moonlight. She looked pure and beautiful, like a moonlit fairy.
"Could it be you, Yu'er? Though you weren't born with full soul power, your Spirit Eye martial soul might still warrant the attention of such a powerful entity.
Moreover, you didn't exist in the original story."
If this mysterious powerhouse were connected to Huo Yu'er, Ye Wen would feel much more at ease.
But at the same time, he felt the weight of even greater pressure.
To match Huo Yu'er's family, which boasted a Soul Elder, Ye Wen had already been working tirelessly to cultivate and build his own foundation.
But now, Huo Yu'er's family had seemingly upgraded, adding a potential Super Douluo to their ranks. This left Ye Wen feeling overwhelmed, unsure how to measure up to them anytime soon.
Though Huo Yu'er didn't mind, Ye Wen's pride wouldn't allow it.
But goals that couldn't be achieved in the short term were beyond Ye Wen's control, no matter how hard he thought about it. His mind began to spiral into chaos as he speculated about the identity of the mysterious powerhouse behind Huo Yu'er.
It wasn't unheard of for someone to be born with level 9 innate soul power on the Douluo continent, but to warrant the protection and attention of such a powerful figure, it was likely someone tied to a Body Sect martial soul.
Speaking of which, the Body Sect wasn't explicitly stated in the original story to have been founded only after Tang San became a god. Perhaps it already had roots in the current era or existed as a hidden sect. Could they have seen Huo Yu'er's potential and wanted to recruit her wholeheartedly through this method?
Lost in these thoughts, Ye Wen drifted off to sleep.
The next day, having clarified the key points in his mind, Ye Wen no longer agonized over the issue. He threw himself wholeheartedly back into cultivation.
Why overthink it? The most important thing to match Huo Yu'er was strength. Otherwise, he'd end up becoming the second coming of Yu Xiaogang.
But peace was not meant to last.
Xiao Wu, having tasted the sweetness of outings, once again asked Ye Wen—who had barely recovered from his mental exhaustion—to take her out.
Ye Wen admitted to himself that he was weak. He had started to develop feelings for Xiao Wu.
As a result, he no longer treated her as coldly and harshly as before, showing some leniency instead. But the thought of Xiao Wu turning into the arrogant and domineering character from the original story sent shivers down his spine.
For the sake of his future happiness, Ye Wen solemnly laid down three conditions:
"Alright, I'll take you out, but you must promise me three things."
"Mm-hmm." Xiao Wu, who had been frequently indulged by Ye Wen, obediently nodded without hesitation.
The first step of setting rules was successful. Ye Wen let out a sigh of relief and continued sternly, "First, we're still young, and cultivation is our top priority. We can't go out too often—once a month at most, and each trip can't exceed three days. Do you have any objections?"
Having grown accustomed to frequent outings, Xiao Wu felt a bit disheartened at the prospect of only three days. But remembering Huo Yu'er's instructions, she obediently nodded.
Ye Wen then added, "Second, when we go out, you can't run around everywhere. You must stay by my side at all times. I don't want to spend hours searching for you across the entire city."
His voice carried a hint of exasperation. Xiao Wu's free-spirited nature often led her to wander off unnoticed, leaving Ye Wen nearly frantic on several occasions while searching for her.
No matter what, Ye Wen had to rein in Xiao Wu's tendency to roam freely.
Xiao Wu understood the implication behind his words, sticking out her tongue sheepishly but nodding obediently.
At this point, Ye Wen raised three fingers and spoke with particular seriousness: "Third, and most importantly, if we encounter danger and I tell you to run, you must immediately flee and seek help from Yu'er rather than fighting alongside me."
The first two conditions were manageable, and Xiao Wu, still relatively compliant, acknowledged her shortcomings. But the third condition made her face fall, and she instantly reverted to her natural state, placing her hands on her hips and pouting.
"Arwen, what do you mean?! Are you looking down on your Big Sister Xiao Wu?!"
But her arrogance lasted less than two seconds before Ye Wen grabbed her delicate cheeks, turning her lips into a pout.
"Listen carefully. I'm telling you to run only when I specifically instruct you to seek reinforcements—not at the slightest sign of danger."
"Coo coo, what da heck ya sayin'?" Xiao Wu mumbled indistinctly.
Ye Wen released her, exasperated.
"Tell me, who do you think is stronger between us?"
"You are," Xiao Wu muttered discontentedly.
There was no denying it. Although Xiao Wu had two hundred-year spirit rings, one of her spirit skills increased her waist strength by 30% (Waist Bow), and the other was a mental skill called Charm.
These skills weren't bad, but they paled in comparison to Ye Wen, who had all-around protection and reflective armor.
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