"Just chatting with Miss Xu, nothing important. You two go ahead."
Wang Wan smiled gently at the two sisters.
"Ohhh~ Then teacher, rest early. Call us if you need anything!"
Shui Bing'er replied without understanding much, then motioned to her sister to let down the flap of the tent.
Why do the two teachers seem so secretive…
Though puzzled, Shui Bing'er didn't dwell on it.
"Wang-jie, where did you hear about this?"
Miss Xu, aware she had been rather forward just now, cautiously glanced around to ensure there was no movement outside the tent before continuing in a hushed tone.
"Those who had their slave contracts dissolved said they saw the image of a god in their hearts, didn't they? Think about it—what kind of Titled Douluo could project their likeness into the minds of each and every slave?"
"This kind of power likely surpasses anything you or I can imagine…"
Wang Wan sighed at the divine power, then added,
"The key point is—there's a rumor I heard from other students at the academy."
"When they went out, some of them asked the rescued people what their god looked like."
"What did they say?"
Miss Xu immediately asked.
"Hehe~ Their descriptions were all over the place. Stuff like 'majestic presence,' 'overwhelming aura,' 'unparalleled beauty'…"
"But there was one trait they all described the same way. And that was…"
Wang Wan's eyes glazed over slightly, as if envisioning the god they had all seen.
"..."
Seeing Wang Wan stop at such a critical moment, Miss Xu felt like ants were crawling all over her body.
It was like reaching the edge of a climax only for everything to suddenly stop and be pulled away—who could endure that?!
She grabbed Wang Wan's arm and shook it furiously. Because of the wound on her arm, she winced from the pain.
"Alright, alright. They all said… that their god was protected by time itself. Time had no effect on him. He was so young…"
"Uh…"
Miss Xu, who had been eagerly waiting, instantly deflated.
That's it?
What kind of description is that? It doesn't tell them what he actually looked like at all.
Wait—young…
Women's thoughts tend to run wild. Miss Xu looked at the complicated expression on Wang Wan's face after she spoke, and suddenly, a silhouette surfaced in her mind.
Something seemed to explode inside her head.
...
Outside the tent, the sisters sat under a large tree, their gazes occasionally drifting toward the campfire on the other side.
"If you want to go, then go already…"
Shui Bing'er nudged her sister. Neither had spoken much while sitting there, but it was clear her sister wanted to go sit beside that boy. Neither had made the first move.
"Oh please, it's you who wants to go. Don't pin it on me…"
Shui Yue'er knew exactly what her sister meant, her cheeks turning slightly red.
"Tsk tsk~ As if I don't know you…"
Looking at her normally boisterous sister now acting like a shy little girl, Shui Bing'er smirked meaningfully.
"If you want to go, then go. Sitting here acting like a lovesick kitten—he's not looking at me, so stop putting on a show. I'm not about to let you get all—"
"You're the one acting lovesick! Who's the one who couldn't tear her eyes off him just now, you man-crazy little hussy…"
"Is that how you talk to your elder sister?! I'm going to rip that foul mouth of yours to shreds!"
There's no such thing as "too dirty" when it comes to banter between close sisters or best friends.
Especially girls like these two—any random exchange could summon the wrath of the great god of censorship.
Shui Bing'er pounced on Shui Yue'er, pinning her down and grabbing forcefully at the soft curves barely held back by her clothes.
Shui Yue'er let out a startled yelp, and the two began to wrestle, causing springtime chaos to erupt in the forest.
Their ruckus inevitably caught the attention of the boy sitting by the fire.
In the flickering firelight, he could faintly make out flashes of pale skin. He quickly turned away—these were sisters, after all. It wasn't his place to interfere, or even to look.
Still, just sitting here felt a bit voyeuristic. Aether got to his feet, intending to head back to the tent—but then remembered the hulking creature lying nearby, unmoving.
After a moment's thought, he turned and walked toward the Flame-Maned Lion that had been silently waiting there.
Humans may be the most intelligent of all creatures, but spreading one's skills too thin often leaves them out of touch with nature—unlike beasts who are born to it.
This lion… perhaps it had sensed something from Aether, which was why it refused to leave.
Maybe it felt restrained by Aether's strength, unwilling to approach directly, yet still choosing to wait nearby. If Aether guessed right, it might even try to quietly follow them once they left.
"Rrroooww~"
Sensing Aether's approach, the Flame-Maned Lion slowly lifted its massive head, a clearly ingratiating look on its face.
Seeing this expression on the soul beast, Aether's mouth twitched. He opened his elemental sight.
"..."
Sure enough, a blue commission marker had appeared above the lion's head.
Ever since arriving in the Douluo Continent, things were starting to feel… off.
Even soul beasts could give out commissions now?
"Grrr…"
Noticing Aether's strange expression, the Flame-Maned Lion quickly lowered its head.
Maybe it was remembering why Paimon had scolded it before—its breath stank. Now, it didn't even dare face Aether directly, terrified he might casually split its skull.
Paimon couldn't hurt it, but this guy… if he got annoyed, it probably wouldn't even have a soul ring left.
Might not even leave behind ashes…
"…Wait here. I'll find a translator."
Although this soul beast's power was nearing the fabled hundred-thousand-year tier in this world, it still couldn't speak human language—only growl.
And with a commission appearing, Aether had no way to understand what it wanted.
With no other choice, he turned to the one person who might help: Paimon.
"Waaah! Traveler, help! Someone's kidnapping me—"
Paimon had been dreaming of a grand feast when she suddenly felt herself being lifted. Even before opening her eyes, her little mouth cried out in panic.
"Shhh, it's me."
Aether quickly covered her mouth with his hand. Nearby, Yu Keke stirred slightly at the sound, smacked her lips, and rolled over to keep sleeping.
"Ehh? Traveler, what are you—mmpf!"
Once again silenced, Paimon was scooped up from the tent and carried straight to the Flame-Maned Lion.
"Help me find out what it's trying to say."
Aether gestured toward the large lion with his eyes, then removed his hand from Paimon's mouth.
"Hmph! You owe me snacks! Fufu gave me those as a gift and I barely took one bite before you woke me up!"
Paimon struggled out of his arms, crossing her arms in a huff and glaring.
She had just dreamed of visiting Fufu and being gifted the most delicious treats—only to be rudely interrupted by this annoying traveler!
_
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