"No, no!"
"Don't look! Go away, go away! Sister Xiao Wu doesn't want your candy anymore!"
Out of nowhere—
Xiao Wu's voice, choked with sobs, rang out in Ye Qiu's ears. It carried resentment, pleading, and fear.
"Hey! Damn rabbit, calm down!"
Ye Qiu quickly called out, trying to calm her.
But in this moment, how could Xiao Wu possibly listen to a human soul master's words?
Outside, Xiao Wu—wearing a tight black bodysuit—began trembling all over. Black cracks started to appear in the two white patches of her eyes.
She raised her little hands and kept tearing at the sticky black suit. She wasn't just physically resisting Ye Qiu—she was rejecting him mentally, too.
The spiritual bond between them had already been severed.
"Ahhh—!"
"Get away! Stay away!"
Xiao Wu screamed. Her tear-streaked face appeared again, poking out.
She looked just like someone drowning in a swamp, trying desperately to break free. But the black color on her skin kept climbing up her pretty face, trying to stop her reckless resistance.
"Calm down. Just calm down…"
Ye Qiu kept trying to soothe her, while she screamed uncontrollably.
But Xiao Wu's mind was blank. All she wanted was to escape—flee from Ye Qiu, flee from this place!
Even Ye Qiu couldn't help feeling anxious now.
With a deep, angry voice, he shouted:
"Shut up!"
"Stupid rabbit! Do you want to attract attention and let everyone know your identity?!"
"Ah!"
Xiao Wu let out a frightened cry—
Then bit her lip and forcefully suppressed it, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Phew—"
Ye Qiu let out a sigh of relief.
To avoid triggering her further, Ye Qiu transferred his poison-liquid form onto Xiao Wu's clothes.
Xiao Wu could feel her strength draining—Ye Qiu's soul power leaving her body. But at this point, she didn't care anymore.
Still sobbing, she crouched down, wrapped her arms around her head, and trembled nonstop.
Splat!
The black liquid gathered on Xiao Wu's shoulder, and the poison slime's head emerged, floating beside her. Ye Qiu didn't reveal his human face, just kept the slime form with its long tongue slightly pulled back.
Though his first possession wasn't fully successful, Ye Qiu now understood much more about his martial soul's capabilities. He felt a bit pleased inside.
Looking at Xiao Wu curled up on the ground, head buried, silent, he floated closer and gently asked, "Little rabbit, are you okay?"
"Don't… don't speak."
Xiao Wu kept shaking her head, voice hoarse from crying, whispering as she tried to stifle her sobs.
Just then, faint dripping sounds echoed in the alley.
Drip.
A single crystal-clear teardrop fell to the ground.
Ye Qiu sighed helplessly. He wasn't even a proper soul master yet, and he already scared her this much…
Forget it. Better not mention Tang Hao to her just yet.
If she actually tried to run off, he really would be doomed.
Sure, he had become a poisonous liquid—difficult to kill.
But the enemy was a Title Douluo.
Even if he was slime, he wasn't truly inhuman.
That "hard to kill" part… in the face of absolute power, it meant nothing.
He could easily be sealed and starved to death.
"Don't… don't tell anyone…"
As Ye Qiu was thinking—
Xiao Wu still muttered "don't," her voice shaking. She slowly lifted her tear-streaked face, eyes filled with panic. Her little arms hugged her body tightly.
Looking at Ye Qiu, she bit her lip, looking utterly fragile.
Even though he only showed his slime head, she wasn't afraid. In the face of death, all else felt meaningless.
She pleaded, "Please don't tell anyone, okay? Sister Xiao Wu… I'll do anything you say! Just don't say anything… please…"
She gripped her now-blackened clothes tightly. Tears flowed like pearls from a broken string.
Ye Qiu, still in slime form, had no visible expression.
He had never planned to expose her. Facing such an innocent and naïve little bunny, how could he not feel any pity?
"Really… anything I say?"
Ye Qiu's hoarse voice echoed in his slime form, sounding like a devil to Xiao Wu's ears.
Her face turned pale. She bit her lip and nodded hard.
"Good!"
Ye Qiu responded seriously:
"Then let's do it again. This time… you're not allowed to resist!"
Xiao Wu blinked her tear-filled eyes, hesitant. But after a moment, she nodded slowly.
He already knew her biggest secret. What difference would another try make?
As black tentacles sprouted from her clothes, Xiao Wu's voice was soft and choked:
"What are you doing now…?"
"Of course—wiping your snot, so you don't smear it on me."
Ye Qiu chuckled. The tentacle turned into a hand, holding a cloth that had once wrapped his candy. Gently, he wiped her face, her eyes, and her philtrum.
Then playfully pinched her red nose, leaving behind a sweet scent, before tucking the cloth into her collar.
Looking down at the cloth stuffed inside her clothes, a faint blush returned to Xiao Wu's pale face. She pressed her lips together and said nothing—but more tears welled up in her eyes.
The brief moment of being moved had vanished. Now, she just felt bullied by Ye Qiu.
"Alright, ready?"
Ye Qiu's hoarse voice was far from gentle, but it was enough to bring her back to her senses.
"Mm."
Xiao Wu nodded slightly, closing her eyes as if resigning herself. Two tears slowly slid down her cheeks.
Seeing this, Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.
Why the hell does she look so wronged again? Wasn't I just trying to comfort her? I mean, talking about this stuff in public isn't exactly appropriate.
If we can merge again and connect spiritually, we wouldn't even need to talk. One thought and the other would understand!
"I'm coming in."
Ye Qiu didn't hesitate. He warned her once, then began merging again with Xiao Wu's pale body—his slime form even seeping under her skin.
Black fibers crept up her cheeks.
Xiao Wu squeezed out two more tears from the corners of her eyes. She clenched her fists tightly, forcing herself to endure the fear. The merging of their memories felt like someone was violating her mind, like her soul was being toyed with by Ye Qiu.
Ye Qiu's memories flowed into Xiao Wu as well, though limited—only those after his martial soul awakened.
The two slowly connected memories.
Xiao Wu, still clenching her fists, suddenly paused, tilting her head slightly.
A light flickered in her eyes—then surprise bloomed in her heart.
Ye Qiu's true thoughts also flooded in—
He really wouldn't reveal her identity. He really wouldn't hurt her.
Faced with Ye Qiu's sincere, heartfelt feelings—completely unhidden—her tearful face froze in surprise.
"Ye Qiu… you really won't say anything?"
"Do you want me to take my heart out to show you what I feel?"
Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.
Hearing this, and sensing there was no trace of deceit in his heart, Xiao Wu's face finally regained a bit of its brightness.
"Ye Qiu… thank you!"
Ye Qiu, now inhabiting Xiao Wu's body, could clearly feel her gratitude.
"Just work with me. I want to test the power."
Ye Qiu replied calmly.
"Mm!"
Xiao Wu nodded, pulled herself together, and started experimenting with the tight black outfit—now threaded faintly with pink.