"I am the Titan next door!"
"Stretch out your Vine of Love!"
"Hear me roar!"
"Ohohoh~!"
Er Ming's thunderous voice echoed through the Star Dou Great Forest. Trees trembled. The ground quaked. Birds scattered in every direction as the colossal Titan Giant Ape thundered forward, each step pounding with enough force to make even mountains want to get out of his way. His massive figure crashed through the dense undergrowth, kicking up leaves and toppling small trees like they were grass.
But perhaps the strangest part of this intimidating sight was not Er Ming himself, but the tiny figure perched happily on his broad shoulder.
A small boy, barely more than a year old. Black hair. Bright, curious eyes that never stopped shining with mischief. His little hand gripped a wooden sword almost as tall as his arm, pointing it toward an unseen horizon like he was leading a great army into battle.
That boy was none other than Lu Xiaoyu.
In the blink of an eye, more than a year had passed since he came to live in the Star Dou Great Forest.
And somehow, this tiny boy—barely able to speak complete sentences when he arrived—had not only learned to talk fluently, but also to dance, to sing strangely modified songs of his own invention, and most importantly… to command.
The soul beasts of the forest had once thought themselves proud and untamed. The king of the forest had long been the Sky Blue Bull Python, domineering and majestic. But now?
Now the emperor of the Star Dou Great Forest was Lu Xiaoyu.
"Xiaoyu, where are we going this time?" Er Ming rumbled good-naturedly as he bounded forward, shaking leaves off every branch in his path.
Over the past year, the Titan Giant Ape had become almost like an oversized babysitter, though he'd never admit it aloud. For a creature who had lived for more than a hundred thousand years, this was his first time playing so much with a human child. To his immense surprise, he enjoyed it. It wasn't just amusing—sometimes it was even the best part of his day.
And besides, whatever Lu Xiaoyu wanted, Er Ming went and got. Without exception.
"Let's go find Uncle Black Bear!" Lu Xiaoyu declared, pointing his wooden sword like a general ordering his legion forward. "Set off!"
"Okay!" Er Ming slammed his fists onto the ground dramatically, sending tremors rolling across the forest floor, then dashed forward again.
The Titan's voice resounded once more through the trees.
"I am the Titan next door…"
Not too far away, a black bear nearly five meters tall perked his ears, his fur bristling at once. His eyes widened.
"That… that's the Devil's song!!"
He froze in place, panic coursing through his veins. His wide paws were still sticky from the delicious golden honeycomb he had just robbed from a hive. He had only just dragged the treasure back and was about to indulge in it when the dreaded song reached his ears.
Not just a song—it was a declaration of hell itself.
"Lu Xiaoyu is here?!"
The Black Bear jolted in terror, scrambling to push the honey jar behind him. He frantically crammed leaves atop it, trying to hide the sweet scent, before tremblingly turning toward the noise.
But it was too late. A small figure was already standing right behind him.
"Uncle Black Bear, what are you hiding?" Lu Xiaoyu asked innocently, tilting his head to the side, his big eyes sparkling while his wooden sword pointed accusingly at the massive beast.
Over the past year, Lu Xiaoyu had learned more than just human speech. Somehow, through his absurd mixture of natural talent and mischief, he had mastered the animal tongue as well. Every soul beast—no matter their kind—understood him perfectly.
"I—I'm not hiding anything," the Black Bear stammered, his enormous paw instinctively curling protectively behind his back where the honey was. Inside, he was groaning in despair.
Why me, every single day? Couldn't this little devil just stay home one time? If this kept up, the Star Dou Great Forest wouldn't be livable much longer!
"Ha! It's honey!" Xiaoyu sniffed once, wrinkled his adorable little nose, and smirked.
"N-no!" The Black Bear tried to bluff, standing stiffly like a guilty child. "This is just… old bones from last night's meal. Bears don't eat honey, you're mistaken."
Inside, his thoughts were a whirlwind of curses. Since when did this brat's nose get sharper than mine?!
"Uncle Black Bear, you're lying again!" Lu Xiaoyu scolded, wagging his tiny sword. "Mama said lying means you're not a good boy."
Before the bear could react, the little tyrant had already walked straight toward the honey jar hidden beneath the leaves.
The Black Bear panicked, immediately stepping in front with his massive chest to shield his prize. His eyes darted between Xiaoyu and Er Ming, weighing his chances. Spoiler: he had none.
Behind Xiaoyu, the Titan Giant Ape clenched his giant fists and gave the Black Bear a glare so fierce that it nearly made the fifty-thousand-year-old beast collapse on the spot. The booming thud of Er Ming's fists colliding sounded like drums of war.
Dare to stop Xiaoyu? Do you have a death wish?
"I'll… I'll give it to you!" the Black Bear trembled, immediately raising both his paws in surrender. "Uncle wasn't hiding it at all. I actually saved this honey just for you, Xiaoyu. I wanted to surprise you, that's all!"
Sweating profusely, the giant bear carefully dragged the heavy jar forward. Still, his paws clung on desperately, as though reluctant to part with his treasure.
"Bring it to me!" Xiaoyu commanded, knocking the bear's furry hand with his little wooden sword like a seasoned extortionist. Clearly, this wasn't the first time he'd robbed honey with such professionalism.
Climbing up onto a nearby rock for height, he peeked into the jar and beamed when he saw the golden sweetness glistening inside.
"So much!" he exclaimed in pure delight.
But then, in true Xiaoyu fashion, he added with childlike seriousness, "Uncle Black Bear, I won't take your honey for free. Mama taught me you can't just take things from others. I'll trade with you."
Puffing out his chest proudly, Xiaoyu reached into his pocket and pulled out… a bright red apple.
"Here! One apple for your honey. Fair trade!"
The Black Bear's lips twitched violently. Fair trade? Did this little demon not realize how absurdly unfair that was?! His heart felt like it was dripping honey itself as Xiaoyu calmly stored the entire jar inside his miniature Soul Guidance Device.
He wanted to cry. He really did.
Still, under Er Ming's glare, he snatched the apple and stuffed it into his mouth furiously. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Bitter. Sour. Nothing like honey.
Inside, he roared silently, Did your mother never say you can't force people to trade?! Bandit! Tyrant! Honey thief!
Er Ming, meanwhile, chuckled happily as Xiaoyu devoured his spoils.
"Eat less honey, Xiaoyu! Too much will ruin your teeth. If your mother finds out, she'll blame me again," Er Ming cautioned nervously.
Xiaoyu paused, licking honey from his fingers, and glanced at him mischievously. "Uncle Er Ming, are you scared of my mom?"
"Me? Afraid?" Er Ming scoffed. "Hmph! I'm the king of the forest. Do you think I'd be afraid of anyone?"
But then he muttered inwardly: Not afraid—just… really don't like being nagged by that dragon lady.
Xiaoyu giggled, then pushed some honey toward him. "Here, taste it!"
Er Ming sampled a large mouthful, humming in approval. "Sweet! Not bad. I wonder where that Black Bear brat got it. We'll pay him another visit sometime."
The Black Bear, overhearing this from the distance, nearly collapsed on the spot. Another visit? Heaven save me!
Far away, in a wooden cabin nestled deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, another, very different kind of drama was unfolding.
"Lu Yuan, you bastard!"
Inside their room, Liu Erlong was tied securely to the bed with ropes, struggling furiously like a caged flame. Her fiery eyes blazed with indignation, her chest heaving as she shouted. "How dare you tie me up again?! Every time you don't know what to do, you just tie me up! Do you have some kind of sickness?!"
Lu Yuan leaned casually against the wall, wine cup in hand, his slightly tipsy gaze roaming with amusement. "Come on, Little Chili, don't be angry. Just share a couple of drinks with me, and I'll untie you."
"I don't want to drink right now!" she snapped.
"Suit yourself." He shrugged, sitting down leisurely beside her as if her furious thrashing was nothing but an amusing show.
She glared daggers at him, then switched topics with a growl. "What did Sect Leader Ning say to you this time?"
Over the past year, living in seclusion within the Star Dou Great Forest, Liu Erlong had little idea of what was happening outside. It was only when she recently ventured to Qingfeng Town with Lu Yuan and met Ning Fengzhi that she managed to hear some news.
Lu Yuan scratched his head, trying to recall. "Something about Shrek Academy falling apart, the royal family's messy nonsense, Clear Sky School moving around… Honestly, I already forgot most of it."
Typical. He'd remember exactly who he spent the night with at banquets, yet anything remotely political or serious slipped right through his mind.
What he did remember vividly was the event at Qingfeng Town where, much to Uncle Ning's disbelief, both Rongrong and Zhuqing ended up in his bed the same night. He smirked faintly at the memory.
Fengzhi had been shocked then. But Lu Yuan? He had been unfazed. For him, it was like walking a well-trodden path.
In the end, however, Ning Fengzhi still entrusted him with a precious gift: a head soul bone, passed down from the Soul Master Elite Tournament, originally saved by Old Man Meng.
Hearing that, Liu Erlong scowled. "Shrek is collapsing? Hmph. That's Yu Xiaogang's fault! Not only did that bastard ruin his own reputation, he dragged Shrek down with him!"
Her voice was thick with bitter disappointment. After all, though she was no longer the dean, she had once built the Blue Tyrant Academy that merged into Shrek. In its prime, her school had thousands of students and nearly a hundred teachers, shining brilliantly in the world of soul masters. And now… it was crumbling.
Her heart burned.
Just then, an innocent voice rang from outside.
"Dad, Mom! I'm back!"
The ropes froze under Liu Erlong's furious attempts to break free. She immediately glared at Lu Yuan. "Xiao Yu is back! Untie me right now!"
"…Forget it," Lu Yuan smirked, seemingly enjoying the scene. "I'll help you wear your pants first."
"…"
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