Chapter 244: Tang San's Transformation

Xiao Wu looked at Yang Xiong, a bit angry: "You little Xiao Xiongzi, you even scared Xiao Bai away; I think your upcoming assessment will be very difficult."

Yang Xiong said helplessly: "I was only stating the facts; can they raise the difficulty just because I have absorbed two Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Rings? Does the Sea God reject me because I absorbed two Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Rings?"

Xiao Wu said: "Isn't it because you casually slaughtered Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts, which have normal human intelligence? Don't you think that's cruel?"

Yang Xiong shook his head: "Xiao Wu, you are a Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beast in human form; perhaps you feel closer to Soul Beasts, but I must keep getting stronger, and Soul Rings are inevitable."

Xiao Wu quickly replied: "So you still lack two Soul Rings; will you still need to hunt Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts in the future?"

Yang Xiong nodded: "These are the rules of the Soul Master World; even the gods cannot change them, let alone us mortals."

Xiao Wu seemed a bit upset: "You little Xiao Xiongzi, I thought you were a good person, but you also want to hunt Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts; I misjudged you."

Yang Xiong said helplessly: "Little rabbit, I have saved you many times; is this how you treat a lifesaver?"

Seeing Xiao Wu extremely angry, the previously silent Tang San quickly comforted: "Xiao Wu, don't be so angry; I will work hard to get stronger and protect you with all my might."

Yang Xiong looked at Tang San and Xiao Wu's demeanor, shook his head: "The world's rules are like this; can an ordinary person change them single‑handedly?"

Tang San looked at Yang Xiong: "Yang Xiong, I thank you for repeatedly helping Xiao Wu, but I hope you apologize to her, since Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts are her kind."

Yang Xiong said: "Tang San, your Clear Sky Hammer hasn't started absorbing Soul Rings yet; will your Clear Sky Hammer in the future only absorb ordinary Ten‑thousand‑year Soul Rings, not plan to absorb Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Rings?"

Tang San, hearing this, was at a loss for words; he plans to cultivate Blue Silver Grass up to the ninth ring, then add Soul Rings to the Clear Sky Hammer, and will pursue higher‑level, more powerful Soul Beasts—Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Rings are also his pursuit, even one of his greatest goals.

After a moment of silence, Tang San said: "I won't casually hunt Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts, but those more evil Soul Beasts can still be killed."

Yang Xiong smiled inwardly: "I don't quite understand this; what are evil Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts?"

"I have no interest in you and Xiao Wu being together and don't want to disturb you, but any Soul Beast that reaches Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Level—unless it's a plant Soul Beast—must have hunted many Soul Beasts to reach that level; even Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python should be no exception; I think they aren't vegetarians."

"By that calculation, what Soul Beasts in this world are good? How can I distinguish good Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts from evil ones?"

Tang San thought and said: "Some Soul Beasts just grow normally, while others not only survive but also willfully destroy the Soul Beast Forest, and besides normal growth they also hunt many other Soul Beasts; in my eyes those are evil Soul Beasts."

Yang Xiong nodded: "You might distinguish them this way, but I think that's a bit unreasonable."

"I heard you encountered the Deep Sea Demon Whale King at sea; in your eyes, is the Deep Sea Demon Whale King an evil Soul Beast?"

Tang San's eyes showed a hint of indignation: "The Deep Sea Demon Whale King is certainly an evil Soul Beast; it occupies the Demon Whale Sea, and most Soul Beasts there have been devoured by it, even passing ships and Soul Grandmasters have been killed by it—truly outrageous."

Yang Xiong laughed: "One shouldn't say that; as far as I know, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King is very lazy, lives alone in the Demon Whale Sea, only opens its huge mouth underwater waiting for food to come."

"Moreover, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King never leaves the Demon Whale Sea, never actively attacks other seas or other Soul Beasts, nor does it strike ordinary humans from afar; it only treats ordinary humans who intrude its domain as enemies—this is any Soul Beast defending its territory against invaders."

"Based on these habits, from any perspective the Deep Sea Demon Whale King should be considered a good Soul Beast, after all it never actively leaves its territory to attack others; I don't know if I'm right."

Tang San, hearing Yang Xiong's words, was instantly at a loss for words; originally he had entered the Demon Whale Sea under the guidance of pirates and even faced the Deep Sea Demon Whale King directly.

For any powerful Soul Beast, if a human jumps before it, it's like a provocation; wouldn't it kill that human?

Yang Xiong looked at Xiao Wu: "Little rabbit, if a human wanders before Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python, do you think they would kill that human?"

Xiao Wu's face darkened; having lived in the Star Dou Great Forest for many years, many ordinary Soul Grandmasters have been killed by Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python, let alone ordinary Soul Beasts.

Tang San, at this moment, seemed thoughtful: "Yang Xiong, in your eyes Soul Beasts have no good or bad? To become stronger, you don't care about killing any Soul Beast?"

Yang Xiong shook his head: "I don't need many Soul Rings, nor will I actively hunt Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts, but humans and Soul Beast races are ultimately opposed; humans kill Soul Beasts to obtain Soul Rings, Soul Beasts eat humans; this is unchangeable for both of us."

"Moreover, we now have so many people; whether Yu Tianheng or Dai Mubai, their talents are outstanding; they will definitely break through to Title Douluo level in the future."

"When they reach Title Douluo level, what will they choose for their Ninth Soul Ring? Will they want to hunt a Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beast?"

Everyone around, hearing Yang Xiong's words, fell silent; as Soul Grandmasters, everyone could say they have outstanding talent, no one doesn't want to become stronger, no one doesn't hope to obtain a Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Ring and soul bone in the future.

Xiao Wu's face changed: "Little bear, do you still intend to hunt Da Ming Er Ming?"

Yang Xiong shook his head: "That's not so much; I'm not very interested in Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python, but I recall I told you that Bibidong still lacks many Soul Rings; do you think she will lead a large force to hunt Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python in the future?"

"The conflict between humans and Soul Beasts will not stop because of you and me; even without Bibidong, sooner or later other Soul Grandmasters will want to hunt them; this is the stance issue between humans and Soul Beasts in this world, the most fundamental rule."

Xiao Wu, hearing Yang Xiong's words, felt a bit upset but also trembling, not knowing how to rebut.

Even Tang San at this moment fell silent; he can restrain his ambition not to hunt Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python, but cannot stop others from hunting, nor can he be sure whether he will seek Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts in the future.

Finally Tang San gritted his teeth: "Xiao Wu, I will not let anyone hurt you, nor anyone hurt your relatives; trust me!"

Xiao Wu was unusually moved: "San Ge, I trust you; you are always my brother."

Tang San, with a serious expression, looked at Yang Xiong and the others: "Everyone, Xiao Wu is the person closest to me; I hope no one harms Xiao Wu, nor Xiao Wu's relatives."

Yang Xiong sighed: "Tang San, why do you do this? I'm not interested in Xiao Wu, nor in Titan Giant Ape and Azure Bull Python; can you protect them for a moment and also for a lifetime? Know that Soul Beasts live far longer than human Soul Grandmasters."

……

This conversation seemed to start in an extremely strange way and end in an equally strange way; even those around were a bit confused, yet seemed to feel something.

Whether the former Shrek Seven or later added Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, they didn't have as good a relationship with Tang San as in the original work; after all Tang San didn't show absolute leadership, never gave Immortal Herb as a favor, at most they were just good classmates.

Even Ning Rongrong, who has always been closest to Xiao Wu, at this moment didn't know what to say; the gap between humans and Soul Beasts is a racial chasm, no one can abandon the pursuit of Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Ring and soul bone just because of a classmate.

In the following period, everyone fell into a strange calm.

Everyone worked hard on cultivation, also doing their utmost to increase combat ability in the sea.

Xiao Bai, though unusually displeased with Yang Xiong, surprisingly quickly got along with Ning Rongrong and a few other girls, almost like close girlfriends.

Under Yang Xiong's arrangement, everyone daily fights in the sea, even Ning Rongrong and Oscar; each day they try to pass through the Huanxing Hai, try to break through Xiao Bai's blockade.

Even though after each battle the group suffers serious injuries, each remains unusually tenacious and fights desperately.

In contrast, each time Yang Xiong alone goes into the sea to fight Xiao Bai, it seems neither can get the better of the other.

In the water, Xiao Bai's combat power skyrockets; the Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Demon Soul Great White Shark moves extremely fast in the sea, especially its massive size and sharp teeth, even Yang Xiong easily suffers.

According to Yang Xiong, Tang San had already, before Yang Xiong's eight people entered the Huanxing Hai, raised his level to 70 through the First Trial reward, obtaining a divine‑granted Soul Ring.

But even if Tang San used all his strength, he only obtained a Ten‑thousand‑year Soul Ring, far from a Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Ring.

And as Bo Saixi said, each Soul Grandmaster can only obtain one divine‑granted Soul Ring, which left Tang San extremely disappointed.

Especially Yang Xiong already has two Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Rings, and both are Soul Saint level; the gap between two Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Rings is huge.

(End of Chapter)