Under the cover of night, Ye Qiu led the girls back to Shrek Academy.
They would pack their things today and leave Shrek Academy immediately after the team soul battle tomorrow.
Ye Qiu's voice came from the girls' dormitory.
"Rongrong, I didn't even use much force, you can come down now, right?"
"Hmph! Who told you to hit me in front of so many people?" Ning Rongrong snorted, tightening her grip around Ye Qiu's neck.
Being watched by Dugu Yan and Xiao Lan while Ye Qiu spanked her was too embarrassing!
"It's your own fault, always saying things that hurt feelings." Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.
"How so?! Zhuqing already had her battle, there was no way a fight would break out, I was just joking."
"Alright, alright, I was wrong, hurry up and come down, Zhuqing and Xiao Wu's things are almost packed." Ye Qiu rolled his eyes and set Ning Rongrong down.
"Hmph!" She turned her back to Ye Qiu and huffily went to pack her things.
"Husband~ Where are we going later?" Dugu Yan chuckled as she hugged Ye Qiu.
"I know, I know! Xiao Wu Jie already told Xiao Lan!" Xiao Lan bounced off the bed, her face full of joy.
She scurried over to Dugu Yan and whispered, "Yan Yan Jie, Brother is taking us to the Star Dou Great Forest later."
"Star Dou Great Forest?!" Dugu Yan's face was full of surprise and confusion; it didn't seem like a place for a gathering, did it?
"That's right, it's the Star Dou Great Forest! And it's the central zone too~" Ye Qiu wrapped his arm around Dugu Yan's waist and lightly kissed her cheek.
"Really?" Dugu Yan was still a bit confused.
"Hehe, when you see Ye Qiu's two brothers-in-law, you'll definitely be shocked then!" Ning Rongrong said with a mischievous smile, packing her blue and white striped pants.
"Yes, it's Xiao Wu Jie's two younger brothers!" Xiao Lan also smiled, clearly having a strong sense of belonging to the Spirit Beast race.
Ye Qiu didn't think of changing anything; after all, this was a sense of belonging that flowed in the blood and resided in the soul.
"Alright Yan Yan, you'll know later." Ye Qiu gently pinched Dugu Yan's small face.
...
Soon, the girls had packed their belongings.
"Xiao Qiu, let's go!" Xiao Wu happily linked her arm through Ye Qiu's.
Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong had also stood up.
"Then we'll set off now." Ye Qiu held the still somewhat bewildered Dugu Yan's hand, divine power swirling in his eyes, and soon took them out of the room.
...
Star Dou Great Forest, Life Lake.
The lake surface emitted a faint, tranquil glow.
Er Ming was dozing in the distance, his eyelids growing heavy.
Thump!
His originally dim eyes suddenly opened wide, and his golden, lantern-like eyes slowly rose into the air.
He sensed the aura of Ye Qiu and the others, including two unfamiliar auras.
"We're here!"
"Wow! Is this Xiao Wu Jie's home? It's so beautiful and comfortable!"
Xiao Lan, who had just arrived, spread her arms and took a deep breath of the fresh air from the Life Lake.
The Blue Silver Grass on the shore and all around seemed to come alive, gently swaying.
"Is this...is this really the Star Dou Great Forest?" Dugu Yan stared blankly at the surrounding scenery.
This was completely different from the dark and dangerous impression she had.
"That's right, this is the central zone of the Star Dou Great Forest, the Life Lake!" Ye Qiu held Dugu Yan in his arms, to prevent her from being startled later. "Of course, look over there, there's also our little house!" Ning Rongrong pointed to a wooden house not far away.
Boom!
The ground was shaking.
"Roar~" A low growl came from the distance.
Splash!
Suddenly, the sound of splashing water echoed from the Life Lake.
"Husband! Spirit Beasts are coming!"
Looking at the two large lantern-like eyes in the distance, and the two glowing green dots at the bottom of the lake, Dugu Yan shouted nervously.
"Don't be afraid, Yan Yan, they won't hurt us." Ye Qiu held Dugu Yan, still gently reminding her to prepare her mentally. "Actually, Xiao Wu is a Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beast who transformed... and these two are her adopted brothers."
"Ten Thousand Year Spirit Beast? Transformed?!" Dugu Yan looked at Xiao Wu in shock, her mind unable to process it for a moment.
"Making a fuss!" Ning Rongrong glanced at her, then jumped and waved towards the distance.
"Er Ming!"
Ye Qiu rolled his eyes at Ning Rongrong; when she first found out, she was even more nervous than Yan Yan.
"Roar!" Er Ming's figure finally became completely visible to Dugu Yan, like clouds parting to reveal the sun.
Dugu Yan's face paled slightly as she stared in shock at the Spirit Beast before her; its entire body was covered in granite-like muscles, and its ferocious aura was even more intense than her grandfather's.
It even showed a ferocious smile at her.
Ning Rongrong was already being held in its palm!
"Don't be afraid... It won't hurt us." Ye Qiu hugged Dugu Yan tightly, comforting her.
Xiao Lan's excited voice came, "Yan Yan Jie, look... there's a huge ox head in the lake!"
Dugu Yan also looked towards the Life Lake.
"Ah!"
What met her eyes was a massive ox head, startling her into a cry.
Da Ming merely glanced at her, nearly making her stop breathing.
"Xiao Wu Jie, Sister Rongrong, Zhuqing Jie, you're here."
"It... it spoke?!" Dugu Yan felt her mind spinning; this Spirit Beast was calling Ning Rongrong and the others 'sister'?!
This World was too crazy!
Zhuqing smiled at Dugu Yan's expression.
The first time she saw Da Ming and Er Ming, she was even more nervous than Dugu Yan.
"Hello, Da Ming Ge Ge, Er Ming Ge Ge!" Xiao Lan's cheerful voice rang out, happily waving at Da Ming.
"Ye Qiu, who are these two?" Da Ming looked curiously at Xiao Lan and Dugu Yan.
Especially Xiao Lan, the overly friendly girl.
"Da Ming, Xiao Lan is just like us!" Xiao Wu smiled mysteriously.
"Like us?" Da Ming's booming voice spread out, and his ox eyes narrowed, surprised, "Is it a Blue Silver Emperor?!"
"That's right! She's also Xiao Qiu's younger sister." Xiao Wu happily introduced her.
Er Ming placed Ning Rongrong on his shoulder and let out a low roar at Xiao Lan.
"Da Ming, Er Ming, this is Yan Yan, and she's also my future wife." Ye Qiu pulled Dugu Yan and introduced her to the Da Ming brothers.
"Husband..." Dugu Yan looked at Da Ming and Er Ming with some apprehension, too flustered to feel anything else, her expression a bit panicked.
"Another one?"
Da Ming paused, a white mist spraying from his ox nose, and after a moment of hesitation, he nodded at Dugu Yan.
He didn't mind one more 'sister', and politely said, "Hello, Yan Yan Jie!"
"Ah?! You... hello." Dugu Yan forced a smile and greeted Da Ming, then quickly turned her head back upon hearing a roar from behind her.
"Hello, hello!"
"Pfft-haha!" Ning Rongrong couldn't help but burst into laughter at the scene.
"Da Ming Ge Ge, Er Ming Ge Ge, aren't you going to say hello to Xiao Lan?" Xiao Lan kept bouncing, trying to get their attention again.
"Uh, hello, Xiao Lan Meimei." Da Ming also smiled and greeted her, as they were both Spirit Beasts, his tone was much friendlier.
"Xiao Lan, come quickly, let Er Ming take us for a tour!" Ning Rongrong called out to Xiao Lan.
"Okay, Xiao Wu Jie, let's go together!"
"Yan Yan, let's go into the wooden house, I'll explain everything to you properly."
"Okay." Dugu Yan calmed her racing heart, holding Ye Qiu tightly, not daring to let go.
Ye Qiu embraced Dugu Yan and walked towards the wooden house.
...
Under the Life Lake.
In a space Ye Qiu could not yet explore.
There was a light screen, displaying every move of Ye Qiu and the others, both humans and beasts, within the Life Lake.
Several scattered figures stood around the light screen.
Their expressions varied.
In the distance, there was also a chubby ice silkworm.
"Di Tian, when can we finally go out?!"
"Wait for the Lord's command!"
Wish everyone a pleasant life!
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