manynovel Chapter 10 The Little Rabbit I Found
Chapter 10 The Little Rabbit I Found
By the time they returned to Five Souls Village, it was already dusk. Yan Zu was already waiting at the village entrance. Upon seeing his parents, he immediately went to greet them: "Father, Mother, you're back!" When he saw the unconscious little girl in Su Qing's arms, his pupils contracted slightly.
"Auntie, let's go back inside. We rescued a child on the way." Su Qing, carrying the girl, quickly walked to Yan Zu. "She's badly injured and unconscious."
Yan Zu snapped out of his daze and quickly nodded, "Quick, take it home first."
The group returned home, and Su Qing placed the girl on the bed. Yan Zu carefully examined her injuries. The girl had multiple scratches and bite marks on her body, the deepest wound being on her back, almost exposing the bone.
Yan Zu took out a herb radiating vitality from his storage bracelet. This was the "Mind-Concentrating Grass" he obtained from signing in, specifically for treating injuries. Combined with the vitality nourishment from the Qilin phantom, it should be able to stabilize the girl's injuries.
Just as he was about to begin treatment, a cold, mechanical system notification suddenly sounded in his mind:
[Ding! Key character check-in triggered: Encounter with the main female lead, Xiao Wu!]
[Rare daily check-in feature activated. Check in now?]
Yan Zu was taken aback, not expecting that this girl was Xiao Wu.
At the same time, Yan Zu also confirmed the timeline of Douluo Continent. Xiao Wu should have been 6 years old when she transformed and went to Notting Academy. In other words, Tang San is also 6 years old now, just as the main storyline is unfolding.
"Sign in!" Yan Zu commanded in his mind without hesitation.
[Ding! Key figure has successfully checked in!]
[Congratulations, host, you have received a critical reward: Auspicious Beast Companionship Talisman!]
[Congratulations, host, you have received a critical hit reward: Wind God Leg!]
But Yan Zu had no time to savor the preciousness of the reward; Xiao Wu's weak breathing tugged at his heartstrings. He quickly crushed the leaves of the Mind-Concentrating Grass, carefully brought it close to Xiao Wu's lips, and dripped the juice into her mouth.
Immediately afterwards, he sat down cross-legged, his hands hovering above her chest and abdomen, and began to circulate the mental techniques of the Nine Yin Manual. The gentle and continuous Nine Yin Soul Power slowly overflowed, enveloping Xiao Wu's body like a spring drizzle, gently flowing and nourishing her damaged meridians.
Just then, a miraculous scene unfolded.
Within Yan Zu's dantian, the phantom of the auspicious beast Qilin, which had already been unlocked but not yet awakened, seemed to sense something and quietly appeared behind him, transforming into a palm-sized jade-colored halo.
The rich vitality emanating from the halo resonated strongly with the faint life force of the soul beast within Xiao Wu's body, like magnets attracting each other.
The vitality of the Qilin phantom no longer spread aimlessly, but instead flowed precisely into Xiao Wu's body along the trajectory of the Nine Yin Soul Power, complementing the effects of the Concentrating Spirit Grass.
Yan Zu could clearly feel that Xiao Wu's originally weak breathing gradually became steady, and a faint blush appeared on her pale face. The rise and fall of her chest was no longer rapid, but replaced by even breathing.
"Phew—" Yan Zuchang let out a long sigh of relief, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. At five years old, his soul power was already limited, and such precise control of soul power to heal was quite a drain on him.
Su Qing stood by her side the whole time, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her face full of worry.
After settling Xiao Wu in and covering her with blankets on her small bed, Yan Zu quietly left the room and went to the old locust tree in the courtyard.
As night deepened, moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows. Yan Zu raised his hand, and the auspicious beast charm in his palm floated silently, radiating a soft glow. He focused his mind to examine the detailed description of the reward:
【Auspicious Beast Heart-to-Heart Talisman: Exclusively compatible with transformed soul beasts, using the auspicious origin of the Qilin as a guide to gradually conceal the soul beast's aura (currently can be concealed from detection by those below Title Douluo level, and will gradually strengthen as the host's strength increases, eventually becoming immune to detection by Peerless Douluo level).
Passive effect: Accelerates the human-like growth and soul power enhancement of transformed soul beasts, making up for the shortcomings of the cultivation system gap after the soul beast transforms. At the same time, it forms a life resonance with the host's Qilin Martial Soul, so that if one is in danger, the other can sense it instantly.
"A wonderful thing," Yan Zu exclaimed sincerely. This talisman was practically tailor-made for Xiao Wu, not only solving her biggest crisis of identity exposure but also assisting her cultivation, perfectly meeting his need to protect her.
The other reward, "Wind God Leg," has exquisite incantations and sharp yet agile moves, with a particular emphasis on speed and leg techniques. If Xiao Wu can learn it, it will undoubtedly greatly enhance her self-defense capabilities.
But looking at the talisman in his hand and the movement technique incantation in his mind, Yan Zu did not immediately decide to hand it over to Xiao Wu. His brows furrowed slightly, and deep thought arose in his heart.
When reading the original novel in my previous life, netizens' opinions on Xiao Wu were always mixed.
In the Star Dou Great Forest, the pink "rogue rabbit" once vowed to avenge her mother. But after transforming into human form and entering the human world, she seemed like a completely different rabbit—all she did every day was eat, drink, play, act cute, and revolve around Tang San. As for revenge? She never mentioned it again.
In the end, her identity was exposed, and she was sacrificed to become a sword sheath. She lived her whole life in dependence and following, so it's no wonder that netizens gave her four words: "The shame of the soul beasts".
But in Yan Zu's view, it wasn't Xiao Wu's fault. Or rather, she shouldn't be the only one to take the blame.
After taking human form, she didn't understand human rules, the cruelty of the world, how to put away hatred, or how to cultivate strength.
She was like a newborn child, suddenly thrown into a strange world. Whoever held her hand, she followed; whoever gave her warmth, she regarded as her whole world.
The person who held her hand in the original story gave her protection, gentleness, and a sense of security, but not "growth."
He spoiled her, but didn't teach her to be independent;
He protected her, but didn't teach her to be strong.
He shielded her from all the storms, but he didn't tell her how to face them.
He satisfied all her emotions, but never guided her in terms of beliefs, responsibilities, and original aspirations.
Xiao Wu's foul mouth, willfulness, and arrogance are all protective traits developed by Tang San's "indulgence."
It's not that she can't be gentle, it's that no one taught her what propriety is; it's not that she doesn't want to grow up, it's that someone protected her too well, making her think she could stay a child forever. (Most people don't want to grow up, they just can't continue being a child anymore—Kobayashi-chan. PS: Does anyone know who Kobayashi-chan is?)
Thus, Xiao Wu became the kind of person netizens criticized—
Naïve yet reckless, dependent yet weak, lively yet lacking in tact, intimate yet lacking in reverence.
She would act willfully regardless of the occasion, act on her emotions, and speak without restraint, mistaking recklessness for frankness and arrogance for innocence, thus becoming a "brat" in a certain sense.
At the age when she should have been learning to follow rules, understand right from wrong, and cultivate her character, no one taught her "how to be a person."
Xiao Wu has exceptional talent; after transforming into human form, she possesses innate full soul power.
Whether this potential can be truly realized depends on her upbringing and whether someone can provide her with the right guidance.
He couldn't be like in the original story, simply pampering and protecting her, letting her lose her vigilance in the greenhouse; but he also couldn't be too harsh, lest he stifle the liveliness and innocence she should have possessed.
He wanted to plant sunshine and storms in her world; to give her embraces and armor.
It's not about shielding her from everything, but about teaching her how to stand up on her own amidst thorns.
Instead of raising her like a flower in a greenhouse, we should cultivate her into a tree that can withstand wind and snow.
It's not about making her live as someone's shadow, but about making her live as—Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu is a flesh-and-blood character who dares to love and hate, has principles, a sense of responsibility, and dignity.
"We can bind the Auspicious Beast Companion Talisman first, since concealing one's aura is essential." Yan Zu had already made up his mind. "But we can't rush to teach her the 'Wind God Leg Technique.' We need to observe her character after she wakes up. If she is sensible, understands the danger, and is willing to work hard to cultivate, I will naturally teach her everything I know and plan the most suitable growth path for her. But if she is still as playful and willful as she was in the early stages of the original story, and doesn't know what's important, then we need to temper her character first and make her understand that a peaceful life is never a given, but requires strength to protect."
He raised his hand and gently pressed the auspicious beast charm on Xiao Wu's forehead.
The talisman transformed into a stream of light and instantly merged into her body without causing the slightest ripple. Yan Zu could clearly sense that Xiao Wu's soul beast aura was completely concealed, as if enveloped by an invisible barrier. Even if a Title Douluo were to investigate, they would only perceive her as an ordinary human girl.
After doing all this, Yan Zu returned to the bedside and quietly watched Xiao Wu's sleeping face. In the moonlight, the girl's face, devoid of wariness and pain, appeared exceptionally pure.
"Xiao Wu," Yan Zu murmured in his heart, "in this life, you have met me. I will not let you repeat the same mistakes, nor will I let you lose your way. But the road to growth is ultimately yours to walk. I can give you protection, resources, and guidance, but what kind of person you become in the end depends on your own choices."