Chapter 78 — Sprout
Battle Will Across the Vast Sky · Page 2 of 5
He had taken only two steps when out of the corner of his eye he glimpsed a tiny figure on the rock beside him, in hot pursuit. The sprout soul general bounced from one rock to another like a rubber ball, incredibly fast. Noticing that Tang Tang was looking at it, it raised its little bow and bared its teeth at him ferociously.
A flick of the wrist, a single shot—a streak of black light flew out with a swish.
The Little Universe Sleeve Arrow!
A direct hit!
Tang Tang was overjoyed. He had tested the power of the sleeve arrow before—it had pierced clean through tree trunks that thick. This clinging nuisance surely could not escape now!
But what happened next left Tang Tang staring open-mouthed.
The sprout soul general was actually knocked flying by the sleeve arrow.
A moment later, furious shrill cries came charging out from behind the rocks like a mad dog, from far to near. When the sprout soul general reappeared atop the rock, its little face was flushed crimson with rage, and it swung its little bow and arrow desperately, poised to charge.
Tang Tang was utterly speechless. Shouldn't it have been pierced through? Why was it knocked flying?
And please—could it not be even more pigheaded than he was...
"If you want a pet, you can toss it a soul core," Soldier said with a glance.
A soul core! Tang Tang, long since harassed beyond endurance, threw out a soul core from a green sandalwood ape without a second thought.
The sprout soul general's expression froze on its face. Its tiny nose twitched twice, and the crimson flush of anger on its little face melted away to nothing. Swish-swish-swish—it darted to the soul core, eyes narrowed to slits, tucked its little bow behind its back, and hugged the soul core with both hands.
Tang Tang breathed a sigh of relief.
At any other time, wasting a soul core would have pained him deeply, but having been harried to his wit's end by the little thing, Tang Tang was hugely relieved that a single soul core could settle the matter.
Money really does make the devil turn the millstone—even sprout soul generals fall for it!
Tang Tang gathered himself and strode on.
Pfft, pfft, pfft came a sound.
Tang Tang turned to look, and there was the sprout soul general, clutching the soul core and trotting along at his heels. Tang Tang was at a loss; he spread both hands. "I've given you the soul core—why are you still following me?"
"Yiii-yiii-yiii-yiii!"
The sprout soul general set down the soul core and, beside itself with excitement, began gesturing wildly with its little hands.
"Oh, he says he acknowledges you as his master," Soldier said from the side, translating with the ease of long practice, calm as an old sage.
"Acknowledges me as his master?" Tang Tang stood frozen, pointing at his own nose.
"Mm. Sprout soul generals are the easiest to buy off—generally, toss them a soul core and they're yours. They make fine pets; they're very clever," Soldier said, clearly well versed in the matter.
Tang Tang shook his head like a rattle drum. "Forget it. I can barely take care of myself, and now a pet! I don't want one!"
The sprout soul general's little mouth puckered, and tears fell pat-pat-pat like beads off a broken string. Crying, it angrily wiped its tears away with its little hands.
Tang Tang's mouth fell open; he was utterly dumbfounded.
"Oh, once you accept one little soul general, the others won't bother you," Soldier added.
Tang Tang reacted at once. A vision suddenly rose in his mind of countless sprout soul generals swarming toward him, and he shuddered. He changed his mind on the spot and nodded hurriedly. "All right, all right—you can follow me!"
The sprout soul general's tears vanished in a flash. Its face full of delight, it scurried over and picked up the soul core, then suddenly bounced off the ground, traced an arc through the air, and landed on Tang Tang's shoulder.
Tang Tang was a little unused to it; he had never kept a pet.
"Give it a name," Soldier said.