How Could There Be Such Shameless Robbers in This World?
On the top floor of the Rose Hotel, inside the spacious, luxurious heart-shaped suite, the sounds of intimate, lingering breaths gradually subsided.
Mona leaned limply against Chu Yuan's chest, her clear mint-green eyes still veiled with a hazy mist. Her rosy, slightly swollen cherry lips parted and closed gently, while the full curves beneath her skintight deep-purple and dark-blue bodysuit rose and fell as her breathing settled.
With a thought, Chu Yuan sent a gentle thread of divine Fire and Anemo power flowing from his fingertips, brushing it over Mona's slender, smooth waist and long legs.
Her one-piece astrological outfit, which had been soaked through with astrological water and clung tightly to her shapely figure, quickly became dry and warm beneath the divine power.
Even the torn patches of gradient starry black stockings along the outside of her right leg and above her left knee were quietly mended with fine threads of starlight. Restored to their original state, they once again snugly encased her straight, well-proportioned, full and firm legs.
"Mm... Th-thank you..."
Mona felt the dryness return between her legs and around her waist and stomach, but the alluring flush on her cheeks did not fade in the slightest.
A little embarrassed, she pressed her legs together and gently slipped off Chu Yuan's sturdy thigh. She picked up her pointed witch's hat from the carpet and put it back on, but the scholarly reserve that had filled her gaze when she first looked at Chu Yuan was long gone, replaced by unmistakable shyness and obedience.
Seeing this, Keqing picked up the warm water on the table and handed it to Mona, a knowing smile in her amethyst eyes.
"Now that your Vision has been completely reshaped, Miss Mona, why don't you sense the Ley Lines and the movements of the extraterrestrial relics in Suotuo City? When Chu Yuan and I were on the street earlier, we faintly sensed several familiar Teyvat elemental fluctuations to the west of the city."
"Mm! Leave it to me. Now I can communicate directly with the star-fate projections of this world without even using a hydromancy divination plate!"
At the mention of astrology, her greatest specialty, Mona perked up. She put down the cup and gently swept her slender, jade-white right hand through the air before her.
Hum—a deep, brilliant azure star chart unfolded in midair in the suite. Faint golden divine patterns of the Heavenly Principles flowed along its edges.
Without the need for any medium, her reshaped Hydro Vision resonated perfectly with Chu Yuan's third divine authority Soul Ring, [Star-Fate Hydromancy: Illusory Bubble]. The energy flowing within a radius of more than ten li instantly appeared on the star chart as countless fine points of light.
"Found them! In the bustling district north of the city's western side, there are three very distinct Geo and Electro crystal reactions. They should all be mineral fragments from Liyue or Inazuma that fell through the celestial abyss rift last night!"
Mona pointed to several lights on the western side of the star chart. Then her slender brows knitted slightly, and her gaze shifted toward the central commercial street less than three blocks from the Rose Hotel.
"Huh? Strange... On the street straight ahead, besides two local cultivators who are moving around, that girl among them is actually hiding a vast life essence that's extremely pure, but thoroughly concealed by the scent of some strange flowers and herbs! And... in a dark alley about two li northwest of where we leave the hotel, a star trail carrying the scent of blood and shadows is being surrounded by four or five hostile forces. It seems to be that girl in black we saw at the hotel entrance today?"
A flash of understanding passed through Chu Yuan's deep black eyes.
The vast life essence concealed by the scent of an Immortal Herb naturally belonged to Xiao Wu, who carried something with a special scent to conceal herself and was in fact a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit in human form, and Tang San.
As for the shadowy star trail in the dark alley to the northwest, it was undoubtedly Zhu Zhuqing, who had suffered internal injuries and whose whereabouts had been traced by pursuers from the Star Luo Imperial Family.
"Perfect. The night is still young, and you've just finished reshaping your Vision in the suite. Come out for a walk with Keqing and me, and stretch your muscles while you're at it."
Chu Yuan rose from the couch and straightened the hem of his white robe with its golden patterns. His left arm naturally slipped around Keqing's supple waist, while his right hand took Mona's slender, slightly cool hand.
"Let's check out the commercial street ahead first, then go meet up with that lone Hell Spirit Cat."
As Chu Yuan's warm hand closed around hers, Mona's fingers curled instinctively, but she did not pull away. She simply murmured, "Mm." Pressed close to either side of Chu Yuan, she and Keqing went out through the door of the Rose Hotel with him.
On Suotuo City's central commercial street, night had already fallen, but the main street running from north to south through the city was still brightly lit.
Because of the purple-gold celestial abyss phenomenon that had stretched across ten thousand li the previous night, there were noticeably more fully armed Spirit Hall patrol deacons and scouts sent by the major noble families on the streets tonight. A subtle atmosphere of outward calm and underlying tension hung in the air.
On the right side of the street, in front of a row of general stores and clothing shops, Tang San was accompanying Xiao Wu as she moved among the stalls.
After the impact of the earth-shattering phenomenon the previous night, Tang San had rested for an entire day. Only toward evening had he brought Xiao Wu out to buy dry rations and daily necessities for their trip to register at Shrek Academy the next day. He also planned to try his luck in the blacksmith district and see if he could find suitable Hidden Weapon materials.
"Brother, I wonder where those seven-colored streaks of light that fell from the sky last night actually landed. We walked around most of the city today, and I heard those mercenaries say several hills outside the city were smashed flat. Even the people from Spirit Hall are searching everywhere!"
Xiao Wu held a freshly bought skewer of candied hawthorn. Taking small bites, she swung the scorpion braid hanging down her back and looked around curiously with her large eyes.
Tang San's expression remained composed. His gaze swept over several Soul Masters carrying weapons nearby, and he lowered his voice.
"Such immense power, capable of tearing open the heavens, is far beyond the reach of any ordinary Titled Douluo. Until we learn the truth, we must not rashly get involved. Xiao Wu, hold tight to my sleeve. There are more than twice as many experts in Suotuo City tonight as usual."
"I know, Brother. You've told me eight hundred times today!"
Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue. She was just about to take Tang San's sleeve and head for the jewelry stall ahead when she suddenly stopped in her tracks without warning.
More than thirty paces ahead, at a bend in the long street, the bustling crowd that had been packed shoulder to shoulder parted to either side of the road, as though pushed apart by an invisible tide.
Under the soft glow of the Soul Tool streetlamps, three figures of extraordinary bearing walked slowly toward them, utterly unlike the rough Soul Masters of the Balak Kingdom around them.
In the middle was a black-haired youth dressed in a white robe with golden patterns. Tall and upright, he was as handsome as a work of art meticulously carved by a deity. His eyes, black as the abyss, were calm and unruffled, and every movement carried a natural nobility and composure that looked down upon all living beings.
Nestled against either side of the youth was a stunning young woman in strikingly exotic attire, each beautiful enough to topple cities.
The purple-haired girl on his left wore her hair in charming twin tails. Her luxurious, elegantly severe purple-and-black dress set off skin that put frost and snow to shame. As her long legs moved beneath deep-purple stockings, an amethyst ornament inlaid with golden patterns at her waist streamed with sharp, pure violet lightning.
The girl on his right wore a large, pointed witch's hat. Her deep-purple and dark-blue skintight bodysuit and gradient starry black stockings outlined her shapely figure to breathtaking effect, while a faint glow like ripples in a river of stars shimmered around her.
"Wow... Brother, look at those two big sisters!!"
Xiao Wu's eyes lit up at once. Forgetting even to eat the candied hawthorn in her hand, she tugged on Tang San's arm and exclaimed,
"Their clothes are so beautiful and unusual! And those two sparkling gems hanging at their waist and behind them—the light they give off looks just like the seven-colored streaks that fell from the sky last night!!"
As Chu Yuan and the two women approached, Xiao Wu, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, a Soft Bone Rabbit in human form, suddenly caught a strange scent coming from the black-haired youth in the middle.
It was neither a human Soul Master's Soul Power nor the bloodline pressure of a Soul Beast, but a pure, boundless, supreme rhythm of life, as though it had nurtured every plant and living thing in the world!
Enveloped by this natural presence from the [Irminsul] Martial Soul, Xiao Wu felt that the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast essence within her, which she normally had to take constant care to suppress, had returned to the shores of the Lake of Life at the very heart of the Star Dou Great Forest. It stirred with a sense of kinship and reverence born from the instinct of her soul!
"How strange... Why does that black-haired young master smell so good? I can't help wanting to get closer..."
Xiao Wu blinked her bright, limpid eyes. An inexplicable fondness welled up in her heart, and she involuntarily took half a step forward.
Tang San, however, stood beside her with every muscle taut, his expression turning grave in an instant!
While Xiao Wu was drawn to Keqing and Mona's clothing and the life presence around Chu Yuan, alarm bells immediately rang in Tang San's mind.
At this sensitive moment, when a strange phenomenon had appeared in the heavens, how could he not be wary when three young men and women of their own age suddenly appeared on Suotuo City's streets in luxurious, unusual clothing, even drawing Xiao Wu to them inexplicably?
But no matter how he tried to sense them, the black-haired youth and the two young women beside him were like ancient wells with no visible bottom. Not the slightest trace of a Douluo Continent Soul Master's Soul Power leaked from their bodies!
I can't tell how strong their Soul Power is... Are they wearing treasures like breath-concealing Soul Tools, or are the three of them connected to the celestial abyss splitting open last night?
Tang San's thoughts raced. Seeing Xiao Wu still studying Chu Yuan curiously, his protectiveness and wariness made him instinctively step in front of her.