Return to Nuoding City, the Light-Feathered Falcon Had an Owner

"So we still have to thank Gangzi for his contribution." Lin Chen nodded.

Xiao Chenfeng burst out laughing. "Hahaha, you really don't pull your punches when it comes to Yu Xiaogang, kid. But keep that kind of talk private. Whatever you do, don't say it openly. You should know the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is standing behind Yu Xiaogang."

The three of them chatted as they walked out of the Soul Hunting Forest. Once they were beyond its bounds, they boarded the carriage and prepared to head home.

Lin Chen sat in the carriage with his eyes closed, cultivating. Having absorbed a Thousand-Year Soul Ring as his First Soul Ring, his Soul Power Level had already reached level 16, even though he had only just made his breakthrough.

At this rate, in about a month, he would be able to raise his Soul Power to level 20 and absorb his Second Soul Ring.

After absorbing the Light-Feathered Falcon as a Soul Ring, my physical condition has improved quite a bit too.

In that case, I should be able to absorb a Soul Ring from a Soul Beast around three thousand years old for my second. I just don't know when I'll find a suitable Soul Ring...

At that thought, Lin Chen couldn't help frowning. The reason was simple: his backing was still too weak. Xiao Chenfeng was only an ordinary Soul Ancestor and was nowhere near strong enough to take him to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt Soul Beasts.

Being able to kill the Light-Feathered Falcon this time was already a stroke of dogshit luck. If the Soul Beast hadn't been severely injured, Xiao Chenfeng might not even have been able to beat it.

Besides, to put it nicely, the lord of Nuoding City was a city lord. To put it bluntly, the position wasn't worth a fart. After all, nobles were the one thing the Heaven Dou Empire had in abundance.

So even if Lin Chen reached level 20, there was a strong chance he would find himself without a Soul Ring to use.

"Alas... I can only take it one step at a time." Lin Chen couldn't help sighing again.

Just as Lin Chen sighed, several deacons in matching uniforms stopped them on the road.

"Hm?" Xiao Chenfeng frowned slightly and stuck his head out of the carriage. "What's going on?" he asked coldly.

The deacon in the lead was a middle-aged woman. When she saw Xiao Chenfeng in the carriage, she immediately gave an awkward smile. "So it's City Lord Xiao. Have you come to help a junior hunt for a Soul Ring?"

Xiao Chenfeng nodded. "Yes, I came with my nephew to hunt for a Soul Ring. Did you need something from me?"

"No, no." The middle-aged woman gave a wry smile and waved her hand, then explained, "Here's the situation. We received orders from above."

"They said a Soul Beast that an important person was taking back to Heaven Dou City to keep in captivity escaped into the Soul Hunting Forest. We were told to ask for information outside the forest. Please cooperate with us, City Lord Xiao."

Xiao Chenfeng's heart skipped a beat, but he kept a calm expression. "Do you have any information about that Soul Beast? Perhaps I can help."

The middle-aged woman shook her head. "I don't know the details myself. I only know the Soul Beast seems to be an eagle, and it's roughly a thousand years old."

Xiao Chenfeng's thoughts churned, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Then I don't know anything about it. I spent a day in the Soul Hunting Forest and barely saw any thousand-year Soul Beasts."

"Besides, it's getting late. I need to hurry and take my nephew and the others back to Nuoding City to rest."

The deacon asked a few more questions. Seeing that Xiao Chenfeng knew nothing about any of them, she let the carriage pass.

In the carriage.

Xiao Chenyu leaned close to Xiao Chenfeng's ear and whispered, "Dad, what happened out there just now?"

Xiao Chenfeng shook his head. "Nothing, just a routine inspection. Instead of letting your imagination run wild, why don't you hurry up and cultivate? Look how outstanding Lin Chen is."

Xiao Chenyu immediately let out a wail. "Cousin Lin Chen is a genius. How can I compare with him?"

The carriage carried Xiao Chenfeng, Lin Chen, and Xiao Chenyu back to Nuoding City. Xiao Chenfeng also had Lin Chen stay at the city lord's residence, saying it was too late and unsafe to leave.

After returning to the city lord's residence, Xiao Chenfeng didn't dare stop even for a rest. He hurriedly summoned a man around thirty years old. This middle-aged man was named Ling Xun, a subordinate Xiao Chenfeng thought highly of.

"Did anything happen in the city today?" Xiao Chenfeng asked in a low voice.

Ling Xun nodded and took several reports from inside his robe. "This afternoon, a thousand-year Soul Beast captured by a merchant caravan bound for Heaven Dou City escaped. Quite a few civilians were injured because of it. According to eyewitnesses, the Soul Beast was a golden eagle."

"Can you find out anything about that merchant association?" Xiao Chenfeng asked in a low voice.

"I don't know anything else. I only know they were headed to Heaven Dou City."

Xiao Chenfeng nodded. "I understand. You may leave for now."

After the two discussed the matter, Xiao Chenfeng found Lin Chen and said gravely, "Chen'er, that Light-Feathered Falcon had an owner, and their status was definitely not low."

"You need to keep a lower profile from now on. Above all, don't let anyone know you absorbed the Light-Feathered Falcon as your First Soul Ring."

Lin Chen nodded. "I understand. Don't worry, Uncle Xiao, I know what I'm doing."

Lin Chen had never planned to show off everywhere in the first place. He was at a crucial stage in his cultivation and was already too busy with his own affairs. How could he have time to concern himself with anything else?

Meanwhile, in Heaven Dou City.

Xue Qinghe was calmly leafing through a book in his study. Beside him stood a middle-aged steward dressed in royal attire, a faint sheen of sweat on his forehead.

After hesitating for a long time, the middle-aged steward finally spoke. "Your Highness, the Light-Feathered Falcon we captured broke free of its chains and escaped during transport."

"According to our informant, the eagle escaped on the outskirts of Nuoding City. The last place it was seen was near the Soul Hunting Forest, more than four hundred li northeast of Nuoding City."

"I've already urgently dispatched people to capture it. Please forgive me for my negligence, Your Highness."

A gentle smile appeared on Xue Qinghe's face. He calmly patted the steward on the shoulder. "It was only a thousand-year Soul Beast. Since it's gone, it's gone. There's no need to panic like this. I won't blame you for it."

The middle-aged steward had just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Xue Qinghe continue, "However, the Light-Feathered Falcon entering the Soul Hunting Forest will certainly affect its ecology. If any civilians are injured because of it and those above hold you responsible, even I won't be able to protect you."

"Besides, the Soul Hunting Forest nominally belongs to our Heaven Dou Empire, but in reality, Spirit Hall calls the shots there. This is a critical time, and we shouldn't stir up further trouble."

"So you should know very well what to do next."

"I-I understand. I'll have the men below work faster and try to bring the Light-Feathered Falcon back tomorrow. I'll also have notices posted in Nuoding City to keep anyone from getting hurt because of it."

"Go on, then. If the Light-Feathered Falcon is dead, see if you can bring its corpse back. I was quite fond of that pet."

The frightened middle-aged steward broke out in a cold sweat all over. He hurriedly turned and left the study, then gave orders to his men. "Hurry and send at least twice as many people to search. Move faster!"