Qinghua Town

Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed; fierce winds and torrential rain raged. Hu Haoran was still outside the cave, wielding the Soaring Sword and honing every sword form, every soul skill, and his first Spirit Bone Skill.

A bolt of lightning tore across the sky, followed by rolling thunder from afar.

Light travels faster than sound, but light can be blocked, while sound can travel through air, liquids, and solids. Each has its own advantages. If I can combine the two, my combat power will definitely undergo a tremendous change. Recalling the physics knowledge he had learned in his previous life and combining it with the skills he could currently use, Hu Haoran analyzed, If I first use Lightning Walk to rush before the enemy at extreme speed, then use Thunder Sound Swordplay, I'll surely catch them off guard. Finally, if I follow up with a soul skill, then in one seamless sequence, even a Soul Ancestor above level forty will certainly perish!

After forming his hypothesis, Hu Haoran immediately put it into practice.

Lightning Walk!

Like a bullet leaving the chamber, Hu Haoran instantly shot toward a large tree.

Swift Lightning Wind Thunder!

Purple-gold light surged from the Soaring Sword, and a purple-gold sword radiance burst forth from its blade.

Zigzag Thunder Kill!

After the purple-gold sword radiance shot out, Hu Haoran immediately activated his soul skill, his sword tracing a zigzag pattern.

Hiss...

A towering tree several dozen meters tall was sliced in half at the waist by Hu Haoran, then split into dozens of pieces. The fractures were marked with black scorch marks left by lightning.

Hu Haoran nodded in satisfaction and smiled. "If I can use sword moves and soul skills to unleash the transmissive nature of sound, the power of my moves will definitely rise to another level. It's time to leave as well."

Hu Haoran briefly packed up the cave and set off.

In less than half a day, Hu Haoran arrived at Qinghua Town, the town where he had agreed to meet his mother. It was a small town with an ancient and rustic appearance, surrounded by tall walls to guard against sudden invasions by soul beasts from the Canglan Mountain Range. The walls were meticulously constructed from earth and stone, their surface covered in the formation patterns of common defensive soul formations. Their defensive capabilities were clearly quite high; judging by the fluctuations of Soul Power, these walls could withstand a full-power strike from an eighty-ninth-level Soul Douluo.

Hu Haoran looked over the towering walls and the town's buildings. Though they were not as magnificent as the walls and layout of the Imperial Capital, this was still one of the few chances he had had to appreciate the architecture of other places.

"Sir, do you need a guide?" A cute, sprite-like boy of around ten saw Hu Haoran's ragged clothing and noticed that he was alone and looking around. Trembling with nervousness, he stepped forward and asked.

"You are?" Hu Haoran asked.

"I'm a guide in this town, familiar with every corner of it. I specialize in receiving distinguished guests like you who have come from elsewhere and aren't familiar with the place. I'm only trying to scrape together a meager living," said the ten-year-old Ke Ling.

"I happen to need someone to lead the way. You'll do. Take me to a place in this town where I can sell soul beast materials first," Hu Haoran instructed, casually tossing the ten-year-old a Gold Soul Coin as a reward.

"Young master, the most famous place here is Qingbao Pavilion. They specialize in purchasing and selling soul beast materials! I'll take you there right away!" Upon seeing Hu Haoran casually reward him with a Gold Soul Coin, the ten-year-old immediately became enthusiastic. One Gold Soul Coin was equivalent to the wages he would earn through hard labor in an entire lifetime. The people around them, who had just been looking down on Hu Haoran with disdain, instantly turned green with envy.

On the Douluo Continent, one hundred Copper Soul Coins were equivalent to one Silver Soul Coin, one hundred Silver Soul Coins were equivalent to one Gold Soul Coin, and one hundred Gold Soul Coins were equivalent to one Purple Gold Coin. A normal family of four spent no more than five Silver Soul Coins a year. Hu Haoran had no idea of the prices and casually handed out a Gold Soul Coin; how could that not excite the ten-year-old?

"You don't need to call me young master. Just call me Young Master Hu. What's your name?" Hu Haoran said.

"My name is Niu Dagui. My family hoped I would become rich and prosperous, so they gave me such a name." Niu Dagui grinned foolishly. "Young Master Hu, come, please get in the carriage."

"No, I want to walk around and take in the sights of this town," Hu Haoran refused.

Thus, Hu Haoran and Niu Dagui chatted as they walked, soon arriving at Qingbao Pavilion.

"Well?! Niu Dagui, long time no see. What kind of 'distinguished guest' have you brought this time?" A Qingbao Pavilion clerk stepped forward and teased Niu Dagui.

"This Young Master Hu wishes to sell some soul beast materials here. It'll definitely be a major deal for you," Niu Dagui said, ignoring his teasing.

The Qingbao Pavilion clerk sized Hu Haoran up and down. His face was far too youthful, and his clothing looked extremely worn. In an exceptionally unfriendly tone, he said to Hu Haoran, "This 'young master,' what exactly are you selling? This is a high-end establishment, not a place for children to play house!"

"What I'm selling is not something you can decide on! Call your manager!" Hu Haoran ignored his mockery.

"Well?! Give you an inch and you take a mile?!" The Qingbao Pavilion clerk looked at Hu Haoran contemptuously. "Go stay wherever it's cool. We still have business to do here!"

Hu Haoran ignored the clerk and walked straight into Qingbao Pavilion, looking around.

"Hey, hey, hey! Get out! This isn't somewhere you can come!" The Qingbao Pavilion clerk shouted for Hu Haoran to leave, raising his fist to strike him.

Hu Haoran turned, lifted his leg, and kicked the clerk flying with a single blow.

Boom...

"Cough... cough, cough... You actually hit me?! Someone, come quickly! Someone's causing trouble! He's going to rob Qingbao Pavilion!" the clerk shouted loudly.

Hu Haoran shook his head, while Niu Dagui stood frozen at the side. He had never encountered anything like this before. Gradually, more and more Qingbao Pavilion clerks surrounded Hu Haoran and Niu Dagui.

At this moment, an old man who appeared to be in his fifties or sixties came out and barked, "What are you all making such a racket for? You've disturbed my sleep. What's this nonsense?"

"Manager! Someone is causing trouble!" The clerk Hu Haoran had kicked away immediately accused him first.

The old manager glared at Hu Haoran and asked, "You're here to cause trouble?"

"I came here to sell some soul beast materials, but every clerk in your establishment looks down on people," Hu Haoran explained as he took out his soul beast materials. "These are the bones of a Heavy Thunder Rhinoceros over a thousand years old that I personally hunted. Does this count as a major deal for your establishment? If not, I'll look around at other shops instead. After all, I still have other, more advanced soul beast materials to sell."

The old man could tell at a glance that Hu Haoran was telling the truth. Enraged, he kicked the snobbish clerk straight out the door and bellowed, "You don't need to come here ever again! Get lost!"

The clerk clutched his chest. Upon hearing those words, he could not stop a mouthful of blood from spraying out. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot. The other clerks were silent as cicadas in winter, each looking at the old manager and Hu Haoran with fear.

"This isn't a place to discuss business! Come with me!" The old manager led Hu Haoran into a private room, while reminding the other clerks, "Clean this up and continue doing business."

After putting away the Heavy Thunder Rhinoceros bones, Hu Haoran followed the old manager into Qingbao Pavilion's Heaven-class private room with Niu Dagui.