Chance Encounter in the Mountains

Name: Ning Qiu.

Identity: Holy Soul Village's Apprentice Village Chief.

Age: 12.

Soul Power: Level 48.

Soul Skills: Supreme Wrath, Dragon Elephant Transformation, Gravity Swamp.

Soul Rings: Yellow (999 years), Yellow (999 years), Purple (9,999 years).

Soul Bone: None.

External Soul Bones: Iron Feather Wings, Slaughter Eye.

Villagers: 1322/2000.

Item: One Myriad Worlds Travel Card.

Contribution Points: 12448.

Village Level: Level 2.

Prosperity: 1988/2000.

Heaven Dou Empire, Balak Kingdom, Holy Soul Village

Holy Soul Village was surrounded by beautiful mountains and clear waters, with birds singing and flowers blooming. It was located atop a high mountain, connected to the outside world by only a single road.

"Just who is the girl Grandpa Jack mentioned, the one who wants to join Holy Soul Village?"

Ning Qiu thought of one possibility, though he could not be certain.

"I hope it's her."

A meaningful curve touched Ning Qiu's lips as he swiftly darted through the woods.

He had returned to Holy Soul Village mainly because of that persistent girl. Thus, Ning Qiu had not brought anyone with him—not even Xiao Wu—and had headed for Holy Soul Village alone.

Ning Qiu also needed practical combat experience and training at the Great Soul Arena. To save time, he traveled through the forest, taking an almost straight route toward Holy Soul Village.

There were no powerful soul beasts in the forests outside the city, at most only soul beasts around a hundred years old. Ning Qiu was still just a child, yet he dared to travel through the forest alone with the strength of a three-ringed Soul Elder. Truly, a newborn calf feared no tiger.

Of course, the benefits were real.

During his journey, Ning Qiu encountered several carnivorous soul beasts that wanted to devour him, but he killed them all. After several days, Ning Qiu had become increasingly proficient with his soul skills. Since he was facing carnivorous soul beasts, he had to fight for his life every time. Unseen, this gave the still-boyish Ning Qiu a heroic air that others his age did not possess.

"I've already entered Holy Soul Village's territory. In another Incense Stick's Time, I'll reach Holy Soul Village."

Ning Qiu wiped the sweat from his forehead. His clothes were soaked through and clung tightly to his body. He took out a waterskin from his Storage Ring Soul Tool, but after taking only one sip, the water was gone.

After all, Ning Qiu possessed the mind of an adult. He had dared to cross the forests between villages alone because he had made ample preparations. These waterskins were among them.

Splash, splash.

Thirsty and parched, Ning Qiu continued toward Holy Soul Village for a while when he heard the sound of running water.

Following the sound, Ning Qiu arrived beside a small river.

The river poured down from a height of more than ten meters, forming a pool of some forty to fifty square meters.

Overcome by hunger and thirst, Ning Qiu could not be bothered with anything else. Mountain spring water like this was cool and delicious.

Ning Qiu scooped up water with both hands and drank greedily.

Splash, splash.

Suddenly, the sound of someone playing in the water rang out. A head abruptly emerged from the pool. It was a woman's head, judging by her long hair.

The woman emerged from the pool and shook her wet long hair. Her fingers brushed downward over the droplets on her face. The moment she opened her eyes, she froze.

In her wildest dreams, she had never expected to find a man crouching before her. At that moment, the man's eyes were fixed on her.

"..."

The woman's mind went blank. She forgot that, as a normal woman, she ought to scream.

The man's gaze began to drift downward instinctively.

"..."

The woman's heart tightened. Instinctively following Ning Qiu's gaze, she lowered her head. Only then did she notice just how clear the water was—clear enough to see anything three meters beneath the surface. In other words, her completely naked body was perfectly displayed before Ning Qiu's eyes.

"Still not leaving?"

Coming back to her senses, the woman's face turned crimson, even the tips of her ears flushing red. She crossed her arms over her chest. Yet she did not realize that there was a part of her body far more important than her chest. That part was definitely not her face.

"Leave? This isn't your home. Why should I leave?" Ning Qiu asked in return.

"Pervert. Did you follow me here?" The woman grew angry and questioned Ning Qiu.

"I'm not that bored." Ning Qiu smiled as he looked at her. Seeing her features, which seemed incapable of taking a joke, Ning Qiu lost interest. He had not truly intended to tease her either. Rising to his feet, he turned around. "Fine, I'll stop teasing you." With that, Ning Qiu really did turn to leave.

Whoosh.

Before Ning Qiu had taken ten steps, he felt a fierce gust of wind at his back.

The past few days of training now proved their worth.

Ning Qiu planted his foot and shifted sideways to the left. That tiny movement had nearly saved his life.

The cat claw glinting with cold light grazed Ning Qiu's sleeve, leaving behind a shallow mark.

"What are you doing? Trying to murder your husband?" Ning Qiu cursed furiously.

Murder her husband?

Murder her husband? Murder her husband?

Ning Qiu had no idea that those four utterly simple words had kindled even greater fury in the woman's eyes. They reminded her of that unbearable, intimate scene from earlier.

Her body had been seen by someone other than her fiancé!!!

The woman could not accept it. Waving the cat claws in her hands, she continued attacking Ning Qiu. Her strikes were exceptionally vicious, every move aimed at his vital points.

Fortunately, Ning Qiu and Xiao Wu had sparred quite a bit during their days in Holy Soul Village. Combined with his recent real combat experience, Ning Qiu was still able to evade the woman's attacks.

However, the situation remained far from optimistic.

The woman was also extremely experienced in actual combat. She pressed tightly against Ning Qiu as she fought, giving him no chance to catch his breath.

After failing to hit Ning Qiu for so long, a black shadow whipped out from behind the woman and coiled around Ning Qiu's waist. It moved incredibly fast, wrapping around him in the blink of an eye.

"A cat tail?" Ning Qiu stared at the thing wrapped around him, stunned.

Hiss—

After the woman's cat tail bound Ning Qiu, she swung her claws straight for his throat.

Holy shit!

If the woman's sharp cat claws struck Ning Qiu's throat, could he possibly survive?

"Cat ears?" "Cat eyes?" "Her martial soul is a cat? And she even has two soul rings." Ning Qiu caught even more information about his opponent and froze. He had already guessed the woman's identity with near certainty.

Ning Qiu was utterly dumbfounded and could not help crying out inwardly, Holy shit, no way... I saw Dai Mubai's fiancée's body???

PS: The identity of this woman who wants to join God Soul Village should be very obvious by now. That's right, she is Zhu Zhuqing, the Hell Spirit Cat. Did anyone guess it?