First Arrival at Clear Sky Sect

When Xue Xiao Ran opened his eyes again, he found himself lying on a soft couch, covered with a blanket.

Outside the window lay towering mountains and flowing waters, with wisps of cloud and mist drifting about, making it seem as though he were deep within the clouds.

Xue Xiao Ran shook his head. It seemed he had fainted the instant he descended to the lower realm, and the place he was in now was the legendary Clear Sky Sect.

Tang Wu Tong had likely been arranged in another room.

Looking at the scenery outside, Xue Xiao Ran smiled. He had finally arrived on the Douluo Continent.

His head still felt somewhat heavy, and he had no idea how many days had passed since his descent.

He quietly pushed open the door. All he could hear was the howling wind; he could not even sense another person's presence.

Following the spacious corridor, Xue Xiao Ran got his bearings and headed toward the main hall.

"Oh? You're awake?"

A heavily muscled man sat in one corner of the sofa. Seeing Xue Xiao Ran push open the door, a trace of surprise appeared on his face.

He had expected the boy to remain unconscious for around ten days. He had not expected him to awaken on the eighth.

"You must be Senior Titan." Xue Xiao Ran rubbed his head, then cupped his hands toward the burly man drinking wine.

"You brat, you actually know my name?" Titan said.

Xue Xiao Ran nodded. "Father-in-law told me everything."

After saying that, Xue Xiao Ran sat across from Titan, lowering his head as though deep in thought.

Titan pointed at Xue Xiao Ran's face and sighed softly. "You really do look like your father..."

"You've met my father?" Xue Xiao Ran immediately raised his head.

"That's right. I even gave him a beating back then, hahahaha!" Titan clearly recalled the past and slapped his thigh as he burst into laughter.

"Enough. How much longer are you going to brag about that?"

A tall man with blue-green hair walked in with a wry smile. Hearing Titan's words, he spoke irritably.

"We hear you brag about it every day. Why don't you fight him now and see who wins?"

The man furrowed his delicate brows, joking as he spoke.

Xue Xiao Ran rose to his feet and cupped his hands slightly toward the newcomer. "Senior Niu Tian."

Niu Tian nodded with a smile. "Just call us Uncle. We'll be benefiting from that as well."

Behind him, a little head poked out timidly. Her large eyes still held a trace of confusion, and she looked as if she had not fully woken up.

Xue Xiao Ran paused slightly. He immediately understood and could not help turning his gaze toward Niu Tian.

The latter shifted aside halfway, allowing Tang Wu Tong to stand opposite Xue Xiao Ran. He raised a hand in introduction. "This is Wang Dong'er. Wang Dong'er, can you remember who the person standing before you is?"

Tang Wu Tong—no, she should now be called Wang Dong'er—looked at the calm blue-haired, Jade-Eyed youth before her and murmured softly, "Brother Xiao Ran..."

"He... seems to be my fiancé?"

After saying that, Wang Dong'er looked uncertainly at Niu Tian. The latter immediately nodded with a smile.

Xue Xiao Ran patted his head. Fortunately, she had not forgotten that. Otherwise, there would be trouble later.

Wang Dong'er still seemed exhausted after speaking. Leaning against Niu Tian's chest, she immediately fell asleep.

"It seems the aftereffects of the memory seal will take some time to recover from."

Xue Xiao Ran stepped forward and carefully examined Wang Dong'er's profile as he spoke calmly.

"Was it like this in the God Realm?" Titan could not help asking roughly.

Xue Xiao Ran thought back for a moment, then nodded. "That's right. Ever since her memories were sealed, Tang Wu Tong has been sleeping. Father-in-law told me that this was an unavoidable aftereffect."

He smiled calmly and watched Niu Tian carry Wang Dong'er out through the door once more.

Before long, Niu Tian returned and sat across from Xue Xiao Ran together with Titan.

"What should we call you?"

Niu Tian appeared far more composed than Titan.

Without even thinking, Xue Xiao Ran blurted out, "You two Uncles can just call me Xiao Ran."

"Good, Xiao Ran." Niu Tian felt a surge of joy. It seemed he was not the sort of arrogant, unchanged descendant Niu Tian had worried about.

In his eyes, every movement Xue Xiao Ran made seemed utterly natural—one could even say elegant.

"Does Xiao Ran have any plans for what comes next? Will you wait for Wang Dong'er to wake up, then accompany her to Shrek Academy to study?"

Xue Xiao Ran accepted the cup of tea Niu Tian handed him. After thanking him, he said, "I'll first obtain my First Soul Ring, then decide what to do next."

"Oh, obtain a Soul Ring?" Titan raised his head with interest. "I haven't even asked what your martial soul is, Xiao Ran. Which of your parents' martial souls did you inherit? We can help you consider the Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest."

"I have Twin Martial Souls."

That one sentence made Niu Tian, who had been halfway through drinking his tea, immediately start coughing. "Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough."

"So you're just like your father?" Niu Tian cleared his throat and regained his former composure.

"No. My two martial souls each inherited one of my parents' martial souls. One is Extreme Ice." Xue Xiao Ran spread out his hand, and a faint chill immediately gathered in his palm. "The other is my mother's mutated martial soul, Extreme Poison." Once the chill withdrew, a green mixed gas immediately floated above Xue Lei Han's palm.

Both martial souls were elemental martial souls.

"You're as monstrous as your father." Titan said irritably. "How about this? We'll help you consider the Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest. Xiao Ran, you can live here from now on."

A cold voice rang through the living room.

"No."

A figure appeared at the doorway. He was a young man with short green hair, one eye covered by an eyepatch, while the other revealed a fierce, wolf-like gleam.

"Young Master, Cang Xue arrived late."

The newcomer bowed deeply toward Xue Lei Han, his tone extremely respectful.

Niu Tian showed no surprise at Cang Xue's arrival. Instead, he leaned back against the sofa, his expression one of complete certainty.

The old master's son had descended to the lower realm to train. It was perfectly natural for Cang Xue to act this way.

"Uncle Cang Xue, I often heard my father speak of you."

Xue Xiao Ran's smile moved Cang Xue deeply, and a bright gleam appeared in his eyes.

"What, Cang Xue? Are you trying to steal him from us? If you want to take him, you'll have to ask my fists first."

The moment Titan heard that Cang Xue wanted to take Xue Xiao Ran away, he became unhappy. He had hit it off with Xue Xiao Ran at first sight and had already planned to bring him into the Star Dou Great Forest, force a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast to sacrifice itself, and be done with it. Yet Cang Xue had suddenly appeared halfway through, and the key was that Titan had no reason to refuse his request.

"Xiao Xue and Dong Yuan are waiting outside. If you want to fight, they can fight you."

Cang Xue silently dropped this bombshell, making Titan so angry that he began rolling up his sleeves. "Isn't it just two against three? When have my brother and I ever feared anyone?"

With that, he was about to rush forward and brawl.

"Enough. Don't let the Carefree Sword Sect laugh at us." Niu Tian rubbed his head in frustration, then turned and smiled faintly at Xue Xiao Ran. "Once Wang Dong'er wakes up, we'll contact you through a Soul Tool."

Cang Xue nodded. "Our Carefree Sword Sect has Soul Tools. Young Master need not worry."

Xue Xiao Ran revealed a calm smile. "Wu Tong... Dong'er will likely need about half a month before she fully wakes up. For these next few days, she'll remain in a half-awake state. I'll have to ask you two Uncles to take good care of her."

"You're thoughtful. Come back again in three months." Niu Tian smiled. His estimation of Xue Xiao Ran's sense of responsibility rose another notch, though he soon felt relieved. How could a youth valued by the Sea God and Asura God possibly be ordinary?

"Uncle Cang Xue, let's go."

After cupping his hands in farewell to Titan and Niu Tian, Xue Xiao Ran spoke.

"Yes, Young Master. We will depart for the Carefree Sword Sect at once."