Kidnapping

Yu Xiaowei, familiar with the way, led Ning Rongrong on a leisurely stroll through Sunset Forest.

Originally, this place had no roads, just like Star Dou Great Forest. But Yu Xiaowei often came here to fight Soul Beasts, and over time, he had trampled out a small path.

Ning Rongrong looked around curiously. This was her first time visiting a wild Soul Beast forest since she was born.

However, she did not run around recklessly just because she was curious. She kept Yu Xiaowei's words firmly in mind and clung tightly to his arm without letting go.

Her first two Soul Rings had both been obtained in her family's Soul Beast forest.

Not only was that place small, but the Soul Beasts raised there were mild-tempered and completely nonaggressive. They were nothing like the wild Soul Beasts here.

Walking ahead, Yu Xiaowei did his best to restrain his aura. Ever since Yue Guan had fully activated the residual medicinal power of the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum within him, the Godzilla aura he radiated had become even more ferocious.

Ning Rongrong, who possessed an auxiliary martial soul, could not sense it. But other soul masters with Beast Martial Souls would unconsciously feel an intense sense of suppression whenever they faced Yu Xiaowei.

Even Dugu Bo, whose martial soul had evolved into a dragon, could not avoid that feeling.

If they were in a soul fighting arena now, Yu Xiaowei would naturally want his aura to be as fierce as possible.

But this was Sunset Forest. His aura would only make the weaker Soul Beasts scatter in every direction like startled birds.

"Brother Xiaowei, is that big fellow a Thousand Year Soul Beast?"

Ning Rongrong pointed at a massive rhinoceros fleeing in panic and asked.

Following the direction of her finger, Yu Xiaowei examined it carefully, then shook his head.

"That's an Iron Armored Rhino. Look at its horn—there are eight rings on it, which means it's only eight hundred years old. This one won't do. Let it go."

As a seasoned regular who had grown up roaming Sunset Forest, identifying the age of Soul Beasts was one of the most basic skills.

And as one of the Upper Three Sects, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had long inherited extensive research on Soul Beasts, so it naturally did not lack such knowledge.

At that thought, Yu Xiaowei curled his lip.

A considerable portion of Yu Xiaogang's so-called Ten Great Theories had been copied from the clan's research, while the rest had been scraped together from Spirit Hall. He had pieced it all together and passed it off as his own theory.

And he had fucking published it.

Heh, ptooey!

That was precisely why Yu Luomian, who had once cared deeply for him, had flown into a rage. Whenever Yu Xiaogang was mentioned, the words "good-for-nothing" never left his mouth.

One had to know that research on martial souls and Soul Beasts was the closely guarded secret of every major clan. Every family kept such things under tight wraps, terrified that they might leak out.

Yet Yu Xiaogang had gone and exposed all of it.

The matter had also caused an enormous uproar within the clan.

In the end, under pressure from within the clan, Yu Yuanzhen had no choice but to announce Yu Xiaogang's expulsion from the family.

"Brother Xiaowei, we've been walking for so long. When will we find a suitable Soul Beast?"

Ning Rongrong's delicate voice interrupted Yu Xiaowei's wandering thoughts.

He pinched Ning Rongrong's soft little cheek and said fondly,

"Tired?"

"Come on, I'll carry you."

As he spoke, he bent down and crouched halfway.

The two had grown up playing together. Whenever Ning Rongrong acted spoiled like this, he knew exactly what she meant.

"Yay~"

Ning Rongrong cheered, climbed onto Yu Xiaowei's back, and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

The girl's long hair hung down and brushed back and forth against Yu Xiaowei's ears as they walked, making him itch.

A faint fragrance drifted into his nose, leaving him slightly intoxicated.

In the tranquil forest, sunlight filtered through layer upon layer of lush trees like threads of golden sand, falling upon the young man and woman.

Yet this warm scene did not last long before it was shattered by the arrival of an uninvited guest.

He was a tall, skinny old man. His wrinkled face was flushed red, and although his hair was completely white, he radiated a vigor that did not match his age. He wore a crimson robe and a golden Five-Pointed Crown on his head.

Yu Xiaowei set Ning Rongrong down, shielding her behind him as he stared solemnly at the old man before them.

The old man kept his eyes closed and said nothing.

His lean body stood as straight as a javelin. An extraordinary bearing emanated from him, as though he had become one with heaven and earth.

If Yu Xiaowei had not seen him with his own eyes, he would never have sensed that there was someone standing there.

Not as strong as Dugu Bo, but not far off.

A peak Soul Douluo!!!

Why had such an expert appeared in the outskirts of Sunset Forest? And judging by the look of it, he had come specifically to block Yu Xiaowei's path.

Yu Xiaowei cautiously probed, "I did not know Senior was cultivating here. This junior will leave at once."

The old man slowly opened his eyes and looked at Yu Xiaowei with a kind expression.

"This old man is Salas, master of the Spirit Hall Sanctuary in Heaven Dou City and a Platinum Archbishop."

"Young man, your cultivation talent is quite remarkable. If you have no master, you may enter Spirit Hall and cultivate under this old man."

Spirit Hall!

Yu Xiaowei's heart jolted. Of course—the Five-Pointed Platinum Crown was the symbol of a Platinum Bishop. It could not be forged.

And beneath Pontiff Bibi Dong, there were only four archbishops. The Salas before him was one of them.

Why had he come looking for him?

Yu Xiaowei had just wanted to refuse, only to discover that he could not speak at all.

Not only that, but his body was locked in place by an aura, leaving him utterly unable to move.

"Since you aren't speaking, I'll take that as consent."

"I never expected that on one rare trip outside, I would encounter such an extraordinarily gifted young man. Heaven truly favors the prosperity of Spirit Hall."

Salas smiled broadly as he gradually approached Yu Xiaowei.

Damn old bastard, he wants to forcibly drag me into Spirit Hall!

Yu Xiaowei could neither move nor speak. He could only glare furiously at Salas.

Behind him, Ning Rongrong noticed something was wrong. She tightly grabbed his hand and, breaking from her usual behavior, stepped in front of him and said brightly,

"Brother Xiaowei is the current Chief Disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and its future sect master."

"He is also my future husband, the future son-in-law of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Your Excellency Salas, are you sure you can bear the wrath of both our families?"

"Or is Spirit Hall preparing to go to war with the Upper Three Sects?"

Yu Xiaowei looked at Ning Rongrong approvingly.

That was more like it!

That overbearing presence.

That was how the princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect should act.

Yet Salas remained unmoved, his expression unchanged as he continued approaching.

Ning Rongrong's expression changed. Just as she was about to speak again, she discovered that she, too, could no longer make a sound.

An explosion suddenly rang out not far away, followed by the dragon roar unique to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, echoing through the forest.

Salas stopped in front of Yu Xiaowei and patted him several times. The old man's chrysanthemum-like face grew increasingly kind and benevolent.

"Good, good. Such extraordinary talent. Heaven truly favors Spirit Hall."

He smiled at Ning Rongrong.

"This little girl is not bad either. She can come to Spirit Hall with me as well."

"With your talents, becoming a Saint and Saintess would be more than fitting."

"I will not hurt or torture you. I will even make you a Saint and Saintess. I imagine the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will have nothing to say about it."

The dragon roars gradually weakened, and Yu Xiaowei's heart sank to the bottom. He knew the clan had secretly sent people to protect him.

He had simply never expected that Salas would make such thorough preparations just to lure him into Spirit Hall.

Just as Salas's hands were about to seize them,

A sinister voice came from behind him.

"I was wondering which shameless thing was bullying children here."

"So it was you, Salas."