An Old Acquaintance from Tianshui

Xu Mingxi returned to Starfall Mountain, sat cross-legged beneath the Starry Tree, and began weighing his gains and losses over the past two years.

At fourteen and a half, his Soul Power had already reached rank 36. At this rate, he figured he could reach the Soul Ancestor level around the age of sixteen.

Although he had not achieved anything remarkable on this trip, he had made quite a few friends and seen more of the world. Those were gains in themselves.

And when he thought of the news the Sect Master had told him yesterday, Xu Mingxi could not help sighing at how treacherous the world was.

The fifteen academies that had successfully reached the finals of the Soul Master Competition were on their way to the border between the Two Great Empires and Spirit Hall to take part in the final round.

Spirit Hall used the excuse that Gu Ling, the captain of Oslo Academy, was highly likely to be an Evil Soul Master and carried out an arrest.

During the arrest, it turned out that there really was a Soul Douluo expert behind Gu Ling. Whether he was an Evil Soul Master or not, Xu Mingxi did not know. In any case, Spirit Hall said he was.

Under the encirclement and suppression, Gu Ling and the person behind him died, but the incident unexpectedly dragged in the Heaven Dou Battle Team.

Yu Xiaotian and Ning Xue were unfortunately killed. Xue Xiang was severely injured, his path of cultivation cut off.

Evil Soul Masters acted in such a way that all had the right to kill them; three genius soul masters stepped forward bravely, earning admiration—those were the exact words from Spirit Hall's announcement.

Xu Mingxi did not believe that result, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would believe it even less.

The friction between the Upper Three Sects and Spirit Hall grew even more intense, like gunpowder ready to ignite at the slightest spark.

Perhaps out of fear of Tang Chen, the vice-captain of the Star Luo Battle Team who wielded the Clear Sky Hammer did not suffer any mishap.

In the end, Spirit Hall still won the Soul Master Competition. The Star Luo Battle Team lost by a narrow margin, while the Heaven Dou Battle Team withdrew from the competition outright.

"The continent is about to fall into chaos. Once that person from the Clear Sky Sect disappears, trouble will come, won't it?"

Xu Mingxi thought of that young talent who had fought a Thunderlight Lion in close combat, and felt sorry for him too.

Although he did not know exactly when Tang Chen disappeared, he figured it should be soon.

Fortunately, the Sect Master also knew that the continent was about to become chaotic and hurriedly recalled all clansmen who were away.

Xu Mingxi finally saw his three little companions again.

The two younger followers who trailed behind them had also awakened long ago. Xu Mingjie had innate rank-six Soul Power, while Xu Mingying had innate rank-nine Soul Power, and both their martial souls were Star Crowns.

Ever since all the clansmen had been recalled, Starfall Mountain had become lively.

Xu Mingxi was also taken by his parents and grandfather to meet many elders within the sect.

At night, Starlight scattered down over every Mimetic Cultivation Field on Starfall Mountain, illuminating the entire Mountain Gate.

Xu Mingxi spent his sixteenth birthday peacefully within the sect, and on that very day, his Soul Power finally reached rank 40.

He had intended to ask his grandfather to take him to obtain his fourth soul ring, but unexpectedly, he was refused. His grandfather told him to wait a while longer and see.

"Mingxi, it isn't that Grandpa won't take you. It's just that things outside are too chaotic right now.

Not long ago, news actually broke that Tang Chen of the Clear Sky Sect had been missing for a long time.

Although no one knows if it's true or not, undercurrents have long been surging across the continent.

Every sect and clan has already tightened its guard over its Mountain Gate. Even the Upper Three Sects have restrained their actions considerably."

Hearing this, Xu Mingxi felt his mind tremble. Had Tang Chen disappeared so soon? By now, he must already be on the verge of being trapped deep in Slaughter City.

Would Spirit Hall not be moving against the Clear Sky Sect very soon?

Xu Mingxi did not care whether the Clear Sky Sect lived or died. What he was thinking was whether he could take advantage of this opportunity to obtain knowledge about Immortal Herbs from the Breaking Clan.

At Xu Mingxi's suggestion for his grandfather to step in, the Star Crown Sect had already begun deliberately paying attention to news about Dugu Bo.

Finding the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well should not be a problem. What mattered most now was knowledge about Immortal Herbs.

If there really was no other way, he could only look for Yue Guan.

Xu Mingxi did not want to take that step. Spirit Hall's strength was too great; balance was what the Star Crown Sect needed.

A few months passed. Seeing that the outside world was still in that same state of confrontation, the Sect Master agreed to Xu Mingxi's request to leave the sect.

This time, his destination was the Far North Land. Accompanying him were the First Elder and Second Elder, two Titled Douluo, both terrified that Xu Mingxi might suffer the slightest harm.

In the Far North Land, there was a soul beast known as the Moon Gazing Toad, and it was Xu Mingxi's target on this trip.

This kind of soul beast faced the moon every night, and after years and years of accumulation, it could even produce a Moon Pearl within its body. It was a precious treasure sought after by nobles and high officials.

The soul beast needed for Xu Mingxi's fourth soul ring was roughly around five thousand years old.

Moon Gazing Toads of this age were mostly found in the Ice Scarred Valley of the Far North Land, and their numbers were few.

Ice Scarred Valley was located in the middle layer of the Far North Land, already close to the core region, where Ten Thousand Year Soul Beasts were very likely to appear.

Under the guidance of the two elders, Xu Mingxi rode a carriage into the Town of Northern Suppression.

This place had been jointly established by the Heaven Dou Empire and the various duchies to resist the Beast Tide from the Far North Land.

Later, after Spirit Hall and the soul beasts of the Far North Land reached an agreement, it gradually became a supply base for those entering the Far North Land to hunt for soul rings.

As a southerner who had never seen snow, Xu Mingxi had not expected his first experience to be given to Douluo Continent.

Before they even entered the Far North Land, Xu Mingxi already felt cold, so he bought a large amount of cold-weather supplies in the Town of Northern Suppression.

He even bought two sets for the two elders. There was a kind of cold called: your grandson thinks you are cold.

As Titled Douluo, with Soul Power protecting their bodies, never mind Ice Scarred Valley—even the core region was not something they could not endure for a while.

Still, they accepted the cotton coats and put them on in front of Xu Mingxi, giving him plenty of face.

"All right, Elders, let's go."

"Mingxi, wait. Look who that is."

Hm? Xu Mingxi looked in the direction Second Elder was pointing. Wasn't that Ling Yilan from Skywater Team? What was she doing here too?

Ling Yilan, the control-system Soul Elder of Heaven Dou Battle Team, Martial Soul Ice Element. During the Soul Master Competition, she had caused Canghui Battle Team no small amount of trouble.

Because she was not very old either, she was the youngest member of Heaven Dou Battle Team. Back then, she had only been twenty.

Like Xu Mingxi, she was a Control System Soul Master, and with her naturally familiar personality, the two sides could more or less be considered acquainted.

Beside her was an old woman. Based on Xu Mingxi's guess, she was probably one of her clansmen or a teacher from Skywater Academy.

Xu Mingxi raised a hand to cover his face. The two elders were still beside him right now, so he absolutely could not be recognized.

Unfortunately, it was already too late. Ling Yilan had long since spotted Xu Mingxi, who had been looking around and buying supplies.

"Xu Mingxi, what are you covering your face for? Didn't you see this young lady?"

Seeing Ling Yilan walk straight toward him, Xu Mingxi knew there was no dodging her now.

"I wasn't covering anything. Just scratching an itch. You must have seen wrong."

"You're still saying you weren't covering it? Forget it. You're here to obtain your Fourth Soul Skill too, right? Want to go in together?"

Xu Mingxi refused outright. He did not want to travel with this woman, and besides, the two elders could not be exposed.

Ling Yilan wanted to say more, but the old woman beside her pulled her back.

"Miss, since he does not agree, then let it be."

Only after Ling Yilan had been pulled away by the old woman did she stamp her feet in anger.

"Grandma Shuang Lan, why did you stop me? That little brother is exactly my type."

"Oh, my little ancestor, I can't see through those two people behind him. How could I feel at ease letting you go with him?"

"What!"

Ling Yilan was a little shocked. Grandma Shuang Lan was a powerful rank 68 Soul Emperor.

If even she could not see through them, could those two old men both be Soul Saints?

The Ling Family had Soul Saints too, but they were all the clan's top combat strength. They would not be sent out just to help her obtain a fourth soul ring.

"It seems the power behind this little brother isn't simple either."

The Ling Family could be considered a reclusive family. They had lived in seclusion in the northern part of the Heaven Dou Empire all year round, near the Far North Land.

Though they had a Soul Douluo expert, placed upon the continent as a whole, they were merely slightly stronger ants.

If she could help her family obtain a powerful backer, Ling Yilan would not mind sacrificing her marriage.

Looking in the direction Xu Mingxi had left, Ling Yilan's eyes flickered, and no one knew what she was thinking.

Only after a long while did she speak again.

"Forget it. Let fate decide. It can't be forced.

Grandma Shuang Lan, let's go too. The sooner we obtain the soul ring, the sooner we can go back."

Following close behind Xu Mingxi's footsteps, Ling Yilan also stepped into the Far North Land.