No! Don't! Absolutely Not!

"Now, what are your thoughts?"

Ning Rongrong had no idea how to connect these clues and was completely baffled. She tugged at Zhou Qing's sleeve, hoping he could explain it to her.

"It's a little bit there."

Zhou Qing rubbed his temples. "Based on the current clues, it's difficult to have conclusive evidence, but if we assume two premises beforehand, perhaps we can connect the whole story..."

Assumption 1: The Soul Ancestor that You Hui sensed is the same Soul Ancestor that they are currently tracking.

Based on this, Dales and that Soul Ancestor had known each other for a long time. Dales was the mastermind behind the night raid on the Xiao Manor in Nuoding City, with the aim of causing chaos in Nuoding City.

Unfortunately, due to the interference of Sun Ming and others, Hu Lingling was exposed and captured prematurely, which delayed his original plan.

Later, things didn't go as planned. The Star Luo Royal Academy Team, who were on their way to Heaven Dou City to exchange ideas with the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, heard about the Soul Bone and changed their route...

After that, the Soul Ancestor wanted to find Hu Lingling's whereabouts and rescue her, but—

At this point, a second assumption is established: the Soul Ancestor's Martial Soul is the Spirit Devouring Worm.

Based on this, the Soul Ancestor was extremely sensitive to Spiritual Power. Even when Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was personally controlling it, he was still able to detect it. As a result, he abandoned his plan to rescue Hu Lingling and quickly fled Nuoding City, arriving at Falling Star City.

Considering that Su Yuntao sensed a cold, twisted aura similar to that of Fallen Ones on this Soul Ancestor, and that he possessed the Spirit Devouring Worm Martial Soul, he might have truly become Fallen Ones.

In summary, under Zhou Qing's two assumptions:

Six years ago, Dales met a Fallen Ones. Whether they had something on each other or they admired each other, the two ended up getting entangled.

Then, for the past six years, Dales has been providing the Fallen Ones with the necessary resources for cultivation: people.

To avoid being discovered, Dales chose people who were mostly lonely and lived in scattered places, so as not to attract the attention of the Spirit Hall.

In this process, the original victims, a couple from a rural village who came to Falling Star City to sell grains and fruits, were truly victims of an undeserved misfortune.

Six years later, Dales, unwilling to remain a mere city lord, happened to encounter Zhou Qing and his companions in the Nuoding Forest while hunting Soul Beast. Sensing the aura emanating from the Soul Bone Zhou Qing carried, he began his scheme...

"With these two assumptions added, it makes a lot of sense." Tang San couldn't help but marvel at Zhou Qing's ability to create illusions, but there were still some details he didn't understand.

For example: Are those two people really your parents?

Or perhaps: if that Soul Ancestor is truly Fallen Ones, then what are Dales and he plotting? Is it related to the three books: "Safe Pregnancy for Expectant Mothers," "The Fetal Development," and "The State Before Martial Soul Awakening: A Hypothetical Situation"?

In response, Zhou Qing said in a deep voice, "Whether that couple were my biological parents or not is no longer so important in the current situation, because this is no longer a matter of personal vendetta, but rather involves whether Dales is truly connected with the Fallen Ones."

Fallen Ones!

Even Soul Master turn pale at the mere mention of it.

If Dales is indeed connected to the Fallen Ones and is secretly providing them with "humans"—materials that allow the Fallen Ones to quickly increase their Soul Power Level —then the entire Falling Star City and its surrounding villages, and even the villages within the Heaven Dou territory, may become fruits that can be harvested at any time.

"Should I tell Dad?" Ning Rongrong wasn't that nervous. "My dad, the Sect Leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School, Sword Grandpa, Sword Douluo, is at the inn. With their help, even a mere city lord of a small town would kneel down!"

Zhou Qing: "No way!"

Tang San: "No!"

Xiao Wu: "No!"

The three of them shouted at almost the same time.

For Xiao Wu, the words "Sword Douluo" were already enough to trigger her sensitive nerves. If Ning Rongrong told her father about this, Xiao Wu felt that her life as a human being could end prematurely!

Tang San's thoughts were simple: he was worried about being forcibly invited by Titled Douluo to join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Refusing an invitation from a Titled Douluo would inevitably leave him with the impression of being ungrateful. Therefore, it was best not to meet him before he had sufficient strength.

Zhou Qing took into account the common factors of the two people mentioned above.

Zhou Qing believed that even if Sword Douluo killed Dales in public without any reason, no one would dare to say anything against him. Even if the higher-ups of the Star Luo Empire found out about this, they would have to travel thousands of miles to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to apologize and blame everything on the already dead Dales.

This is the significance of Titled Douluo!

But what's the point of that?

I don't understand the truth!

The facts are unclear!

If there is the slightest suspicion, they will come to your door, use force to coerce you, and force you to confess... This is definitely not what Zhou Qing wants!

"Do the three of you have a problem with my dad and his family?" Ning Rongrong asked with a suspicious look.

"Of course not."

Zhou Qing hurriedly explained, her mind racing, and came up with a reason, "This is our own business, it wouldn't be good to trouble your dad and the others... By the way, do you want to get your dad's praise? Only when you complete a task on your own, especially a big one, without relying on the help of your elders, can you be considered truly grown up."

Ning Rongrong listened attentively. Biting her finger, she pondered for a moment before affirming Zhou Qing's words, saying, "You're right. Only by personally accomplishing something significant can I earn my parents' respect! I'm not just some mischievous little girl!"

Seeing this, Zhou Qing, Tang San, and Xiao Wu all breathed a sigh of relief.

"So what do we need to do now?" Ning Rongrong asked excitedly.

"Of course—"

Zhou Qing glanced at the sky; it was already late, the moon and stars were numerous. He scanned the street; pedestrians were gradually dispersing, and only a few dim lights remained. He then said, "Time to go back to the hotel and sleep!"

"Ah?"

Ning Rongrong was dumbfounded.

So after all that analysis, instead of taking immediate action, we're going to rest?

This is more than a 180-degree turn, isn't it?

"Only by resting and recuperating can we better investigate more information." Zhou Qing smiled and squatted down. "Alright, get on, I'll carry you back. Don't ride on my shoulders this time."

However, Ning Rongrong ignored her completely, leaped up, straddled Zhou Qing's neck, and sat on his shoulders. "Let's go! To Welcome Spring Inn!"

"Okay!"

Fortunately, Zhou Qing had learned from experience and didn't stumble like last time. Instead, she stood up steadily and lifted Ning Rongrong up...