Protagonist Treatment, Danger Upon Departure
"Wow--that feels so good! Brother Xuan, faster!"
The wide official road was kicked up by the hooves of the spirited horses, and Lin Xuan held the reins steadily. Behind him, Xiao Wu spread her arms and let the wind rush into her collar.
Her cheeks flushed a healthy red from the wind, and her body clung tightly to Lin Xuan's back like a vine, her eyes brimming with joy.
The surging speed didn't make her feel uncomfortable at all; on the contrary, it ignited a flame in her heart, making her excitement even more intense.
"Hurry up, you little brat! This horse is already giving it its all. If it goes any faster, we'll have to switch to a Soul Beast as a mount."
Lin Xuan smiled and nodded, his voice slightly scattered by the wind, but he quietly circulated his Soul Power in his hands, slowly channeling strands of gentle life energy into the body of the steed beneath him.
The horse neighed, its limbs pushing off the ground with increasing force, and its speed increased even further.
"Ah--hahahaha!"
A crisp laugh Penetration the wind and echoed far across the empty official road.
Happiness is sometimes that simple; it's nothing more than a run chasing the wind, or a carefree companionship.
Using their Soul Power to relieve the horse's fatigue, the two rode at full speed, covering more than 300 miles in just one day.
As dusk approached, Lin Xuan gradually slowed his horse's pace—it wasn't suitable to travel so late at night.
Although there were no rampant Evil Soul Master in the first part of the Douluo Continent, there are bound to be some Fallen One and wild Soul Beast hiding in the wilderness, which are real dangers in the wild environment.
"Brother Xuan, there are people over there! Shall we go get something to eat?"
Suddenly, Xiao Wu sniffed, her little ears twitched slightly, and she instantly sat up from Lin Xuan's arms.
The novelty of horseback riding had long worn off; before, she was slumped in Lin Xuan's arms like a lump of mud, listless and without any energy.
At that moment, she followed the scent and looked towards the corner ahead, her eyes sparkling.
Lin Xuan's lips twitched slightly upon hearing this—wasn't this guy's nose like a dog's?
But he didn't argue. After eating pre-cooked meals for several days in a row, he started craving regular food.
But before that, we need to confirm whether the place Xiao Wu mentioned is safe.
The Blue Silver Domain, combined with Blue Silver Perception, was activated instantly. The perception, with a radius of over a kilometer, rapidly spread along the Blue Silver Grass, covering the direction Xiao Wu was pointing in the blink of an eye.
The next second, Lin Xuan "saw" the scene there—not a few people, but a convoy.
More than twenty carriages and forty tents almost filled the open space on the official road. The carriages were painted with colors, with red, cyan and blue used to distinguish them from the tents. The people coming and going were also dressed in exquisite clothes in the corresponding three colors.
"The Three Elements Academy's convoy?"
Lin Xuan blinked, not expecting to encounter three of the four major elemental academies as soon as he stepped out.
As for the Thunder Academy...
Although both belong to the Four Elements Academy, it was founded by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and is located on the border of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Unlike the three nearby academies, Tianshui, Chihuo, and Shenfeng, it does not form a pattern that surrounds the Heaven Dou Imperial City.
"Forget it, they're not just any ordinary racing team, they're the Three Elements Academy's team, and the Teacher leading them is at least Soul Saint level expert."
If you want to eat something delicious, let's go to the next city and talk about it then.
Lin Xuan shook his head. He had no intention of contacting the Three Elements Academy —it would bring no benefit and could easily cause trouble.
They came to watch the game anyway; there's no need to make connections now.
Moreover, he "saw" four "acquaintances" in the convoy, which immediately dispelled his idea of meeting them, fearing that he would be drawn into some inexplicable plot.
"Okay!" Xiao Wu blinked. In the middle of nowhere, she didn't want to come into contact with people who were too strong; she just felt unsafe.
"Then let's rest here."
Lin Xuan pulled on the reins, dismounted, and walked to the side of the official road. He placed his hands on the ground, and his Soul Power flowed into the ground through his palms, spreading to the surrounding Blue Silver Grass.
Stimulated by the Soul Power, the Blue Silver Grass twisted and grew wildly, intertwining and weaving together. After a moment, an exquisite Blue Silver Grass tent appeared in the jungle.
In the dead of night, Lin Xuan and Xiao Wu were not asleep, but instead focused on meditation.
Xiao Wu did it to Soul Ascension power, while Lin Xuan poured all the Soul Power he had cultivated into his Blue Silver Emperor Soul Ring.
After more than two months of continuous "feeding," the age of this Soul Ring is now close to a thousand years. He estimates that in a few more days, he will be able to obtain his first Thousand-Year Spirit Ring.
Suddenly, Lin Xuan opened his eyes wide, his gaze filled with vigilance.
Even when cultivating, he never dared to fully immerse himself in the wilderness, always maintaining his Blue Silver Perception Domain while cultivating.
Maintaining perception requires minimal energy, yet it maximizes safety.
Therefore, he will generally maintain the existence of the domain.
At this moment, he sensed two figures quietly entering his domain.
Moreover, just from visual perspective, these two gave Lin Xuan the feeling that the other was definitely not a good person.
Almost instinctively, Lin Xuan instantly activated the first skill of the Blue Silver Domain — Blue Silver Domain: Disguise!
A faint light shimmered on the Blue Silver Grass that formed the tent, and with a slight movement of the light, the entire tent seemed to vanish into thin air.
At the same time, he slammed his left hand down on the dark blue Soul Tool at his waist— the Level 8 Defense Soul Tool, Azure Guard.
"Buzz--"
A deep blue light suddenly burst forth, transforming into a semi-circular shield five meters in diameter, which steadily enveloped him, Xiao Wu, and the horse.
With Blue Silver disguise on the outside and Azure Guard on the inside, he should be able to rest easy as long as he doesn't encounter Titled Douluo specifically targeting him.
Having confirmed that he was safe, Lin Xuan focused all his attention on the two uninvited guests who had stealthily approached.
The night was as dark as ink. In the woods beside the official road, two dark figures moved like Gui Mei, their deliberately low footsteps almost blending into the rustling of the evening wind through the forest.
The man on the left was emaciated, with sunken cheeks like a skeleton, but his murky eyes gleamed with a greedy and crazed light.
It was none other than Bone Fiend, one of the Fallen One Soul Douluo.
He licked his dry, chapped lips, his voice hoarse as if it had been sanded:
"Old Ghost, are you sure Feng Xiaotian is in the convoy ahead?"
Don't waste your time; this frail body can't take any more strain.
The man known as Old Ghost was short and stout, with an unnatural bluish-gray complexion. Around his neck hung a necklace made of unknown bones, which made a soft, clinking sound with each step he took, giving off an indescribably eerie feeling.
"It can't be wrong."
His voice was deep and thunderous, carrying a rotten, foul odor.
"Those sons of bitches from the Spirit Hall chased us like stray dogs. If we hadn't found the <Spirit Devouring Secret Method> in that Ancient Ruins, we'd be stuck in Soul Douluo for the rest of our lives."
The dark light in Bone Fiend's eyes intensified. He recalled the insurmountable bottleneck he had encountered after breaking through to the Soul Douluo, and the stifling feeling of his Soul Power surging within him yet unable to advance an inch. His teeth itched with hatred.
"If that secret method is correct, it requires using the Spiritual Charm of an exceptionally talented individual as a guide to devour their Innate Origin in order to break the shackles."
"So, in the entire Douluo Continent right now, besides Feng Xiaotian from the Godwind Academy, who else could be the most outstanding genius?"
"Innate Full Soul Power, reaching Level 44 Soul Ancestor at the age of nineteen—this kind of Spiritual Charm is simply tailor-made for us!"
Old Ghost nodded slowly, his steps becoming increasingly cautious, his eyes scanning his surroundings warily.
"Be careful, those who can lead a team on a journey are not easy to deal with."
Who knows what kind of monsters and demons might be lurking in this desolate wilderness?
"We'll seize the opportunity, capture Feng Xiaotian, and leave quickly, without causing any unforeseen complications."
Bone Fiend grinned, revealing a set of yellow and black teeth, his tone filled with impatient ruthlessness:
"Don't worry, once we catch that kid, I'm going to personally drain his Spiritual Charm and taste just how exhilarating it is to break through to the Soul Douluo realm!"
"At that time, let alone the Spirit Hall's pursuers, we might even be able to try breaking through to Titled Douluo!"
The two continued walking without stopping, taking advantage of the cover of night, and quietly made their way towards the brightly lit Three Elements Academy convoy not far away.
Unbeknownst to them, deep within the nearby jungle, inside a Blue Silver Grass tent shrouded in invisible camouflage, Lin Xuan's gaze, penetrating Blue Silver Perception, had already locked onto their figures.
"Fallen One?
And... how could Feng Xiaotian have Level 44 Soul Power in this timeline?
Did I stumble into some kind of special storyline?