Obtaining a Soul Ring

"Bei Bei's here too. Let him go play with Bei Bei."

"But isn't there an age gap?"

"Just think of it as having Bei Bei look after a child."

The unreliable Xuan Zi had handed his task over to Bei Bei, who hadn't started school yet.

Bei Bei looked speechlessly at the child who'd been dumped beside him. "Elder Xuan, I'm a kid too. You want me to look after a kid?"

"Ah, this child's Martial Soul is a mutated Bright Holy Dragon. Spend more time with him and try to awaken yours too." Xuan Zi pulled a chicken leg from who knew where and took a big bite.

Perhaps because of his Martial Soul Awakening, Mu Xuanheng was curious about all sorts of things.

Like jumping into Sea God Lake.

"My ancestors! What are you doing?" Bei Bei immediately grabbed Mu Xuanheng as he leaped toward the lake.

Though Bei Bei was still young, he already knew what he should and shouldn't do.

He was only three years older, yet he still had to keep watch over this little "ancestor."

Nine-year-old Bei Bei stopped Mu Xuanheng from jumping into the lake, and firmly refused to jump in with him.

Mu Xuanheng came up with a new idea. "How about we climb this tree? The higher you are, the farther you can see." He pointed to the Golden Ancient Tree.

Bei Bei didn't think it was a good idea, but Mu Xuanheng talked him into it, and the two of them started climbing.

Before they could get very far, Yan Shaozhe caught them red-handed.

"You two, what do you think you're doing? Get down, right now." Yan Shaozhe was badly frightened by these two little troublemakers.

The Golden Ancient Tree was far beyond what the two of them could handle.

There wasn't much to do on Sea God Island, so Yan Shaozhe took a small Soul Tool out of his Space Soul Tool. "Here, play with this."

He didn't carry many things, and he didn't like Soul Tools anyway. It was already good that he had something to give them.

Sometimes, little kids just wouldn't listen to reason.

"Take this! Thunder Dragon Claw!"

Bei Bei picked up the Soul Tool Mu Xuanheng had smashed. "It's broken."

???

Yan Shaozhe was baffled. Why weren't they following the usual script?

And so, over the next few days, Mu Xuanheng, influenced by Chaofeng, led Bei Bei in causing trouble.

They were caught again and again, by different people each time.

"Elder Xuan, can't you do something about those two kids?" Yan Shaozhe was at his wits' end. They weren't even his responsibility, but somehow everyone kept coming to him.

Xuan Zi drank on the sidelines. "Ah, they're just a couple of kids. What's so hard about handling them? Take them to train, that's all. You're all spoiling them too much."

At dawn, the two children were woken up and made to run with sandbags on their backs.

"Starting training too young will affect a child's growth. I refuse."

Mu Xuanheng had his reasons. Xuan Zi had a wooden stick of his own.

"Let's see if you'll keep running now. You little brat, do you think I'd hurt you?"

Because their Soul Power and ages were different, Bei Bei had a heavier sandbag.

Running around Sea God Island was something no child should have to do.

Mu Xuanheng decided to fight back. "Bei Bei, let's rebel."

"How?"

"I'll start it. You follow."

"Okay."

Mu Xuanheng stopped and began walking slowly.

After waiting a while, Xuan Zi got fed up and charged over, intending to whack him with the stick.

"Old geezer, take this!"

He activated his Martial Soul and reached for the stick with his little fist. "Bei Bei!"

"Coming!" Bei Bei activated his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul. He already had a Soul Ring. "First Soul Skill, Thunder Dragon Claw!"

The lightning destroyed the stick. When it struck Xuan Zi, it barely even tickled him.

"Oh? What are you two little rascals trying to do?"

Xuan Zi picked one up in each hand, stacked them on top of each other, pinned them down, and started spanking them.

Both little rascals had some backbone. Mu Xuanheng figured he'd lived two lifetimes, so pretending to be a child was one thing—but was he really going to cry?

Seeing Mu Xuanheng hold back, Bei Bei couldn't possibly cry either.

So the two of them gritted their teeth and endured it.

"Xuan Zi." Mu En came over in his little wheelchair. "What's going on here?"

"Damn you, old geezer! You're an idiot. You don't know training is bad for us, and now you're hitting us too." Now that he'd found someone to back him up, Mu Xuanheng was going to lean on him for all he was worth.

"What's wrong with training? It'll raise the limit of the Soul Rings you can absorb."

"We still have to grow taller. Making us carry sandbags isn't damaging our bodies?" Normally, you were supposed to avoid putting heavy loads on a growing body, but this was the Douluo Continent, and Mu Xuanheng wasn't sure if that applied.

Mu En reached out, and the fatigue drained from the two of them as his light attribute Soul Power flowed over them.

"They have energy to burn. Take him to obtain a Soul Ring." Mu En had already examined Mu Xuanheng's body. "A few days should be enough to get him a Soul Ring."

Xuan Zi grabbed Mu Xuanheng with one hand and flew off. "Oh, you little brat, you dare tattle on me? Just wait and see how I deal with you later."

Left behind, Bei Bei watched the two of them disappear into the distance. "Progenitor Xuan, is Mu Xuanheng's Martial Soul really a Bright Holy Dragon? Why can't I sense any light from him?"

Mu En took Bei Bei's hand. "Light doesn't have to shine outward. The light in one's heart is the true light. Look, even though you're older than him, isn't Mu Xuanheng always the one out in front? The one who makes the mistake should take more responsibility, and he's always the one standing in front of you."

Though they were both children, Mu Xuanheng couldn't bring himself to think of Bei Bei as his peer. He instinctively protected him.

Bei Bei nodded. He didn't understand. Light was light—how could it be in someone's heart?

"Old geezer, where are we going?"

"To the Star Dou Great Forest, of course. It's full of Soul Beasts. We'll find one that suits you."

The Star Dou Great Forest was most active at dawn.

Mu Xuanheng had no idea how long Xuan Zi carried him through the air before setting him down beside a tree.

"Mm, play by yourself for a while. I'll find you a suitable Soul Beast later."

That was Xuan Zi for you—careless and never bothering to think things through.

"Damn it, Huo Yuhao was already twelve when he left home, and he was carrying a knife. I don't have a thing on me."

Mu Xuanheng didn't even have a Soul Tool. His job was to survive in the Star Dou Great Forest.

This wasn't even the outermost area. Who knew where Xuan Zi had dropped him?

There wasn't soft earth beneath his feet, but a thick carpet of fallen leaves.

Birds called from time to time, while insects chirped without pause.

The echoes through the empty valley brought with them a profound terror.

A roar sounded somewhere in the distance.

"Damn that old geezer. What kind of place is this to leave me alone in?"

Leaves rustled all around him. He grew more alert, but he was also excited. He seemed born to be an adventurer.

The more dangerous things were, the more thrilled he became.

The influence of his Martial Soul had already taken root. Chaofeng's power was beginning to affect his body.

A leaf fell before his eyes, and he immediately stepped back.

In the Star Dou Great Forest, trees didn't mean safety.

And the ground beneath his feet wasn't safe either.

Who knew where insects and snakes might be hiding?

The smell of wine and meat came from nearby. He didn't even need to guess—Xuan Zi was secretly drinking again.

He'd brought a child along and could still let his guard down. What a scatterbrain.

A low growl echoed nearby as a leopard chased its prey.

Then it spotted Mu Xuanheng, alone.

When there was something weaker around, of course it would switch targets.

The boy and leopard stared at each other. They'd locked eyes, and Mu Xuanheng was clearly its next meal.

"Help me, old geezer!"