Returning to the Village

Cough, cough!

Hu Liena coughed, making quite a bit of noise that instantly drew the gazes of everyone in the hall.

Oh, someone is here?

Sisi stopped her story abruptly, her expression turning somewhat unpleasant.

Seeing that she was just about to get to her Yuntao, what did this person mean by making a noise right then?

Hadn't she laid out all that foreshadowing just so she could flex a little bit?

With that cough of hers, weren't all her preceding words wasted?

Sisi looked toward the doorway with a trace of displeasure, but when her gaze landed on Hu Liena's face, a secret shock stirred within her heart.

What a pretty little girl!

A sense of vigilance rising in her chest, Sisi looked the three of them up and down.

"You three, is there something you need with Spirit Hall?

I can help with a Martial Soul Awakening, but if you're here to test your Soul Power and join Spirit Hall, please head up to the second floor, first office on the left, and look for Master Ma Xiunuo."

She was just going through the routine inquiry, though judging by the trio's clothes and dressing, the chance of them being here on official business was slim—it was much more likely they were looking for trouble.

Everyone else nearby grew inwardly vigilant as well.

Who in Spirit Hall didn't know that, because of Xu Yuan's affair, relations between Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire were currently tense?

"Everyone, no need to be nervous."

Xu Yuan waved a hand. "We're here to look for Su Yuntao, Brother Tao."

Su Yuntao? Brother Tao?

Sisi wore a puzzled expression. How come she didn't know Su Yuntao knew people like this?

One could tell from the three's clothing and accessories that they were either wealthy or noble.

Having been together for so long, she had pretty much grasped the full scope of Su Yuntao's social circle, aside from that Xu Yuan...

Wait a minute!

Sisi drew in a sharp breath of air, looking in shock at the youth standing in the middle of the three, and asked cautiously.

"Y-You... are you Xu Yuan?"

Hm?

Xu Yuan was somewhat surprised, extending a finger to point at himself.

"You know me?"

He was genuinely quite surprised. Among the people at the Notting City Spirit Hall, Xu Yuan had only ever met Su Yuntao.

How did this female deacon before him recognize him?

Hearing Xu Yuan's reply, Sisi confirmed it with a jolt of shock—it really was Xu Yuan!

Her gaze rapidly swept back and forth across Hu Liena and Gui Mei on either side, running a quick comparison against the information from the rumors, and Sisi's heart shook again and again.

She hurriedly bowed in salute.

"Sisi, deacon of the Notting City Spirit Hall, greets the Title Elder and the two disciples of the Pope.

This place is remote and information travels slowly, so I failed to recognize the three of you immediately. Please forgive me!"

At those words.

The group of vigilant deacons and staff members nearby were all left dumbfounded.

What was Sisi saying?

Title Elder? Pope's disciples?

Yet seeing that the three opposite them showed no sign of denial, the group hurriedly followed Sisi's lead and saluted.

At the same time, towering waves churned in their hearts.

They had just been gossiping about the person himself, only to run right into the main subject in the blink of an eye. And why wasn't this Title Elder the same person who had come last time?

Seeing a dozen or so people in their twenties, thirties, or even forties bowing to him, Xu Yuan really wasn't quite used to it.

He hastily pressed his hands downward.

"No need for that, no need for that. We're here to find Brother Tao. Is Brother Tao around?"

"He is, he is."

Sisi pointed upward with a beaming smile. "He's in the office upstairs. Shall I lead you up?"

Xu Yuan shook his head.

"No need to trouble yourself, we'll go up on our own."

He remembered Yue Guan telling him last time that after awakening his Martial Soul, Su Yuntao had been promoted to branch hall master of the Notting City Spirit Hall.

Other people might be a bit hard to find, but for the hall master, his office was right on the top floor.

Sisi didn't insist, respectfully watching the three go upstairs while her eyes continuously scanned over Hu Liena.

That face, that figure... tsk tsk, the rumors really weren't false!

Third floor.

The entire third floor held only a single office. Judging by its size, it didn't look much smaller than Fadanier's office.

No wonder Su Yuntao preferred to stay in Notting City rather than go to the Spirit Hall Main Palace.

Knocking on the door, Xu Yuan pushed it open and walked right in.

At that moment, Su Yuntao was seated in the hall master's chair with his feet propped up on the edge of the desk, holding a cup of fragrant tea and sipping it slowly with his eyes closed.

He was living quite a comfortable life indeed.

Notting City was located in a remote area, and with routine duties being sparse on ordinary days, he was naturally endlessly idle.

Hearing the knock, Su Yuntao had originally prepared to lower his feet, never expecting the visitor to push the door open directly without waiting for him to speak.

So the moment the three walked in, they caught Su Yuntao, the hall master, slacking off on the job.

Talk about awkward for Su Yuntao. He coughed and hurried to explain, but suddenly realized the visitor was none other than Xu Yuan.

He sprang up with a whoosh and took a few excited steps forward.

"Xu Yuan, you brat, how did you get back!"

"Brother Tao."

Xu Yuan smiled and gave a slight nod. "Coming back this time, I mainly wanted to check on the old man back home. I don't know how his health has been in the days since I left, so I figured I'd come back for a look."

"The old man is in great health, he just misses you terribly."

Su Yuntao said with a smile. "If he knew you came back to see him, there's no telling how happy he'd be."

Having not seen each other in a long time, both of them were excited and ended up chatting a bit more.

As they were talking, Xu Yuan's peripheral vision suddenly caught Hu Liena curiously examining her surroundings, and he patted his forehead.

"Right, I haven't introduced you yet."

Xu Yuan pointed at Hu Liena and Gui Mei beside him. "This is my senior sister, Hu Liena, and this is Main Palace Elder Gui Mei, Elder Gui."

Then he pointed back at Su Yuntao.

"This is Su Yuntao, hall master of the Notting City Spirit Hall. I call him Brother Tao—he was the one who awakened my Martial Soul."

Su Yuntao immediately offered a respectful salute with a mix of awe and trepidation.

He had noticed Gui Mei earlier, but had simply assumed he was a bodyguard assigned to Xu Yuan by the Main Palace, never dreaming he was actually a Title Elder!

Compared to him, Gui Mei and Hu Liena weren't nearly as warm; they just nodded by way of greeting.

A hall master from some backwater place—judging by the fluctuations of his soul power, he was only at the Soul Grandmaster realm at his age.

His future prospects were practically devoid of light!

One stood at the very pinnacle of the mainland, while the other was someone who wouldn't even deign to look at a prodigy like Yan.

It would be a miracle if they showed any warmth.

After catching up, Xu Yuan quickly brought up his wish to return to the village and explained that he didn't know the way.

Su Yuntao immediately patted his chest to declare that he would lead the way.

As for why he was sucking up so thoroughly even though he was a hall master now—well, that went without saying. He'd just been caught slacking off on the job by an elder, so he naturally had to put on a good show.

Holy Soul Village.

The village still looked just as it always had, without much change. To say there wasn't a shred of change wouldn't be entirely true, though.

Village Chief Old Jack's house had been completely renovated from top to bottom by people from Spirit Hall.

It used to be a few small wooden huts, but it had now been transformed into a grand villa built entirely of marble, looking exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

Old Jack rarely stayed at home nowadays, however.

He no longer farmed, nor did he lack money, as Spirit Hall sent grain and meat to his house every single month.

Usually, he would just sit beneath the large tree at the entrance of the village, sometimes staying for an entire day at a time.

Everyone in the village knew this—he was missing his grandson.

From time to time, some old friends would come over, sit and chat with him, and listen to him brag.

Today was no exception.

As they were talking, Old Zhang from next door suddenly pointed toward the path leading into the village in the distance and cried out in surprise.

"Old Xu, look over there. Isn't that your little Xu coming back?"

What?

Leaning on his cane with a trembling, tottering gait, Old Jack stood up to look. A familiar figure instantly reflected in his eyes, causing a mist of water to well up in them in an instant.

"It is! It's my little Yuan! My little Yuan is back!"