"All right, Xiao Wu. Once Zhuqing's business is taken care of, I'll help you evolve your bloodline too!"
Luo Yan affectionately ruffled Xiao Wu's hair and chuckled softly in her ear.
Hearing Luo Yan's words, Xiao Wu turned her head away. "I don't want your blood essence, Brother Luo Yan. I'll cultivate on my own!"
"Brother Luo Yan's blood essence doesn't just fall from the sky!"
Er Ming didn't dare say anything at that. He could only look away and scratch his head.
"Let's not talk about that now. First, let's find somewhere to stay and rest."
"By the way, Da Ming, go give the owner of the Rose Hotel some Gold Soul Coins later. His hotel was reduced to ruins because of me."
"I'd feel bad if I didn't compensate him."
Thinking of the ruins he had just seen, Luo Yan felt a little embarrassed.
When he sensed the tribulation, he thought it would descend soon, so he hadn't gone elsewhere to undergo it. That was how the Rose Hotel ended up in ruins.
At his speed, he could easily have left Suotuo City before the tribulation struck.
"Understood!"
Da Ming nodded slightly.
Then Luo Yan planned to take Xiao Wu and the others to find a hotel.
His tribulation might have seemed to pass quickly, but half a day had gone by since it began. The sunset on the horizon was already slowly fading.
But as soon as Luo Yan took a step, several figures appeared in front of them, blocking their way.
Hm?
Luo Yan's expression turned serious as he looked at the people before him.
"Is there something you need, City Lord Zhao?"
"If this is about the tribulation, I can only say I'm sorry. I didn't do it on purpose!"
The man at the front was Zhao Yuan, who had appeared after Luo Yan's battle with Chen Xin. He was the city lord of Suotuo City, and the guards behind him were from the City Lord's Mansion.
"Greetings, Your Excellency!"
Although Zhao Yuan had stopped Luo Yan and the others, he spoke with great respect.
After glancing at Luo Yan, he continued, "We didn't come to trouble Your Excellency. We only wanted to check whether you were injured."
"Since Your Excellency has come to Suotuo City, it's only natural that we ensure your safety."
"As for the Rose Hotel, we'll rebuild it for them. Please rest assured!"
After speaking, he leaned toward one of the guards behind him and whispered a few words. The guard turned and left as soon as he heard him.
He was probably going to take care of the Rose Hotel.
"Don't worry, City Lord Zhao. We're not injured!"
"Since you're handling the hotel's reconstruction, we won't take up any more of your time."
Luo Yan had no particular interest in the city lord of Suotuo City. After a few polite words, he intended to leave with Xiao Wu and the others.
"Your Excellency, since the Rose Hotel has been reduced to ruins, you probably don't have a place to stay. Why not spend the night at the City Lord's Mansion?"
Zhao Yuan smiled as he gestured for his men to move aside.
His gaze lingered on Luo Yan, full of keen interest. It was hard to tell what he was thinking.
But Luo Yan paid them little attention. He simply waved a hand and left with Xiao Wu and the others.
"City Lord, should we...?"
A guard watched the five of them walk away and turned to Zhao Yuan.
Zhao Yuan's expression shifted. This was the first time since becoming city lord that anyone had refused him. Even Soul Douluos had never turned down his invitations.
But remembering Luo Yan's strength, he didn't dare offend him lightly.
After all, Luo Yan had been able to fight Sword Douluo Chen Xin on equal terms. His strength had to be beyond that of a Super Douluo.
He didn't want to die.
What Zhao Yuan didn't know was that Luo Yan had already broken through to the early stage of Tier 7 Demon Venerable. He had advanced through two major realms, and now he could defeat Chen Xin with one hand.
Fortunately, Zhao Yuan hadn't let his pride get the better of him.
Afterward, Luo Yan didn't give any thought to what Zhao Yuan might be thinking.
He took Xiao Wu and the others to the part of Suotuo City near Shrek Academy and checked into a hotel.
In a few days, Shrek Academy would begin accepting students. It was also the date he had agreed upon with Dai Mubai.
Luo Yan didn't know that, on the other side of Suotuo City,
a carriage was slowly making its way into the city. It stopped at a post station near the gate.
A youth dressed in a blue outfit stepped down from the carriage.
It was none other than our very own Tang Buddha, Tang San.
Tang San was nearly thirteen and already looked like a young man, but his appearance was quite ordinary, with nothing unusual about it.
Tang Hao wasn't particularly handsome either, so it was understandable that Tang San hadn't inherited striking looks.
"So this is Suotuo City..."
After paying the fare, Tang San looked toward the city gates.
Though he was looking at them from inside the city, Suotuo City's gates were several times larger than those of every town he had passed along the way.
He couldn't help wondering what the monster-recruiting Shrek Academy was like.
Unfortunately, once he arrived at Shrek Academy, the image he had of it would surely be shattered.
Seeing that the sun had completely set, Tang San shook off his thoughts and turned toward the streets of Suotuo City.
He found a hotel at random and rested there for the night.
The next morning, Tang San got up early and left the hotel.
He wanted to spend the next few days exploring the city and learning more about Suotuo City.
He was certain he would join Shrek Academy, but he still wanted to do what he had in Nuoding City: study at the academy while working in Suotuo City.
He was terribly poor and had to earn money for every expense himself.
After wandering around for a while, it seemed the Heavenly Dao had put things back on their original track, and Tang San ended up at Flender's little shop.
Flender had just recovered from his injuries and had come back to reopen the shop that day.
Tang San looked over the items in the shop and immediately spotted a Hair Crystal.
After some haggling, he still managed to get the Hair Crystal for one Gold Soul Coin.
"I can't believe I came across such an excellent material today. Looks like I've found the material for my next Hidden Weapon!"
Tang San put the Hair Crystal into his Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges belt.
After buying it, he didn't continue browsing. He went straight back to the hotel.
As soon as he returned, Tang San eagerly took out the Hair Crystal and held it up under the light, examining it closely.
"Strange. Isn't this Hair Crystal just a material?"
"Why can I sense a power in it similar to the Mysterious Heaven Skill? It feels like I can absorb it too!"
Tang San stared at the Hair Crystal, puzzled.
He had planned to take a quick look before starting to make a Hidden Weapon, but when he touched the Hair Crystal again, he sensed a familiar aura coming from it.
"The Dragon Whisker Needle only needs this Hair Crystal. The power in it shouldn't cause any problems."
"Could I absorb this power to increase my Soul Power, then forge it into a Dragon Whisker Needle afterward...?"
Tang San hesitated.
He was also worried that absorbing the power might ruin the Hair Crystal.
Before you continue