But on closer thought, the condition really wasn't difficult. After all, Xiao Yu had appeared in the Heaven Dou Empire. What right did Spirit Hall have to interfere? Even if they wanted to kill him, it would be the people of the Heaven Dou Empire who did it.
"Agreed." Ning Fengzhi nodded. "That's a simple enough condition."
As he spoke, Ning Fengzhi fixed his gaze on Xiao Yu. "But only if you really have something worth exchanging for these conditions."
"Of course." Seeing how readily Ning Fengzhi agreed, Xiao Yu knew this matter had probably been part of his plans all along. He immediately took the Aromatic Silk Beauty out of his System Backpack.
"What is this?" Looking at the beautiful flower wrapped in a gale, Ning Fengzhi felt a faint stir, as though his Martial Soul were trembling.
"This is called an Aromatic Silk Beauty," Xiao Yu explained. "Aside from its other effects, its most remarkable property is that it can help the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul evolve into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, breaking through its own limitations."
As Xiao Yu's words echoed in his ears, Ning Fengzhi's breathing grew heavy before he even realized it. Still, reason told him he couldn't simply believe him.
"These are only your claims. How can I trust you?" Ning Fengzhi reluctantly tore his gaze away from the flower and looked at Xiao Yu.
"Then that's not my problem. I can only say that I haven't told a single lie. If you don't believe me, try it for yourself—but you only get one chance. The choice is yours."
As he spoke, Xiao Yu sent the Immortal Herb, still wrapped in the gale, over to Ning Fengzhi. The two Douluo nearby grew extremely wary, afraid that Xiao Yu might suddenly attack.
"Don't misunderstand. You don't trust me, and I don't necessarily trust you either. Naturally, I have to keep my guard up."
Xiao Yu beat his wings and slowly rose under the gaze of the three men. "The wind barrier is controlled by my power. Once I've gone a certain distance, it will dissipate on its own. Until then, you're welcome to chase after me—or kill me right here."
"But if you attack, this opportunity will vanish along with me. Ning Fengzhi, do you dare take that gamble?"
Having said that, Xiao Yu fell silent and flew off in one direction.
Gu Rong watched Xiao Yu flee, feeling deeply frustrated. But Ning Fengzhi hadn't said a word about pursuing him, so Gu Rong couldn't act on his own. He could only grumble, "Are we really just going to stand here and let that beast leave?"
Ning Fengzhi sighed. "Let it go, Uncle Gu. If this Soul Beast lied to us, we can chase him to the ends of the earth. But if he didn't, then let this matter end here."
"But..." Gu Rong started to speak again, but Chen Xin stopped him. Chen Xin turned to Ning Fengzhi. "Fengzhi, what do you plan to do? Find someone to try it, or..."
Ning Fengzhi gazed at the delicate, dewy Aromatic Silk Beauty, lost in thought.
Meanwhile, when Xiao Yu saw that no one was following him, he understood what Ning Fengzhi had decided.
"At least I won't have to worry about them anymore." Xiao Yu knew he'd taken a huge risk today, but he had no other choice. Better to avoid trouble before it began.
Rather than have an enemy tailing him, it was better to turn them into allies. With them holding off Spirit Hall for a while, he could continue evolving. Before long, no one on the entire continent would be his match.
"Heh, Gu Rong really did a number on me." Feeling the pain in his claws, Xiao Yu muttered to himself. He would remember this.
He, Xiao Yu, never let a grudge go unanswered.
"Now, I should go meet up with them." Xiao Yu flew toward a familiar place. If he could, he wouldn't have left the Heaven Dou Royal Forest, but there was no point staying there now except to wait for death.
Besides, Bone Douluo had already destroyed his house. There was nothing left for him to miss.
After flying at full speed for about half a day, Xiao Yu reached the skies above a familiar forest: Sunset Forest.
There were only two Soul Beast forests on the continent that weren't managed by humans: Star Dou Forest and Sunset Forest.
Star Dou Forest had the best environment and didn't have that hateful Poison Miasma. But remembering the Ferocious Beasts there, Xiao Yu decided it was best to avoid the place. He didn't want to be mistaken for an oddity and studied.
Better to find himself a little patch of land and rule it like a king.
Although Sunset Forest had plenty of Poison Miasma, it was concentrated in the lower reaches. The exposed forest above hadn't been contaminated, so it wasn't much of a problem for him.
The same went for Yu Yi and the others.
When Xiao Yu arrived above Sunset Forest, several roars rose from below. Then five enormous winged Soul Beasts emerged from the woods, followed by many Hundred-Year Soul Beasts they had brought with them from the Royal Soul Beast Forest.
These were his original investors, after all.
"How did it go? Nothing happened on the way, did it?" Xiao Yu sized up the five beasts. Seeing that none of them was injured, he finally relaxed.
"We'll make our nest here from now on. Hopefully, nothing like what happened before will happen again." Xiao Yu continued speaking, not expecting them to answer. Their company was enough for him.
"Woo!!!"
Meanwhile, in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
"Your Highness, that Soul Beast took out something unknown and persuaded the members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to let him go. He has now left the Royal Soul Beast Forest."
Snake Lance bowed as he reported to Qian Renxue, who sat at the center of the Imperial Study.
At his words, the worry that had filled her eyes vanished at once, replaced by joy.
By the time the morning court session ended, Xue Ye the Great Emperor had fallen ill from exhaustion and grief over his son's death. For now, she, the "crown prince," was in full control of the government.
This was the very situation she had dreamed of for years while lying in wait. Power was within her grasp. Yet her fingertips were cold, and her thoughts were in turmoil.
The news that Ning Fengzhi had gone with Bone Douluo and Chen Xin to hunt Xiao Yu felt like a boulder thrown into her seemingly calm heart. The ripples it stirred carried a pain and panic she couldn't describe.
She forced herself to analyze the situation calmly: with the strength of those two Super Douluos, and Ning Fengzhi supporting them, Xiao Yu would likely be doomed, no matter how powerful he was.
The realization made her chest tighten. An unfamiliar fear, the fear of loss, quietly gripped her heart.
"Will he... die?" The thought surfaced uncontrollably, its trembling tone startling even her.
She remembered the little beast she had first met atop Giant Tree Peak, bewildered and innocent. She remembered the wonder of his transformation, the disdainful pride he had shown when facing powerful enemies... and the complicated, apologetic look he had given her before leaving.
That look had pierced through her layers of disguise and touched the deepest part of her heart—the part that had been sealed in ice.
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