The Rescued Children

Inside the Martial Soul Hall, the kidnapped children were all brought back and registered one by one by the enforcers.

"Name?" The enforcer asked, a stack of papers piled before him.

"Yu Tianxin."

The enforcer checked the surnames of the major clans. "You're from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?"

"Yes."

"I'll notify your clan to send someone."

Yu Tianxin's face was full of resistance. "Don't."

"You wouldn't be a runaway, would you?"

Yu Tianxin lifted his gaze, looking at him like he was an idiot, as if forgetting where he'd just escaped from.

The enforcer understood. "But I can't let you run wild again. Stay in the Martial Soul Hall; we'll notify the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to come pick you up."

"No!" Yu Tianxin said, jumping off the stool and heading out, only to be blocked by Meng Yiran.

Meng Yiran said, "If you don't want to go back, come to my place."

"It's not like I have nowhere to go." Yu Tianxin sidestepped her and kept walking.

"You're pretty badly injured too. My aunt's Martial Soul is the Nine-Heart Begonia—it cures all ailments. Just one whoosh and you're good." Meng Yiran gestured with her hands, mimicking a flower blooming, as if countless rays of holy light were pouring out.

Yu Tianxin's steps halted. After a moment, he turned his head to Meng Yiran. "The place I want to go is pretty far. Staying at your place for a bit first works too."

Meng Yiran looked at the other two. "Su Yan, Zhuqing, are you coming?"

Zhu Zhuqing turned to Su Yan, who shook his head. "I just have some superficial wounds. I'll recover on my own."

On the way back, Su Yan had already been told that his master was on her way. This time, he wouldn't get a chance to see the strongest healing Martial Soul in action.

Zhu Zhuqing also shook her head.

Meng Yiran raised an eyebrow. "Fine. You with the hammer, are you coming?"

"What hammer? My name is Tang Chi!" Tang Chi said, his eyes fixed on Yu Tianxin.

The Yu family. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "I'm not injured. I'm not going."

With that, he turned his head away.

The children who had finished registering gradually gathered around. The oldest among them were the first to bow. "Thanks to you all, we managed to escape. Thank you!"

The children spoke in unison. "Thank you!"

Su Yan grinned. "I'm just glad everyone's safe."

"I only ran to save myself." Yu Tianxin crossed his arms. "Saving you all was just a side thing."

"Without everyone's strength, we wouldn't have gotten out either," Meng Yiran said, glancing sidelong at Yu Tianxin with a cold snort.

Zhu Zhuqing smiled and nodded, saying nothing.

The happiest of all was Tang Chi, who fully embodied Boss Tang's style, replying to every child who came to thank him with a single, "You're welcome."

The scene was peaceful. Everyone tacitly "forgot" those days.

Before long, Si Si walked over, clapping her hands. "Children, you all did wonderfully this time! We've prepared a feast for you inside. Line up, hold hands, and follow me."

The children all filed into the inner hall, and the Enforcement Hall fell silent.

One of the enforcers, who was rather bald, let out a sigh of relief. "Whew, finally quiet. My head was about to go bald from the noise."

"You're already bald," another square-faced enforcer laughed. "Who would've thought Lord Xiao would be involved in this kind of trafficking?"

"All for his precious son to get stronger," a bespectacled enforcer sighed, organizing the registration papers. "Every single one of these kids here has more talent than his son."

"But honestly, aside from Yu Tianxin, Meng Yiran, and Zhu Zhuqing—who are once-in-a-generation geniuses—the other kids are a bit lacking," the bald enforcer said.

"Besides those three, the other children are between nine and thirteen. Over eighty percent of them have reached level ten at this age." The bespectacled enforcer's brow furrowed into a small hill. "They all said they were kidnapped from the Soul Hunting Forest. The suspect's target was very clear—children."

"Let's strengthen the guards and patrols at the Soul Hunting Forest starting tomorrow," the square-faced enforcer suggested.

"That's all we can do for now." The bespectacled enforcer put away the documents and pinned on his exclusive enforcer badge. "Let's go see what Lord Xiao knows."

—

"What do you know?"

Inside the Martial Soul Hall's Hall Master's office, Hall Master Ma Xiunuo brewed a pot of fine tea, pouring cups for the Overlord Dragon Snake couple seated across from him, as well as Ye Tangtang.

"This matter is probably not that simple," Meng Shu said gravely. "There must be a vast force behind it."

"When A-Shu and I saw the signal flare and rushed over, a man in a black robe blocked us," Chao Tianxiang said, coughing a few times before taking a sip of tea. "That person was very strong—a seven-ring Soul Saint like A-Shu. We only barely won by using our Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

"No wonder you two took so long to get here," Ye Tangtang said, patting her chest in lingering fear. "Phew, thank goodness Su Yan was capable enough to hold off a Soul Ancestor for an entire hour!"

"Su Yan?" Meng Shu was also somewhat shocked.

Hall Master Ma Xiunuo beamed with pride. "He's a new disciple of our Saintess. This time, it was a twist of fate."

"Bibi Dong?" Chao Tianxiang gasped. "With her training methods, this kid can actually endure that?"

"I hear they've already passed the first trial," Ma Xiunuo said, refilling their teacups.

"Hiss—" Chao Tianxiang sucked in a sharp breath, involuntarily recalling the sight of the child being rescued from the Ant Nest years ago. "This child will surely achieve great things."

"We have this child to thank this time as well," Ye Tangtang remarked again with emotion. "Director Ma Xiunuo, I'll speak plainly."

"Go ahead."

"I want my Meng Yiran and Su Yan to be betrothed as childhood sweethearts."

—

"You're saying your mom always likes to arrange childhood betrothals for you?" Su Yan held a chicken leg half the size of his head, tore off a chunk, stuffed it into his mouth, and wore a look of pure satisfaction.

"Exactly," Meng Yiran said, spearing a piece of steak and biting into it. "I've got... ten fiancés by now, I think."

"Pfft, ten!" Tang Chi nearly spat out his soup.

Zhu Zhuqing lifted her startled eyes to look over.

Yu Tianxin had turned into a food-devouring machine, head down, shoveling food, though the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

Even Su Yan was stunned.

He'd heard of experts descending the mountain with a box of marriage contracts left by their master, tracking down each one in turn.

But a biological mother leaving her own daughter a pile of childhood betrothals—that was a first.

Hearing it firsthand was an even bigger first.

"I feel sorry for your future fiancés," Su Yan said, still locked in battle with the chicken leg. "Are you going to set up a ring and hold a martial contest to pick a husband?"

"Whatever, I'll marry whoever I like," Meng Yiran huffed. "As for the rest, let my mom marry them."

At that, Su Yan really couldn't hold it in. He raised his hand and gave a thumbs-up. "You're truly your mother's good child."

"You bet I am!" Meng Yiran tossed her head with confidence.

The feast swept through like a whirlwind. The children, starved for days, wished they could devour the table itself. Each one patted their round bellies, belches weaving together into a song.

It was a song of freedom.

"I gaze afar, beneath the moon."

"So many delicacies, wafting their fragrance."

"Yesterday in the woodshed, I went hungry."

"I want to meet you, at that fragrant table."

"Eating straight into the night, too lazy to move."

"Any place I can sleep is a warm bed."

The children could only lie by the table—on their backs, stomachs, sides, leaning—seeking the most comfortable position to rest.

Si Si walked in with the registration book, then silently withdrew.

Judging by the scene, it would have to wait until tomorrow.