A Story of Two Men and Two Women

"A search on this scale definitely isn't for an ordinary Soul Beast."

Jiang Ming frowned, lightly tapping the window frame with his fingers.

He had come to the Star Dou Great Forest to find a Soul Ring suitable for himself.

With his strength, he only dared to operate around the outskirts at most.

If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was also conducting a large-scale search in the forest...

We might run into each other.

"Major sects like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect have never cared much for common Soul Masters."

"If we encounter them in the forest, I'll need to be extra cautious and keep my distance."

After a whole day of traveling, Jiang Ming was feeling rather tired.

Just as he lay down on the bed and closed his eyes—

A sudden commotion erupted downstairs.

It was not the usual noise of ordinary guests checking in, but an uproar that seemed to spread through the entire street.

The sounds of hooves, footsteps, and startled cries blended together, while even the hotel's wooden stairs began to thunder.

Jiang Ming instantly flipped over and sat up.

He walked to the window and pushed it open a crack.

An extravagantly decorated carriage slowly came to a stop outside the hotel.

The entire carriage was crafted from precious agarwood, its body carved with exquisite glazed-tile pagoda patterns.

Four snow-white steeds pulled the carriage, their hooves clicking crisply against the flagstones.

Eight disciples in white robes followed alongside the carriage.

The curtain was lifted.

A little girl of about six jumped down first.

Her skin was porcelain-white, and her delicate features made her look like a doll.

The little girl glanced at the hotel's entrance and instinctively frowned, seemingly dissatisfied with the inn's shabby appearance.

But as though she had remembered something, she still stepped inside.

Immediately afterward, an old man stepped out of the carriage.

He was lean in build, his back straight as a sword.

Long silver-white hair hung loosely over his shoulders, and an incomparably sharp aura radiated from his body.

The emblem of the Glazed Tile Pagoda!

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had more than a hundred people in town recently.

An old man and a little girl!

With all these clues combined.

Jiang Ming nearly guessed their identities at once.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin.

One of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's two Titled Douluo.

A level ninety-six Super Douluo.

His Martial Soul was the Seven Kill Sword, and he was hailed as one of the strongest attack-type Titled Douluo of the present age.

The girl's identity needed no explanation either.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's precious jewel—Ning Rongrong.

"Esteemed guests, are you staying the night or dining?"

Upon seeing them, the innkeeper immediately came out from behind the counter.

Ning Rongrong stood in the center of the hall. Seeing so many people inside, she immediately frowned.

"Ask all these people to leave. I want to stay here, and I don't like crowded, noisy places."

The disciple acknowledged her order and was about to step forward to negotiate with the guests.

"Young miss, they were all here before you, this..."

The innkeeper's expression changed, and he hurriedly forced a smile.

"Have them stay somewhere else. I'll compensate them double their room fees."

Ning Rongrong slightly raised her chin, openly putting on the air of a young miss who had no shortage of money.

The innkeeper looked troubled and was about to say something else.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin had already slowly entered the hall.

He merely stood there without saying a word, not even releasing a trace of Soul Power.

Yet that invisible pressure made the air in the hall seem to freeze.

The guests in the hall did not dare say another word. Carrying their luggage, they hurried outside, not even daring to ask for compensation.

"Please head upstairs. There are still several superior rooms on the third floor..."

In the end, the innkeeper could only swallow his words.

"Wait."

A voice suddenly came from the stairway.

Jiang Ming walked to his door and saw several people emerge from a room on the second floor through the gap in the door.

Leading them was a youth of around fifteen.

His short black hair gave him an energetic appearance.

A man and a woman followed behind him.

The man on the left was powerfully built, with short red hair and an extremely arrogant look.

The woman on the right was enchantingly beautiful, her eyes glimmering with a faint purple light, while a half-smile played at the corners of her lips.

All three were young, but the fluctuations of Soul Power around them were extremely profound. They were clearly no ordinary Soul Masters.

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect certainly puts on quite a display. A little girl wants to clear out an entire inn without even asking whether anyone else agrees?"

The black-haired youth curled his lips slightly, his tone neither warm nor cold.

"Who are you? What I do is none of your business."

A flicker of surprise passed through Ning Rongrong's eyes, but it quickly turned into the fearless defiance of a little devil.

"Xie Yue of Spirit Hall!"

The black-haired youth spoke calmly.

Jiang Ming's heart stirred.

He had not expected people from Spirit Hall to be here as well.

And they were Bibi Dong's core subordinates.

Xie Yue, Yan, Hu Liena!

"So it's you."

Sword Douluo Chen Xin glanced at the three of them and said nothing more.

Spirit Hall was not to be provoked, but these three brats were not worthy of his serious attention.

"That's right, it's us!"

"On behalf of my teacher, I offer greetings to Sword Douluo."

Hu Liena stepped forward, her blazing gaze fixed on Sword Douluo.

"Who is your teacher?"

Sword Douluo frowned slightly.

"My teacher is Bibi Dong!"

Hu Liena's words sounded calm, but they carried unmistakable pride.

"Bibi Dong?"

The moment those words were spoken, everyone present grew tense.

Bibi Dong!

She was the Pope of Spirit Hall!

The disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect hurried forward to shield Ning Rongrong.

In the span of a single breath, the entire hall became taut with hostility.

Jiang Ming's expression also turned solemn.

On one side was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, with Sword Douluo personally presiding over it.

On the other was Spirit Hall's Golden Generation.

He could not afford to provoke any of these people now.

He could not afford to provoke either side.

Just as the tension reached its peak—

"Report—"

An urgent shout came from outside the inn.

"R-Report to Lord Sword Douluo!"

"At the inn down the street... one of our disciples is dead!"

A Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciple stumbled into the hall.

"Explain clearly."

Sword Douluo frowned slightly and asked in a deep voice.

"His organs... his organs were all hollowed out. The wounds were perfectly clean, as if something with sharp claws had ripped him open in an instant."

"We searched the surrounding area, but found no traces of any Soul Beast, nor any signs of a fight."

"It was as if... as if it had appeared out of thin air, then vanished into thin air."

The disciple took a deep breath, struggling to steady his trembling voice.

The hall fell deathly silent.

"Grandpa Sword... was it that thing?"

Most of the pride on Ning Rongrong's little face had vanished, replaced by a hint of nervousness.

"That beast's methods are the same as ever."

"It loves the organs of Soul Masters most."

Sword Douluo's expression remained calm, but a trace of gravity entered his eyes.

"It seems Your Excellency Sword Douluo has also come for that Soul Beast?"

Xie Yue raised his brow, his sharp gaze turning toward Sword Douluo.

"That beast is in town."

Sword Douluo did not answer Xie Yue. His gaze passed through the inn's entrance and settled on the street beneath the night sky.