Return to Nuoding City

The next day, Jiang Liang left the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and set off on the journey back to Nuoding City.

Dugu Bo, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling saw him off to Heaven Dou City, then put him aboard a carriage.

Watching the carriage slowly disappear into the distance, Dugu Yan suddenly felt a little melancholy.

That little brat was certainly annoying.

But now that he had suddenly left, she really did feel a little unaccustomed to it.

Ye Lingling turned to glance at her best friend and chuckled. "What, Yanzi? You can't bear to see him go? Don't tell me you really fell for that child?"

Dugu Yan's cheeks reddened slightly as she snapped, "Fell for him? He's so young. Why would I like him?"

"Does that mean you'll like him once he grows up?" Ye Lingling asked with a smile.

"I... I can't be bothered talking to you!"

With her ears burning red, Dugu Yan stomped her foot furiously in embarrassment and fled in defeat.

Ye Lingling watched her panicked retreating figure, smiling without a word.

Meanwhile.

Jiang Liang sat in the carriage and stretched lazily.

"Fairy Sister, we're finally going home."

Sword Mother smiled gently beside his ear. "You even turned down a top-tier sect just to return to that place. I'd like to see what that place can possibly teach you."

"Fairy Sister, the important thing isn't what they can teach, but who is there."

"Oh? Who could possibly make you look forward to it so much?"

"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring and a Spirit Bone, plus fair skin, beauty, and long legs. Does that count?"

Sword Mother froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"You, honestly. No wonder that young lady said you were improper."

"But it's true." Jiang Liang laughed, then lay back comfortably.

A breeze drifted in through the carriage, exceptionally cool and refreshing.

A light carriage rolled through mountains and fields, while endless green scenery put the heart at ease.

The journey passed without incident, and after seven or eight days, the carriage arrived at Nuoding City.

Looking at the streets he had not seen for days, Jiang Liang felt his mood brighten considerably.

He did not go home immediately. Instead, he first ran to the Martial Soul Hall Branch.

At that moment, inside the Martial Soul Hall Branch.

Ma Xiunuo was busy in the Office compiling the Soul Power assessment records.

Looking at the recent reports, he could not help sighing that fewer and fewer Soul Masters had come to the branch for Soul Power assessments lately.

Only two had come in an entire month, and their Soul Power had only just exceeded level ten.

This made him think of Jiang Liang.

Ever since that child had gone out, there had been no news of him at all. Ma Xiunuo had no idea how he was doing now.

Was he eating well? Sleeping well? Had he been hurt?

Ma Xiunuo sighed. Just as he lowered his head to continue working, he suddenly heard running footsteps outside the door.

"Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, I'm back!"

The familiar voice reached his ears, and Ma Xiunuo was instantly overjoyed.

That child had returned!

He excitedly stood up, only to see a familiar figure appear at the door of his Office.

Who else could it be but Jiang Liang?

"Good child, Grandpa has finally waited for you to come home."

With tears in his eyes, Ma Xiunuo hurried forward and gently rubbed Jiang Liang's hair.

Jiang Liang smiled and scratched his head. "Sorry, Grandpa Ma Xiunuo. This trip took me very far away, and the place was quite remote, so I got back a little late."

"It's all right. As long as you came back safely."

Ma Xiunuo tightly held his hand, his voice filled with the heartache and relief of having regained something precious.

The sight made Jiang Liang feel warm inside.

Looking at the old man before him, who cared for him so deeply, Jiang Liang silently vowed that he would make Grandpa live a good life someday!

"Grandpa Ma Xiunuo, not only am I back, I'm already a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster now."

"What? A Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster?" Ma Xiunuo's eyes widened as he wondered if he had misheard.

Before leaving, hadn't this child only just awakened his Martial Soul?

Even with Innate Full Soul Power, he should only have been able to hunt one Soul Ring. How could he have become a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster?

Jiang Liang smiled smugly, then summoned his Martial Soul, the Cold Moon Sword.

The sword's edge gleamed as icy air spilled forth, instantly dropping the surrounding temperature to a terrifying level.

Even everything inside the Office began to frost over.

Ma Xiunuo shuddered, his expression changing drastically.

But what happened next was even more unbelievable.

Black Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings!

And there were two Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings!

"Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings! Little Jiang Liang, you..." Ma Xiunuo sucked in a sharp breath.

Jiang Liang smiled. "Just as you can see, Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings. And I'm level twenty-six now."

Ma Xiunuo swallowed with difficulty.

He simply could not believe that what stood before his eyes was real!

This child had gone out for two or three months and had truly become a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster!

At the same time.

Because of the Soul Power pressure from the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings and the terrifying chill of the Cold Moon Sword, the entire Martial Soul Hall Branch was thrown into an uproar.

Those with weak Soul Power shivered from the cold.

Even those with the strength of Two-Ring Soul Grandmasters had no choice but to summon their Martial Souls for defense.

A man with skin as delicate as a baby's and an enchanting appearance sensed the fluctuation of Soul Power and immediately rushed out of the Guest Room.

He swept his gaze around, quickly pinpointed the location, and hurried over.

Inside the Office, Jiang Liang saw that even Ma Xiunuo's skin had been reddened by the cold and hurriedly withdrew his Martial Soul.

"Grandpa, are you all right?"

"Grandpa is fine."

Ma Xiunuo exhaled a breath of warm air and tenderly squeezed his shoulder.

"Child, you must have suffered a great deal during this time, right?"

He did not dare imagine how much Jiang Liang had suffered outside to absorb those two Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings and reach level twenty-six.

If he had known, he should have gone out with Jiang Liang in the first place.

But Jiang Liang smiled and waved his hand. "I didn't suffer much at all. It was actually quite interesting!"

As he spoke, he was about to tell him everything he had experienced over the past few months.

He could also take out the Nine-Grade Purple Ganoderma and let Grandpa continue cultivating his Martial Soul.

"Good child, we can talk slowly once we get home." Ma Xiunuo gently patted the back of his hand, his tone full of affection.

In his eyes, the child did not have much money to begin with and must have endured hardship on the journey home.

He needed to go back and make something delicious to properly nourish the child.

Hearing this, Jiang Liang could only temporarily set aside the thought of recounting his experiences.

He followed Ma Xiunuo into the Office and watched Grandpa take a Martial Soul certificate from the bottom of a drawer before they left together.

But they had only just descended the stairs when an enchantingly handsome man blocked them at the stairway landing.

"Ma Xiunuo, where are you rushing off to?"

Ma Xiunuo's pupils contracted slightly. He quickly clasped his hands in salute. "White-Robed Deacon Ma Xiunuo pays respects to Your Excellency Chrysanthemum Douluo."

Jiang Liang looked at the man in surprise.

So he was Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan.

No wonder he was prettier than some girls.

While Jiang Liang was sizing up Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan was also looking at him.

"This child..."

Ma Xiunuo hurriedly nodded. "Reporting to Your Excellency, this child is Jiang Liang."

"Oh! So you are the Twin Martial Souls genius personally sought by His Holiness the Pope."

Chrysanthemum Douluo smiled, but his expression suddenly changed. "No, this scent... Child, what did you eat?"