Farewell Gift, Feng Cang's Carelessness

For the next week, Xue Yao went nowhere.

He stayed safely and soundly within the Farack Royal Palace.

Every day, he accompanied his mother, Gao Nianzhen, for strolls through the imperial gardens, or went to the study to watch his father, Xue Lang, review memorials.

During these few days, he completely shed the mask he wore in Tiandou City, the one that kept him perpetually prepared to scheme against others.

He ate when it was time to eat and slept when it was time to sleep.

He was like the most ordinary eight-year-old child, enjoying a rare moment of familial warmth.

Xue Lang and Gao Nianzhen were so happy they could hardly keep their mouths shut.

Their son was a peerless monster capable of soloing a five-thousand-year-old sub-dragon. Although this had become a top-secret matter, the pride in the couple's hearts was impossible to hide.

They wished nothing more than for Xue Yao to stay at home for a while longer.

However, happy days always pass by quickly.

In the blink of an eye, it was the night before his departure.

Inside Xue Yao's bedchamber.

The lights were blazing.

Gao Nianzhen was helping Xue Yao pack his luggage. In truth, there wasn't much to pack, as most of his belongings were already stored in his storage ring.

But as a mother, she always felt like something was missing. She folded his clothes one by one, keeping them neat and tidy, while constantly offering instructions.

Xue Lang sat to the side, watching the mother and son with a beaming smile.

"Dad, Mom."

Xue Yao walked over to the desk. He pulled open a drawer and took out two thick booklets.

He had stayed up all night for the past few days to finish these.

The booklets were handwritten, the ink still somewhat fresh.

Xue Yao walked over and handed the two booklets to his parents.

"What is this?"

Xue Lang was stunned for a moment. He reached out and took one of them.

On the cover were four large characters: Rhythm of the Wind.

Gao Nianzhen curiously took the other one. On it was written: Heart of the Lion King.

Xue Yao pulled up a chair and sat down, speaking slowly.

"These two booklets are some cultivation insights I summarized after spending two years in the library of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

In reality, these were hardly theories from the academy.

They were solid, practical techniques he had deduced bit by bit by combining the top-tier skill mechanisms from the Kingdom of Locke with the laws of the Douluo Continent.

"Mom, your martial soul is the Golden Lion."

Xue Yao pointed to the booklet in Gao Nianzhen's hand.

"That Heart of the Lion King records a special technique for exerting force, as well as a soul power circulation path to purify your bloodline."

"You are currently a Soul Saint; as long as you organize your soul power according to the paths described, I guarantee that within three years at most, you will definitely touch the threshold of a Soul Douluo."

Gao Nianzhen's eyes widened.

Three years? Touching the threshold of a Soul Douluo?

If anyone else had said this, she would have certainly thought they were a lunatic.

But these words came from her son. She had seen with her own eyes how this kid used his detached martial soul to slice a sub-dragon into pieces.

Gao Nianzhen's eyes turned red, and she hugged the booklet tightly to her chest.

"Good son. Mom will definitely practice hard."

Xue Yao turned his head to look at Xue Lang.

"Dad, your martial soul is the Swan, which is also a wind-attribute avian type."

"That Rhythm of the Wind discusses how to perceive the slipstreams of the wind and how to reduce wind resistance. It even contains the prototype of a Self-Created Soul Skill that I deduced."

"Although your talent isn't as high as Mom's, as long as you fully grasp this booklet, breaking through to Soul Saint will be no problem at all."

Xue Lang held the booklet with both hands.

His hands were trembling slightly.

He was nearly fifty years old this year and had only barely reached the level of a Soul King. Originally, he had accepted that his life would remain this way.

But this parting gift from his son had directly pointed him toward a path to the heavens.

"Yao'er."

Xue Lang took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart.

"You have already given this family enough. When you get to Tiandou City, you don't need to worry about us. Just go and do what you need to do."

"Everything at home is supported by your father. Even if the sky falls, your father will hold it up for you."

Xue Yao smiled, feeling quite warmed inside.

This is what family is.

Half an hour later.

Xue Yao walked out of the bedchamber.

He held a thin booklet of a few pages in his hand.

He strolled leisurely toward the royal palace's back garden.

Under the moonlight, a chubby old man was sitting by a stone table, sipping tea while happily gnawing on a roasted chicken.

It was none other than Feng Cang.

"Old Feng, you're in high spirits."

Xue Yao walked over slowly with his hands in his pockets.

Hearing the voice, Feng Cang was startled.

Seeing it was Xue Yao, he breathed a sigh of relief and gestured for him to sit down.

Ever since witnessing Xue Yao solo a Wind-Breath Dragon, this level 83 Spirit Douluo dared not put on any airs in front of him.

"Yao'er, why haven't you rested yet?"

Feng Cang greeted him affectionately.

Xue Yao walked to the stone table and sat down.

"I'm returning to Tiandou City early tomorrow morning."

Xue Yao looked at Feng Cang, his tone becoming serious.

"After I leave, the safety of the Farack Kingdom will depend entirely on you and the Feng Clan."

Feng Cang immediately patted his chest.

"Yao'er, set your heart at ease."

"As long as I, this old man, have a breath left, whoever dares to touch a single hair on the Farack royal family, I will tear them apart!"

This was the truth.

In Feng Cang's eyes, Xue Yao was the only hope for the Feng Clan's future rise. He protected the Farack royal family with more care than he would his own son.

"That's all I needed to hear."

Xue Yao nodded.

He pushed the thin booklet toward Feng Cang.

"Before I leave, I don't have much to give you."

"This contains some of my shallow insights into the circulation of wind-attribute spirit power, as well as ideas for improving the Chain Slash skill of that kid Xiaotian."

"You've been stuck at level 83 for so many years. When you have some free time, you can flip through it. Perhaps it will give you some inspiration."

Feng Cang was stunned.

He glanced at the thin booklet on the table. The cover didn't even have a title; it was just a few sheets of paper stapled together.

Feng Cang muttered to himself.

He was truly convinced of Xue Yao's combat talent and practical ability from the bottom of his heart. The boy was a monster who slaughtered a five-thousand-year-old sub-dragon like a chicken.

But theoretical knowledge?

Feng Cang shook his head inwardly.

He had been cultivating wind-attribute spirit power for nearly seventy years.

He had long since mastered the flow of wind and the compression of spirit power to perfection. Was there any wind-element theory in this world he didn't understand?

Yao'er was only eight years old this year. Even if he started reading from the womb, how many books could he have read?

To have honed his combat intuition to that level, he certainly wouldn't have had time to study those profound and obscure underlying theories.

He figured this was just something the child had cobbled together after reading a few books and pondering it himself.

He probably thought it was impressive and decided to give it as a gift.

"This is entirely out of the child's good intentions. I must give him face."

Feng Cang prepared himself mentally.

His face immediately broke into a brilliant smile.

He picked up the booklet with both hands, acting extremely respectful.

"Alright, then I'll accept it!"

Feng Cang's tone was highly exaggerated.

"The cultivation insights personally written by the Heaven Dou Young Lion are absolutely priceless treasures!"

"Rest assured. Once I, this old man, return, I will certainly enshrine it. I shall read it three times every morning and evening, and I will never let down the painstaking efforts of Xue Yao!"

His words sounded better than a song.

But his actions were a different story entirely.

Feng Cang didn't even have the interest to flip it open and glance at the cover.

With a flick of his wrist, the booklet was shoved directly into the deepest corner of his storage ring.

It was tossed in with a pile of miscellaneous junk.

Xue Yao saw every look and movement of Feng Cang.

But he said nothing.

He merely picked up the teacup on the table and took a light sip, a playful smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

Look at it or not, as you please.

When the day comes that you are stuck at a bottleneck with no other way out, and you remember to flip it open for a look.

I hope your heart is strong enough not to be frightened into a health condition.

That is something that points directly to the origin of the Wind Law. In this world, it is called the Divine Skill Compendium.

"That's enough, Elder Feng. Please, continue eating."

Xue Yao set down his teacup and stood up.

"I should head back to sleep as well. We have to be on the road tomorrow."

"Go on back quickly!"

Feng Cang smiled as he saw him off.

Once the person had left, he touched the storage ring on his hand and shook his head with a laugh.

"Still just a child, after all. Even a genius has moments of naivety. To think he actually wants to teach a Soul Douluo how to play with wind."

Feng Cang picked up the half-eaten roast chicken on the table and continued to eat it with relish.

This booklet, which he regarded as "a child playing house," was thus cast to the back of his mind.

The next morning.

The sky was just beginning to brighten outside the gates of Farack City.

The Heaven Dou Royal Knights had already finished assembling.

Fifty heavy-armored knights sat atop their horses, looking majestic and imposing.

That luxurious purple-gold carriage was parked in the very center of the formation.

Xue Lang and Gao Nianzhen had accompanied Xue Yao all the way to the city gates.

Gao Nianzhen's eyes were somewhat red; it was clear she hadn't slept well last night.

She helped Xue Yao straighten his collar.

"Yao'er, take care of yourself out there. If you encounter danger, don't rush forward; preserving your life is what matters most."

"I know, Mom. Please head back; the wind is strong."

Xue Yao replied with a smile.

Xue Lang walked over and patted Xue Yao's shoulder heavily.

"Go. Tiandou City is your true stage."

"Remember, the Farack Kingdom will always be your home."

Xue Yao nodded.

He did not say anything more. He turned around and stepped onto the carriage stool with agile movements, entering the carriage.

The door closed.

The knight captain leading the group drew his longsword and raised it high.

"Set off--!"

The sound of horsewhips cracked.

Warhorses neighed.

The wheels rolled, emitting a dull thud against the bluestone pavement.

The vast and mighty procession, facing the rising morning sun, galloped along the wide official road toward Tiandou City in the north.

Inside the carriage.

Xue Yao leaned against the soft cushions.

The Little Griffin lay on his lap, purring.

Through the carriage window, Xue Yao watched Farack City gradually recede into the distance, his gaze slowly growing profound.

A level thirty-one Soul Elder, possessing several self-created divine skills, plus three monstrous soul rings.

The current him was no longer that six-year-old child who needed to endure and hide everywhere.