The Alley Corner Encounter, Hundred Thousand Year Rogue Rabbit

Nuoding City, the marketplace near the city gate.

The Heaven Dou Royal Knights contingent had just finished resupplying and was preparing to form up to depart the city.

Because a massive merchant caravan was currently undergoing inspection by the city garrison ahead, the formation was forced to pause temporarily along the bustling street.

The surrounding commoners, awed by the prestige of the knights, retreated a wide berth.

Inside the purple-gold carriage.

Xue Yao had originally been resting with his eyes closed, maintaining his perception of wind elements at a minimal consumption level, remaining vigilant at all times against the potential pressure of a Title Douluo.

Suddenly.

The breeze flowing through the air carried a trace of an extremely faint, yet absolutely unusual fluctuation.

It was not the soul power aura of a human soul master.

Instead, it was an extremely pure, wild scent carrying a hint of fresh vegetation.

Although hidden very deeply, as if masked by some peculiar rule, Xue Yao had absorbed the core of the Dark Gold Wind God Dragon; his sensitivity to the various auras between heaven and earth had long since surpassed that of ordinary soul masters.

"Hmm?"

Xue Yao snapped his eyes open, a sharp glint flashing in the depths of his profound gaze.

This aura... is it a soul beast?

And this level of purity—it is definitely not some low-level trash from a hundred or thousand years. This is practically a walking bundle of origin energy!

In the heart of this human city, how could such a pure soul beast aura exist?

Xue Yao gently flicked open the carriage curtain and cast his gaze toward the noisy marketplace.

Amidst the bustling crowd, a petite figure instantly caught his eye.

It was a little girl who looked to be only seven or eight years old.

She wore a small pink outfit, with tight-fitting shorts on her lower body.

Most eye-catching were the pair of furry rabbit ear accessories on her head and the black, shiny scorpion braid hanging down to her calves behind her.

At this moment, the little girl was standing in front of a vegetable stall, clutching two succulent carrots in her hands, and was fiercely haggling with the chubby auntie running the stall.

"Auntie, these carrots aren't even fresh anymore, how can you still sell them so expensive! Make it cheaper, and I'll take them all!"

The little girl's voice was crisp and pleasant, carrying a hint of unique, naive charm.

Inside the carriage, Xue Yao's pupils constricted slightly, and the corners of his mouth curled into a playful, cold sneer.

"Xiao Wu."

No wonder the aura was so pure.

A hundred thousand year Soft Bone Charm Rabbit in human form—this was the most top-tier "human-shaped heavenly treasure" on the Douluo Continent. A walking hundred thousand year soul ring, plus a hundred thousand year soul bone that was guaranteed to drop.

Xue Yao leaned against the window, watching her quietly.

Seemingly sensing a certain direct and sharp gaze, Xiao Wu, who was busy gnawing on a carrot, suddenly stopped her movements and turned her head sharply.

Her gaze cut through the crowd and landed accurately on the luxurious purple-gold carriage.

Their eyes met.

Xiao Wu's pair of watery, large eyes instantly lit up.

Xiao Wu was naturally a fan of good looks, and as a soul beast in human form, she carried that "rogue rabbit" familiarity and a fearless, wild nature in her bones.

She stopped gnawing on the carrot and tossed the money directly to the stall owner.

Then, under the wary gazes of a group of knights, she skipped across the street and went straight up to the carriage.

"Clang—"

Two peripheral Royal Knights instantly drew the swords at their waists, blocking Xiao Wu's path with cold, stern expressions.

"Insolence! This is a restricted area for the Knights; civilians, stand back!"

Xiao Wu was startled by the gleaming sword light and took half a step back.

But instead of being afraid, she put her hands on her hips, puffed out her cheeks, and glared back without showing any weakness.

"What are you being so fierce for! You don't own this road!"

After saying this, she stood on tiptoe, reached over the knights' shoulders, and waved the half-eaten carrot at Xue Yao in the carriage window, smiling like a flower.

"Hey, big brother! You look really good, a ten thousand times better than those boys in our academy!"

"Are you a noble from a big city? Your carriage is so pretty, even more impressive than the City Lord's!"

Inside the carriage, Xue Yao looked at this "hundred thousand year rogue rabbit" who had delivered herself to his doorstep, but his expression remained completely unmoved.

If it were anyone else, facing the temptation of a hundred thousand year soul bone, they would likely have been unable to resist making a move.

But Xue Yao's mind was extremely clear.

His first reaction was not how to catch the rabbit, but—where is Tang Hao?!

He slammed his eyes shut and, without hesitation, pushed his own perception to its absolute limit.

An invisible cyan ripple centered on the carriage, instantly sweeping across a radius of two miles.

Taverns, blacksmith shops, street corners, and even the underground sewers...

Xue Yao combed through every inch of space as if he were clearing mines.

"Nothing."

"There is absolutely no sign of that terrifying, mountain-like pressure."

Confirming that there was no high-level soul master aura within two miles that could threaten him, Xue Yao slowly opened his eyes.

It seems that today, only this rabbit has come out to wander the streets alone.

That drunkard Tang Hao, who carries a hammer all day, is not in the vicinity.

And that kid Tang San is likely sweating away at the academy's blacksmith shop.

Since Tang Hao is not here...

Xue Yao's eyes grew deep and dark.

You brought this upon yourself.

"Stand down."

Xue Yao's cold voice drifted from inside the carriage.

The two knights blocking the front did not hesitate; they immediately sheathed their swords and respectfully retreated to the sides.

Xue Yao pushed open the carriage door, stepped onto the footboard, and elegantly descended.

He was more than a head taller than Xiao Wu, looking down at the pink-cheeked, curious little girl before him.

At close range, the alluring scent belonging to a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast became even more intense.

"What is your name?" Xue Yao asked indifferently, his voice gentle yet carrying a hint of undeniable authority.

Xiao Wu did not sense any danger at all; she grinned, took a bite of her carrot, and replied vaguely.

"My name is Xiao Wu, like the dance! Big brother, what's your name?"

"Xue Yao."

"Xue Yao? What a strange name. But you're quite good-looking."

Xiao Wu examined Xue Yao's clothes, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. "You look very rich. I didn't have enough money for carrots just now. Since you're so handsome, could you treat me to a big meal?"

Faced with such a brazen remark from this "hooligan rabbit," the surrounding knights frowned; the little girl was simply courting death.

However, Xue Yao did not get angry.

Instead, he chuckled softly.

"Want a big meal? Very well."

Xue Yao glanced at the growing crowd on the street and the merchant caravan assembling not far away.

It was too conspicuous here.

"However, there are too many people here, and it's too noisy."

Xue Yao pointed casually toward a dark, quiet dead-end alley beside the street.

"I noticed the quality of the carrots you bought just now was very poor. In that alley, there is an old shop that specializes in premium, crispy carrots. Would you like to go take a look with me?"

Upon hearing the words "premium, crispy carrots," Xiao Wu's eyes instantly turned into stars, and she was almost drooling.

"Really? You're not lying to me?"

"I never lie to little rabbits." The smile at the corners of Xue Yao's mouth deepened.

"Then what are we waiting for! Let's go, let's go!"

Xiao Wu impatiently grabbed Xue Yao's magnificent sleeve, showing no guard at all, and instead urged him toward the alley.

Xue Yao turned his head and gave the knight captain an extremely subtle look.

The captain understood instantly and immediately signaled.

Four elite knights dispersed silently, blending into the crowd and quietly sealing off all exits to the alley.

"Let's go."

Xue Yao allowed Xiao Wu to pull on his sleeve.

He walked with a composed gait, leading this innocent Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast step by step into the sunless, gloomy alley.