Heading to Martial Soul City

"Fine, fine, tomorrow it is."

Chen Doudou laughed despite himself. "Why so mysterious? It isn't some Soul Tool inside, is it?"

"It is not!"

Xiao Xiao stomped her foot, her romantic little mood almost ruined by his mention of a Soul Tool.

She turned around, trotted a few steps, then glanced back at him, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum: "Brother Doudou, goodnight..."

With that, she scurried off into her own tent.

Chen Doudou looked at the cloth bundle in his hand, then at Xiao Xiao's disappearing back, and smiled helplessly.

"This little girl, acting all mysterious."

He didn't open it, simply tucking the bundle into his shirt before turning back to his tent.

Inside the tent.

Jiang Nannan had always been a light sleeper; in fact, she hadn't fallen asleep at all.

Hearing Chen Doudou return and crawl into his sleeping bag, she opened her eyes slightly.

By the faint moonlight filtering in from outside, she inadvertently caught sight of the small leather boots Xiao Xiao had left in the corner of the tent.

Beside those exquisite little boots, there should have been a pair of white socks.

But now, those socks were gone.

Jiang Nannan paused, her gaze instinctively sweeping over Xiao Xiao's feet.

The little girl was lying with her back to her, just settling down to rest.

Her feet... were bare, wearing nothing at all.

"Hmm?"

Jiang Nannan frowned, feeling a bit puzzled.

Huh, where are Xiao Xiao's socks?

However, she didn't think much of it, assuming Xiao Xiao had changed them after washing up earlier.

Chen Doudou rubbed his sleepy eyes as he crawled out of his sleeping bag. No sooner had he unzipped the tent than he saw Jiang Nannan and Bibi Dong packing their luggage.

"Oh, Sister Nannan, where is Xiao Xiao?"

Chen Doudou instinctively looked around, but he didn't see the small figure who was always clinging to him, begging to ride the Pegasus.

Jiang Nannan turned back and smiled. "You're awake, Doudou? Xiao Xiao said she didn't want to disturb your rest, so she left early this morning with her parents."

"Left?"

Chen Doudou froze, a strange sense of emptiness flashing through his heart.

"Right, the gift."

He finally remembered the thing Xiao Xiao had mysteriously shoved into his hands last night.

He instinctively felt his chest; the small cloth pouch was still there.

Taking advantage of the fact that Bibi Dong and Jiang Nannan hadn't finished packing, Chen Doudou found a quiet tree stump to sit on and carefully unwrapped the pouch.

The bundle was very light; there was no Soul Tool inside, nor any strange or exotic ores.

There was only a pair of... white socks?

Chen Doudou was stunned, repeatedly opening the pouch to search again.

But no matter how many times he looked, there was only this pair of white socks.

Is this right?

He unfolded the socks, wanting to see if anything special was hidden inside, only to unexpectedly discover a small, neatly folded note tucked within.

The paper was rough, as if torn haphazardly from a ledger.

Chen Doudou unfolded it curiously, and on it, written in a childish, crooked hand, were a few lines:

"Brother Doudou, haven't you always wanted to smell my socks? I'm giving them to you.

Although I'm a little reluctant, since it's what you wanted, I'll give them to you.

You have to keep them safe!

--Xiao Xiao (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧"

Looking at the crudely drawn smiley face on the note, Chen Doudou felt his mind go "buzz."

He froze in place, his grip on the socks nearly slipping.

Oh no.

It seemed he had been mistaken for a pervert.

Chen Doudou held his forehead in speechlessness, feeling the world spin around him.

Heaven and earth be my witness!

He had truly just been making a casual joke at the time!

Who could have known that this little girl would actually take it seriously!

If this were to get out, wouldn't his, Chen Doudou's, lifelong reputation and the dignity of a second-generation god be ruined by a pair of socks?

"Doudou, why are you standing there with your head down? Did you find some Gold Soul Coin?"

Bibi Dong's voice suddenly came from behind him.

Chen Doudou shuddered in fright and hurriedly tried to stuff the socks and the note back, his movements so rushed he nearly tore the cloth bag.

Bibi Dong walked over carrying toiletries. Seeing Chen Doudou's guilty, thief-like appearance, her purple eyes narrowed slightly, her tone carrying a hint of playfulness: "What are you hiding? Being all mysterious."

"N-nothing!"

Chen Doudou gripped the cloth bag tightly in his palm, hid it behind his back, and gave a dry laugh: "It's just... just a small souvenir Xiao Xiao gave me."

"Oh?"

Bibi Dong raised an eyebrow. She didn't press the matter, only urging: "Alright, stop dawdling there. Since she's already left, we should pack up and set off."

She turned to walk away, then glanced back at Chen Doudou, casually adding: "By the way, I noticed that little girl Xiao Xiao walking strangely earlier, running barefoot. I wonder if her shoes didn't fit."

Chen Doudou: "..."

He looked down at the white socks still holding residual warmth in his hand, his mouth twitching.

It's over.

Completely over.

Now, even if he jumped into the Yellow River, he wouldn't be able to wash himself clean.

"Coming, Sister Dong."

Chen Doudou followed dejectedly, already beginning to calculate how he should explain this matter if he ever saw Xiao Xiao again.

He must never make that kind of joke again...

After packing their bags, Bibi Dong took Chen Doudou and Jiang Nannan and quickly left the Star Dou Forest, heading straight toward Qingfeng City.

Since they were taking Jiang Nannan to Martial Soul Hall, it was naturally unrealistic to leave her mother here alone.

After all, Martial Soul Hall had always treated its own people well.

Jiang Nannan's mother was an open-minded person by nature, so it took almost no effort to persuade her to agree.

Subsequently, the four people and one horse officially set out.

Destination: Martial Soul City.

God Realm, Sea God Hall.

A faint, lingering scent of intimacy remained in the air.

Tang San tied his robe, breathing heavily with fine beads of sweat on his forehead, yet a trace of smugness played on his lips: "Whew... three minutes, Xiao Wu, how was that? Am I not very strong?"

"Mm, you were great, Third Brother. I knew you were the best!"

Xiao Wu smiled on the surface, her hands still helping him straighten his clothes, but she felt miserable inside.

It would have been better if she had just used her hands.

It didn't even feel as comfortable as when Doudou drank her milk...

Tang San, having just walked out of Xiao Wu's room, looked pale and his steps were unsteady.

He had been immersed in the satisfaction of the post-coital period, but when his gaze inadvertently swept over the floating crystal ball nearby.

At just one glance, he froze.

"Damn it! How could the Million-Year Soul Beast that should have belonged to the Child of Destiny suddenly be gone?!"

"Who tampered with it!"

A moment later, Tang San was instantly so enraged that his eyes turned blood-red, his breathing became like an ox, and he flew into a violent rage.

"Don't let me find out who it was, you have already invited your own death!!!"

Inside the room.

Xiao Wu was startled by his sudden outburst of anger, thinking to herself: "What's wrong with Third Brother? Why is he throwing a tantrum again? Could it be that he thinks three minutes was too short? Perhaps I should increase the dosage of the medicine in Third Brother's meals from now on?"

"Sigh... I'll go ask Zhuqing later."