"V-Village Chief Grandpa, what... what did you say?"
In an instant, Xiao Wu began to panic.
Since coming here, she hadn't revealed her Martial Soul.
So nobody should have known that her Martial Soul was a rabbit.
But now the Village Chief had mentioned a little rabbit, making it hard for her not to draw certain conclusions.
Lin Ye was just as surprised.
[Could my guess be right? Is the Village Chief a hidden super expert?]
[He's hidden his strength well!]
Hearing Lin Ye's thoughts, Xiao Wu panicked completely, her body trembling.
If the other party was a Soul Douluo, then he could see through her identity.
And against an expert like that, she had no chance of survival.
If her identity as a Transformed Soul Beast was exposed, countless Soul Masters would hunt her down.
Especially powerful experts with deep cultivation, such as a Soul Master who had just reached Level 90 but hadn't yet hunted a Soul Ring.
The Village Chief smiled and shook his head. "Don't be nervous. There's nothing strange about seeing through your identity. Child, I mean you no harm."
"Out in the world, someone might hunt you down, but you're safe in Heavenly Sword Village."
"You're Xiao Ye's friend, so you're family to all of us in Heavenly Sword Village."
With that, Xiao Wu's identity was thoroughly exposed.
Even though the Village Chief had said all that, instinctive fear still made Xiao Wu stand up.
Her identity really had been exposed.
"Village Chief Grandpa, what... what level are you?"
She asked in a trembling voice, completely overwhelmed by fear.
"Me? Hahaha, I'm already Level 99."
"Actually, there are other Titled Douluo in the village. Your identity was exposed as soon as you entered."
"Lin Lu is Level 92, and we have a few Soul Douluo as well."
"Today, when you and Xiao Ye walked around the village, did you feel any hostility?"
There were other Titled Douluo in the village, and surely quite a few Soul Douluo as well.
But no one had mentioned her identity.
Nor had anyone shown her any hostility.
If they'd harbored ill intentions toward her, she would definitely have sensed it.
After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Wu finally sat back down.
Perhaps the people of Heavenly Sword Village really wouldn't harm her.
Because she was Lin Ye's friend, Heavenly Sword Village had accepted her.
[He's Level 99! I never knew!]
[So the Village Chief is this formidable?]
[Looks like I've got some powerful backing from now on!]
Lin Ye was genuinely delighted.
In more than six years, this was the first time he'd learned that his village was so powerful.
From now on, if he ran into trouble outside, he could just head back to the village!
A Level 99 Power Attack System Titled Douluo—probably even Qian Daoliu wouldn't dare cause trouble here.
"Village Chief Grandpa, the village really doesn't want my Soul Ring or Soul Bone?"
Xiao Wu still found it unbelievable.
A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and Soul Bone were irresistible temptations to any Soul Master.
Could the people of Heavenly Sword Village really resist?
The Village Chief smiled. "The people of Heavenly Sword Village have lived here for generations. We have no plans to venture out into the world."
"So what would we need such high-level Soul Rings and Soul Bones for? We'll just let things happen as they may."
It seemed there really wasn't anything wrong with that reasoning.
Other Soul Masters wanted high-year Soul Rings and Soul Bones to make something of themselves or to achieve all kinds of goals.
But Heavenly Sword Village was different. They had no intention of entering the world at all.
At that, Xiao Wu truly relaxed.
Thinking about it from another angle, even if they did mean to harm her, there was nothing she could do, no matter how hard she fought.
She'd be restrained immediately.
Heavenly Sword Village had more than enough strength to imprison her.
And yet the Village Chief and the villagers hadn't done that.
So she could trust them.
Once she relaxed, a smile appeared on Xiao Wu's face.
"Not scared anymore, Xiao Wu?"
Lin Ye raised an eyebrow. Hooligan Rabbit really had nerves of steel.
Anyone else would probably still be trembling.
Yet she'd adapted to the situation in no time—and was even eating now?
"What's there to be afraid of? If something's going to happen, there's no escaping it. Why think so much?"
Xiao Wu seemed surprisingly clear-eyed about that.
The Village Chief smiled and shook his head, then leisurely began eating.
The meal lasted nearly half an hour. By the end, Xiao Wu had slumped in her chair, belly sticking out as she cried that she couldn't take another bite.
"Sit down, you two. I'll clean up."
As he spoke, the Village Chief began clearing the table.
Xiao Wu forced herself to her feet and offered to help.
Lin Ye fetched water, preparing to wash the dishes.
Even if the Village Chief was a Level 99 Titled Douluo, he was still an old man.
Lin Ye had lived in the Village Chief's home for many years and was used to it.
He'd inherited the fine tradition of respecting the old and caring for the young.
Xiao Wu took charge of wiping the table, leaving the Village Chief with nothing to do.
Watching the two of them busy in the courtyard, he thought to himself that this was pretty nice.
A leisurely life was the ultimate dream.
Venturing out into the world?
The people of Heavenly Sword Village didn't have such ambitions.
Most of them returned to the village after graduating from a high-level Soul Master Academy.
This was the village their families had lived in for generations. Protecting it was every villager's responsibility.
Life in the village was peaceful. It was easy to lose track of time here.
Xiao Wu had even forgotten about school.
If Lin Ye hadn't reminded her, she would've gone fishing in the lake with the villagers in a few days.
"Is it really time to go back to school already?"
Xiao Wu sighed.
The village was wonderful. She didn't have to worry about food, lodging, or anything else.
There was farmland in the village too, and plenty of crops were grown, making the place self-sufficient.
"We'll head back tomorrow. We can't miss the start of the school year."
Lin Ye rolled his eyes. Did she really want to stay here forever?
"Then can we come back every time we have a holiday?"
Xiao Wu held up the fish basket an older woman had given her.
"Fine, fine. I'll bring you here next holiday."
The following morning, at the entrance to Heavenly Sword Village.
More than a hundred people had come to see them off. What a send-off.
Xiao Wu's storage bracelet was already stuffed with all kinds of things.
The Village Chief raised a hand to quiet everyone, then said, "Xiao Ye and Xiao Wu, if you run into any trouble outside, come back to the village anytime."
"We can keep you safe here. Especially you, Xiao Wu. Your identity is special, so remember not to reveal it."
Xiao Wu nodded.
By now, nearly every villager knew her true identity.
Yet none of them had shown her any hostility.
That was the main reason she wanted to come back again.
If they were other Soul Masters, they'd probably already be scheming to take her Soul Ring and Soul Bone.
Heavenly Sword Village really was different. They wouldn't covet those things.
"Village Chief Grandpa, we'll be going now."
Seeing that it was about time, Lin Ye took Xiao Wu and left.
Xiao Wu looked back again and again, only turning her gaze away when Heavenly Sword Village was no longer in sight.
"Lin Ye, if my identity is exposed someday and people hunt me down, will the village really be able to protect me?"
Lin Ye nodded solemnly.
"Of course. There are plenty of big shots in the village."
[By the time your identity is exposed, I'll probably be a Titled Douluo myself. If it comes to it, I'll protect you. Why make it sound so tragic?]
Xiao Wu's body trembled slightly.
Lin Ye was willing to protect her?
If she hadn't heard his thoughts, it would've been hard to believe that the guy who spent all day complaining about her in his heart was willing to protect her.
At that moment, she felt completely at ease.
It was like a warm current flowing into her heart, a wonderful feeling she'd never experienced before.
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