Luo Chen patted Xue Yan. "All right, don't dwell on it. Remember, you're Su Heng now. Once you've grown strong enough, you can take your revenge if you still want to."
They spent the night in silence. After learning that Su Heng was the Heaven Dou Empire's Third Prince, Luo Chen had no idea what to think. But the next day, neither of them brought it up.
When Luo Dashan saw Luo Chen, he said, "Xiao Chen, we've got a catch coming in today. Want to come with me to the docks and have a look? Xiao Heng can come along and play, too."
The two exchanged a glance. Luo Chen said, "Sure. It's a good chance to show Su Heng around and let him see our town."
Su Heng was more than happy to go. He'd never seen the sea before!
"That's right, that's right! I've never seen the sea either!"
Hailun City was blessed with an unusually fine day. Sunlight spilled across the sea, its surface shimmering. The harbor was bustling, and the air was tinged with a salty, fishy smell.
The fishermen were busy at the docks, calling out to one another. Some seafood was bought the moment it came ashore; nothing was fresher.
From afar, Luo Chen spotted Uncle Fule, the man who had recommended him for admission.
Fule saw Luo Chen from a distance, too, and raised a hand to greet him.
It was also a big day in Hailun Town: the Sea God Festival. The locals believed all seafood was a gift from the Sea God, so Fule, as the town chief—or city lord, as one might call him—naturally had to preside over the festivities.
It wasn't a good time to go say hello, so Luo Dashan took the two boys to where the catch was being unloaded.
Luo Chen rolled up his trouser legs and stood on the dock, helping his father unload the fish. He passed up basket after basket of silvery sea fish, working with the quick, practiced movements of a seasoned hand who'd been at it for ten years.
"Xiao Chen, take it easy. Don't strain your back," Luo Dashan said with a chuckle.
"Dad, I'm a Soul Master, at least. You think a few fish are going to wear me out?"
Luo Dashan chuckled and said no more. Ever since his son had gone to Heaven Dou City, he'd come back a changed person, with a steadiness in the way he spoke and acted.
Su Heng crouched by the dock, gazing at the sea. It was the first time he'd ever seen it from so close. The shimmering water stretched all the way to the horizon, with no end in sight.
"What are you staring at?" Luo Chen came over and sat beside him.
Su Heng came back to himself and shook his head. "Nothing. I just think... the sea is so vast, and people are so small."
"No wonder you're a prince. You talk like an old man," Luo Chen teased.
Just then, Luo Chen overheard a fisherman talking with a vendor nearby, and couldn't help listening closely.
"Hey, why's the catch so small this year for the Sea God Festival? Have you been slacking off?"
"How could I slack off during the Sea God Festival? It's a gift from the Sea God. But I'm puzzled, too. In past years, I'd haul in a huge amount with every net. This year, I'm getting half as much!"
"That's strange," the vendor said.
The fisherman lowered his voice. "And I noticed something odd, too, though I don't know if my eyes were playing tricks on me."
"What did you see?" the vendor asked curiously.
The fisherman spoke in a hushed voice. "While I was fishing, I saw what looked like something in the sea way off in the distance. A huge, dark mass!"
Hearing their conversation, Luo Chen instinctively looked out at the sea. It was calm and still; there was nothing there.
He didn't think much of it and helped his father bring a load of fish home.
But trouble struck in the blink of an eye. Just as Luo Chen and the others unloaded the last crate of fish from the cart, a commotion suddenly rose in the street.
The crowd burst into cries, their voices thick with grief.
Luo Chen and the others rushed out at once and saw a crowd gathered, discussing something.
Luo Dashan immediately turned to the shopkeeper next door and asked what had happened. Someone had died at the docks!
This was no small matter!
As soon as he heard, Luo Dashan ran toward the docks. Lin Xiaomei cried out in alarm.
"Dashan! It's dangerous—don't go!"
But Luo Dashan was already too far away to hear her.
Seeing this, Luo Chen immediately reassured his mother. "Mom, don't worry. I'll go protect Dad. A-Tian, stay at the shop and keep an eye on Mom. Su Heng, let's go!"
Before anyone else could react, Luo Chen pulled out a Gulu Ball and threw it ahead. "Blazing Wolf! Full speed!" The next moment, Luo Chen was already on the Blazing Wolf's back.
The Blazing Wolf's sudden appearance caused a stir among the passersby. At the same time, Su Heng activated his Martial Soul Possession and flew toward the docks.
The people of Hailun Town had rarely seen a Soul Beast like this, and at first they were startled. But when they saw Luo Chen riding the Blazing Wolf obediently, they couldn't help staring in amazement.
Luo Chen spotted Luo Dashan running ahead and called out, "Dad, get on! I'll take you there!"
Luo Dashan turned around and was just as startled by his own son. What was this fire-covered wolf? But there was no time to ask. He swung himself onto its back and hurried to the docks with Luo Chen.
By the time the three of them arrived, Fule had already brought people to seal off the coastline.
"Uncle Fule!" Luo Chen called.
Hearing his voice, Fule turned around and saw Luo Chen riding a Blazing Wolf, with a flying Soul Master overhead.
Fule came over to him. "Xiao Chen, what are you doing here? It's too dangerous. If anything happens to you, how am I supposed to answer to the chief?"
"Uncle Fule, I can help, too!"
"Don't be reckless. What level are you? We're here..."
Before Fule could finish, Luo Chen released his Soul Rings: one yellow, one purple!
"Purple? A thousand-year Soul Ring?" Fule was stunned. Even geniuses with the best Soul Ring configuration didn't get a purple Soul Ring until their third.
This child wasn't even seven years old, yet he was already a Soul Grandmaster, and his second Soul Ring was purple!
That made him a high-level fighter even in Hailun City. Fule had nothing more to say, because they really were short on manpower!
Hailun City had only three Soul Ancestors at most. Even though Fule had reached level fifty, he hadn't obtained a Soul Ring yet, so he was still only at the strength of a Soul Ancestor.
There weren't many Soul Elders or Soul Grandmasters to spare, either. With Luo Chen joining them, their strength had grown by one more fighter.
"All right, Xiao Chen. I won't argue. I'll tell you what I've found out. The ones that attacked the docks were a group of Sea Soul Beasts. Their leader is a thousand-year Iron-Spine Shark. The rest are five hundred-year Soul Beasts and some that are only a few dozen years old!"
Luo Chen's expression didn't change. Fule continued, "With the strength we have now, the other two Soul Ancestors are out of the city. I can handle the Iron-Spine Shark by myself, but those other Soul Beasts will be hard to deal with! Especially since we're on land and they're in the sea!"
"Uncle Fule, leave the five hundred-year Soul Beasts and those ten-year Soul Beasts to me!"
Before Fule could react, Luo Chen took out the other five Gulu Balls he carried with him and threw them forward.
The Evil Eye Tyrant Sovereign, Plate Armor Turtle, Tide Jellyfish, Feather Eagle, Beetle Immortal, and the Blazing Wolf beneath him—all six of Luo Chen's Soul Beasts appeared!
Before you continue