At Daggers Drawn

Dark Leap Auction House, deep underground.

"Still haven't found her?"

Inside a secret chamber, a refined-looking middle-aged man spoke in a deep voice.

"Reporting to Lord Scorpion Snake, not yet."

It was one of his subordinates who answered.

"More than twenty Soul Elders were sent to capture a ten-year-old girl whose soul power was sealed, yet there's still no news?"

An intimidating aura erupted from the middle-aged man.

Cold sweat immediately streamed down the subordinate's face.

"Please forgive me, Lord Scorpion Snake! But there is something I don't understand. Why don't we send higher-level soul masters? Wouldn't that little girl be easy to capture then?"

The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes slightly. It was not as though he had not considered it.

"Her identity is special. We can't make too much of a disturbance."

Special identity? The subordinate suddenly thought of the incident that had recently shocked the entire Heaven Soul Empire.

"Could she be..."

"Don't ask what you shouldn't. Knowing too much will only make you die faster."

The middle-aged man looked at him coldly, killing intent overflowing from his eyes.

"Yes! I'll take my leave at once!"

The subordinate barely dared to breathe as he hurriedly got up and left.

The middle-aged man watched his retreating figure until it vanished completely.

"Dark One, I don't want to see him again tomorrow."

Near the secret chamber, a shadow slowly faded away.

Where could she possibly have run off to? That person had gone to great lengths to capture her.

I need to think of something. If she finds out I lost her, she'll probably twist my head off and use it as a ball.

Meanwhile, high in the sky near Heaven Dou City.

Yu Wuyi looked at the person sleeping soundly in his arms and was momentarily speechless.

This is two thousand meters in the air, my lady. You really dared to fall asleep here!

Helpless, he could only shake the little pig in his arms.

"Little Ning Tian, wake up. We're almost there."

"Mm...?"

Ning Tian habitually turned over. It had been so long since she had slept this peacefully~

Then she rolled out of Yu Wuyi's arms.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Her sheer obliviousness left Yu Wuyi stunned.

Helpless, he could only change direction and chase after her at even greater speed.

But an unexpected change occurred. Four streaks of light shot rapidly into the sky from Heaven Dou City!

One of them was clearly faster than the others. At their current speeds, he would reach Ning Tian before Yu Wuyi did!

Damn it, she had distracted me just now, and I forgot that we'd already entered Heaven Dou City's airspace!

But the urgent priority was to catch Ning Tian before that person did.

Boom!

Bang! Bang!

Yu Wuyi's thrusters suddenly erupted, breaking the sound barrier twice in succession!

The terrifying speed brought Yu Wuyi to Ning Tian's side in the blink of an eye. He grabbed her into his arms, then instantly used reverse thrust to stabilize himself.

That streak of light followed close behind, hovering before him.

"This is Heaven Dou City's airspace. Who are you people? Don't you know that unauthorized flight is prohibited over cities within the Heaven Soul Empire?!"

The newcomer was a brown-haired middle-aged man who looked barely over thirty, soul power surging around him.

The other three followed close behind, spreading out side by side.

They could fly through the air without even manifesting their martial souls. The cultivation of the four was therefore obvious.

Titled Douluo!

Yu Wuyi did not speak. Beneath his mask, his expression was exceedingly grave.

He had already scanned them. The middle-aged man leading them was a Super Douluo!

Name: Yang Zhenwei

Age: 72

Cultivation: Level 96

Martial Soul: Heaven-Shaking Axe

Identity: Heaven-Shaking Douluo, guest elder of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Although he now possessed Sam's power, it was still unknown just how much of it he could wield.

Under these circumstances, he had to face three Titled Douluos and a Super Douluo alone while protecting Ning Tian in his arms.

This was undoubtedly a hell-level dungeon...

His heartbeat kept accelerating, but it was not out of fear—it was excitement, tension, and exhilaration!

"Little Ning Tian, things might get a little bumpy next. Hold on tight."

Yu Wuyi gathered his strength, preparing to enter the secondary burn state.

Ning Tian did not know what was happening, but she obediently tried her best to grip the gaps in Sam's armor.

"Xiaotian?!"

The middle-aged man who appeared to be a Super Douluo suddenly erupted with an immense surge of soul power, blasting away the surrounding white clouds.

He stared in utter disbelief at the small figure in Yu Wuyi's arms.

"What?!"

The other three were equally stunned.

"That voice is... Uncle Yang?"

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Ning Tian instinctively turned her head and saw the figure who had taught her so much ever since she was little.

"It really is you!"

In an instant, Yang Zhenwei summoned his martial soul, and all nine soul rings appeared at once.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!

The enormous axe blade pointed at Yu Wuyi as he roared:

"Put her down!"

The other three also revealed their martial souls one after another, their terrifying auras gathering above Heaven Dou City.

This sudden development shocked the people in the city. They looked up with tingling scalps, only able to see five stars of different colors above their heads.

"Old Yang is actually going all out. Que Ming, get me up there!"

At the top floor of a magnificent, dazzling pavilion, a blond young man gazed solemnly toward the source of the disturbance, his sky-blue eyes grave.

A seven-tiered glazed pagoda also appeared in his hand.

The young man beside him immediately understood. A pair of blue wings emerged from his back.

"Who are you people?"

A cold mechanical voice rang out in the high skies, reaching the ears of the group.

"That's what I should be asking you. Put Xiaotian down, and I can spare your life!"

Yang Zhenwei's aura grew increasingly powerful. If he had not been afraid of accidentally harming Ning Tian, with his temper, he would have already chopped down with his axe!

"Uncle Yang, Yu... this person isn't a bad person! He escorted me back!"

Ning Tian hurriedly explained. Otherwise, this tense standoff could erupt at any moment!

If they started fighting, she would not be able to accept it no matter which side got hurt!

Fortunately, her words did have an effect. Yang Zhenwei stopped raising his aura, though he showed no intention of lowering it either. Frowning, he said:

"Escorted you? Xiaotian, what exactly happened? Why have you become like this?"

Upon seeing a dependable elder, Ning Tian's nose stung, and she wanted to immediately pour out all the hurt and grievance in her heart.

But she knew that now was not the time, so she forcibly suppressed those feelings and said as calmly as she could:

"Uncle Yang, it's a long story, but this person really isn't a bad person. Can we go home and talk?"

Yang Zhenwei's heart nearly broke at the sight of her. Having watched Ning Tian grow up, he could naturally tell at a glance that his niece had suffered greatly.

Fine.

Forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart, he chose to trust his niece's words. Whatever had happened could wait until they returned to the sect.

At that time, they would naturally judge for themselves whether this person was good or bad.

After putting away his martial soul, Yang Zhenwei spoke in as amicable a tone as possible:

"This friend, you heard what Xiaotian said. We are not enemies."

"Please come to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect so we may discuss the specifics."

"However, before that, could you hand Xiaotian over to me first? Please forgive any offense."

Now that he had confirmed her identity, Yu Wuyi naturally no longer had to worry about her safety.

Her request was perfectly reasonable.

"Alright."

The synthesized mechanical voice answered without emotion.

Holding Ning Tian, Yu Wuyi slowly approached Yang Zhenwei.

"Little Ning Tian, we'll meet again if fate allows. As for the payment for this commission, just help me promote the Odd Jobs House."

He whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, using his real voice this time.

Then Ning Tian felt her body suddenly grow light, and that familiar sensation of weightlessness returned.

Yu Wuyi had actually thrown her straight out!

At the instant he threw her, every thruster on Yu Wuyi's body erupted at full power. This was the true Blazing Flame Propulsion!

Boom!

Bang bang bang bang bang!

In a single instant, he broke through the sound barrier five times, turning into a flaming meteor as he departed without looking back.