Preparing to Leave Notting City

The City Lord's Manor of Notting City.

Seeing Xiao Yuanshan standing quietly by the pavilion, Xu Qianqian could not help walking over.

"You've worked hard, Qianqian." Xiao Yuanshan's tone carried a trace of melancholy.

"Foster Father..."

"You must have been frightened on this trip, right? After all, that was someone of that caliber." Xiao Yuanshan sighed. "I never expected him to take notice of you."

Xu Qianqian had returned and said that she had gone with the black-robed masked man to the Soul Beast Forest.

After learning the black-robed man's characteristics, Xiao Yuanshan's heart skipped a beat.

But there was nothing he could do. Even if he wanted to refuse, it would have been impossible.

The other party might be a Soul Sage, or even a Soul Douluo. If he angered him—

The entire Xiao Family, even Notting City itself, might suffer disaster.

"It's already over. You don't need to keep worrying. Didn't I return safely?" Xu Qianqian said lightly.

"Ah... You're always like this!" Xiao Yuanshan shook his head.

"Foster Father, that black-robed man had killing intent toward me while we were in the Soul Beast Forest."

"Killing intent!"

"Yes, I can be completely certain." Xu Qianqian considered it briefly. "I probably saw some of Tang San's secret techniques that were not meant to be passed on."

"But the black-robed man did not make a move. He probably still wanted me to help Tang San obtain his second soul ring."

"The black-robed man is connected to Tang San, and it isn't a simple connection," Xiao Yuanshan murmured.

"Yes." Xu Qianqian nodded. "Foster Father, I'm worried that his killing intent was not directed only at me. Perhaps..."

"The Xiao Family?" Xiao Yuanshan sighed.

"That makes sense. He wore a mask to conceal his identity, yet it was exposed because of the incident where he killed Notting City students. It would not be impossible for him to silence us."

"Ah! Troubled times indeed."

"Before Tang San leaves Notting Academy, he probably will not make a move against the City Lord's Manor. After that, though, it is uncertain."

"But on this trip, I learned too much about them."

"Qianqian, what do you intend to do?" Xiao Yuanshan studied Xu Qianqian, truly unable to grasp what his adopted daughter was thinking.

"Leaving the City Lord's Manor may be the safest choice—for both me and you."

"No!" After speaking, Xiao Yuanshan realized his tone had been too harsh. He calmed himself before continuing.

"Qianqian, I, Xiao Yuanshan, am not an ungrateful man. Besides, the other party's target may not necessarily be you. It may even be the entire Xiao Family. Whether you leave or not makes no difference."

"I still have some connections in Heaven Dou City. Someone like that black-robed man could not have appeared without leaving any traces. We should be able to completely confirm his identity. When that time comes, then..."

Hearing this, Xu Qianqian sighed. "Foster Father, the black-robed man could fly through the air."

"If he does not possess a flying-type martial soul or a flying-type soul bone skill, then there is only one possibility: he is far stronger than we estimated."

"A Titled Douluo!" Xiao Yuanshan's breathing quickened.

"I'm not sure." Xu Qianqian sighed. "But it can only be one of those three possibilities."

Xu Qianqian did not reveal Tang Hao's identity. She was also not certain whether Tang Hao would make a move against the City Lord's Manor.

But when Tang San used hidden weapons, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, and the like, Tang Hao had indeed revealed killing intent.

Still, this was just as well. She could take this opportunity to leave Notting City.

"I actually have plans to leave as well. It may take one or two years."

"Qianqian, you had already planned this?" Xiao Yuanshan asked in confusion.

"Yes. I found a way to gain soul power, but I am not sure how long it will take."

"How will you do it?" Xiao Yuanshan was somewhat curious.

"It's difficult to explain clearly. It involves too much knowledge about soul masters. I spent six years just gaining a little confidence in it."

"I see..." Seeing that Xu Qianqian was unwilling to elaborate, Xiao Yuanshan simply did not press further.

Over the past six years, Xu Qianqian must have hidden quite a few things. Perhaps she did not fully trust him, her foster father.

"Roughly when will you leave? What do you need me to do?" Xiao Yuanshan asked.

"One week from now. During that time, I will hand over all the work I have on hand." Xu Qianqian took a deep breath.

"If—if Tang San and Xiao Wu are close to breaking through level twenty, and I still have not returned by then..."

"Foster Father, tell the outside world that I am already dead."

"That way, the black-robed man probably will not come looking for you. His killing intent toward me does not necessarily mean that he will attack Notting City."

"You always think about so much." Xiao Yuanshan let out a long sigh. "Just do what you need to do. I'll handle things here."

"Then that's settled..." After saying this, Xu Qianqian seemed to think of something and spoke again, "Little brother Chenyu, logically speaking, I shouldn't bring this up in my position, but I still want to share my thoughts. If I offend you, I hope you'll forgive me, Foster Father."

"What is it, Yu'er?" Xiao Yuanshan asked doubtfully.

"Try to keep him in line. Don't let my little brother keep hanging around those flatterers at the academy."

"If I leave, with that sort of temperament of his, a little more flattery might completely change him within a year or two."

"Foster Father, you don't want Xiao Chenyu to become one of those spoiled young masters, do you?"

"I understand." Xiao Yuanshan nodded.

How could he not know his own son's temperament? If not for his adopted daughter keeping him in check these past few years, he might well have become the tyrant of Notting City.

And how would he have had the perseverance and courage to absorb a soul ring from a soul beast over three hundred years old?

"Mm, that's all. I'll be staying at the academy for the next few days, then I'll leave when the time comes." With that, Xu Qianqian headed for the stairs.

"Wait!"

"Is there anything else?"

Xiao Yuanshan took out a storage ring.

"These are the things your father left behind before he passed away. Among them is this token."

After rummaging through his pocket, he pulled out a Spirit Hall token.

"The token contains clues to your identity, but your father hoped that you wouldn't seek them out until you became a Soul Sage."

"Still, he probably didn't hold much hope even then. Oh, and there's also your mother."

"The expression on your father's face back then... perhaps she is still alive."

"I understand."

Xu Qianqian accepted the token and storage ring without asking any further questions, though there was a hint of doubt in her voice.

"You hadn't planned to give me these things yet, had you?"

"That's right. Your father's last words were for you to receive them once you reached Soul Grandmaster rank. It's just... you'll be leaving for a year or two, perhaps even longer."

"I trust that Qianqian knows what she should and shouldn't do."

"Thank you, Foster Father."

Xu Qianqian nodded, glanced at the pattern on the token, then slipped it into her pocket.

Xu Qianqian left the City Lord's Manor and made her way toward Notting Academy.

Only then did she suddenly remember that a storage soul tool required soul power to open.

Xu Qianqian slapped her forehead.

She considered going back to ask Xiao Yuanshan for help retrieving the things stored inside, but after thinking it over, she decided against it.

If she couldn't become a Soul Master, then knowing the information in the ring would probably be meaningless anyway.

Besides, the real priority was the token in her hand.

"A token bestowed by Spirit Hall... Father's identity doesn't seem simple."

An ordinary Soul King could never obtain such a high-ranking token, one with several illuminated patterns.

The patterns on this token represented the continent's strongest forces.

For example, the Clear Sky Hammer, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and Seven Killing Sword represented the Clear Sky Sect, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, respectively—the three upper sects.

Some of the other patterns represented Spirit Hall, while others represented different forces.

Many of them had either never appeared in Douluo Continent 1 or had never been explained.

Yet every symbol engraved upon it represented a force with a Title Douluo-level Soul Master.

It was enough to make one suck in a cold breath and exclaim at how terrifying it was.