A Chance Encounter with Du Busi, an Unreasonable but Loyal Old Rascal

Yan Jingchuan entered the Star Dou Great Forest but did not venture deep inside, only traveling along its outermost edge.

He was not even a one-ringed Soul Master yet. Even a ten-year or hundred-year soul beast would be a problem for him to handle alone, so he did not dare recklessly charge deeper inside.

Following the map, Yan Jingchuan made a wide detour along the Heavenly Soul Empire's border toward Heaven Dou City.

He was not moving very quickly. Even though he had swiped a flying soul tool from Shrek, his total soul power was not even enough for a single ring, so he could not use it for long.

He flew for a while, then ran for a while, never daring to stop for even a moment. Given what he knew of Shrek, the fact that he had not obediently surrendered to be crippled and had even dared to flee meant he had already earned himself a death sentence.

The Shrek elders, accustomed to throwing their weight around, would never let him go. For all he knew, they might already be hunting him down right behind him.

Yan Jingchuan's guess was completely correct. His dear father, Yan Shaozhe, was searching for his trail along the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Thanks to his carefully planned route, Yan Jingchuan was not simply wandering in circles for no reason. He wanted to create the illusion for Shrek's pursuers that he had entered the Star Dou Great Forest!

That would expand the scope of their search and buy him more time.

As for why he was heading to the Heavenly Soul Empire, it was naturally to blend into a merchant caravan bound for the Sun Moon Empire.

The Sun Moon Empire was advanced in soul tools, and many sects and factions traded with it. No matter how hostile the Original Douluo Three Kingdoms were toward the Sun Moon Empire, they had no way to stop such trade completely.

Yan Jingchuan had no way of crossing the Ming Dou Mountains guarded by the White Tiger Legion on his own. Sneaking into a merchant caravan to enter the Sun Moon Empire was his best option.

After two days of traveling day and night, Yan Jingchuan finally arrived at Heaven Dou City.

Heaven Dou City had a long history. As the capital of the Heavenly Soul Empire, it could be considered prosperous, though it still fell far short of Shrek City.

Yan Jingchuan had no mood for sightseeing. To him, time was life. Who knew when Shrek's pursuers would arrive?

Not daring to waste any time, Yan Jingchuan immediately began asking around about merchant caravans leaving for the Sun Moon Empire that day.

His method was simple and crude. Since he had enough Gold Soul Coins, he directly paid for information. Some people with ill intentions could not help entertaining improper thoughts when they saw him spending so lavishly.

He definitely could not beat them. Without any soul rings, Yan Jingchuan was barely stronger than an ordinary person, but he was not entirely unprepared.

He displayed Shrek's badge and used Shrek's fearsome reputation to scare off everyone harboring malicious intentions.

After running around several places, he finally found a lead. Just as Yan Jingchuan was about to seek them out and use Gold Soul Coins to bribe his way into traveling with them to the Sun Moon Empire, a teasing voice sounded behind him.

"Kid, are you from Shrek?"

Yan Jingchuan, who had noticed nothing at all, had his pupils contract. He abruptly turned around and saw a green-haired, jade-eyed child even shorter than himself looking him up and down.

Du Busi!!!

Yan Jingchuan had never met Du Busi, but he remembered the descriptions of him from the original work.

"Oh? You know me!"

Noticing the change in Yan Jingchuan's microexpression, Du Busi felt a trace of curiosity rise within him.

"Se... uh, little friend, are you talking to me?"

Yan Jingchuan tried to laugh it off and muddle through, but Du Busi had no intention of letting him get away with it.

"Quit playing dumb! Kid, tell me, are you from Shrek or not?"

Yan Jingchuan's expression instantly fell. He swallowed hard, never having imagined that he would run into Du Busi here.

Had Du Busi already become this close to the Heavenly Soul royal family at this point in the original work? Or was it because of Princess Vina...

The reason was no longer important. What he needed to consider now was how to get away.

Seeing Yan Jingchuan remain silent for so long, Du Busi's expression darkened, and he gave a cold snort.

A thread of pressure spread out, and Yan Jingchuan's expression suddenly changed.

"Senior... this junior is Yan Jingchuan. I was indeed from Shrek before, but I am no longer one of them!"

Du Busi raised his brow, unable to understand.

"What do you mean, you were before but aren't now? Wait, you have innate full soul power!"

With his hands behind his back, Du Busi circled Yan Jingchuan in surprise as though examining some rare treasure.

His childlike appearance made the sight rather comical.

"Kid, what is your martial soul? Release it and let me take a look."

Yan Jingchuan hesitated for a moment before ultimately choosing to compromise.

Du Busi was not trash like Xuan Zi. As the Noumenon Sect's leader, a rank ninety-eight Hyper Douluo with three Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings, his abilities and scheming were far greater.

The Dark Sacred Dragon martial soul appeared, and the dense dark element made Du Busi's gaze turn grave.

Yan Jingchuan had two reasons for choosing to reveal the Dark Sacred Dragon martial soul. First, he intended to focus on cultivating the Dark Sacred Dragon.

Second, the Hell Demon Puppet was too conspicuous and would easily provoke hostility and fear from many people. He could not gauge Du Busi's attitude, and he feared the man might simply slap him to death.

"What is your relationship with Long Xiaoyao?"

Staring at Yan Jingchuan's Dark Sacred Dragon, Du Busi asked this question.

After considering it for two seconds, Yan Jingchuan answered truthfully.

"He is my great-grandfather."

If he claimed they were unrelated, Du Busi probably would not believe him. Telling the truth might at least make Du Busi hesitate before acting against him.

Du Busi was not particularly surprised by Yan Jingchuan's answer.

"You're going to the Sun Moon Empire to find him?"

Yan Jingchuan had many reasons for going to the Sun Moon Empire. Learning about soul tools and finding the Holy Spirit Cult were among them, but there was no need to explain everything to Du Busi.

He nodded obediently.

Du Busi fell silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.

Just then, Du Busi suddenly turned to look toward the sky, and Yan Jingchuan followed his gaze.

A golden streak of light appeared in the air. Yan Shaozhe glanced down and immediately spotted Yan Jingchuan.

Father and son looked at each other, and Yan Jingchuan's heart turned ice-cold.

"You wretch!!!"

Yan Shaozhe roared. The Light Phoenix possessed him, and nine soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—rose around him as he charged straight at Yan Jingchuan.

Yan Jingchuan had not expected Shrek's pursuers to catch up so quickly, much less for Yan Shaozhe himself to come. For a moment, he was at a complete loss.

"Hmph! Shrek's junior truly doesn't take this old man seriously!"

With a casual raise of his hand, Du Busi sent Yan Shaozhe flying. The terrifying soul power shockwave crushed several shops on both sides of the street.

Yan Shaozhe flew backward, while the surrounding civilians fled in panic.

Du Busi's assistance had truly caught Yan Jingchuan off guard, but after regaining his senses and thinking it over, it seemed perfectly natural.

Du Busi had a grudge against Shrek. His elder brother, Du Bisi, had died at Mu En's hands. He would definitely not pass up a chance to disgust Shrek.

Besides, he might genuinely have believed what Yan Jingchuan said and thought he was Long Xiaoyao's great-grandson. That was indeed the truth.

A favor owed by a Limit Douluo was still quite valuable.

"You... you're Du Busi!?"

Only now did the airborne Yan Shaozhe notice Du Busi.

"You only recognized this old man now. You're not even as sharp as a little child."

Yan Shaozhe climbed to his feet in a sorry state, his brow tightly furrowed.

"Sect Master Du, this person is a traitor of Shrek. Why are you helping him?"

Du Busi turned his head to glance at Yan Jingchuan, the corners of his mouth lifting.

"You truly aren't from Shrek anymore. Hahaha! Does this old man need Shrek's permission to help whoever he wants?"

Yan Shaozhe's face turned green, then purple. Suppressing the rage in his heart, he said sharply.

"Sect Master Du! Perhaps you do not know this, but his martial soul is an evil martial soul. Shrek is committed to eliminating all Evil Soul Masters. Is the Noumenon Sect planning to shelter an Evil Soul Master?"

An evil martial soul? Du Busi was stunned. The Dark Sacred Dragon was an evil martial soul?

Du Busi nearly laughed aloud.

"Stop trying to pin labels on this old man! Does possessing an evil martial soul automatically make someone evil? Shrek still has the nerve to talk about eliminating Evil Soul Masters? The more you eliminate, the more there are!"

"How many people have been forced into becoming Evil Soul Masters by Shrek? Don't you know that in your own hearts?"

As he spoke, Du Busi placed one hand on Yan Jingchuan's shoulder and patted his own chest with the other, his provocation obvious.

"Kid, you don't have your first soul ring yet, right? This old man will take care of it for you!"

He then looked back at Yan Shaozhe.

"As for you... get lost!"