Rift Realm Creations Attack (Bonus Chapter—Please Follow)

Jing Hongchen looked at Xu Tianming and the other two.

"You three as well."

"No one is allowed to leave the barrier's range without permission."

Meng Hongchen immediately raised her hand.

"Grandpa, I promise I won't run around."

Xiao Hongchen glanced at her.

"You'd better actually manage that."

"When have I ever lied to anyone?"

"Last time, you said you'd only eat one piece of soul beast jerky, but you ended up eating half a bag."

Meng Hongchen's cheeks reddened slightly.

"That was because the jerky smelled too good."

Xu Tianming couldn't hold back a laugh, and the tense atmosphere eased somewhat.

Jing Hongchen looked at the three children, his voice turning grave.

"This isn't an outing."

"Anything in the Rift Realm could cause harm. Don't touch anything here carelessly."

"Wait for us to return."

"Understood."

Xu Tianming and the other two nodded at the same time. After giving his instructions, the two Titled Douluo wasted no time.

A pair of metallic flight wings unfolded behind Jing Hongchen, dozens of soul tool inscriptions covering them. A pair of silvery-white wings also spread behind Shangguan Weier. As soul power erupted, the two of them took to the air together.

"Grandpa, be careful!"

Meng Hongchen shouted toward the sky. Jing Hongchen did not turn back, merely raising a hand in a wave.

The next second.

Two streaks of light cut across the dark purple sky, speeding toward the depths of the Rift Realm. Only after their figures completely vanished did calm return within the barrier.

The soul cannons outside were still rotating, while muffled sounds occasionally came from afar. Those were the sounds of Rift Realm Creations crushing crystals beneath their feet as they moved through the forest.

Though the situation was dangerous, the soul cannons still gave everyone a certain sense of security.

Meng Hongchen had been lively before, but she was quiet now. Hugging her knees, she sat on a flat stone, her aqua-blue eyes fixed in the direction her grandfather had left.

Xiao Hongchen sat beside her, holding a piece of metal scrap and using soul power to mold it into all kinds of shapes.

Ye Guyi stood farther away, leaning against the crystallized rock wall within the barrier. After her Holy Light Short Sword faded away, she crossed her arms over her chest.

She did not know Xu Tianming. She did not know Xiao Hongchen or Meng Hongchen either.

Most disciples of the Ordinary Alliance were women. Ye Guyi normally interacted with few people, and having suddenly been thrown into a group of strangers, she did not know what to say.

The atmosphere was stifling and somewhat awkward.

Xu Tianming glanced at Meng Hongchen. Judging by her earlier behavior, she should have already gone over and asked what Ye Guyi liked to eat.

Yet Meng Hongchen only stole glances at Ye Guyi, looking as if she wanted to speak but did not know how.

Xu Tianming grumbled inwardly, Was it because Ye Guyi wasn't handsome? This girl really had her own principles when it came to socializing.

He shook his head and took the initiative to walk over.

"Hello."

Ye Guyi raised her head.

"Hello."

Her voice was crisp but slightly distant. Xu Tianming did not mind and pointed to himself first.

"My name is Xu Tianming."

Ye Guyi answered seriously, "My name is Ye Guyi."

"I'm from the Ordinary Alliance."

Ye Guyi.

Hearing that name, Xu Tianming's gaze shifted slightly. So it really was her—the possessor of the Holy Angel martial soul, born with the power to restrain darkness and evil. She was bound to become a Titled Douluo-level powerhouse in the future.

If he could establish ties with such talent early on, her value would far surpass that of a batch of ordinary soul engineers.

In the future, he intended to contend for the throne—not merely the throne of the Sun Moon Empire. He could not have only Karna under his command.

A foundation, talent, influence.

He could not afford to lack any of them.

But those thoughts only circled through Xu Tianming's mind once before the perfectly measured smile returned to his face.

"I heard you've already obtained your second soul ring. That's impressive."

Xu Tianming smiled.

"You two as well. You came to the Jingyang Mountain Range to obtain soul rings too, right?"

Ye Guyi glanced at Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen, who were close to her in age, before looking at the slightly younger Xu Tianming.

From Xu Tianming's name alone, she had guessed that he was connected to the Sun Moon Empire's imperial family. And the fact that he could act alongside the master of the Hall of Virtue was proof enough.

"Hello, I'm Meng Hongchen, and this is my brother, Xiao Hongchen."

Meng Hongchen also came over at this point and introduced herself and her brother. Xiao Hongchen politely nodded to Ye Guyi as well. Though arrogant, he gave Ye Guyi the respect she deserved for already being a two-ring Grand Soul Master at an age similar to his own.

There was a little more laughter within the barrier, and Ye Guyi's expression softened somewhat. Xu Tianming stood to the side, watching them gradually grow familiar with one another, and relaxed as well.

Ye Guyi was currently with the Ordinary Alliance, which was already good enough. Relationships could not be drawn closer with just a word or two. Leaving a good impression today was enough; they would meet again in the future.

At that moment, a piercing screech suddenly came from outside the barrier. The twelve soul cannons all turned to the left, and the four children raised their heads together within the barrier, looking toward the crystallized forest shrouded in dark purple mist.

Fine scraping noises arose from the forest, like countless joints rubbing against rock, or scales sliding across the ground. The sounds came closer and closer, growing denser and more urgent until they merged into a tide that made their teeth ache.

Xu Tianming stood in the center of the barrier, looking up toward the source of the noise. The tree line swayed, and many twisted figures crawled out from behind the crystallized dead trees.

The leading Rift Realm Creation retained most of the appearance of a Man-Faced Demon Spider. Dark purple Star Crystals covered its eight legs, its joints bent backward, and every step it took left a small crater in the ground.

Its abdomen was swollen. The originally pale human face pattern had been corroded by Rift Realm energy, transforming into a twisted star-patterned face. Its mouth had split all the way to the edge of its abdomen, constantly spraying pale purple spider silk.

The moment those strands of silk landed on the ground, hissing white smoke rose up.

Beside it, three Mandala Snake replicas slithered forward. Their scales should have been multicolored, but they had all crystallized. Dark red, lava-like liquid flowed from the gaps between every scale, while their fangs protruded outward and venom dripped from them. As their forked tongues flicked in and out, a sickly sweet, fishy stench spread through the air.

Farther behind them, seven Wind Baboons moved on all fours, their arms hanging past their knees. Tattered crystallized wing membranes grew from their backs, their edges sharp as blades.

There were no pupils in their eyes, only two swirling points of dark purple light. As they ran, their wing membranes trembled and let out ear-piercing shrieks.

Holding the rear was a Dark Demon Tiger.

It was nearly twice the size of an ordinary demon tiger, its entire body covered in purple-black crystal armor. Two curved crystal horns grew from its shoulder blades. Whenever it opened its jaws, black mist poured from its throat, melting even the Star Crystal ground wherever it passed.