Big and Little Foxes

"So that was it."

Xiao Hongchen let out a long breath.

"So His Highness was the one who saved us."

Meng Hongchen patted her chest.

"I thought I was about to be flattened into a meat pie by that dragon claw."

After confirming that Ye Guyi was unharmed, Shangguan Weier prepared to take her away. Their goal had been to obtain a Soul Ring, and they had originally completed their mission. If the Rift Realm had not appeared, they would have already returned to Mingdu by now.

"Hall Master Hongchen, thank you for your assistance today."

Shangguan Weier bowed to Jing Hongchen.

"If the opportunity arises, the Ordinary Alliance will repay the favor."

"Alliance Leader Shangguan is too courteous."

Jing Hongchen returned the bow.

"It is only right for us to help one another within the Rift Realm."

Shangguan Weier did not linger and prepared to leave with Ye Guyi.

However, Xu Tianming took the initiative to walk over.

"Ye Guyi."

Ye Guyi stopped and turned to look at him. Xu Tianming wore a very friendly smile as well.

"We went through life and death together. That makes us friends, doesn't it?"

Ye Guyi blinked. She did not particularly like such direct phrasing, but she still nodded.

"Yes."

"Then let's exchange contact information."

Xu Tianming took out a soul communication device.

The Sun Moon Empire's soul communication devices had already developed to a very mature stage. They could transmit text and sound over short distances, and if both parties were in Mingdu, getting in touch with each other was not difficult.

Of course, communication across empires was severely restricted by distance and soul communication signals, making it extremely difficult.

Ye Guyi accepted the soul communication device, took out her own, and exchanged their contact information.

"Done."

"If you need anything in the future, contact me. I think I can still be of help in Mingdu."

Xu Tianming put away his soul communication device.

"Alright."

Ye Guyi nodded. Shangguan Weier glanced at the two of them, a faint smile appearing in her eyes, but she said nothing.

"Guyi, let's go."

Shangguan Weier said to Ye Guyi.

"Goodbye."

Ye Guyi nodded to Xu Tianming.

"Bye."

Xu Tianming watched Shangguan Weier lead Ye Guyi away. Only after the two had completely vanished at the end of the mountain path did Jing Hongchen turn to speak to Xu Tianming.

"Although there was an unexpected incident along the way, you still have not found your first Soul Ring. Let's continue searching."

Xu Tianming shook his head.

"No need."

Jing Hongchen was slightly stunned.

"No need?"

Xu Tianming raised his right hand. Golden light emerged from the center of his palm, and a blazing Sun Martial Soul appeared above it. Crimson-gold flames spread outward as the solar disc revolved, and then a golden-red Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet.

Within the golden-red radiance were countless tiny dark-purple star patterns, like blazing fire and stars woven together. The Soul Ring rose and fell at times, emitting a heavy aura.

Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen both widened their eyes.

"A Soul Ring?"

"Your Highness, you've already obtained your first Soul Ring?"

"Why is its color so strange?"

Jing Hongchen's expression changed immediately. He stared at the Soul Ring, his eyes revealing a trace of undisguised shock.

What had happened? They had been inseparable throughout the journey, then they had been pulled into the Rift Realm. There had been no time at all for Xu Tianming to search for a soul beast.

Yet now, Xu Tianming had an additional Soul Ring, and its color was especially unusual.

"What happened?"

Jing Hongchen asked softly.

Xu Tianming had long prepared an explanation.

"After that dragon-shaped Rift Realm Creation was killed, another soul beast that had been corrupted by the Rift Realm appeared nearby."

"That soul beast was injured, and its strength had greatly declined. I struck when it was seriously wounded. After I killed it, this golden-red Soul Ring appeared over its corpse."

"I confirmed that it was fire-attributed, and I noticed that its Soul Ring had a special color, so I tried absorbing it."

"I didn't expect to succeed."

However, Meng Hongchen's expression immediately became deeply worried.

"Your Highness, how could you be so reckless?"

"You didn't even figure out how old that soul beast was. How could you dare absorb its Soul Ring directly?"

"If the Soul Ring's age was too high, or if it did not match your Martial Soul, you could have been burst apart by the Soul Ring's energy."

By the end, her tone carried a hint of reproach.

Xu Tianming looked at her and replied with a cheerful smile.

"Don't worry, Sister Meng!"

"Any soul beast I can kill cannot be too old."

"And I was certain it was a fire-attributed soul beast, which suited my Sun Martial Soul perfectly. As for the Soul Ring's color, I'd never seen one like it before, so I wanted to give it a try."

He raised his hand, and the Sun Martial Soul in his palm slowly revolved as well.

"Besides, look at me. Aren't I fine?"

"I've even absorbed my first Soul Ring."

Meng Hongchen was still somewhat uneasy.

"Are you really alright?"

"I'm fine."

Xu Tianming nodded.

"My soul power has even risen several levels."

"How many?"

"From level ten to level thirteen."

Xiao Hongchen's expression became rather strange.

"Three levels from a first Soul Ring?"

"That soul beast must have been quite old."

Xu Tianming said expressionlessly, "Perhaps it was affected by Rift Realm energy."

Jing Hongchen did not speak immediately.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. After watching the golden-red Soul Ring on Xu Tianming for a while, he suddenly laughed.

"It seems Junior Brother's luck really is quite good."

"After that soul beast was corrupted by the Rift Realm, it did not immediately turn into a Rift Realm Creation. The color of the Soul Ring it left behind after death was very strange. Perhaps that was the reason."

"After all, the Rift Realm has not been around for long, and our understanding of it is still incomplete."

Xu Tianming nodded.

"Senior Brother makes a lot of sense."

Of course, he knew Jing Hongchen would not truly believe his words. This Hall Master of Virtue was one of the Sun Moon Empire's top soul engineers. Having lived for so many years, what kind of situation had he not seen?

With a little thought, one could find many problems in the story.

But Xu Tianming did not need to truly deceive him. He only needed a public explanation. As for the truth behind that explanation, it was enough for both of them to understand it in their hearts.

He was the Sun Moon Empire's seventh prince, the current emperor's biological son, and the direct disciple of Silvermoon Douluo Kong Deming.

As long as Jing Hongchen remained rational, he would not do anything detrimental to him over a special Soul Ring.

If someone really wanted to cause trouble, Karna would naturally teach them how to behave.

Just as Xu Tianming had expected, Jing Hongchen conveniently found a reason for him and even took the initiative to explain the Soul Ring's abnormal color in greater detail.

That old fox did not ask what the soul beast looked like either. Some things were not good to know too much about. As for Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, the two children naturally failed to see all the hidden twists and turns.