Leaving the City, Hunting!

"Little Huxiao, tell Grandpa Sword—how do you feel now?"

"I feel great."

"Be specific."

"Uh, just great. I can't really explain it."

"Son, what about your body? How does it feel? Any discomfort?"

"No discomfort. I feel great, warm all over."

"Be specific!"

"Just... warm all over."

"..."

"Bayan, forget it. Huxiao is still young. Even if he is exceptionally gifted, there's no way he can accurately describe what he felt. Even I don't know what this 'presence' around him is about. As long as we know it's definitely not a bad thing, that's enough."

Chen Xin and Xu Bayan exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with countless questions, but they could only let the matter drop.

Meanwhile, Xu Huxiao paid them no mind. He walked into the pavilion, grabbed a crispy chicken cutlet pancake from the table, and began wolfing it down while opening the snow lotus, black chicken, and eel soup his mother had prepared.

The rich, steaming fragrance filled his nose. After this breakthrough, Xu Huxiao was starving, and this was just what he needed to replenish his energy.

As for the martial arts realm and the three top-tier martial arts techniques he had obtained, they were the foundation of his survival in this foreign world. Naturally, he could not reveal even the slightest bit about them, not even to those closest to him.

Besides.

His secrets would not be of much use to his father, whose rank had fallen from Titled Douluo anyway. He knew what opportunity suited his father best.

The same went for Grandpa Sword.

As for anyone besides his parents and relatives.

There was even less chance of him revealing anything.

He was no saint.

Xu Huxiao focused on dealing with the delicious pastries as Xu Bayan walked over. He affectionately rubbed his son's head with a large hand and said with a smile:

"Silly boy, eat slowly. There's more. If it isn't enough, I'll have the kitchen make more."

"Mhm~"

"The eel soup is good, isn't it? Let your old man have a taste. Hey, leave me one chicken cutlet pancake!"

"Uncle Sword, want some?"

"No, you two eat."

Chen Xin watched the father and son devour their food in silence. Though he looked disdainful on the surface, the gentle smile at the corner of the old man's lips showed how much he enjoyed this atmosphere.

Three days later.

Xu Residence banquet.

Xu Bayan's family of three and Sword Douluo Chen Xin sat around the table for dinner.

After finishing a large crab, Xu Bayan wiped his hands with a towel and ladled a huge bowl of tomato oxtail soup for Uncle Sword beside him.

"Come on, Uncle Sword, have some soup."

"Mhm."

"Uncle Sword, Spirit Hall sent news today—an enormous piece of good news you'd never expect."

"Oh? What good news?"

"Pope Qian Xunji failed to kill a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast and returned badly injured. Of the two elders he brought along, one died and the other was seriously wounded."

"Stop keeping us in suspense. Explain it clearly!"

"Don't be impatient, old man. That Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast sacrificed itself, and Tang Hao broke through to Titled Douluo in the middle of battle. He erupted and severely injured the Pope. Flash Mongoose died, while Lei Dao was badly wounded. Hahaha~"

"Three against one, yet they suffered such a disastrous defeat. To save face, the Saintess even specifically ordered the true losses of that battle concealed. They announced that Chrysanthemum Pass and Old Ghost had accompanied the Pope on the mission. After all, ordinary Soul Masters dying did not matter, but if word spread that Titled elders had been defeated and killed, it would deal a severe blow to Spirit Hall's prestige."

"Hmph! Those who commit countless evil deeds will eventually destroy themselves. If Fengzhi had not stopped me and told me to consider the bigger picture, my Seven Kill Sword would have personally taken Lin Xie's head!"

"Exactly! Even if Lin Xie hadn't met with this disaster, I would have sent him on his way myself. But this saves us the trouble now. Hahaha!"

Xu Bayan laughed heartily. Just as he was about to reward himself with another bowl of seaweed beef tendon stew, he reached out with his spoon and found the porcelain bowl completely empty. His smile froze, and he whispered to his wife beside him:

"Yu'er, how did my favorite seaweed beef tendon stew disappear in the blink of an eye?"

Ning Fengyu suppressed a smile and tilted her head toward their precious son.

"Who told you to focus only on talking? It's all in your son's stomach now~"

Xu Huxiao finished the last spoonful of stew and burped contentedly. Seeing his father looking at him, he asked in confusion:

"Father, what's wrong?"

Xu Bayan snorted. "Brat, you sure are fast."

Xu Huxiao blinked, looking utterly innocent.

Ning Fengyu placed a chicken drumstick in Xu Bayan's bowl and scolded him teasingly:

"Brother Yan, you're such a grown man, yet you're competing with your son for food. Aren't you ashamed?"

After finishing his meal, Chen Xin looked at the happy Xu family of three. After some thought, he spoke:

"Now that Flash Mongoose is dead and Lei Dao is seriously wounded, the threat to the Xu Family has been removed. And Bayan has recovered from the injuries he sustained during his last outburst. There is no need for me to remain in Spirit City any longer. I plan to set off for Seven Treasure City tomorrow morning."

Hearing that Uncle Sword was leaving, Ning Fengyu felt somewhat reluctant.

"Uncle Sword, don't leave in such a hurry. Yu'er still has plenty of dishes she hasn't made for you to try."

Chen Xin smiled warmly. "Hahaha, it's enough. Fengzhi wrote to say that his child has been born—a daughter. Her name is Rongrong. I want to go back and see her."

"Besides, the sect's affairs are already busy enough. Now that Fengzhi has a daughter, he is probably struggling to manage both sides. I can go back and help share some of his burden."

Then Chen Xin looked at Xu Huxiao, blinked, and reminded him:

"Little Huxiao, don't keep your head down and train all the time. Sometimes, taking a break and balancing work with rest can actually make you twice as effective with half the effort."

Xu Huxiao obediently agreed.

Now that Qian Xunji had returned severely injured, Bibi Dong devouring the Angel Martial Soul, murdering her teacher, and seizing the throne could not be far off.

Before then, he had to find an opportunity to speak with his father about becoming her disciple.

After all, if he could become her disciple directly through connections, that would naturally be best. If not, Xu Huxiao would only have the path of displaying his talent.

With top-tier Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power, he refused to believe Bibi Dong would not have thoughts of nurturing and making use of him.

But that was the final choice only if all else failed. The secret of his Twin Martial Souls was his trump card, and he did not want to reveal it before others too early.

Although he actually possessed three Martial Souls now, the more trump cards he held, the better.

The next day.

A carriage departed from Xu Residence, headed for the Soul Hunting Forest outside the city.

It was time to obtain his first Soul Ring.

But this time, it was not just Xu Bayan and his son setting out. There was also a father and daughter in the carriage.

Bao Dexian and his daughter, Bao Jingjing.

Bao Dexian was one of Xu Bayan's Heaven-Stealing Twin Bandits. A food-type Soul Ancestor, he possessed a spatial Martial Soul Fusion Skill called Steal the Heavens, Change the Sun together with another person. He was a potbellied, middle-aged fat man.

The reason he was in the carriage was that Bao Dexian's daughter had also reached the level where she could obtain her first Soul Ring.

When he learned that Xu Bayan was leaving the city to hunt Soul Beasts, Bao Dexian shamelessly tagged along.

After all, the resources elders could access were beyond what people like them could compare to. If he could benefit from it and obtain a good Soul Ring for his daughter, it would be an enormous gain.

One more person or one fewer person made no difference to Xu Bayan, so he agreed.

Inside the carriage.

Xu Huxiao looked at the honest-looking fat man, Bao Dexian, sitting opposite him without daring to move, and his thoughts stirred slightly.

He had not expected his father to have such an unusual person under his command.

Although Bao Dexian was only a Soul Ancestor, a spatial Martial Soul Fusion Skill was rare and difficult to guard against. The Mirror Flower, Water Moon who had kidnapped him was just like that.

If used properly, this man would be an excellent trump card for treasure hunting in the future.

For instance, when the time was right, he could steal Tiandou's national treasure, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud!

Of course, that was still a little early.

But it was not a method he could not try.

As Xu Huxiao thought this, he turned his gaze to the little girl beside Bao Dexian.

The little girl looked about six or seven years old. Her skin was fair and tender, her cheeks still slightly chubby with baby fat. Her large eyes were bright black and white, and her thick, long braid hung down her back. Her hands kept twisting together over her lotus-green dress, making her appear timid and shy.

When Bao Jingjing noticed the person opposite her looking at her, she immediately lowered her head and shrank closer to her father.

Xu Huxiao was speechless. Was he really that scary?

He only looked a little taller and stronger than children his age.

At the same time, information from the Eye of Omniscience entered his mind:

[Human]: Bao Jingjing

[Age]: Seven

[Martial Soul]: Crystal Abalone

[Level]: Ten (maximum 420 years)

[Soul Skill]: None

[Inner Thoughts]: Why is this big brother in front of me staring at me? So scary, boohoo~

What big brother? I'm a year younger than you, okay? Little brother would be more like it.

Pah, I'm a grown man. What little brother? What kind of nonsense am I thinking...

Xu Huxiao's urge to complain flared up again. It was a lingering aftereffect of the life-and-death battle in that cave, making him habitually want to make a snarky remark.