I Don't Know!

"Innate Full Soul Power?"

Madam Ye's eyes widened in surprise.

Even as a Soul Sage, she had possessed only level-seven Innate Soul Power when she awakened her Martial Soul.

And her daughter, the family's greatest talent in a century, had possessed only level-nine Innate Soul Power.

Yet here, in a frontier city like Notting City, a child with Innate Full Soul Power had appeared. How could she not be astonished?

Seeing Madam Ye's surprise, Dean Wei looked rather pleased with himself.

As if he were the one with Innate Full Soul Power.

Of course, Dean Wei said no more. In particular, he kept quiet about the three children with Innate Full Soul Power who had enrolled at his academy this year. He knew that possessing a treasure could bring trouble upon the innocent.

And with a Spirit Hall branch master beside him who had been eager to recruit talent in recent years, he had even more reason to hold his tongue.

"Innate Full Soul Power, a talent that appears once in a century! To think I saved such a promising little fellow!"

Madam Ye sighed, then rubbed Chu Chen's bare head with interest.

"But I'm afraid I have some bad news for you, little one. You'll have to wait three months before obtaining your first Soul Ring. Your body can't bear it yet, even if you ask someone else to hunt a soul beast for you. Your meridians are far too fragile right now."

"Fortunately, with your Innate Full Soul Power, a delay of three months won't matter much, will it?"

As she spoke, Madam Ye took her hand off Chu Chen's head and smiled at everyone present.

"Well, I've done what you asked. I leave for Heaven Dou City tomorrow, so I won't keep you any longer."

"Thank you for your help, Madam Ye. Please, don't let us keep you!" the three men said in unison.

The three most powerful men in Notting City cupped their hands respectfully toward her.

Madam Ye saw Chu Chen nod obediently, and her smile softened. She reminded him once more.

"Remember what I said. Rest well. For the next three months, you must not use your Soul Power or get into any serious fights. You're still young, with a long road ahead of you. Nothing matters more than building a solid foundation."

"Yes, Madam Ye. I'll remember your advice."

Chu Chen thanked her solemnly again.

Madam Ye gave a slight nod. Without another word, she turned and left the room with graceful steps.

The door closed softly, shutting out the sounds beyond it.

Almost the instant it closed, the atmosphere in the room changed.

City Lord Xiao of Notting City, Ma Xiunuo of the Spirit Hall Branch Hall, and Dean Wei of the Junior Soul Master Academy were all men whose word carried weight throughout the city. Yet all three let out nearly imperceptible breaths of relief, their tense shoulders relaxing a little.

Their standing in Notting City was lofty, and they held authority over its affairs. But the pressure of facing a Soul Sage was real—especially a Healing-type Soul Sage from Heaven Dou City with a formidable background.

Even the aura and knowledge she revealed without thinking had kept them from showing the slightest carelessness or disrespect.

A brief silence settled over the room.

The three exchanged glances. Then, as one, they turned toward Chu Chen, who sat propped against the headboard, still wrapped in bandages.

Their gazes held curiosity, scrutiny, shock, and an eagerness they could scarcely hide.

A six-year-old with Innate Full Soul Power had been at the center of an explosion caused by a battle between Titled Douluo, yet had somehow survived...

That alone was an enormous mystery. It might also point to an unimaginable opportunity or background.

After a moment of silence, City Lord Xiao cleared his throat and spoke first.

He forced his warmest smile, but his voice remained cautious, as though he feared touching on something forbidden.

"Chu Chen... are you feeling better? Madam Ye's healing arts truly are miraculous."

Chu Chen nodded politely.

"Thank you for asking, City Lord. I'm much better now."

City Lord Xiao rubbed his hands together and chose his words carefully before finally asking the question that had been on all three men's minds.

"Well... Chu Chen, about the academy's Back Mountain... what exactly happened that night?"

"How did you end up there? Did you see anything?"

At once, Ma Xiunuo and Dean Wei held their breath. They stared intently at Chu Chen, waiting for his answer.

Chu Chen had expected this.

From the moment he woke and sensed their attitude, he had known there was no avoiding the question.

The upheaval on Back Mountain had nearly destroyed half the mountain, and the commotion had been heard throughout the city. It was bound to draw attention and investigation.

The Heaven Dou Imperial Family, Spirit Hall Headquarters, and the other major powers... word would likely reach them soon.

Chu Chen could have made up a story. He could claim to have stumbled upon a confrontation between two mysterious experts, or that some great master had saved him in passing. He could even hint at a connection to one of them.

Borrowing an expert's reputation might deter troublemakers and bring him some advantages in the short term.

But Chu Chen knew it would be a double-edged sword.

One lie would demand countless others to sustain it. If he tied himself to an invented expert—or one he could not control—and someone investigated, or that borrowed reputation failed him, the consequences would be severe.

He was weak and badly injured. What he needed most was to keep a low profile and recover, not be thrust into the spotlight as a subject of investigation or a pawn in the major powers' schemes.

Under the three men's tense scrutiny, Chu Chen let just the right amount of confusion and lingering fear show on his face.

He furrowed his brow slightly, as if struggling to remember, then slowly shook his head with conviction.

"I don't know."

His voice sounded weak and bewildered, like a child's.

"That night, the dormitory felt stuffy, so I went to the Back Mountain for a walk and some fresh air... Then all of a sudden, I felt awful. I couldn't breathe. It was like the sky was falling."

"After that... I saw a really bright light. Then I don't remember anything... When I woke up, I was here."

Chu Chen looked up at the three important men. They were clearly dissatisfied with his answer, yet could find no fault with it. He met their eyes with a guileless gaze and added,

"City Lord Xiao, Hall Master Ma Xiunuo, Dean Wei... was there an earthquake on the academy's Back Mountain?"

Silence fell over the room again.

The three men exchanged glances, each seeing the same helplessness and lingering doubt in the others' eyes.

Chu Chen's answer was remarkably straightforward. He sounded exactly like an ordinary child who had been caught in a disaster through no fault of his own.

But that was at odds with the fact that he had survived.

They had found Chu Chen at the very center of the explosion!