The Blonde Girl

Nuoding City lay in a remote region, more than two thousand kilometers from Heaven Dou City. At the convoy's pace, the journey would take about a month.

Huo Linfei was in no hurry. He could cultivate while they traveled, and time passed quickly when he was cultivating.

And so, more than half a month slipped by.

The convoy drew ever closer to Heaven Dou City and reached the outskirts of its territory.

After more than half a month of cultivation, Huo Linfei felt his Soul Power growing denser. He sensed that it would not be long before he broke through level thirty and became a Soul Elder.

A few days after they reached Heaven Dou City should do it.

Life gave him more to look forward to with every passing day. Before he knew it, he had spent over three years in this world.

Huo Linfei sighed at the thought.

Just then, the six people in the convoy suddenly came to a stop.

"What's going on?"

Puzzled, Huo Linfei stepped out of the carriage.

Five figures blocked the convoy's path.

At their head stood a burly, bald man with a scar on his face.

Huo Linfei frowned instinctively. They looked like trouble, but he remembered Director Su's advice: when traveling, it was better to avoid trouble, even if it cost money. With that in mind, he walked over to the convoy leader, who was negotiating with them.

"How many soul coins will it take for you to leave?"

Huo Linfei put the question to the bald man, but instead of answering, the man whispered to his companions.

"Is this the one?"

"Yes, boss. Red hair, a child about a meter sixty tall, a six-person convoy. Everything matches."

They spoke quietly, but Huo Linfei still heard them.

His frown deepened. They had come for him. But he had only just arrived in this area. How could he have crossed them?

"If it's him, let's do it. I'm tired of waiting. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can leave."

"Kid, I'd advise you not to resist. Do that and we might make it quick. Otherwise... heh, heh..."

The bald man and the long-faced man beside him spoke in turn.

"And of course... the rest of you too."

The long-faced man swept his gaze over everyone besides Huo Linfei.

Their hearts sank at his words, though none of them showed panic.

They worked as escorts, after all, making a living by licking blood from the edge of a blade. They had fought plenty of highwaymen and Soul Beasts alike.

Huo Linfei felt no panic either, only puzzlement. He might look like a child now, but his soul was no child's. After all the battles he had fought, large and small, this was child's play.

Seeing that the group had not been frightened and had instead readied themselves to fight, the bald man and the long-faced man frowned.

"Forget it. Attack!"

At the bald man's order, the long-faced man and the other three revealed their Soul Rings. Each had one white and two yellow rings, while the bald man had one white and three yellow.

"A Soul Ancestor!"

Huo Linfei's eyes narrowed. This time, the odds of getting out alive looked slim.

The strongest escort Director Su had found for him was only a level-thirty-eight Soul Elder. The other three were merely lower-level Soul Elders.

The instant the bald man revealed four Soul Rings, the escorts who had stayed calm faltered. Some even thought of retreating and bitterly regretted taking this job.

The other side had a Soul Ancestor. How were they supposed to fight him?

The standoff broke, and battle erupted.

The level-thirty-eight Soul Elder on Huo Linfei's side took on the bald Soul Ancestor.

The long-faced man went for Huo Linfei, letting out strange chuckles as he approached.

"Heh, heh, heh. Don't blame me, kid. Someone paid for your life. Don't worry, it won't hurt. I'll make it quick."

As he spoke, he licked his lips.

Huo Linfei ignored him. Two purple Soul Rings lit up beneath his feet.

"P-purple Soul Rings?!"

At the sight of Huo Linfei's rings, the long-faced man's expression froze as though he had seen a monster. Dread surged through him.

The others turned to look, shock appearing on their faces as well.

"Stop standing there and attack! So what if they're purple? He's still just a Soul Grandmaster! You're a three-ring Soul Elder. Don't tell me you're afraid of him!"

The bald Soul Ancestor was the first to recover, and he roared at the long-faced man.

The shout snapped the long-faced man out of it. He brandished his dagger and lunged straight at Huo Linfei!

Huo Linfei merely gave a scornful smile. Unafraid, he charged to meet him!

He might not be able to beat the Soul Ancestor, but he had no fear of a level-thirty-four Soul Elder.

"You're asking to die, kid!"

The long-faced man felt deeply insulted when Huo Linfei attacked instead of retreating, and he shouted in fury.

"Third Soul Skill: Fatal Strike!"

"First Soul Skill: Fire Fist!"

Both unleashed their Soul Skills at once.

The enormous fist of fire surged forward with scorching heat. The long-faced man's Third Soul Skill could not even get close!

Before the long-faced man could curse, a fist wreathed in fiery-red Soul Power came straight at him and struck him square in the face!

He hit the ground with a wretched howl!

The smell of scorched skin filled the air.

The blow had landed, but it was not enough to kill him. He had reacted quickly and used his Soul Power to defend himself.

"You little bastard. Now you've made me angry!"

The long-faced man staggered to his feet, his burned face looking even more hideous.

They clashed again. The longer they fought, the more alarmed the long-faced man became. He had been on the back foot from the start.

But Huo Linfei was the only one with the upper hand. The others were no match for the Soul Ancestor. Before long, they had all been knocked to the ground, leaving Huo Linfei the only one standing.

"Who would've thought? You're the toughest fighter here, you little brat."

Watching Huo Linfei knock the long-faced man down, the bald man walked slowly toward him.

Huo Linfei had beaten the long-faced man, but it had cost him a great deal of Soul Power. Facing the Soul Ancestor now, he was far from confident.

"Is it time to use that move...?"

Huo Linfei murmured under his breath.

In his current state, using it might well leave him unconscious. If that happened, whether he lived or died would come down to luck.

But he had no other choice, and he had always thought himself lucky.

The moment the bald man charged, Soul Power erupted from Huo Linfei's entire body.

"Fire Cloud Art!"

Boom!

With a deafening crash, the bald man fell to the ground, disbelief written across his face. Huo Linfei collapsed too, his strength and Soul Power exhausted.

As his consciousness faded, he saw three figures approaching. He could make out only the tall figure in the middle.

Even at a glance, he could tell she was a breathtakingly beautiful young woman. Her golden hair danced in the wind, and her skin was smooth as congealed cream, whiter than snow...

(P.S. This story is in its trial period, so please remember to check for updates every day. I'd appreciate your support. Thank you!)