Meanwhile, Lu Qian, who was making his way through the woods, remained completely unaware of the danger that would follow.
Fortunately, Lu Qian knew this was no place to linger. He traveled toward Suotuo City for an entire day and night before finding somewhere to rest.
After eating and drinking his fill, Lu Qian enjoyed a comfortable night's sleep, then continued on his way.
Since Lu Qian wanted to reach Suotuo City sooner, he had no intention of wasting too much time on the road. Whenever he had rested enough, he set off again.
Precisely because of this, although the group tracking Lu Qian with the Fragrance-Seeking Beast could keep on his trail, they fell just short every time.
Five days later, Lu Qian had entered the Balak Kingdom. In a little under two more days of travel, he would reach Suotuo City.
Qingming City was a small city within the Balak Kingdom, and Lu Qian was currently strolling through it. After entering the Balak Kingdom, his pace had slowed noticeably.
Yet as Lu Qian browsed and looked around, he suddenly noticed a rather conspicuous little girl.
The accessories in her hair, on her chest, around her wrists, and at her waist all reflected her lofty status and her family's prominence.
Moreover, these accessories did not look elaborate at all. They seemed to be merely a few scattered embellishments, yet every one was perfectly placed.
With her long braid, fair skin, and long white dress, she looked like a pampered little princess.
She gave people a sense of lofty distance, yet retained a little girl's playful charm.
"Ning Rongrong!"
The timing, the location, and her outfit made Lu Qian almost certain that the little girl before him was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's little princess, Ning Rongrong.
"I never thought I'd run into her so soon."
Lu Qian smiled. He had thought they would meet at Shrek Academy in Suotuo City.
In his previous life, Lu Qian had been rather fond of Ning Rongrong as a character. After arriving on the Douluo Continent, he might have considered trying his luck with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect if Bibi Dong had not taken him straight to Spirit Hall.
Previously, when he had been surrounded by the Three Beauties of Spirit City in Spirit City, Lu Qian's fondness for Ning Rongrong had faded considerably.
But now that he had suddenly encountered her, Lu Qian felt he could resume chasing his dream. After all, collecting every goddess on the Douluo Continent was every male Douluo fan's ultimate wish!
Bros! I'll make your wish come true for you!
Having silently made up his mind, Lu Qian raised his head with a determined gaze and looked toward Ning Rongrong.
"Holy crap, where'd she go?"
Lu Qian had not expected Ning Rongrong to vanish without a trace in the brief moment he had spaced out.
He looked all around, but there was still no sign of Ning Rongrong.
"Where is she?"
Lu Qian dared not delay and hurried forward.
Fortunately, Lu Qian had enhanced his eyesight with Sign-In Coins. A few minutes later, from the roof of a building, he spotted Ning Rongrong.
Ning Rongrong was lying unconscious in a corner of an alley. After approaching, Lu Qian carefully inspected the surroundings again, confirming that no one else was lying in ambush for him before going to her side.
He had to admit that Ning Rongrong truly was a natural beauty. Even drugged unconscious, she was still so pretty.
With no time to admire her closely, Lu Qian tried to wake Ning Rongrong rather roughly.
"Hey, hey, hey! Wake up, wake up!"
Yet even after Lu Qian called out more than a dozen times and even pinched Ning Rongrong's cheeks, she showed no sign of waking.
"The drugs those bastards used probably haven't worn off yet. Forget it, this place isn't very safe. I'll get her out of here first."
With that, Lu Qian hoisted Ning Rongrong onto his back and ran quickly toward the city outskirts.
Since both of them were ultimately headed for Suotuo City anyway, Lu Qian simply decided to take Ning Rongrong along ahead of time.
Although carrying a great beauty like Ning Rongrong on his back was a pleasant experience, the more Lu Qian thought about it, the more something seemed wrong.
First, who had kidnapped Ning Rongrong?
Second, where were those kidnappers?
Finally, could Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo have freaking stepped in and killed those bastards?
Cold sweat broke out on Lu Qian as he thought of Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
After all, if Ning Rongrong's position within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had merely been that of the sect master's daughter, it might not have been so frightening.
What was truly frightening was that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's two old monsters practically spoiled this little princess to the heavens. Even her own father, the sect master, had to watch those two old monsters' expressions.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin was one of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's elders, one of the two Titled Douluo who served as its pillars, and one of the few Super Douluo in the world today. His Martial Soul was the Seven Kill Sword, and he was rank ninety-six.
Bone Douluo Gu Rong was one of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's elders and one of the two Titled Douluo who served as its pillars. His Martial Soul was the bone dragon, and he was known as "World's Number One Defense, Number One in the Uncanny." He was rank ninety-five.
These two old monsters were immensely powerful. Even Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei, who constantly accompanied Spirit Hall's Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong, were no match for them.
Besides, considering that Ning Rongrong had traveled all the way from Heaven Dou City, the imperial capital of the Heaven Dou Empire, it would be a lie to say those two old monsters were not worried.
Thus, it would make perfect sense for the two of them to have secretly protected her all the way here.
At this thought, Lu Qian even felt terrifying pressure emanating from his surroundings from time to time.
How was he carrying a goddess now? He was clearly carrying a time bomb, the kind that could explode at any moment!
Lu Qian slowed his steps, rapidly considering possible ways to respond.
He was genuinely worried that he would die inexplicably at the hands of Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo.
If that really happened, the end of Lu Qian's journey to another world would be far too stifling!
"Hm?"
Suddenly, Lu Qian felt Ning Rongrong move, but then her body abruptly stiffened.
Lu Qian smiled and said softly:
"You're awake?"
Yet something Lu Qian had not expected happened. Ning Rongrong suddenly grabbed his neck and shouted:
"That's for kidnapping me! That's for kidnapping me!"
Unfortunately, Ning Rongrong was far too weak to pose any threat to Lu Qian.
Instead, Lu Qian stopped where he was in utter exasperation and said coldly:
"Have you had enough?"
He then forcibly pulled Ning Rongrong off his back.
But Ning Rongrong completely ignored Lu Qian, whose expression had turned somewhat ugly. Her dark eyes darted about, seemingly searching for a chance to escape.
Seeing this, Lu Qian simply said to Ning Rongrong:
"Go on, then."
"Hm? You're willing to let me go?"
Before you continue