Chance Encounter, Young Shui Bing'er, Ning Rongrong Asks for Continued Reading

"Sister Xue'er, do you think we'll encounter any life-or-death battles with Soul Masters before we reach Suotuo City?"

Guang Yu and Qian Renxue walked along while gnawing on the bread in their hands.

They ate a little to fill their stomachs.

Qian Renxue took out two bottles of mineral water from her Space Soul Tool and handed one to Guang Yu.

After taking a sip, she answered seriously, "Yes. If evil is judged by the sense of justice held by ordinary people, then many Soul Masters in this world deserve to die. If you really want to get involved along the way, you probably won't be able to handle it all."

"Is it really that bad?" Guang Yu could not help asking.

"Guang Yu, public security on the Douluo Continent isn't as good as you imagine." The two and a half years she had spent infiltrating the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace had allowed Qian Renxue to see many things she had never seen before.

With a solemn expression, she continued, "The Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires both use a feudal system, granting stretches of land, regions, or entire cities to nobles."

"And those nobles granted fiefs possess extremely high levels of autonomy, authority, and ruling power over their territories. They can even form armies. So long as nothing major happens, the Empire will not interfere at all. You could say they are local emperors."

"Think about it. What sort of hidden dangers would such a system create?"

Guang Yu said gravely, "If a city is ruled as a fief by an incompetent and corrupt noble, then that city's public order and systems will become extremely chaotic."

"Exactly. There are far too many corrupt, incompetent, and even willfully abusive nobles and local officials in the Two Great Empires. Some nobles even shelter and protect Soul Masters who have committed serious crimes in order to recruit them and strengthen their local forces."

"Spirit Hall has existed to uphold social order and the order among Soul Masters, to kill evil Soul Masters, punish the wicked, eliminate evil, and protect commoners. Spirit Hall handles many of these matters."

"But sometimes, without the cooperation of the Empires, things become very difficult for us. There are even cases we cannot investigate or deal with, and we are short on manpower."

"Although Spirit Hall's influence is spread across the entire continent, with Spirit Hall Branch Halls established in cities large and small, just like the Empires, there are also personnel in some Spirit Hall Branch Halls who are corrupt and neglect their duties."

"The most frightening thing is when a place has not only corrupt nobles and local officials, but also a corrupt and inactive Spirit Hall Branch Hall."

"Still, Spirit Hall is far better than the Empires. At the very least, with Spirit Hall around, this world appears a little safer."

"If Spirit Hall rules this continent in the future, I think perhaps it will become even better."

Qian Renxue's words made Guang Yu fall into deep thought.

He had believed that he understood this world, but in truth, his understanding had not been deep enough. Guang Yu seemed to finally understand why Spirit Hall held such a high status in the eyes of commoners.

It was not merely because it helped children in mountain villages Awaken Martial Souls for free, or handed out free soul coin subsidies, nor was it only because it looked after commoner Soul Masters.

It was also because of its efforts and contributions toward maintaining order across the continent.

Guang Yu replied firmly, "Sister Xue'er, take out the 'perhaps.' If Spirit Hall rules the continent, it will definitely become better."

"Alright, let's pick up the pace. Otherwise, we'll have to spend the night in the wilderness."

"Sleeping outdoors wouldn't be so bad. I brought a tent."

"Only one?"

"Yeah! If Sister Xue'er doesn't mind, we can sleep in the same one!"

Qian Renxue's little face reddened. "In your dreams! No, I want to sleep in a hotel, at an inn!"

"Alright, alright. Then let's hurry up."

A long while later.

It was nearly dark.

Guang Yu and Qian Renxue were fortunate enough to reach an inn just before nightfall.

Because it was not far from the Star Dou Great Forest, nearly everyone who came here was part of the Soul Master community.

Thus, the inn was quite large and rather luxurious.

Guang Yu and Qian Renxue were quite satisfied with the inn and planned to stay the night.

The moment they entered the inn, they found the dining area. Further inside was the lodging area.

Guang Yu and Qian Renxue were hungry as well, so they planned to eat something before going in to book a room and sleep.

The two found a table, sat down, and ordered food.

After ordering, they waited idly.

While waiting for the dishes, Guang Yu glanced over the crowd in the dining hall and suddenly noticed that the people seated at the table in front of him wore familiar-looking clothes.

They were all dressed in ice-crystal-colored attire, each garment bearing an ice-crystal-colored emblem shaped like a snowflake.

There were three of them.

A woman in her thirties.

A teenage girl.

And a five-year-old little girl. She was exceptionally cute, with chubby cheeks and fair, tender skin. Her beautiful ice-crystal-colored long hair curled slightly at the ends.

She wore a gentle, sweet smile that made her seem very lovable.

She was intently playing with the Ice Phoenix toy figurine her mother had just bought for her.

"Are they from Skywater Academy?" Guang Yu guessed.

And those three were indeed from Skywater Academy.

Skywater Academy's headmaster, Shui Lingyu, a Skywater Academy student, and the headmaster's daughter, Shui Bing'er.

Before Guang Yu could further speculate about their identities—

A shrill, spoiled child's voice came from the entrance of the inn. "The young miss has arrived! Everyone, move aside~!"

"Hm?"

Guang Yu and Qian Renxue could not help turning to look.

They saw a four-year-old girl in an emerald-green long dress striding in arrogantly.

The disdainful look in her eyes made it obvious that she was a spoiled, willful, and overbearing little girl.

Following behind her was a refined, gentle-looking man dressed in a pure white robe. Two men with extraordinary bearing followed behind him on either side.

There was also a maidservant specifically assigned to care for the four-year-old girl.

Four people entered in total, instantly drawing everyone's attention in the inn.

Qian Renxue frowned. "Guang Yu, an extraordinary group has arrived."

"Could they be..." Guang Yu had vaguely guessed it as well.

"Yes, Ning Fengzhi, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, as well as Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, the two Titled powerhouses."

"So it really is them." Guang Yu's expression shifted slightly. "Then this little girl who looks so arrogant and overbearing must be Ning Rongrong."

"I didn't expect to run into this group here."

Watching Ning Rongrong's behavior, Ning Fengzhi shook his head with a smile and reprimanded her, "Rongrong, don't be so rude. Why are you telling everyone to move aside the moment you come in?"

Bone Douluo, however, defended her with an indulgent look. "Hey, Sect Master, Rongrong is still young. Don't scold her."

"Hehe~" Hearing Bone Douluo stand up for her, Ning Rongrong mischievously stuck out her tongue at Ning Fengzhi.

Her behavior did not restrain itself in the slightest.

Ning Fengzhi smiled wryly. "Uncle Bone, you all spoil Rongrong too much. If I don't discipline her now, she'll be spoiled rotten by us."