Huo Tian and Huo Yutong were already waiting outside the auction house entrance for Xu Jiujiu behind them. Huo Yutong's fair little hand tightly gripped Huo Tian's red robe.
"Let's go, Brother Huo!"
Xu Jiujiu took out a map of the Star Luo Empire and handed it to Huo Tian. He accepted it and saw that Liuchun City was some distance from Star Luo City.
Huo Tian possessed himself with the Vermilion Bird, and a pair of dazzling Vermilion Bird wings spread behind him. The instant the wings emerged, Evil Fire erupted around him.
Under the influence of the Evil Fire, the temperature of the surrounding air rose noticeably.
"Little Yutong, climb onto my back!"
Huo Tian crouched down, trying to let Huo Yutong climb onto his back so he could fly her to Liuchun City.
Huo Yutong stepped behind Huo Tian and clumsily climbed onto his strong back. She crossed her arms tightly around his neck, her two fair little legs firmly wrapped around his abdomen.
Huo Tian straightened up. Huo Yutong curled into a little ball on his back and gently rested her head on his shoulder.
Huo Tian released his Soul Power and shot into the sky as a streak of red light. Protected by his Soul Power, Huo Yutong watched with a peaceful expression as Star Luo City kept shrinking beneath her feet.
"Mom! This time, I'm really leaving with Master. Wait for me to come back!"
Huo Yutong's eyes reddened as she recalled every little moment of her life with her mother. But now she had a master who doted on her.
"Princess! Your friend's cultivation is truly extraordinary. He's already a Seven-Ring Soul Sage at such a young age!"
Uncle Wang stroked his chin, staring at the streak of red light in the sky in disbelief.
"What? A Soul Saint!"
Xu Jiujiu suddenly paled in shock. She was sixteen now, and her cultivation had only barely reached that of a rank 45 Soul Ancestor, yet Huo Tian, who was only a year older, was already a rank 76 Soul Saint.
When Xu Jiujiu first met Huo Tian, his cultivation had already reached Soul Emperor. She had to win a monster like him over to her side.
The two immediately took out their Flying Soul Tools and fitted them onto their backs. They flew into the sky and followed closely behind Huo Tian, though he had already pulled far ahead of them.
After two hours of flying, Huo Tian finally reached the Liuchun City area. Had he not absorbed the divine fire origin, he truly could not have endured such a prolonged drain on his Soul Power.
"Brother Huo, head to the city lord's estate!"
Xu Jiujiu hovered beside Huo Tian. The three once again flew toward the inner city, and the three figures in the sky also drew the attention of the city's residents.
Liuchun City could be considered one of the largest cities in the southern Star Luo Empire. Nearly ten million people lived here, though most were ordinary people.
City Lord Liu of Liuchun City was a Soul Emperor-level expert.
Over the past month, a nest of Evil Soul Masters had appeared near Liuchun City. They slaughtered all the villagers in the nearby villages, eating human flesh and cultivating with human blood.
City Lord Liu had already launched a large-scale assault against the Evil Soul Masters. Unfortunately, they had a high-level Soul Emperor, leaving him no choice but to request reinforcements from Star Luo City.
Huo Yutong had fallen peacefully asleep on Huo Tian's back. The flames on his body gave him a strong sense of security.
The three landed before the gates of the city lord's estate. A portly middle-aged man had already been waiting outside for quite some time. Seeing that the arrival was Xu Jiujiu, he immediately walked over and greeted her respectfully.
"Princess Xu, you've finally arrived. Let's discuss the details inside the hall."
City Lord Liu politely bowed to Xu Jiujiu, then led the three toward the main hall with a smile.
"Master, we're here!"
Huo Yutong woke with a start and spoke in a soft, weak voice. Rubbing her bleary eyes with her right hand, she lazily remained sprawled on Huo Tian's back.
It had been a long time since Huo Yutong had slept so peacefully. She gently nuzzled her head against Huo Tian's shoulder, her beautiful blue hair falling across her forehead.
Huo Tian raised a hand and pinched Huo Yutong's fair little cheek before striding into the main hall. The decor here could be described as quite lavish.
Xu Jiujiu sat comfortably in the seat of honor, with Uncle Wang standing behind her. Huo Tian and City Lord Liu sat in the guest chairs on either side.
Huo Yutong hopped off Huo Tian's back and trotted around in front of him. She sat quietly and upright on his closed thighs, resting her head against his powerful chest.
City Lord Liu glanced at Huo Tian. He had noticed this young man with his extraordinary bearing early on, but even using his Soul Power to probe, he could not discern Huo Tian's cultivation.
This meant that Huo Tian's cultivation was far above City Lord Liu's own. Waves had long since begun churning in his heart.
Huo Tian did not mind City Lord Liu's probing at all. After all, handsome men drew attention wherever they went.
The servants in the city lord's estate prepared pastries and fine tea for everyone seated there.
"City Lord Liu, how many villages around Liuchun City have fallen victim to the Evil Soul Masters' murderous hands?"
"Roughly how many people are in this nest of Evil Soul Masters?"
Xu Jiujiu lifted the teacup from the table and looked calmly at City Lord Liu. The imposing aura of someone in power radiated from her in an instant.
The atmosphere in the main hall instantly turned solemn.
Huo Tian picked up the pastries from the table and began feeding Huo Yutong, who sat upright in his arms. She ate while listening quietly.
"Alas! The villagers of four villages near Liuchun City were brutally murdered by the Evil Soul Masters. Not a single person survived!"
"This group of Evil Soul Masters numbers around twenty. Their leader is a peak Soul Emperor expert, and he has two Soul King Evil Soul Masters under him. The rest are all two- or three-ring Evil Soul Masters!"
"Ten days ago, I launched an assault on this nest of Evil Soul Masters, thinking their highest cultivation was only Soul King. Who knew I'd fall into their trap?"
"Our people suffered heavy casualties as a result!"
City Lord Liu sighed helplessly. He was still grieving the deaths of his companions, believing he had caused them.
"City Lord Liu! You did your best. Now that I'm here, I'll certainly wipe out these Evil Soul Masters!"
"Let me introduce them. Behind me is Uncle Wang, an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo. The other young man is my friend, a Seven-Ring Soul Sage named Huo Tian."
Xu Jiujiu elegantly sipped her hot tea, pointing a slender finger at Huo Tian nearby. At that moment, he wore a languid expression.
A Soul Emperor Evil Soul Master could not withstand a single blow from Huo Tian.
"Greetings, Elder Wang! Greetings, young hero Huo!"
"Young hero Huo, truly, heroes emerge from the young! To have such cultivation at such a young age!"
City Lord Liu's fleshy, greasy face was wreathed in smiles as he stood to greet the two big shots. With these two present, wiping out the Evil Soul Masters would be as easy as turning over his palm.
"We shouldn't delay. Let's head to the Evil Soul Masters' lair right now!"
The usually quiet Uncle Wang suddenly spoke, his face utterly solemn. He still had important business to attend to and had to end this quickly.
"All right! Everyone, follow me. I already tracked down the Evil Soul Masters' hideout three days ago."
The five left the main hall of the city lord's estate. City Lord Liu led everyone toward the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, ten thousand meters outside Liuchun City.