"And Xiao Hao, your Wicked Lord Shingan Martial Soul actually carries the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's presence. If that Scarlet Flame Demon Bear had been thinking normally, he would naturally have been able to tell that it wasn't the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, but..."
At this point, even the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice took on a note of laughter. "Every attack we made back then went straight for that stupid bear's head. Add that to the fact that he wasn't very intelligent to begin with, and his instincts overwhelmed him all at once, so he willingly became Xiao Hao's 'food.'"
Hearing this, even Ning Yuhao, who had weathered many storms, struggled to keep his composure. In the end, all he could say was, "At least the outcome was good."
"Xiao Hao, what's the third Soul Skill you obtained?" the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm asked. As the future commander of the Soul Beast team, he naturally needed to understand every member's abilities.
"My third Soul Skill is called Blazing Hell Mountain-Shaking Palm. When I use it, the Scarlet Flame Demon Bear I summon strikes the ground, unleashing a shock wave centered on him. The shock wave also deals fire damage and applies flames. And if an enemy takes a direct hit, they'll also suffer a forced stun." Ning Yuhao explained the effects of his third Soul Skill in detail.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm thought for a moment. "Now we have offense, defense, and some crowd control. As things stand, all we're missing is a support-type Soul Beast. Your brother is a beastly talent in command, after all. I still fall a little short compared to Soul Beasts that specialize in support."
"Brother Sky Dream, do you have any suggestions?"
"I remember a species in the Star Dou Great Forest called the Emerald Swan. When I was captured back then, I was injured. While I was serving as a blood bag, she even came over to heal me," the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm replied after some thought.
"But I don't think we could beat that Emerald Swan." Ning Yuhao's tone was calm. He remembered that swan. Her age was very high, and she was among the Ferocious Beasts. Even if he were a Titled Douluo now, he might not dare go over and openly hunt her.
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said indifferently, "I never said it had to be that one. I meant the Emerald Swan species. Surely she can't be the only one over ten thousand years old. When you reach level 40, we can wander around the Star Dou Great Forest again and see if we can catch a suitable one."
One person and two Soul Rings rested for a night in Sword City before setting off back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
After seven days of traveling with stops along the way, Ning Yuhao finally made it back.
"Young Sect Master!"
As Ning Yuhao entered the sect, disciples greeted him. He smiled and nodded, occasionally offering a few words of encouragement, looking rather like an elder.
"Xiao Hao! You're back!" Ning Yuhao had intended to report to Ning Fengzhi first, but before he even reached the inner sect, a pale green figure rushed out and crashed straight into his arms.
Ning Yuhao couldn't possibly keep Spiritual Detection active all the time even inside the sect, so he really hadn't noticed her beforehand.
She had rushed at him with considerable force, but Ning Yuhao was already a level 35 Soul Elder. His hands clamped down, his feet rooted to the ground, and he didn't budge in the slightest.
The person in his arms looked up. Who else could it have been but the Little Demoness, Ning Rongrong?
"Xiao Hao, you were gone for so long. You're finally back." Ning Rongrong wrapped her arms around Ning Yuhao's neck and hung from him.
Ning Yuhao patted her back. "Big Sister Rongrong, all right, all right. You're going to strangle me."
Only then did Ning Rongrong jump down, though her face was still filled with delight.
"I wasn't gone that long, was I? Maybe a month or two," Ning Yuhao said, rubbing his nose.
To his surprise, Ning Rongrong folded her arms and raised her chin. "Hmph, that's still a long time, all right? You were gone so long, and you didn't even think to send a letter. After you headed north, the sect's 'eyes' stationed outside lost all news of you. If they hadn't reported seeing you near Sword City a while ago, Dad, Grandpa Sword, and Grandpa Gu would've gone out to find you themselves."
Ning Yuhao hadn't expected that. Perhaps he had traveled too hurriedly on his way to the Far North, leaving those "eyes" no time to pass information between them. As a result, they only knew his general direction but couldn't find him at all.
"All right, all right, I'm back now, aren't I? Besides, I'm different from you." Ning Yuhao pulled Ning Rongrong over to face him, then gently brushed his index finger across her delicate nose.
"Huh?! How are you different? Why, you little Xiao Hao! Are you looking down on support types?!" Ning Rongrong immediately understood what Ning Yuhao meant.
Although Ning Yuhao's Martial Soul was also the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, it wasn't a support type but a mutated summoning type. In other words, he had combat abilities of his own. He wouldn't be like her, barely able to fight back if she truly encountered danger.
"Oh, my dear Big Sister Rongrong, I never said that. Who in the world doesn't know that if you can pay to hire a suitable Soul Master from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for Soul Hunting, both your safety and your chances of success will increase greatly?" Ning Yuhao pulled hard, drawing Ning Rongrong, who had tensed her entire body and stubbornly planted herself in place, into his arms. Then he gently patted her back as though soothing a child.
Ning Yuhao actually hadn't expected that, over these past few years, the once-playful Little Demoness would shed some of her demonic nature and become a tsundere instead. Though, going by her age and figure, perhaps "bratty little girl" would work too.
Only after hearing Ning Yuhao say this did Ning Rongrong relax, though her face remained proud. "Hmph! As long as you understand. Come on, Dad wants to see you."
Ning Rongrong stepped out of Ning Yuhao's arms, took his hand, and led him toward the study.
Inside the study, besides Ning Fengzhi, the two Titled Douluos, Chen Xin and Gu Rong, were also present.
Ning Yuhao had barely entered the room and hadn't even finished his greetings when Bone Douluo rose and walked over to him. Smiling broadly, he patted Ning Yuhao's shoulder with his large hand. "Well, Xiao Hao, you really made a mystery of your travels. Even our 'eyes' scattered across the Douluo Continent couldn't find you. You'll have to tell us all about what you gained on this trip. Just like you said before you left, something about books and roads..."
Toward the end, Bone Douluo rubbed his forehead, having completely forgotten what Ning Yuhao had said back then, even though he had thought it was quite a good saying.
"Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles. All right, Bones, look at how uncultured you are. Stop making a laughingstock of yourself in front of the younger generation," said Chen Xin, whose bearing was refined and scholarly. "Xiao Hao, ever since we lost track of you, Fengzhi was no different from an ant on a hot pan. Going out to gain experience is fine, but you can't cut off all contact with the sect."
By the end, a trace of reproach had entered Sword Douluo's voice as well.