Leaving Heaven Dou City

"Elder Jian!"

Ning Rongrong ran over just then, followed by a group from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had come to Sunset Forest to hunt Spirit Beasts this time, but Ning Rongrong had insisted on joining the fun, so Sword Douluo Chen Xin had accompanied them to ensure her safety.

Yet when the hunt ended, Sword Douluo Chen Xin suddenly sensed a surge of sword intent. He followed it and found Lan Hong.

To determine whether Lan Hong was the person he sought, he locked onto him with his sword intent and unleashed a blast of sword energy.

Sure enough, it forced Lan Hong to dodge, exposing even stronger sword intent.

But Sword Douluo Chen Xin had wanted to continue testing Lan Hong, only for Lan Hong to summon Purple Crystal Cloud and flee.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin now felt somewhat regretful. It seemed he had frightened away a disciple who might have inherited his legacy.

But why would someone without a sword martial soul possess sword intent? Chen Xin could not make sense of it.

"Elder Jian! Elder Jian!"

"Ah! Rongrong, what is it?"

"Elder Jian, why were you spacing out? Did something happen here?"

"Nothing! Let's head back!"

"Oh!"

Seeing that Sword Douluo had not pursued him, Lan Hong sighed in relief and lowered Purple Crystal Cloud.

"What rotten luck today!"

Lan Hong could not understand Sword Douluo Chen Xin's intentions at all, so he could only assume the old man had lost his mind.

Afterward, Lan Hong did not return to Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Instead, he went to Dugu Manor.

"I say, kid, can't you use the front gate when you come here?"

"There are too many eyes watching this place. Unless necessary, I don't want to expose myself to them."

"You're being overly cautious, aren't you?"

"Think of it that way if you want."

"So, what did you come to see me about today?"

"I came to bid you farewell, Grandpa Dugu."

"Farewell? Where are you going?"

"I've been away from home for several years, and I want to go back and take a look. Though my parents are gone, there are still the villagers who raised me."

"Good! You haven't forgotten your roots even after growing stronger. That's admirable!

"I've seen quite a few Soul Masters who rose from commoner origins. Once they entered noble circles, they severed all ties with the commoners they once were."

"I have no desire to associate with such ungrateful people!"

"When do you plan to leave?"

"Tomorrow!"

"Very well. Rest here today, then!"

"Sounds good!"

The next day, Lan Hong had intended to leave alone, but Dugu Bo had arranged a carriage for him—and Dugu Yan was in it as well.

"Hm? Grandpa Dugu, you don't mean to have Yanzi travel with me, do you?"

"What's wrong with that? I've already arranged leave for Yanzi, saying she needs to go out and gain experience!

"After all, if she remains at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the gap between Yanzi and the other members of the Heaven Dou Royal Team is too wide. Her strength is improving too slowly."

"Enough, Grandpa. You don't need to explain so much! Just tell me, are you taking me or not?"

"You can come, but let me make one thing clear: you must listen to me the entire way!"

"Fine, fine! I'll listen to you!"

Only then did Lan Hong change his appearance and drive the carriage out of Heaven Dou City.

"Hehe! Looks like Yanzi likes that kid. But that kid... forget it! I won't interfere!

"This way, Xue Qinghe won't be able to keep harassing Yanzi!"

That last sentence was his true purpose. Xue Qinghe had only made things worse. Not only had he failed to befriend Dugu Yan, he had achieved the opposite result.

After leaving Heaven Dou City, Lan Hong planned to take the shortest route back to Nuoding City. That way, they would not pass through any major cities.

Dugu Yan had no objections. She was not some pampered young lady incapable of enduring hardship.

After traveling by carriage for a day, Dugu Yan, who had been sitting inside it, felt as though she was about to fall apart. Lan Hong, on the other hand, did not mind at all.

His body had been constantly tempered, and its strength was beyond that of ordinary people.

The carriage stopped. Lan Hong lit a campfire, ate the food stored in his Spatial Soul Tool, and prepared to continue cultivating.

"Hey! Can you stop being such a blockhead? Keep me company and talk to me!"

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Why do you like cultivating so much? With a beauty like me beside you, is cultivation still more attractive?"

Lan Hong did not answer directly. Instead, he asked a question.

"Do you have a goal?"

"A goal?"

"A goal you can strive for!"

"To win the championship of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament?"

"Your goal is too small! That's why you don't feel any sense of urgency!"

"Then what is your goal?"

"Do you think it is right that Soul Masters must hunt Spirit Beasts and absorb Spirit Rings to cultivate?"

"What's wrong with that? Hasn't it always been that way?"

"Does something being done that way since ancient times make it right? I read every book in the Heaven Dou Royal Academy library and arrived at a terrifying conjecture. Do you want to hear it?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"The Soul Master cultivation system was designed by someone, with the purpose of making Soul Masters and Spirit Beasts consume one another!"

"What! How is that possible?"

"Nothing is impossible. And the only beings capable of doing this are those legendary gods!

"My goal is to shatter this system, so that humans will no longer need Spirit Rings to cultivate!"

"You're joking, right?"

"Hehe! Yes, I'm joking. What did you think of that story?"

"Hmph! It wasn't good at all! I'm ignoring you!"

Dugu Yan ran back into the carriage to sleep, while Lan Hong looked up at the bright moon hanging high in the sky.

"Gods! They're merely somewhat stronger people. They are not worthy of the title of god!"

Early the next morning, Lan Hong woke Dugu Yan and, after they washed up, continued onward.

After many days of travel, they had entered the Balak Kingdom.

"There's a small town up ahead. We won't have to sleep out in the open tonight."

"That's great! I can take a bath and get some proper rest!"

However, as they approached the town, Lan Hong sensed something unusual.

It was evening, yet the town was far too quiet. Once they entered, Lan Hong and the others discovered that there was not a single person in the entire town.

"Why is there no one here? Has this town been abandoned?"

"No. It doesn't look as if no one has lived here for a long time. The people of this town could not have left more than two days ago."

Lan Hong had a very bad feeling. His expression became especially grave.

"Stay here and don't leave. I'll go look around!"

"Alright! Be careful!"

"Mm!"

Lan Hong quickly departed and searched around the town for clues.

"Brother Cat, Hong Mao, do you think it could be Fallen Ones?"

"Given the current situation, it's very possible! And this time, an entire town has been harmed. The Fallen Ones are either powerful, or acting as a group."

"Either way, kill them!"

"Mm! Even if they're Soul Fighting Douluos, the three of us can still put up a fight!"

In the end, Lan Hong found a massive pit three li away from the town, densely packed with corpses.

The corpses were nothing but skin stretched over bones. Their essence, energy, and spirit had clearly been completely devoured.