Beside the Ten-Thousand-Li Quicksand Land

Only after the vast majority of people had actually left did Old Suolong pat his old friend on the shoulder.

"Go make the arrangements. I'll handle things here, so don't worry."

"Besides, when you recommended Little Tian'en back then, you should have known the little fellow was never destined to stay with us."

With that, he didn't wait for Old Xiu Nuo to say anything else. He began clearing the plates and tidying up the whole kitchen.

Old Xiu Nuo watched his old friend work with such practiced ease that he had even started humming. He took a deep breath and cast aside the excitement, pleasant surprise, and inexplicable sense of loss in his heart.

After straightening his clothes and making sure he had lost none of his dignity, he left the cafeteria, returned to his office, and summoned his trusted subordinates.

"Make your preparations. Next, we're going west to take a look at that expanding stretch of sand."

"If the information proves accurate, our Spirit Hall branch in Vast Sea City might be in for a stroke of great fortune."

Once his sense of loss, excitement, and every other emotion had faded, the bishop who had once been a teacher revealed the authority and strategic thinking expected of Vast Sea City's bishop.

"Next, we need to protect that area. Once what I've spoken of is verified, the name of our Vast Sea City will become known throughout the world."

"What do you think of calling it the Ten-Thousand-Li Quicksand Land?"

Unfortunately, Xiunuo's words were destined to receive no answer as he spoke to himself.

He turned to glance at his silent confidants and rubbed his brow. "Also, wait for my signal. Once you receive it, inform the city lord. It's his territory, after all."

A fierce presence surrounded Xiunuo, but it lacked the bone-deep chill it usually carried.

Only after his subordinates had cupped their fists and left did he turn his gaze to the wall of his office.

There hung a painting of a couple laughing as they held a little girl.

It was a portrait he had commissioned from Vast Sea City's most famous painter back then.

But after that year, it became one of the few things he had left to remember his son and daughter by.

However, if Little Tian'en really could obtain the corresponding Soul Skill as he hoped, then their Vast Sea City would surely receive a greater share of Spirit Hall's resources.

The shortage of Soul Masters would also improve.

When that happened, he could use the forces under his command to pressure the lord of Vast Sea City, who rarely bothered with affairs, into relinquishing his control over the city's defenses. Then he could further expand Spirit Hall's influence in Vast Sea City and use it to curb the Vast Sea beast tides, which had grown increasingly ferocious over the years.

"Xiao Dong, daughter-in-law, watch. I, your father, will put a stop to the Vast Sea beast tides in this generation."

With that, the Control System Soul Saint threw open the enormous floor-to-ceiling window in his office in an instant.

With Martial Soul Possession active, he shot straight out of the office and headed west of Vast Sea City with the temple guardian knights of the Spirit Hall main temple, who had just received their orders.

Even so, Old Xiu Nuo had to admit that with him gone and Old Ma also leaving after taking the things, the strength of Spirit Hall's main temple in Vast Sea City had fallen to its lowest point in history.

The assorted demons and monsters who had been unable to act because of these Soul Saints' presence also began to make their moves.

Unfortunately for them-

The fellow who called himself a believer in the Sea God, but actually used faith as a pretext to incite unrest, had only just shouted his slogan when Old Suolong appeared to block his way.

"Martial Soul Avatar · Blazing Fire Spatula!"

"The Sea God won't let you off!"

But while one person failed, some others naturally succeeded.

Taking advantage of the chaos, one person had already left Spirit Hall and arrived in front of a street vendor.

With a subtle exchange of glances, they passed on the information about what had happened here.

From beginning to end, however, they had little idea that the actual strength of Spirit Hall's main temple in Vast Sea City was now at its highest point.

Xiunuo, Ma Chengyuan, and even the temple guardian knights under their command had only left Spirit Hall's main temple temporarily. Sooner or later, they would return.

There was a Soul Douluo here, a Power Attack System Soul Douluo dispatched from Spirit Hall's headquarters, strong enough to suppress the vast majority of the experts in the entire city.

Not to mention Golden Crocodile Douluo, who had merely taken his prospective little disciple to the beach west of Vast Sea City for Soul Hunting.

Mu Tian'en opened his eyes high in the sky.

He curiously examined his surroundings.

In that era, he had seen the sky from high above, surrounded by layers of protection.

Seeing it from such a height with almost no protection around him could be considered an entirely new experience.

Just then, he raised his head and looked at the exceptionally burly old man whose hair and beard were both white. "So, Grandpa, are you a Titled Douluo?"

Mu Tian'en had previously lived from one uncertain meal to the next, but Village Chief Old Beita had never intended for Mu Tian'en or children like Little Yin to grow up knowing nothing.

He had told Mu Tian'en everything he knew about Soul Masters.

The legendary Titled Douluo could all fly.

That was something Old Beita had also told Mu Tian'en.

When Golden Crocodile Douluo heard Mu Tian'en's question, his entire face was wreathed in smiles. "Yes, Grandpa is a Titled Douluo. You can call me Grandpa Jin. Would you like to become a Titled Douluo like Grandpa too?"

Golden Crocodile Douluo still maintained the basic pride of an expert toward his subordinates.

But toward this little disciple, Golden Crocodile Douluo could be said to have shown all the gentleness he was capable of in his life.

His voice was as gentle as he could make it.

But because of his warrior's nature, an indescribable toughness still lay hidden in that gentle voice.

Mu Tian'en, however, did not immediately bow down and acknowledge him as his master as Golden Crocodile Douluo had imagined.

As he nodded, Mu Tian'en instinctively rested his head on Golden Crocodile Douluo's shoulder.

The shoulder was broad.

When Mu Tian'en laid his head on it, he could feel the sturdy muscles beneath the clothes, so thick that they stretched the fabric taut.

But Mu Tian'en's eyes remained fixed on the clouds drifting away beside him.

Gradually, he fell into a daze.

Titled Douluo!

The Titled Douluo his Grandpa Beita had described as powerful as gods. According to legend, a battle between just two Titled Douluo had blasted a mountain into a valley and left not a blade of grass growing there for eighty or a hundred years.

Why hadn't a Titled Douluo that powerful come and driven those monsters away when Dad and Mom were dying?

He sniffed.

Tears began to fill Mu Tian'en's eyes.

But he still remembered that he was resting on someone else's shoulder. He wiped away his tears, braced himself with his little hands, and sat up straight again in Golden Crocodile Douluo's arms.

"Are you all right now?" Golden Crocodile Douluo's voice sounded a little muffled.

He could tell that Mu Tian'en had just cried on his shoulder.

Yet even while crying, he had managed to keep his voice down and keep his tears from falling on Golden Crocodile Douluo.

Why did this little boy seem a bit like Xiao Xue'er?

As Golden Crocodile Douluo looked at Mu Tian'en, his eyes took on a kindness that even his son Jin Yuan was not very familiar with.

"Thank you, Grandpa."

Mu Tian'en instinctively gave a little sob and composed himself, though his eyes were still red.

But a moment later, Mu Tian'en looked at Golden Crocodile Douluo with hope in his eyes. "Grandpa, you're a Titled Douluo. Can a Titled Douluo bring Dad and Mom back?"