"Lady Yan, Lady Keke."
After Zhu Zhuqing, the leader of the group, left without issuing any instructions, the guards all turned expectantly to Dugu Yan and Yu Keke.
"Keep patrolling. I need to go see what's going on."
Dugu Yan was now deeply curious about what Ning Rongrong had been through. She gave a quick order, then grabbed Yu Keke and followed along.
They had assumed Ning Rongrong was staying somewhere inside the city, but to their surprise, she led Zhu Zhuqing through a series of twists and turns, eventually taking them outside the city altogether.
"Rongrong, where are we going? Isn't your Grandpa Sword nearby?"
Zhu Zhuqing asked with confusion as she was tugged along.
"No. We didn't dare stay inside the city."
Ning Rongrong shook her head, offering no further explanation.
"We're almost there… just ahead."
When she finally stopped, they found themselves at the edge of an old, long-dried-up river, overgrown with weeds. An abandoned bridge lay before them, clearly unused for years.
"Grandpa Sword!"
Ning Rongrong called out and, ignoring the brambles that scratched her hands along the way, began descending toward the space beneath the bridge.
"Cough cough… Rongrong…"
A faint, wheezing voice echoed from under the arch.
"Grandpa Sword, I'm back!"
Ning Rongrong cried out excitedly. "We're saved now, Grandpa. My friends found me!"
Just as she spoke, a chilling wave of sword intent surged from beneath the bridge, causing everyone behind her to instinctively tense up.
"Grandpa Sword, they're not enemies…"
Seeing this, Ning Rongrong quickly parted the last of the thorny vines and rushed to Chen Xin's side.
"…Please don't be alarmed. We're Rongrong's friends."
Though the man before them looked ancient and deathly pale, Zhu Zhuqing could still feel the terrifying sense of danger emanating from him. She stepped forward, offering words to soothe him.
"..."
Chen Xin stared warily at the group of young women, suspicion still heavy in his murky eyes. But then his gaze shifted to the one at the rear — Yu Keke — and his pupils suddenly widened in shock.
"You—You're…!!"
He struggled to rise, and only then did the others notice that beneath his tattered robes, one of his legs was missing.
"Grandpa Sword, don't move! They're really my friends."
Ning Rongrong rushed behind Chen Xin, carefully helping to prop him up.
"Huh? I've seen you before — you're the one my big brother beat up."
Yu Keke was lazily cuddling her flaming cat-spirit, but her eyes lit up in recognition. She clearly remembered how her brother had saved her at the auction house that day — and also remembered this very old man getting thoroughly beaten.
"You… weren't you already dead?"
Chen Xin was just as stunned. He vividly recalled that this little fox girl had died in Heaven Dou. It was precisely because of that incident that Ning Fengzhi had brought Rongrong back to him.
They'd lost sleep for many nights after that, fearing that that man might direct his fury at Ning Rongrong over the girl's death. At the time, their only option had seemed to be sacrificing a limb to save the body. Ning Fengzhi hadn't eaten properly for days.
Yu Keke had no idea what Chen Xin was thinking. She simply nodded her little head and said:
"Later, Brother and Paimon brought me back to life."
"Right… with that man's power, there's nothing he can't do…"
Chen Xin muttered in awe, the shock on his face slowly giving way to certainty.
"Little girl, if you're here… where is that man?" He quickly added, "I mean no offense. I just wish to inform him of something. If possible…"
"Brother isn't here. Neither is Paimon."
Yu Keke shook her head.
"But, Grandpa, if there's something you want to say, you can tell us. We'll pass the message to him."
Though this old man had been beaten by her brother, Yu Keke didn't think he was a bad person. Seeing him in such a miserable state, sympathy stirred in her heart.
"Then please… tell that lord: Tang San somehow gathered a group of Titled Douluo. They overran my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and captured Sect Master Ning.
Given that bastard's vengeful nature, I fear he may try to cause unnecessary trouble for your brother…"
Chen Xin didn't speak in absolutes. He believed that not even a group of Titled Douluo could truly threaten that man. But what he feared was the off-chance — that the man might be caught off guard, and one of his companions hurt because of it.
At the same time, he also wanted that man to be informed. With the forces Tang San had rallied, if there were anyone in this world who could stop him, it would have to be that man.
"Er, Sword Douluo… Tang San is already very dead."
Dugu Yan finally spoke up from the side.
Apparently, neither this Sword Douluo nor the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon folks back at the palace were aware of the latest events.
"What did you say?"
Chen Xin frowned deeply, eyes filled with disbelief.
"Zhuqing… is it true? That bastard Tang San is dead?"
Ning Rongrong turned to Zhu Zhuqing, clearly needing to hear the confirmation from her.
"Mm. Not just Tang San — even the Clear Sky Clan behind him has been utterly destroyed by Lord Xiao."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded solemnly.
Only now did she realize how deeply Tang San and his people had embedded themselves into the world's shadows. Had they not uncovered the Clear Sky Clan's hidden mountain stronghold, who knows how far the chaos would have spread…
"…Hahaha! Hahahaha! Cough cough—"
Chen Xin burst into laughter upon hearing the news.
"Didn't expect karma to come so quickly!"
A gleam of savage delight flickered in his eyes. He looked to Zhu Zhuqing and clasped his hands respectfully.
"May I ask who this Lord Xiao is? I must pay him a personal visit to thank him for avenging us!"
"Lord Xiao is Brother's friend. But Brother said he's already returned to his original place."
Yu Keke answered.
"So he's a friend of that man… then…!"
Chen Xin's heart trembled.
"Then those Titled Douluo who overran our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan must also have been…"
"Mm. They were all eliminated by Lord Xiao."
Zhu Zhuqing affirmed.
"Then… Grandpa Sword, that means… we don't have to hide anymore?"
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up with hope.
"Yes. We finally don't have to run anymore…"
Chen Xin let out a long, relieved sigh. The reason he had fallen to this pitiful state was precisely because he had risked his life to break through the Titled Douluo encirclement and escape with Ning Rongrong.
The clan's elders had sacrificed themselves to buy time. Chen Xin had brought her here to this remote little town on the edge of nowhere and had been in hiding ever since, afraid that those pursuers might still be hunting them.
"But your father…"
Chen Xin trailed off, thinking of Ning Fengzhi — captured by Tang San's group. Now that Tang San had been killed, what of Rongrong's father?
"Wuwuwu…"
At the mention of her father, Ning Rongrong once again burst into tears.
_
(CAUGHT UP WITH THE RAWS IN MY PATREON)
Please support my patreon, patreon. com/TravelerDouluo
And get early access to my 40 advance chapters.