Following the Village Chief through several narrow field ridges, a low thatched cottage gradually came into view.
The thatch on the roof had yellowed somewhat, and several morning glory vines climbed the corners of the walls, blooming vibrantly.
The Village Chief called out from outside the courtyard: "Xiao Wu! Xiao Wu! The Soul Master from Spirit Hall is here to see you!"
A series of light footsteps came from inside the house, the door curtain was pushed aside, and a girl in a pink short jacket ran out.
The girl wore a playful scorpion-tail braid with red cloth strips tied at the ends. Her eyes sparkled like black grapes soaked in morning dew as she tilted her head curiously:
"Uncle Village Chief, who are they?"
"Xiao Wu, they are important figures from Spirit Hall. They heard you awakened with Innate Full Soul Power and came to see you!"
Su Yu took half a step forward, his gaze falling on Xiao Wu, his tone gentle:
"Little sister, would you like to join Spirit Hall? Just nod your head, and I'll take you to Martial Soul Holy City!"
"There you'll receive guidance from the most elite Soul Masters, allowing your talent to fully blossom."
The Village Chief listened with growing excitement, quickly stepping forward to persuade:
"Girl, this is a tremendous opportunity! What kind of place is Martial Soul Holy City?"
"That's the holy land every Soul Master dreams of visiting! It has Titled Douluo guarding it, and Soul Douluo are as common as hairs on a cow!"
"With your talent, you're bound to be noticed by powerful masters there. With a good teacher to cultivate you, your future prospects would be limitless!"
Xiao Wu's face instantly drained of color.
Her hands clenched tightly behind her back, knuckles turning white. The Village Chief had no idea she wasn't an ordinary child but rather a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast Transformation!
What kind of place was Martial Soul Holy City? It was the core territory of Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent, filled with countless powerful experts.
If she went there, wouldn't she be walking right into a trap, delivering herself directly into the hands of those Soul Masters?
She suppressed the shock in her heart, a flicker of panic quickly passing through her eyes before she concealed it instantly. She just bit her lip, not daring to respond immediately.
"Little sister, there's no need to be nervous. You can take your time to consider!"
Xiao Wu lowered her head. After a long while, she looked up at Su Yu.
"Soul Master, I've made my decision. I want to stay in Nuoding City. I don't want to go to Martial Soul Holy City!"
The Village Chief staggered in shock at Xiao Wu's refusal, quickly pulling her aside a few steps and whispering urgently:
"Xiao Wu! You foolish girl! That's Martial Soul Holy City we're talking about!"
"How many Soul Masters would fight tooth and nail to get in there? How can you refuse just like that?"
Xiao Wu stiffened her neck, her small face flushing red: "Uncle Village Chief, I just don't want to go!"
"What do you know! You have Innate Full Soul Power! That's a gift from heaven! At the Holy City, how many powerful masters would treat you like a treasure?"
"Never mind Titled Douluo, even if a Soul Douluo takes a liking to you and accepts you as a disciple, wouldn't you have all the cultivation resources you could want?"
"When you become an important figure in the future, wouldn't it be easy for you to come back for visits?"
He grew more excited as he spoke, his spittle nearly spraying on Xiao Wu's face:
"Staying in this poor village, even with your great talent, it will all be wasted!"
"We can't even help you hunt a proper Soul Ring here. Xiao Wu, listen to your uncle and go to Martial Soul Holy City!"
Xiao Wu's eyes reddened at his words, but she still gritted her teeth and shook her head:
"I won't! No matter how great the Holy City is, it's not my home."
Given her identity, if she really went to that place, forget about becoming an important figure—it would be difficult to even guarantee her survival.
Seeing that he couldn't persuade her, the Village Chief stomped his feet in frustration, yet couldn't bring himself to scold the child. He could only let out a heavy sigh and turned to Su Yu with an apologetic expression:
"Soul Master, this girl... she's too young to understand anything. Please don't take it to heart."
Su Yu waved his hand, "Yes, I understand. Since Xiao Wu is unwilling, we naturally won't force her!"
Su Yu gestured for no further discussion and left with the attendant.
About a quarter of an hour later, he returned alone, standing silently outside the thatched cottage where Xiao Wu lived.
In the courtyard, Xiao Wu was squatting beside the stone mill. Sunlight fell on her pink sleeves, making her figure appear particularly vivid.
A faint glimmer flashed in Su Yu's eyes as he quietly activated his Two-Tomoe Sharingan.
In that instant, a faint pink glow enveloped Xiao Wu's body, swirling like a thin mist.
What stirred his heart even more was the faint appearance of a pair of fluffy pink rabbit ears atop her head.
Near the base of her tailbone, a short, pinkish-white tail swayed gently with her movements—something ordinary people would never notice without the insight of the Sharingan.
"It seems this Two-Tomoe Sharingan can already see through the disguise of Spirit Beast Transformation."
Su Yu understood clearly. He had used the Sharingan to observe other Beast Spirit Masters before but had never witnessed such a scene.
"A hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring... how interesting."
A meaningful curve lifted the corner of his mouth as his figure vanished from the spot, heading straight back to the Spirit Sub-Hall in Nuoding City.
One day later, Su Yu left Nuoding City with Xue Na.
Three days later, an ornately decorated carriage slowly entered the Martial Soul Holy City.
A small hand gently pulled aside the carriage curtain, revealing Xue Na's eyes filled with curiosity.
Gazing at the bustling streets and rows of magnificent buildings outside the window, her small mouth slightly agape in amazement.
Letting the curtain fall, she turned and sat beside Su Yu, wrapping her arms around his, her voice brimming with excitement:
"Brother Su Yu! The Martial Soul Holy City is so big! It's much, much larger than Nuoding City!"
Su Yu ruffled Xue Na's little head and spoke gently:
"Yes! After we meet my teacher, I'll take you around the city!"
"Okay! Thank you, Brother Su Yu!"
The carriage headed toward the Spirit Hall. After about five minutes, it came to a stop in front of the Spirit Hall. A knight in silver armor stepped forward:
"Hello, please present your token!"
Su Yu opened the carriage curtain and looked at the knight:
"It's me!"
"Your Highness, the Holy Son! I'll grant passage immediately!"
...
Inside the Papal Hall—
Bi Bidong sat on the papal throne, the dark patterns along the edges of her golden Papal Robe shimmering in the light.
Her slender fingers pressed gently against her brow, a faint trace of gloom hidden within her furrowed eyebrows.
"Still no trace of the Holy Son?"
Her voice was not loud, but it carried a chill, as if laced with ice, cooling the air in the hall.
Crimson Flame Douluo, clad in red robes, knelt on one knee, her voice filled with remorse:
"I am incompetent. The personnel dispatched have yet to discover the whereabouts of His Highness, the Holy Son..."
"Useless!"
Bi Bidong's eyes snapped open, a sharp glint flashing in her purple-gold pupils.
"You were tasked with protecting the Holy Son, yet you returned alone. If anything happens to the Holy Son, I will hold you personally responsible!"
Crimson Flame Douluo trembled, not daring to raise her head: "This subordinate deserves death ten thousand times!"
Bi Bidong took a deep breath, suppressing the fury in her heart, her fingertips lightly tapping on the armrest:
"Step back! Continue sending people to search. Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, find him for me!"
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