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"Just call me Xiaolan. Thank you for stepping in. If it weren't for your arrival, I might have died with regrets," Ye Lan said gratefully.
"No need to thank me, sir. It's my duty. If something had happened to you, the consequences for me would have been far worse," Silver Wolf replied with lingering fear.
Although there had indeed been several attempts to attack Ye Lan recently, they were all minor threats he had easily dealt with. He hadn't expected, however, that someone would take advantage of the early morning, while he was meditating, to launch a sneak attack on Ye Lan's residence.
Even if the "Scholar's" theories are powerful, would a Soul Saint really stoop to ambushing a "Scholar" at dawn?
"Do you know who it was?" Ye Lan asked.
"I was worried about your safety and didn't pursue him further," Silver Wolf shook his head.
"It's alright, you did the right thing," Ye Lan reassured him, feeling more at ease knowing the Spirit Hall was guarding him. Otherwise, being targeted by a Soul Saint would mean he could no longer live openly and would have to disappear from the public eye…
In a certain forest near Soto City—
A man in a black robe, face flushed from drink and reeking of alcohol, was fast asleep. He snored loudly, seemingly oblivious to any threat around him.
Smack!
The man jolted awake. A Contra's presence? Why would a Contra be in Soto City?
He quickly stored his wine pouch back into his soul tool and rushed toward the city center. But just as he approached, his expression changed, and he immediately ran in the direction of Shrek Academy.
Tang Hao hadn't expected that, in addition to a Contra, two Titled Douluo would arrive in such a small place like Soto City. From their auras, Tang Hao estimated both were at least rank 95.
The moment he sensed the Titled Douluo, his first thought was Xiao Wu at Shrek Academy. He didn't want her discovered by them. If the two Titled Douluo got close to Shrek Academy, he wouldn't wait for her and Tang San to bond further—he'd simply snatch her and flee deep into the mountains.
If the two didn't approach Shrek, there was still a chance.
Tang San's one-hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone must not be lost.
Halfway back to Shrek Academy, Tang Hao sensed another presence. As he locked onto the figure with his soul pressure, a voice shouted out.
"Lord Clear Sky, it's me!"
Recognizing Zhao Wuji, Tang Hao appeared instantly in front of him. Tang Hao noticed Zhao Wuji's broken mask, the blood at the corner of his mouth, his tattered black robes, and his unstable aura.
"Oh? You're returning from Soto City center? What happened there?" Tang Hao asked suspiciously.
"Lord Clear Sky, I accompanied your son Tang San to seize a century-old soul bone," Zhao Wuji said, seeking credit.
"A hundred years? A century-old soul bone?" Tang Hao murmured.
A surge of soul power erupted from his body, pulverizing trees within a several-meter radius. Zhao Wuji was thrown back over ten meters, vomiting a mouthful of blood as his internal injuries worsened.
"Useless! Do you want to ruin Xiao San? What good is a century-old soul bone once he becomes a Titled Douluo?" Tang Hao roared.
"It was Tang San's idea. I only followed orders," Zhao Wuji didn't dare argue, but inwardly he grumbled—You're looking down on a century-old soul bone? I don't even have one!
"Where is the soul bone?" Tang Hao asked.
"We… we didn't get it. I tried to take it from Ye Lan, but a Saint Emperor Warrior showed up—a Contra-level one," Zhao Wuji lied, not daring to admit how long he had failed to subdue Ye Lan. He blamed it all on the appearance of a Contra.
"Useless among the useless. You couldn't even take a soul bone from a Soul Grandmaster," Tang Hao nearly exploded again. But seeing Zhao Wuji's serious injuries, he summoned a healing pill from the Clear Sky Sect and tossed it over.
"Still a bit useless, but for helping Xiao San, you deserve this pill," Tang Hao said, secretly relieved. Luckily, they hadn't succeeded. If Tang San had absorbed the soul bone now, it would have caused problems later.
"Thank you, Lord Clear Sky," Zhao Wuji said, swallowing the pill without hesitation.
"Saint Emperor Warrior? Looks like that kid Ye Lan's theories caused more of a stir than Yu Xiaogang's ever did. Still, these are just side paths. He'd be better off spending that time improving his strength," Tang Hao said, shaking his head at the thought of Yu Xiaogang's laughable strength.
Zhao Wuji didn't dare respond and merely nodded.
"Yu Xiaogang is just another useless man. Looking after Tang San, and he doesn't even tell him about soul bones?" Tang Hao scoffed and vanished on the spot.
Zhao Wuji wiped sweat from his brow and finally relaxed his tense shoulders. This family is hard to please, he thought. The younger one betrays his teammates, the older one beats them up. Is licking up to this family really worth it?
Elsewhere—
"Fengzhi, you said someone might target Ye Lan. I didn't expect you to be right. Besides the aura of a Contra and a Soul Saint near Ye Lan, I also just sensed a Titled Douluo. Their aura was extremely restrained, so I can't gauge their exact strength," Chen Xin said.
"Oh? Uncle Jian, a Titled Douluo targeting Ye Lan? That seems unlikely, doesn't it?" Ning Fengzhi asked in surprise.
"Sword Bone, don't tell me you're being paranoid again. I didn't feel anything," Gu Rong teased as usual.
"You old bonehead. How many times have I broken your bones? If you can't sense it, it just means you're far weaker than me," Chen Xin replied without hesitation, unfazed by the nickname "Sword Bone." If anyone else had called him that, they'd likely be dead by now.
"Uncle Jian, Uncle Rong, that's enough. We're about to meet Rongrong's teacher. Show some restraint," Ning Fengzhi said, patting their shoulders.
When the three arrived at Ye Lan's residence, they saw him using Blue Silver Grass to clear the surrounding ruins. What had once been a luxurious home was now nothing but rubble. Debris littered the ground—grass shreds, broken flowers, wooden splinters, dust, bricks, and tiles.
While focused on clearing the area, Ye Lan noticed three people descending on flying swords. Oh? Titled Douluo?
(Author's note: In the original Douluo Dalu, Titled Douluo couldn't fly, which I found lacking in grandeur. In this version, they can. Those with flying martial spirits or flight-related soul skills have enhanced speed and agility, but even ordinary Titled Douluo can fly—just not as effectively.)
Are they the Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and Ning Fengzhi from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Ye Lan's guess wasn't baseless—the sword flight, the middle-aged man's refined and approachable demeanor, and the other's oddly structured frame and withered cheeks were too distinctive to mistake.
"You are?" Ye Lan withdrew the Blue Silver Grass and asked politely.
"You must be young friend Ye Lan? I'm Rongrong's father, Ning Fengzhi. Since you are her teacher, that makes us equals. Just call me Brother Fengzhi," he said warmly, like a spring breeze.
"I'm hardly worthy of the title 'teacher.' I merely taught Ning Rongrong for a brief time. Uncle Fengzhi, I'm only three years older than Rongrong," Ye Lan replied. Despite Ning Fengzhi's courteous tone, Ye Lan wasn't going to exploit that goodwill. The man was at least forty years older than him.
"You're being too modest. Once Rongrong learned from you, you became her teacher—forever. Now, who in the Heaven Dou Empire hasn't heard of the famed 'Scholar' Ye Lan? It's Rongrong's greatest honor to be your student," Ning Fengzhi's admiration for Ye Lan had only grown.
"And it's my honor to have taught her. I've seen her dedication firsthand. Uncle Fengzhi, you haven't seen her yet, have you? I think she'll give you a pleasant surprise," Ye Lan said, genuinely pleased with Rongrong's progress. Teaching her had been much easier than teaching Zhu Zhuqing.
"Hahaha! Hearing you say that puts my heart at ease. With Rongrong in your hands, I have no worries. Honestly, the person I've wanted to see most lately isn't even Rongrong—it's you, young friend Ye Lan," Ning Fengzhi said, his eyes filled with admiration.
"Oh? What's there to see in me?" Ye Lan asked with a smile.
(End of Chapter)