đź’– If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon! I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V
---------------
Soto City, on a street that looked slightly worn down.
A strong wind swept up gravel and dust, constantly howling overhead.
The Red King's stern face instantly darkened as he saw Emperor Ruishou standing beside a human and even aiming the Golden Dragon Spear at him. His chest burned with fury, but he forced himself to suppress it. His eyes flickered with a red light, and he transmitted a deep voice to her:
"Ruishou, what's the meaning of this? You're actually taking a human's side and making an enemy of me?"
Hearing this, Xiao Ruier frowned slightly. She replied via a Spirit Power transmission: "He's my friend. Please, Red King Uncle, don't make things difficult for him."
The Red King's expression instantly changed at her words. His chest heaved, and his anger could no longer be held back. His transmission now carried a hint of a roar:
"Ruishou, have you forgotten? This boy attacked you back in the Star Dou Great Forest! As the Emperor Ruishou of the Star Dou Great Forest, how can you befriend a human? This is a betrayal of the entire Spirit Beast race!"
"This is my choice. I don't need you to tell me what to do," Xiao Ruier's eyes shifted slightly. The Golden Dragon Spear in her hand had not moved an inch, and she transmitted her reply in a cold voice.
"Nonsense!" The Red King's eyes suddenly flared, and a crimson aura overflowed from his body, even causing the air around him to twist. He said coldly:
"You carry the destiny of the entire Star Dou Great Forest! If anything happens to you, have you even thought about the future of countless Spirit Beasts there? Ditian already knows you secretly left the Star Dou Great Forest, and he specifically sent me to bring you back!"
As he finished speaking, red flames surged around the Red King, and a crushing sense of oppression immediately enveloped them, like an unshakeable giant mountain of fire that made their hearts pound.
"No, I'm not going back. Life in the Star Dou Great Forest is too dull and lonely. I don't want to live that kind of life anymore. If you insist on taking me back now, then you'll only be taking my corpse!"
After a moment of silence, Xiao Ruier shook her head. She pointed the Golden Dragon Spear forward once more, her eyes firm as stars, and replied in a cold, decisive voice.
The next second, she suddenly retracted her spear, tightly clasped Tang Chuan's hand with her other, and then turned without hesitation, walking straight toward the other end of the ruined street.
Xiao Ruier's steps did not falter in the slightest.
It was as if no power in this world could stop her.
"Ruishou, you—!"
Watching her walk away, the Red King immediately turned red with fury. His flame-like long hair danced wildly with his rage, and his massive body trembled slightly. The fire in his eyes clearly jumped frantically, yet it still couldn't burst into real blazing flames.
He knew very well how important Ruishou was to the entire Star Dou Great Forest.
If he forced her and she died unexpectedly while resisting, Ditian would surely be enraged.
The consequences were not something that he, the Red King, alone could bear.
The Red King ground his teeth together, making a creaking sound. A surge of anger was pent up in his chest at this moment, and he wished he could release it immediately. Then, he cursed silently in his heart:
"Damn it! What am I supposed to do now? In the end, I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place? If I push too hard and she seeks death, Ditian won't spare me if he finds out. But if I don't bring her back, Ditian will certainly also…"
His eyes stared intently at Xiao Ruier and Tang Chuan's clasped hands.
The Red King wished he could tear Tang Chuan into pieces with a single claw right away.
But in the end, he took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed that impulse.
"Forget it…"
"Since that's the case, I'll just continue to follow and protect you in secret, just like back in the Star Dou Great Forest. When Ditian eventually questions it, I'll at least have a decent explanation."
On the other side, Xiao Ruier pulled Tang Chuan and walked quickly until they were far out of the Red King's sight.
Only then did she gradually slow her pace.
At this moment, her breathing was slightly fast, but her eyes remained clear and cold.
Tang Chuan, however, had a calm expression, with a faint smile playing on his lips.
Just then, he slightly turned his head and spoke in a casual tone: "Ruier, who was that Red King just now? Why did you call him uncle?"
Tang Chuan's voice was filled with confusion and curiosity, seemingly genuinely unaware, but in his heart, he had already guessed the Red King's true identity.
Red hair, a strong fire-attribute aura all over his body, and Ruishou called him uncle.
Who else could it be besides the Red King?
"He's family, a distant uncle."
Hearing this, Xiao Ruier's steps paused slightly. A complex look flashed in her eyes, but she quickly hid it, speaking in a soft voice.
Raising an eyebrow slightly, a smile flashed in Tang Chuan's eyes, but he didn't expose her. Still pretending to be ignorant, he sighed and said:
"It seems his strength is really strong. But why did he suddenly attack me? If I hadn't reacted quickly just now, I'm afraid I'd be completely dead by now."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Ruier's face suddenly darkened. A hint of apology and anger flashed in her eyes, and she tightly grasped Tang Chuan's arm with her slender hand, whispering:
"I snuck out this time without telling my family. Uncle came looking for me, saw me with you, and thought you were some bad person, which is why he suddenly attacked. Tang Chuan, I'm really sorry."
By the end of her words, her voice gradually lowered, carrying a hint of guilt and helplessness.
Her fingers gripped tighter, as if only this could bring her peace of mind.
Tang Chuan heard this, his expression unchanged. He only smiled slightly and said in a calm tone:
"It's alright. No harm done if one doesn't know, right? Since that's the case, let's just consider it a misunderstanding."
As he spoke, he looked up at the street ahead.
After a slight pause, he continued:
"Let's go. We'll go back and see if Teacher Qin and the others are there. If not, they must have already left the city. Then we'll also set off immediately and return to Heaven Dou City."
Xiao Ruier felt a sudden sense of relief upon hearing this, and the tension in her brows slowly dissipated.
"Okay."
She pursed her lips, then nodded gently.
Outside Heaven Dou City, in a quiet, dense forest, the night wind howled, and branches and leaves rustled.
Suddenly, two dazzling lights, one purple and one gold, flashed across the sky, accompanied by a powerful oppressive force that crashed down, heavily striking the clearing in the forest.
Immediately, fallen leaves flew, withered branches rustled down, and dust swirled.
When the light dissipated, two figures appeared.
The one in front was dressed in a luxurious purple-gold robe and wore a crown—none other than the Supreme Pontiff, Bibi Dong, of Spirit Hall, accompanied by Chrysanthemum Douluo, who was clad in golden armor.
Chrysanthemum Douluo quickly stepped forward, knelt on one knee, squatted down, and gently touched the mottled purple bloodstain on the ground with his right hand.
"Your Holiness, it seems Tang Hao has escaped… Damn it!"
Raising his palm, he gazed at it for a moment, then turned around, his voice carrying a hint of unwillingness.
Hearing this, Bibi Dong did not show anger. Instead, she smiled softly, the corners of her mouth curving slightly into a cold arc, and said:
"So what if he escaped? Tang Hao's left arm has been poisoned by my Death Spider Emperor's venom. If no one detoxifies him, he'll either die from the poison in severe cases or, at the very least, lose an arm. By then, his strength will be greatly diminished, and even if he survives, he won't be able to cause any trouble anymore."