NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 146: Qin Xiao’s Aftermath
Chapter 146: Qin Xiao's Aftermath
"Where am I supposed to find energy at the level of Asura divine power for you now?" Qin Xiao shook his head with resignation.
Then, he retrieved a strain of immortal herb from his personal space soul-guidance device.
Surprisingly, his martial soul, which had previously shown no interest in immortal herbs, didn't reject Qin Xiao this time. Instead, it conveyed a 'desire' thought to Qin Xiao, giving him the feeling that everything tasted delicious when one was hungry.
Qin Xiao didn't refuse. He consumed the immortal herb.
One after another, the immortal herbs were consumed until only one remained, a Qi Luo Yujinxiang (Miraculous Love Gentian).
At that point, the Thunder Emperor martial soul indicated that it didn't want to eat anymore.
Although still hungry, it stubbornly refused to consume more, resembling a sulking child.
"Hmph, eat or don't eat. If you don't want to, then go hungry," Qin Xiao snorted. Obtaining energy at the level of divine power wasn't easy.
"It seems I need to prioritize my trip to Sea God Island. The energy from a few immortal herbs simply won't be enough to satisfy my martial soul's needs," Qin Xiao concluded.
He believed that the solution to his problem lay in heading to Sea God Island, where an abundance of Sea God's power could be found. Although the quality of Sea God's power wasn't as high as Asura's divine power, the quantity made up for it.
"However, my body is extremely weak right now, and I need some time to recuperate before I can regain some strength."
"Temporarily, returning to Heaven Dou City isn't a good decision," Qin Xiao reasoned. Aside from himself, he had no one he completely trusted. If he returned to Heaven Dou City in his current condition, there might be unknown dangers.
After some contemplation, he decided not to return to Heaven Dou City for the time being but to find a quiet place to heal. Once he had recovered a certain level of cultivation and had the power to protect himself, he would consider returning.
"And, Yu Yuanzhen!"
Before leaving, Qin Xiao didn't forget about Yu Yuanzhen, whom he had dismembered. To prevent him from coming back to life again, he summoned the power of thunder and turned Yu Yuanzhen's remains to ashes.
After completing all this, Qin Xiao felt satisfied. "I don't believe you can come back to life this time!"
With that, he turned into a streak of purple lightning and left the area.
A while later, a figure approached from afar, arriving in an instant.
This person was the elder hidden by Qian Renxue's side, the Porcupine Douluo.
After scanning the area, his expression turned increasingly grave. "I wonder what level of powerful beings fought here, causing such terrifying destruction. The residual aura is chilling to my core."
Then, shaking his head regretfully, he muttered, "Unfortunately, I'm a step too late to witness the prowess of such powerful beings."
This was the way of the soul master world; the more powerful one was, the more they respected powerful beings.
"Haha, what kind of wind has blown the powerful beings of the Spirit Hall here?" Suddenly, laughter erupted from behind Porcupine Douluo.
Turning around, Porcupine Douluo furrowed his brows.
Approaching him were Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo, only three to five hundred meters away.
The one who laughed was none other than Sword Douluo.
"Do you recognize me?" Porcupine Douluo was somewhat surprised.
After all, the many elders of the Spirit Hall were quite secretive, serving as trump cards rarely known to others.
Asked by Porcupine Douluo, Sword Douluo shook his head. "I don't know you, but I recognize the clothes, color, pattern, and craftsmanship on you, which all seem consistent with the standards of Titled Douluo in the Spirit Hall, aren't they?"
What? Porcupine Douluo's face showed a hint of astonishment.
He looked down.
Indeed.
Just as Sword Douluo said, he was wearing the attire issued by the Spirit Hall for Titled Douluo, which he had forgotten to change due to the sudden incident.
"Hahaha, just passing by, I remembered I have important matters to attend to. I'll be leaving first."
With that, Porcupine Douluo cupped his fists towards Ning Fengzhi and the others, then swiftly departed, like the wind.
Of course, he didn't head straight back to Heaven Dou City.
Because he knew Ning Fengzhi was inherently suspicious, he chose to take a detour, returning by a different route.
"Sect Master, how do you view this matter?"
After Porcupine Douluo left, Sword Douluo frowned and asked Ning Fengzhi.
"It's difficult to guess whether the appearance of this elder from the Spirit Hall here is a coincidence or intentional."
Ning Fengzhi pondered for a moment and slowly said, "Let's see if there are any clues left at the scene."
Saying so, he started searching aimlessly.
Seeing this, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo also began to move.
Moments later.
Bone Douluo suddenly came to Ning Fengzhi's side, excitedly saying, "Sect Master, look, I found something."
Ning Fengzhi looked over and saw a palm-sized golden scale in Bone Douluo's hand.
"What is this?"
Ning Fengzhi was somewhat puzzled.
"It looks like a scale from an unknown soul beast. I just tested its strength, and its defensive power is so strong that even I am envious. If there really is such a soul beast covered in these scales, that would be a nightmare."
Bone Douluo said, his eyes filled with a lingering fear.
"Could it be that our guess is wrong?"
"The opponent isn't a person but a powerful soul beast?"
Ning Fengzhi looked at the scale, saying uncertainly.
But in Ning Fengzhi's memory, there was no record of such a powerful soul beast in the sect's archives that even Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo would fear!
"Sect Master, I've also found something."
At this moment, Sword Douluo exclaimed, turning into a streak of sword light, rushing urgently to Ning Fengzhi's side.
"What did you find?"
Before Ning Fengzhi could speak, Bone Douluo asked impatiently.
He was eager to understand what exactly had happened here.
"I found this." Sword Douluo said, showing a piece of blood-stained cloth to Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo.
Bone Douluo raised an eyebrow, "Just this?"
Sword Douluo solemnly nodded, "Just this!"
Bone Douluo said irritably, "What can we see from this piece of rag? If we could deduce anything from this rag, I would eat it."
However.
Sword Douluo, very unusually, did not argue with Bone Douluo but instead looked towards Ning Fengzhi, asking, "Sect Master, does this piece of cloth look familiar to you?"
"This cloth!"
Ning Fengzhi was shocked, his eyes revealing astonishment, "Uncle Jian, you mean Qin Xiao!"
He remembered, this large piece of cloth's material was exactly the same as the clothing on Qin Xiao!
Venturing a bolder guess, it was just now that Qin Xiao had a battle with that mysterious and unknown soul beast!
Beside, Bone Douluo also figured out the ins and outs of the situation, saying in shock, "What?!"
As he spoke, his mind also involuntarily began recalling everything about Qin Xiao.
Indeed, this cloth seemed identical to the material of Qin Xiao's clothes.
"Here, eat it."
Sword Douluo frowned, passing the blood-stained cloth to Bone Douluo.
"Don't, don't."
"I was just saying, you really thought I would—"
Bone Douluo quickly found an excuse for himself, "Right, just consider it as child's babble."
God damn child's babble. Sword Douluo gave him a look, leaving Bone Douluo completely without the energy to retort.
He also lost interest in dealing with the shameless Bone Douluo.
"Sect Master, you don't think something has happened to Qin Xiao, do you?" he asked, full of worry.
Ning Fengzhi frowned and said solemnly, "Uncle Jian, if you were to face the powerful being we sensed earlier, what are your chances of winning?"
Hearing this, Sword Douluo's face paled a bit, "Not much chance, hard to say exactly how much."
Ning Fengzhi nodded, then asked, "Between you and Qin Xiao, who is stronger?"
After thinking seriously, Sword Douluo slowly said four words, "Pretty much equal."
He remembered the last time they sparred outside Shrek Academy.
At that time, he admitted defeat, also because he did not intend to fight Qin Xiao to the death; otherwise, it's really hard to say who would have stood last.
"Then, you should have your answer now."
As Sword Douluo was lost in thought, Ning Fengzhi's deep voice echoed in the area.
"I do."
Sword Douluo answered, then fell silent.
He had his answer.
If even he couldn't defeat the opponent, naturally, Qin Xiao wouldn't have any chance either.
He hoped Qin Xiao could withstand it!
He couldn't help but start praying for Qin Xiao.
Unabashedly, there weren't many in the younger generation he esteemed.
Qin Xiao and Ning Rongrong were two, as for the third, he hadn't seen them yet.
"Sect Master, is Qin Xiao alive or dead now?"
Bone Douluo also realized the severity of the situation, putting away his frivolous smile, and asked solemnly.
Almost without hesitation, Ning Fengzhi shook his head, "I'm not sure about Qin Xiao's life or death."
Saying this clearly meant he wasn't optimistic about Qin Xiao, thinking that Qin Xiao's chances were slim.
But, until the last moment, he wouldn't conclude.
"However, I have a way to find out."
Upon hearing Ning Fengzhi's words, both Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo's eyes lit up, and they simultaneously asked, "What's the plan?"
"Hasn't he been staying at Blue Tyrant Academy?" Ning Fengzhi shared his insight, "Rongrong mentioned that there are a few people at the academy who have a deep connection with Qin Xiao. Now that the battle has ended, if nothing unexpected has happened, he should have returned to Blue Tyrant Academy by now."
"That makes sense." Bone Douluo nodded, acknowledging Ning Fengzhi's reasoning.
Sword Douluo was swift to act, "Sect Master, you and Old Bone take your time in the back; I'll go ahead and see if that kid Qin Xiao has returned to Blue Tyrant Academy."
As his voice fell, Sword Douluo transformed into a streak of sword light and disappeared from the spot, displaying great urgency.
Meanwhile, at Blue Tyrant Academy...
Flender looked at Liu Erlong with surprise, "Erlong, you're back."
However, Liu Erlong's eyes were dim, and her pale face barely managed a smile, "Big Brother Flender..."
"Where is His Highness?" Flender asked again, assuming that Qin Xiao should have returned along with Liu Erlong.
"Qin Xiao." A trace of sorrow flashed through Liu Erlong's already dim eyes. She couldn't forget the words Du Gu Bo had said to her; Qin Xiao, in order to save her, might never be able to return.
"Big Brother Flender, I have some things to do. I might have to take Meng Yiran and Zhu Zhuqing away for a while. The academy will be left in your care for now." Liu Erlong didn't forget Du Gu Bo's instructions to quickly gather those close to Qin Xiao and leave this place.
"Alright, if you feel upset and want to go out for a while, then go." Flender nodded without refusal, sensing that something serious had happened.
Soon, Liu Erlong arrived at the house where Zhu Zhuqing and Meng Yiran were staying.
Coincidentally, the two were in the courtyard.
"Dean Liu?" Both looked up in unison.
"Erlong, Zhuqing, I... I'm sorry to you all." Seeing them, Liu Erlong could no longer hold back the grief in her heart and spoke with a sobbing tone.
"What!" Zhu Zhuqing and Meng Yiran felt as if they had been struck by lightning, followed by a whirlwind of emotions. They knew something must have happened, and it was related to Qin Xiao.
Liu Erlong briefly recounted the events she had experienced to Meng Yiran and Zhu Zhuqing, including the battles with the powerful beings of the Star Luo Empire and the encounter with the old patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan, Jade Yuan Zhen.
"His Highness, he..." Liu Erlong's voice trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.
"His life or death is unknown! But I believe Qin Xiao will definitely come back to find us." Of course, Liu Erlong, fearing to shock the two girls, dared not directly share Du Gu Bo's speculation.
At that moment, a whirlwind stirred up in the courtyard, and Du Gu Bo's figure arrived with the wind.
"Are you ready?" Du Gu Bo looked at everyone with a serious expression, asking in a deep voice.
"Grandpa, are these people all Qin Xiao's women?" Du Gu Yan, who peeked out from behind Du Gu Bo, asked innocently.
Du Gu Bo glanced at Du Gu Yan and nodded.
"Then I think I can be too," Du Gu Yan said somewhat resentfully.
Hearing this, Du Gu Bo sighed, "Ah, in this lifetime, there might not be a chance."
After a long while, a sword light cut through the sky, descending on Blue Tyrant Academy at great speed.
The powerful aura, almost unrestrained, made the weaker soul masters want to kneel and prostrate themselves.
Undoubtedly, this person was Sword Douluo Chen Xin!
"So, it's Sword Douluo Chen Xin!" Flender stepped forward to meet Sword Douluo, bowing respectfully.
Seeing this, Sword Douluo scanned the crowd.
Then, looking at Flender, he said, "You stay, everyone else leave."
As his voice fell, the crowd dispersed from the academy's square, leaving only Sword Douluo and Flender behind.
Sword Douluo frowned deeply, sensing that something was amiss. If it were usual, Qin Xiao would have appeared by now. But now? Qin Xiao's figure was nowhere to be seen. Something had definitely happened, and his heart sank with a bad premonition.
(End of Chapter)
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