blogombal Chapter 3: The First Close Encounter with a Certain Sect
Chapter 3: The First Close Encounter with a Certain Sect
The old man's tone was very gentle, but anyone could hear the undeniable authority in it.
Kong Tianxu raised an eyebrow slightly, but still strode over to the group and, neither humble nor arrogant, asked in standard Star Luo Empire official language, "What can I do for you, seniors?"
He didn't do nothing in the first few years of his life. With the support of the top teachers in the Imperial Household Department, it was only natural that he became proficient in the languages of the four countries.
The old man sized Kong Tianxu up and down a few times, then asked, "Young brother, are you going to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul beasts?"
Kong Tianxu nodded and said naturally, "Yes!"
The old man's gaze was extremely penetrating, even carrying a hint of ethereal uncertainty. During their conversation, his aura had completely locked onto Kong Tianxu, as if he were about to launch an attack at any moment.
But the boy standing in front of him looked completely calm, as if he hadn't made any preparations.
The old man clapped his hands and laughed, saying:
"I am Xu Yunxiao. These are my companions. We are also heading to the Star Dou Great Forest. We have been traveling through the night and are all quite tired. Seeing that you have a campfire here, I wonder if we could warm ourselves by the fire and rest for a while?"
"Alright," Kong Tianxu readily agreed. He knew very well that too much talk leads to mistakes. This group of people looked travel-worn, indicating they had indeed been on a long journey. Although the old-fashioned man who called himself Xu Yunxiao was somewhat wary of him, he didn't seem to harbor much hostility.
Kong Tianxu, whose mental strength far surpasses that of ordinary people, is also extremely accurate in judging other people's emotions. His physical martial soul allows him to perceive some of the most subtle changes in the human body. Indeed, these people in front of him have no intention of making a move.
The two girls were also sizing up Kong Tianxu; their eyes never left him while he was talking to Xu Yunxiao.
With his silver-white medium-length hair and purple eyes, Kong Tianxu, who naturally exudes an air of nobility, is not only extremely handsome but also possesses an otherworldly charm.
In terms of appearance, even the gentle girl who always thought herself to be the most beautiful woman in the world felt somewhat ashamed in front of him, her pretty face slightly flushed as she smiled softly at Kong Tianxu. The aloof girl, on the other hand, showed a hint of surprise on her face and nodded slightly to him.
Led by Kong Tianxu, the group arrived at the campfire. Two people quickly pitched a tent and scattered medicine to repel spirit beasts. Kong Tianxu and the others sat on either side of the campfire, remaining silent and simply warming themselves by the fire.
With these people around, going back to cultivate now is clearly not a wise choice. Especially since these people are all quite skilled.
The elderly Xu Yunxiao appeared very enthusiastic, chatting with Kong Tianxu with a smile. After Kong Tianxu told him that his name was Tian Xu and that he came from Xingluo National Academy, the group was visibly surprised, and the subtle pride on their faces diminished somewhat.
"So you're a top student from the Star Luo National Academy. No wonder you dared to come to this Star Dou Great Forest alone to hunt soul beasts."
Xu Yunxiao's tone became much more cautious. The Star Luo National Academy was quite famous on the continent, being the number one academy in the Star Luo Empire, and even had a titled Douluo presiding over it.
Kong Tianxu smiled sheepishly, "Senior, what about you? Are you also going to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul beasts?"
Xu Yunxiao nodded and said, "Some of our companions have also reached a bottleneck in their cultivation. We hope to gain something from this trip into the Star Dou Great Forest."
While they were talking, all the tents on their side had been set up. Xu Yunxiao and the others ate some dry rations, chatted with Kong Tianxu for a few more minutes, and then went back to their tents to rest.
During the casual conversation, Xu Yunxiao also briefly introduced the people on his side: the pointed-headed man was named Ye Handong, the aloof girl was named Xu Yingluo, and the gentle girl was named Xu Yuanxi.
However, Xu Yunxiao did not mention their origins. He simply agreed with Kong Tianxu to set off together into the Star Dou Great Forest the next morning, and was willing to take care of him in some way, so that he wouldn't have enjoyed the campfire tonight for nothing.
Kong Tianxu did not refuse. This team, which was obviously from a certain sect, seemed to trust him more because of the reputation of Xingluo National Academy. They were quite strong and were also going to enter the mixed zone. He could save some effort by blending in with them.
Moreover, he sneered inwardly, realizing that the old man wasn't really asking for his opinion.
However, the sect surnamed Xu...
There were three tents in total. The two girls' tents were made of tanned cowhide and were closest to the campfire. The other two tents were about the same size. Xu Yunxiao had one tent by himself, while the others squeezed together, clearly showing the hierarchy.
Just after Kong Tianxu returned to his tent, Xu Yunxiao quietly left his own tent and came to Xu Yingluo and Xu Yuanxi's tent.
A black light flashed in his hand, and an almost invisible ripple extended outwards.
A moment later, the same ripples returned. Xu Yunxiao sensed them for a moment before crouching down and entering the tent of the two girls. However, he only sat cross-legged at the entrance and did not go any further inside.
"Grandpa Xiao, can you tell what his background is?"
"I asked calmly," Xu Yingluo asked. Xu Yuanxi stood to the side, a faint smile on her face, but remained silent. Judging from the position of her bed compared to Xu Yingluo's, it was clear that Xu Yuanxi's status was far inferior.
A hazy black light, like ripples on water, shone from Xu Yunxiao's body, enveloping the inside of the tent and preventing his voice from being heard.
"Although this child is young, his appearance and temperament are quite remarkable. Judging from his aura, he should be somewhere between a Great Soul Master and a Soul Venerable. At his age, it's highly believable that he comes from the Star Luo National Academy. However, for safety's sake, I still think we should bring him along to avoid any accidents. If everything goes smoothly, it wouldn't hurt to lend him a hand."
Xu Yingluo nodded slightly and said, "Grandpa Xiao, then you can make the decision."
"Elder Yunxiao, will he be accompanied by any powerful experts?"
Xu Yuanxi suddenly spoke, her voice sounding even more gentle and beautiful in the quiet moment.
Xu Yunxiao frowned, but still answered:
"It shouldn't be the case. Our sect's ripple detection method is extremely unique, capable of simultaneously sensing soul power fluctuations and object shapes. Even a Title Douluo cannot escape detection. However, if it is a legendary Super Douluo, it's not impossible for me to misjudge."
Xu Yingluo blinked and said, "Grandpa Xiao, he's just a child. You're overthinking it. Just be more careful tomorrow."
Xu Yunxiao acknowledged and quietly retreated to his tent to keep watch. The layer of black light then subsided and dissipated.
"Sister Luoluo, that Tian Xu is really handsome!" Xu Yuanxi said with a soft laugh after he left.
A slight smile appeared on Xu Yingluo's usually cold and beautiful face. "What? Are you feeling romantic?"
Xu Yuanxi pouted her red lips and said:
"No, that's not it. But that Tian Xu is indeed very unusual. I don't know why, but when I'm close to him, my martial spirit fluctuates noticeably. There seems to be something in his aura that can suppress my martial spirit."