Chapter 17: The Feeling of Family

"Rongrong! Have you made any new friends? Introduce them to Dad," Ning Fengzhi’s voice came from nearby. Upon hearing this, Xiaowu instinctively took a step back, but feeling the warmth in the palm of her hand, she mustered the courage to stop.

Wang Dong, as if recalling something, moved to Xiaowu’s other side and also grasped her hand firmly.

“Dad!” Ning Rongrong said excitedly, “This is my good friend, Xiaowu—Wu as in dance.”

Then she introduced her to Xiaowu: “Xiaowu, this is my dad. He’s the head of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect!”

At these words, Xiaowu’s fingers tightened unconsciously. Gritting her teeth, she said, “Hello, Head Ning…”

Realizing his sudden appearance might have startled her, Ning Fengzhi stepped back a pace and said kindly, “Hello, Xiaowu. Just call me Uncle Ning, like Rongrong and Xiaodong do.”

Xiaowu took a deep breath and summoned her courage: “Uncle Ning.”

“Right. By the way, why are you here alone? Are you headed somewhere? We have a carriage; do you need a ride?” Ning Fengzhi lowered his voice, showing goodwill.

Xiaowu pondered for a moment and then spoke honestly, “I got an admission to the Soul Master Junior Academy in Notting City, but I got a little lost and ended up here.”

Notting City?

Ning Fengzhi roughly estimated the distance. “That’s almost at the border of the Tiandou Empire, nearly a thousand miles away. It’s quite a journey, and with the school season just starting, walking alone might make you late.”

Xiaowu looked at the admission notice she had found in her little rabbit bag—it was still unclear if it was valid—and then she said irritably, “Actually, I’ve been here for three days, but I noticed some strange soul energy fluctuations in the town. They even injured ordinary people! So I wanted to stick around and look for clues.”

Ning Fengzhi’s eyes darkened as he shook his head subtly toward Chenxin, who was hidden nearby at a high vantage point.

The movement was quiet but did not escape Wang Dong’s notice.

They probably already knew Xiaowu’s true identity. Could it be…

“Well, that’s great. The chivalrous mission failed, and now your enrollment is delayed!” Xiaowu sounded a bit frustrated.

“No worries! We’re here to investigate this too! My dad is quite powerful, and there’s also Grandpa Jian…” Ning Rongrong replied, but when she noticed Chenxin was absent, she glanced at Ning Fengzhi.

“By the way, Dad, where did Grandpa Jian go?”

“The sect had some urgent matters, so he went back to handle them. He’ll join us later,” Ning Fengzhi answered.

Grandpa?

Xiaowu’s heart tightened. “Who’s Grandpa Jian?”

Ning Rongrong quickly responded, “Grandpa Jian is an elder of our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. He’s really formidable; he…”

“Rongrong, Xiaowu, let’s head into town first,” Wang Dong interrupted timely.

If Xiaowu found out there was a title-level Douluo here, she might get scared.

With that, he took both their hands and walked inside.

The interruption was quite clear; though it concealed the truth from Xiaowu and Ning Rongrong, Ning Fengzhi and Chenxin nearby caught the gesture in full.

After exchanging a glance, the two did not expose the secret.

Once inside the town, the four noticed how simple and rustic life was here, with many elderly residents.

Wang Dong approached a stall where an old lady was selling goods. Seeing them, she immediately greeted them warmly.

While selecting some handmade accessories, Wang Dong casually observed his surroundings.

Ning Rongrong went straight to the old lady and said, “Grandma, why are you here alone running a stall? It must be hard.”

Then she took out a water bottle from a soul guidance device and handed it over: “Grandma, this is sweet water—very refreshing. Rongrong wants to give it to you.”

The old lady, pleased by Ning Rongrong’s kind words and delicate appearance, smiled warmly: “Such a pretty and well-behaved young lady.”

Ning Fengzhi stepped forward and apologized politely, “Sorry, the kids got spoiled. We didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“No trouble at all, no trouble at all!” the old woman replied leisurely.

Ning Fengzhi took the opportunity to ask, “Are you here alone? Where are your children?”

Wang Dong watched the old lady’s reaction. He expected sadness from her being apart from her children but was surprised to see her face bright with joy as she pointed northward with her fan.

“My son went to work in Seven Treasures City. There are more opportunities there, and it’s close to home—a truly good place.”

So that was the case!

“That’s impressive of your son. Did other young people from the town also move to Seven Treasures City?” Ning Fengzhi pressed on.

The old lady chuckled as if hearing a joke. “Oh, young man, do you think jobs are so easy to find in Seven Treasures City?”

Young… man?

Who?

A light laugh seemed to whisper in Ning Fengzhi’s ear, and his face instantly flushed.

He looked at the old lady in disbelief.

The experienced woman immediately saw his embarrassment and teased, “Oh, why be shy? My grandson is about to get married. You’re so young, of course, you’re a young man.”

“Th-thank you, ma’am,” Ning Fengzhi wiped the nonexistent sweat from his brow and replied.

Seeing the conversation lagging, Wang Dong cut to the chase: “Grandma, I heard from people on the road that strange things have been happening here recently. Is that true?”

The old lady’s expression changed abruptly. She hurried forward and covered his mouth: “Don’t mention it! If you say it aloud, it will surely appear.”

No sooner had she spoken than she froze, her pupils turning pitch black as she emitted a beam of dark light.

“Watch out!”

The Wings of the Goddess of Light unfurled as Wang Dong grabbed Ning Rongrong and Xiaowu by their waists, flying up to avoid the attack.

However, the soul energy struck the opposite stall, causing chaos.

Wang Dong’s eyes widened as he stared at the old lady below.

He knew this attack all too well—it was the same one he had unintentionally encountered when he first met Huo Yuhao, who used his spirit eye to launch it.

But if he remembered correctly, Huo Yuhao never lost his mind as this woman seemed to, as if under control.

Before Ning Fengzhi stood a Seven Kills Sword descending from the sky, blocking the follow-up attack.

The sudden incident caught Ning Fengzhi off guard; he hadn’t expected the old lady to launch an attack.

Missing her strike, a long black shadow slipped out from behind her.

Chenxin, always lurking in the shadows, immediately gave chase, and Ning Fengzhi revealed himself, summoning the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda to assist Chenxin fully.

“Don’t let the villain escape!” Though still shaken, Ning Rongrong chased after them with her father.

Wang Dong was about to step forward when he saw Xiaowu, frightened, scanning the surroundings, wanting to leave. He realized Chenxin’s presence had terrified her.

So he scooped Xiaowu up and flew off in the opposite direction.

“Xiaodong, are you…?” Xiaowu had a bold thought but dared not say it aloud, though both understood each other perfectly.

They flew until they reached the woods outside the city and stopped.

“Xiaowu, I don’t know if you believe this, but the moment I saw you, I felt a deep connection, like family,” Wang Dong said sincerely.

“I… I also feel familiar. You are…” Xiaowu trailed off, lacking the courage to reveal her true identity in the human world.

Seeing the hopeful look in her eyes, Wang Dong knew she truly needed a companion but still shook his head.

“Sorry, I’m not. I’m just more sensitive to the aura of soul beasts,” Wang Dong admitted honestly.

Xiaowu’s eyes dimmed, disappointment evident.

Quickly, Wang Dong added, “Don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’ll stand in front of you and protect you.”

Xiaowu’s breathing accelerated. She knew well not to trust humans lightly, yet a voice inside urged her to trust the person before her.

“Xiaodong, I…” Suddenly, a black attack descended from the sky, cutting off her words.

…

End of chapter.

(Tomorrow there will be a custom cover—don’t miss it!)