Chapter 26: Everything Has Been Prepared for You

The next morning.

Wang Dong was not yet fully awake when he caught the faint, delicate scent of fragrance. He sniffed the air and buried his head deeper into his blanket.

A scoff sounded beside his ear. "Only children stay in bed."

Wang Dong pretended not to hear; he was savoring the comfort of the moment.

"The carriage, dry rations, and everything else you might need have already been prepared. Think about it—is there anything else you require?"

The voice continued to murmur nearby. Wang Dong merely glanced at him, saying nothing.

"A dignified crown prince, and yet you are the only one who would look down on me."

Wang Dong looked at the sky, turned over, and decided to catch a little more sleep.

"Fine, fine. This crown prince is magnanimous and won't lower himself to the level of a brat like you."

At the sound of that arrogant voice, Wang Dong sat bolt upright with a "whoosh."

Xue Qinghe knew exactly how to handle him; he despised being called a child.

Just as he was about to speak, a delicately carved small object flew into his arms. Looking closely, he saw it was a brooch shaped like a Radiant Goddess Butterfly.

At a single glance, Wang Dong knew it was something he loved.

"This is a storage-type stasis soul tool. As the name implies, time inside is frozen. If a certain little glutton puts food inside, it will come out exactly as it went in," Xue Qinghe explained.

!!! Was the level of soul tool technology ten thousand years ago already this advanced?

After probing with his spiritual power, he found the front of the brooch filled with neatly packed food. Wang Dong had no doubt that there was enough here to last him a lifetime.

Continuing to search deeper, he found one area distinct from the rest, separated from the rest and shimmering with a brilliant, multicolored white light.

Wang Dong used his soul power to retrieve it, only to find a piece of completely transparent, exceptionally soft material. He asked in confusion, "This is... fabric?"

Xue Qinghe gently slid his hand over the surface. "This is Holy Light Brocade, woven from the angelic holy light of the Angel God. There are two pieces; they are impenetrable to blades and immune to fire and water." He paused, then added, "It can withstand fatal attacks from anyone below the level of a Title Douluo—though, of course, that excludes mental attacks!"

Truly a rare treasure!

Wang Dong tried to press it back into Xue Qinghe's hand. "I cannot accept a reward for no merit. I cannot take this."

"Who said I was giving it to you?" Xue Qinghe swept a cold glance over him, and Wang Dong's eyes drooped at the words.

Just as he was about to jump off the swing, he heard Xue Qinghe continue: "It's a loan! Remember to return it to me when you come back."

With that, he draped the Holy Light Brocade over him.

The Holy Light Brocade acted like a thin membrane, automatically extending to cover Wang Dong’s skin. There was no sensation of a foreign object, and it was invisible to the naked eye.

Moreover, perhaps it wasn't just his imagination, but the chill of the early morning had vanished. Could it have a constant temperature?

This must have been Xue Qinghe’s true purpose in giving it to him. The Far North was unimaginably frigid, and with the Holy Light Brocade, he wouldn't need to worry about staying warm.

Thinking of this, Wang Dong looked at Xue Qinghe and softly said, "Thank you!" He then added, "I will return it to you when I get back."

Xue Qinghe shook his head—what a proud little brat—and then tucked a gold card into his hand. "Here is some money for the road."

Having said that, he turned and left.

"Hey—"

Wang Dong suddenly remembered he hadn't told him to keep his departure a secret. He hurried to call him back, but Xue Qinghe had already vanished.

How rude!

...

Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect dining hall.

Ning Fengzhi hesitated for a long time before asking, "Xiao Dong, are you certain you don't need us to escort you to the town in the Far North?"

Before Wang Dong could answer, Chen Xin chimed in, "The journey is so long, how can a child like you go alone!"

Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Ning Fengzhi pondered for a moment before continuing, "In truth, with Xiao Dong's strength at level 29, he is capable of venturing out on his own."

"A child's physical constitution cannot keep up, and he is easily targeted. It is better to be careful," Chen Xin said without hesitation.

Gu Rong had been listening to their argument without offering an opinion.

Seeing them continue to bicker, Wang Dong simply said, "People from the Crown Prince's side are coming to Seven Treasure City to pick me up. We will meet at the North City Gate in a while."

The North City Gate was so close; surely they would be at ease now.

As soon as these words were spoken, the dining hall fell silent for a moment. Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin reached an agreement almost instantly: "Then we shall see you out of the city!"

! Wang Dong’s body leaned back instinctively! How was this different from the answer he had anticipated?

"The North City Gate is quite close! Maybe... we don't need to see me off?" Wang Dong tried to struggle.

But on this matter, almost everyone except him insisted on personally seeing him out of the city to meet the person who would be accompanying him to the Far North.

Since that was the case, he would have to take things one step at a time.

...

After breakfast, Wang Dong, led by Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin, returned to the secret chamber. The black insect inside was nearly at its last breath. Ning Fengzhi placed a few more restrictions on it and embedded the secret unlocking method into the token shaped like a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda that he had previously given to Wang Dong.

Ning Fengzhi handed the jade box containing the black insect to Wang Dong. "Xiao Dong, without you lifting the restrictions, this black insect will not wake up."

"Thank you, Uncle Ning."

After securing the black insect, Wang Dong looked up at Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin. "Uncle Ning, Grandpa Sword, I have a favor to ask."

The seriousness in his expression made them pause for a moment.

Ning Fengzhi was the first to react, crouching down to be at eye level with him. "Tell me."

He did not dismiss him because he was a child; rather, he gave him the respect he deserved.

"Please look after Xiao Wu," Wang Dong said bluntly.

With his departure, his biggest worry was Xiao Wu. After a hundred-thousand-year soul beast transforms, she must live and cultivate among humans to mature quickly; he could not take her with him.

Ning Fengzhi understood. Although he had already given his word, he solemnly promised Wang Dong, "Rest assured, I will do my utmost to protect Xiao Wu and ensure she grows up safely."

A gentleman's word is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Chen Xin also nodded. "Xiao Dong, you can rest easy!"

Wang Dong did not doubt their words; Ning Fengzhi would not deign to lie to him. There was just one more person he needed to address.

"I am counting on you."

"Don't mention it," Chen Xin said, then crouched down himself. "How about that matter of becoming my disciple? Have you considered it?"

Wang Dong had thought that so much time had passed, he would have forgotten about it. He didn't expect him to bring it up again!

Becoming a disciple wasn't out of the question, but he wasn't sure if that "God of Evil" fellow would approve.

He could only...

"Grandpa Sword, let's talk about it when I get back, okay?"

...

End of chapter.