RNP Chapter 23: Heading to the East China Sea
Chapter 23: Heading to the East China Sea
Time flies, and a year has passed in the blink of an eye.
Aolai City, Soul Guide Train Station.
On the distant platform, Tang Wulin was embracing his parents in farewell. Tang Ziran and his wife escorted their son to Yu Chen.
"Uncle Tang, Aunt Lang, thank you so much for all these years." Yu Chen placed his luggage at his feet, bowed deeply, and gave a respectful greeting.
Carrying his luggage, Yu Chen bid farewell to Tang Ziran and his wife, and then bowed deeply.
Although Tang Ziran and his wife were just his neighbors, they had treated him like a son or nephew for the past three years. He remembered that kindness.
With affection and reluctance in her eyes, Lang Yue gently patted Yu Chen's shoulder: "Xiao Chen, being away from home is different from being at home. Take good care of yourself, and also... keep an eye on Wu Lin."
"Yes," Yu Chen replied.
Tang Ziran stood to the side, her gaze lingering between Yu Chen and Tang Wulin before finally settling on Yu Chen's face. She said solemnly, "Xiao Chen, Wulin can be quite impatient at times. I'll have to be patient with him in the intermediate academy."
Yu Chen looked up at Tang Ziran and nodded seriously: "Uncle Tang, don't worry, with me here, no one will bully him."
These words were spoken calmly, yet carried an undeniable weight. Upon hearing this, Tang Ziran's expression relaxed slightly, and she said no more.
Half an hour later, the train slowly pulled away from Aolai Station. The figures of my parents outside the window gradually blurred and finally disappeared into the distance.
Tang Wulin leaned against the window, remaining silent for a long time before turning around and softly saying, "Brother Chen, thank you."
Yu Chen looked up, somewhat puzzled.
"Regarding the soul," Tang Wulin pursed his lips, "if you hadn't taken out your savings, I might... have actually used that incomplete one."
Two months ago, the two went to the Spirit Pagoda together. Tang Wulin's soul power had reached level ten, but because he was short of money, he could only choose the cheapest random soul spirit, and the result was a defective one, just like in the original story.
Yu Chen didn't say much, and directly took out almost all of his savings that he had accumulated over the past three years helping out at Mangtian Studio—which was originally planned to be used for the initial expenses of the intermediate academy.
Tang Wulin initially refused firmly, and Tang Ziran also disagreed. Yu Chen only said one sentence:
"Uncle Tang, Aunt Lang, you saved my life. Consider this money as a small way of repaying you. If Wu Lin uses a defective soul spirit, his cultivation path will be even more difficult in the future. You should be able to settle this score."
In the end, Tang Wulin obtained a normal white soul spirit. Meanwhile, Yu Chen's savings were almost depleted.
"It's nothing." Yu Chen withdrew his gaze and looked at the fleeting scenery outside the window. "Money can be earned again, but the path of cultivation cannot be neglected."
He paused, then added, "If you really feel bad about it, you can pay me back later."
Tang Wulin nodded vigorously, but his eyes stung with tears. He knew that Yu Chen had become increasingly quiet and reserved since Na'er left, hiding his emotions deeply. For him to say such a thing meant that he held Tang Wulin in a very important position.
The train was traveling smoothly. Yu Chen closed his eyes slightly, his thoughts returning to half a year ago.
Six months ago, Yu Chen successfully forged a naginata from the first blood sacrifice of the thousand-refined silver at Mangtian Studio.
The blade is long and narrow, with a bright silver edge and dark gold cloud patterns flowing around the guard; the hilt reveals fine dark gold intertwined branches. It is a fine knife, but Yu Chen is only nine years old and it is not suitable for his current size to use.
However, perhaps because his essence was incorporated into the blood sacrifice, this sword was subtly in tune with his will, and could not only adjust its shape slightly according to his will, but also transform into the shape that best suited his hand to hold.
What surprised Yu Chen even more was that this knife had the ability to devour soul power.
In addition, some high-level dragon-type martial souls with inherited traditions in Douluo Continent generally use the Dragon Transformation technique, just like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in the first Douluo Continent era.
Yu Chen's dragon blood level is naturally not weak. Not long ago, he comprehended this ability on his own. Currently, only his hands are in dragon form, but this will be different after he unleashes his full power.
However, recently Tang Wulin seems to have started to show unusual interest in certain century-old spiritual artifacts...
Yu Chen had a vague guess in his heart that perhaps his frequent use of Bloodlust to stimulate the dragon blood in his body had inadvertently stimulated the Golden Dragon King bloodline dormant in Tang Wulin's body.
If that's the case, I don't know if it's good or bad.
Donghai City, East Station.
Stepping out of the carriage, the bustling sounds of people and the vibrant scene immediately greeted me. As a major city on the eastern coast, Donghai City was far larger than Aolai City. Skyscrapers stood tall, soul-guided screens flickered, and all sorts of soul-guided vehicles streamed along the streets.
This was the first time Tang Wulin had ever seen such a sight, and he couldn't help but look around with curiosity in his eyes.
Yu Chen simply glanced around calmly, then picked up his luggage and walked towards the exit following the signs.
Just as they were about to exit the station, they heard hurried footsteps coming from the direction of the VIP passage on the side.
Several men dressed in black suits, exuding a capable air, strode over, surrounding a brown-haired boy in the middle. The boy was handsome, with an innate arrogance in his eyes, and walked with an undeniable haughtiness.
The passageway wasn't very wide, and Yu Chen and Tang Wulin happened to be walking in the middle.
"Get out of the way!"
As the boy passed by, his brows furrowed slightly, a hint of impatience flashing across his face. Seeing that the two did not immediately move aside, he reached out and shoved Yu Chen's shoulder, trying to push him aside.
He reached out, intending to push Yu Chen away forcefully, but Yu Chen didn't budge. Then...
Yu Chen didn't even turn his head completely, but a faint golden light suddenly flashed across the depths of his eyes.
There was no burst of soul power, no oppressive aura, only an indescribable majesty originating from the deepest part of his bloodline, rippling out like a dragonfly skimming the water.
The boy's hand froze in mid-air. He looked at Yu Chen with surprise and uncertainty.
Only then did Yu Chen slowly turn his head, his gaze calmly falling on his face. In the dim light of the passageway, those eyes seemed to contain a faint glimmer of gold.
The two stared at each other for less than a second.
Just as the bodyguards behind the boy were about to take down Yu Chen and Tang Wulin, Yu Chen, unwilling to cause any more trouble, said nothing and pulled the still somewhat bewildered Tang Wulin aside to make way.
"Huh, it's raining. This weather forecast is so inaccurate."
"Ugh, don't even mention it. When has the weather forecast ever been accurate? Let's hurry up and go."
A light drizzle began to fall, prompting complaints from passersby.
When the arrogant young man saw that golden glint in Yu Chen's eyes, he felt as if he were being targeted by a top predator. His martial spirit seemed to be suppressed, and for a moment, the arrogant young man felt a suffocating sensation as if he were being coiled by a python.
"Is it sweat? No, it's rain. It's just someone about my age, how could he make me sweat?"
The brown-haired boy froze for a moment, then pursed his lips, suppressing the inexplicable flutter in his heart, and quickly left with his entourage. But as he turned around, he couldn't help but look back at Yu Chen's retreating figure one last time.
"Brother Chen, that person just now..." Tang Wulin also noticed the unusual atmosphere at that moment.
"Nothing much," Yu Chen said calmly. "Just a spoiled rich kid. But... his martial spirit is quite interesting."
As I stepped out of the station, a light drizzle began to fall. Many pedestrians without rain gear grumbled and hurried past.
"This rain came so suddenly." Tang Wulin looked up at the sky.
Yu Chen didn't reply. His gaze was fixed on the opposite side of the station square, where a shuttle bus from Donghai Academy was parked, its academy emblem clearly visible on the vehicle.
"Let's go, the registration point is over there."