After Ao Tian sat down, Chrysanthemum Douluo and the others dared to follow suit.
Hearing Ao Tian's words, the three elders immediately straightened their backs.
Chrysanthemum Douluo asked, "What are your instructions, Mr. Ao?"
Ao Tian said, "You don't need to concern yourselves with the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast taking human form in the Star Dou Great Forest. Go back."
Chrysanthemum Douluo was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Alright."
Although he was puzzled, he didn't dare to disobey Ao Tian's orders. In the hearts of all the elders of Spirit Hall, Ao Tian's commands were equivalent to Bibi Dong's.
This was, without a doubt, the consensus among all the elders!
Seeing the puzzled expressions on the faces of the three elders, Ao Tian asked with a smile, "Aren't you going to ask why?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo said, "Since Mr. Ao told us to go back, there must be a reason."
Ao Tian nodded and said, "That shapeshifting Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast is under my protection...and so is that Titan Great Ape."
"Understood, we will return to Wuhun City first thing tomorrow morning," Chrysanthemum Douluo replied.
Ao Tian responded with an "Mmh" and asked, "Did the Pope send you?"
"No, Her Majesty the Pope has been in closed-door cultivation recently. I took the initiative to bring people here, and I ask for Mr. Ao's forgiveness." Chrysanthemum Douluo stood up.
Ao Tian waved his hand and said, "Sit down."
Chrysanthemum Douluo relaxed and sat down, asking, "Mr. Ao, there are quite a few Soul Masters here this time, even experts from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan have come. Do we need to drive them away?"
"No need," Ao Tian said. "You can head back."
After speaking, he stood up. "I'll be going now."
Chrysanthemum Douluo and the others immediately rose to their feet, respectfully saying, "Farewell, Mr. Ao."
Ao Tian nodded slightly, and with a flash, he disappeared from the hall.
Only then did Chrysanthemum Douluo and the three elders completely relax, simultaneously picking up their teacups and taking a sip to calm their nerves.
"Elder Chrysanthemum, who exactly was that person just now...?" A Soul Douluo couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.
"That's not something you need to know," Ghost Douluo, his face hidden within his cloak, rebuked.
Chrysanthemum Douluo waved his hand. "It's alright. Let me tell you. Mr. Ao is the strongest person in our Spirit Hall. From now on, you must be respectful when you see Mr. Ao, understand?"
"Isn't the Spirit Hall's strongest person the Great Elder?" the Soul Douluo asked in surprise.
Chrysanthemum Douluo sighed, "The Great Elder was defeated. Mr. Ao defeated the Great Elder with just one finger."
A gasp of shock echoed through the hall...
Ao Tian returned to the hotel.
Xiao Wu was still asleep. Ao Tian chose not to tell her about her mother beforehand, lest she become upset and insist on returning immediately.
In the morning, a ray of sunlight shone through the window, and Ao Tian, leaning against the sofa, opened his eyes.
He had only dozed off briefly, and the day had already broken.
Xiao Wu was still asleep, snoring like a pig.
Ao Tian came to the bed and pinched her smooth cheeks hard.
Xiao Wu woke up with a cry of pain, instinctively leaping up.
"Ouch... that hurt so much," she gasped, rubbing her cheeks.
Her gaze landed on Ao Tian, who was sitting on the sofa not far away. She asked, "Did you pinch my face?"
Ao Tian stood up and chuckled, "I was so far away from you, how could I pinch you? You must have had a nightmare."
"Really?" Xiao Wu got out of bed with a puzzled look.
"Hurry up and wash up. We'll leave immediately after breakfast. Star Dou Great Forest will be very lively today," Ao Tian urged.
"Something exciting going on? Is something about to happen?" Xiao Wu asked as they walked.
"You'll find out soon enough."
"Oh."
After finishing the breakfast the waiter brought, the two of them left the hotel.
On the street, Soul Masters were everywhere, heading towards the city gate closest to the Star Dou Great Forest in a huge procession.
"Why are there so many Soul Masters?" Xiao Wu was surprised.
Many powerful Soul Masters didn't bother to conceal their auras, releasing them outward to intimidate others.
Xiao Wu couldn't help but swallow hard, asking, "Ao Tian, what exactly happened?"
She remembered that there weren't this many Soul Masters on the streets last night.
In her eyes, the Soul Masters radiating their auras were too strong; they could easily crush her.
Ao Tian led her forward, saying, "Someone discovered a shapeshifted Soul Beast in the Star Dou Great Forest. Its strength is only at the Soul Emperor level. These people are going to seize the Soul Ring and Soul Bone of that Soul Beast."
"Are you serious?" Xiao Wu rushed in front of Ao Tian, grabbing his arm forcefully.
"Of course, it's true." Ao Tian nodded, saying, "Listen carefully; they're all discussing it."
Xiao Wu perked up her ears and indeed heard the Soul Masters talking about a shapeshifted Soul Beast.
Her face turned pale, and she pulled Ao Tian away, urgently saying, "We have to leave quickly, we must hurry back."
"Don't worry, your mother will be fine. Aren't your friends Da Ming and Er Ming protecting her?" Ao Tian said.
"How can I not worry? There are too many Soul Masters, I'm afraid Da Ming and Er Ming can't hold them off."
"Relax, with me here, everything will be alright." Ao Tian said, pulling Xiao Wu into an empty alley. Then, he released the Dragon Horse.
Ao Tian mounted the horse, reached out to Xiao Wu, and said, "Come on."
Xiao Wu reached out, and Ao Tian pulled her up, so she sat in front of him.
"Dragon Horse, follow them." Ao Tian gently patted the Dragon Horse's back.
The Dragon Horse let out an excited neigh and followed the massive team of Soul Masters ahead.
"Can't we go faster?" Xiao Wu asked anxiously.
"Then hurry up," Ao Tian ordered.
Dragon Horse quickened its pace, quickly surpassing the other Soul Masters' horses.
Ao Tian comforted, "Don't worry, their horses aren't as fast as mine."
Dragon Horse galloped past, and the horses ridden by those Soul Masters were immediately startled, their front hooves high in the air, letting out uneasy cries.
"Damn, what kind of horse are those two little brats riding?" someone exclaimed in shock.
The Dragon Horse, completely snow-white, was much larger than ordinary horses, with strong and powerful limbs, and ran like the wind.
Wherever Dragon Horse passed, people were almost thrown off their mounts.
"Grab his horse!" someone's eyes lit up.
But before he could act, his horse had already bucked him off, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Several powerful Soul Masters leaped from their horses, charging towards Ao Tian.
However, as soon as they were airborne, they felt a tremendous force pressing down on them, as if a giant hand was descending from the sky.
Bang, bang, bang, bang…
Four or five of them had jumped, but they all crashed to the ground, their bones broken, their tendons torn, and they screamed in agony.
Those who had been about to attack stopped abruptly, looking uncertainly as the Dragon Horse galloped past them.
After leaving the city gates, the road widened, and the Dragon Horse sprinted, easily surpassing the Soul Masters.
"Why are there so many Soul Masters?" Xiao Wu looked nervous; the road was packed with them, as far as the eye could see.
"Some Soul Masters set off early this morning and have already entered the forest," Ao Tian said.
"Dragon Horse, a little faster," Xiao Wu said, stroking the Dragon Horse's head.
The Dragon Horse accelerated again, seeming to transform into lightning, astonishing the Soul Masters along the way.
The journey, which should have taken an hour, took less than half an hour. Ao Tian and Xiao Wu arrived outside the Star Dou Great Forest.
Many horses were parked outside the forest, while those Soul Masters had gone inside.
The terrain inside the forest was complex and not suitable for riding horses.
Ao Tian spurred the horse forward, saying, "Let's go in."
(End of this chapter)