chsdbacks Chapter 24 Protection in the Mortal World
Chapter 24 Protection in the Mortal World
Ye Chenxing took the metal box; it felt heavy in his hand, its surface engraved with extremely intricate soul-guiding patterns that shimmered with a dark golden luster under the light. He gently opened the box, revealing a very thin metal sheet inside.
The metal sheet is circular, radiating a soft golden glow. Its most remarkable feature is the openwork carving. The openwork lines are fine and regular, yet full of creativity and imagination.
No soul power fluctuations emanated from it, yet it simply existed there, possessing a unique texture as solid as a mountain. A faint golden halo flickered across its surface, the light not intense, but extremely eye-catching.
"This is……?"
"This soul tool was made by myself, and I named it 'Red Dust Protection.' It's a trigger-activated defensive soul tool. When placed on the chest, it automatically conforms to the soul master's body, absorbing the soul master's soul power and becoming one with it. Once the soul master is attacked, it will sense it in advance and take defensive action. It can be turned on and off with a thought."
"There are a few aspects of Red Dust Protection that I'm quite satisfied with. First, it doesn't restrict the user's cultivation level. Even Soul Masters with only one or two Soul Rings can use it. Its defensive effect is equivalent to the user's strongest attack without activating any Soul Skills, while consuming only one-fifth of the Soul Power of the strongest attack. It's suitable for Soul Masters of any level, and if it's in the hands of a Title Douluo, it can have the defensive power of a Super Douluo."
"At the same time, it also has a special activation method. By actively activating the core array, an invincible shield that lasts for fifteen seconds can be generated. Its defensive power is three times that of the user's own cultivation level, and it can become a level nine soul tool, relying on this invincible shield's ability. However, this special activation only needs to be used once and then needs to be recharged. There is no need to deliberately recharge it; it will gradually fill up with the required soul power during the user's natural cultivation, a process that takes about three days. Of course, it can also be actively recharged, in which case it will require about a day and a night of meditation, continuously pouring all the soul power into it."
Ye Chenxing's heart skipped a beat.
It turned out to be the Red Dust Blessing, a life-saving treasure that even Title Douluo would envy. In fact, the original Douluo Three Kingdoms didn't even have a decent level nine soul tool, yet Jing Hongchen gave it to him so casually.
Its power is self-evident; its numerous rescues of Huo Qubing from dire straits in the original story are the best proof of its effectiveness.
"Master, this is too precious..." Ye Chenxing subconsciously wanted to decline.
"What's so valuable about it!" Jing Hongchen interrupted him directly, saying without room for argument, "You are the future pillar of our Sun Moon Empire, your safety is more important than anything else. What is a mere level nine soul tool? If there were enough time, I would have even custom-made a full set of equipment for you! Take it, and stop talking nonsense!"
Looking at Jing Hongchen's unyielding face, Ye Chenxing was silent for a moment, but finally solemnly put away Hongchen's protection and bowed deeply: "Thank you for your generous gift, Hall Master. I will remember it forever."
Jing Hongchen nodded in satisfaction and patted Ye Chenxing on the shoulder: "Go ahead and prepare well. We'll set off this afternoon."
......
Jing Hongchen led the three of them to the outside of Mingdu, then leaped into the air. Two thin golden lights suddenly unfolded behind him, slowly lifting his body upwards.
Ye Chenxing carefully observed the flying soul tool he was using. It actually looked like a pair of wings, thin and soft, without any metallic feel. A pale golden light flowed on it, and no soul power was emitted. It simply spread out gently and carried Jing Hongchen into the air.
"The three of you are not yet at the fourth ring level. There are risks involved in using flying soul tools below the fourth ring level. This technology is still being refined and improved. Although with your talent, you should be able to use it, for your safety, I will take you there this time!"
As he spoke, the flying soul tools behind him, as thin as cicada wings, suddenly shone with golden light. Ye Chenxing felt a layer of golden light descend from the sky, and the next moment, their bodies were already enveloped in it.
Immediately afterward, the four of them soared into the sky, seemingly riding the clouds. Jing Hongchen's pair of flying soul tools suddenly expanded a thousandfold, and the three of them were enveloped in a layer of golden light, hovering behind Jing Hongchen. Two enormous golden wings, each ten meters wide, gently flapped.
Jing Hongchen turned around and smiled slightly at them. The next moment, the golden light suddenly intensified, and the surrounding scenery instantly became illusory.
Everything outside became completely illusory, but the three people inside the light membrane felt no discomfort whatsoever, as if they were in a quiet room, where they couldn't even hear the wind. If it weren't for the rapidly passing scenery outside, Ye Chenxing would never have felt that he was flying at high speed in the air.
Although his own martial soul allowed him to fly, Jing Hongchen's flying soul tool gave Ye Chenxing a completely different experience.
"How's it going, Morning Star? Is it a little uncomfortable using a flying soul tool for the first time?"
Meng Hongchen, who was standing nearby, leaned over with concern, a hint of caution in her eyes.
In her view, Ye Chenxing grew up in a "remote and impoverished area" like the Heavenly Soul Empire, and probably had never even seen what a flying soul tool looked like, let alone used it himself. It was inevitable that he would be nervous and scared on his first time in the sky.
Upon hearing this, Ye Chenxing turned her head and smiled slightly at her: "It's alright. With Hall Master Jing here, I have nothing to worry about."
"That's good!" Meng Hongchen visibly relaxed, her smile widening even more. "You don't know, my brother was in a terrible state the first time he used a flying soul tool. He's actually afraid of heights! His face turned pale with fright, and he clung tightly to Grandpa's clothes, refusing to let go. It took him a long time to get used to it!"
"Dream!! What nonsense are you spouting!"
Xiao Hongchen, who was still trying to look cool, suddenly turned around. His originally cold and fair face turned bright red, and even the roots of his ears were tinged with a blush.
"I wasn't making this up!" Meng Hongchen stuck out her tongue, hiding beside Ye Chenxing with an air of "having someone back me up." "Grandpa can vouch for me!"
Xiao Hongchen gritted his teeth, yet he was utterly helpless against his younger sister. He secretly glanced at Ye Chenxing and saw a faint, ambiguous smile playing on her lips, making him wish he could disappear into the ground.
It's over. My lifelong reputation is ruined in an instant.
The thought of how many dark secrets his younger sister might reveal about him in the future made Xiao Hongchen feel incredibly bleak about his future.
Jing Hongchen, flying at the forefront, turned around and looked at the three young people bickering behind him, a genuine smile of satisfaction spreading across his face. He stroked his wind-blown beard and laughed heartily:
"Alright, alright, everyone buckle up! I'm going to speed things up; we must reach the Jingyang Mountains before nightfall!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the dark golden flying soul tool on Jing Hongchen's back suddenly burst out with an even brighter light, and he shot off towards the west like a shooting star.
As the sun sets, its golden-red afterglow spills across the land, casting a warm halo over the rolling mountains.
Looking down from the sky, Ye Chenxing saw that the land in front of him seemed to have been kneaded by an invisible giant hand, raising countless ridgelines of varying heights. Lush primeval forests covered the entire mountain range, ranging from dark green to emerald green, layer upon layer, stretching as far as the eye could see.
This is the Jingyang Mountains—one of the largest gathering places for soul beasts within the Sun Moon Empire.
Unlike the ancient, deep, and oppressive atmosphere of the Starry Sky Forest, which seemed to harbor deadly dangers everywhere, the Jingyang Mountains felt more open and majestic.
Occasionally, silvery waterfalls cascade down cliffs between the mountains, their rising mists refracting a rainbow of colors in the setting sun. In the distant valleys, a flock of unknown flying spirit beasts can be faintly seen returning to their nests, emitting long, drawn-out cries.
"We've arrived. Let's land." Jing Hongchen lowered the altitude and flew towards a relatively flat area on the outskirts of the mountains.
After looking around and confirming that there were no powerful soul beast auras nearby, he nodded in satisfaction.
"We'll camp here tonight. Tomorrow morning, we'll venture deeper into the mountains to find suitable prey." He looked at the three young men, a smile spreading across his chubby face. "Get some rest and be well-rested. Tomorrow's hunt is no joke."
Unlike Huo Yuhao in the original story when he first entered the Jingyang Mountains, the three of them naturally didn't need to do everything themselves. This time, their storage soul tools had already prepared ready-made food and tents, and before long, a simple yet comfortable campsite was set up in a clearing in the forest.
Jing Hongchen looked at the three children bustling around, a satisfied smile spreading across his chubby face. He stroked his chin, then suddenly said he was going to patrol the area to see if any unruly soul beasts were wandering nearby. He then put his hands behind his back, humming a little tune, and tactfully disappeared into the depths of the dense forest, leaving the quiet campsite entirely to the three young people.
Ye Chenxing snapped his fingers, and a campfire instantly rose. The orange-red flames illuminated the three people's faces, dispelling the chill of the mountain night.
Meng Hongchen held a cup of hot tea in both hands, stealing glances at Ye Chenxing several times. Finally, as if she had made up her mind, she cautiously asked, "Chenxing, what kind of person is your older sister... Ye Xue? You two grew up together, is she especially good to you?"
Ye Chenxing was slightly taken aback.
His first reaction was a slight tightening in his heart—could it be that Meng Hongchen had noticed something? After all, the "Ye Xue" that Qian Renxue was disguised as only possessed the Bright Swan Martial Soul, while his Sun Martial Soul was impeccable, but Qian Renxue was a suitable breakthrough point.
But he quickly noticed Meng Hongchen's expression when she asked the question. Her hands unconsciously tightened around the teacup, her blue eyes held a hint of nervousness, yet she forced herself to act as if she were just having a casual chat, her gaze shifting unpredictably, refusing to look him directly in the eye.
Ye Chenxing chuckled to himself.
So that's how it is. Her focus wasn't on Ye Xue's identity at all, but rather on whether her childhood sweetheart and "older sister," with whom she spent every day, was a potential rival in love.
Thinking of this, Ye Chenxing put down his teacup and said in a gentle and frank tone, "Miss Meng, you're overthinking it. My sister and I grew up in a small village in the Heavenly Soul Empire. Our grandfather treated us very well, and the villagers also took good care of us. Although my sister is a bit aloof, she has always been very kind to me. But in the end, we're just ordinary siblings, living an ordinary life."
Upon hearing these words, Meng Hongchen's tense shoulders subtly relaxed. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and used the opportunity to conceal the barely concealed smile on her lips.
Thankfully, it seems that they are just ordinary siblings.
"Oh, right!" She suddenly looked up, her bright blue eyes sparkling as she looked at Ye Chenxing, her tone tinged with a hint of coquettishness, "From now on, just call me 'Meng'! 'Miss Meng' is too formal. We'll be classmates going to school and cultivating together from now on!"
Going to school...
In his first life, these two words occupied almost the entire first twenty years of his life.
It's only been a little over a decade, but it feels like it's already an eternity away.
He gazed at Meng Hongchen's face, slightly flushed by the firelight, her clear blue eyes reflecting the flickering flames, filled with the unique anticipation and nervousness of a young girl. For a moment, he seemed to see a glimpse of another world.
Without realizing it, his gaze lingered for quite a while.
As he stared at her intently, Meng Hongchen's fair cheeks flushed crimson at a visible speed, even her ears burning. Her heart pounded faster and faster, her hands unconsciously tightening around the hem of her dress, her voice trembling slightly: "I... is there something on my face?...?"
Ye Chenxing snapped back to reality, realizing his earlier lapse in composure. He concealed the barely perceptible melancholy in his eyes, a gentle smile returning to his lips, and said softly:
"Excuse me, I'll call you that from now on, Meng."
Meng Hongchen's voice was already as faint as a mosquito's buzz, almost melting into the night wind.
"Um……"
"laugh."
Ye Chenxing and Meng Hongchen turned their heads at the same time, only to see Xiao Hongchen sitting on the other side of the campfire with his back to them, only the back of his head visible. His voice was muffled, with a hint of unnatural stiffness: "You...you can just call me 'Xiao' too. Calling me 'Brother Xiao' all the time sounds awkward."
Meng Hongchen was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing, laughing so hard she almost fell over, tears welling up in her eyes: "Brother, are you... being stubborn? Why are you acting so unwilling!"
"Dream!! What did you say?!" Xiao Hongchen whirled around, her fair face flushed crimson. "Who, who's being arrogant! I just thought that form of address was too troublesome!"
"Okay, okay, no trouble at all, not trouble at all~"
The atmosphere around the campfire gradually became relaxed and warm. Ye Chenxing watched the brother and sister bickering, and a genuine smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
......