Douluo Continent: The Ruler of Time, Reigning Supreme

Chapter 12 Xu Jiujiu's Methods
Yin Chen and Hui Bo didn't have much luggage. A few changes of clothes and some daily necessities were easily put into a storage soul tool bracelet that was old-fashioned but fully functional.

This is one of the relics left by Yin Chen's parents. The interior space is about one cubic meter, which is enough for them for now.

This residence holds too many memories for Yin Chen. Although he knows that his return to Xingluo City is likely to be long and the chances of him coming back in the future are slim, it is, after all, the only memory left by his parents in this life.

Uncle Grey had already made arrangements, hiring a trustworthy and honest man from the neighborhood to come and clean and maintain the place regularly, with the fee prepaid for several years.

This expense is not a burden for them, who still have pensions and some savings.

Preserving these roots is perhaps more of an emotional comfort and a sense of ritual.

Everything was ready, and a magnificent and elegant carriage had been waiting outside the courtyard gate for a long time.

The carriage was a deep, dark purple, with smooth lines. It was not pulled by ordinary horses, but by a special soul-guided mechanical structure that emitted a gentle soul power fluctuation.

The shafts and wheel hubs are engraved with fine and complex silver runes, which occasionally flash with an imperceptible halo as energy flows slightly, showcasing its extraordinary soul-guided technology.

The carriage appears to be made of a mixture of some kind of hard soul beast bones and special metals, making it both lightweight and sturdy. The windows are made of a single piece of highly transparent crystal glass, with exquisite mithril patterns wrapped around the edges.

Opening the car door reveals an interior of luxury and comfort that contrasts sharply with the understated elegance of the exterior.

The interior space is much more spacious than it appears from the outside, which is clearly due to the use of some kind of space expansion technology.

The seats are large and soft, wrapped in exquisitely soft velvet, with a deep blue background and the Star Luo Empire's royal emblem—the Star Crown—embroidered in silver thread.

The car was covered with a thick, soft, snow-white carpet that made no sound when you stepped on it.

On a small, fixed tea table, there are delicate pastries and a set of lustrous white jade tea set. A faint, calming incense lingers in the air.

Although Yin Chen knew that the soul guidance technology of this period was already very advanced, it was still beyond his expectations. If the Star Luo Empire was like this, then the soul guidance technology of the Sun Moon Empire must be imaginable.

However, when Yin Chen thought about the humanoid soul guide device that the Sun Moon Empire was researching, he was not surprised. They were even preparing to build Gundams. Their technological level was no worse than his previous life, and even more advanced due to supernatural factors. It was just that their popularity was not as high due to the world situation.

At least the living standards of ordinary people are still very primitive. Ordinary people cannot afford such soul tools, and they do not even have soul power, so they cannot drive soul tools.

However, once Xuan Ziwen of Mingde Hall developed the sealed milk bottle and had an energy source, ordinary people were able to start using soul tools, which was undoubtedly a step forward for civilization.

What surprised and flattered Hui Bo the most was that Princess Xu Jiujiu did not let him ride in the ordinary carriage that was prepared for the servants, but instead smiled and gestured for him and Yin Chen to enter the main carriage together.

"Uncle Grey, please come along too. The journey to Xingluo City is not short, but the carriage is spacious, so there's no need to stand on ceremony."

Xu Jiujiu's voice was gentle, without the slightest hint of condescension.

Uncle Hui waved his hands repeatedly, saying in a panic, "Your Highness, this...this is not right. This old servant is of lowly status and cannot ride with Your Highness..."

"Uncle Hui has taken care of Yin Chen for many years and has made great contributions. There is no need for him to belittle himself."

She interrupted him after a long pause, her tone sincere.

"Besides, Yin Chen would probably prefer you to be by his side."

As she spoke, she glanced at Yin Chen with a smile.

Yin Chen understood that this was undoubtedly a tactic used by the princess to win people's hearts, meticulous and hitting the nail on the head.

But it must be admitted that this move was indeed effective.

He glanced at Uncle Grey beside him, who was so excited he was at a loss for what to do, his eyes even a little red, and felt a warmth in his heart. Before he awakened his memories, it was this old man who had given him unreserved care and protection; this affection had long surpassed that of master and servant.

“Uncle Hui, since Your Highness is so kind, we shall respectfully accept your invitation.”

Yin Chen gently tugged at Gray Uncle's rough hand and said softly.

"Yes, yes... Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."

Uncle Grey, feeling extremely apprehensive, almost tiptoed to sit down carefully in the outermost seat of the carriage, keeping his body ramrod straight and not daring to relax completely.

Yin Chen sat down opposite Xu Jiujiu.

The carriage was equipped with a highly efficient shock-absorbing soul-guiding array, so there was almost no bump when it started. Only the scenery outside the window, which was gradually accelerating past, reminded them that they were moving.

The car was very quiet, with only the extremely low hum of the soul guide core running and the faint crackling of incense burning in the incense burner on the coffee table.

Xu Jiujiu gracefully picked up a cup of flower tea that the maid had poured in advance, took a sip, and occasionally glanced at the quiet white-haired boy opposite her, her gaze filled with inquiry and contemplation.

Yin Chen turned his head to look at the street scene rushing past the window, the familiar outline of Yu Ming City gradually shrinking and fading into the distance in his field of vision.

He felt the soft seat beneath him, the delicate fragrance lingering in his nostrils, and his heart was calm and undisturbed.

He knew that this comfortable journey was the beginning of a wider and more complex world.

The beautiful princess beside him was his first key moment in this new world.

He needs to rely on her strength, and he must find his own way to survive and thrive within the web she has woven.

The wheels rolled on, carrying a group of people with different thoughts, and drove away from the border town, speeding towards the heart of the empire, the center of political turmoil—Star Luo City.

On the way, the atmosphere inside the carriage was initially calm and polite.

But after a long while, she couldn't suppress her curiosity any longer. Her amethyst-like eyes looked at Yin Chen, and she asked with just the right amount of anticipation:
"Yin Chen, I've heard that your martial soul is extremely special, possessing the time attribute? I wonder... if I might have the honor of witnessing it?"

Yin Chen glanced at her but did not refuse.

He knew that demonstrating value was the first step in securing investment.

He nodded slightly and said softly, "Okay."

With a slight thought, Yin Chen's soul power awakened and circulated within his body like a gentle stream.

His aura suddenly became ethereal and ancient.

It is neither the hair growth and body shape changes commonly seen when a beast spirit possesses a body, nor the manifestation of a weapon spirit solidified in the hand.

The first thing to change was his eyes, which were already like scattered gold.

Within those golden pupils, it was as if an invisible pointer was being moved, and intricate, complex silver engravings composed of tiny specks of light appeared out of thin air, rotated, and froze.

The originally round pupils have now transformed into two slowly rotating miniature clocks containing endless mysteries of time. Every subtle tremor of the hands seems to guide the flow of the surrounding light.

(End of this chapter)