Douluo Continent: A hundred years pass in an instant, the fleeting scenery of the world is like morn

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

"Although I am not very capable, I can still avoid a lot of trouble along the way."

"You have no soul power. What if you encounter bad people on the road?"

"Just as you once taught me, do what you think of right away, because you never know whether tomorrow or an accident will come first, so I don't trust you."

As soon as he finished speaking, a gentle breeze blew by, swirling up dust and fallen leaves that flew into the distance.

"The villagers won't feel at ease either." Seeing that Qian Xingning didn't react, Chen Jingheng added in a low voice, afraid of being rejected.

However, he was wrong.

Qian Xingning was indeed silent for a long time, but she wasn't thinking about how to refuse.

He looked at Chen Jingheng kneeling on the ground, the child he had watched grow up.

She has indeed grown up and become more sensible; she even knelt in front of him and said she would protect him.

"Get up," he said.

Chen Jingheng bit his lip and didn't move.

"I told you to get up."

"You agreed?" Upon hearing this, Chen Jingheng's eyes lit up immediately, and he stared intently at Qian Xingning.

Qian Xingning did not answer, but just looked at him quietly. After a long while, she sighed softly.

Tsk, kids really do get harder to manage as they get older, really...

However, it's good to let this child come along. When we return to the Spirit Hall, we should find someone to properly train him. We can't let his talent go to waste.

"Let's go." He turned around and took a step in the direction the official road led. "Don't kneel down so easily, the ground is cold."

Chen Jingheng was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up and quickly followed: "Lord Xingning, don't worry, I will definitely get you home safely."

"Um."

……

……

……

The two walked on until evening before finally seeing the city wall.

This is the most remote small town in the Heavenly Dou Empire. The city walls are low, with withered grass growing in the cracks between the bricks, and even the paint on the city gate is starting to peel.

The soldiers guarding the city leaned against the gate, yawning, not even bothering to glance at the passersby coming and going.

Qian Xingning's lips twitched. She looked up at the blurry writing on the city gate, said nothing, and stepped inside.

If he remembered correctly, this small town, though remote, was quite prosperous back then. What is this?

Once inside the city, it was more lively than Qian Xingning had imagined.

A few stalls were scattered along the main street. The noodle stall owner was bending over to tidy up the tables and chairs, and the other vendors were also preparing to close up shop.

Meanwhile, wisps of smoke began to rise from the chimneys of each household, slowly ascending into the twilight.

Qian Xingning turned her head to look at the boy beside her.

After walking all day, even Chen Jingheng looked tired.

"Are you hungry?" Qianxing Ning asked.

Upon hearing this, Chen Jingheng instinctively shook his head: "I won't—"

"Gurgle gurgle—"

Before he could finish speaking, his stomach started growling, swallowing the word "hungry" whole.

The boy's face turned red at a visible speed, burning from the base of his neck all the way to the tips of his ears.

Seeing this, Qian Xingning couldn't help but smile and pat Chen Jingheng on the shoulder: "Alright, don't be shy in front of your parents. Let's go eat."

Chen Jingheng rubbed the back of his head, a slightly embarrassed smile spreading across his face: "Hehe."

Soon, the two arrived at a restaurant at the corner of the main street.

The storefront isn't large, but it has a nice atmosphere.

Through the window, you can see clean tablecloths laid out inside, and several tables of guests are dining.

In this remote little town, this is considered a pretty good restaurant.

Qian Xingning pushed open the door and went in, choosing a seat by the window.

Chen Jingheng also sat down, placed the bundle on his back at his feet, and placed his hands neatly on his knees.

Upon seeing customers, the waiter trotted over, beaming, and asked, "What would you two like to eat? Our restaurant's signature dish..."

Qian Xingning took the menu, casually flipped through a couple of pages, and then paused for a moment.

"I remember you like to eat rabbit meat, right?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Jingheng was taken aback.

He seems to have never mentioned his fondness for rabbit meat to Lord Xingning.

I did pester my mother to do it a few times when I was little, but that was so many years ago...

Before he could figure it out, Qian Xingning had already looked at the waiter: "Give me a dish of cumin rabbit meat, and... spicy rabbit leg, um... shredded rabbit meat with sweet bean sauce."

He paused, then added, "Two more servings of our signature soup, one cold dish, and two bowls of rice."

Instantly, the waiter's eyes lit up, and he quickly jotted down the order on the menu: "Alright! Please wait a moment, sir, it'll be served to you right away!"

"Wait a minute!" Chen Jingheng said anxiously, lowering his voice, "Lord Xingning, there are two of us eating..."

How could he and Lord Xingning possibly finish all this food?

But Qian Xingning simply closed the menu and placed it on the table, giving him a helpless look: "I haven't tried it yet either."

He spoke casually, but for some reason, Chen Jingheng's throat suddenly tightened.

Lord Xingning has never tasted it.

For hundreds of years, he has stayed in that village, watching generation after generation grow up, leave, and grow old, spending all his savings on them, yet he himself has never even had a decent meal...

Just then, the waiter dashed off to the kitchen, his excited voice echoing from afar: "Table three, cumin rabbit meat, spicy rabbit leg, and shredded rabbit meat with sweet bean sauce, hurry up!"

Chen Jingheng lowered his eyes, suppressing the rising bitterness. When he looked up again, his face had regained its shy smile.

"Well... I won't stand on ceremony then, thank you very much, Lord Xingning."

Qian Xingning leaned back in her chair, gazing at the twilight gradually settling outside the window: "You're welcome."

……

In a corner of the kitchen, a man wearing a gray cotton jacket leaned against the wall, cracking sunflower seeds casually in his hand.

His gaze pierced through the half-closed kitchen curtain and landed on the table by the window outside.

What do you think of those two people outside?

Upon hearing this, the chef didn't stop working, stirring the pan a couple of times with the spatula: "Which one?"

"Those two kids by the window." The man in gray spat out sunflower seed shells on the ground, narrowing his eyes. "One has no soul power, he's a piece of trash. As for the other one... his soul power probably isn't much higher either."

The chef looked up, glanced through the gap in the curtain, then looked away and continued cooking: "Why are you staring at them?"

The man in gray chuckled: "Didn't you notice? That good-for-nothing may not be dressed well, but his aura is anything but ordinary."

"His posture, demeanor, and the casual way he ordered food—you can tell he's not from an ordinary family."

"It must be a big fish."

The chef frowned, a hint of hesitation in his voice: "Aren't you afraid he has connections?"

"Background?" The man in gray scoffed. "If you really had a powerful background, would you come to this godforsaken place?"

"Besides, even if someone has connections, who would care if a useless person with no soul power died?"

The chef remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

The man in gray patted him on the shoulder, then turned and left through the back door.