Chu Tianxiu followed the faint sounds of struggle and soon found their source in a dense thicket. A woman lay collapsed amidst the undergrowth, her condition dire. Her form-fitting red outfit was torn in several places, revealing numerous wounds that soaked the fabric with blood. Her face, which might have been beautiful, was deathly pale, and a trickle of blood trailed from the corner of her mouth.
Looking at the woman, Chu Tianxiu felt a flicker of familiarity, though he couldn't quite place her. Driven by a basic compassion for a fellow human in distress, he decided to help. He maneuvered her onto his shoulders, finding the process awkward due to his own height. At roughly 1.6 meters tall, carrying a woman who was at least 1.7 meters resulted in her feet dragging limply along the ground as he began the trek back to where Da Ming and Er Ming resided.
Another bright and sunny morning. In a simple wooden hut constructed by Er Ming, Liu Erlong was awakened by the light streaming through a window. She struggled to sit up on the makeshift bed.
"Huh? Where am I?" she mumbled, her voice hoarse.
Waves of pain surged through her body, and she frowned, only then realizing that her original clothes were gone, replaced by a long, ornate black and gold robe that covered her. She pulled back the collar and saw that all her wounds had been meticulously cleaned and bandaged.
Her memories flooded back. She had come to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain her sixth soul ring after breaking through to the Soul Emperor realm. Her battle with a 30,000-year-old Blazing Flame Dragon had taken a turn for the worse when its mate returned. Outnumbered and overpowered, she had been severely injured, only escaping with her life by a desperate effort before collapsing in a thicket.
Clutching the robe around herself, she slowly stood and walked to the door. As she opened it, the scene outside made her freeze.
A massive Titan Giant Ape was exchanging blows with a human. The impacts sent shockwaves through the clearing, but she could tell it wasn't a life-or-death battle, but a sparring match. She immediately recognized the ape as the legendary overlord of the forest. But who was the human fighting it? Her intuition told her this was the person who had saved her.
Chu Tianxiu, mid-spar with Er Ming, caught a glimpse of the figure in his Holy Son robes. He disengaged with a fluid motion and turned. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"
Liu Erlong finally got a clear look at her savior and was shocked to see he was just a boy. Though young, his handsome, determined face and the sheer confidence he exuded while fighting a hundred-thousand-year soul beast was staggering.
"I... I'll live," she managed, her voice still weak. "Did you... bandage my wounds?"
"Yes," Chu Tianxiu replied matter-of-factly. "Your injuries were severe. It would have been dangerous to leave them untreated." He didn't mention the specifics of the process.
A blush crept onto Liu Erlong's pale cheeks. "Did you... remove my clothes?"
Chu Tianxiu looked at her, his expression utterly pragmatic. "I'm twelve years old. My only concern was preventing infection and saving your life. The necessities of healing outweigh trivial modesty."
Hearing his age and his clinical tone, her embarrassment faded, replaced by a wave of gratitude. She found his directness oddly refreshing. "Thank you," she said, her voice sincere.
She then asked the question burning in her mind. "How are you here, alone, with... that?" She gestured towards the Titan Giant Ape, which was now sitting nearby, watching them with curiosity.
"I'm training here," Chu Tianxiu answered simply.
"Then, would you consider coming with me when you're done?" Liu Erlong offered, eager to repay her debt. "To thank you for saving my life, I can take you to a proper Soul Master Academy. I'm the dean of Lanba Advanced Soul Master Academy!"
"Lanba Academy?" Chu Tianxiu's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're Liu Erlong."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know my name?"
Before he could fabricate an answer, she pressed on, "Who is your master? How does she know me?"
"The Pope of the Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong," Chu Tianxiu stated calmly.
The color drained from Liu Erlong's face. "What? Your teacher is that... that woman..." The word "vicious" hung unspoken in the air.
In an instant, the atmosphere turned icy. Chu Tianxiu's demeanor shifted from neutral to dangerously cold.
"You will take that back," he said, his voice low and sharp as a blade. "Now."
"Heh, impossible. If it weren't for her, how could Xiao Gang—"
Hearing her defend that man and blame Bibi Dong, Chu Tianxiu felt a cold anger rise within him. As she spoke, three profound black spirit rings rose from his feet.
"Emperor Dominates the World."
The words were not a shout, but a command. A visible shockwave of pure force erupted from him. Though Liu Erlong instantly summoned her Tyrant Dragon martial soul in shock, the blast still sent her flying five meters back, crashing painfully to the ground.
Before she could even process what happened, three Nine Nether Demon Chains were poised at her forehead, heart, and abdomen.
"Apologize," Chu Tianxiu commanded, his voice devoid of all warmth.
Liu Erlong knew her life hung by a thread. She reluctantly let her martial soul fade. But her own stubborn pride flared. "I won't. If you have the guts, kill me."
Chu Tianxiu looked at her, wounded and defiant on the ground, and the cold anger in his eyes was replaced by a flicker of something else—frustration, and perhaps a trace of pity for her misplaced loyalty. The chains vanished.
He walked over to her, and to her shock, he tore open the black and gold robe, exposing her bandaged torso once more.
"You! What are you—" she began, fear in her eyes, bracing for an attack.
But the attack never came. Instead, the boy who had just threatened her life began carefully checking her bandages, his touch surprisingly gentle as he ensured the blast had not reopened her wounds. The contrast was utterly disorienting.
He helped her retie the robe. "I don't care what you think of my master," he said, his voice quieter now, "but you will not speak ill of her in my presence. Is that understood?"
Liu Erlong, overwhelmed by the whiplash of violence and gentleness, found herself nodding, a strange sense of submission washing over her.
Chu Tianxiu helped her to her feet. "Go back to your academy when you're healed. It's not safe for you here. I will come to see you when I have time."
"I... I will," she agreed, her will strangely subdued. "I'll go back after I've recovered and obtained my sixth spirit ring."
Chu Tianxiu calculated the timeline. 'There are still about six years until the start of the original story. This fits.'
He looked up towards the sky and called out, "Old Zi!"
Soon, the Amethyst Winged Lion King descended, landing beside them with a powerful beat of its wings. Chu Tianxiu pulled the lion aside and gave it quiet instructions. The lion nodded and took off, disappearing into the forest.
Not long after, it returned, dragging the heavily injured body of a 50,000-year-old Magma Dragon and dropping it with a thud before Liu Erlong.
Chu Tianxiu helped the stunned woman stand. "This soul beast's age is suitable for you, and its attributes are compatible with your martial soul. Finish it and obtain your soul ring."
"Oh... oh... I understand," Liu Erlong stammered, moving forward almost automatically. She easily ended the soul beast's life and, as a deep black soul ring rose, began to guide it onto her soul imprint, her mind a whirlwind of confused thoughts and emotions.