Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Elopement?
The next day, Hu Jiu and Xiao Wu set out early from Nuoding Academy, heading west towards the nearby Mato City.
"Xiao Wu, are you really going to Mato City with me? It's quite far, and just the journey will take a lot of time!" Hu Jiu, with a hammer hanging at his waist, looked at the bouncing Xiao Wu in front of him.
"Of course! You're an Auxiliary Spirit Master, and while you have some combat ability, it's still lacking a bit. So, Sister Xiao Wu is generously here to help you out, but I'm not doing it for free."
Xiao Wu turned back, smiling and counting on her fingers.
"I want five hundred carrots," she thought for a moment and then blinked, saying, "No, I want a thousand, not a single one less."
"Ha ha, alright, I'll let you eat carrots for the rest of your life."
Looking at the adorable Xiao Wu, Hu Jiu chuckled softly.
"But what if we just run off like this? Won't your good buddy Tang San blame you later?" Xiao Wu asked with concern.
Xiao Wu didn't mind Hu Jiu's choice for his second Spirit Ring; to her, no matter what Hu Jiu chose, she would respect his decision. Of course, this was on the condition that his carrots would taste even better.
"Xiao San huh... Don't worry. Once I get the Spirit Ring, he won't have a say in it. At most, I'll just get scolded when I go back." Hu Jiu had already thought this through.
Moreover, he was quite optimistic about the Transformation skill. Indeed, a ten-year-old Hundred Change Monster wouldn't provide him with a very powerful skill effect. But what if he could enhance this Spirit Ring to a much higher level in the future? Wouldn't he then be able to change into whatever he wanted—creating illusions that were indistinguishable from reality? For a moment, Hu Jiu was filled with anticipation.
Before they left, he had checked the information: the Hundred Change Monster was a specialty of the monster forest near Mato City to the west, where the highest-ranked Spirit Beasts were only around a hundred years old. With his and Xiao Wu's cultivation levels, handling them would be more than enough.
This time, because he was with Xiao Wu, Hu Jiu cleverly chose to walk. Originally, they could have reached their destination in just two days by carriage, but they insisted on taking five days instead. Along the way, the two enjoyed the scenery as if they were not on a quest for a Spirit Ring, but rather on a vacation.
One thing delighted Hu Jiu immensely: because they were spending this time alone together, his relationship with Xiao Wu finally made a breakthrough.
Watching the two walk joyfully side by side, their shoulders brushing against each other, it was only a hand-hold away. It wasn't that Hu Jiu lacked the courage; it was just that Xiao Wu seemed to notice. Whenever he made a move, he would receive a roll of her eyes, leaving Hu Jiu helpless.
However, Hu Jiu wasn't in a rush. After all, there would be plenty of opportunities in the future; he wasn't worried about this moment.
Originally, Hu Jiu thought this journey would go very smoothly. After all, the old saying goes: when traveling the world, the elderly, children, and women are the ones you should never provoke. He and Xiao Wu fit into two of those categories.
Unfortunately, in the Douluo Continent, it seemed that no one had summed up this ironclad rule. In any case, the two of them were currently encountering trouble.
As they were approaching Mato City, the number of pedestrians on the road began to increase. There were farmers carrying local specialties, larger merchant caravans heading to trade, and occasionally, adventurers dressed as Spirit Masters.
And they encountered a group of wealthy young men.
"Hehe, little sister, where are you two headed? I, the young master, am in a good mood today and can give you a free ride," a pale-faced youth, around seventeen or eighteen years old, blocked Hu Jiu and Xiao Wu's path.
On the surface, he appeared to be well-meaning, but the lustful glint in his eyes was impossible to conceal.
This scoundrel had his eyes on Xiao Wu.
Watching the youth talk to Xiao Wu, Hu Jiu lowered his head, hiding the fierce look in his eyes.
At the same time, he discreetly sensed the two bodyguards behind the youth.
"One is at level twenty-five. From his light footsteps, he should be an agility-type Spirit Grand Master."
"The other seems to be around level twenty-six. With his large hands and sturdy build, he's clearly an attack-type Spirit Grand Master."
"As for this youth, he's only level eighteen at his age—what a disgrace."
In an instant, Hu Jiu had gathered so much information through his Level Seven Five Senses Enhancement Technique.
At that moment, the youth across from them was still chattering away, inviting Xiao Wu onto his carriage.
"Get lost!" Xiao Wu rarely showed such a cold expression as she replied coldly.
"What did you say, you ungrateful little girl? I am the son of Ma Tong, the lord of Mato City! How dare you insult me?"
The youth's face turned extremely ugly; he had never been insulted like this in his life.
"Ma Wen, Ma Wu."
"Yes, Young Master Ma Feng," the two bodyguards behind the youth stepped forward respectfully.
"Grab this annoying little girl for me. Let's see how I'll teach her a lesson later."
"Hmph, just looking at you makes it obvious you're not a good person. You want to fight? I like that!" Xiao Wu cracked her knuckles and jumped forward to attack first.
Behind her, Hu Jiu had already drawn his iron hammer, a fierce smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
Disorder Splitting Winds Hammer Technique.
He began to gather power.
Hu Jiu didn't participate in the fight between Xiao Wu and the two bodyguards; instead, he quietly stepped back, hiding to the side as he whirled the hammer, accumulating power in circles.
The Disorder Splitting Winds Hammer Technique was like this: even though it had reached Level Eight, it still hadn't changed the essence of the hammer technique—he still needed to gather power with each swing.
However, at this moment, the increase in strength with each swing was no longer a simple onefold increase.
It leaped from one times, to two times, to four times and so on.
In just ten swings, he had accumulated five hundred pounds of force.
"This power is already enough."
Glancing at Xiao Wu, who was entangled with the two bodyguards using her agility, Hu Jiu shouted, "Xiao Wu, get out of the way!"
Hearing Hu Jiu's shout, Xiao Wu instinctively understood what he was about to do. She quickly performed several aerial flips and swiftly darted to the side.
"Hey, I almost forgot about you, kid! Grab him too!"
The young man, Ma Feng, was also drawn in by Hu Jiu's loud shout. However, he completely underestimated Hu Jiu. In his eyes, having one agile Xiao Wu was surprising enough; it was impossible for two talents to appear at the same time.
Unfortunately, it seemed he had miscalculated.
On this side, Hu Jiu's Soul Power spread out at his feet, and his body moved like a wisp of green smoke, arriving in front of the two bodyguards. He raised the small iron hammer high, and in an instant, the two felt an overwhelming force that made it hard to breathe, and then they knew nothing more.
Boom!
With over five hundred pounds of force, how could two Spirit Grand Masters at just over Level Twenty withstand it?
They were sent flying like tattered rags, unaware of their fate.
"Kill!" After sending the two bodyguards flying, Hu Jiu didn't hesitate, his eyes radiating a killing intent that seemed almost tangible as they locked onto Ma Feng.
Xiao Wu was his, someone he had long regarded as a precious possession. For someone to dare to have ideas about her was simply asking for death.
"Don't come over! Please don't!" Ma Feng was instantly paralyzed with fear by Hu Jiu's killing intent. He kept kicking his feet and retreating, clearly having been terrified into submission; he didn't even dare to release his Martial Spirit.
Hu Jiu was not the kind of person to show mercy; he had no intention of holding back. He brought down his hammer directly, ending the battle.
"Indeed, women are the source of trouble."
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