NOVEL WEB Chapter 42: Unexpected Encounter
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Ning Rongrong and Ye Feng worked tirelessly, moving back and forth to collect the ancient swords. After half an hour of effort, they finally managed to store all 18,000 ancient swords into Ye Feng's storage soul guide.
As Ye Feng closed the final compartment of his storage bracelet, he couldn't help but notice how tightly packed it had become.
"Brother, your storage soul guide is really spacious!" Ning Rongrong exclaimed in amazement.
Ye Feng smiled and nodded. His hand gently touched the jade bracelet on his left wrist. The bracelet had elegant golden patterns etched across its surface, radiating a sense of understated sophistication.
As the heiress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Ning Rongrong had seen countless rare treasures. Her family's wealth and influence stretched across the entire Heaven Dou Empire. Even with her vast experience, she instantly recognized that the jade bracelet on Ye Feng's wrist was no ordinary storage soul guide—it was a treasure of extraordinary quality.
"Brother, don't you think it's a bit strange?" Ning Rongrong asked with a hint of amusement in her tone.
"Strange? How so?" Ye Feng blinked, confused.
"A man choosing a storage soul guide shaped like a jade bracelet—it's not exactly a typical choice, don't you think?" Ning Rongrong teased, though her expression softened.
Ye Feng lowered his gaze to the bracelet on his wrist, his expression turning somber. "Junior sister, this bracelet isn't just a storage soul guide. It's the only keepsake left to me by my mother. When I was just an infant, my parents were hunted down by their enemies. Before they died, they entrusted me to Grandpa Jack in the village. I don't even know my parents' names. This jade bracelet is all I have to remember them by."
Hearing this, Ning Rongrong's playful demeanor vanished. "I'm sorry, senior brother," she said softly, her voice laced with regret. "I didn't mean to bring up something so painful..."
Ye Feng shook his head, forcing a small smile. "It's fine. After all, I still have Xiao Wu, our master, and you, my little junior sister. That's enough for me. Anyway, it's already dawn. We should head back to the academy."
Ning Rongrong nodded with a gentle smile. "Okay."
"Shall we... ride the flying sword again?" Ye Feng asked hesitantly, a slight blush creeping onto his face as he remembered the previous incident.
"Of course! It's so far to the academy—we'd need hours to walk back," Ning Rongrong replied, her cheeks also turning red as she recalled their close proximity earlier.
Ye Feng summoned his martial soul, the Xuanyuan Sword, and gestured for Ning Rongrong to step on.
As the two took to the skies, they were both surprised to find how stable the flight was. Even with two people aboard, the sword didn't waver, gliding smoothly through the air as though it had been designed for this purpose.
"Brother, you've gotten so good at flying with a passenger!" Ning Rongrong exclaimed in awe.
"Are you disappointed that I'm not bad at it?" Ye Feng teased with a grin.
"Brother, you're teasing me again!" Ning Rongrong pouted, though a small smile tugged at her lips. Standing behind Ye Feng, she gazed at his profile, a faint sense of loss creeping into her heart. Unlike their flight to the mountain, there was no longer any excuse for physical closeness.
Ye Feng felt similarly conflicted. As a normal young man, he couldn't deny his wish for more proximity, yet the newfound stability of his flying sword left no such opportunity. He suspected that his improved control stemmed from the awakening of his Sword Emperor Domain, which enhanced his connection to his martial soul.
As they left the mountain behind, the serene atmosphere was broken by the arrival of a shadowy figure. A man in a plain black robe descended onto the peak. Hidden in the shadows, the man had witnessed everything that had transpired the previous night.
"A mere sword dares to aspire to become the first weapon martial soul?" the man muttered coldly, his hoarse voice dripping with disdain. His icy gaze followed the direction where Ye Feng and Ning Rongrong had disappeared. A chilling aura radiated from him, sending shivers down the spine of anyone who might have been nearby.
Meanwhile, as Ye Feng and Ning Rongrong neared Shrek Academy, they enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the surrounding hills and fields. Suddenly, Ning Rongrong pointed down toward a dilapidated thatched house. "Brother, look over there!"
Following her gaze, Ye Feng noticed something unusual happening. A boy was pushing a girl to the ground inside the house. He seemed to be trying to assault her.
Ye Feng's brow furrowed as he steered the Xuanyuan Sword closer, hovering above the house. Through a hole in the roof, they had a clear view of the scene below.
The girl appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen years old. Though her features were plain, her youthful energy and simple attire marked her as a villager. Her assailant was a short, chubby boy with fiery red hair styled in a peculiar manner. From their vantage point, Ye Feng and Ning Rongrong couldn't see his face clearly.
"Let me go! Ma Hongjun, let me go!" the girl cried, her voice trembling with fear. "I already told you, it's not the right time!"
"Cuihua, don't pretend! You enjoyed yourself just fine yesterday," the boy retorted with a sly grin.
"Ma Hongjun, I'm serious! My aunt came over last night, and I told you we can't do this now!"
"Enough with the excuses. You're just teasing me," Ma Hongjun snapped, continuing to tug at her clothes.
At that moment, the girl managed to shove Ma Hongjun away, snatched her clothes, and dashed toward the door.
"Wait! Cuihua, I'm sorry!" Ma Hongjun called after her, grabbing her wrist in desperation. "I got carried away. Please forgive me!"
But the fear in Cuihua's eyes was unmistakable. She pulled free from his grip and yelled, "Don't look for me again, Ma Hongjun! I'll never be with you!"
The scene ends with Ye Feng and Ning Rongrong exchanging shocked glances, both unsure of how to respond to what they had just witnessed.
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