Yuwen Tuo and Meng Hongchen flew out of Mingdu together.
With Meng Hongchen escorting him, everything was indeed calm.
After all, in this situation, if someone wanted to kill him, they would have to kill Meng Hongchen too.
There were plenty of other opportunities; there was no need to risk offending the Hall Master of Mingde Hall by attacking them so close to Mingdu.
And once they were out of the city, flying towards the Demonic Forest for less than half an hour, ordinary people wouldn't be able to kill them even if they wanted to.
Because waiting ahead was the Body Sect's second-in-command, the Golden Body Douluo, Jin Peng.
"Vice Sect Master, I can't believe you came personally," Yuwen Tuo said delightedly.
The message he sent didn't specify who should come, and he had expected it to be just any elder. Instead, the Chief Elder himself had arrived.
"Heh heh, Tuo'er, I never imagined you'd send word to us so quickly. The Sect Master was worried something might have happened to you, so he urgently dispatched me," Jin Peng said with a laugh. "Now that I see you're well, I'm relieved. But, what is this..."
As he spoke, his gaze swept towards Meng Hongchen behind Yuwen Tuo, looking at her with some doubt.
"This humble one, Meng Hongchen, pays respects to Golden Body Crown!" Meng Hongchen quickly bowed.
Although he was a Titled Douluo from another country, a Titled Douluo was still a Titled Douluo. The term "Crown" carried a significance not much lesser than that of a monarch.
"Meng Hongchen? You're that old fellow Jing's granddaughter?" Jin Peng asked.
"Yes, but my grandfather's surname is Hongchen," Meng Hongchen replied helplessly. It seemed next time she'd have to introduce herself more thoroughly, otherwise, these clumsy Body Sect members would definitely get her family name wrong.
Normally, getting it wrong wouldn't be a big deal, but Meng Hongchen had already mentally settled on Yuwen Tuo. As future in-laws, they couldn't even get the names right, could they?
Jin Peng frowned. "Tuo'er, come with me!"
"Little Meng, wait for me," Yuwen Tuo told Meng Hongchen, then walked to the side with Jin Peng.
Jin Peng suddenly hooked his arm around Yuwen Tuo's neck and said, "You brat, what are you doing in the Sun Moon Empire? Didn't you say your main purpose was investigation? How did it turn into chasing girls?
Let me warn you, Xiao Xiao is still waiting for you back home. Even though she doesn't have a Body martial soul, our Body Sect recognizes her as family. If you dare to disappoint such a good girl, don't blame me, your Vice Sect Master, for disciplining you!"
Jin Peng very decisively stood on Xiao Xiao's side. If it were Ling Luochen, that would be one thing. After all, they all knew of Ling Luochen's care for Yuwen Tuo over the years. If Ling Luochen hadn't wanted to get involved in the grievances between Yuwen Tuo and Shrek, their Body Sect would have brought her back with them.
But how long had this Meng Hongchen known Yuwen Tuo? He wouldn't allow his disciple to abandon Xiao Xiao, his "wife through thick and thin," so quickly.
Otherwise, he would directly bind Yuwen Tuo and bring him back to apologize to Xiao Xiao today.
"Oh, you've misunderstood! I came out with Meng Hongchen to ask for her help. Otherwise, I might not have even been able to get out, because Xu Tianran has already targeted me!" Yuwen Tuo recounted everything that happened in the Sun Moon imperial court to Jin Peng in full detail.
Jin Peng listened, dumbfounded. "In the Sun Moon imperial court, you directly cursed Xu Tianran as a cripple and an eunuch? Tuo'er, you actually did something so insane?"
Didn't we agree that the main goal was to investigate thoroughly? Yuwen Tuo doing this completely messed up the plan, didn't it?
Yuwen Tuo shook his head. "I had no choice! Who knew I'd find out the murderer's identity on the very first day? The moment I saw him, the string of my reason just 'snapped,' and I couldn't help but start cursing!"
Hearing this, Jin Peng understood. After all, he was the murderer who slaughtered the entire village. To have him appear right in front of them, how could anyone tolerate it?
Yuwen Tuo not acting on the spot was already considered calm.
"Since that's the case, Tuo'er, come back to the sect with me now. You've thoroughly offended Xu Tianran; he will certainly not let you go. Come back with me, and the Body Sect can protect you," Jin Peng said.
"No, I can't leave yet!" Yuwen Tuo refused. "Since I've finally come to Sun Moon, I must thoroughly investigate the complete truth of what happened back then. Xu Tianran was just the one who gave the order, but I still don't know who the real perpetrator was. Asking Xu Tianran directly probably won't get me the truth, so I have to investigate on my own."
"Grand Elder, please don't worry. This time, I requested the sect's assistance precisely to gain the power to protect myself," Yuwen Tuo said.
After speaking, he turned and walked towards Meng Hongchen. "Little Meng, thank you very much this time. Now that my sect elder is here, you no longer need to worry about my safety. Please return to Mingde Hall quickly. Once I've finished my business here, I'll return soon too."
"What? I helped you, and now you're rushing me away so quickly?" Meng Hongchen pouted unhappily.
Yuwen Tuo was clearly trying to keep things from her, not wanting her to know something.
Because Meng Hongchen had just helped him, Yuwen Tuo naturally wouldn't get angry with her casually. Instead, he smiled and appeased her, "Little Meng, I'm not targeting you. It's just that the matters that follow involve my sect's secrets.
Although we are friends, you are not a member of the Body Sect, after all. Put yourself in my shoes: if I were to ask to see the blueprints for Mingde Hall's Class 9 soul tools right now, would you give them to me?"
"This..." Meng Hongchen was speechless. Yuwen Tuo was right. No matter how much she liked him, if it concerned Mingde Hall's top secrets, she couldn't possibly leak any information to Yuwen Tuo without her grandfather's permission.
This had nothing to do with personal feelings; it was about立场 (position/stance)!
Many times, one's stance was more important than personal feelings. Those who couldn't distinguish their stance were destined to be unable to exist in the world!
"Alright, I'll head back then. You come back soon too!" Thinking this, Meng Hongchen could only bid farewell to Yuwen Tuo. Reluctantly opening her flying soul tool, she returned in the direction of Mingdu.
Yuwen Tuo watched her figure disappear into the sky, then said to Jin Peng, "Grand Elder, let's go too, to the Demonic Forest!"
"Let's go!" Jin Peng knew Yuwen Tuo was in a hurry, so he didn't say much. He immediately took flight. As a Titled Douluo, he could fly at high speed without a flying soul tool.
Whatever questions there were, he could ask them while flying on the way.
The Demonic Forest was the largest soul beast forest within the Sun Moon Empire.
Its significance to the Sun Moon Empire was similar to that of the Star Dou Great Forest to the three great nations of the Douluo Continent.
This forest contained extremely rich soul beast resources, but it was also full of danger and evil. Especially the Evil Eye clan, which was the overlord of the Demonic Forest. Additionally, in the original work, the headquarters of the Holy Spirit Cult was actually located deep within the forest, both being extremely terrifying forces.
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