C5 The Daughter of the City Lord Was Kidnapped!

Observing Luo Yu, who seemed as naive as a Xiaobai that had never ventured beyond his doorstep, Sunn Ling, who was merely two years his senior, couldn't help but sport a capitalist's grin.

It was as though he wasn't looking at an innocent child, but rather a walking meal ticket.

Here was someone who could casually drop two hundred Spirit Stones on a jade scroll, a Xiaobai who knew nothing of the world. It was an opportunity to make the most of this resource.

"Really? You're truly willing to teach me?"

Upon hearing Sunn Ling's offer, Luo Yu's face lit up with pure excitement and eagerness, nodding vigorously like a pecking chick. Even Sunn Ling, with his thick skin, felt compelled to silently chant, "Amitabha, forgive me for my sins."

And so, a sheltered Xiaobai, fresh from the confines of his wealthy home, was smoothly coaxed and led astray by Sunn Ling.

Before long, the dishes Luo Yu had ordered arrived at the table. Sunn Ling, far from shy, saw the spread and knew Luo Yu couldn't possibly finish it all. Embracing a spirit of thriftiness, he took it upon himself to help Luo Yu with the leftovers.

Luo Yu's innocence shone through once more; after the meal, Sunn Ling sweet-talked him into paying the bill, and Luo Yu left the restaurant proudly thinking he had snagged a deal from his master.

With their bellies full, Sunn Ling had nearly wrapped up his business in Luoshi City and was ready to depart.

Thanks to Luo Yu's financial backing, acquiring a carriage was effortless for Sunn Ling. Together, they boarded the carriage and made their exit from the city.

"Um... Master, perhaps I should return?"

Out of the blue, Luo Yu glanced up at Sunn Ling, voicing his concern in a tentative whisper.

"Hmm? What's the matter?"

"I sneaked out without my family's knowledge. If my father discovers I left the city on my own, what then?"

Luo Yu's voice trailed off, his anxiety growing as he peered at the city gates receding in the distance.

Seeing Luo Yu's distress, Sunn Ling knew he had to keep the conversation going.

After all, he couldn't let the meal ticket he had worked so hard to secure slip away now.

"Hey, Luo Yu, you've got it all wrong. A true man should aspire to make his mark on the world. Why confine himself to a mere small city? Throughout history, those who've achieved greatness have always been the ones who traveled far and wide, unmatched in their pursuits."

"A frog in a well can never grasp the vastness of the sky above. If your vision is limited to the small confines of Luoshi City, then your life's achievements will likely be just as limited."

"Consider the sheer expanse of the continent. Prodigies are as numerous as grains of sand in the Ganges, and even the Windy Nation is but a small corner of the world, let alone Luoshi City."

"Do you get it now, Luo Yu?"

Luo Yu, clearly having been thoroughly influenced by Sunn Ling, looked up after a moment of deep thought. Sunn Ling's words echoed in his head, and although he wrestled with the idea, the promise of a wider world was too alluring to resist.

Indeed, how vast is the continent? How could I settle for just a small part of it? My father, if he knew, would surely not fault me for this.

With this realization, Luo Yu's gaze hardened with resolve. He turned to Sunn Ling with renewed fervor, "I never realized, Master, that you possessed such exceptional vision and ambition. There's so much more for me to learn."

Meanwhile, Sunn Ling was merely relieved to have secured a long-term source of support.

Simultaneously, in the City Lord's Mansion of Luoshi City, a middle-aged man in a luxurious robe sat leisurely in an armchair, sipping tea. Suddenly, a maid burst in, panicked.

"Master! Master! There's been a terrible incident!"

The maid, in her haste, knelt down abruptly.

"What's all this commotion about? Compose yourself! In the City Lord's Mansion, we should remain unflappable even if Mount Tai were to crumble before us. Understand?"

The middle-aged man took another leisurely sip of his tea, his eyes reflecting a serene detachment, exuding the air of someone above worldly concerns.

His authority was undeniable.

The maid, hearing his words, regained her composure. She rose slowly, adopting her master's air of ease and nonchalance.

"Master, the young miss has disappeared. This morning, the servant saw her leave dressed as a man, and she hasn't returned since."

The maidservant bowed slightly as she delivered the news, her composure unshaken by the gravity of the situation.

"What?! Are you telling me the young miss is missing?!"

Upon hearing this, City Lord Luo Hong, who was normally unflappable, suddenly looked stricken. In his agitation, he slammed his teacup to the floor.

"Then what are you waiting for? Go find her! If you can't locate the young miss, you'll all be held accountable! And make sure to alert the guards at all four city gates to conduct a thorough search!"

Luo Hong pounded the table with fury in his eyes. The thought of his daughter, who had never ventured beyond their home, now alone outside, possibly encountering danger, filled him with anxiety.

"Lo Yu, where on earth could you be?"

After a brief pause, Luo Hong's expression turned pensive. He settled into his armchair and released a powerful surge of Divine Sense at the Foundation Stage, enveloping the entirety of Luoshi City.

Feeling that wasn't enough, he extended his Divine Sense even further, reaching beyond the city limits.

...

Meanwhile, Lo Yu was blissfully unaware of the turmoil her departure had caused her father, Luo Hong. She was engrossed in Sunn Ling's tales of the continent.

"In fact, our continent is known as the Nine Territories Continent, divided into nine regions. We are in the Xuan Region, which is further split into 72 empires, including the Li Huang of the Shocking Cloud Empire where we reside."

"Our Windy Nation is but a small vassal state within the Shocking Cloud Empire."

Listening to Sunn Ling recount the layout of the land with such familiarity, Lo Yu was impressed by his extensive knowledge.

Yet, she wondered why Sunn Ling chose to remain in the modest Windy Nation.

"So, Master, since you're so well-informed, you must have traveled to many places, right?"

Lo Yu's eyes sparkled with anticipation, eager to hear Sunn Ling share the wonders and oddities of other nations. But Sunn Ling had never actually visited those places; he had simply authored the book himself.

"No, I haven't been there, but I certainly know quite a bit about it."

Sunn Ling smiled faintly as he gazed out the window. Yet, at that very moment, Lo Hong's Divine Sense managed to detect the carriage carrying Sunn Ling. Upon seeing Lo Yu also inside the carriage, his anger became uncontrollable.

"How dare you!"

With a cold huff, Lo Hong transformed into a streak of black light and vanished from the City Lord's Mansion in an instant.

How swift can a high-level Foundation Stage expert be? In barely half a quarter of an hour, he had caught up with Sunn Ling's carriage. Then, with a thunderous boom, Lo Hong appeared, his face seething with rage, blocking the path of Sunn Ling's carriage.