An Uninvited Guest

That night, Yang Wudi returned to the family compound, his face full of exhaustion.

"Patriarch, regarding Earl Xiri..." An elder hurried forward and asked with a worried expression.

Looking into the elder's hopeful eyes, Yang Wudi felt bitter. A thousand words ultimately became a long sigh. "Tell the clansmen to start packing over the next few days. Perhaps in a few days, our Breaking Clan will have to relocate in its entirety again."

"This..." The elder fell silent, but said nothing more.

Or rather, after all these years, they had nearly grown accustomed to this situation. Including this time, the Breaking Clan had already relocated in its entirety four times.

Ever since they had broken away from the Clear Sky Sect and offended Spirit Hall, life had been especially difficult for the Breaking Clan.

Nearly every city's nobility had been unwilling to take them in. The main reason was that these nobles feared Spirit Hall's overwhelming power. They were afraid that getting too close to the Breaking Clan would invite Spirit Hall's retaliation, further affecting their own exchanges of benefits with Spirit Hall.

Many nobles were like this. On one hand, they hated Spirit Hall for dividing up their authority; on the other, they had no choice but to curry favor with the greatest soul master organization on the continent.

Clearly, this Earl Xiri was no different.

Ever since the Breaking Clan moved here, Earl Xiri had regarded them as a major destabilizing element and had openly and covertly obstructed them at every turn. For instance, he suppressed the Breaking Clan in business. The same goods would cost others ten Gold Soul Coins, but the Breaking Clan a hundred Gold Soul Coins. Worse still, he had perfectly justified excuses, rambling on about this tax and that tax.

Unfortunately, the Breaking Clan's people were mostly straightforward martial men. They knew nothing about such matters and were not skilled at social dealings. Other merchants knew they were being treated differently, yet no one kindly told them.

As a result, for a long time, the Breaking Clan spent more than ten times the usual amount to buy goods that should have been cheap, all while thinking it was normal. Their already struggling family finances only worsened.

Recently, Earl Xiri had apparently decided the time was right and begun the final reckoning. He pinned a fabricated charge on the Breaking Clan and extorted fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins from them. This left Yang Wudi both anxious and furious.

He knew it was Earl Xiri's scheme, but he could find no solution. The Soul Breaking Spear in his hand had never failed him; it could charge in and out of a battlefield seven times, sweeping through thousands of troops, yet in the arenas of politics and commerce, he could not take a single step forward.

No matter how formidable his strength, the ties of family had ultimately become the obstacle that kept Yang Wudi from making a decision. If he had been alone, so what if he stabbed Earl Xiri to death with one thrust? The Star Luo Empire would never choose to offend a lone Soul Douluo over some mere earl.

"Ah..." Yang Wudi sighed, seeming to wither all at once.

He returned to his room, but the instant he stepped inside, every hair on his body stood on end! The threat of death forced him to react in the blink of an eye.

A black iron spear gleaming with cold light appeared in his hand, and eight Soul Rings in the optimal configuration rose in an instant.

Holding the spear in one hand, Yang Wudi thrust fiercely into the darkness ahead with an unstoppable momentum!

"Clang!"

The sound of metal striking metal rang out. Pain shot through Yang Wudi's palm as an immense force knocked his Soul Breaking Spear aside.

"Whoosh!"

A shrill rush of wind followed. An emerald-green snake tail, like the whip of a god, lashed toward Yang Wudi's face with lightning speed.

Yang Wudi hardened his heart and abandoned defense altogether, driving his spear straight at the emerald tail.

"Hiss—"

The iron spear was exceptionally sharp. Empowered by all six of Yang Wudi's first Soul Skills, it actually pierced straight through the emerald tail, drawing a pained hiss from its owner.

But the snake tail quickly reacted, decisively pulling itself free from the tip of the Soul Breaking Spear before attacking Yang Wudi again like lightning.

Yang Wudi spun his spear in his hand, clashing repeatedly with the snake tail.

In the end, the snake tail curled around the Soul Breaking Spear with great skill. Yang Wudi struggled with all his strength, but could not break free.

The situation froze for a moment.

"Enough, Bo'er. Stop."

A young male voice sounded from the darkness. Then a cluster of flames appeared, lighting the five kerosene lamps in the room.

The emerald snake tail suddenly withdrew. Yang Wudi did not lower his guard and remained standing with his spear in hand.

What surprised Yang Wudi was that these unexpected visitors were four exceedingly young boys and girls. The half-serpent girl was undoubtedly the mysterious soul master who had exchanged dozens of moves with him in the darkness just now.

"She's actually this young!" Seeing Dugu Bo's appearance, that of a girl barely sixteen, Yang Wudi sank into deep doubt.

At that moment, the White-Clad Youth among the three girls and one boy spoke. He looked relaxed and at ease, sitting boldly in a peachwood chair as he waved a folding fan.

"Don't be nervous, Patriarch Yang Wudi. Sit down first. There's no need for us to be so tense. Relax."

Yang Wudi stared deeply at Ming Lunyu for several seconds, as though trying to see through this extraordinary youth.

In the end, Yang Wudi flicked his wrist and withdrew his martial soul. He sat just as boldly in another chair and said coldly, "May I ask why the four of you have come to visit so late at night, and with such a display?"

Ming Lunyu rose to his feet and cupped his hands toward Yang Wudi. "Before we discuss business, I must first apologize to Patriarch Yang. What we did just now was indeed offensive. I merely wished to confirm whether Patriarch Yang truly possessed the peerless offensive power rumored of a Soul Breaking Spear. The result has proven that Patriarch Yang is even more remarkable than the stories claim. In terms of offense, you have reached the pinnacle."

Though Yang Wudi said nothing, the praise pleased him greatly. Even his expression softened somewhat, though his tone remained stiff. "Enough with the flattery."

"Ah, that is not right. I was not flattering you; I was speaking the truth. Bo'er, show him your Soul Rings."

Dugu Bo nodded at his words.

"Emerald Profound Evil Python, possess me."

"Hiss!"

A cold hiss seemed to echo from the void.

Dugu Bo's pair of jade-like legs instantly transformed into a long snake tail. Nine Soul Rings pulsed around her.

"A Titled Douluo!" Yang Wudi shot to his feet.

Although he had sensed it earlier, seeing with his own eyes that a girl young enough to be his granddaughter was actually a Titled Douluo still struck Yang Wudi so hard that he could not remain composed.

Ming Lunyu smiled faintly. "See? I was not speaking nonsense. Patriarch Yang is indeed unparalleled in offensive power. You can even stand against a Titled Douluo with the body of a Soul Douluo. Once you enter the Titled Douluo realm someday, what a sight that would be."

Yang Wudi felt pleased and proud at those words, yet also regretful and unwilling.

He understood that with his own talent, he likely would never cross the threshold into the Titled Douluo realm.

"May I ask your names?" After learning that Dugu Bo was a Titled Douluo, Yang Wudi's attitude immediately became far more respectful. This was not hypocrisy, but the most basic respect for the strong.

"Ming Lunyu, Ma Hongjun, Dugu Bo, Tang Fu'er." Ming Lunyu introduced them one by one.

"Dugu Bo?!"

Upon hearing that name, Yang Wudi's face filled with disbelief again.

"You're Poison Douluo Dugu Bo?"

Dugu Bo nodded as if it were only natural.

"You're a woman?!"

Dugu Bo raised her head to look at the sky, thought for a second, then nodded again.

"Wait, even if that's true, your appearance..."

Ming Lunyu interrupted him. "Patriarch Yang, we can discuss that later. Let us talk business first."

"Alright, alright, please speak, Young Master." Yang Wudi sat down awkwardly, aware that he had lost his composure.

Circumstances were stronger than men. Not only had the other side brought a Titled Douluo, but that Titled Douluo was Dugu Bo—the Dugu Bo known as the killer of low-level soul masters. Yang Wudi dared not act rashly. If he angered her, the entire Breaking Clan would be finished. After all, rumors said that this Your Excellency had an eccentric and temperamental nature. Though he did not know why the White-Clad Youth seemed to be taking the lead, Yang Wudi did not dare let down his guard in the slightest.