A small patch of woods a few kilometers east of Notting City.
Tang Hao had already tossed Ye Qiu onto the ground. Ye Qiu bent over with his mouth open, gasping for air. The cold wind poured into his mouth, chilling him to the bone. Fortunately, he was strong and sturdy, so it did not actually feel like much. Still, he put on a convincing act.
"Kid, did you train that Soul Elder cultivation of yours for nothing?" Tang Hao sat cross-legged on the grass and could not help mocking Ye Qiu.
"Uncle Haozi, you were just too fast."
Ye Qiu cleared his slightly dry throat and dropped onto the ground. After resting for quite a while, he opened his bright black eyes and looked at Tang Hao, his gaze filled with confusion and shock.
Tang Hao took out a flask and took a deep swig.
Alcohol could not only drown his sorrows, but also ease the pain in his body. Ever since that battle, Tang Hao had already been at the end of his strength. The injuries within him were far worse than they appeared.
Noticing Ye Qiu's stare, Tang Hao raised an eyebrow.
"Why are you staring at me like that? Spit it out if you've got something to say."
Ye Qiu swallowed, moistening his throat, then cautiously asked, "Uncle Haozi, are you a Titled Douluo?"
"Hm?"
Tang Hao gave Ye Qiu a calm glance and said flatly, "What if I am? What if I'm not? Do I have to explain myself to you?"
"Uh..." Ye Qiu was speechless. He awkwardly scratched his head and chuckled. "I was just curious. Since Uncle Haozi is such a powerful Soul Master, why did you let Xiao San live such a hard life?"
"A hard life?" Tang Hao's eyes widened at