Old Bat's Sneak Attack

In this small town on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, most soul masters were Soul Grandmasters, followed by Soul Elders. A Soul Ancestor could become a local tyrant, a petty overlord.

"Level Twenty Soul Hunting Squad, led by a Soul Elder! One hundred Gold Soul Coins per person, come quick if you're interested!"

"Level Thirty soul master squad, looking for a support!"

"Fresh Soul Beast meat! Going cheap!"

There was no shortage of shouting here.

Xiao Shan had truly had her eyes opened. She had never expected these fairly high-level soul masters to act like street vendors. Within the limits of her understanding, weren't soul masters supposed to be extremely prestigious? At the very least, many merchants would call out, "Lord Soul Master," when they saw one.

Xiao Shan saw many adorable Soul Beast cubs locked in cages, their eyes dull and lifeless. Though they were small, they vaguely understood that they no longer had a future.

It made Xiao Shan feel deeply uncomfortable.

Ever since she and Tang Hao entered this town, they had drawn all sorts of gazes.

Tang Hao wore somewhat shabby clothes, his face hidden beneath a hood. Xiao Shan wore light clothing that made movement easier, since they were heading far away today.

Though she was plainly dressed, she was clearly a beauty in the making. That was what many people thought.

"Hey, look at those two. A decrepit old man and a pretty little girl—what a strange combination." A handsome-looking man with a Feminine Aura spoke up.

"What? You've taken a liking to that little girl?" an old man beside the feminine man asked. Though advanced in age, he was also a Soul Ancestor and often led Soul Hunting Squads. The feminine man did as well.

The feminine man was not embarrassed in the slightest. He gave the old man a wicked smile, his eyes seeming to burn with desire. What he liked most were tender, delicate little girls like this. Her blood would surely be delicious.

He secretly used a soul skill, and his entire body seemed to merge with the shadows. He quietly followed behind Tang Hao and Xiao Shan.

"Ah, what a pity. Another little girl is going to fall victim to that dead bat," another young man beside the old man sighed.

"Not necessarily, not necessarily..." The old man shook his head, pulled out the wine flask at his waist, uncapped it, and took a huge swig.

"Teacher, Old Bat is a Level Forty-Four Soul Ancestor. He's never failed before." The young man beside him was actually his disciple. Even though the old man was his teacher, he still found it hard to believe.

"Just wait. You'll get a good show." The old man smiled faintly, his gaze meaningful as he watched Tang Hao and Xiao Shan's departing figures.

Old Bat suddenly emerged from Xiao Shan's shadow and reached out to cover her mouth. His movements were exceptionally practiced, because he had done this countless times before. His sleeve concealed knockout drugs; once he covered a girl's mouth, she would lose consciousness within seconds.

Tang Hao's arms, unusually thick and powerful from daily blacksmithing, grabbed the ill-intentioned Old Bat by the head.

Tang Hao's expression darkened, and rage seemed to burn in his eyes.

"Speak. What were you trying to do?"

Old Bat seemed never to have imagined that he would fail one day. As if recalling something, his pupils widened slightly, his face filled with disbelief.

"Y-you... you're a Soul Emperor!" Old Bat said, trembling all over. He had used his Soul Bone Skill, Shadow Stealth. It came from the right leg bone of a Shadow Bat.

He had always had absolute faith in this soul skill. He believed that even a Soul King would be unable to detect it. Then the man before him had to be at least a Soul Emperor.

Tang Hao gripped his head and smashed it heavily into the ground. Once, twice, again and again, until Old Bat's head was split open and bloodied.

Xiao Shan was badly frightened as well and hid behind Tang Hao.

"Y-you, please spare me. My money, the treasures I've collected over the years, I'll give them all to you." Blood still stained Old Bat's lips as he spoke shakily. Tang Hao had not held back at all.

"How many girls have you harmed before?" Tang Hao asked coldly.

"T-ten... more than ten."

"Go to hell!" Tang Hao said. "Xiao Shan, close your eyes."

"Huh?"

"Be good."

"Okay." Xiao Shan obediently closed her eyes.

Bang! It sounded like a watermelon hitting the ground.

Tang Hao took the Storage Soul Tool from Old Bat's hand, then took Xiao Shan's hand and walked away.

His icy gaze swept across the surroundings. There had been plenty of spectators, but when it happened, every one of them had stayed far away.

These people firmly etched the hooded man's appearance into their minds. They absolutely could not provoke him.

Xiao Shan had actually secretly opened her eyes just now, but quickly shut them again.

She had seen Old Bat's head smashed apart like a watermelon. Red and white splattered everywhere. Yet his ruined face seemed to have become wrinkled and shriveled, as though that handsome feminine man from before had merely been her illusion.

"How was that? I told you there'd be a good show. Go bring Old Bat's corpse back," the old man said with a smile.

"But, teacher, this..."

The old man knew what his disciple was thinking. Wasn't it just a little disgusting?

"Go, now!" he barked.

"O-okay, I'm going."

The disciple could only endure the strange looks of the onlookers as he dragged Old Bat's corpse away.

"Teacher."

"Why are you dragging it over here? Drag it back to his house!" The old man stood up after saying that. He had a modest reputation in this area, so no one would dare touch his stall even if he left it unattended.

The disciple's face turned extremely ugly. He still had to drag it?

The old man shook his head and sighed. "Young people these days, acting disgusted over such a trivial matter."

The old man knew that, despite being a Soul Ancestor, Old Bat had used a total of five soul skills. That had not escaped his notice. Most likely, he possessed a Spirit Bone.

"Jia Yu! Remember this! When you're out in the world, keep your eyes open!" the old man instructed. Jia Yu was his disciple's name. He was already quite old and had no use for that Spirit Bone, so it had to go to this disciple.

By then, Tang Hao and Xiao Shan had already arrived at the Star Dou Great Forest. Xiao Shan was clearly still badly shaken and had yet to recover. Still, this had achieved the effect Tang Hao wanted.

This trip hadn't been wasted, Tang Hao thought. If Xiao Shan had no intention of becoming a soul master, then Dad would spoil you for the rest of your life. But since you chose to become one, this is something you were bound to experience sooner or later. I'm by your side now, but that may not always be the case in the future.