Dead Men Tell No Tales

Elder Hall.

Golden Crocodile had returned empty-handed, and had even been berated by Nan Feng and Bibi Dong. If it weren't for the concern that a major clash between a high priest and the Pope would damage the reputation of Martial Soul Hall, Golden Crocodile would never have let Nan Feng off the hook.

As for Nan Feng's unappreciative reaction, Qian Daoliu was also displeased.

He had already found the kid an eyesore for hanging around Bibi Dong, and now he was pulling this?

"Yo, everyone's here today, huh?"

Seeing all the high priests, including Qian Daoliu, as well as over a dozen elders from the Elder Hall gathered together, Nan Feng was genuinely a bit surprised.

"Your dog noses are pretty good; you smelled the scent and came running."

The crowd froze.

Qian Daoliu's expression was also far from pleasant.

If not for the credit he earned during the previous attack on the Clear Sky Sect, just based on Nan Feng's attitude toward Golden Crocodile regarding this matter, he could have had Golden Crocodile swat the kid to death.

Meanwhile, Yue Guan and Gui Mei, who were sitting on Nan Feng's side, couldn't keep their composure.

No, this is freaking Qian Daoliu!

The High Priest of Martial Soul Hall!

Take it easy, man!

If this old guy makes a move, even if they teamed up with Bibi Dong, they wouldn't be able to stop him!

"Alright, enough with the nonsense. Do you want to play it hard, or do you want to play it dirty?" Nan Feng asked.

"Kid, don't push your luck," Golden Crocodile said in a deep voice.

"This is the Elder Hall. Don't think Bibi Dong can protect you. If it weren't for the merit you earned during the Clear Sky Sect affair, I wouldn't even bother negotiating with you."

"So, I should thank you, then?" Nan Feng raised an eyebrow.

"Old turtle?"

"You!" Golden Crocodile's expression faltered.

He had lived for nearly two hundred years!!

To be insulted repeatedly by a stinking brat in his teens!

"What 'what'? Damn it, robbing others is one thing, but you're trying to rob me?" Nan Feng cursed.

"And you want me to give you one? On what grounds?"

"Do you have any idea how much risk I took to bring those two back from the Star Dou Forest? You just open your mouths and expect me to hand one over?"

"And I'm supposed to thank you for not taking both?"

"You're still bringing up my contributions regarding the Clear Sky Sect? Contributions my ass!"

"You have the nerve to mention that? You all hid in your holes like turtles while I was out there doing the heavy lifting. I didn't get a single cent for my trouble, and now you're acting all high and mighty?"

The expressions of the elders turned ugly, but none of them retorted. After all, they were in the wrong; they were simply relying on their power as Title Douluo to seize the goods. They hadn't expected him to be so uncooperative.

Two humanoid spirit beasts—leaving him with one was already a concession made out of respect for his previous service regarding the Clear Sky Sect. Otherwise, why bother with the small talk? They would have just taken them. What could this kid have done about it?

Go to Bibi Dong?

Would Bibi Dong dare to declare war on the Elder Hall?

That would give them a perfectly legitimate reason to depose the Pope.

"So, you are refusing?"

Qian Daoliu, sitting in the center, finally opened his eyes.

"Refusing your head!" Nan Feng looked speechless.

"Why should I give you what belongs to me?"

"'Contribute'? Why don't you contribute your granddaughter for me to use, then?"

BOOM!!

An invisible shockwave of spirit power erupted instantly, slamming into Nan Feng and sending him flying.

Yue Guan and Gui Mei stiffened.

Damn it! Are you crazy?!

This is Qian Daoliu!!

"In consideration of the Clear Sky Sect matter, I will spare your life," Qian Daoliu said, standing up.

"Golden Crocodile, strip him of his title of honorary elder. Go to the Saintess Hall yourself and bring those two humanoid spirit beasts back."

With that, Qian Daoliu didn't say another word and turned to leave.

However, he stopped after only two steps. He turned back to look at Nan Feng, who was rising from the rubble, his eyes showing a subtle change.

That last strike was enough to severely injure a spirit king, yet this brat stood back up so quickly?

"F*ck you!" Nan Feng wiped the dust off his face and walked back.

"If you've got the guts, kill me!"

Qian Daoliu's eyes narrowed. "Bibi Dong, keep your people in check. Don't think I won't actually make a move."

"Go ahead." Bibi Dong leaned against her chair, resting her chin on her left hand, looking as if she had been uninvolved from the very beginning.

"That humanoid spirit beast is his. How he handles it is his own business. If he can keep it, that's his ability; if he can't, he can't blame me."

"It's not like I'm getting a share anyway, so why should I waste my breath?"

"I'm not one of your Qian family's old dogs, knowing full well that all I'm doing is barking along for nothing, yet still staying here to make noise."

As she spoke, Bibi Dong swept a glance over the elders and high priests present.

"Tsk~ I really don't know why you all came. It's like you actually think you'll get something. You've been barking for ages, but let alone a bone, you won't even get a drop of dishwater."

The elders froze.

What she said was incredibly harsh, but it made so much damn sense!

Even if both humanoid spirit beasts were seized, they wouldn't get a share!

The high priests were Qian Daoliu's confidants; even if spirit bones were to be distributed, it wouldn't be their turn.

"Oh, right." A subtle expression appeared on Bibi Dong's face.

"I should remind you all: Nan Feng is only sixteen this year, and he's already a spirit king~"

"Guess when he'll reach the level of a title douluo?"

"Guess what level he'll be able to cultivate to?"

"Being stronger than you lot shouldn't be a problem, right?"

The Elder Hall fell into an instant silence.

Even Qian Daoliu's expression became somewhat unnatural.

Sixteen years old, a spirit king?

Are you kidding me?

"I'm sure you all know what he's like. I wouldn't say he lacks character, but he has absolutely no bottom line—he's capable of anything!" Bibi Dong sighed lightly.

"So, take a guess: what will he do in the future?"

"You wouldn't expect me to be magnanimous enough to forgive you, would you?"

"..."

As Bibi Dong's words fell, the atmosphere inside the Elder Hall turned incredibly bizarre. The gazes of the gathered elders locked onto Nan Feng in almost perfect unison.

This brat had to die!

Clap, clap, clap!

"Yes! Exactly like that!" Bibi Dong applauded in admiration.

"Don't act all holier-than-thou like that old thing. Who among you here has clean hands? Who doesn't have skeletons in their closet?"

"Why bother acting like that old geezer, trying to make yourself look righteous while robbing people, or claiming you were forced into a corner while committing murder? A bandit is a bandit. Stealing a hundred gold soul coins is robbery, and stealing one gold soul coin is still robbery. Killing one person is murder, and killing a hundred people is also murder."

"Regardless, to the person being killed, it makes no difference whether you kill just them, or a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand."

"Only the living use numbers to judge so-called cruelty, just to make themselves appear compassionate and merciful."

"After all, the dead cannot speak."

"So, today, you must absolutely not let this brat leave here alive!"

"Otherwise..." Bibi Dong let out a long sigh, her pitying gaze sweeping over the elders and high priests present.

"You're all going to suffer greatly in the future~"

"..."