The Psychological Trauma Caused by a Big Slap

"Wuwu... I'm sorry, Senior."

Beneath the Jade Dragon Radiance Tree, She Long knelt before Danheng with a bruised and swollen face, his voice muffled and nasal.

"Tell me. Who are you? Why did you come here? And why did you attack me?"

Danheng sat in his chair, continuing to flip through the documents in his hands. Not even his clothes showed the slightest sign of disorder.

"...My name is She Long. My martial soul is the Snake Lance. I am a ninety-second-rank Titled Douluo. I came here because I saw that a strange phenomenon had erupted here before."

Danheng ignored him. Unable to resist, She Long raised his head for a glance, only to meet Danheng's gaze. Frightened, he hurriedly lowered his head again.

"As for attacking you... it was purely a misunderstanding. I was merely... uh, deceived by that Dugu Bo!"

She Long's eyes lit up. Old Poison, I'll use you as a shield!

"You met Dugu Bo?"

"Ah, y-yes."

Danheng's gaze swept over him, and She Long immediately answered.

"He could deceive you into attacking me?"

Danheng smiled. What was Dugu Bo's relationship with him? Did the man dare deceive others into attacking him? Did he no longer value his life?

"This..."

"Still not being honest."

Before She Long could make up an excuse, Danheng rose from his chair. Cyan wind-element power swirled around him, and he looked ready to make a move.

"Don't! Don't, don't, don't! Senior! I'll talk! I'll tell the truth!"

"Mm."

Danheng sat back down. This guy really had it coming. Danheng had been peacefully reading when he came in. It would have been fine if he had merely looked around, but he had gone and touched Danheng's things without permission.

Danheng had kindly warned him, yet the other man had struck first. Left with no choice, Danheng could only "reason with him."

And honestly, "reasoning with people" was sometimes faster than thinking when it came to solving problems.

"Actually, I know you, Senior Danheng."

"You know me?"

Danheng was intrigued and gestured for She Long to continue.

"The matter of you frightening Xue Beng away at Heaven Dou Royal Academy has already spread throughout Heaven Dou City."

"That was why I investigated you. I learned some information about you from Godwind City."

"Oh? So what does your Spirit Hall intend to do?"

She Long froze. He had not said he was from Spirit Hall, had he?

Danheng waved the documents in his hand at She Long. They were a brief profile on She Long.

As for the Titled Douluo on the continent, Dugu Bo might not have known every single one, but he could still obtain their basic information.

"Uh, Senior, your strength is extraordinary. Naturally, Spirit Hall wishes to recruit you. However, that is not for me to decide. I was merely assigned to investigate you."

At this point, She Long knew that any more lies would only be exposed by Danheng one by one. He might as well tell the truth.

Before he came in, Dugu Bo hadn't told him there was such a terrifying monster inside!

He had just been about to use his Eighth Soul Skill, but because the commotion would have been too great, Danheng had been worried it would damage the flowers and plants in the Herb Garden. So he had sent She Long flying with one huge slap!

Do you know how much psychological trauma that one slap caused him?!

That Old Poison must have taken a beating himself and wanted She Long to get one too! He had really fallen because of that bastard today!

"Thank you for your esteem, but I have matters of my own to attend to. I'm afraid I cannot accept your recruitment."

Danheng pulled She Long to his feet. After thinking for a moment, he casually added, as if in passing:

"However, I recall that Spirit Hall has a Chrysanthemum Douluo who is quite knowledgeable about all sorts of flowers and plants. Are you familiar with him?"

Since he had caught someone from Spirit Hall, he might as well ask. If there was an opportunity, he would not have to go through the trouble of looking himself.

"Uh, not particularly. Do you have business with him, Senior?"

"If you aren't familiar with him, forget it. I'll find him myself later."

Danheng then issued an order to leave.

"Please return. I do not wish for anyone else to come here and disturb me."

"Understood. I shall take my leave."

She Long respectfully gave Danheng a deep bow, then immediately slipped away. In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Good heavens, this Danheng was far too terrifying. His Snake Lance martial soul had stabbed Danheng's body without leaving even the slightest mark. It simply could not pierce him at all!

Danheng had even caught his spear directly between just two fingers!

Later, he had tried using a Soul Skill to further sharpen the spearhead, thinking it should at least force Danheng to avoid its edge.

Yet Danheng had grabbed it with his bare hand! He had grabbed the sharpest part!

His Snake Lance martial soul was not some blunt weapon like the Clear Sky Hammer or the Coiling Dragon Staff. Could someone really catch it barehanded?

"Danheng's strength should be at least above rank ninety-seven. His martial soul is probably also one of the most supreme beast martial souls."

Danheng had withstood his attacks solely with his physical body, showing just how terrifying his physical strength was.

Coupled with the other man's utterly domineering attack power and speed, She Long concluded that Danheng had to possess a beast martial soul. Moreover, it had to be a top-tier martial soul with exceptional offense, speed, and defense.

"A powerhouse like this cannot be won over by the Young Master alone. The High Priest must make the decision."

He looked toward Heaven Dou City. After hesitating repeatedly, She Long decided to return to Spirit Hall first and report this matter to Spirit Hall's High Priest, Qian Daoliu, the Adjudicating Elder, for a decision.

After all, with Danheng's strength, aside from the High Priest and the Second Worship, She Long could not think of anyone who could rival him.

"But why did he mention that Yue Guan? Did they have some personal grudge before? No, it didn't sound like it."

On the road, She Long recalled every detail of his conversation with Danheng, puzzled by why he had specifically asked about Yue Guan.

"I'll leave it to the High Priest later."

After thinking for a long time, She Long still could not reach a conclusion, so he simply stopped worrying about it. If Yue Guan had a problem, the Hall would handle it.

He only needed to protect the Young Master and ensure Spirit Hall's plans proceeded smoothly.

"Hiss, he really hit hard. Still, it's fortunate he had no killing intent."

She Long touched the half of his face that had been swollen by the slap and could not help hissing in pain.

If Danheng had used his full strength, that slap might have separated his head from his body!

"Hah... it's finally quiet."

After She Long left, Danheng felt somewhat tired. Reading so much information in such a short time had made him a little sleepy.

The Jade Dragon Radiance Tree connected with Danheng's mind once more. It extended several branches and intertwined them into the shape of a bed, after which great swathes of leaves fell, laying down a thick layer atop it.

"You really do understand me."

Danheng smiled, then lay down on the leaves and fell asleep amid their refreshing fragrance.

"I'm saying, can you hurry up? What's so interesting about these broken skeletons of ours?"

Beneath the tree, at the resting place of the fallen Icefire Dragon Kings, the two Remnant Souls had recovered a fair amount of strength. At least, they had enough strength to speak now.

"Wait a little longer."

"Wait for what?"

"There's someone above us."

"Nonsense. If there weren't anyone, how would the two of us have awakened?"

"Very dangerous."

"..."

The Fire Dragon King fell silent. Since that block of ice had said so, there had to be some reason for it.

"But staying here is really boring."