Since You Asked So Sincerely

"I-I don't know."

The Mansion Guard was trembling with fear.

He had seen the four Soul Rings on the brush in the black-clad man's hand.

A Soul Ancestor!

Since when had another Soul Ancestor appeared in Notting City?

He had no idea.

The next moment, the brush tapped him, and he fell asleep.

"Su Yan, I know," Yu Tianxin said, exhausted. He released his Martial Soul and sat on the ground, panting. "He went out to find people from Spirit Hall to rescue us."

"Spirit Hall?" The black-clad man removed his mask, revealing a flowing beard. "I didn't see him come by."

"Grandpa Ma Xiunuo!" Yu Tianxin exclaimed in surprise.

He recognized the sprightly old man. When he had first arrived at the Notting City Martial Soul Hall, Ma Xiunuo had treated him to a meal when he was starving.

"Children, stay here and don't leave. Some enforcers from the Enforcement Hall will be here soon to take you to Spirit Hall," Ma Xiunuo said. He turned to the little fellow carrying a hammer. "Tang Chi, you stay here too and keep an eye on everyone."

"Okay." Tang Chi stood to one side with his hammer, looking just like a little guard.

Just as Ma Xiunuo was about to go look for Su Yan, a fireball appeared in the sky and hurtled toward them.

It traced a perfect arc through the air before crashing into the ground and leaving a huge crater, billowing clouds of thick dust.

From within the dust came a pained groan, followed by a sigh of helplessness from someone who had given it everything.

"Su Yan!" Tang Chi cried. He ran to the crater and carefully climbed down.

Ma Xiunuo gripped his brush, channeled Soul Power into it, and swept it through the air. The dust was blown away, revealing Su Yan, covered in blood.

"Sorry, I couldn't stop them." Su Yan grabbed Tang Chi's hand and, with his help, struggled to his feet.

The pursuers had already landed on the roof.

Yu Tianxin stared at the four Soul Rings on the white-robed man, too shocked to speak.

It was hard to believe. Had Su Yan really been fighting a Soul Ancestor?

Not long ago, while Yu Tianxin and the others had been struggling in battle, Su Yan had used the Blazing Spirit Cat's softness to dodge the white-robed man's fourth Soul Skill in midair, then landed safely.

"I didn't expect you to last this long." The white-robed man glanced at the Chrysanthemum Battle Armor, which had cracked apart even more, and said coldly, "But how much longer can you hold out?"

He had noticed that Su Yan always dodged his attacks and instead beat up the weaker Lord Xiao, all to protect his armor and make it last longer.

Since that was the case, the white-robed man stamped a foot and charged at Su Yan, launching an incredibly rapid assault as they grappled.

Forget escaping—Su Yan was already using every ounce of strength just to dodge.

If only he had two more levels of Soul Power. After using the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, he wouldn't have been so helpless.

The repeated blows caused the armor to vanish at an ever-increasing rate.

At last, the white-robed man kicked Su Yan in the abdomen. The Chrysanthemum Battle Armor shattered, and Su Yan was sent flying like a cannonball, soaring through the sky.

The white-robed man followed Lord Xiao to the rear courtyard. The Woodshed where the Soul Materials had been held was now a heap of rubble from the battle.

More than twenty Soul Materials sat haphazardly on the ground.

The person in the crater was actually just a child who looked about six years old.

The white-robed man clenched his fists, his blood boiling with rage.

Just a child—and yet he had stopped him and ruined his plans.

There were more than twenty Soul Materials down there. They would have kept the white-robed man in luxury for a long time.

But now, forget living in luxury—even if he left a little later, once the Overlord Dragon Snake couple arrived, he might not make it out unscathed.

"Who are you?" Ma Xiunuo asked, clutching his brush tightly.

The white-robed man said nothing. He suddenly sprang into action, launching a ferocious attack as if venting his rage, aiming straight for Ma Xiunuo's face.

Ma Xiunuo could only use his brush to fend him off as best he could. He wasn't suited to such fierce close combat, and he was soon sent flying.

"Stop!" Ye Tangtang shouted. Her Martial Soul, the Begonia Blade, was pressed against a young man's neck. "Don't make a move, or I can't guarantee this arrogant brat will stay alive."

Lord Xiao took a closer look and saw that Ye Tangtang had his precious son, Xiao Chenyu, in her grasp. He panicked.

"Master, Master, stop fighting! My son is over there." Lord Xiao hurried to the white-robed man's side and pleaded.

But the white-robed man merely glanced at him, punched him hard in the abdomen, and knocked him to the ground. Then he flashed to Su Yan's side, his fourth Soul Ring blazing.

He was going to kill the brat who had ruined his plans!

At this critical moment, a Dragon Staff hurtled through the air and plunged into the ground. A middle-aged man stepped onto its end, hands clasped behind his back as he watched the white-robed man.

"The Overlord Dragon Snake!" the white-robed man blurted out. He had already retreated to the roof.

Right after, a Snake Lance came flying through the air and sank into the ground. A beautiful woman landed lightly on its end.

"Hmph! I'll let you off this time!" The white-robed man turned and fled, disappearing without a trace after a few breaths.

"Grandpa! Grandma!" Meng Yiran ran over and threw herself into Uncle Long and Aunt Snake's arms, sobbing without restraint.

After a long while, when she had cried herself out, she finally asked, "Grandpa, Grandma, why didn't you chase after him?"

Uncle Long smiled. "What if we both left and he came back to attack? We've already rescued everyone, so let the enforcers handle the criminal."

Aunt Snake nodded and hugged Meng Yiran tightly. "You and your mother have suffered."

Ye Tangtang, meanwhile, shoved Xiao Chenyu to the ground with disgust.

He smelled so awful that she had reached the limits of her patience.

Su Yan let out a sigh of relief. With Tang Chi's help, he climbed out of the crater and leaned against the wall, panting.

Just now, he had come within a hair's breadth of losing his life.

Fortunately, luck was on his side, and the Overlord Dragon Snake couple had arrived in time.

With the danger over, the children all relaxed. Yu Tianxin cupped his hands and bowed. "I presume the two of you are Uncle Long and Aunt Snake of the Overlord Dragon Snake?"

Meng Shu suddenly stopped moving. The demon etched into his soul began to stir. "Since you asked so sincerely..."

"Then I'll tell you out of great mercy!" Chao Tianxiang stood beside Meng Shu with her arms crossed, striking a forty-five-degree pose.

"To prevent the Douluo Continent from being destroyed."

"To protect the peace of the Douluo Continent."

"To uphold the truth and fight evil."

"Handsome and beautiful representatives of the Merchant Guild."

"Meng Shu!"

"Chao Tianxiang!"

"We are the Overlord Dragon Snake, traveling across the Douluo Continent."

"Gold Soul Coins—the golden tomorrow awaits us!"

"That's right! Let's go!" Meng Yiran said loudly, both hands raised high.

Ye Tangtang's vision went dark. She rubbed her forehead helplessly.

How embarrassing. This was so embarrassing.

Ever since her parents-in-law had read those lines in a book called Musashi and Kojiro's Work Log, they had been hooked. They opened with them every time they met someone.

Su Yan couldn't help laughing. The movement tugged at his wound, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Zhu Zhuqing lying on the Woodshed floor. He went over and helped her up. Zhu Zhuqing had just regained consciousness, so they both sat against the wall outside to rest.

Ma Xiunuo got to his feet and stretched his old bones. Fighting really wasn't suitable for old people. He'd barely moved, and already it felt like his back was about to break.

Tang Chi went to guide the enforcers.

Several squads of enforcers arrived and took Lord Xiao, Xiao Chenyu, and all the Mansion Guards back to the Enforcement Hall.

The law of the Soul Masters awaited them.

A short while later, Meng Shu came over and said, "Hall Chief Ma Xiunuo, there are a few things we'd like to discuss with you in private."