"Heh."
With a soft chuckle, Tang San replied with little patience, while Yu Xiaogang wore an awkward expression.
"I wouldn't dare dream of becoming a Titled Douluo. If I could reach the Soul Saint realm in this lifetime, I'd already be thanking the heavens.
"I just wonder what level you've reached, Lord Soul Master, to make such a guarantee?"
"You!"
Half a level of Innate Soul Power. Even after pouring countless resources into him, Yu Xiaogang had only managed to reach level 29. It was the greatest pain of Gangzi's life.
He had never been particularly broad-minded to begin with. Now that Tang San had stepped right on his sore spot, Gangzi found it hard to take.
[Dragon God Douluo Mu En is furious. Even a clay figure has a temper, let alone a Limit Douluo. How dare you provoke him like this, host?
Please flee at once. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable. Even this system won't be able to save you!]
Save me?
I've never counted on you to save me!
And are you deaf or blind? Didn't you see Gangzi was the one Tang San provoked into losing his temper? What does this have to do with me?
But since Tang San had already kicked things off, I was curious to see just how terrifying this "Dragon God Douluo" really was.
"Xiao San, mind your manners. Is that any way to speak to Lord Soul Master?"
"Yes, Brother Yun. I got carried away just now. I'm sorry."
Unlike the arrogant way he'd acted toward Gangzi, Tang San was more obedient than a kitten when Qin Yun spoke.
Seeing this, Gangzi knew Qin Yun had been speaking up for him. But jealousy got the better of him, and he only grew more irritated.
"This is a conversation between me and my disciple. What's it got to do with you? You're just a good-for-nothing with an Innate Soul Power of three. What gives you the right to speak?"
Fine, fine. If that's how you want it, don't blame me.
I hadn't expected Gangzi to be so weak in cultivation and so hopeless at insulting people, too!
"You're asking for death!"
His sect master had been insulted. As a servant of the sect, Tang San's expression darkened, and he raised his hand, ready to reward Gangzi with a Silent Sleeve Arrow.
Fortunately, at the crucial moment, Qin Yun reached out and pressed Tang San's hand down.
"Brother Yun, he..."
"It's fine. I'll handle this. If I make you youngsters take the lead whenever trouble crops up, what kind of big brother would I be?"
After patting Tang San on the shoulder to calm him, Qin Yun slowly stepped in front of Yu Xiaogang, who was red-eyed and panting like an ox.
"I hadn't noticed earlier, but now that I think about it, you must be the Grandmaster who wrote The Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul.
"I didn't expect to meet someone like you in a little place like this."
"Hmph. It's merely a clumsy work of mine. The title of Grandmaster is nothing but an empty name.
"I didn't expect you to have done some reading. I suppose I'll have to think a little more highly of you!"
At the mention of Grandmaster, Gangzi sounded modest, but inside he was already beaming.
With a reputation like his, this country bumpkin with a Martial Soul Mutation would surely get down on his knees and beg to become Tang San's teacher!
But before Gangzi could enjoy the feeling for long, Qin Yun's next words sent him tumbling from heaven straight into hell.
"That's exactly right. I completely agree!
"Your book really is a clumsy work. It's terribly mediocre.
"As for the title of Grandmaster, if it's an empty name, then it's an insult to empty names everywhere.
"Seeing you in person is better than hearing about you. I thought you were a fame-seeker, but now that I've met you, I see you have a pretty clear idea of your own abilities."
"Forget it, Xiao San. There's no need to waste our time with someone who can't even get the basic theories straight. Let's go register first!"
Gangzi: "..."
A learned man really knew how to wound with words!
Not a single curse word, and yet every sentence stabbed Gangzi right in the lungs.
Seeing Qin Yun pull Tang San along as if to leave, Gangzi felt insulted and immediately called after them.
"Young man, don't go! What did you mean by that?"
"Wait, you don't look that old. You're only fifty, and you're already almost level thirty. You should be in good health.
"You can't hear me from this close?"
Tang San said, "Brother Yun said you're mediocre—not only is your cultivation mediocre, but your book is even more mediocre. Do you get it now?"
It had to be said: Tang San might not have been much of a protagonist, but as a flunky, a local gun-for-hire, he had a real talent for it.
Once Qin Yun let him loose, he was a proper gang enforcer.
Even Gangzi couldn't help swallowing when he met Tang San's murderous glare.
"Young man, I'll let it slide because you're young, and I won't bully someone younger than me. But I won't let this matter go so easily!"
"What? You want to settle this with me?"
"A man of letters wouldn't be so crude. I'm simply challenging you to a wager!
"The stakes are simple. Didn't you say my Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul were mediocre? If you can explain exactly what's wrong with them and convince me, then fine, I'll let it go.
"But if you can't, I'll not only teach you a lesson on behalf of your parents, but he—"
Pointing at Tang San, who was standing beside Qin Yun, Gangzi spoke one word at a time.
"He'll kowtow three times and nine times, then become my disciple, Yu Xiaogang!"
"Well, young man? You were so bold just now. Do you dare to take me up on the wager?"
[Quest issued: Douluo Gambling God. Though you can't defeat the Dragon God Douluo head-on, you can use a clever trick to make him polish your shoes. Win to receive a reward!]
Douluo Gambling God?
Interesting!
Gangzi said, "We're all men of letters. How can you be so crude? If Tang San stays by your side, he'll end up spoiled sooner or later!"
Before Qin Yun could respond to Gangzi's attempt to drive a wedge between them, Tang San, already unable to listen any longer, snapped back.
"You old bastard!"
"Do you think you can push us around just because we're young?
"Never mind whether you can win. If you lose, nothing happens to you, but if we lose, we have to hand over a person.
"How can you even bring yourself to propose such an outrageous condition?"
As the biggest gambling fiend on the Douluo Continent, Tang San was used to scamming other people. Why should anyone get to scam him?
After that scolding, Gangzi's cheeks flushed.
"Fine, then we'll change the stakes. Ten Gold Soul Coins!
"If you win, I'll give you ten Gold Soul Coins. But if you lose... heh heh!"
Gangzi had already figured out that Qin Yun was the leader of the two.
The stakes didn't matter. As long as he could take Qin Yun down a peg and show Tang San how great he was, he'd have no trouble winning Tang San over later.
Ten Gold Soul Coins were nothing to him, but Qin Yun had probably put his entire fortune on the line.
That would teach the boy a lesson.
To Gangzi's surprise, just as he thought victory was in the bag, Qin Yun chuckled.
"If I remember correctly, Soul Masters can collect one Gold Soul Coin a month from Spirit Hall as a subsidy. With your Soul Grandmaster cultivation, you get ten a month.
"You must have saved up quite a bit over all these years, but you only dare put up ten. What a pitiful lack of ambition!"
"Then how much do you want?"
Provoked by Qin Yun, Gangzi was getting worked up, too.
"As long as you can come up with it, I can match it. I'd like to see how ambitious you are, young man!"
"Easy."
Soul Power surged. A wooden box dropped from the Storage Soul Tool, and the dull thud it made on the ground sent a jolt through Gangzi.
How did a kid this young have so much money? Could he be from some big family?
But his Martial Soul was eyes. Gangzi had never heard of anyone powerful with that kind of Martial Soul.
Besides, no matter how powerful the boy was, surely he couldn't be more powerful than Gangzi himself!
Before you continue