Killing Yu Xiaogang

"Teacher, you?"

"As your teacher, I don't mind."

"Pfft!"

Ling Yuan, who had watched the whole thing from the side and had been holding back laughter until her shoulders shook, finally couldn't hold it in any longer. She hurriedly covered her mouth afterward.

Bibi Dong: "..."

Looking at the cup of wine in her teacher's hand, she felt all the blood in her body rush to her head. Only one thought remained, frantically flooding her mind.

Indirect... indirect... did that count as indirect... ah!

I... I really can't take this anymore!

By the time Yu Xiaogang returned to the slightly shabby little house he rented, it was already late at night.

With a creak, the wooden door opened. A round creature resembling a small pig, entirely pale purple and possessing a pair of big, watery eyes, waddled over with a "Luo luo" cry and threw itself against his leg affectionately.

"Sanpao, you're hungry, aren't you?"

The tense lines on Yu Xiaogang's face softened slightly. He took a roasted sweet potato still warm from his chest, wrapped in oil paper, broke it in half, and held one piece out before Luo Sanpao.

"Luo luo!"

Luo Sanpao cried out happily twice, immediately lowered its head, and began munching away. Its tail wagged in small, cheerful arcs.

Yu Xiaogang stroked its head, then walked over and sat at the wooden table piled high with manuscripts and books.

The most conspicuous spot on the table held several Soul Beast Illustrated Handbooks and collections of Soul Master theory that he had purchased that day.

Yet his gaze was somewhat unfocused.

The image of that purple-haired girl beneath the lamplight—bright and lively, wearing an animated smile—refused to leave his mind.

And the blond man beside her, with that innate nobility and oppressive presence, as well as the intimate way he had draped an arm around the girl's shoulders...

"That man is her teacher..."

"But for a teacher and student, their behavior is far too intimate."

A trace of bitterness lingered in his heart.

He thought of his theories, of all those days and nights when his family had looked down on him and outsiders had mocked him because of his mutated martial soul.

Yet that girl could understand the idea that there were no useless martial souls. It made her feel like a kindred spirit he had encountered in the middle of a desert.

"If I approached her as a member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and discussed theory with her, would that..."

The thought had barely arisen before he suppressed it himself.

Her teacher was clearly not someone to be trifled with, and besides... he seemed to harbor a faint hostility toward him.

"Knock, knock, knock."

A sudden knock at the door interrupted Yu Xiaogang's thoughts.

Who could it be at this hour?

The landlord? Or...

Frowning in confusion, he rose to his feet, signaled Luo Sanpao to be quiet, and walked to the door. "Who is it?"

There was no reply from outside, only three more knocks.

Unease rose in Yu Xiaogang's heart. After hesitating for a moment, he still drew back the bolt.

The instant the door opened, his entire body jolted.

Standing outside was the blond man he had seen on the street that evening.

Behind him stood two men in silence, both exuding a hardened aura.

"You..."

"The one here to kill you."

"Luo Sanpao."

"Luo luo!"

Though Luo Sanpao was weak, it was exceptionally sensitive to its master's danger. It suddenly darted out from behind Yu Xiaogang's legs, puffed up its round body, and pale-purple Soul Power flared around it.

"First Soul Skill: Fart Like Thunder, Heaven-Shattering Luo Sanpao!"

"Pff!!"

A muffled boom rang out.

A powerful, visible stream of gas, carrying an indescribable stench, shot straight toward the faces of the three people at the doorway.

The attack might not have been powerful, but its humiliation and disruption were absolutely maxed out.

"Disgusting."

Qian Xunji cursed and casually raised his leg, kicking forward with lightning speed.

"Awooo!"

Luo Sanpao's round body was struck in its soft belly. It let out a miserable howl and slammed into the wall behind it with a bang. Its eyes turned into spirals, and it completely passed out.

"Sanpao!"

Yu Xiaogang wanted to rush over and check on it, only to discover that his entire body had gone stiff and he could not move.

A terrifying pressure had pinned him firmly in place.

He could only watch as the two Spirit Hall deacons stepped forward expressionlessly, efficiently binding his hands behind his back with ropes capable of suppressing Soul Power, tying him up securely.

"Why? How have I offended you?" Yu Xiaogang demanded furiously.

Qian Xunji slowly walked into the cramped room. His gaze swept over the table piled with books and the unconscious Luo Sanpao before finally settling on the bound Yu Xiaogang.

"You wanted to get close to my disciple?"

"I didn't. I was only... only discussing martial soul theory with her. Does Spirit Hall even interfere with normal exchanges between Soul Masters?"

"You're lying."

"The way you looked at her, those little calculations in your heart—you can't hide them from me."

Yu Xiaogang's face paled. "Even... even if I did intend to get acquainted with her, so what?"

"I am the young master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."

"Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon?"

"Do you know who I am?"

Yu Xiaogang froze.

That evening, he had only felt that this man possessed extraordinary bearing and an overwhelming sense of pressure. He had not given much thought to his identity.

For someone to possess such an aura and have experts accompanying him...

Qian Xunji looked down at him. "My father is called Qian Daoliu."

Those simple words exploded in Yu Xiaogang's mind.

Qian Daoliu!

The Grand Pontiff of Spirit Hall, a rank ninety-nine Peerless Douluo hailed as invincible in the sky.

Then his son... this blond man before him...

"You... you are... the Pope of Spirit Hall, Qian Xunji!"

Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened as his last shred of hope was utterly crushed.

"That's right."

"So, in order to prevent some... unpleasant disputes from arising later, I think it would be best if you remained here forever."

"What do you mean?"

"Does being the Pope of Spirit Hall mean you can kill people at will? Aren't you people supposed to be the guardians of order on the continent?!"