"Miss, think this through!" Li Taibai saw the killing intent in Qian Renxue's eyes and hurried forward, pointing at the herbs scattered all around them.
"This is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and it's full of rare medicinal herbs. If we start fighting here, the damage will spread to everything around us. What a waste!"
Qian Renxue whipped around, her gaze as sharp as a blade as it pierced Li Taibai. "Li Taibai, what do you mean? For the sake of these herbs, you want me to let go of my hatred for the man who killed my father?"
"Miss, that's not what I meant!" Li Taibai shrank his neck in fright and hurried to explain.
"I mean, if you're going to fight, take it outside. There's no need to ruin such a wonderful place over these three!"
Qian Renxue snorted and turned to Qian Daoliu. Grandfather will support me, right?
"Alas..." Qian Daoliu sighed softly, a flash of golden light suddenly glinting in his eyes.
An overwhelming pressure descended like the vault of heaven, precisely enveloping Tang Hao and Tang Xiao.
"Thud! Thud!"
They felt as if an invisible mountain had landed on their shoulders. Their legs gave way, and they fell heavily to their knees.
Tang Hao grunted. Tang Xiao clenched his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead as he tried to resist the pressure.
But it was simply too powerful. The ground beneath their knees sank before their eyes, cracks spreading across it like a spiderweb.
"Damn, is the gap really that huge?" Li Taibai watched from the side, clicking his tongue as the corner of his mouth twitched.
So this was the strength of a Demigod? A Ninety-Fifth-Level Titled Douluo couldn't even stay on his feet in front of him.
What a shame. Those three walking bundles of luck were about to be gone...
"I presume you are Senior Qian Daoliu, the Grand Elder of Spirit Hall?" Seeing the scene, Tang San hurried forward and bowed deeply to Qian Daoliu.
Qian Daoliu's soul pressure wasn't directed at him, so he was still free to move.
He had to seize his own opportunities instead of sitting back and waiting to die. No matter what, he had to try.
Qian Daoliu withdrew his gaze and looked at Tang San. "And you are?"
"This junior is Tang San, Tang Hao's son." Tang San raised his head, neither servile nor overbearing, his tone sincere.
"My father often told me that Senior Qian was upright and impartial, a man of honor who kept his word, understood reason and knew right from wrong. He said you were one of the few genuinely good people on the continent."
Qian Daoliu smiled faintly. "You've got nerve, kid. There's no need to flatter me. I'm not about to bully the young, as long as you don't make a move on your own." With that, he withdrew his soul pressure.
He had his own reasons. His son, Qian Xunji, had indeed died with Tang Hao partly to blame, but Qian Daoliu knew the full truth better than anyone.
Driving the Clear Sky Sect into seclusion back then had also counted as settling the score for Ji'er. That was why he had never finished Tang Hao off.
Tang Hao and Tang Xiao staggered to their feet, panting heavily as they looked at Qian Daoliu with deep wariness.
That moment of pressure had made them feel the difference between them firsthand—a gulf as vast as a heavenly chasm.
"Grandfather, why?" Qian Renxue looked at Qian Daoliu in confusion, her eyes reddening slightly. Why would Grandfather let the man who killed Father go?
Just then, Chen Qingxuan's voice rang out in her mind. "Xiao Xue, Tang Hao isn't the one who truly killed your father."
Qian Renxue shuddered. "How is that possible? Everyone said Tang Hao gravely wounded Father, and Father eventually died of those injuries!"
"It's true that Tang Hao gravely wounded your father, but the injuries weren't fatal," Chen Qingxuan replied. "Someone else killed him."
"Who?" Qian Renxue pressed urgently. "Master, who killed Father? Please tell me!"
"Alas, you'll have to ask your grandfather about that." Chen Qingxuan fell silent and said no more.
Qian Renxue abruptly turned to look at Qian Daoliu.
She knew her master wouldn't lie to her, and Grandfather's behavior just now had indeed been strange.
If Tang Hao had really killed her father, then given how much Grandfather loved him, he would never have let Tang Hao go.
So why wouldn't Grandfather tell her the truth? Was the enemy so powerful that even Grandfather feared him?
Under his granddaughter's gaze, Qian Daoliu's eyes flickered away for a moment. Then he turned his head and looked elsewhere.
"Senior, I was responsible for what happened back then." Tang Hao took a deep breath and stepped forward, his voice resolute. "Will you spare my elder brother and San? I'm willing to pay for my crime with my life."
He had no other choice. That moment of pressure had forced him to face reality. Giving his life in exchange for the safety of the other two was worth it.
"Father!"
"Brother Hao!"
Tang San and Tang Xiao cried out at the same time.
"Silence!" Tang Hao cut them off sharply, his expression firm. "This began because of me, so I should be the one to end it!"
Qian Daoliu looked to Qian Renxue, a silent question in his eyes.
Qian Renxue was quiet for a moment. Chen Qingxuan's words had dispelled most of her killing intent, but she had no intention of letting Tang Hao walk away without consequence. He had still been an accomplice.
She raised her eyes to Tang Hao and said coldly, "Tang Hao, you gravely wounded my father. I can't let that go unanswered."
"I'll give you one chance. We'll fight outside, without using our Martial Souls. If you can hold out for half an hour, I'll let you all leave today."
Every debt had its debtor. She would collect a little interest today, then slowly investigate who the true enemy was.
At her words, the tension in Tang Hao's heart eased. He could scarcely believe his ears.
He looked Qian Renxue up and down. She looked no older than a teenager. Even if he didn't use his Martial Soul and simply stood there for her to hit him, she might not be able to break through his defenses.
The Qian Family really did have something wrong with their heads. Still, they did keep their word.
"Good. It's a deal!" Tang Hao replied gravely. The boulder weighing on his heart finally dropped. The three of them would make it out safely today.
Li Taibai watched Tang Hao with an enigmatic smile, thinking to himself.
Qian Renxue's strength was unfathomable. He, Ling Feng, and Ye Fan had thrown everything they had at her and still hadn't forced her to use her Martial Soul. They hadn't even managed to test the limits of her physical strength.
Tang Hao was a Titled Douluo, but without his Martial Soul, he could bring out at most a tenth of his strength. An ordinary Soul Douluo might be able to give him a run for his money.
Tang Hao was in for a rough time.
He lowered his eyes to the system interface. The three newly unlocked binding slots stood out conspicuously—and all three were on the Resentment Sub-System.
He glanced at Tang Hao, Tang Xiao, and Tang San, a glint flashing in his eyes. Their luck was so strong that if he bound them, he could make a fortune from their resentment alone...
Qian Renxue said no more. Her Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul possessed her, and she turned and flew out of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Qian Daoliu gave Li Taibai a look, signaling for him to follow, then went after her.
Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo exchanged glances and hurried after them.
Tang Hao and the others followed as well. Tang San brought up the rear, watching Qian Renxue's retreating figure with a flicker of confusion in his eyes. Why? Why had they come here?
The group left the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and reached an open clearing in Sunset Forest.
Qian Renxue turned to Tang Hao. "Are you ready?"
Tang Hao loosened up his limbs and said gravely, "Please, show me what you've got."
Before you continue