Familiar Faces Appear

Time passed second by second. Zhu Zhuqing noticed that the temperature in the barrel was getting lower and lower, while the temperature inside her body was rising higher and higher.

This was even harder to endure than when she had first entered the barrel.

Not only was the temperature inside her body rising, but sweat kept dripping down as well. It felt as though the blood in her veins was boiling.

Her body throbbed with waves of pain, as if steel needles were stabbing into her.

She knew this was because her body was absorbing the essence of the medicinal bath. It meant this method was truly effective.

Gradually, she felt her consciousness beginning to blur beneath the impact of the medicinal power.

Then a voice reached her ears, keeping her awake.

"You saw your fiancé yesterday too. What do you think of him? Does he match your idea of the other half you want?"

Naturally, it was her master speaking.

Lin Mian estimated that his disciple's willpower had reached its limit. If he did not speak to distract her, she would faint.

"He's scum. A terrible person. He clearly knows he has an engagement, yet he still spends his time drinking and whoring outside."

"Someone like that doesn't deserve to be my fiancé."

"You want to break off the engagement? If I'm not mistaken, he should be a prince of the Star Luo Empire. Can you really do it?"

"Yes. I'll become stronger—strong enough that the Star Luo Empire cannot change my will."

Zhu Zhuqing's voice carried both pain and determination.

Ever since she was born, everything in her life had been controlled by her family. She had no way to resist.

If she did not work hard herself, then no matter how much of a bastard Dai Mubai was, she would ultimately still have to marry him and die in the struggle for succession.

"Can you really persevere? Why do I feel like you can barely endure even the pain of this medicinal bath? If I hadn't spoken, you probably would have already fainted."

"No. I won't faint. This little pain is nothing. I want to control my own life. I want to join the Judgment Hall and uphold Order throughout the world."

"The strong should not always stand high above others. They should not look down on the weak and slaughter them at will."

"In my family, there are always people who think the Judgment Hall likes to meddle in other people's business. They think ordinary people are just ordinary people, and they can kill them whenever they want.

Just like how they control my life. They tell me what to do, and I do it. I am absolutely not allowed to resist."

"But they fear the Judgment Hall's strength. Even if they are dissatisfied with what the Judgment Hall does, they do not dare say a single word against it."

"The reason they can point fingers at my life is because I am not strong enough to make them fear me."

"I believe the Judgment Hall is right. Ordinary people may be ordinary, but they are still lives, and they deserve to live freely."

"Although I am a soul master, I should have my own life too. As long as my strength can make them fear me, I can do everything I want!"

By the end, Zhu Zhuqing's voice had grown louder and louder.

She had kept these words bottled up in her heart for a long time. Today, she had finally spoken them aloud.

"Not bad. On the Douluo Continent, strength is indeed the foundation of everything. Only when you become strong can you truly take control of everything in your life."

"I believe in you. From now on, I won't say another word. Everything will depend on you."

Lin Mian closed his mouth. Of course, he could stand up for Zhu Zhuqing.

But he also understood that what Zhu Zhuqing wanted more was the confidence to say no herself.

As he fell silent, the sound of the system task being completed rang out.

[After witnessing Dai Mubai's debauchery today and the Judgment Sword's impartial justice, Zhu Zhuqing had completely recognized Dai Mubai's true character.]

[Task: Make your disciple Zhu Zhuqing see through her fiancé's character and prevent herself from being harmed by him. (Completed)]

[Reward: Soul Power raised to level fourteen, 40-square-meter storage Soul Tool x1 (Issued).]

Feeling the pitifully tiny trace of Soul Power that had appeared within his body, Lin Mian did not feel the slightest joy.

The power of three levels of Soul Power during the soul master stage was not even as strong as one of his sneezes. It could not enhance his strength in the slightest.

His strength had long since reached the peak of the Douluo Continent. There was no further room for improvement; all that remained was becoming a god.

But he was unwilling to inherit a Divine Position, not even that of a God King.

The Asura God's inheritance had appeared in the fifth year of his seclusion, but he had always dismissed it with disdain.

Creating a Divine Position of his own was harder than he had imagined. He was confident that he could create a First-Level God Divine Position, but he was not confident that he could create one at the God King level.

The two were simply incomparable.

But he was not in a hurry. There was still time.

The storage Soul Tool given by the system was not bad. Lin Mian planned to give it to Zhu Zhuqing tomorrow.

Forty square meters was enough to fit a car inside.

Without looking further at the system's rewards or paying attention to Zhu Zhuqing's condition, Lin Mian quietly left the room.

He still had one matter to handle.

Someone actually wanted to make a move against the Judgment Hall. How bold. Did they really think he was dead?

Judgment Hall.

Tang San and Dai Mubai were currently locked inside specially made prison cells. Before them stood Soul Cores that stored Soul Power.

These Soul Cores were the energy source of Soul Tools.

Although the Douluo Continent was a fantasy world, it still followed Newton's Laws. Energy could not be created from nothing.

Fortunately, there were plenty of soul masters who committed crimes, enough to ensure an energy supply for their Soul Tools.

Naturally, the two of them felt indignant. They had only committed a few minor offenses, yet they had been arrested and brought here. The Judgment Hall was making a mountain out of a molehill.

What they did not know was that small mistakes, committed often enough, became major mistakes. Indifference toward small mistakes would one day turn into indifference toward major ones.

Soul masters wielded tremendous power. Even a little willfulness could have an enormous impact on ordinary people.

Lin Mian had witnessed too many tragedies, which was why he founded the Judgment Hall. Everything in the world should have Order.

Outside a branch hall of the Judgment Hall, a figure was watching everything inside the prison through a window.

The man was exceptionally tall and burly, appearing to be nearly fifty years old.

His skin was a healthy bronze color. His messy hair hung loose around his shoulders, and his unkempt beard covered most of his face.

His clothes were worn and tattered, and a heavy smell of alcohol hung around him. His posture seemed casual and slovenly, yet he faintly exuded an oppressive presence.

This man was Tang San's father, the current Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao.

More than ten years ago, Lin Mian had personally witnessed Spirit Hall's pursuit of him.

However, Lin Mian had done nothing. The conflicts between soul masters had nothing to do with the Judgment Hall. As long as they did not affect ordinary people, the Judgment Hall would not intervene.

The reason Lin Mian had appeared was that too many Title Douluo were involved, and they could potentially harm ordinary people.

To prevent ordinary people from being injured, he had no choice but to oversee the situation personally, reminding those people to show some restraint.

With the Judgment Douluo present, no matter how bold those Title Douluo were, they would not dare do anything excessive.

Even if Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu appeared together, he would not fear them.

That was the prestige of the Judgment Douluo!