Ma Hongjun, "Relieved" of His Fire? Huang Yan: Let Him Heal a Little Longer, Then Kill Xiao Wu?

Heaven Dou City, the Underground Black Market.

Dai Mubai slammed a pouch of Soul Coins onto the counter. Across from him, a one-eyed old man was leisurely picking his teeth.

"I'm putting out a bounty for someone."

"Who?"

"A fat guy covered in burns, about this tall, round-faced, red-haired."

Dai Mubai gestured.

"I want him alive if he's alive, dead if he's dead."

The one-eyed old man narrowed his eyes.

"That's all?

No other distinguishing features?"

Dai Mubai hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth.

"He... has a serious injury to his lower body. He should be easy to recognize."

"Oh?"

The one-eyed old man raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

"Fine. Five hundred Gold Soul Coins, half up front.

Pay the other half when we have news."

Dai Mubai counted out two hundred and fifty Gold Soul Coins and pushed them over.

The one-eyed old man didn't even count them. He swept them into a drawer.

"You'll have news before dawn."

South City Inn.

Tang San pushed open the door, and Oscar hurried over to him.

"Third Brother, did you find her?"

Tang San shook his head, walked over to the table, and sat down without a word.

"Little San, did you see Rongrong?"

Flender came over, rubbing his hands together.

"What did she say?"

"She said... Fatty was relieving his fire."

Tang San's voice was very soft, almost as if he were talking to himself.

"Relieving his fire?"

Zhao Wuji frowned.

"He's in that state. How could he possibly relieve—"

He stopped mid-sentence, his face turning deathly pale.

Flender caught on too. His old face twitched a few times before he dropped into a chair, his lips trembling as he struggled to speak.

Oscar looked at everyone in confusion.

"What are you talking about?

What does 'relieving his fire' mean?"

"Don't ask."

Dai Mubai pushed open the door, his face ashen.

"There's news from the black market.

South City Willow Alley. A bald thug named Scar Liu took a big job last night.

Someone paid him to 'take care of' a fat guy."

Oscar finally understood. The color drained from his face.

"Rongrong... How could she..."

"She could."

Tang San cut him off, his voice terrifyingly calm.

"She's capable of anything now."

"Where is Fatty now?"

Dai Mubai asked.

The black market's informants said Scar Liu had thrown him out before dawn this morning. Nobody knew exactly where."

Tang San stood up.

"Split up and search.

Mu Bai, go east. Oscar, go west. Teacher Zhao, go north. The dean and I will go south.

Send up a signal when you find him."

"And what then, if we find him?"

Zhu Zhuqing was standing in the doorway, watching everyone coldly.

"His meridians are ruined, his lower body is ruined, and now he's been... Do you really think he still wants to live?"

The room fell deathly silent.

Tang San gave no answer. He walked straight out the door.

Outside Heaven Dou City's southern gate, at the mass grave.

Ma Hongjun lay on his back in the weeds, his clothes torn into strips. His fat body was exposed, covered in bruises and streaks of blood.

He stared at the murky sky, his pupils unfocused.

His face was blank, his lips cracked and peeling. They occasionally moved a little, as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

A crow landed on a withered branch not far away and cocked its head at him.

Footsteps sounded in the distance.

Tang San crossed the mound and immediately spotted the bloated figure in the weeds.

He stopped, fists clenched, knuckles white.

"Th-Third Brother..."

Ma Hongjun's lips moved as he let out a faint, breathless whisper.

Tang San hurried over and took off his outer robe, laying it over him.

"Don't speak. I'm taking you back."

"B-back?"

Ma Hongjun suddenly laughed. The corners of his mouth tugged at the scabs on his still-healing face, and thin threads of blood seeped out.

"Back where... back to the inn... to wait until they... send me over again?"

"Not again."

Tang San helped him up, his voice hoarse.

"I promise."

Ma Hongjun leaned against his shoulder and closed his eyes. Tears slid down his swollen cheeks.

"Third Brother... I was wrong... I really was wrong..."

Tang San said nothing. He carried him on his back and walked, step by step, toward the city.

At the best inn in Heaven Dou City.

Azure Luan Douluo took a seat by a second-floor window. Huang Yan and Shui Bing'er sat across from him.

The waiter hurriedly brought them tea and snacks.

"Please enjoy, honored guests."

Huang Yan lifted his teacup, took a sip, and glanced at the street outside.

"Teacher, are we going back to Spirit City after we buy the herbs?"

"There's no rush."

Azure Luan Douluo picked up a piece of pastry.

"I heard Heaven Dou City has a century-old herbal shop. Its supplementary ingredients are excellent.

We can go tomorrow."

Shui Bing'er cradled a cup of hot tea and asked softly,

"Teacher, you said earlier that Tang San had an aura about him that made you uncomfortable... What exactly did it feel like?"

Azure Luan Douluo pondered for a moment and set down his chopsticks.

"I can't say for sure.

It's as though something is being deliberately concealed. It's faint, and comes and goes.

I've lived most of my life and never encountered anything like it."

"Could it be a way of hiding a Martial Soul?"

Huang Yan feigned curiosity.

"Doesn't seem like it."

Azure Luan Douluo shook his head.

"No one can hide a Martial Soul's aura from me.

That boy's secrets are probably more than just having Twin Martial Souls."

"What do you think we should do, Teacher?"

Huang Yan asked casually.

Azure Luan Douluo picked up his wine cup and drained it.

"He's just a junior. He can't stir up much trouble.

But..."

He paused.

"If he really gets in the way, just take him out while you're at it.

Don't overthink it."

Shui Bing'er glanced at Huang Yan but said nothing.

Huang Yan smiled and refilled Azure Luan Douluo's cup.

"Teacher is right. He's nothing but a clown."

At the South City Inn, Tang San laid Ma Hongjun on the bed.

Flender's eyes were red.

"Little San, Fatty..."

"His life is safe, but his heart is dead."

Tang San's voice was cold.

"Teacher Zhao, please stay with him."

Dai Mubai clenched his fists.

"We're just going to let this go?

Ning Rongrong has gone too far!"

"This is what Fatty owes her."

Tang San looked at Dai Mubai.

"But Scar Liu has to die."

Oscar spoke in a trembling voice.

"Third Brother, are you going to kill someone?"

"I'm going to buy some medicine for his injuries."

Tang San put on a bamboo hat and pulled the brim low.

"And take care of some personal business."

On the streets of Heaven Dou City.

Tang San made his way through the crowd, heading straight for South City Willow Alley.

On the second floor of the inn, Huang Yan's eyes shifted as he looked out at the figure in the bamboo hat.

"Teacher, that person looks like Tang San."

Azure Luan Douluo glanced over.

"He's carrying a strong killing intent.

Where's he going?"

"South City. Probably looking for revenge."

Huang Yan set down his teacup.

"Should we go take a look?"

"Ants biting each other. I'm not interested."

Azure Luan Douluo closed his eyes.

"If you're curious, go by yourself."

Huang Yan turned away, his voice bland.

"I'm not interested either."

Having lost all his opportunities, Tang San was destined to amount to nothing.

Huang Yan had already made up his mind.

Shrek's collapse was only the beginning. Ning Rongrong and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would never let this go.

As for Tang San?

Once his body and Mental Power were strong enough to withstand the backlash from a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, it would be time to claim the Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Ring.

When that time came, Tang San would have plenty to suffer.