Ma Hongjun's 'Fire Extinguished'? Huang Yan: Raise Her a Bit Longer, Then We'll Butcher Xiao Wu?

Heaven Dou City, underground black market.

Dai Mubai slammed a bag of soul coins onto the counter, where a one-eyed old man was slowly picking his teeth.

"I'm putting out a bounty to find someone."

"Who?"

"A fat guy covered in burns, about this tall, round face, red hair."

Dai Mubai gestured to indicate the height.

"I want to see him alive, or his corpse if he's dead."

The one-eyed old man narrowed his eyes.

"That's it? No other distinguishing features?"

Dai Mubai hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said:

"He... he suffered a severe injury to his lower body, so he should be easy to identify."

"Oh?"

The one-eyed old man raised an eyebrow and let out a chuckle.

"Fine, five hundred Gold Soul Coins. Pay half now. You'll pay the rest once there's news."

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

The old man didn't even count them, simply sweeping them into a drawer.

"You'll have news before dawn."

South City inn.

Tang San pushed the door open and entered; Oscar immediately hurried over to meet him.

"Third Brother, did you find him?"

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

"Little San, did you see Rongrong?"

Flender rubbed his hands together and leaned in.

"What did she say?"

"She said... the fatty is venting his fire."

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

"Venting his fire?"

Zhao Wuji frowned.

"In his condition, how could he possibly vent..."

Halfway through his sentence, Zhao Wuji stopped, his face turning deathly pale.

Flender realized it too; his old face twitched a few times, and he slumped into a chair, his lips trembling as he found himself unable to speak.

Oscar looked at everyone in confusion.

"What are you all talking about? What does venting his fire mean?"

"Don't ask."

Dai Mubai pushed the door open and entered, his face ashen.

"There's news from the black market. In 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, and the color drained from his face in an instant.

"Rongrong... how could she..."

"She could."

Tang San interrupted him, his tone terrifyingly calm.

"There is nothing she wouldn't do now."

"Where is the fatty now?"

Dai Mubai asked.

"The black market informant said that before dawn this morning, Scar Liu threw him out. No one knows exactly where he dumped him."

Tang San stood up:

"Split up and search.

Mu Bai, go to the east of the city; Oscar, go to the west; Teacher Zhao, go to the north; the Dean and I will head to the south.

Signal if you find him."

"And what if you do find him?"

Zhu Zhuqing stood at the doorway, watching the group coldly.

"His meridians are ruined, his lower body is crippled, and now, after being... do you really think he still wants to live?"

A deathly silence filled the room.

Tang San did not answer; he walked straight out the door.

Heaven Dou City, outside the south gate, the mass grave.

Ma Hongjun lay flat on his back amidst the weeds, his clothes shredded into rags, revealing a corpulent body covered in bruises and bloodstains.

His eyes were open, staring at the gray, overcast sky, his pupils unfocused.

There was no expression on his face; his lips were cracked and peeling, occasionally twitching slightly as if he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

A crow landed on a nearby withered branch, tilting its head to examine him.

Footsteps approached from the distance.

Tang San climbed over the earthen slope and caught sight of that bloated figure in the grass at a single glance.

He stopped, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"San... Brother San..."

Ma Hongjun's lips moved, emitting a voice as thin as a gossamer thread.

Tang San hurried over and took off his outer robe to cover him.

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

"Back... back where?"

Ma Hongjun suddenly laughed, the movement pulling at the unhealed scabs on his face and causing blood to seep out.

"Back where... back to the inn... to wait to be... sent back here again..."

"That won't happen again."

Tang San helped him up, his voice hoarse.

"I promise."

Ma Hongjun leaned against his shoulder and closed his eyes, tears sliding down his swollen cheeks.

"Brother San... I was wrong... I was truly wrong..."

Tang San said nothing; he hoisted him onto his back and walked back, step by step.

Heaven Dou City, the finest inn.

Azure Luan Douluo sat by the window on the second floor, with Huang Yan and Shui Bing'er sitting opposite him.

A waiter diligently served tea and refreshments.

"Please enjoy, honored guests."

Huang Yan picked up his teacup and took a sip, his gaze sweeping over the street scene outside the window.

"Teacher, shall we return to Martial Soul City once we've purchased the medicinal herbs?"

"No rush."

Azure Luan Douluo picked up a piece of pastry.

"I have heard that Heaven Dou City has a century-old herb shop with excellent quality supplementary ingredients.

It will not be too late to go tomorrow."

Shui Bing'er held a cup of hot tea and asked softly:

"Teacher, you mentioned earlier that Tang San carries an aura that makes you feel uneasy... what exactly is it like?"

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

"It is hard to say.

It is as if something has been deliberately concealed; it is faint, flickering in and out of existence.

I have lived for the better part of a lifetime and have never encountered such a strange occurrence."

"Could it be some method of hiding a Martial Soul?"

Huang Yan feigned confusion.

"It does not seem so."

Azure Luan Douluo shook his head.

"The aura of his Martial Soul cannot be hidden from this old man.

The secrets on that boy likely go far beyond just having Twin Martial Souls."

"How does Master suggest we proceed?"

Huang Yan asked casually.

Azure Luan Douluo raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp.

"He is merely a junior; he cannot stir up any great waves.

However..."

He paused.

"If he truly becomes an obstacle, we shall simply dispose of him.

Do not overthink it."

Shui Bing'er glanced at Huang Yan but remained silent.

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

"Master is right, he is nothing but a clown."

At the inn in the south of the city, Tang San laid Ma Hongjun onto the bed.

Flender's eyes were bloodshot:

"Tang San, Fatty, he..."

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

Tang San's voice was cold.

"Teacher Zhao, I must trouble you to watch over him."

Dai Mubai clenched his fists:

"Are we just going to let it go?

Ning Rongrong has gone too far!"

"This is a debt Fatty owed her."

Tang San looked at Dai Mubai.

"But Scar Liu must die."

Oscar said with a trembling voice:

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

"I am going to buy some medicine for his wounds."

Tang San put on his bamboo hat and lowered the brim.

"And while I am at it, take care of some personal business."

On the streets of Heaven Dou City.

Tang San wove through the crowd, heading straight for South City Willow Alley.

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

"Master, that person appears to be Tang San."

Azure Luan Douluo glanced over:

"His killing intent is heavy.

Where is he going?"

"Towards the south of the city; he is likely seeking revenge."

Huang Yan set down his teacup.

"Shall we go take a look?"

"Ants biting each other—I have no interest."

Azure Luan Douluo closed his eyes.

"If you are curious, go yourself."

Huang Yan withdrew his gaze and said indifferently:

"I have no interest either."

With his opportunities lost, Tang San was destined to never stir up any storms.

Huang Yan already had his plans:

The disintegration of Shrek was only the beginning; Ning Rongrong and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would never let this matter rest.

As for Tang San?

Once his own body and spiritual power were strong enough to withstand the backlash of a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, that would be the time to claim the spirit ring of that Soft Bone Rabbit.

By then, Tang San would have plenty of reasons to suffer.