With a bang, the courtyard gate was pushed open.
In the courtyard, a chubby red-haired youth stood by the stone table with an impatient look on his face. Across from him stood a kind-looking middle-aged couple in plain clothes.
"Who is it?!
Why shove the gate open so hard..."
Ma Hongjun turned around, cursing under his breath, but his voice abruptly cut off when he saw who had arrived.
"Xiao Yan?!"
The middle-aged couple froze for a moment before hurrying forward with delighted expressions.
"Dad, Mom, I'm back."
The coldness on Huang Yan's face instantly turned into a gentle smile as he quickly stepped forward.
Ma Min excitedly grabbed Huang Yan's hand, her eyes slightly red.
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back!
You child, why didn't you tell us in advance... Who are these two?"
Huang Yan turned slightly and introduced them.
"Dad, Mom, this is my teacher.
And this is my friend, Shui Bing'er."
When Huang Ran and Ma Min heard that he was a teacher from Spirit Hall, they hurriedly tried to bow.
"Oh, sir..."
Azure Luan Douluo raised a hand slightly, and a gentle stream of Soul Power lifted them both. His tone was unusually mild.
"You have raised a fine son. There is no need for such formalities.
I am Azure Luan. Today, I merely accompanied Xiao Yan home for a visit."
Watching Huang Yan return with others, Ma Hongjun's eyes flashed with jealousy. Still, he craned his neck and shouted.
"Huang Yan, you came back at just the right time!
Your parents' business has grown thanks to Spirit Hall's backing. We're all from Poultry Village, so what's wrong with helping out a genius like me?
My teacher Flender is a Soul Saint!
When I become a Titled Douluo someday, do you think I'll treat your family badly?"
Huang Yan turned around, and all warmth vanished from his face. He stared coldly at Ma Hongjun.
"Help you out?
Why should my parents give you the hard-earned money they make from dawn to dusk, so you can squander it in Suotuo City's brothels?"
Hearing the word "brothels," Shui Bing'er frowned deeply, undisguised disgust flashing through her eyes.
"So that was what you left unfinished earlier—you were going to that sort of place... Disgusting."
Having been exposed in public, Ma Hongjun immediately flew into a rage. A murky purplish-red flame suddenly surged around him.
"What do you know?!
I do that to suppress my Evil Fire!
Huang Yan, don't think you're so impressive just because you went to Spirit Hall. I'm a monster genius from Shrek Academy!
If you really piss me off..."
"Monster?
Genius?"
Huang Yan sneered, cutting him off, his eyes filled with contempt.
"You can't even control your own martial soul and are instead ruled by the desires of your lower half. You dare call yourself a genius?"
"You're courting death!"
Ma Hongjun flew into a fury and charged forward with a fist wreathed in murky flames.
Huang Yan stood where he was without even releasing his martial soul. His gaze merely sharpened.
A pure, overwhelmingly tyrannical aura of dark-red Evil Fire erupted from his body in an instant, becoming an invisible pressure that bore down on Ma Hongjun.
Thud!
The purplish-red flames within Ma Hongjun seemed to encounter some terrifying superior being and were instantly suppressed back into his body.
Ma Hongjun's legs went limp, and he collapsed onto the ground. Cold sweat poured from his body as he stared at Huang Yan in terror.
"You... you..."
Ma Hongjun's teeth chattered, and he could not even form a complete sentence.
Huang Yan looked down at him from above, his tone calm yet carrying bone-chilling coldness.
"Get out.
If you dare step into my home again, or ask my parents for another coin, I'll cripple that impure Evil Fire of yours along with your martial soul."
Ma Hongjun scrambled up from the ground, his fat body shaking uncontrollably with fear.
But after running outside the courtyard gate and feeling somewhat safer, he could not resist turning back to shout a threat at the top of his lungs.
"Huang Yan!
Just you wait!
I'm going to get my teacher Flender right now!
He's a level seventy-eight Soul Saint!
When he gets here, you'll regret this!"
Huang Yan had already gathered a wisp of ultimate Evil Fire at his fingertips, intending to teach Ma Hongjun an unforgettable lesson. Yet upon hearing that, he smiled instead.
Huang Yan dispersed the flame at his fingertips, folded his arms, and said with interest.
"Fine, I'll wait.
You'd better bring that Flender here quickly. Don't make me wait too long."
Twelve years ago.
The moment Huang Yan awakened his martial soul, Flender had set his sights on him.
Flender's air of arrogant superiority, acting as though only he could solve the problem and speaking as if he were bestowing charity.
Huang Yan still remembered it clearly.
If Flender truly came, then Huang Yan could see whether he could still be as arrogant as he had been back then.
Seeing Huang Yan so fearless, Ma Hongjun gritted his teeth, turned around, and vanished in a puff of dust.
After driving off the fly, Huang Yan turned back, and the coldness on his face once again became a gentle smile.
"Dad, Mom, ignore that trash.
Let me properly introduce everyone."
Huang Yan pointed at Azure Luan Douluo beside him and respectfully said.
"This is my teacher, the Third Offering of Spirit Hall, Azure Luan Douluo."
"D-Douluo?!"
Huang Ran and Ma Min were so startled that their legs went weak, and they nearly knelt again.
Azure Luan Douluo helplessly supported them once more with Soul Power and said gently.
"You need not be so reserved. Just call me Elder Azure Luan.
Xiao Yan is exceptionally talented and respects his teacher and elders. I should be thanking you for bringing him into this world."
Huang Ran and Ma Min nodded repeatedly, overwhelmed by the honor.
Then Ma Min's gaze fell upon Shui Bing'er, who had remained silent at the side.
Seeing Shui Bing'er's breathtaking face and cool, noble bearing, Ma Min's eyes lit up. She grabbed Shui Bing'er's hand and smiled so widely that her mouth could barely close.
"Oh my, what a beautiful girl!
You're Bing'er, right?
Are you really just ordinary friends with our Xiao Yan?"
Shui Bing'er's body stiffened slightly, and she forced an awkward smile.
"Auntie, we..."
"Oh, I understand, I understand!
Young people are just shy!"
Ma Min directly cut her off and enthusiastically began praising her son.
"Bing'er, our Xiao Yan can be a little blunt sometimes, but he's absolutely reliable!
He's been sensible since childhood, and now he's a genius of Spirit Hall. He'll definitely achieve great things in the future!
You'll never suffer any hardship if you're with him!"
Huang Ran also chimed in with a simple smile.
"Yes, yes. Xiao Yan values loyalty and affection. He's a good young man worth entrusting yourself to!"
Listening to Huang Yan's parents so openly trying to matchmake them, Shui Bing'er felt both amused and helpless.
Worth entrusting herself to?
Just earlier at Skywater Academy, this man had mercilessly crushed Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, and Feng Xiaotian.
He had even brought her back to Spirit Hall by something close to force.
But looking at the honest and warmly enthusiastic couple before her, Shui Bing'er could not bear to directly expose the complicated truth behind her relationship with Huang Yan. She could only force herself to smile awkwardly.
"Uncle, Auntie... Huang Yan truly is outstanding."
"Hahaha, see? I told you so!
Come on, come on, don't stand around in the courtyard. Come inside and sit down!
Mom will make you something delicious right away!"
Ma Min happily pulled Shui Bing'er toward the house.
Before you continue