Can We Make Peace?

After glancing at the sky, Huo Li suggested, "It's already too late today. We should find somewhere to rest. First thing tomorrow morning, we'll head to Storm Canyon and help Xue Wu get a Soul Ring."

"Sounds good."

Everyone answered in unison, then checked into a nearby inn and ordered a table full of delicious dishes made with Soul Beast meat.

Since they were entering the Star Dou Great Forest tomorrow and didn't want to jeopardize their plans, neither Huo Li nor Shui Qingyue drank alcohol. Like the others, they stuck to fruit juice.

Just as Ling Yun was enjoying the delicious food, a group of unwelcome guests sauntered into the inn.

One of the men was a fat fellow. The moment he spotted Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er, hearts practically appeared in his eyes, and he blurted out without a care for his manners:

"Holy crap, Boss Dai, look! Those girls are freaking gorgeous, aren't they?

"Especially that redhead. She's ten times prettier than the whores I've found at the brothels. And that figure... tsk, tsk, nothing to complain about there. She's so damn sexy!"

"Heh, obviously. They're Soul Masters! How many female Soul Masters who've trained since childhood aren't beautiful?"

The man beside him chuckled, then let his gaze linger on Huo Wu's sexy figure as well. His greed and lust poured out without the slightest attempt to hide them. With a sneer, he said, "She doesn't look like she's for sale, which is a shame. If she were, I'd pay whatever it took to have her, even just once..."

Bang—

"Have you two said enough?!"

Hearing their lewd remarks, Huo Wu flew into a rage and immediately began gathering Soul Power, ready to teach the rude men a lesson.

But someone else moved faster—and hit harder!

A chair shot through the air like a cannonball and slammed into the fat man's chest.

He hadn't expected the people across from him to attack without warning. With a pained howl, he went flying!

"Little Brother Ling Yun..." Huo Wu cried out. Sure enough, Ling Yun was the one who had struck.

After sending the fat man flying, Ling Yun turned his gaze to the blond man leading the group. Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, the Shrek Seven Devils? I can't believe I ran into them here...

The moment that fat bastard said "Boss Dai," Ling Yun had guessed who they were.

He knew what Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun were like, but he hadn't expected them to insult Huo Wu as soon as they arrived. There was no way he could let that slide!

To him, Huo Wu was his own sister, even if they didn't share parents!

Whoever dared to insult her would pay in blood!

After looking away from Dai Mubai, Ling Yun spotted two more familiar faces, a man and a woman. The man stood tall, though his looks were rather ordinary.

The girl, on the other hand, was quite pretty. Her glossy black hair was braided into a scorpion tail down her back, and she looked as cute as a little white rabbit.

They were Tang San and Xiao Wu.

After sensing their cultivation levels, Ling Yun couldn't help smiling. Just as in the original story, both of them were only at Level 29.

Now that he had taken every Immortal Herb from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Tang San was no longer a threat to him.

"Fatty! Fatty!"

"Fatty, are you all right?"

Seeing Ma Hongjun fly through the air, Dai Mubai and Oscar's expressions shifted. They hurried over and helped him up.

Ma Hongjun clutched his aching chest and groaned in pain.

"Damn it, that hurts like hell!"

Then he glared at Ling Yun, fuming. "Hey, you little brat! You've got some nerve, hitting me!"

Ling Yun couldn't be bothered with that brothel-born rooster, Ma Hongjun. He merely glanced at Tang San and greeted him with a smile.

"San, Sister Xiao Wu. It's been a long time."

Then he pointed at Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun and continued, "Are those two idiots your classmates? I'm curious—what have you been through all these years to end up friends with morons like them?"

Before Tang San could speak, Xiao Wu blurted out, "You know us? Who are you?"

It was no wonder Xiao Wu didn't recognize Ling Yun. After taking six Immortal Herbs and forging the Ice and Fire Golden Body, his appearance had changed considerably.

Compared to four years ago, he was now taller and much more handsome.

"Heh, Sister Xiao Wu, you really do forget people of importance. If you don't remember me, do you at least remember this?"

With that, Ling Yun released his Martial Soul. The small, exquisite Five Spirit Lock appeared on his wrist in an instant.

The moment they saw it, Tang San and Xiao Wu's eyes widened. They both cried out, "You're... Ling Yun?"

"Hehe, that's right. I'm glad you still remember me."

"San, do you know this kid?" Dai Mubai asked, frowning slightly. Tang San nodded. "Yes. He was my student at Notting Academy, though he graduated four years ago."

"Hmph! He may be your classmate, Third Brother, but he hit me with a chair. I'm teaching him a lesson today!"

Ma Hongjun pointed at Ling Yun and roared, "Hey, you little brat! Got the guts to come outside and fight?"

"Heh. Why wouldn't I?" Ling Yun replied with a disdainful smile. "Against a fool like you, I won't need a minute to beat you until you're crawling on the ground!"

"So cocky! If you've got the guts, come outside!"

With that, Ma Hongjun strode out of the inn. Ling Yun gave a cold laugh and followed him.

Seeing this, Huo Wu was about to stop Ling Yun and tell him not to act rashly, but Huo Li gave her a reassuring look.

With his cultivation, he could easily see Ma Hongjun's level. To put it bluntly, even a hundred men with Ma Hongjun's strength wouldn't be enough to take Ling Yun on.

Even the Shrek Seven Devils together were no match for Ling Yun.

Outside the inn, Ma Hongjun immediately released his Martial Soul. The phantom of the Evil Fire Phoenix slowly took shape behind him.

It was called a phoenix, but it was nothing more than a fire-spitting barnyard rooster.

"Ma Hongjun. Martial Soul: Evil Fire Phoenix. Level 26 Power Attack System Soul Grandmaster."

Ma Hongjun announced his level, then chuckled. In his eyes, Ling Yun was about his age, so how strong could he possibly be?

But the next instant, his eyes flew wide open!

Ling Yun gathered his Soul Power, and five Soul Rings appeared one after another, floating around him.

"Ling Yun. Martial Soul: Five Spirit Lock. Level 53 all-around Battle Soul King!"

"All-around" was a term Ling Yun had come up with himself. He could control, attack, move at high speed, and even fly. The title "all-around" suited him perfectly.

Seeing his Soul Ring Configuration, Ma Hongjun wasn't the only one stunned. Tang San and the others watching nearby were just as shocked.

"A Soul... Soul King!"

"Ling Yun is already a Soul King?"

"A thousand-year second ring and a ten-thousand-year fourth ring? What kind of Soul Ring Configuration is that?!"

"A Soul King..."

Seeing Ling Yun's Soul Rings, Ma Hongjun began trembling uncontrollably. At last, his legs gave way, and he dropped to the ground. In a pleading voice, he begged, "Um, big brother, can we make peace?"