I am a Titled Douluo, Who Dares to Touch My Disciple

"Get lost already, don't dirty the grounds of the Duke's Mansion."

Huo Yuhao trembled with rage, his eyes rimmed with red.

Huo Yun'er grabbed her son's hand and whispered, "Yuhao, don't argue with them, let's... let's just go."

Although she had been saved by Qian Daoliu, she had spent over a decade as a maid in the Duke's Mansion, and she had long since grown accustomed to swallowing her pride.

However, someone else did not agree.

"Go?"

Shen Zhou's voice came from behind Huo Yuhao, unhurried, yet carrying a chill that sent shivers down one's spine.

He walked forward slowly, his gaze sweeping over the matron and the few maids and servants before finally landing on Huo Yuhao's reddened eyes.

Huo Yuhao was his disciple.

How could he, Shen Zhou, allow his disciple to be humiliated by a few insolent slaves?

"Who are you?"

The matron felt a sense of dread under Shen Zhou's gaze, but relying on the fact that she was a person of the First Madam of the Duke's Mansion and on her own home turf, she stiffened her neck and retorted.

Shen Zhou did not answer her; instead, he crouched down to look Huo Yuhao in the eye.

"Yuhao, remember this."

His voice was very soft, yet incredibly clear.

"Disciples of the Martial Soul Hall do not look for trouble, but we are never afraid of it."

"If someone bullies you, strike back. If you cannot strike back, your master will do it for you."

"If someone insults you, curse them back. If you cannot out-curse them, your master will kill them for you."

Before the words had even faded, Shen Zhou raised his right hand and flicked his finger casually.

A sharp gust of soul power tore through the air, moving so fast it was almost invisible to the naked eye.

"Ah--!"

The matron let out a short, sharp scream, her entire body struck as if by a heavy hammer. She flew backward, slammed into the courtyard wall behind her, spat out a mouthful of blood, and slid limply to the ground, lifeless.

On the brocade cotton jacket over her chest, a finger-wide hole was bubbling with blood.

She was dead.

A single flick of the finger, a life taken in an instant.

The remaining maids and servants froze for a moment before a series of shrill screams erupted.

The cowardly ones collapsed directly to the ground, wetting their pants.

The two servants who had laughed the loudest turned and ran, shouting as they fled, "Murder! Murder!"

Shen Zhou did not pursue them; he merely glanced at Guangling Douluo.

Guangling Douluo understood and tapped his foot lightly.

A ripple of ice-blue soul power spread out from him as the center. The two servants who had run a dozen steps stiffened, and ice began to form from the soles of their feet.

In the blink of an eye, the two were frozen into ice sculptures, maintaining their running posture with expressions of terror frozen on their faces.

"Fifth brother, hold back a bit, don't tear down the courtyard," Qian Daoliu said indifferently.

Guangling Douluo chuckled, "Don't worry, Big Brother, I only froze these two foul-mouthed ones; I'll keep the others to lead the way."

The remaining maids were already so terrified they knelt on the ground, kowtowing like pounding garlic, crying out, "Spare my life," and "It has nothing to do with me."

Shen Zhou walked to the matron's corpse, looked down at it for a moment, then looked up toward the direction of the main courtyard.

"Lead the way."

He said to the maid who was shaking the most, "Take us to your First Madam."

"I, I dare not..."

"If you don't lead the way, you die now."

The maid scrambled to her feet, stumbling as she ran toward the main courtyard.

Shen Zhou turned and held out his hand to Huo Yuhao.

"Let's go, Master will take you to seek justice."

Huo Yuhao stared blankly at the corpse on the ground, then at the hand Shen Zhou extended. The tears in his eyes finally rolled down, but this time it was not out of grievance, but a burning sense of being moved.

He gripped his master's hand tightly and nodded heavily.

Huo Yun'er opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but was stopped by Golden Crocodile Douluo.

"Don't worry, little sister."

Golden Crocodile Douluo rarely showed such a kind expression.

"Although our eighth brother is the youngest, he is the most measured in his actions. Just follow along and rest easy."

The group passed through several corridors, with house guards and security rushing over upon hearing the commotion along the way.

However, upon seeing the aura radiating from Qian Daoliu and the others, their faces turned deathly pale. Lacking even the courage to approach, they could only follow from a distance while sending someone to sprint ahead and report.

The main hall of the White Tiger Duke Mansion was adorned with carved beams and painted rafters.

The First Madam of the White Tiger Duke Mansion, the legal wife of Dai Hao, sat upright in the main seat, cradling a cup of hot tea while listening to the servant's report.

"What did you say? Several soul masters came to that lowly maid's courtyard? And they killed Nanny Wang?"

The First Madam was around thirty-five or thirty-six, well-maintained and beautiful, yet her brows carried a sharp, piercing edge.

As the daughter of a prominent family in the Star Luo Empire, she had managed the internal affairs of the Duke Mansion ever since marrying Dai Hao, and she detested nothing more than the consequences of Dai Hao's past dalliances.

Huo Yun'er and her son were a thorn in her side.

A lowly spawn born of a maid, yet he happened to look just like Dai Hao. If Dai Hao were to have a sudden change of heart and acknowledge him one day, wouldn't he compete with her own eldest son for the family inheritance?

Over the years, she had frequently mistreated Huo Yun'er and her son, both openly and covertly; denying them coal in winter, mosquito nets in summer, and providing them with the worst food and clothing in the mansion.

She had assumed that with Huo Yun'er falling gravely ill this time, she would simply die, but she never expected someone to save her and even bring the trouble right to her doorstep.

"Madam, those people... they are coming with aggressive intent and are already heading toward the main courtyard!"

The messenger boy was drenched in sweat.

"Good, let them come."

The First Madam sneered and set down her teacup. "I want to see who has the audacity to run wild in the White Tiger Duke Mansion."

She stood up, straightened her robes, and said to the maid beside her, "Go, summon all the soul master guards in the mansion."

"Also, send someone to the gate to welcome the Duke and ask him to return quickly."

The maid acknowledged the order and left.

The First Madam walked out of the hall, stood on the steps, and looked down toward the courtyard gate.

Before long, footsteps echoed from outside the gate.

Shen Zhou led the way, holding Huo Yuhao's hand, followed in order by the seven titled elders and Er Ha, while Huo Yun'er, supported by Golden Crocodile Douluo, brought up the rear.

The group walked into the courtyard unhurriedly, as if they were strolling through their own back garden.

The First Madam's pupils constricted.

Although she was not a high-level soul master, she still possessed a keen eye. The young man walking at the front and the seven people following him each radiated an aura that made her heart tremble.

Especially the golden-haired middle-aged man in the lead; just standing there, he felt like a towering mountain, making it nearly impossible for her to breathe.

"Who are you people? Why have you trespassed into my White Tiger Duke Mansion and killed my servants?"

The First Madam forced herself to remain calm and demanded in a deep voice.

Shen Zhou stopped, let go of Huo Yuhao's hand, and looked up at the First Madam on the steps.

"You are the legal wife of the White Tiger Duke?"

"That is indeed this Madam."

The First Madam lifted her chin slightly. "And who are you?"

"I am Shen Zhou, Dean of the Martial Soul Academy."

Shen Zhou said indifferently, "The one behind me is my disciple, Huo Yuhao. Beside him is his mother, Huo Yun'er."

The First Madam's gaze fell on the fox-fur cloak worn by Huo Yun'er, then shifted to Huo Yuhao, a trace of mockery curling her lips.

"So it's that lowly maid and the bastard she birthed. What?"

"You found a few rogue soul masters and think you dare to challenge me?"

As soon as the word "bastard" was uttered, Huo Yuhao's hands clenched tightly.

Shen Zhou patted the back of his hand, signaling him to remain calm.

Then, he looked up at the First Madam.

"Just now outside the woodshed, your servant insulted my disciple as a 'bastard,' cursed my disciple's mother as a 'filthy thing,' and told them to 'get lost as far as they could.'"