The Decoy Explores

The Royal Power Sword Martial Soul is a top-tier assault-type tool Martial Soul, and the Imperial Power Sword, which evolved from it in a benign mutation, is the absolute pinnacle among sword-type Martial Souls.

Xue Hen, who possesses this Martial Soul, has a keen perception for other sword-type Martial Souls. At this very moment, he clearly sensed a Soul Master with a powerful sword-type Martial Soul appearing in the vicinity of his inn.

A powerful sword-type Martial Soul...

A name surfaced in Xue Hen's mind.

"Sword Douluo, Chen Xin." He parted his lips slightly, murmuring the name.

Immediately, he took a deep breath, steadily concluded his cultivation, stepped off the bed, and walked to the window to gaze in the direction of his perception.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had discovered his hideout, and Chen Xin had come in person—was he here to deal with him?

Could they possibly think that with Chen Xin and Gu Rong joining forces, supplemented by Ning Fengzhi's support, they could win?

Or did they have other helpers?

Xue Hen was momentarily unsure of what the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was planning. After pondering for a while, the corners of his mouth curled up as he hit upon a brilliant idea.

"Hum~" He retreated a few steps from the window, and a dazzling golden light erupted around his body. Following this, his appearance and temperament began to shift within the golden radiance, even his clothing transformed, and in a flash, he had become someone else entirely.

Yuan Qi!

Current Fusion: Fictional Character - Yuan Qi
Soul Power: Rank 97 Peak
Martial Soul: Sun
Soul Ring: Red
First Soul Skill: Great Sun Heaven Net (Domain Skill), Golden Crow Piercing the Sun
Reality Rate: 46.59%

The golden light vanished, and the System Panel appeared before Xue Hen.

Looking at the current data for this persona, Xue Hen nodded and thought to himself, "This will suffice."

Indeed, with the increase in the Reality Rate, Yuan Qi's Sun Martial Soul now possessed a Soul Ring—a 100,000-year Soul Ring, no less. This ring granted him two skills: the domain-type Great Sun Heaven Net and the offensive-type Golden Crow Piercing the Sun.

Although having only one Soul Ring at Rank 97 Soul Power defied conventional logic, the character Yuan Qi was inherently beyond common sense, making it easier for others to accept.

The one with the grudge against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is Xue Hen, not Yuan Qi. Even if Yuan Qi had some dealings with the Martial Soul Hall in the Sky Screen, he left later on. As long as Ning Fengzhi isn't a fool, he wouldn't—and wouldn't dare—to make an enemy of Yuan Qi, Xue Hen thought.

Then, with a flash, he vanished from the spot, leaving the room instantly empty.

Near the alleyway.

Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin hid in the shadows, observing the situation.

"Fengzhi, are you sure that once Xue Hen finds them and completes his revenge, he won't remain hostile toward our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?" Chen Xin asked Ning Fengzhi, looking at the two figures who had their tongues cut out, struggling and whimpering on the ground.

"Rest assured, Uncle Sword. From what we saw on the Sky Screen, Xue Hen is a man who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and grudges. It was Ning Pianpian who harmed them, not our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. When he clashed with Uncle Bone earlier, it was because he guessed they were hiding in the sect and that we were protecting them. Once he executes his vengeance, and provided we don't retaliate, this grudge will naturally end. Of course, expecting him to have any fondness for us is nearly impossible," Ning Fengzhi replied.

"Hmm." Chen Xin nodded, thinking, I hope so.

Time ticked by, and the alleyway began to attract many passersby. When they saw the struggling Ning Pianpian and her son on the ground, they were shocked. However, adhering to the continental custom of minding one's own business, no one stepped forward to help. Instead, they gossiped and spread the news, and soon a crowd of onlookers gathered.

Xue Hen, not far away, must have certainly noticed a commotion of this scale.

He should come down to see what happened, right? Ning Fengzhi thought, using conventional logic.

As it turned out, he was right; Xue Hen did come.

But what he didn't expect was that Xue Hen arrived wearing a different face.

A short-haired youth in golden finery, his lower face covered by a black mask and a mole near his right eyebrow, emerged from nowhere and joined the crowd.

It's them? Xue Hen had intended to scout the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's movements, not expecting to find so many people gathered here. When he saw the two bloodied figures on the ground, his eyes widened slightly.

Ning Pianpian.

And his own convenient younger brother, Xue Tian.

What is going on? Weren't they hiding in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?

He had been planning to visit the sect again, using Gu Rong's "deception" as a pretext, to further boost the presence and combat record of the semi-fictional character "Super Douluo - Xue Hen" in the Soul Master world. How did they end up here in Heaven Dou City, tied up and seemingly having their tongues cut out?

Did I guess wrong? Was that old man Gu Rong not lying to me back then? Was Ning Pianpian never hiding in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? No, that's not right... Xue Hen, having just felt a flicker of doubt, immediately realized the truth.

His initial guess had been correct.

The powerful sword-type Martial Soul aura he had sensed earlier was the best proof.

Chen Xin had been in the vicinity, and now, after he arrived, he saw the bound Ning Pianpian and her son. Could this be a coincidence?

Impossible!

There was only one explanation: the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had decided to abandon them, and had even gone so far as to tie them up and dump them right next to his inn.

Hmph, this must be Ning Fengzhi's arrangement. If it were Gu Rong, even if he decided to stop protecting them, he would have let them flee on their own, Xue Hen thought with a cold snort and a sense of disdain.

To avoid offending a powerful enemy, the once-cherished "little sister" had instantly become a disposable pawn. This Sect Master Ning was truly pragmatic.

It is understandable, though; living in this cruel world of Spirit Masters, how could one not be realistic?

"That is the Balaque Princess Consort and Heir Xue Tian who appeared on the Sky Screen."

"Who could have done this to them?"

"Could it be His Excellency Xue Hen?"

"It is possible. Wasn't it said that His Excellency Xue Hen appeared in the city today, and many people saw him?"

The onlookers whispered among themselves.

Glancing at the gossiping crowd, Xue Hen pondered for a moment, then closed his eyes and quietly released his spiritual power to sense the auras of those around him.

Sure enough, although the other party was trying their best to hide, he still sensed a powerful aura not far away, roughly seventy percent of his own level; it had to be Chen Xin.

Hmph, thinking you can settle this grudge by discarding a sister and a nephew, Ning Fengzhi, your calculations are quite clever, Xue Hen thought.

Immediately, he raised his arm, pushed aside the onlookers blocking his path, and strode forward.