At that, Dai Mubai turned to look. A young man in dark brocade robes, with a face as handsome as jade and long hair tied high atop his head, was gazing at him contemptuously.
"Brother Qin is here. You worthless piece of trash, you can wait to die!" Song Qingling put away the Ice Soul Dragon Abyss Spear and looked on with an expression that said she was ready to enjoy the show.
"Y-you... who are you?" Seeing Qin Xuan's extraordinary bearing, Dai Mubai asked solemnly.
Before Qin Xuan could speak, Zhu Zhuqing gave him a meaningful glance, then introduced him in a low voice: "The man standing before you is Qin Xuan, the current young master of Spirit Hall! He's also my fiancé!"
"What!" Dai Mubai clenched his fists, breathing like an ox as he glared at Qin Xuan, consumed by fury.
"Zhuqing, you refused to leave with me because of this man?"
Zhu Zhuqing gave a cold snort without answering. She calmly walked over to Qin Xuan and linked her arm through his.
Qin Xuan wasn't stupid. He knew Zhu Zhuqing was using him as a shield, so he let the girl have her way.
Dai Mubai wanted to fly into a rage, but when he thought of Qin Xuan's identity, he forced it back down.
"Zhuqing and I were betrothed as children. If the young master of Spirit Hall stoops to stealing another man's wife, aren't you afraid the world will spit on you?"
"Spit on me?" Qin Xuan sneered, then wrapped an arm around Zhu Zhuqing's slender waist and said without changing expression:
"You're the one who deserves the world's scorn, you cowardly turtle!"
"What is Zhuqing to you?"
"She's probably nothing more than an accessory to the Hell White Tiger!"
"A lecher like you thinks you're worthy of Zhu Zhuqing?"
"Have you no shame?"
Faced with Qin Xuan's three deadly questions, Dai Mubai's veins bulged with anger. He was on the verge of exploding.
He had reached Soul Elder rank thirty-seven at the age of fifteen. When had he ever suffered such humiliation?
Seeing Dai Mubai in a furious state, Xia Hui fanned the flames from the side.
"What?"
"Does this cowardly turtle want to fight Brother Qin?"
At her words, Dai Mubai glared viciously at Xia Hui and said, each word dripping with menace:
"Who are you calling a cowardly turtle? Say that again, if you dare!"
With that,
A standing White Tiger phantom appeared behind Dai Mubai. Then three Soul Rings—two yellow and one purple—descended one after another from above his head.
"Oh my! A rank-thirty-seven Soul Elder! I'm so scared!" Xia Hui covered her little mouth, feigning alarm with an exaggerated expression.
"You lot are nothing but Soul Grandmasters at best!"
"If I want to take Zhu Zhuqing away today, none of you can stop me!"
"Is that so?" Qin Xuan's lips curled into a wicked smile.
"Dai Mubai, how about a wager match?"
"If you win, you can take Zhu Zhuqing with you!"
"Bring it on. As if I'd be afraid of you!" Dai Mubai scoffed.
"The rules are simple. If you can withstand three moves from me, you can take Zhu Zhuqing away." As Qin Xuan spoke, the phantom of an eight-meter-tall Nine Nether Evil God Tiger appeared behind him.
Then five Soul Rings—purple, purple, black, black, and black—rose one after another from his feet.
Roar—
A thunderous tiger's roar shook the heavens.
Qin Xuan no longer restrained his Soul Power or spiritual power. The pressure unique to a god-level Martial Soul began to affect everything within a five-hundred-meter radius!
The students passing nearby saw the black giant tiger with wings on its back and turned pale with fear. They hurriedly picked up their pace and rushed into the academy.
The pressure released by the Nine Nether Evil God Tiger was so terrifying that the students didn't even have the courage to stop and watch!
If the aura of the Six-Winged Angel was sacred and radiant, inspiring reverence, then the Nine Nether Evil God Tiger's aura was murderous and sinister, making people flee from it!
The White Tiger standing behind Dai Mubai, a little over three meters tall, looked like a tiny figurine next to the Nine Nether Evil God Tiger—almost adorably cute.
Dai Mubai's face turned deathly pale and his legs trembled. All his earlier arrogance had vanished.
"T-two Thousand-Year Soul Rings and three Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings! How did you do that?"
"What? Are you scared?" Qin Xuan remained calm, then suddenly roared:
"Are we fighting or not?"
"This young master is in a good mood today. If you surrender now and say aloud that you aren't worthy of Zhu Zhuqing, I'll spare your life!"
His shout, infused with Soul Power, boomed like a thunderclap and made Dai Mubai's whole body shudder.
When Dai Mubai heard that Qin Xuan wanted to kill him, he put away his Martial Soul. Panic spread across his face, and his psychological defenses crumbled completely.
Only now did he understand why Qin Xuan had made the wager: if he could withstand three of Qin Xuan's moves, he could take Zhu Zhuqing away.
In front of this heaven-defying monster, forget three moves—even surviving one of Qin Xuan's Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skills was a fifty-fifty chance!
A wager?
That was a nice way to put it!
How was that any different from asking Dai Mubai to hand over his life?
If he accepted, there was no doubt he'd die here!
At that moment, a voice repeated endlessly in Dai Mubai's mind: I don't want to die. I don't want to die...
He swallowed, the words catching in his throat, and said:
"Zhu Zhuqing, I'm not worthy of you."
"Trash!" Zhu Zhuqing didn't spare Dai Mubai another glance before heading into Spirit Hall Academy.
Dai Mubai couldn't care less about his pride. All he wanted now was to stay alive!
As long as the green hills remained, there would be no shortage of firewood!
If he could just get out of here alive, he could wait until he became a Titled Douluo, then return to avenge the theft of his fiancée!
Qin Xuan had thought Dai Mubai would at least have a little backbone. He hadn't expected him to be such a coward. He lost interest at once and said coolly, "Get lost."
Dai Mubai felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted. He hurriedly answered and ran toward the outskirts of Spirit City, afraid Qin Xuan might change his mind.
"Dai Mubai really lives up to his title of cowardly turtle." Watching him flee, Xia Hui couldn't help commenting.
At that, Qin Xuan only smiled without saying much. He put away his Martial Soul and headed into Spirit Hall Academy.
To be honest, he'd truly wanted to kill Dai Mubai just then and finish him off on the spot.
But Dai Mubai had been so cowardly that it was beyond belief.
A gentleman's word was as good as four horses' pursuit. Since Dai Mubai had backed down without a fight and had even said aloud that he wasn't worthy of Zhu Zhuqing, Qin Xuan couldn't very well keep pressing him.
After all, Dai Mubai was beneath his notice.
Several days later.
Fanos Province.
A village on the outskirts of Suotuo City.
Dai Mubai returned to Shrek Academy, looking dejected.
Seeing him, Tang San, Yu Xiaogang, and the others gathered around.
"Boss Dai, didn't you go looking for Zhu Zhuqing?"
"Could it be she didn't want to join Shrek Academy?"
Tang San asked in confusion.
"Don't mention that shameless woman!" Dai Mubai's face turned cold. "She's joined Spirit Hall Academy and is with Qin Xuan now."
"Who's Qin Xuan?" Yu Xiaogang furrowed his brows and quickly ran through the names of every notable figure he could recall. He was certain there was no one on the continent by the name of Qin Xuan.
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