Xiong Jun's pen, which he had been holding in his mouth, dropped to the ground with a clatter.
His enormous bear eyes widened until they were round as saucers.
The question that had puzzled him before was this: In the first lesson of human etiquette, why did you have to praise your opponent when you were about to be killed?
Now Xiong Jun had his answer.
You praised your opponent to death.
You talked them to death.
Xiong Jun couldn't help but regard Li Luo with newfound respect. "As expected of the Dragon Clan's matriarch and queen, Li Luo is truly extraordinary."
Di Tian had told him that Li Luo was the Dragon Clan's matriarch.
When they had first found Li Luo and Na'er, Di Tian had been stunned, then overjoyed. He'd told them excitedly that they had found not only their lord but also their lady.
At the time, Xiong Jun had muttered to himself, "What lady? This old bear's never seen her. Don't know her."
Now, though, Xiong Jun had gained a tiny bit of respect for Li Luo.
Meanwhile, Di Tian was very excited. He sent a voice transmission to Bi Ji and the others. "The matriarch is our Dragon Clan's queen. No one can resist her charms."
"That human boy just tried to harm the matriarch."
"But when she told him to pierce his eyes, he did. When she told him to rupture his eardrums, he did."
"That is the matriarch's supreme charm."
Bi Ji's mouth twitched. She felt awful. Damn Di Tian, praising your matriarch to everyone's face. What am I to you?
You're not stepping foot in my room tonight.
Not only can you not come in, you can kneel on the soul tool washboard!
King of Ten Thousand Demons' roots flickered with wisdom, as if he had seen through every twist and turn of this tangled affair...
But enough about the Ferocious Beasts' reaction.
Ba Jiushi was already in the middle of powering up, his nine-ring Titled Douluo aura on full display.
His terrifying presence sent the tables and chairs in the audience stands flying.
The Nine-Section Skull Staff in his hand gleamed.
A crimson light burst from one of the skulls.
Ba Jiushi walked toward Li Luo and the others, one step at a time. He deliberately moved slowly, as if he wanted each step to land on their hearts.
Ba Jiushi felt a little regretful.
Ten thousand years ago, the great Death Messenger senior had dressed just like him and, with the strength of a Soul King, toyed with even Super Douluos as if they were puppets.
Sadly, he wouldn't get the same chance.
His opponent was only a puny Soul Master.
Even if he used art to blast that little Soul Master into the sky today, no one in the world would remember his name.
"Ah, I'd planned to let Xiao Wu finish this artistic explosion, to see if it would draw out any powerful foes. Then I could secretly help Xiao Wu take them out."
"I didn't expect Xiao Wu to be gone just like that."
"I can't recreate the glorious achievements of the Death Messenger senior from ten thousand years ago, either."
"What a pity!"
"Such a pity!"
"A shame!"
"What a real shame!"
"Not a single formidable enemy."
"The Death Messenger senior's glory will never shine again."
Ba Jiushi gave the skull staff a shake. A red gleam flashed in one of the skulls, and it spat out a crimson orb of light.
The crimson orb sank into Wu Liuqi's corpse.
"Explode!" Ba Jiushi said softly.
Before the Corpse Explosion had even gone off, Ba Jiushi had already turned and started walking away.
He didn't look back.
A real man never looked back at an explosion.
That was Ba Jiushi's lifelong creed.
But he kept walking.
Huh?
Why hadn't it exploded yet?
Ba Jiushi's face was starting to feel a little hot.
He was a dignified nine-ring Titled Douluo, aspiring to become a great man like the Death Messenger senior. Didn't he deserve to save face?
He couldn't turn around.
Absolutely not. He couldn't look back!
Be patient.
Just a little longer!
Maybe the explosion was slightly delayed.
That was perfectly normal.
Ba Jiushi frantically tried to reassure himself.
But he'd waited for nearly fifteen minutes. His steps were slower than a snail's, and still his art hadn't blossomed.
His expression shifted from livid to resigned, and he murmured, "At least Xiao Wu has already returned to dust and earth, and become a corpse. Otherwise, if he saw this, where would that leave me as his teacher?"
Whatever!
Since there was a little problem with his explosive art, he'd just do it himself.
Nine-ring Titled Douluo.
Invincible under heaven.
Ba Jiushi's face was full of disdain. In this little Blacksmith Association, he was invincible.
Even without his explosive art, wiping out everyone here would be as easy as turning over his hand.
His only regret was that his art couldn't blossom.
Ba Jiushi couldn't help feeling disappointed.
Just then, he heard a deep voice.
"Boss, do you think that guy's an idiot? Why's he just standing there for so long? He even looks like he's putting on a whole show."
Xiong Jun looked at Ba Jiushi, puzzled.
He was itching to pull out his notebook and record his question, so he could fill in the answer later when he figured it out.
But this didn't seem like the right time.
This man was trying to harm their matriarch!
The situation was a little urgent.
If he took out his notebook to write things down, Di Tian would probably scold him again, saying he was neglecting his duties and didn't care about the great cause of the Soul Beasts' revival.
Although he thought the situation was urgent but not critical, he decided against taking out his notebook.
Xiong Jun thought to himself, "For the sake of unity among Soul Beasts, I've made so many sacrifices. If it weren't for me, the Star Dou Beast Group would've fallen apart long ago."
Ever since Xiong Jun had interrupted King of Ten Thousand Demons' flawless answer to the crucial question of what made a question crucial, King of Ten Thousand Demons had taken a bit of a dislike to him.
King of Ten Thousand Demons spoke up. "You idiot. That man can't move because Boss's aura has pinned him in place."
"Enough, all of you."
Di Tian's expression turned cold. "Let's deal with him quickly. Don't let our lord and lady worry."
Di Tian was a little concerned that his lord and lady might notice that the team he'd brought along was missing a few members.
"Oh!"
Xiong Jun answered and walked toward Ba Jiushi.
A terrifying Ferocious Beast aura burst from his body.
A murderous aura shot into the sky.
It locked onto Ba Jiushi.
Ba Jiushi had already pissed himself. Just as he was feeling smug, a terrifying aura had suddenly locked onto him.
That aura was as vast as mountains and seas.
It was terrifying beyond words.
He didn't dare move.
He was afraid that the slightest movement would tear his whole body to pieces.
Why was it so terrifying?
In this little Aolai City, wasn't a nine-ring Evil Soul Master like him supposed to be invincible?
How could he have run into such a terrifying being?
Sweat as big as beans poured relentlessly from Ba Jiushi's face, as if it were free, then slid down his cheeks.
Xiong Jun walked toward him, one step at a time.
"Thud, thud, thud."
Xiong Jun was massive. Even though he had taken human form, he was still over two meters tall.
His shoulders were frighteningly broad.
With a frame that enormous, each step made the ground tremble with a thud.
Xiong Jun's steps weren't fast, but each one felt like it was stomping right on Ba Jiushi's heart.
Ba Jiushi was in despair. "Another terrifying aura! Why would a little place like Aolai City have such a frightening opponent?"
"W-who are you people?"
Before you continue