Li Yusong shouted for a long while, but there was no response. He knew he couldn't count on Dai Mubai.
He took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed his anger. His expression returned to calm, even turning somewhat grim.
He stopped looking at the father and son and fixed his gaze on Zhao Linchuan. The fingers of his right hand began tapping rhythmically on the tabletop.
Tap, tap, tap...
A powerful surge of Soul Power, like a waking beast, slowly rose from his thin body.
Beneath his feet, six Soul Rings shone in succession—white, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black!
Though not the optimal combination, the pressure of a Soul Emperor was already like a mountain to ordinary people and low-ranking Soul Masters!
A long staff covered in fine markings appeared silently in his hand.
He slammed the Coiling Dragon Staff down onto the ground. With a muffled thud, the earth trembled slightly.
Li Yusong narrowed his eyes and swept his cold gaze over the four of them. "Looks like you were the ones fanning the flames here just now, ruining the recruitment drive for my Shrek Academy?"
The Soul Emperor's pressure burst forth without restraint. The father and son turned deathly pale with fright, their legs giving way as they collapsed to the ground, trembling.
Zhao Linchuan, however, seemed not to feel the crushing pressure at all. His expression remained calm, with even a hint of mockery.
"So what if we were? Under the bright blue sky, in broad daylight, are we not even allowed to speak a few honest words?"
"Hmph!" A glint of menace flashed in Li Yusong's eyes. He raised the Coiling Dragon Staff and pointed its tip at Zhao Linchuan from afar. "Since you admit it, that makes things simple."
"You've caused trouble for our academy, so naturally you'll have to compensate us for our losses."
"Compensation? What compensation?" Ning Rongrong blinked her big eyes, looking utterly innocent and bewildered.
"Compensation for our losses!" Li Yusong's voice was cold. "You incited the other applicants to leave, causing Shrek Academy to lose a great many promising students and the application fees we were owed!"
"Shouldn't you be held responsible for that?"
"If you don't pay enough compensation today, none of you are leaving!"
"Oh~~ so that's what this is about." Ning Rongrong drew out the words and nodded as if she'd suddenly understood.
Then she began rummaging around on herself, checking her pockets and patting her sleeves. Gradually, a panicked look spread across her little face. "Oh no! This is terrible! I... I don't think I brought any money!"
She turned to Zhao Linchuan for help and asked pitifully, "Big brother, do you... do you have any money?"
Zhao Linchuan played along and shrugged. His face wore a teasing, helpless expression. "What a coincidence. I didn't bring any either."
"Oh no! What are we going to do?" Xiao Wu put on a look of "panic" at just the right moment, covering her mouth with her little hand as her voice trembled. "H-he's a Six-Ring Soul Emperor!"
"If he really attacks us, we're just a bunch of weak little things. Won't we be in trouble...?"
"Hmph!" Li Yusong let out a heavy snort, the fury in his eyes growing stronger.
These juniors were clearly making a fool of him!
Looking at their clothes and belongings, how could they possibly have no money?
Were those Storage Soul Tools just for show?
"Stop putting on an act for this old man!" Li Yusong had lost the last of his patience. He shook the Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand, Soul Power surging around him. "My patience is limited!"
"If you don't pay up, don't blame this old man for teaching you ignorant little brats a proper lesson on behalf of your elders!"
Before his words had even faded, he moved. The Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand swept up a fierce gust of wind as it came crashing down at an angle toward Zhao Linchuan's shoulder.
Li Yusong hadn't used a Soul Skill. He intended to teach this troublemaking brat a lesson first, make him suffer a little, and get him to hand over the money meekly.
However—
What happened next was something Li Yusong would never forget for the rest of his life. It also left Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing staring in shock, their mouths falling open.
Zhao Linchuan neither dodged nor showed any sign of summoning his Soul Power. He simply raised his right hand at his leisure, spread his fingers, and reached for the staff hurtling down at him!
His movements were so casual and effortless, as if he were reaching to catch a falling leaf.
"You're asking for death!" Li Yusong sneered inwardly and unconsciously put another thirty percent of his strength into the blow.
Clang—!!!
A clear, ringing clash of metal against metal rang out!
The expected scene of shattered bones and splattered blood never came.
The Coiling Dragon Staff, powerful enough to smash a boulder with ease, was simply... caught in the palm of a hand that looked utterly devoid of strength!
The violent Soul Power coursing through the staff struck an invisible dam and vanished in an instant.
The staff quivered faintly and let out an unwilling hum, yet it could descend no further.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
The savage grin on Li Yusong's face stiffened completely, replaced by shock and bewilderment.
He instinctively tried to wrench his Martial Soul back, only to find the staff seemingly welded into the other man's hand, utterly motionless!
He gritted his teeth and poured Soul Power frantically into both arms. His face flushed red with effort, but the Coiling Dragon Staff remained firmly trapped in that hand, unable to move even a fraction!
H-how could this be?!
A storm instantly rose in Li Yusong's heart!
He was a Soul Emperor above level sixty!
Even without using a Soul Skill, that last strike was no attack a teenager could catch with his bare hand!
No—forget catching it barehanded. Even a Battle Soul Emperor of the same rank with the Power Attack System wouldn't dare be so careless!
Unless... the other man wasn't as young as he appeared!
Doubt crept into his mind. Could it be... he isn't a youth at all, but some old monster who's found a way to preserve his appearance?!
And anyone who can retain their youthful looks must be at least a Soul Douluo, or perhaps... even a Titled Douluo?!
At the thought of that possibility, cold sweat burst from Li Yusong in an instant, soaking his back.
It was as if he weren't holding his own Martial Soul but a red-hot branding iron. He quickly let go and stumbled two steps back.
"S-senior!" All the ferocity vanished from Li Yusong's face. It was instantly replaced by an expression of utmost respect, tinged with obsequiousness and fear.
He bowed deeply to Zhao Linchuan, his voice trembling. "This junior was blind and failed to recognize Mount Tai! I didn't know Senior had graced us with your presence. Please forgive my many offenses and show mercy! Please, forgive me!"
He bent low, cold sweat beading on his forehead, and didn't dare look up.
"Eh? Weren't you so impressive just a moment ago? How come you've gone 'soft' all of a sudden?" Ning Rongrong tilted her head and asked with an "innocent" look, though her eyes were full of teasing laughter.
Li Yusong wasn't the only one who was shocked. She, too, was deeply shaken, and she looked at Zhao Linchuan with astonishment. He looks no more than twelve or thirteen. How did he do that?
Hearing Ning Rongrong's teasing, Li Yusong pretended not to hear. He only lowered his head further and said respectfully:
"Senior, please calm your anger! Our courtyard is humble, but we do have some plain tea and refreshments. I hope you'll honor us by coming inside to rest for a while and let this junior play host and apologize..."
Thanks to reader 20240801250539 for four monthly tickets.
Thanks to Zhen Cao for four monthly tickets.
Thanks to Guo Ke for one monthly ticket.
Thanks to A Yi for two monthly tickets.
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