Vermin Dare to Disturb the Imperial Presence?

Soul Hunting Town, on the edge of the Star Dou Forest.

This was the final stop for soul masters before entering the primeval forest; though small in scale, its unique geographical location made it exceptionally bustling.

The streets on both sides were filled with the cries of merchants hawking soul beast furs, selling auxiliary herbs, and recruiting teammates.

The air was thick with a distinct odor, a mixture of sweat, strong spirits, and the metallic tang of soul beast blood.

The arrival of Su Yun and his group was, without a doubt, the most stunning sight in this rugged little town.

Inside the tavern known as the Fervent Lung, Su Yun sat leisurely on a mahogany chair that had been polished to a shine.

Although Ning Rongrong complained that the wine glasses here were not refined enough, she still obediently poured Su Yun a glass of top-tier vintage brought from her sect; Zhu Zhuqing sat quietly to the side, using a clean silk handkerchief to wipe the folding fan that symbolized Su Yun's status.

Xiao Wu was the most lively, devouring a table full of local grilled meat specialties and not forgetting to stuff a piece of tender leg meat into Su Yun's mouth.

This scene of the Holy Son being doted on by three beauties made the eyes of the rough men around them, who lived by the blade, turn red with envy.

But upon sensing the subtle, high-ranking pressure radiating from Su Yun, no one dared to step forward and court disaster.

However, in this world, there are always those who, due to their own inflated sense of self, lack the most basic ability to read a room.

"Bang!"

The tavern door was shoved open with a heavy thud, emitting a teeth-grinding crash.

A group of young men and women dressed in neat, moon-white soul master robes walked in with an air of unbridled arrogance.

Embroidered on their chests was a cyan circle, inside of which sat a towering little mountain.

"It's the people from Canghui Academy."

A soul master in the tavern muttered under his breath, his tone laced with both wariness and a hint of schadenfreude.

The lead male student was decent-looking, but his nostrils were practically pointed toward the sky.

As soon as he entered, his gaze swept across the room, finally landing, as if by right, on Su Yun's table.

The best seats in the house, and the three most beautiful women in the room.

"Brother, we're taking this table for Canghui Academy."

The male student walked up to Su Yun; although he called him 'brother,' his eyes lingered greedily on Zhu Zhuqing's curvaceous figure.

"If you're smart, take your chicks and get lost before our Teacher Ye loses his temper."

In a dim corner not far away, Tang San sat on a rickety stool, holding a dry, hard bun and washing it down with a bowl of free tap water.

Seeing the provocation from Canghui Academy, a cold, gleeful light flashed deep in Tang San's eyes.

Su Yun, don't you pride yourself on being invincible? The people from Canghui Academy aren't to be trifled with; that Ye Zhiqiu leading them is at least a level 50+ Soul King. I want to see how you maintain your hypocritical aristocratic demeanor when facing an organized, well-backed academy like this.

As Tang San sneered, his right hand quietly dropped, the hidden arrows within his Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges ready to be unleashed.

He calculated in his heart:

Once Su Yun was forced into a desperate situation by Ye Zhiqiu, or the two sides fell into a chaotic brawl, he could seize the opportunity to strike, using Tang Sect hidden weapons to "accidentally" help Xiao Wu out of the fray.

In this way, he could demonstrate his own strength while regaining some face in front of the three girls.

"San, watch closely."

Yu Xiaogang had appeared outside the tavern at some point, hiding under a window to peek inside, his zombie-like face wearing a look of calculation.

"Ye Zhiqiu of Canghui Academy has the Mystic Tortoise as his martial soul, which has extremely high defensive power. It's impossible for Su Yun to end this quickly like he did with Zhao Wuji. This fight is going to be a long one."

The atmosphere inside the tavern tightened to the breaking point.

The Canghui Academy students, seeing that Su Yun ignored them entirely—not even lifting his head—felt they had suffered a humiliating insult.

"Damn it, you don't know what's good for you! Attack!"

The lead male student roared, and just as he was about to release his martial soul, Ye Zhiqiu, who was sitting at the other end of the tavern, slowly stood up.

Ye Zhiqiu was a middle-aged man with a sinister gaze, exuding the pressure of a level 50+ Soul King.

"Young man, the younger generation these days has less and less manners."

Ye Zhiqiu snorted coldly, his five soul rings (white, yellow, yellow, purple, purple) about to rise beneath his feet.

However, at that very moment.

Su Yun, who had been sitting as steady as a mountain, gently set down his wine glass.

"Noisy."

Two words, cold and indifferent, yet like the decree of a god, instantly caused the clamor of the entire tavern to vanish without a trace.

Su Yun did not stand up, nor did he adopt any combat stance.

He merely tilted his head slightly, his eyes, deep as the starry sky, sweeping calmly toward Ye Zhiqiu.

"Hum—!"

Without warning, a sacred, vast, and absolute dominant will of spiritual power erupted from within Su Yun's body!

In the horrified eyes of everyone present, a soul ring, black as ink and emitting a faint, chilling light, suddenly emerged beneath Su Yun's feet before vanishing in a flash.

That was a fourth soul ring!

Ten-thousand-year level!

"The fourth ring... black... it's black?"

Watching this scene from outside the window, Yu Xiaogang was so utterly shocked that he tumbled straight off the steps. His face was covered in dirt, and his lips trembled, unable to utter a single word.

The sleeve arrow in Tang San's hand clicked as it veered off course. He froze in place, his mind a complete blank.

The fourth ring was ten-thousand-year level?

This had completely overturned his understanding!

At the center of the battlefield, Ye Zhiqiu had been preparing to manifest his Black Tortoise Martial Soul, but the moment Su Yun's gaze fell upon him, he felt as though he were no longer facing a mere youth.

He was facing a true god, sitting high above the nine heavens, looking down upon an ant!

"I have sinned... I shouldn't have..."

Ye Zhiqiu's brain felt as if it had been pierced by a searing hot iron rod. That sense of judgment, originating from the depths of his soul, caused all his defenses and soul power to collapse in an instant.

"Spirit Word: Judgment."

Su Yun's thin lips parted slightly. His voice was barely a whisper, yet it exploded like a thunderclap within Ye Zhiqiu's sea of consciousness.

"Pfft—!"

There was no physical contact, nor were there any visual effects from a soul skill.

Before everyone's eyes, this fifty-plus-level teacher from Canghui Academy suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. His eyes rolled back, and wisps of blood began to seep from his seven orifices.

His massive body was struck as if by an invisible giant hammer. He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing through the tavern's thick wall and landing heavily in the sewage-filled street outside.

"Teacher!"

The students of Canghui Academy were terrified out of their wits. Where was their previous arrogance now?

They didn't even dare to leave a parting threat, scrambling out of the tavern to drag away the already unconscious Ye Zhiqiu.

Silence returned to the tavern.

Su Yun remained seated, as if he had just swatted a bothersome fly.

He slowly turned his head to look at the dazed Tang San, a hint of playful mockery flashing in his eyes.

"Tang San, where is your hidden weapon? Why don't you bring it out and let us see?"

Tang San felt a chill run through his body. His hand, gripping the sleeve arrow, trembled violently from the force of his own grip.

He kept his head lowered, feeling like a clown in a circus. Before that peerless sharpness, the techniques he was so proud of seemed so ridiculous and pathetic.

Zhu Zhuqing withdrew her gaze and spoke coldly, her words like precise arrows that left Tang San's remaining self-esteem riddled with holes:

"Brother Su Yun taught me that a true powerhouse doesn't need to brandish blades and guns like a barbarian. Trash that can be dealt with by a mere glance isn't worth dirtying our hands."

Ning Rongrong nodded in agreement, taking the opportunity to make a face in Tang San's direction:

"Exactly. Some people spend all day hiding in the shadows with a pocket full of iron scraps, thinking they're so impressive. It's truly disgusting."

[Ding! Detected Tang San's mental state collapsing, Luck Value -800.]

[Ding! Host has successfully performed an invisible flex. Ning Rongrong's admiration +10%, Zhu Zhuqing's affection +10%.]

Su Yun's thoughts stirred. He leisurely pulled out the black Diary and added a passage to the page that had not yet dried.

[Today's rant: This group of experience-feeders from Canghui Academy really are the eternal background characters.]

[However, that old turtle Ye Zhiqiu did allow me to test the mental pressure of the God-Given Soul Ring. Tsk tsk, a Soul King over level fifty couldn't even withstand a single look from me. The standard of the current soul master world is truly worrying.]

[As for that kid Tang San, that move he made for his sleeve arrow was quite standard. Does he really think his rusty iron nails could break through my Divine Protection?]

[Watching him look so awkward—wanting to attack but not daring to, eventually forced to sit there and eat dirt—I suddenly feel that if I don't play him to death, I'd be doing a disservice to his dedicated performance.]

[Forget it, the air here is polluted by this trash. I'd better head to the Star Dou Forest early to find my 'Eight Spider Lances.' While I'm at it, I'll go see that big guy with two heads.]

Su Yun closed the Diary and rose to his feet, under the burning gazes of Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, who had grown accustomed to reading the spoilers.

"Let's go. The food here is too salty. I'll take you to the forest to have some roasted whole lamb."

The group walked further and further away.

Only Tang San remained, sitting blankly on the dilapidated stool, the dry bun in his hand having fallen into the mud at his feet.

He looked up at the massive hole in the wall that Ye Zhiqiu had crashed through.

The wind howled as it poured inside.

It blew through his heart, leaving it a barren wasteland.