The girl was named Ye Lingling, a new student at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
She had just reached Soul Master level today and had followed the academy's Soul King teacher out to hunt Soul Beasts. She had thought hunting a Hundred-Year Soul Beast would be a sure thing.
Who could have known that the moment they entered Star Dou Forest, they would be attacked by this Three-Eyed Demon Ape?
Seeing that the Three-Eyed Demon Ape couldn't be defeated even after a long fight, its ferocity surged. It took a slash from the middle-aged Soul King head-on, then swung its fan-like giant claw, bringing a foul wind as it viciously struck toward his head.
"Teacher Chen, watch out!"
Ye Lingling couldn't help crying out in alarm.
At this critical moment, a streak of azure light shot out from the woods to the side like a meteor.
"Wrath of the Sea God!"
Poseinan gave a soft shout. He didn't fully manifest his Martial Soul, but merely formed the phantom of a miniature Sea God Trident in his hand and hurled it fiercely at the Three-Eyed Demon Ape.
The ten-meter distance vanished in an instant!
The Three-Eyed Demon Ape had keen instincts. Sensing the deadly threat, the purple light in its third, vertical eye blazed as it tried to interfere, while it swung its claw to block the attack.
However, it might never have dreamed that—
The seemingly tiny phantom trident actually possessed an armor-piercing effect.
"Thwack!"
A burst of blood flashed.
The phantom trident swept through everything in its path, easily piercing the Three-Eyed Demon Ape's Soul Power defenses and tough hide before plunging deep into its chest. Its violent water-attribute Soul Power exploded inside the beast.
"Roar—!"
The Three-Eyed Demon Ape let out a desperate, agonized howl, then its massive body crashed to the ground.
A deep purple Soul Ring slowly emerged from its corpse.
Everything had happened too quickly!
From the moment Poseinan struck to the Three-Eyed Demon Ape's death, barely a breath or two had passed.
The scene fell instantly silent.
The injured Soul King clutched his chest, staring dumbfounded at the Three-Eyed Demon Ape's corpse on the ground. Then he whipped around to look toward Poseinan, his eyes full of shock.
The other Soul Masters also stopped moving, exchanging bewildered glances, still shaken.
Ye Lingling's mouth fell open, disbelief filling her violet eyes. "S-so amazing!"
This big brother, who looked only a little older than her... was so amazing!
A Soul Beast even Teacher Chen couldn't defeat had been killed by him in a single blow.
Once she came to her senses, Ye Lingling hurried over to Poseinan. With sincere gratitude on her cool little face, she bowed deeply to him. "Big brother, thank you for helping us!"
Poseinan dusted off his hands, as if he had done nothing more than a trivial favor.
Then, under everyone's astonished gazes, he turned around and held out his hand.
"Hey, you blue-haired little radish, pay up."
"Huh?"
Ye Lingling froze, blinking her clear, wide eyes as she wondered if she'd heard wrong.
After saving a damsel in distress—
No, after stepping in to help someone in need—
Wasn't he supposed to say something cool like, "Don't mention it. It was nothing"?
Why was he asking for money outright?
Even Sea Witch was staring at him in stunned silence.
"I saved you. Shouldn't you pay me?"
Poseinan was completely unapologetic. "Or are you planning to stiff me?"
Ye Lingling scratched her head blankly, as if she'd suddenly seen the light. "Eh?! I guess you're right!"
She pulled a little pouch shaped like a large cosmos flower from her hem. It contained quite a few Gold Soul Coins.
She counted them one by one, apparently trying to figure out how much would be appropriate.
Poseinan snatched the pouch right out of her hands and stuffed it into his waistband. Impatiently, he said, "Oh, don't bother counting. It can't be that much. Just give it all to me."
Ye Lingling's eyes went wide.
How could he be like this?
He'd just—
Poseinan glanced at her.
"What, you got a problem with that?"
Ye Lingling's lips pursed slightly, and her cheeks puffed up without her realizing it. Tears welled at the corners of her eyes, but her gaze kept drifting toward Poseinan's waistband.
That pouch had been sewn by her mother...
She looked angry, but didn't dare say a word.
The poor girl was so wronged she was nearly on the verge of tears.
Seeing this, Teacher Chen hurried over to smooth things over. "Thank you for saving us, young sir. Heaven Dou Royal Academy is deeply grateful. It's only right that you accept some payment. If you don't think it's enough, I have more here..."
He had seen clearly that the woman behind the boy hadn't looked even the slightest bit surprised from beginning to end.
What did that mean?
It meant that, to this boy, killing a Three-Eyed Demon Ape was an easy feat!
Judging by his appearance, the boy was about the same age as Ye Lingling.
Six or seven years old, and he'd killed a Soul Beast that was nearly ten thousand years old with a single blow. What did that even mean?
Could they afford to offend someone like him?
Even her teacher wasn't taking her side. Ye Lingling felt even more aggrieved, but she also knew she couldn't afford to offend him.
She could only lower her head quietly, hiding her tears from everyone.
Just as she thought the other party would leave soon, Poseinan turned back and scoffed, "What a stingy little thing. I only took a few coins from you."
"Forget it, forget it. I'll give it back."
As he spoke, he shoved the pouch back into Ye Lingling's hands.
Seeing the pouch returned after she'd thought it lost, Ye Lingling blinked her tearful eyes, hardly daring to believe it.
She glanced at Poseinan, who was about to leave, and hurriedly tried to explain. "Um...I didn't mean it like that..."
But Poseinan, who had already set off with Sea Witch, was now dozens of meters away. He didn't look back.
"Teacher... are they just leaving like that?"
Ye Lingling pressed her lips together and lowered her head, feeling a little dejected.
She had only wanted to tell him she wasn't stingy.
Teacher Chen smiled. "All right, Lingling, don't dwell on it. Someone like him probably isn't short on money."
Ye Lingling nodded, but when she saw that not a single coin was missing from the pouch, she couldn't help feeling a little guilty.
After all, he had saved her. Asking for payment was perfectly reasonable.
She had made up her mind.
If she ever got the chance to see Poseinan again,
she would definitely explain herself.
She wasn't a stingy person!
But first, she'd have to get another chance to see him...
The melancholy that came over a child's heart came and went quickly.
She just didn't know when they would meet again.
At the edge of Sunset Forest,
the blood-red setting sun split the sky into two colors.
Poseinan and Sea Witch had finally reached the forest with the greatest opportunities on Douluo Continent.
"Sister Hai, I'll have to trouble you from here on. I'm looking for a treasure trove shrouded in poisonous miasma."
"Don't worry, Little Nan Nan. I may not be good at sensing things, but Sunset Forest isn't all that big. Even if it takes a little longer, we'll find it within a week at most."
And so, the two began searching day and night.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
When Sea Witch brought Poseinan to the edge of a treacherous cliff, and he looked down at the valley hidden beneath poisonous mists, joy stirred in his heart.
"This is it!"