Tenfold in Return

How could you waste the abilities of this culture by not handing them over to the sect?

"Cousin, do my father and the others know you absorbed a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?" Yu Xiaogang invoked the greatest mountain in the Blue Sky Tyrant Sect.

Lu Mingchuan glanced at the anxious Yu Xiaogang.

[Gangzi, do you have the strength to be acting all high and mighty?]

[You're already like this over one Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?]

[You're all worse than my Huazi. She saw my stuff without the slightest reaction, her expression as calm as ever.]

Bibi Dong looked toward Tang Yuehua.

She saw that Tang Yuehua's expression really was as calm as Lu Mingchuan had said. It seemed that the appearance of five Soul Rings of the same color had only startled her for a moment.

But the next instant, she noticed something odd.

Seriously, Lu Mingchuan, if you're going to praise someone, could you at least put some thought into it?

Bibi Dong was truly at a loss with this guy.

He was praising someone who had never even seen a white Soul Ring. Tang Yuehua had never even seen what a Soul Ring looked like on herself. The fact that she could tell his five matching colors were especially impressive was already more than enough.

In response to Yu Xiaogang's question,

Old Butler slapped Yu Xiaogang across the face. "Is that any way to speak to the young master? He's your cousin. Show him some respect."

Lu Mingchuan didn't even need to deal with him. Old Butler could make him behave just fine.

The plan was to keep following the plot.

Lu Mingchuan slowly walked over from a distance, stopping near Bibi Dong.

He looked at her with a defiant, unruly gaze.

"What? You're the one in charge of Spirit Hall?"

He might have been a gentleman, but in the plot, he was supposed to mock Bibi Dong, so there was nothing wrong with it.

Bibi Dong replied in an even tone, "Yes. But would you dare lay a hand on me?"

Hearing Bibi Dong pick up his bait, Lu Mingchuan grinned.

Spirit Hall's opinion of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect had taken a hit anyway. What did that have to do with him?

"Spirit Hall? Like I said before, what is that supposed to be?"

Yu Xiaogang's face went dark. Cousin, couldn't you stop being so arrogant? You saved me, so couldn't we just leave?

He didn't even want to ask about any secrets anymore. The way Lu Mingchuan was tempting fate, he was genuinely worried they might not be able to leave.

Bibi Dong had no idea what she was supposed to say next.

After all, she wasn't an idiot like Yu Xiaogang.

After thinking it over, Bibi Dong let Lu Mingchuan have the chance to speak.

"Oh? You're trying to provoke me, are you? Well, I won't give you what you want."

She refused to believe that even after she'd put it that way, the annoying Lu Mingchuan still wouldn't say what he was planning to do next.

[If you won't give me what I want, then you won't.]

[You think you've got a big part to play today? Go cool your heels somewhere else.]

[Today's plot is Yu Xiaogang taking on your trusted subordinate and winning him over. It has nothing to do with you.]

[Where are your guards? Don't you usually bring them along? Who's going to play Yu Xiaogang's opponent in a bit?]

Lu Mingchuan glanced at Bibi Dong, then hoped they could wait for that guard on this deserted street.

He was one of Bibi Dong's trusted men, held in high regard by all the guards.

Bibi Dong, meanwhile, didn't quite believe that Yu Xiaogang could talk her guard into switching sides with just a few words. What a joke.

But when she thought about how strangely things tended to go around Yu Xiaogang, she realized it wasn't impossible.

Bibi Dong certainly trusted her people to be loyal to her.

She just wasn't feeling all that confident.

"By the way, where are your guards?"

Normally, they were responsible for her safety. As soon as they received word that she was heading out, they would hurry over and take up positions around her.

But so much time had passed today, and she hadn't seen a single one of them.

"Still looking for your guards? Those useless drunkards of yours couldn't do a thing." Lu Mingchuan knew the score.

Those guards were bound to show up. Even if something kept them away, some force beyond their control would bring them here, because they were stepping-stones for Yu Xiaogang too.

Only, Lu Mingchuan's role in the script had changed. He was the final big-boss cousin, not one of those bit players whose scenes ended after a single encounter.

But then again...

Lu Mingchuan rubbed his chin.

He was especially familiar with Bibi Dong's guard, since the man had an exceptionally fitting nickname: Tenfold Brother.

[Why isn't he showing up yet, Tenfold Brother?]

[I've been waiting so long the flowers are about to wilt.]

"Forget about the guards. You..."

Before Lu Mingchuan could finish, a booming voice cut him off.

"Bastard! If you so much as hurt the Saintess, I'll make you pay tenfold!" Tenfold Brother rushed in, desperate to save her.

Seeing Lu Mingchuan about to harm Bibi Dong, Tenfold Brother quickly assessed the situation.

The Saintess was in their hands, so he couldn't rescue her by force. His only option was to find something they cared about.

And Yu Xiaogang was the one he had his eye on.

He'd seen this man plenty of times and knew who he really was: someone from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect.

The man blocking the way in front of Her Highness Bibi Dong was indeed wearing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect's uniform. He had no idea why they had suddenly grown bold enough to attack Spirit Hall's Saintess.

But he had to rescue her.

With a roll, he seized Yu Xiaogang and held him hostage.

"Stop, or I'll show this sleazy guy what tenfold damage feels like!"

Lu Mingchuan had waited for ages, and now the man had finally shown up.

[At last, the key character has arrived.]

[Time to make my exit—and take someone hostage.]

[But there's no rule saying I have to take a hostage, right?]

That devious thought surfaced again.

Lu Mingchuan's expression stayed normal, but a little devil had already risen in his heart.

He frowned at Yu Xiaogang. "Cousin!"

Yu Xiaogang felt the dagger against his neck and immediately begged for help. "Cousin, save me! I don't want to die!"

"Don't worry." Lu Mingchuan looked at Tenfold Brother. "You want to save her, don't you? How about we trade hostages?"

Bibi Dong, standing behind him, was utterly baffled. Was that guard blind? Who did he think was being held hostage?

But the moment Lu Mingchuan grabbed her arm, she slipped into character.

The two groups moved toward each other, each carrying a hostage.

They stopped two meters apart, neither daring to make a move.

Tenfold Brother knew full well the other side would try something. Then they would make him shield the Saintess with his own body.

The hostages crossed the one-meter gap between them. Both men released their captives at the same time, but Lu Mingchuan struck again almost instantly.

Tenfold Brother moved in front of Bibi Dong. "Saintess, run! I'll hold them off!"

But what happened next stunned everyone. Lu Mingchuan seized and restrained Tenfold Brother with both hands, despite him being a newly advanced Soul King.

"Heh. As expected of Spirit Hall's Saintess. If I don't see my cousin in two days, I'll make my hostage wish he were dead."

Lu Mingchuan left after delivering his threat.

Bibi Dong was left standing there empty-handed. She hadn't done anything!

[Heh heh, Tenfold Brother. Tenfold in return, huh?]

[Wonder if you can really return it tenfold? Butler, make sure to treat this hostage well.]