The Hostage Secured

On the way to Lu Mansion.

After Old Butler exchanged hostages with Lu Mingchuan, he hurried back toward Lu Mansion, where they had been before.

"Young master, aren't we being a little too brazen?"

Old Butler carried Tenfold Brother in one hand and Lu Mingchuan on his back. His steps were steady, and nothing about their appearance gave away that they were a group of kidnappers.

The butler's worried question struck Tenfold Brother as perfectly reasonable.

Who was he?

He was a top student at Spirit Hall Academy, the sole rival of the Spirit Hall Saintess in her year. In the end, he had chosen to follow Bibi Dong for the sake of his future.

After all, Bibi Dong was exceptionally gifted and a Saintess. She was certain to become Spirit Hall's Pope someday, and as the guard at her side, his own standing would rise along with hers.

If he worked hard enough to reach Soul Douluo, then the threshold of Titled Douluo, the Elder Hall, and even the higher-ranking Worship Hall might not be beyond him.

Tenfold Brother spoke arrogantly. "I'm with Spirit Hall. You little Caterpillar Sect, don't you dare make a show of yourselves in front of me. Now let me go!"

Lu Mingchuan, on Old Butler's back, suddenly kicked Tenfold Brother in the face.

"If I don't let you go, what are you going to do about it?"

A mere minor villain with only one scene to his name dared to run his mouth in front of a major villain like him. He really had no idea where he stood.

This was only a little scuffle.

Besides, ever heard of "beat the young, and the old will come"?

Bibi Dong was doing just fine over there. Who did he think they'd send out? At most, Spirit Hall had lost a little guard with four rings.

Spirit Hall might not have many top-tier fighters, but it had the ordinary people backing it. Who knew how many Soul Masters of this level were registered with them?

[Besides, I'm not kidnapping you, bro. I'm kidnapping Bibi Dong.]

[Just behave and be a good hostage. Quit yapping over there, or Old Butler will stuff his fifty-two-year-old stinky feet into your mouth.]

[And that girl Bibi Dong's already got her wits about her. She's no easy mark. I'd rather grab you, the guy who keeps shouting about paying back tenfold. You've got the face of an irritable villain.]

Bibi Dong and the others stared in bewilderment at Yu Xiaogang, who had been knocked to the ground at their feet.

Had that guy rescued the wrong person?

Or kidnapped the wrong person?

She'd been ready to offer herself up and find out what was going on, but Lu Mingchuan had grabbed the guard beside him and started retreating.

But when the voice in her mind sounded again,

anger surged in Bibi Dong's heart once more. She already had brains, damn it! Who did that bastard think he was looking down on?

She gave Yu Xiaogang, who was just as dazed at her feet, a devastating blow.

(You bastard, you didn't rescue me!)

(Bibi Dong, I hate you too!)

Yu Xiaogang's head lolled to one side, and he passed out.

There had been a few people watching the spectacle on the street, but the moment two Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragons appeared, they fled and bolted their front doors shut.

Tang Yuehua looked at the unconscious Yu Xiaogang, her face full of worry.

She didn't want to be the Spirit Hall Saintess's lackey!

Maybe she should pretend to have fainted too?

But what had just happened left her feeling terribly stifled.

She hadn't expected Mingchuan to forget his teacher as soon as class was over.

She'd been winking at him the whole time, hoping he'd say something like, "Take her too."

But unlike usual, he hadn't looked at her even once.

And now two Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragons had appeared right there on the street. Even if you added up every Clear Sky Hammer in the Clear Sky Sect, they wouldn't make more than a handful.

Yet here, two had just shown up at once. What, was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect your family's business? Did you buy them wholesale?

With a mournful expression, Tang Yuehua looked at Bibi Dong. "Saintess, your guard's been taken, and there's this person lying on the ground too. What should we do now?"

There was no choice. If she couldn't escape, she might as well make the best of it.

Once she found an opportunity, she'd leave Spirit City for good!

Bibi Dong nudged the unconscious Yu Xiaogang with her foot.

When he didn't react at all, she puffed out her cheeks and said, "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect has gone too far. We won't let this go. First, lock this guy in Spirit Hall Secret Chamber."

Tang Yuehua pointed at herself. Bibi Dong, you want me to drag him back to Spirit Hall?

Are you even human? No wonder you're flatter than me. That explains it.

Lu Mansion.

Tenfold Brother was tied up like a dumpling in the backyard.

Nearby,

Old Butler poured tea for Lu Mingchuan while carefully assessing the situation.

"Young master, the fellow you captured is just a Little Scumbag. He can't stir up any trouble, and he's no good either. But we can't just stay here. What if Spirit Hall brings a Titled Douluo?"

"Don't be afraid. When a man dies, his bird points skyward; if he doesn't die, he'll live ten thousand years."

[Titled Douluo? Do they even have a part in this? They barely show up.]

[Titled Douluo: I'm not going to appear, Butler. Just keep playing the big villain with me.]

"Won't appear?"

Bibi Dong murmured so quietly that only she could hear.

She wasn't sure she believed that.

When Lu Mingchuan had released two Martial Souls bearing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect's signature right at the start, she'd wondered what the two of them would do if that brought out someone from Spirit Hall's Worship Hall.

But the problem was—

He'd caused such a huge commotion, yet no one had seen a thing apart from her guard.

So Bibi Dong headed toward Pope Palace and, as usual, bowed to Qian Xunji inside.

"Teacher."

"I know what you want to say. Don't worry. This is a matter between you young people. Your teacher won't interfere."

Qian Xunji nodded with satisfaction.

How could he not know what was happening outside Spirit Hall?

But in his view, the other party was only one rank above Bibi Dong. There was no need to worry.

His disciple's talent was there for all to see. She was one of the rare Twin Martial Souls possessors on the continent.

Dealing with someone from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect would be a piece of cake. But if they dared to throw their weight around with their seniority and send someone above Soul King to bully her, then that would be the moment for him to step in.

Bibi Dong's words were blocked in her throat, so she tried to put it more tactfully.

Wait, that wasn't what she wanted to ask.

"Teacher, do you remember Lu Mingchuan?"

Qian Xunji waved a hand and said with a troubled look, "I know, but isn't your teacher investigating the culprit?"

The culprit?

Bibi Dong couldn't keep up with her teacher Qian Xunji's train of thought. She'd just seen Lu Mingchuan moments ago. How had they suddenly jumped to investigating a culprit?

She glanced at the files on Qian Xunji's desk.

Only then did she realize that, according to Spirit Hall's records, Lu Mingchuan was listed as having been attacked and killed.

That bastard Lu Mingchuan really was ruthless.

To bully Yu Xiaogang, he'd even gone so far as to fake his own death.

No wonder the residents hadn't looked at him like an evil tyrant when they saw him today. Qian Xunji had put up notices seeking the culprit.