A Fortuitous Meeting

Yu Xiaogang, full of enthusiasm and aspirations, once again stepping out of the gates of the ' Martial Soul Research Institute '.

Ling Yi didn't care about Yu Xiaogang's departure. Having shed the filter of the original work and no longer being affected by the so-called original plot, he treated "original plot characters" like Yu Xiaogang no differently than the millions of ordinary people and natives of the Douluo Continent.

At most, this random passerby has some value, making him worthy of some investment and attention.

As for the friendship that has lasted for many years?

Not to mention that Ling Yi is not an emotional person at heart, Yu Xiaogang himself has maintained a reclusive persona of "resisting contact" and "being alone" for many years. There is almost no deep friendship between him and Ling Yi or anyone else in Lingyun City.

As for why Ling Yi has always maintained a gentle and caring attitude towards Yu Xiaogang, it can only be said that Ling Yi treats everyone this way, and Yu Xiaogang is not an exception.

"The Path of Bloodshed, huh?" Ling Yi sensed Yu Xiaogang's departing aura, a look of interest appearing on his face as he muttered softly, "That's quite an unexpected surprise."

Regarding the path of attributes related to light and holiness, we currently have Qian Daoliu as a reference, and further ahead, we will have Xue Qianxun in the future to help us explore. Whether there is one more or one less "Radiant Holy Dragon" Yu Xiaogang, it will not have any impact.

However, for those with dark attributes such as Evil, killing, and bloodlust, Ling Yi didn't really have any good candidates to refer to at the moment.

Although Yu Xiaogang's current situation was not part of Ling Yi's initial plan, it was a lucky accident and a good thing.

If Yu Xiaogang hadn't chosen to leave, Ling Yi would have first helped him deal with the two remnant souls residing in Luo Sanpao's body, and then devised a route related to killing and warfare for Yu Xiaogang to explore and verify.

After all, Ling Yi had accumulated some related research projects over the years, but they had been shelved until now due to a lack of executors and experimental materials.

Of course, once he left, he left. As the saying goes, all three thousand paths can lead to enlightenment. Ling Yi only wanted to learn by analogy and did not intend to be greedy and want it all.

On the other side, walking on the bustling street, the surging passion in his heart gradually cooled down, and Yu Xiaogang belatedly realized what he had just done.

"I just rejected Ling Yi's suggestion? And even argued with him?!"

Standing in the middle of the street, Yu Xiaogang stopped and suddenly felt his mouth was dry. A fine layer of sweat instantly soaked his forehead and back.

This was completely contrary to what he had imagined before coming to Lingyun City!

"Or, let's go back... No, I didn't do anything wrong!"

The thought of turning back to find Ling Yi had just crossed Yu Xiaogang's mind when a strong sense of unwillingness suppressed it. He shook his head, gritted his teeth, and whispered, "Let me stop cultivating? Absolutely not!"

However, given Luo Sanpao's current situation, if he doesn't seek help from Ling Yi, who else can help him find the cause of the mutation and come up with a solution?

The practical problems are once again facing Yu Xiaogang.

"... Fine, fine, so it's the Clear Sky Sect, huh? You win! Today, I, Flender, admit defeat!"

Just then, a cursing voice rang out from not far away, catching Yu Xiaogang's attention and sparking a flash of inspiration: 'That's right! Tang Hao is also there!'

It's important to know that Tang Hao was also a "Deathgod" who emerged from the Hell Road of the "Slaughter City"!

If he remembered correctly, six years ago, Tang Hao had a conflict with Ling Yi and others. According to rumors circulating among those present at the time, it seemed that Tang Hao's "Deathgod Domain" had a negative impact, which led Tang Hao to provoke Ling Yi.

Now that Yu Xiaogang himself is also the owner of the "Deathgod Domain", he naturally knows that it is not only the extreme killing aura carried by the "Deathgod Domain", but also the huge dark negative emotions that Tang Hao experienced when he was in the "Slaughter City".

So, could you try to get a solution to your mental breakdown from Tang Hao?

As long as one can control their mind, which is prone to spiraling out of control, the problem with their Martial Soul can be addressed later.

"But why would Tang Hao help me?"

Thinking of this, Yu Xiaogang frowned.

Tang Hao is not like Ling Yi. Ling Yi was able to help him selflessly because Ling Yi himself is an upright, honest, and helpful person.

Despite Yu Xiaogang's accusations of Ling Yi's hypocrisy just minutes before, he knew very well that Ling Yi's character was exceptionally noble and passionate, a quality rarely found even in the entire Douluo Continent.

Even if it's a complete stranger, as long as he's certain the person hasn't committed any evil deeds, Ling Yi will treat them with kindness. He won't grant every request, but he can offer assistance to some extent.

This is why Yu Xiaogang instinctively thinks of asking Ling Yi for help whenever he encounters difficulties.

But Tang Hao was completely different.

Yu Xiaogang, who had spent some time with the Tang Xiao and Tang Hao, knew that Tang Hao was, to put it nicely, arrogant and disdainful of everyone; to put it bluntly, he was conceited and disdainful of others.

For Tang Hao, let alone strangers, even if an acquaintance asks him for help, he will decide whether to help based on his mood and whether the person asking for help is of value.

Of course, Ling Yi once said that between people, if one person is willing to help another who asks for help, it is a matter of goodwill; if one person is unwilling to help, it is simply their right. Nothing is taken for granted.

Therefore, Yu Xiaogang shouldn't have any resentment towards Tang Hao's behavior.

The problem is that Yu Xiaogang desperately needs Tang Hao's help right now, and the thought that Tang Hao might refuse makes him uncontrollably think of all sorts of negative thoughts.

"Ling Yi also said that people eat grains and have emotions and desires. We are not saints, so what if we have negative emotions?" Yu Xiaogang tried to convince himself.

"Hey! Get out of the way—!"

An unfriendly voice rang in his ear, bringing Yu Xiaogang his chaotic thoughts.

Looking up, Yu Xiaogang saw a young man with a long, concave face, a protruding chin, and black-rimmed glasses.

The other person looked indignant, sizing up Yu Xiaogang who was standing in the middle of the road, and said irritably, "If you want to daydream in the middle of the street, go home and daydream!"

A flash of red light appeared in Yu Xiaogang's eyes, and an uncontrollable killing intent arose in his heart, his Soul Power stirring within him.

At the critical moment, "Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King" and Hannibal intervened simultaneously, helping Yu Xiaogang suppress his murderous intent.

Especially the "Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King," who had just learned from Hannibal that there was a super strong person in "Lingyun City" who could instantly kill ordinary Titled Douluo, and after reading the relevant memory images in Hannibal's mind, it discovered the figure wrapped in silver armor, and its heart skipped a beat.

Like Tang Chen, the "Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King" also associated it with "Wu Wudi". Although it still did not know the name "Wu Wudi", it did not stop it from feeling deep-seated fear and apprehension towards the being wearing ferocious black armor.

Yu Xiaogang gave the bespectacled man in front of him a cold look, suppressed the murderous intent that wasn't so strong in his heart, turned around, let the man pass, and walked to the other side of the street.

The bespectacled man swallowed hard, and only after Yu Xiaogang had walked a distance away did he mutter under his breath, "Damn it, that look... where did this ruthless character come from?!"

An hour later, on the third floor of a restaurant in the south of Lingyun City.

"Flender, hurry up, we're just waiting for you—!"

Zhao Wuji sat at a table by the window, facing the direction of the stairwell, and called out to a bespectacled man who had just come upstairs.

"Here it comes~"

The bespectacled man, Flender, strode over, glanced at the other three people at the table, and casually asked as he sat down, "Old Shao, Old Lu, Old Li, why are it just you guys today? Where are Old Mo and Haote?"

Shao Xin, Lu Qibin, Li Yusong.

What do you think?

Before Shao Xin and the other two could speak, Zhao Wuji spoke first, rolling his eyes and saying, "Haote and the others have invited you several times, but you've been hesitating the whole time. They don't have that much free time to waste on you..."

"I... I'm just used to being free, and... can't I even think about it a little longer?" Flender said somewhat awkwardly upon hearing this.

"Come on!" Zhao Wuji showed no mercy to Flender, bluntly exposing his lie. "I think you're just trying to hold out for a higher price!"

"It's not that the brothers look down on you, but with your current Six-Ring Soul Emperor realm, you're not exactly a rare talent in ' Lingyun City.' The conditions that Haote and the others offered you are already quite high. Go and ask around outside; which force can offer such good treatment and such a high degree of freedom?"

"Yes~" Lu Qibin chimed in from the side, "Whether it's salary or cultivation supplies, the Spirit Hall, the two great empires, the Upper Three Sects, or the seven families behind the Great Soul Fighting Arena Alliance, can't offer such treatment."

"Honestly, Flender, I'm a little confused too," Shao Xin said, rubbing his round belly and looking at Flender with a puzzled expression. "Given your greed, how did you manage to resist the temptation of the benefits in ' Lingyun City ' and keep putting it off until now? Can you tell me how you did it?"

"Yes," Li Yusong twirled his wine glass, nodded in agreement, and looked at Flender: "Tell me about it~"

Feeling annoyed by the four men's stares, Flender picked up his glass, downed the wine in one gulp, and said impatiently, "Alright, alright, I have my reasons. If you're a true brother, don't ask!"

What's the reason?

There are two main aspects. One is the issue of freedom. Although Flender is greedy, he prefers the feeling of being unrestrained and free. Although [Lingyun City] offers a high degree of freedom, Flender still feels constrained, which makes him resist from the bottom of his heart.

Another reason is the relationship between Lingyun City and Clear Sky Sect.

Although Tang Hao, the young sect leader of the Clear Sky Sect, clashed with Ling Yi, the city lord of Lingyun City, six years ago, this does not affect the fact that the Clear Sky Sect and Lingyun City now maintain a friendly relationship and even cooperate to some extent.

But Flender had never forgotten that he had been tricked and humiliated by the people of the Clear Sky Sect.

In Flender's eyes, the relationships between factions are all sordid and dirty, and they are not subject to the will of individual members within a faction. As long as there is profit, even the greatest conflicts can be set aside.

Flender didn't want to let go; he admitted that he was just that petty!

Because of Flender's lack of cooperation, the small gathering ended somewhat unhappily, and Zhao Wuji and the other three left to their own duties in Lingyun City.

Because he was in a bad mood, Flender got seven-tenths drunk. In his drunken haze, he inadvertently noticed a face on the third floor of the restaurant that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

Yu Xiaogang!

Picking up his wine jug and glass, Flender walked two steps to Yu Xiaogang's table and, before the latter could speak, said first, "You don't mind if I sit down, do you?"

Before he could finish speaking, he had already plopped down on his seat.

"Let me introduce myself," Flender said casually, taking a sip of his drink and smacking his lips. "My name is Flender, a free spirit."

Yu Xiaogang frowned as he looked at the drunkard in front of him, saying nothing, just quietly watching him.

Flender didn't mind, put down his wine glass, took a swig from the wine jug, and said, "I know you. I didn't remember you at first, but then you looked familiar, so I thought about it carefully and finally remembered you."

"Yu Xiaogang, a famous fat... well, rich man in the Douluo Continent!"

Fortunately, he wasn't completely drunk, and Flender ultimately didn't utter the words "Fat Sheep."

Back when Yu Xiaogang was spending lavishly all over Douluo Continent, Flender had been thinking of finding out what good things Yu Xiaogang needed and then selling them to him at a higher price.

Therefore, Flender had done some research on this potential client.

After all, since the "Image Recording Stone" Soul Tool could be mass-produced, the images of some famous figures in the Douluo Continent are no longer limited to a few people, but can truly be widely known.

Even more extreme, some people specialize in collecting information about the appearance and movements of specific individuals to sell as intelligence. Apparently, the market is quite lucrative.

"What do you want?" Yu Xiaogang asked indifferently, ignoring Flender's drunken recklessness and the name "Fat Sheep" he had wanted to use before changing his mind.

"I wonder if you are interested in ' Dragon Claw Orchid '?" Flender put down the wine jug in his hand, looked into Yu Xiaogang's eyes, the drunken look on his face quietly faded, and his eyes behind the black-rimmed glasses were now clear.

"Dragon Claw Orchid?" Yu Xiaogang's eyelids twitched slightly as he met Flender's gaze, and he subconsciously asked, "How old is it?"

"Dragon Claw Orchid," as the name suggests, is an orchid shaped like a dragon's claw, typically growing around the lairs of dragon-blooded Soul Beast. Originally, it wasn't much of a focus of attention, but since the [Green Wood Merchant Association] published and sold the "Record of Rare Treasures," the value of this uniquely shaped orchid has become known.

Aromatherapy made from "Dragon Claw Orchid" that is over a hundred years old can increase the cultivation speed of Soul Master with Martial Soul Bloodlines of the Dragon and Snake type!

The older the orchid, the better the effect. Incense made from "Dragon Claw Orchid" that's over a thousand years old can even work on Seven-Ring Soul Sage. While the effect is relatively minor, even a small amount is still a tangible benefit!