Spirit Hall's Arrival, One Slap Sends Them Flying

At the same time...

After that sword strike, A Liang looked as if he had been hollowed out. His body went limp, and he fell straight backward onto his back.

Thud.

The back of his head knocked against the ground, and his bamboo hat rolled away, revealing that stubbled face.

He lay sprawled on the pitted ground, stared up at the sky, and let out a long sigh.

"Ah... another insanely fierce day."

The watching villagers froze for two seconds, then the whole crowd exploded.

"What just happened?"

"My eyes blurred, so I didn't see it too clearly... It looked like that kid called A Liang said the word 'fierce,' then his whole person changed, and then he smashed Tie Mu's soul skill apart with one sword?"

"A level twenty-nine Grand Soul Master shattered the strongest defense of a level forty-one defense-type Soul Ancestor with one sword? What the hell kind of monster is that?!"

"What the hell is that bamboo pole? A bamboo pole can cut out sword light? Don't lie to me just because I didn't study much!"

Tie Mu sat on the ground, staring at the shield split into two halves before him and the fading remnant image of the tortoise shell, his chest heaving violently.

He slowly raised his head, looked at A Liang lying on the ground, stayed silent for two seconds, then stood and walked over.

He stretched out his large hand and offered it to A Liang.

A Liang turned his head to glance at him, grinned, reached out, and took it. Tie Mu yanked him up from the ground in one pull.

Tie Mu patted the dirt off himself, took a deep breath, then bent both knees and dropped to the ground with a thump, his forehead touching the earth. "A bet is a bet. Father."

A Liang had only just steadied himself and was nearly scared into falling back down by that kneel.

He blinked, lowered his head, and looked at the burly Tie Mu, who was even a size larger than himself, kneeling in front of him and calling him father. He froze for several seconds.

Then he laughed so hard he doubled over.

"Hahahahaha."

"All right, all right, get up." A Liang waved a hand, laughing so hard tears were almost coming out. "I don't have a good big son older than me."

Tie Mu's face instantly flushed crimson, and he said in a rough voice:

"You—!"

A Liang reached out and patted his shoulder. He laughed, but there was no real contempt in his hand.

Just then, a round of unhurried applause came from the direction of the steps.

Li Yuan came over with Di Jun and Long Yuan, lightly clapping twice, his gaze pausing briefly on A Liang and Tie Mu in turn.

"Wonderful." His tone was calm, yet carried a touch of sincere approval. "One had bizarre movement and an astonishing sword strike. One lost without denying it and owned up cleanly."

He walked up to the two of them and stood with his hands behind his back. "I happen to be short of people here. Are you willing to stay?"

A Liang bent down, picked up his bamboo hat, patted off the dust, and put it back on his head. At some point, he had found another foxtail grass to hold in his mouth, and he answered simply, "As long as there's food every day and wine to drink, I'm willing."

Tie Mu glanced at Di Jun beside Li Yuan.

That sword strike just now had nearly taken his life, yet this man had erased it with casual ease.

He had not even seen how the other party made his move before that green light vanished into thin air.

That kind of method had to belong to someone at least above the Soul Douluo level.

Following such a person would not be a loss.

He was just about to speak.

"Wait."

"Spirit Hall wants these two."

A voice came from the direction where the crowd had scattered. It was unhurried, yet carried the unquestionable air of someone in a high position.

Everyone turned to look. A black-clothed deacon was walking slowly over from the street corner.

He was around forty, with a long, thin face and a pair of triangular eyes gleaming with sharpness. A standard Spirit Hall badge was pinned to his chest.

Two attendants followed behind him, arrogantly sweeping their gazes around.

This man was named Zhou Hu, a level sixty-one Soul Di Jun and a deacon of Spirit Hall's Soto City branch hall.

He had originally come under the orders of the red-robed bishop Krofu to investigate the force that was awakening martial souls for free, and by chance had witnessed the battle just now.

Especially that young man with the blade of grass in his mouth—at level twenty-nine, he could unleash such a terrifying sword move.

With talent like that, if he could bring him back to Spirit Hall, His Holiness the Pope would surely appreciate him.

Zhou Hu's gaze burned hot as he strode into the field and swept a glance around. "Spirit Hall is handling business. All unrelated people leave at once, or else..."

He revealed six soul rings: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black. Six rings flickered.

The commoners scrambled and fled in a flash, leaving only Li Yuan's group at the manor entrance.

Zhou Hu put away his soul rings in satisfaction, turned his gaze to A Liang and Tie Mu, and said in a lofty tone, "What are you two still standing there for? Hurry up and come over. Being able to receive Spirit Hall's training is your good fortune."

Tie Mu frowned deeply, hesitation showing on his face.

But a moment later, he cupped his fists in salute, his voice stiff. "My apologies, my lord. I have already chosen to join this lord's command. I ask the lord from Spirit Hall for your understanding."

Li Yuan's brow lifted slightly, and he nodded inwardly.

This man had some backbone. He could be properly nurtured.

Zhou Hu's expression darkened, his voice carrying a threat.

"You had better think this through. You should have heard how powerful Spirit Hall is. Miss this chance today... hmph. In the future, even if you kneel and beg, there won't be a place for you."

Tie Mu straightened his back, his tone not wavering in the slightest. "I, Tie Mu, may be a rough man, but words spoken are water spilled. Since I've already agreed to serve this lord, I won't change my mind."

Zhou Hu's face turned blue, then white. Forcing down his anger, he turned to A Liang. "Then you..."

He did not get to finish.

A Liang shifted the foxtail grass to the other corner of his mouth and cut him off without the slightest courtesy. "You damned old man, get lost. You want to recruit me, A Liang? Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself first?"

He tilted his head, the gaze beneath his bamboo hat as indifferent as if he were looking at a stray dog by the roadside. "I, A Liang, wander the martial world with my sword, seeking only to follow my own heart, not be pushed around by others. What the hell does your Spirit Hall count for? Piss me off, and I'll split your Pope's statue apart with one strike."

"Hahaha!"

Long Yuan stood to the side, laughing so hard he slapped his thigh. "Good! Your temper suits this old man's taste! Once you join us, this old man will take you drinking every day!"

Zhou Hu trembled with rage and pointed at Li Yuan. "Good, good, good! This old man will remember all of you!"

He suddenly turned to look at Li Yuan, a cold glint fully exposed in his eyes. "You're the master of this place?"

"And what if I am?" Li Yuan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, barely even lifting his eyelids.

Zhou Hu gave a cold laugh. "Spirit Hall received reports from the public saying you've been using free martial soul awakenings as a cover to deceive people and abduct commoners. This deacon was ordered to come investigate, and now..."

He abruptly revealed six soul rings, and his soul power erupted. "Come with me!"

The moment his words fell, a pitch-black, savage dragon claw reached over from the side, swift as lightning, and slapped him across the face.

Zhou Hu was sent flying straight out, slamming into the wall at the opposite street corner with a boom. His entire body was embedded in the brickwork, every limb wedged into the cracks, with only his head left exposed.

He spat out a mouthful of old blood, stars bursting before his eyes as his head rang.

Long Yuan withdrew his hand, wiped it disdainfully on the hem of his robe, and glanced sideways at Zhou Hu, who was stuck in the wall so firmly he could not be pried out, his face full of impatience. "Where did this stray dog come from, barking here?"

Zhou Hu hung in the wall, his limbs twitching once. Then his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.