Friction and Invitation (I)

Friction and Invitation (I)

The upper limit of any Soul Hunting Squad was determined by its strongest member.

But the speed of any Soul Hunting Squad was determined by its weakest member.

In this Soul Hunting Squad, which had two Titled Douluo and dozens of Soul Saints, their average speed was determined by those few Soul Ancestors. Fortunately, the dozens of Soul Saints had shared the burden of keeping watch. Otherwise, this Soul Hunting Squad would likely have moved even slower.

Even so, their speed far exceeded that of Blue Tyrant Academy and the others.

What was more, Blue Tyrant Academy had not yet set out. They remained where they were, waiting for that Blue Tyrant Academy student to finish absorbing the soul ring.

When both sides moved at the same speed, they were effectively stationary relative to each other.

When the other side slowed down while our side sped up, it was equivalent to doubling the acceleration.

When the other side stood still while our side advanced, it was equivalent to halving the total distance.

Therefore, viewed from above, Spirit Hall's advance was astonishingly fast. However, no matter how astonishing the speed, it would eventually be delayed.

"Have him withdraw."

"There's no need to clash with Spirit Hall."

"I know Chrysanthemum Douluo hunted him down before, but I don't care what reasons he has, or how cowardly he is. He must obey orders."

"You hold the secondary authority over the Bloodline Gu."

"If he refuses to obey, execute him on the spot."

"If things get out of hand and it comes to executing him on the spot, don't forget to bring me back a piece of meat. Making use of waste isn't bad either."

Ye Qingcang withdrew his gaze from the sky and gave Violet these instructions.

This devastatingly beautiful young girl needed only stand beside Ye Qingcang to deter most people.

Even girls like Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong, who were equally outstanding in looks and temperament and wished to approach Ye Qingcang for various reasons, had no choice but to yield before Violet's charm and leave them space.

"Understood." Violet, both adorable and valiant, nodded seriously. She then confirmed a detail Ye Qingcang had not mentioned. "When you say withdraw, do you mean withdraw to the perimeter or into the group?"

"Into the group." Ye Qingcang patiently elaborated, "More precisely, he's currently on the perimeter, staying at the edge of the perception range of our Soul Douluo and trailing behind the team as a safeguard."

"Got it."

Violet's gemlike eyes flickered slightly.

Before her voice had even faded—

Her figure blurred as if she had used Teleport, leaving behind an afterimage.

Moving at a speed beyond what the human eye could catch, she darted into the forest behind the group.

"Xiao Wu..." After Violet left, Ye Qingcang suddenly spoke, startling both Xiao Wu and Huo Wu. One did not know what this tiger, Ye Qingcang, intended to do; the other did not understand why this friend she had only just met was calling her so intimately. "In a moment, stand behind me. Don't say a word, understand?"

Huo Wu scratched her head in confusion and stepped forward, wanting to ask Ye Qingcang whether that nonsensical remark had really been directed at her.

Then she saw Xiao Wu, who was likewise walking toward Ye Qingcang from the crowd.

Embarrassed, she covered her face and obediently withdrew her step.

She had been full of herself for nothing.

So he had not called her at all.

Yet just as Huo Wu withdrew, another person rushed forward and forcibly wedged himself between Xiao Wu and Ye Qingcang!

"Wait!" Tang San proudly stepped forward at the crucial moment. At this instant, he believed the sight of his back would surely appear radiant and imposing to Xiao Wu. "Ye Qingcang, what are you trying to do to Xiao Wu?"

Feng Xiaotian blinked.

Huo Wushuang blinked.

Shui Bing'er, Shui Yue'er, Huo Wu, and the others, equally unaware of what was going on, blinked as well.

The scene suddenly fell silent.

This silence instantly drew the attention of several headmasters, including Liu Erlong, Shui Feng, and Huo Lie. Even teachers like Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Zhao Wuji subconsciously looked toward the center of the silence.

What they saw was Ye Qingcang, still fingering his bracelet beads; Tang San, still wearing that strangely proud expression; and Xiao Wu, who had originally been walking toward Ye Qingcang, now changing direction and preparing to circle around from the side.

Three people, three utterly different styles!

How had they managed to feel so disconnected while still appearing in the same picture?

However, Shui Yue'er and Ning Rongrong, who both loved nothing more than chaos, viewed matters differently from upright figures like Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Feng Xiaotian.

"Two men fighting over one woman?" That was Shui Yue'er.

Her gaze swept over Ye Qingcang and Tang San.

She immediately took Ye Qingcang's side.

Don't ask. Being an appearance enthusiast was simply professional instinct!

"That brat Xiao Wu..." That was Ning Rongrong.

Unlike Zhu Zhuqing, who thought highly of herself and wanted to carve out her own path, and unlike Xiao Wu, who had no grand ambitions and merely wanted to steadily cultivate to Rank Seventy, Ning Rongrong had been able to sleep later than a dog, rise earlier than a rooster, and endure more than a week without rest because she had discovered far too many good things while browsing the forum. That was precisely why she was determined to have Ye Qingcang!

Of course, the most important thing was that Ye Qingcang was handsome!

His temperament also struck right at her heart!

As for those so-called good things...

In the Forum Store, you could spend credits to buy soul bones. Could you believe that?

In the Forum Store, you could spend credits to commission custom soul bones. Could you believe that?

In the Forum Store, hundreds of Self-Created Soul Skills could be learned with credits, and thousands of Soul Tool manufacturing blueprints could likewise be learned with credits. There was nothing you could think of that the Forum Store did not have. Such an all-encompassing shop, capable of providing what even the two great empires were powerless to supply, had appeared in a tiny academy?

The more she looked, the more she wanted it.

The more she looked, the more shocked she became.

The more she looked, the more confused she felt.

For example: just what had Senior Brother Xue Qinghe helped Ye Qingcang conceal? How had the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect received no news whatsoever for more than a decade? How had he suppressed this era-defining system so thoroughly? Just how powerful was the force in Senior Brother Xue Qinghe's hands, and what did he seek by helping Ye Qingcang hide it?

Still, she knew she could not possibly get answers from Senior Brother Xue Qinghe. She knew even more clearly that once she was able to access these secrets, they would no longer be secrets. Otherwise, this senior brother would not have asked Ye Qingcang to make an exception for her.

Yet it was precisely because she did not know that her curiosity gnawed at her.

And compared to all those astonishing achievements, Ye Qingcang himself was the real treasure!

A golden goose that laid eggs!

In all her life, this was the first person who had made her heart flutter, and also the first person she had seen who seemed so perfect. Though no one could truly be perfect, and Ye Qingcang surely had flaws, she was confident she could accept them—and she desperately wanted to get close to him!

That stinky best friend Xiao Wu had been called over and did not even think to bring her along?

Just then.

Xiao Wu had already slipped past from the side.

Everyone watched with their own eyes as Tang San's complexion shifted from iron-blue to ashen white.

"Looks like it's unrequited love versus mutual affection."

"What a waste of excitement."

Shui Yue'er muttered quietly.

This earned her strange looks from Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu, Huo Wushuang, Feng Xiaotian, and the others.

A waste of excitement?

So you wanted to see blood flow like rivers?

Who would have thought you were someone who loved watching drama, Shui Yue'er!

We underestimated you!

"Little San!" Yu Xiaogang squeezed forward and tugged Tang San's arm with an ugly expression.

Only then did Tang San snap out of it.

As he watched Xiao Wu walk toward Ye Qingcang, a trace of resentment unknowingly appeared in his eyes.

Still, he knew that remaining here would only make him look worse. Clenching his fists, he followed Yu Xiaogang and silently allowed himself to be led away.

Yu Xiaogang had a way to deal with making a fool of oneself.

They could just move to another circle; then it would not matter much.

He led Tang San over to the group of Zhao Wuji, Li Yusong, Shao Xin, and Flender, but he failed to notice that within Tang San's black eyes, there was also the faintest, nearly imperceptible dissatisfaction toward him.

Thanks to reader 20170804112328857 for the 100 reward.