Flender: Kid, You're Too Weak!

Reason told Flender that a young man this powerful at such a young age must have an impressive force backing him.

But on second thought, all he wanted was to bring this Little Monster back to his academy and train him. He was doing it for the boy's own good, not trying to harm him!

Even if the Little Monster's elders came looking for him later, once they learned his true intentions, they might not only refrain from blaming him but thank him profusely!

That was right. It made perfect sense!

He had no bad intentions. What was there to fear?

Just do it!

Once he had the deed done, everything would work out!

Having made up his mind, Flender immediately put on what he considered a kindly smile.

"Young friend, the reason you don't want to be friends with me is that you don't know me yet. Once you understand how I conduct myself, you might even come begging to be my friend."

At that, Jiang Xuan stopped and turned around, watching Flender warily.

He had a bad feeling about this.

Was this shameless old geezer really going to make a move on a junior like him?

"I told you, I have no interest in being your friend, and I'm not interested in getting to know you! Stop pestering me, or you'll regret it!"

Jiang Xuan was telling the truth, but Flender paid him no heed.

From the perspective of the strong, threats from the weak were as feeble and laughable as a joke.

For some people with particular tastes, hearing the weak make threats could even make them more eager to torment them.

"Heh heh, young friend, what you're saying is rather irrational. But never mind, I don't mind at all. In fact, I was going to invite you to my home."

As he spoke, Flender kept smiling while releasing the pressure of his Soul Power. If Jiang Xuan had been an ordinary Soul Master, the pressure he unleashed would have left him unable to utter even half a sentence.

But Jiang Xuan's body had already been tempered by the Six-Ding Divine Flame. This level of pressure still troubled him greatly, but it could not completely restrict his movements.

"You shameless old geezer! When the soft approach didn't work, you decided to use force? Do you know what that's called? Kidnapping a minor! You're a human trafficker! Under the laws of the Heaven Dou Empire, you should be executed in public as a warning to others!"

Seeing that Jiang Xuan could still speak, Flender's eyes shone with even greater delight.

Even the pressure of a Soul Power level of fifty couldn't completely suppress this kid. It seemed he really had struck gold!

"See? You've already started talking nonsense. Kidnapping a minor? I'm merely inviting you to my home. Maybe the way I'm inviting you is a little rough, but it's no big deal. Just bear with it, young friend. I'll be quick..."

Flender's behavior was undoubtedly like an old man hanging himself—he was courting death.

Yet Chen Xin still hadn't come out of the room. Jiang Xuan thought it over and figured she probably wanted to see the limits of his ability to withstand pressure.

After all, just a few days ago, Chen Xin had personally taken him to the Star Dou Forest to obtain his Second Soul Ring. Now, only a few days later, he suddenly had the strength to barely challenge a Soul Saint...

Anyone faced with that situation would naturally be curious. Jiang Xuan could understand that completely.

But how was he supposed to explain it afterward?

Never mind. He'd worry about that later. For now, he needed to deal with the trouble in front of him...

When he had dealt with Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai earlier, Jiang Xuan had seemed relaxed, but maintaining the Innate Eight Trigrams Formation the whole time had consumed a full quarter of his Soul Power.

The Soul Skill was useful, but its cost to him was simply too high. He had already decided that he wouldn't use it again unless absolutely necessary. But since Chen Xin wanted to see his limits, he would grant her that wish!

Besides, he wanted to find out where his limits lay.

With a thought, his Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring appeared, and his third Soul Skill activated. Empowered by the Innate Eight Trigrams Formation, the pressure weighing on Jiang Xuan was instantly reduced by more than half. A little remained, but it no longer interfered with his movements.

Flender was practically drooling with greed.

This kid had even more surprises in store!

With the hope of "making a fortune" right before him, Flender grew serious. But before he could increase the pressure, Jiang Xuan activated the Zhen Trigram first and unleashed the Innate Divine Thunder at him.

Seeing that the weakling not only showed no fear but actually dared to attack him, Flender wasn't annoyed. Instead, admiration filled him.

"Good lad! You've got guts! In that case, let me properly see what you can do!"

With that confident declaration, Flender casually conjured a defensive barrier made entirely of Soul Power.

In his view, no matter how powerful a three-ring Soul Master's attack might be, it couldn't shake the defenses of a Soul Saint like him. Just putting on a show and taking a defensive stance was already giving the boy plenty of respect.

But just as the Soul Power barrier around his hand was about to form, a bolt of lightning too fast for him to dodge struck his wrist. Intense numbness and the crackling thunder came together, immediately throwing the flow of Soul Power within him into disarray.

Strike while he's down and finish him off!

Seizing the opening, Jiang Xuan darted forward and used the Innate Eight Trigrams Formation to teleport to Flender's side. Before he even landed, he raised his leg, charged it for two seconds, then kicked viciously toward Flender's waist.

But just as he was about to land the blow, Flender grinned and raised his other arm—the one the lightning hadn't struck—in perfect time to block Jiang Xuan's whip kick.

"Kid, you're strong, and your reactions are quick. You've truly impressed me. But you're still nowhere near good enough to take me on!"

His attack thwarted, Jiang Xuan quickly retreated, his eyes full of gravity.

He was certain that the bolt of lightning had left Flender numb all over, but he hadn't expected him to recover his feeling so quickly!

Sure enough, the difference in their Soul Power was the problem.

The gap between level forty and a Soul Saint was still far too great.

What should he do now?

He had only sixty percent of his Soul Power left. The Innate Divine Thunder clearly couldn't inflict any meaningful damage on Flender.

Should he switch to fire?

But what if even that couldn't do anything to him...

Just as Jiang Xuan hesitated, clear footsteps suddenly sounded from the far end of the corridor.

Jiang Xuan and Flender both turned toward the sound. The newcomer was a richly dressed young man with an extraordinary bearing.