What Was There to Fear from a Soul Douluo?

This attire, this bearing, gave Si Tingxuan a rough idea of the man's identity.

A White-Robed Bishop of Spirit Hall from a particular region.

The strength of Spirit Hall's White-Robed Bishops was usually at the Soul Douluo level.

However, Si Tingxuan was not afraid. Even if he could not defeat him, he was confident he could protect himself.

So while he remained on guard, he did not yield in terms of presence. He sneered, "So, it's a White-Robed Bishop of Spirit Hall!"

The White-Robed Bishop said, "I am Bishop Qin Haoyuan. A bishop, yes, but only a vice one!"

Si Tingxuan did not care whether he was the chief or deputy.

He only knew that this man before him was most likely the one who had ordered the secret ambush against him.

His eyes narrowed, and killing intent surged!

If he had been certain of victory, he would have already made his move. Si Tingxuan had never spared anyone who wanted to kill him.

"Hiss!"

At that moment, Hua Wufeng and Hua Qingluo beside Si Tingxuan both sucked in a sharp breath.

They understood what a White-Robed Bishop represented, regardless of whether he was a deputy or not.

Zhao Zhengtian, Dongfang Runhong, and Dongfang Yuanchen were equally shocked.

They had never expected a White-Robed Bishop to appear in such a small town.

Thinking of Si Tingxuan coming from the Hua Family, along with the Hua Family's drastic upheaval—

The three exchanged glances!

It seemed that what had happened here was Spirit Hall's handiwork.

Si Tingxuan.

All three of their pupils suddenly contracted!

Spirit Hall's tyranny was known to all. Members of the Seven Sects were relatively safe.

But for geniuses from smaller families or among ordinary people, once discovered, Spirit Hall would use every possible means to recruit them.

They would even resort to any means necessary!

Although tales of destroying those they could not recruit were rarely heard—

For a supreme genius of Si Tingxuan's caliber, that might not be the case.

Their gazes flickered.

They were all from the Baroque Kingdom and naturally hoped for the kingdom to grow stronger.

Thus, for the greater good, they did not want anything to happen to Si Tingxuan.

From a personal standpoint, Si Tingxuan had already shown an intention to befriend them. Once he grew stronger, it would benefit both of their families.

Zhao Zhengtian discreetly gave Zhao Haitang a look, then glanced at Meng Yiran.

Zhao Haitang immediately understood. She whispered a few words into Meng Yiran's ear, then pulled her away at a run.

On Si Tingxuan's side, a mocking smile appeared on his face. "A White-Robed Vice Bishop, huh? Since when did a Vice Bishop of Spirit Hall become a law enforcer for the Baroque Kingdom?"

He might as well have pointed at the man's nose and called him a meddling busybody.

Qin Haoyuan pointed at the man whom Si Tingxuan had just turned into an ice statue with a single palm strike.

"This man belongs to Spirit Hall. Since you attacked him, shouldn't you give Spirit Hall an explanation?"

Si Tingxuan smiled, but there was a chilling edge to it.

Good. Now he could be one hundred percent certain that the Hua Family's affairs were the work of the man before him.

Since one assassination attempt had failed—

He wanted to find a more open and righteous excuse to attack him.

But was he underestimating Si Tingxuan too much?

"The one who should give an explanation is you! Why were members of Spirit Hall hunting down my disciple, Hua Qingluo?"

"Don't tell me you were helping the Hua Family. You must have been standing there for quite a while, so you should have heard Hua Wufeng's words perfectly clearly."

"Hua Qingluo was sent here by people her own father had dispatched."

"You—"

Qin Haoyuan was rendered speechless!

Because everything Si Tingxuan said was true.

He immediately shouted, "No matter what, the fact that you attacked a member of Spirit Hall is indisputable! Come with me to Spirit Hall obediently!"

"Otherwise, I can only capture you myself."

As he spoke, killing intent flashed in his eyes.

If not for the fact that this was before the Oriental Family's gates, with so many people watching, he would have attacked long ago.

Now, he still had to make a move, but he had to put on an act first.

Si Tingxuan glanced at the man he had frozen with a palm strike.

"So only Spirit Hall is allowed to seize my disciple, while I am not allowed to protect her? Tsk, tsk. How domineering."

"But then again, you really are ruthless. To give yourself an excuse to attack me, you actually watched as I attacked your subordinate without saving him. I imagine that right now, his heart is colder than the palm strike I gave him!"

"Tsk, tsk."

Qin Haoyuan's expression changed. Si Tingxuan's words had struck straight at the heart.

They would directly affect the morale and reputation he held within Spirit Hall.

"Hmph!"

He snorted, then said, "Then I'll give him an explanation right now! Martial Soul Possession!"

With that, he released his Martial Soul!

A majestic lion crackling with arcs of lightning appeared around him.

The Thunder Lion King—this was Qin Haoyuan's Martial Soul!

Though it could not compare to the Thunder Tyrannosaurus Rex Martial Soul, it was still among the top-tier beast Martial Souls.

Then, two yellow, two purple, and four black soul rings rose from his body.

Soul Douluo!

Although they had already guessed it when he first appeared—

Seeing those eight soul rings now made Si Tingxuan, Zhao Zhengtian, and the others tense up.

Si Tingxuan immediately released his Martial Soul as well. The Ice Flame Dual Swords appeared in his hands.

Then, two yellow, two purple, and three black soul rings rose from his body.

The appearance of those seven soul rings was even more shocking than Qin Haoyuan's eight.

Zhao Zhengtian, Dongfang Runhong, and Dongfang Yuanchen all cried out, "Soul Sage!!!"

"This..."

Zhao Zhengtian then stared blankly at Si Tingxuan, unable to speak for a moment.

"Gulp."

Dongfang Runhong swallowed. "If I remember correctly, eight or nine days ago, he was still a Soul Emperor, right? And now he's broken through to Soul Sage? Could he have already been level sixty-nine back then?"

Dongfang Yuanchen gave a bitter smile. "Is that the important part? The important part is that this guy seems to be only twenty-eight years old. A twenty-eight-year-old Soul Sage!"

Zhao Zhengtian also came back to his senses and muttered, "Perhaps our Baroque Kingdom is about to produce a Titled Douluo who is even stronger and younger than that one from back then."

Qin Haoyuan's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

At the same time, a question that had long lingered in his mind was finally answered.

That question was: how could Si Tingxuan, a Soul Emperor, have possibly counter-killed the three Soul Sages who had ambushed him?

Now, everything was clear.

Because Si Tingxuan had already been a Soul Sage. With his Invincible at the Same Rank strength, it was not impossible for him to counter-kill three opponents with the same number of soul rings.

But at this very moment, the killing intent in his heart had never been stronger.

For the three Soul Sages Si Tingxuan had killed, for himself, and even more so for Spirit Hall—

Si Tingxuan had to die!

At any cost!

Si Tingxuan directly ignored his killing intent. Standing proudly with his sword pointed ahead, battle intent blazing in his eyes, he declared, "As a Soul Emperor, I killed a Soul Sage with one more soul ring than me! Now that I'm a Soul Sage, what is there to fear from a Soul Douluo?"