Hua Xiong Gets Another Lackey

Just as Sword Douluo began regulating his breathing, Guan Sheng suddenly said, "If you want to watch, come out and watch."

Ten seconds later, a figure appeared beside them. His head was lowered, hiding his face. As they looked at the newcomer, Tang Hao's hoarse voice rang out.

"I never thought you'd become this strong. Two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings, level 97 Soul Power, the Flame Emperor Sect... unbelievable."

Guan Sheng fell silent for a moment before finally replying.

"Xiao San will be even stronger someday." Xiao San was his disciple too, and he took pride in the boy's achievements.

He had always thought Tang Hao would make a worthy opponent. Before, Guan Sheng had been too weak and would have gotten hammered if they fought. Now he had his chance, but after remembering Tang Hao's injuries, he abandoned the idea.

"Are your injuries serious? Once you've recovered, let's have a match."

Tang Hao glanced at Sword Douluo, then at Hua Xiong, who was still fighting. Nearly half a minute passed before his hoarse voice sounded again.

"Didn't you just have a fight? I'm not dying. Forget about another match."

After that, neither spoke. They quietly watched Hua Xiong and the others fight.

As time passed, Sword Douluo woke. He had known when Tang Hao arrived; he was not foolish enough to shut out all awareness of his surroundings here. He did not ask who Tang Hao was. If someone kept his face hidden, he clearly did not want to be recognized.

Still, Sword Douluo was astonished. During the battle, he had sensed no one nearby. It brought home the gulf between him and Guan Sheng.

Hua Xiong's battle was nearing its end, and it was soon over. Hua Xiong won without using his killing move, Hundred-Mile Slash.

"Congratulations, host. Hua Xiong has defeated Bone Douluo. Reward: Hua Xiong has awakened a Trait."

At the system's voice, Yang Xiu smiled.

Ning Fengzhi looked at the smiling Yang Xiu and said, "Sect Master Yang seems quite confident."

Yang Xiu did not answer him directly. He gave a faint smile and said, "Let's wait and see."

Back with Hua Xiong, Bone Douluo's injuries looked worse than Sword Douluo's, but they were only flesh wounds. Hua Xiong had taken some injuries as well, yet he grinned with delight. If they fought again now, he could thrash Bone Douluo.

Gu Rong looked at Hua Xiong's grin and decided the man was a battle maniac. Why else would fighting make him so happy? At last, he roared at Hua Xiong.

"You're a lunatic! Do we have a grudge? Every move you made could've killed me. If I hadn't been strong enough, you'd have finished me off!" Gu Rong gave no thought to the fact that he could take a beating better than most. He was, after all, a defensive Soul Master.

Hua Xiong was too pleased to care. He glanced at the cuts on Gu Rong's face, then promptly started treating him like a brother.

"Heh, brother, next time your big brother won't hit you in the face."

"Next time? I'd have to be an idiot to fight you again."

A beat later, Gu Rong caught up with what Hua Xiong had said.

"And who's your brother? Even if we were brothers, I'd be the big brother."

Hua Xiong smiled slyly. "Are you sure? Which of us is the big brother?"

"I am..." Gu Rong's confidence faltered.

"Let's go spar some more."

"Fine, let's go! Who's afraid of you?" Gu Rong said, but he did not move.

"Come on." Hua Xiong stepped over to pull him along.

Seeing trouble coming, Gu Rong fled. That fight-to-the-death style had frightened him. At last, he muttered without much conviction.

"Fine. You can be the big brother from now on."

"Hahaha..." Hua Xiong laughed triumphantly. Somehow, the two had fought their way into a friendship.

Soon, the group returned. Tang Hao had vanished again.

"Grandpa Bone, Grandpa Sword, are you all right? How did you get hurt so badly?" The four had barely come in when Ning Rongrong saw the wounds covering her grandfathers and hurried to ask, before either Bone Douluo or Sword Douluo could speak. Tears streamed down her face. She was still a child. The grandfathers she had believed invincible had been beaten like this, and she felt as though the world had changed. Her elders could not stand up for her in everything. She had even been ready to mock the others a moment ago. Reality had slapped her hard across the face.

She sat on the ground in a daze.

Tears kept falling, and she ignored everyone who called to her. When Ning Fengzhi found he could not console his daughter, he stopped trying and turned to Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo. "Uncle Gu, Uncle Jian, you really lost?" He clung to one last shred of hope. The state of all four fighters had already made the outcome clear, but he still held on to that fantasy. When Sword Douluo nodded, he stopped struggling against the truth.

"Sect Master Yang, we lost. Your sect's people are truly formidable. After what happened, we have no face to argue further. A wager is a wager. Let this matter end here."

"Sect Master Ning is gracious. From now on, your sect and my Flame Emperor Sect are friends."

After the two exchanged a few pleasantries,

Ning Fengzhi said, "Then we'll take our leave. Rongrong, come along. We're going home."

Ning Rongrong had thought about many things, and what happened had taught her much. Hearing her father's voice, she stood and walked toward Yang Xiu's group. "Headmaster Flender, Teacher Bai Kai, Sister Bai Ling, I'm sorry. I know I was wrong. Please forgive me. I was too willful. I've understood so much today—how childish I've been all these years. I want to stay and study at the academy. Could you give me one more chance? Please forgive me... I..."

Ning Rongrong's words left everyone stunned.

Yang Xiu smiled. Apparently, taking a beating really could make someone grow up. No wonder there had been a saying in his previous life: You only act so arrogant because society hasn't beaten you black and blue yet.

Bai Ling glanced at her and gave a cold snort without speaking. She evidently had not forgiven Ning Rongrong, though her opinion of her had improved.

Bai Kai smiled and said, "It's all right. What matters is that you've recognized your mistake and changed."

No one knew what he truly thought.

Flender accepted her apology. Shrewd as he was, he could tell Ning Rongrong was genuinely remorseful. Still, he had been insulted, so after a few perfunctory remarks, he let the matter drop. His thoughts were on the Flame Emperor Sect. Hua Xiong had come and gone from his academy many times over the past few years, yet Flender had never imagined he was this strong. Bone Douluo, famous across the continent for years, had been battered like that. More terrifying still, the man beside them had beaten Sword Douluo without so much as rumpling his clothes. He had to be a supreme expert above level 96. And the Titled Douluo everyone knew belonged to the Flame Emperor Sect were not even these two. That made the sect frightening indeed. Flender was thrilled. With Shrek's ties to the Flame Emperor Sect, who would dare bully them in the future?

Ning Fengzhi was happiest of all. He felt that his daughter had grown up, and it filled him with relief. He turned to Flender and asked, "Headmaster Flender, what do you think about Rongrong staying?"

"If Sect Master Ning can bear to let his precious daughter endure hardship here, what objection could I have? Shrek is an academy. Teaching students is what we do."

"In that case, thank you. I'll leave Rongrong in your care."

Neither Sword Douluo nor Bone Douluo had imagined that getting beaten once would help their little princess grow up and form her own views. They had never thought Ning Rongrong would apologize to anyone or admit she was wrong. Seeing her now, they felt today's beating had been worth it—more than worth it. Even their faces seemed to hurt less.

Just as Ning Fengzhi was about to leave, Hua Xiong stepped in front of Gu Rong and said,

"Brother, you're leaving already. Aren't you going to say goodbye to your big brother?"

Gu Rong's mouth twitched. He did not want to answer Hua Xiong, but he feared Hua Xiong would drag him into another fight. It was not that he feared the man himself; Hua Xiong simply fought with reckless abandon, and Gu Rong had no reason to tangle with such a fool. He glanced at Hua Xiong's teasing expression, then shot Sword Douluo a pleading look. Chen Xin ignored him as if he had seen nothing. Left with no choice, Gu Rong spoke.

"Goodbye, big brother. I have to go."

"Hahaha..." Hua Xiong laughed wildly. Gu Rong wanted to strangle him but held back. Once Hua Xiong finished laughing, he patted Gu Rong's shoulder. "Not bad. I'll acknowledge you as my little brother. I'll visit you at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect sometime."

"No need, no need." Gu Rong did not want to see the man again. He hurried after Ning Fengzhi and the others, who had already started walking away.

And just like that, the whole farce came to an end.

Ning Fengzhi left with Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, and everything returned to how it had been. After a harsh beating from the world, the former Little Demoness began to change. She no longer saw herself as above everyone else and started treating the people and things around her as equals. Everything at Shrek seemed to be moving in a better direction. Yang Xiu left Hua Xiong behind. After giving Tang San and Hua Xiong a few instructions, he set off with Zhu Zhuqing and Guan Sheng. Before leaving, he checked Hua Xiong's Trait.

Name: Hua Xiong

Martial Soul: Demon Bear

Soul Power: Level 95 (yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black)

Trait: Demon General. Plants a Demon Seed within himself and transforms into a Demon Form, gaining control over demonic power. Soul Power increases substantially (1–2 levels), defense is greatly enhanced, damage taken is reduced by 40%, and he is immune to all negative effects.

Hua Xiong really was a bear. With that defense and 40% damage reduction, even if Sword Douluo reached level 97 someday, would he be able to hurt him? Hua Xiong's Soul Skills leaned toward defense too.