Playing Tang Yin at His Own Game

Dai Weisi's expression shifted slightly. He had a feeling Qian Zong was no ordinary person.

His gaze moved between Ling Yuan and Qian Zong before settling on Qian Zong.

"Spirit Hall only trains Soul Masters with potential. This fellow looks older than twelve, so he's probably just a commoner Soul Master who joined Spirit Hall.

"The woman beside him, though, seems to have some sort of background."

Dai Weisi shook his head with a faint smile.

*Forget it. As long as they aren't from Spirit Hall's headquarters, I can compensate them for any losses afterward.

This is a good chance to use Fourth Sister to test Spirit Hall's mettle.

Seeing how close the woman and the young man on the stairs appeared, Dai Weisi assumed she, too, was a commoner Soul Master who had joined Spirit Hall.

If she was a commoner Soul Master, there was nothing to worry about.

Spirit Hall would never turn against the Star Luo Empire over one commoner Soul Master.

His confidence came from his strength and status.

Dai Weisi was certain he could get Dai Yan out unharmed.

Beside him, a woman in a tight black leather combat suit trimmed with gold leaned toward his ear and whispered:

"Dai Weisi, that woman seems rather strong. Should we stop the Fourth Princess?"

"No need. Fourth Sister's spoiled, unreasonable temper is known throughout the empire. Spirit Hall can't be unaware of it.

"It's hardly surprising that she'd cause trouble in the Library.

"Besides, I want to see how Spirit Hall handles this."

The woman was still uneasy. She warned him again:

"We're deep in Spirit Hall's territory. There's a notice posted outside, and powerful people are stationed inside. Testing them like this may be unwise."

Dai Weisi said confidently:

"Zhu Yun, you're worrying too much. Fourth Sister is an imperial princess. Even if she causes trouble, Spirit Hall won't go too far."

Zhu Zhuyun thought it over and accepted Dai Weisi's reasoning.

When you ventured into the world, your backing mattered.

And Dai Yan's backing was formidable.

Dai Yan flew into a rage. "Trash! You're asking for death!"

Someone who was not even a Soul Master had dared insult her in public. How could she possibly stand for it?

"Martial Soul Possession!"

Dai Yan gave Qian Zong no chance to speak. Two Yellow Soul Rings appeared beneath her feet, and a tiger with fiery red fur emerged behind her. Her pupils turned fiery red, and her aura surged.

"That's the Star Luo Empire's princess, isn't it? I heard she only turned twelve this year. I can't believe she's already a Soul Grandmaster. What a genius!"

"What bullshit genius? She dares cause trouble in Spirit Hall. She's just someone who doesn't know when she's courting death."

"What's going on? Doesn't the notice say fighting isn't allowed in the Library?"

"Spirit Hall will punish her."

"Heh. She's an imperial princess. So what if she breaks the rules?"

"Now this should be worth watching."

"Friend, watch what you say. The Star Luo imperial family is no pushover. If you get on their bad side, your next life is finished."

A crowd had gathered at the first-floor stairway to watch the commotion. At a glance, there were at least two or three hundred people.

Dai Yan had made such a scene that the guards patrolling the building noticed what was happening and hurried toward the stairs.

No wonder she dares make trouble in the Library. It was deliberate. That saves me some effort.

Qian Zong had been watching everyone. When he saw Zhu Zhuyun and Dai Weisi whispering to each other, he had a fair idea what was going on.

To test Spirit Hall's limits, Dai Weisi was using his own half sister as bait.

"Let this princess teach you the difference between your betters and your inferiors!"

With an angry shout, Dai Yan pushed off hard with her left foot and pounced at Qian Zong with the force of a tiger.

"Quite the show." Qian Zong eyed the Martial Soul flickering behind Dai Yan, his face full of disdain. "Sister Ling Yuan, break one of her legs."

Qian Zong had spent six years fleeing through a world full of Evil Soul Masters. No one should expect him to be kindhearted.

If you dare use an imperial princess as bait, then that princess can stay here forever.

Ling Yuan obeyed. She stepped forward twice and took her place in front of Qian Zong.

Facing Dai Yan's charge, Ling Yuan did not so much as blink. She gathered Soul Power in her leg and kicked at Dai Yan's thigh.

That kick would shatter Dai Yan's bones and leave her crippled.

"Not good! She's a Soul Douluo! Protect Her Fourth Highness!"

The Star Luo Empire's four Soul Douluo had been wary of Ling Yuan all along. The moment she called upon her Soul Power, all four sensed her strength.

"Martial Soul Possession!"

Zhu Chen reacted first. Sensing Ling Yuan's strength, he swiftly summoned his Soul Power and shot toward Dai Yan as a blur.

In the blink of an eye, Zhu Chen caught up to her.

He seized Dai Yan's shoulder with his left hand, raised his right palm, and struck at Ling Yuan.

So fast.

Ling Yuan's eyes narrowed. She quickly changed her attack, planted her foot to steady herself, gathered Soul Power in her palm, and met Zhu Chen's strike.

Their palms collided. Soul Power surged, and the force of the impact sent a fierce gust sweeping outward.

Crack!

The tiles around Ling Yuan could not withstand the tremendous pressure driven through her legs and split apart.

Her Soul Power exceeds mine. She's no ordinary Soul Douluo. I can't meet her head-on.

Realizing he could not subdue Ling Yuan, Zhu Chen bent his arm slightly and used the recoil from their clash to pull Dai Yan away from her.

Ling Yuan had reacted a fraction too slowly to summon much Soul Power. Caught off guard by Zhu Chen's strike, she retreated half a step.

"Zong'er, are you all right?"

Ling Yuan turned and saw Qian Zong on the ground, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. A fury unlike anything she had felt before swept through her.

Her carelessness had let the shockwave from their clash strike Qian Zong.

"I'm fine. I won't die."

Qian Zong's body was already badly damaged. With two Soul Douluo fighting so close to him, he had no way to dodge. All he could do was endure the shockwave from their clash.

Fortunately, nothing serious had happened to him. The gust from Ling Yuan and Zhu Chen's collision had merely knocked him over, leaving his backside sore.

As for the blood at the corner of his mouth, he had bitten himself.

Qian Zong had never concealed his condition. Any Soul Master who took a moment to sense him could tell what shape his body was in.

Two words: extremely poor.

Now that he had been caught at close range in the shockwave of a battle between two Soul Douluo, it would be hard to believe someone in his condition had escaped without internal injuries.

More importantly, the worse his injuries looked now, the less anyone would wag their tongues when he took revenge later.

In short: Today they dare openly humiliate Spirit Hall's Young Hall Master. Tomorrow they'll dare kill the Pope. They must be executed!

Frantic with worry, Ling Yuan bent down and helped Qian Zong up. "You're bleeding, and you still say you're fine?"

Ling Yuan hurriedly summoned her Soul Power to examine his body.

The moment her Soul Power entered Qian Zong's body, it was completely worn away.

"Hm??"

Refusing to believe it, Ling Yuan sent in even more Soul Power.

It entered Qian Zong's body and vanished again in the blink of an eye.

"How strange. How is that possible?"