Give Me a Retainer Mark

The numbers appeared on the stone inscription.

Strength: zero, five, zero, zero

Talent: one, zero, zero

"What?!" Zhang Ping demanded in frustration. "He actually reached the maximum strength threshold for a Soul Grandmaster? Why had I never heard about this before?"

"We fell into their trap." Xu Xiaotang looked grave. As Li Kai's classmate, she clearly knew more about him. "Just a few days ago, his strength was around four hundred and fifty kilograms."

"Only a few days have passed. His Soul Power hasn't changed, but his strength has increased this much. He must have taken some kind of medicine or spirit herb."

"They came prepared."

"Hahaha!!" Li Kai laughed. "Only figured it out now? Stop struggling and just let Hu Liena spend a day with Brother Yan."

At this point, he stopped pretending and laid his cards on the table.

Hu Liena's expression turned cold. "So it really was Yan? I already rejected his advances, yet he keeps clinging to me like this. How tiresome and disgusting."

Since they had both grown up as orphans, she had once felt some sympathy for Yan as a fellow sufferer. She had even thought they might become ordinary friends.

Now, not only had that little bit of sympathy vanished like smoke, but it had been replaced by even more disgust.

"Save that for Brother Yan." Li Kai waved a hand. "As long as I finish the job, I won't have taken that Century-Old Spirit Herb from him for nothing."

"He certainly spared no expense. A Century-Old Spirit Herb is worth quite a lot." Hu Liena's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Li Kai turned to Xu Xiaonian, his lips curling into a malicious smile.

"Kid, you're the only one left. Since you're a Soul Scholar, the stone pillar will go easy on your score. Don't let your Sister Nana down."

"Oh, thanks for the reminder, big brother." Xu Xiaonian flashed an adorable smile, completely unfazed by the pressure.

Someone who wanted to win had no smile on his face. But Xu Xiaonian was certain to win, so he could take it easy.

Li Kai raised an eyebrow. Is this kid an idiot? Can't he even tell when someone's mocking him?

No idea why Brother Yan specifically told us to target him. Isn't this like using a great timber for a tiny job? Heh.

"Xiaonian, don't put too much pressure on yourself. It's fine if you lose. It's only a meal, after all. I doubt Yan would dare do anything to me," Hu Liena reassured him.

"Sister Nana, don't worry. I'll definitely win. I won't let them get their way." Xu Xiaonian simply spoke the truth, without any other thoughts behind it.

But in Hu Liena's eyes, his expression was exceptionally "serious," as though he had resolved never to let her come to harm.

It truly moved her, even giving her an illusory sense of security that everything would definitely be all right.

"Xiaonian..." Hu Liena looked a little dazed. Apart from her teacher and brother, no one had ever made her feel this way.

Xu Xiaonian said nothing. He simply stepped forward and stood before the stone pillar.

He neither summoned his martial soul nor adopted any elaborate stance. He merely took a step and threw a straight punch.

His fist struck the stone pillar.

The next instant.

BOOM!!

A tremendous roar erupted from the stone pillar, reverberating through the room and stunning everyone present.

The numbers on the stone inscription shot upward at a frantic pace!

Everyone stared wide-eyed as the strength reading climbed into four digits—and still showed no sign of stopping!

Finally, the numbers settled.

Strength: three, zero, five, eight

Talent: nine, nine, nine

"What the fuck? You've got to be kidding me!"

Li Kai stared slack-jawed at those fantastical numbers, feeling as though he were dreaming.

Three thousand kilograms of strength? Could a Soul Scholar who had only just awakened really possess that?

If he's a Soul Scholar, what am I? Am I not even as good as a Soul Scholar?

He had lost, utterly and completely.

And the penalty was...

Li Kai's face abruptly went deathly pale, as though he could already picture the murderous look Yan would soon give him.

"Brother Kai, what do we do? If we actually honor the bet, Brother Yan will kill us!"

Sun Chuantao looked ready to cry. Li Kai had only dragged him along to make up the numbers. He had gained nothing, only to be dragged into the mire and made to shoulder the blame.

Hu Liena recovered from her shock and turned a sharp gaze on them, saying coldly:

"You'd better honor the bet. Otherwise, Yan won't need to kill you. I'll send you on your way first."

Those words were not merely a warning. There was genuine killing intent in her voice.

She wanted to kill a chicken to warn the monkeys, to show everyone where her limits lay. If anyone else helped Yan or anyone else harass her, Li Kai and Sun Chuantao's fate would be theirs as well.

"Well said, Sister Nana." Xu Xiaonian nodded approvingly. "Throw one punch to clear the way, and spare yourself a hundred more. We can't let people think we're easy to bully."

Throw one punch to clear the way, and spare yourself a hundred more.

A gleam flashed through Hu Liena's eyes. What commanding words. Did they really come from a child who was only a Soul Scholar?

Had her teacher said those words, she would not have been surprised in the slightest.

Could Xu Xiaonian have the makings of a Supreme Pontiff?!

"Looks like I was the one just making up the numbers..." A rare, embarrassed blush appeared on Zhang Ping's face.

Xu Yu reacted much like Hu Liena, seeing Xu Xiaonian in an entirely new light.

Yet the most surprised person there was actually Xu Xiaotang. Having spent so much time with Xu Xiaonian day in and day out, she had never imagined he could gain such strength in just a few short days.

All she wanted now was to take Xu Xiaonian home and give him a thorough interrogation, to find out just how much he had hidden from his own older sister.

As the team watched Li Kai and Sun Chuantao leave with ashen faces, they felt a wave of satisfaction.

Just then, Xu Yu suddenly spoke up. "Right, weren't we supposed to choose a captain? Now... is there even any need to choose?"

Everyone fell silent and looked at the same person.

Under their gazes, Xu Xiaonian rubbed his head, looking innocent.

"Captain Xu, aren't you impressive? Have you started looking down on your own sister too?"

Once home, the siblings ignored their parents' odd looks, resolutely shut the bedroom door, and began a private discussion.

Xu Xiaotang looked down at him, her sharp gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny.

"Tell me the truth. How did you get this strong?!"

Xu Xiaonian had no intention of hiding anything from his family. The letter he had sent home earlier had already explained most of his circumstances.

That included the fact that his "Angel" martial soul could condense Soul Rings on its own.

Xu Xiaotang had simply been staying at school at the time and had not seen the letter.

Xu Xiaonian had no choice but to explain again. "Here's what happened. I awakened the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger and the Angel Martial Soul... the Evil God Retainer Mark..."

Since Holy Spirit Purcell lay beyond their understanding, he simply called it the Angel Martial Soul.

After his explanation, Xu Xiaotang sat quietly on the bed for a while, digesting everything he had told her.

A long silence followed.

Finally, Xu Xiaotang's expression grew resolute, as though she had made up her mind about something, and she said firmly:

"Xiaonian, I want you to give me a Retainer Mark. Can you?"