Battling a Soul Saint, Rising to Fame, and Ning Rongrong's Refusal to Take a Scumbag as Her Master

Flender said hostilely, "You're his master? Perfect timing!"

"Your disciple doesn't understand that the strong reign supreme. I imagine you, his master, are no different."

"Today, I'll teach you that lesson, so your future disciples won't get beaten to death for failing to understand it!"

"Beating a child would shame me. Beating you instead is the perfect way to drive that lesson home!"

Suotuo City belonged to the Balak Kingdom, a subordinate kingdom of the Heaven Dou Empire, and housed a main hall of Spirit Hall.

Fighting within the city was prohibited to keep ordinary people out of danger and prevent economic losses.

But those rules were meant for ordinary people.

Flender paid them no heed. He attacked without hesitation, charging forward with his Cat Owl martial soul possessing his body.

A Soul Saint was already a powerful expert on the Douluo Continent. As long as he finished the fight quickly, nobody would offend a Soul Saint over it. At most, he would compensate them for any property damage.

Flender was confident. Beating a Soul Elder wouldn't cause any real damage.

The bystanders who had already fled the restaurant sighed mournfully at the sight.

"How did a Soul Elder dare provoke a Soul Saint? He's a dead man!"

Boom!

With a thunderous crash, the restaurant collapsed.

Everyone stared at the ruins, dumbfounded. Heat rose from Li Sen's body as he casually raised a hand and caught Flender's fist.

"How is that possible?"

"Didn't they say this young man was a Soul Elder? He actually blocked a Soul Saint's attack!"

"Look closely! He hasn't even used his martial soul or any soul skills!"

"Who just said he was a Soul Elder six years ago and could only be a Soul Ancestor now at best? What a pack of lies!"

Ignoring the bystanders' chatter, Li Sen became a hot topic spreading through the city—a young man who could already rival a Soul Saint.

Tang San watched Li Sen with admiration, gratitude, and memories filling his eyes.

Three years ago, Li Sen had taken him along to hunt a seventy-thousand-year Dragon Beast that rivaled a Soul Douluo.

Back then, he had disobeyed orders and tried to help. To save him, Li Sen had taken an attack head-on and suffered serious injuries.

Thankfully, they had won in the end!

Xiao Wu ground her teeth, remembering how she had repeatedly asked to become his disciple over their years together, only to be turned down.

Ning Rongrong looked completely bewildered.

She had never imagined that this man in his twenties, the scumbag she had insulted, could fight a Soul Saint with his physical body alone.

As far as she knew, only a Titled Douluo could accomplish something like that, right?

Did Li Sen possess the strength of a Titled Douluo?

The thought of becoming his disciple sprouted again.

Zhu Zhuqing was shocked, but her eyes also burned with fervor.

With strength like that, he surely wouldn't fear the Star Luo Imperial Family. She could become his disciple!

"Say, little Cat Owl, do you still want to fight?"

"Fighting in Suotuo City is against the rules. Careful, or Spirit Hall might come demanding an explanation."

Li Sen teased him playfully.

The toughness of his body now rivaled that of a Titled Douluo—only its toughness, not his strength. With all Eight Gates open, he could fight a Soul Douluo.

His physique had already surpassed Tang Hao's when he had thrashed Zhao Wuji in the original story.

In the original story, Tang Hao hadn't used his soul rings against Zhao Wuji, but he had still used soul power.

Li Sen, on the other hand, had fought Flender using nothing but physical strength and the first of the Eight Gates.

If killing Flender hadn't required opening all Eight Gates and using his martial soul, exposing the ages of his soul rings and bringing Spirit Hall to his door, he would have done it outright.

Tang San was a Soul Elder. Even if his thousand-year second soul ring was exposed, Spirit Hall would send, at most, a Soul King to recruit him.

Li Sen could easily handle that. At the very least, he could buy himself time to obtain the immortal herbs.

But if he exposed his thousand-year second soul ring, his ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring, and his ability to fight a Soul Saint...

Spirit Hall might send a Titled Douluo, who would hunt him down if he refused their invitation.

Until he got his hands on the immortal herbs, Li Sen still intended to keep a low profile.

Yu Xiaogang had the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and Spirit Hall's Supreme Pontiff backing him. What did he have?

Faced with Li Sen's relaxed expression and playful teasing, Flender's chest heaved with rage as he shot Yu Xiaogang a fierce glare.

He cursed inwardly. What kind of worthless judgment does Yu Xiaogang, my old brother of so many years, have?

He had used seventy percent of his strength in that attack, intending to kill.

Yet his opponent had caught it effortlessly without even activating his martial soul.

Forget a Soul Douluo—with strength like that, there was a very good chance he was a Titled Douluo.

Yu Xiaogang stood frozen. Always so lofty and self-important, he was now stunned, his heart aching as though it were being torn apart.

He clearly remembered that Li Sen had been a Soul Elder at Notting Academy six years ago, with the dean and Spirit Hall both confirming it.

For someone who had reached that level at twenty, his innate soul power could have been no higher than rank six.

And now, after six years, he could contend with a Soul Saint. That result shattered Yu Xiaogang's entire worldview.

Why?

That kind of talent should have been mine!

The more Yu Xiaogang thought about it, the angrier he became, his eyes turning bloodshot.

He was the young sect master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, backed by his father, the Super Douluo Yu Yuanzhen, and a man who shared an emotional bond with Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong.

Unlike Flender, he wasn't afraid of Li Sen, even if he might be a Titled Douluo.

Yu Xiaogang stepped forward, about to demand why Li Sen's cultivation had advanced so quickly and how Tang San had surpassed the absorption limit for his second soul ring.

Smack!

The instant he moved, Flender hastily clapped a hand over Yu Xiaogang's mouth and pinned him in his arms.

They had traveled together for years. He understood Yu Xiaogang all too well.

Since Yu Xiaogang had claimed Li Sen's cultivation was low, there was clearly some bad blood between them.

With a personal grudge involved, anyone might disregard a person's backing. Without enough strength, they could die!

In response to Li Sen's teasing, Flender hurriedly withdrew his martial soul and spoke in a slightly fawning tone.

"I didn't realize how astonishing your strength was, Senior. I have offended you. Please forgive me."

At the sight, Yu Xiaogang made furious, muffled cries, but no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break free of Flender's grip.

Li Sen chuckled.

After years of using his Blue Silver Tree to draw in Life Force and bathe his body in it, he could keep the first three of the Eight Gates open for half a day, even without using his martial soul or soul skills.

He could defeat Flender, but it would cause quite a commotion.

What he lacked now was time to grow stronger.

Li Sen chuckled and said with a hint of menace, "If apologies worked, there wouldn't be so many Soul Masters dying in battle."

"Pay me ten thousand Gold Soul Coins, and I'll let you go."

Flender's lips tightened at those words, and he nearly ground his teeth to pieces.

He could produce ten thousand Gold Soul Coins, but that was almost his entire savings.

But... if he didn't pay, he might lose his life.

His face twitching, he tossed over a Soul Coin Card, turned, and fled!

He feared Li Sen might summon his martial soul and kill him instantly with a burst of a soul skill before Spirit Hall could intervene.

Watching the two disappear, Li Sen leisurely walked up to Tang San and fixed him with a deep, unreadable gaze.

"Xiao San, how did you manage to provoke a Soul Saint after only three days in Suotuo City?"

Tang San looked embarrassed, but he still didn't reveal that Xiao Wu had wanted to attend Shrek Academy.

Filled with guilt, he said, "I'm sorry, Master. Xiao San knows he was wrong. I'll accept whatever punishment you give me."

Li Sen smiled. In truth, the moment he saw Yu Xiaogang, he had guessed roughly what had happened.

Under the influence of the original story, the two must have gone to Shrek Academy anyway.

And since Yu Xiaogang hadn't found a talented disciple at Notting Academy, while Flender had, he would certainly have gone there. That was how they had crossed paths.

"Forget it. Since you're all right, I'll be going. Remember to call for your master first if you encounter danger."

"Even if we meet a Titled Douluo I can't defeat, getting you away won't be a problem."

Feeling the concern in Li Sen's words, Tang San was happy from the bottom of his heart.

While Li Sen spoke with Tang San, Xiao Wu nudged Ning Rongrong beside her.

"Rongrong, didn't you say you wanted to become his disciple? You can try now!"

Ning Rongrong was covering her face with both hands, terrified that Li Sen would notice the girl who had called him a scumbag and then wanted him as her master.

At Xiao Wu's reminder, Ning Rongrong repeatedly whispered, "Xiao Wu, stop talking! Stop talking!"

"I'm not becoming his disciple. I really mean it!"

Xiao Wu raised an eyebrow. Although she didn't know why, she still reminded her.

"Teacher Li is leaving now. If you don't speak up, who knows when you'll get another chance!"

"You know Little San won't call Teacher Li over for you, and I can't do that either."

Ning Rongrong didn't change her mind, continuing to whisper, "Stop talking. I really don't want to become his disciple!"

As the two tugged at each other, Li Sen noticed Ning Rongrong.

He paid her no mind. His attitude toward this spoiled young lady remained the same: keep a respectful distance.