"Heh... little brother, do you remember me telling you that I actually have a master?"
Liu Hao began spinning his tale with a perfectly straight face, making sure Bibi Dong, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei could hear it too.
"I remember. You said my strange illness was cured using a method your master proposed. Could it be..."
"That's right. He taught me everything I know. The useless Withered Wooden Stick martial soul I awakened back then, and my level 0.1 innate soul power, were actually just a facade.
"I'm actually a peerless genius. No, wait-in my master's words, I'm a peerless monster. Reaching level 100 and becoming a god is as easy for me as eating and drinking."
Although the story was fabricated and the talent was fake, with his cheat, becoming a god really would be easy. So, with a little rounding, he hadn't lied at all.
"Badass!"
Liu Yao didn't know what else to say. All his doubts had vanished by now, and he could only raise his thumb and offer his most heartfelt praise. Then he bowed to Bibi Dong and said, "Your Holiness, I can confirm that he really is my older brother."
"Mm, very good."
Bibi Dong nodded somewhat dazedly, still digesting what Liu Hao had just said.
A peerless monster... becoming a god as easily as eating and drinking. Was that why he had reached level 99 at just twelve years old?
What enviable talent. If I'd possessed talent like that, perhaps that beast of a master would never have been able to defile me back then?
Then I would have had the confidence to elope with Xiaogang.
At that thought, Bibi Dong couldn't help tightening her grip on her scepter.
Unfortunately, what happened had already happened. All I can do now is take revenge. Destroy the Angel Lineage! Destroy the Worship Hall!
Just you wait, Qian Daoliu. With Liu Hao joining us, that day won't be far off.
"Your Holiness, I assume I can join Spirit Hall now?"
Seeing that Bibi Dong seemed lost in thought, Liu Hao took the initiative to ask.
"...Of course. However, what position would you like?"
Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes fixed intently on Liu Hao's, trying to catch some hint of his intentions.
Bibi Dong's affection +1. Current affection: 28.
"Heh... Your Holiness, there's no need to test me or worry. I'm not interested in power. As I said before, my biggest reason for joining Spirit Hall is simply to pursue Miss Hu Liena. As for my position, arrange whatever you see fit, but please try not to make it too busy. I'm rather laid-back and prefer a leisurely post. Ideally, one where I have nothing to do most of the time and only need to act when something major happens."
Hearing Liu Hao's words, Bibi Dong couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief.
A taste for leisure is good. A taste for leisure means no ambition.
"Very well. In that case, I hereby appoint you the Ninth Elder of Spirit Hall. The investiture ceremony will take place in three days."
Bibi Dong's affection +1. Current affection: 29.
"Sure, then we have ourselves a happy agreement." Liu Hao rose with a smile, pressed his right fist against his left chest, and bowed slightly to Bibi Dong. "Your Holiness, I'll take my leave. I'll accompany Ghost Douluo to bring my brother back to Spirit Hall Academy to continue his studies."
Bibi Dong inclined her head slightly, then watched Liu Hao leave with Ghost Douluo and Liu Yao after they had also bowed.
"I hope Liu Hao really won't force Nana..."
Bibi Dong murmured to herself, her emotions tangled.
Gaining such a powerful subordinate was both a blessing and a headache.
"After all, if his actions don't match his words, I'm not absolutely confident I can subdue him..."
After taking Liu Yao back to Spirit Hall Academy, Liu Hao "affectionately" draped an arm around Gui Mei's shoulders as he tried to make his escape, as though they were old friends of many years.
"Ghost Douluo, do you remember what happened in Qingshi Village five years ago?"
Gulp-
Feeling the powerful arm behind his neck, Gui Mei nervously swallowed and forced a stiff, ugly smile. "Your Eminence Liu Hao, what happened back then was on His Holiness the Pope's orders. She instructed me to make sure I brought you all back to Spirit City. When I saw your father hesitating, I released just a tiny bit of pressure, but I controlled it very carefully. I absolutely didn't hurt anyone. Look, I'm also little Yao's teacher now, and I've always treated him very well. I..."
"Stop." Liu Hao raised a hand as he spoke, cutting Gui Mei off.
"I don't care what your reasons were back then, or how well you treat my brother now. You forced my entire family to kneel for over ten seconds. That's an indisputable fact. Don't worry. After all these years, most of my anger has worn away. I won't make things too difficult for you..."
Ghost Douluo's heart leaped with joy, but before he could breathe a sigh of relief, Liu Hao continued.
"However, I've spent all these years quietly cultivating and haven't had any actual combat yet. To be honest, I'm seriously lacking in combat experience."
???
Hearing those pointed words and recalling the other man's level 99 soul power and heaven-defying soul ring configuration, Gui Mei felt his throat tighten. "Your Eminence Liu Hao, I..."
"Hmm!?"
"I'm willing to spar with you! I'll help you improve your combat experience and master your strength as a level 99 Limit Douluo." Gui Mei shuddered and hurriedly changed his tune.
"Mm, very good. Then let's head outside Spirit City. There's plenty of open space, no one will interrupt us, and we'll have more room to let loose." Liu Hao nodded in satisfaction.
At this point, Gui Mei naturally had no further objections.
"Yes, Your Eminence Liu Hao."
The two left Spirit City to the southeast. At Liu Hao's suggestion, they flew another dozen or so li before stopping.
Liu Hao held nothing back. He immediately released his martial soul, the Azure Nether Staff, and all his soul rings appeared. As his soul power erupted at full force, it sent ripples shuddering through the surrounding air.
Cold sweat streamed down Gui Mei's face at the sight. I'm not going to meet my end here today, am I? Probably not. We're colleagues, after all, and I'm his own brother's teacher. Surely he won't kill me.
Only after repeatedly reassuring himself did Gui Mei release his soul rings, black vapor spreading over his entire body.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black.
The standard optimal soul ring configuration.
His martial soul was extremely unusual: a soul-type body martial soul with strong resistance to physical attacks. His soul skills enhanced that aspect even further.
Gui Mei's first few soul rings lit up one after another. His figure rapidly grew faint and indistinct, then vanished completely, merging into the surrounding space.
A Soul Master whose spiritual power wasn't strong enough would have lost track of him entirely at that point.
Unfortunately for him, Liu Hao's spiritual power was exceptionally strong.
This wasn't only because the system's simplification allowed him to improve his spiritual power along with his physique. More importantly, Liu Hao's current level was high enough.
Advancing in level also increased spiritual power to a certain extent.
Thus, although Gui Mei seemed perfectly concealed, his figure still had nowhere to hide from Liu Hao's eyes.
Seeing that his opponent had entered a combat-ready state, Liu Hao swiftly activated his first two soul rings, unleashing his first soul skill, Sweep Across a Thousand Armies, and his second soul skill, Sky-Piercing Strike.
Instantly, the Azure Nether Staff in his hand swelled in the wind, growing to three times its original size and reaching six meters in length.
With his soul skills doubling his attack speed, the Azure Nether Staff became an azure blur in Liu Hao's hands as it struck at Gui Mei, constantly switching between sweeping blows and downward smashes. The sharp whistle of air being torn apart rang out without pause.
Whenever it struck the ground, dust billowed, shattered stones flew, and the earth hummed beneath the terrifying force.
Yet, absurdly, Gui Mei remained completely unscathed.
That left Liu Hao feeling rather embarrassed. Well, damn. My attacks as a mighty Limit Douluo were actually blocked without a scratch by a Titled Douluo who was only level 95.
Although he knew Gui Mei had strong resistance to physical attacks, he hadn't expected it to be this outrageous.
So he skipped straight past his black soul rings and activated his red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!
Before you continue