Dukes, marquises, generals, and ministers

"That man... that man..."

In a corner of Wangjiang Tower, a shimmering blue curtain concealed Xia Yi and his two companions, who had already arrived, from everyone else. Shi Lai clenched both fists, almost bursting with anger!

He did not know why he was angry.

But he was furious.

Zhou Xiaoxian merely pressed her lips together, indignation stirring in her heart as she stared at Chen Guang working.

Drip.

A drop of water from somewhere fell to the floor, and Chen Guang casually wiped it away with his rag.

Shi Lai froze, his fists loosening slightly.

"Is he... crying?"

Zhou Xiaoxian's eyes instantly reddened too.

"That isn't crying. He just got sand in his eyes." Xia Yi shook his head. Once Chen Guang entered a private room with his mop, he led Zhou Xiaoxian and Shi Lai inside and dispelled Man Tian Guo Hai.

To Chen Guang, three people appeared before him in the blink of an eye. He remained fairly composed. Once he recognized them, he immediately pushed the private room's door tightly shut and asked hoarsely:

"You... sir, what Saint Soul was that? How long have you been here?"

"Why didn't you fight back? You're so strong! You could stab me to death with a single chopstick! Why didn't you stab that Feng Mo to death?!"

Chen Guang had no idea when he had ever stabbed Shi Lai to death with a chopstick, but he could tell from this that the three had arrived long ago. He gave a bitter smile. "Sir, you heard him. From now on... I'm afraid I can't serve you anymore. Please eat somewhere else."

"But!" Shi Lai stepped forward.

"He has two three-star Tianji guards with him. I can't kill him," Chen Guang replied slowly. "Besides, what would killing him accomplish? My wife, my children, and I would all die without even a place to be buried."

"But... but you... you're just going to..." Shi Lai did not know how to put it.

Chen Guang sighed. "The young master was right. I brought this on myself. I'm a coward, and greedy too. I deserve to have ended up like this."

As he spoke, he smiled again. "Fortunately, once I get through today, he probably won't trouble me again. Maybe he really will give me a restaurant to manage. I won't have to worry for the rest of my life."

Shi Lai was so angry he wanted to punch him twice, while Zhou Xiaoxian said softly, "Uncle Chen Guang, I'd like to hear your story. How did you..."

Chen Guang continued mopping, speaking as he worked.

There was nothing particularly unusual about it. His experience was much like Zhou Xiaoxian's: born a commoner, but extraordinarily talented, he had surpassed Feng Shuhu.

Just like Sun Xin, Feng Shuhu had tempted him into greed and lust, leading him to imprint the inferior rat Saint Soul.

"I suspected it back then, but I wasn't sure. Or rather, I didn't want to be sure that my second junior brother was deliberately harming me." Chen Guang spoke with easy composure, then shook his head. "Later, as I gained experience, I figured it out, but there was nothing I could do anymore. So I frittered away the years like this, smiling and serving guests at the restaurant every day. I got used to it."

"I really didn't know he had tampered with the medicine. It wasn't until I talked to you a few days ago, sir, that I finally understood everything."

"That second junior brother of mine looks so imposing, like an honorable man who would never scheme. In truth, he's full of sinister tricks."

"I was furious. I wanted to confront him, to fight him to the death. But in the end, I thought... forget it. Just forget it." He shook his head, repeating the words over and over. "Forget it."

"You're such a... coward!"

Shi Lai spoke angrily.

"He is a coward," Xia Yi added. "But he's also helpless, with nothing he can do."

"Yes, sir." Chen Guang nodded. "I have no money. All the money I greedily took back then went into that dose of Soul-Guarding Saint Medicine, and even that wasn't enough. I owed a great deal, and I've only just barely paid it all back after all these years. I have no strength either. Thirty-five years ago, I was the Holy Academy's senior disciple, at two-star Celestial Pivot. Now I can't make the slightest progress, while my second junior brother could crush me with one hand. What... can I do?"

"Besides, my second junior brother is now at five-star Jade Balance, a powerhouse eligible to become a marquis, the great general commanding all the troops in Zhi Prefecture! His father-in-law is at six-star Kaiyang, equal in standing to a duke, and the current prime minister, with overwhelming power! And me? A waiter at one of the countless restaurants his wife owns?"

"Who could I ask to stand up for me? How could I take revenge? Could Prefect Sun Sheng help me? Could that tyrant of our Great Zheng help me? Or could you help me, sir?"

"So... forget it. Forget it."

"I'll help you!" Shi Lai clenched his fists. "I'll remember this. I'll avenge you! I might not be able to now, but give me two years, and I'll beat them all to death!"

Chen Guang merely shook his head and smiled, not believing a word.

Xia Yi stepped on the mop. Still mopping, Chen Guang jerked his hands and pulled its handle free.

"You've ground quite a point on this mop handle."

Chen Guang's expression froze.

"If you truly never thought of revenge, why secretly sharpen it?" Xia Yi patted Chen Guang's shoulder and smiled. "A six-star duke? A five-star marquis? A great general? The current prime minister?"

"How very impressive."

"Dukes. Marquises. Generals. Ministers!" Xia Yi enunciated each word, his voice rising, before abruptly declaring in a low shout, "Are dukes, marquises, generals, and ministers born to their stations?!"

Huh, that line... sounds so familiar. Isn't that from that guy... Shi Lai blinked.

Chen Guang froze too, his expression moved.

"Are dukes, marquises, generals, and ministers born to their stations?"

"Are dukes, marquises, generals, and ministers born to their stations?!"

Those words gave voice to everything Chen Guang had wanted to express these past few days but had held back!

Murmuring them over and over, he suddenly tightened both hands around the mop handle, as though gripping a spear!

Two streams of cloudy tears flowed from his eyes!

His humble smile gradually faded!

A hint of sharpness shone through!

Little by little, Chen Guang seemed to return to thirty-five years ago, recovering his spirited former self!

A dim glow appeared around him and Xia Yi at the same time! In the sky, beneath the dazzling sunlight, six stars suddenly shone in broad daylight!

Countless gazes turned toward the sky!

Some asked in bewilderment what this was.

Some searched their memories in thought.

Xiyuan Marquis Song Qu, Governor of Zhi Prefecture Sun Sheng, Jiedushi Feng Shuhu, the Holy Academy President and Deputy Dean, every powerhouse above five stars on the Saint Soul Continent, and every widely knowledgeable cultivator all stepped out into open spaces, gazing up at the sky with moved expressions!

"Stars appearing in daylight! Six stars hanging high!"

"A new six-star Saint Soul has been born!"

Compared with one- to Five-Star Saint Souls, a six-star Saint Soul represented a transformation in every respect!

Five-Star Saint Souls were countless, but there were fewer than a hundred kinds of six-star Saint Souls. Whenever a new kind was added, an extraordinary phenomenon appeared!

It drew the attention of the entire Saint Soul Continent!

But no one could discern the phenomenon's source.

Neither the Xiyuan Marquis nor the others could imagine that the six-star Saint Soul had emerged in Lieyang City. And moreover...

Inside a little restaurant! In a little private room! With a young boy and girl watching! Xia Yi and Chen Guang had added an entirely new kind to the Human Race's six-star Saint Souls!

The dim glow around Xia Yi faded first, and the dazzling brilliance in his eyes gradually receded. Examining himself, he could not help feeling delighted. The newly formed six-star Saint Soul had reinforced his Three Souls. His soul injuries had taken a great leap toward recovery and were now half healed!

Forming a Saint Soul required the corresponding personal understanding. Hitching this ride with Chen Guang had been very comfortable indeed!

Chen Guang felt even better. Even Xia Yi's injuries had largely recovered; forming the six-star Saint Soul had healed Chen Guang's injuries instantly, and made him stronger! Stronger than he had been at his peak!

"Thank you, senior, for giving me a new life!"

He dropped to one knee and bowed deeply.

Xia Yi accepted it without reservation.

"What was that just now? Grandpa and you were glowing together!" Shi Lai exclaimed.

Xia Yi did not answer, reaching out to point beyond the window.

Chen Guang turned to look. Several hundred meters away, a girl holding a massive sword had blocked Feng Mo and his two guard attendants!

"You and I comprehended this Saint Soul together. That makes a bond between us. Go vent your anger. Your teacher will handle what follows!" Xia Yi said gravely.

Chen Guang smiled hoarsely. "Thank you, sir. No, thank you, Teacher!"

Picking up the mop handle, he leaped straight out of Wangjiang Tower's second-floor window. After thirty-five years as a cripple, he was still unaccustomed to suddenly having two sound legs. He staggered on landing and almost fell!

Yet he was still laughing.

His laughter grew louder and louder!

"Hahahahaha..."

"Thank you, Teacher, for giving me a new life!"

With a wild roar, he charged out!

Gripping the mop handle in both hands, he lunged straight at Feng Mo!