This Wasn't a Loss!

"Senior, this junior is Zhang Lexuan, a student of Shrek Academy's Inner Court." While continuing to use her soul skill to restrain the Eclipse Demon Wolf, Zhang Lexuan spoke respectfully.

"Today, Senior acted righteously to help us. On behalf of the academy and the junior brothers and sisters present, this junior offers our deepest gratitude!"

"Additionally, this junior has an impertinent request." Her tone became gentle, and she lowered her stance considerably. "This junior's Soul Power has just reached Rank 80, and this Eclipse Demon Wolf's Soul Ring is also perfectly suited to me."

"If possible, Lexuan would like to ask Senior to help defeat this Eclipse Demon Wolf. Afterward, this junior is willing to offer its Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone with both hands."

"There will also be further rewards for saving our lives today. As long as it is something Lexuan can do, I will never refuse!"

If this unknown Titled Douluo had not appeared, it was uncertain whether they would have survived today, let alone dared to speak of hunting the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that had attacked them. He had already saved their lives, an act they had no way to repay. Asking him for further help was an entirely different matter.

Helping them hunt it was enough reason to give him the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone. The debt of saving their lives had to be counted separately. If she lumped them together—

That would be greedily treating him like a fool, and it would be terribly discourteous!

"You're a clever little girl, and you know how to keep things straight." Du Busi smiled.

"However, what you've offered still isn't enough. In fact, it falls short!" As he maneuvered around the Eclipse Demon Wolf with his powerful body, he spoke indifferently.

"With your strength, even if you joined forces, you would not have the ability to kill this Hundred-Thousand-Year Eclipse Demon Wolf. If Old Man had not intervened in time, you likely would have been wiped out. And as you can see, Old Man is fully capable of hunting this soul beast alone."

"So if Old Man kills it myself now, I can still obtain its soul bone."

"In other words, little girl, you cannot use this creature's soul bone as a condition for exchange. You cannot handle it, but Old Man can. This is not a fair trade."

"Furthermore, Old Man did not save only your life today, little girl, but twelve lives. Every debt belongs to its own person. Heh, Shrek Academy owes Old Man no small favor this time!"

Never mind these students—Du Busi would remember the debt Shrek Academy owed him for the rest of his life!

"Senior is right!" Zhang Lexuan admitted it openly, then asked politely, "Then what does Senior propose?"

Du Busi swept his gaze over the students who had already withdrawn from the battle, before returning his eyes to Zhang Lexuan. He said solemnly, "Little girl, remember this: the reason Old Man was willing to save you today, and help you obtain this Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, was entirely because you and your companions have gone out to eliminate Evil Soul Masters, punish evil, uphold justice, and done good deeds for the common people."

"But one matter is one matter. Old Man is not some elder in your family, so there is no such thing as taking it for granted."

"This is a matter of principle!"

He did not like owing favors, nor did he like others treating his help as something natural and expected. That would only make certain people less likely to remember their place, perhaps even embolden them.

Especially those who liked to use moral coercion—he had seen plenty of them over the past few years.

They were all fucking spoiled!

As the master of a Sect and a teacher, he had to lead by example. He could not let the children learn bad habits.

One could do good deeds without seeking repayment, but one had to clearly distinguish gratitude from resentment and settle accounts properly. This concerned one's values and principles of conduct; they absolutely could not be confused.

What had happened today would be more than enough to become a major case study for teaching his Sect disciples.

"So, for saving your lives today and helping you hunt this Soul Ring, you still owe the debts you ought to owe!" Du Busi continued. "Even if Old Man does not need you to repay them in the future. But if you truly want to repay them, then go do more good deeds."

Since he had run into them, and the Soul Ring was useless to him, with a soul bone available, he would be a fool not to take it.

He was helping Shrek students hunt a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast and had saved them as well. Even if Shrek Academy learned of it, they would have no face to bring up their old agreement that the Body Sect was not to hunt Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest.

Besides, even if he did not kill it today, given this girl's talent, Shrek Academy would still bring people back to kill it later. By that calculation, he was taking a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone right off Shrek Academy's head today.

This was not a loss!

"Senior is truly righteous. This junior will remember it in her heart!" Zhang Lexuan said solemnly, her face filled with respect.

"Good that you'll remember." Du Busi raised his chin slightly, then directly activated his Martial Soul Avatar. A golden humanoid phantom appeared behind him.

Soul Rings also emerged beneath his feet, colored yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, red, red, and red.

Zhang Lexuan was utterly shocked, and her tone became even more respectful. "You are Senior Du Busi of the Body Sect!"

When possessors of Body Martial Souls used the abilities gained from the second evolution of their Martial Souls, a phantom condensed from their own Martial Soul would almost always appear behind them. The trait was extremely obvious.

The phantom behind this middle-aged man was golden, and it was humanoid. Combined with such a Soul Ring configuration—

There was only one person in the entire Soul Master World today: Du Busi, the master of the Body Sect.

"That's right. It is indeed Old Man." Du Busi admitted calmly.

"We can talk later. Let's deal with this fellow first." As he spoke, he went all out, hammering the demon wolf's skull with a barrage of fierce blows.

"Yes, Senior!" Zhang Lexuan said no more and immediately used her soul skills to assist in restraining it.

"It's actually Senior Du Busi of the Body Sect!" The Shrek Inner Court disciples watching from afar were all stunned.

Then some wore strange expressions. They knew that Du Busi and Shrek Academy were at odds, having secretly competed with each other for years.

"I never expected that we would be saved by this senior today."

Yet others looked composed as they said, "No matter what, Senior Du Busi truly saved our lives today. Just as Senior said before, one matter is one matter. We must remember this favor."

"That's right!" someone said, still shaken.

Du Busi's strength was formidable, and every move he made carried extraordinary might. Before long, the sight left several of them staring in dumbfounded amazement.

Not much later, the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Eclipse Demon Wolf that had been chasing them and terrifying them out of their wits collapsed to the ground, even its eyes turning clear.

"Humans," it began to speak in human language.

Unwilling to let further complications arise and draw other Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts over, Zhang Lexuan did not hesitate to finish it off.

A scarlet Soul Ring soon floated out.

At the same time, red light flickered around the corpse's right arm, revealing a scarlet Right Arm Bone that continuously emitted a violent aura.

Seeing this, Zhang Lexuan hurriedly lowered her head to pick it up. Then, with a grateful expression, she walked to Du Busi, bowed, and offered him the soul bone.

"Many thanks to Senior for today."

Du Busi accepted it openly and stored it in his Soul Tool, silently lamenting that it was a Right Arm Bone. If it had been a pure Spirit Attribute head soul bone, it would have been perfect for his disciple to absorb.

Still, it was not bad. He could save it for Long Aotian to absorb in the future; it would suit him well too. However, the energy contained within this soul bone was far too violent, mixed with an exceptionally savage and bloodthirsty aura. It likely carried the Eclipse Demon Wolf's Berserk skill. Long Aotian definitely could not absorb it now. If things went badly, he might even be affected by the bloodthirsty aura within and lose his mind.

He would probably have to wait until he broke through to Soul Sage. With a silent sigh, Du Busi nodded slightly. "No need for formalities. Hurry and absorb the Soul Ring."

Who would have thought that Zhang Lexuan not only did not turn back, but suddenly knelt down instead.

"Girl, what are you doing?" Du Busi was taken aback and somewhat puzzled.