"A plague has broken out? Why hasn't anyone dealt with it?"
"If only Qian Xunji caught the plague right now and died. Then there wouldn't be a war, and Spirit Hall wouldn't dream of unifying the continent!"
"Heh, even thinking with your toes, you'd know Qian Xunji would leave immediately. Otherwise, how could he still be alive today?"
Everyone discussed the scene on the sky screen.
"Young master, for your safety, we should leave this place at once."
Gui Mei, standing nearby, spoke up as well.
Just as everyone thought Qian Xunji would heed the advice and leave the town with the two of them...
They saw Qian Xunji shake his head.
"I'm not leaving!"
"Why, young master?"
Yue Guan's face immediately filled with anxiety.
"Because I said before that I wanted both Soul Masters and commoners on the Douluo Continent to live happy lives. Now that this town is caught in a plague, I can't just leave."
Yue Guan and Gui Mei froze at his words.
And it wasn't just Yue Guan and Gui Mei. Everyone on the Douluo Continent was astonished by the sight.
"N-no, wait. Qian Xunji actually said he wouldn't leave! Isn't he afraid of catching the plague?"
Although Soul Masters possessed Soul Power and were immune to certain kinds of poison, even they could contract a plague. Without a cure, it would also be very difficult to treat.
Bibi Dong withdrew her gaze from the sky screen and looked at the figure standing not far away.
Teacher really was charming when he was young!
But why had Teacher later done that sort of thing to her? At the thought of being imprisoned in the secret chamber and subjected to Qian Xunji's abuse, Bibi Dong's heart filled with resentment once more.
Teacher, why did you treat me like that?
On the sky screen, Qian Xunji turned to Yue Guan and instructed him.
"Yue Guan, sorry for the trouble, but go contact the nearest Spirit Hall Branch and have them send medical personnel and supplies here."
"Young master, are you going to...?"
"As Spirit Hall's young master, I have a responsibility to resolve the plague in this town."
Hearing this, Yue Guan and Gui Mei looked at their young master, and an unfamiliar feeling rose from deep within their hearts.
As one of the most distinguished people on the Douluo Continent, their young master was actually willing to go this far for commoners.
"Understood, young master. I'll contact the nearest Spirit Hall Branch right away!"
"Old Gui, you must protect the young master."
Yue Guan turned to Gui Mei and urged him.
"Do I need your nagging? With me here, I won't let the young master suffer the slightest harm!"
A trace of impatience flashed across Gui Mei's face.
"Then I'll be off, young master!"
Qian Xunji nodded. The next second, Yue Guan vanished from his side, and within a few leaps, his figure disappeared into the distance.
Qian Xunji looked at the masked person who had spoken to them.
"Are you the mayor of this town?"
The masked person froze, then hurriedly bowed and replied respectfully.
"No, my lord. I'm not the mayor, just a resident here."
"Where is your mayor?"
"Take me to him!"
Qian Xunji spoke in a low voice.
"Yes, my lord!"
"Young master, for safety's sake, please put this mask on first!"
Gui Mei handed him a piece of silk.
Qian Xunji did not fuss. He took it and covered his face.
Under the resident's guidance, Qian Xunji and Gui Mei soon arrived before a house that was clearly far more luxurious than the other houses in town.
"My lord, this is the mayor's home."
"Knock on the door!"
"Yes, my lord!"
The resident went forward and knocked. A voice soon came from inside.
"Who's out there?"
"Didn't I tell you not to bother me unless it's important? What if you bring the plague inside and infect me?"
An utterly cold voice came from behind the door.
Qian Xunji's gaze chilled slightly at those words. There was no need to think about it: the mayor had hidden in his home to avoid the plague, completely disregarding whether the townspeople lived or died!
"Mr. Mayor, some important people wish to see you!"
"What important people?"
The resident turned to look at Qian Xunji and Gui Mei.
Gui Mei stepped forward and kicked the door. The entire door flew inward, and a scream rang out from inside the house.
"M-my lord, you..."
The resident was so frightened that he began to stammer.
Gui Mei stepped aside, and Qian Xunji walked slowly through the entrance.
The door lay on the ground. Beside it, a fat, big-eared man was clutching his bleeding nose and crying out in pain.
"Y-you, who are you?"
"You actually barged into my home! Believe it or not, I'll have the town guards throw you in prison!"
"Oh? Throw us in prison? That depends on whether you have the ability!"
Gui Mei raised a finger and smiled darkly. His imposing presence suddenly surged outward, stunning the mayor.
Th-this kind of might... he could be a Soul Ancestor, or even a Soul King.
The strongest person he had ever seen was only a Soul King. Anything beyond that was already outside the knowledge of a mere town mayor like him.
The mayor immediately scrambled up and prostrated himself on the ground.
"I-I'm sorry, Lord Soul Master! I had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. Please forgive me, Lord Soul Master!"
A pair of exquisite shoes inlaid with gold thread appeared in the prostrate mayor's field of vision.
"Tell me, when did the plague in this town begin?"
The mayor did not dare raise his head and answered with a tremble.
"Lord Soul Master, the plague began a little over a week ago. At first, only a few people came down with fevers, and no one paid attention. Only when people kept falling ill one after another did we realize it was a plague!"
"Did you report the plague to the main city?"
"Y-yes, but the main city hasn't sent anyone. Our town simply has no way to treat this plague on our own."
Qian Xunji frowned slightly. A plague had broken out, yet the main city had not sent anyone to handle it.
"From now on, I'm taking charge of this town. Gather the uninfected residents immediately. I have questions for them!"
"Y-yes, my lord!"
The mayor stammered out his reply, then stood and hurried away with the resident.
A little over ten minutes later, the townspeople who had not yet contracted the plague gathered in the town square.
Looking at the mere few dozen people scattered before him, Qian Xunji knew the plague was already extremely serious.
Among the crowd, a masked girl in a blue dress looked at the figure ahead, surprise flashing in her eyes.
She recognized him as the handsome youth she had encountered outside the Soul Beast Forest a few days earlier.
"Does anyone know what the first people to fall ill with fevers ate or drank?"
Qian Xunji asked loudly.
The people below looked at one another, but no one answered.
Seeing this, Qian Xunji knew he would not learn the plague's source through questioning. He could only arrange what they would do next.
"Now, follow my instructions and divide the town into three areas."
"House the severely ill townspeople in the eastern district, and those with mild symptoms in the southern district. Everyone who hasn't been infected must stay away from these patients."
"Set up isolation zones between all three areas to prevent the plague from spreading further..."
As they listened to Qian Xunji's arrangements, the people who had been running around like headless flies suddenly seemed to have found their backbone.
Standing nearby, Gui Mei was also deeply shocked by how methodically Qian Xunji organized everything.
Once Qian Xunji finished, everyone immediately began working according to his instructions.
Qian Xunji approached the girl in the blue dress. Their eyes met, and she immediately looked away.
"Do you remember me?"
"We met outside the Soul Beast Forest!"
Qian Xunji spoke softly as he looked at the blue-dressed girl before him.
"Yes, I remember!"
The girl in the blue dress nodded slightly.
"My name is Qian Xunji. What's yours?"
"M-my name is Ah Yin!"
The girl in the blue dress hesitated for a moment, but still gave him her name!