His subordinate hurriedly gave him an ingratiating smile. "Yes, my lord. Boss Liang's business has done well this year, so he specially invited you to celebrate over drinks and give you your share of the profits."
"Oh? He knows how things work. Looks like he needs my help again." The corners of the man's mouth rose slightly. He was clearly quite pleased with Liang Wu for knowing how things worked.
"Did the matches go smoothly?"
"Yes, yes. The child you sold to Boss Liang made him a huge fortune, and business is booming again this year."
"Hahahaha! Five years ago, I was a little reluctant to make that decision, but now I'm getting nearly a million Gold Soul Coins as my share. That's been a huge help to me." The man broke into a delighted laugh.
Inside, Liang Wu also saw that he had arrived and said to Father Zhang:
"Go inform my lord that he's here, and make preparations."
"Mm."
Meanwhile.
Inside the room, Toji sat cross-legged in the center, his eyes closed and his breathing steady and deep.
A faint red glow surrounded his body, as though an invisible flame burned within him.
A dense scent of blood filled the air, as though his blood and Qi had saturated the entire room.
Toji's chest rose and fell slowly with each breath, each one following a peculiar rhythm, as though resonating with the energy between heaven and earth.
His heart beat steadily, echoing throughout the room like a pounding drum.
Ever since returning yesterday, Toji had been consuming nourishing treasures like Li Erpang's Whale Rubber.
He had started with the hundred-year-old variety, then moved on to the thousand-year-old variety, absorbing them until now. Their immense energy surged through his meridians like a flood, washing over every inch of his flesh and every bone.
Under the impact of the heavenly treasures' energy, all the meridians in his body continued to expand and grow tougher, and his blood and Qi had grown stronger than before.
A faint golden light even shimmered over the surface of Toji's skin, as though an invisible suit of armor covered his body.
Nourished by the energy, his muscles had grown firmer and more defined, full of explosive power.
His whole body seemed to have shed its mortal shell and been reborn, and his presence was several times stronger than before.
Just then, the door was pushed gently open and Father Zhang walked in. He was about to make his report, but when he saw Toji's current state, he froze.
The moment he opened the door, the waves of blood and Qi that washed over him left Father Zhang feeling suffocated, as though he had stepped into a blazing sea of fire.
Even Father Zhang, with his formidable level sixty-two cultivation, felt his pupils contract slightly as he faced such Bloodline Power.
He could sense the immense power within Toji, like a slumbering behemoth slowly awakening.
He had never seen blood and Qi of this magnitude before.
"Is this little fellow really a Soul Master without Soul Power?" Father Zhang smiled with a trace of bitterness. At his age, he had only reached the Soul Emperor realm... while Toji was still young and clearly had limitless potential.
Since the little fellow was at a critical moment, he had better not disturb him yet.
He was just about to go outside and stand guard for Toji when the fluctuations of blood and Qi in the room gradually steadied. Toji's breaths also grew longer and deeper, and he slowly opened his eyes.
"Uncle Zhang, is he here?"
Though Toji's voice was perfectly calm, that very calm made Father Zhang feel an invisible pressure descend upon him.
"Yes, he's already at the Soul Fighting Arena. But judging by how you look, your gains have been extraordinary." Father Zhang was somewhat surprised.
Toji slowly stood and stretched his limbs. A series of cracks and pops came from within his body, as though every bone were leaping for joy.
Feeling the surging power within him, Toji spoke with a hint of resignation:
"My gains were great, but... my Martial Soul is rather unusual. Unless I break through my limits between life and death, I can't reach the next realm at all. I'm forcibly stuck at the Soul Elder realm now."
"Your Martial Soul really is unprecedentedly unusual." Father Zhang gave a helpless laugh. It was the first time he had encountered a Martial Soul that required a major breakthrough between life and death to reach the next realm.
Still, he had seen even stranger Martial Souls before.
Over in the Star Luo Empire, there was a person whose Martial Soul was the Heavenly Fiend Lone Star. From the day of his Martial Soul Awakening, everyone close to him had been doomed to die.
One could only say that among the myriad Martial Souls in the world, there was no shortage of bizarre ones.
"Unusual as your Martial Soul is, and restrictive as it is when it comes to improving your cultivation, the combat power it gives you is far greater than that of ordinary Martial Souls. Having the terrifying combat power to rival a Soul King while at the Soul Elder realm is something no one would dare imagine."
"That's true. Although the increase in combat power is huge, the cultivation process is excruciating, and it's basically very hard to endure. I feel like I've crawled back from the brink of death three times already."
Toji shook his head and put away the remaining Whale Rubber.
"Let's go. I hope my improvement will give us a better chance of winning this battle."
The dining hall reserved for honored guests at the Soul Fighting Arena was brightly lit. The table was laden with a sumptuous spread of food and wine, their aromas wafting through the room, while Liang Wu sat in his seat, waiting patiently.
Before long, a man in a Shrek uniform strode in. As soon as he entered, he saw Liang Wu, who had been waiting a long time, and walked up to him heartily.
"Hahaha, long time no see, Boss Liang. You've called me back to give me another share of the profits. Looks like you've made quite a lot."
Liang Wu hurriedly rose, his face wreathed in smiles. "Yes, Brother Luo Tian. Naturally, I couldn't have made so much money without your help. Come, come, have a seat. I've prepared fine food and wine for you."
Luo Tian casually pulled out a chair and sat down. He swept his gaze over the table and nodded in satisfaction.
"Liang Wu, you've really gone all out. But did you call me over because something happened? Is there anything you need my help with?"
Liang Wu smiled and waved a hand.
"If it weren't for your help, how could I ever have seen such glorious days? It's thanks to you that I got this business off the ground. Naturally, I should repay you generously. How could I ask you for more help?"
Luo Tian laughed heartily, raised his cup, and took a hearty drink. "That's what I like to hear. This wine of yours is excellent."
Liang Wu hurriedly refilled his cup and said with a smile, "If you like it, Brother Luo Tian, take it with you. You must have a few more drinks today, and we'll celebrate properly."
Luo Tian nodded, clearly pleased by Liang Wu's flattery. As he drank, he asked casually, "By the way, is that child I sold you still around?"
Liang Wu hurriedly nodded. "Yes, of course he is. Fit and healthy, too. Otherwise, how could I have made so much money?"
With that, Liang Wu took out a stack of gold notes.
"Please have a look, Brother Luo Tian."
Luo Tian took them and looked, his eyes going wide.
Several hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins!
Even as a Shrek disciple, saving several hundred thousand over the years had been no easy feat.
Now that he had so many Gold Soul Coins as his share, he accepted them without hesitation, growing even more relaxed in body and mind.
"If you need anything in the future, just ask. If I can help, I certainly will." Luo Tian laughed from the bottom of his heart. "As for those two fellows, don't even mention them. They're both terribly arrogant. No matter how much of a share you gave them, they probably wouldn't even spare you a glance. I'm different. I treat you as a brother."
Liang Wu felt contempt in his heart. He wondered what made Luo Tian any different from the other two, but still said with a smile:
"Yes, yes. That's precisely why I truly respect you, Brother Luo Tian. See? Whenever there's something good, you're the first person I tell."
"Next time there's something this good, remember to call me." Luo Tian was so delighted he couldn't stop grinning. "Come, drink! Tonight, we won't leave until we're drunk!"