Behind the old man stood an equally elderly woman and a young girl. The old woman held a Serpent Cane, and her face was somewhat stern and sharp. The girl was only sixteen, with delicate features and unusual smoky makeup that gave her a distinctly exotic air.
Xiao Yan cupped his hands. Clearly, these two were no nameless nobodies in the Soul Master World. From their attire and Martial Souls, he had already deduced the identities of the two seniors.
Dragon Duke Meng Shu and Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang were the Peerless Dragon Snake, a pair renowned throughout the Soul Master World.
"The Man Faced Demon Spider, my Man Faced Demon Spider!" Meng Yiran stamped her foot in a rage. Having Soul Beasts she had set her sights on snatched away twice in succession was clearly more than she could bear. She was nearly at her breaking point and could no longer control her emotions.
"You! Were you the one who stole my Soul Beast?!" Meng Yiran waved her hand, and a Serpent Cane appeared in her palm. She raised her right hand and pointed her Martial Soul straight at Xiao Yan.
Clearly, the moment she received an affirmative answer, she would attack Xiao Yan, determined to take the black-robed youth's life.
"Yiran, don't be rash." The Dragon Duke rapped his cane against the ground, stopping her. As a Soul Douluo, he naturally had extraordinary judgment. Although the youth before him looked no older than twelve, the fluctuations of Soul Power around him clearly far surpassed those of his granddaughter, whom he regarded as a peerless genius. If this youth was not a scion of a great clan, he was surely a favored genius of Spirit Hall. Either way, he had a mighty expert protecting him, and they could not make an enemy of him lightly.
"May I ask where you hail from, young friend, and who your master is?" Meng Shu asked Xiao Yan. Though he could not conceal the air of a superior in his words, he had clearly done his utmost to be courteous to Xiao Yan, whom he regarded as a mere junior.
Xiao Yan cupped his hands and declared, "This junior is Xiao Yan. My master is Bibi Dong." With that, all four of his Soul Rings emerged at once. Powerful fluctuations of Soul Power swept in every direction, and his presence was not the least bit inferior to Meng Shu's.
Chao Tianxiang trembled all over at his words. Meng Yiran's face was even more openly filled with shock. She covered her mouth lightly with a jade hand, no longer daring to act out.
Of the three, only the Dragon Duke remained calm and composed, seemingly taking no notice of Xiao Yan's words. Yet had an expert been present, they would surely have noticed the slight tremor in the Dragon Duke's Soul Power. Clearly, the news had stirred the still waters of his heart.
"So it is Lord Holy Son. Please accept Meng Shu's respects." After a period of silence, the Dragon Duke bowed slightly to Xiao Yan, and Snake Granny did the same. Only Meng Yiran was too shaken by the youth before her to think, and she stared straight at him. Seeing this, Xiao Yan put on no airs and gave her a gentle smile. At that, Meng Yiran finally became too bashful to bear it and lowered her head.
"There's no need for such courtesy. Dragon Duke and Snake Granny, your names have long resounded in my ears like thunder." Xiao Yan was courteous as well, which was no surprise. He had always been the sort to repay a foot of respect with ten.
"An empty reputation in the jianghu, not worth a smile," the Dragon Duke said modestly. Xiao Yan might have been a junior, but several days ago, Bibi Dong had personally presented him with the Holy Son Token before everyone in Spirit Hall, conferring upon him the position of Holy Son. To see him was to see the Pope. Within a few days, the news had spread across the Douluo Continent. Everyone knew that Pope Bibi Dong had two disciples whom she valued highly. After this, perhaps any expert on the Douluo Continent would have to regard Xiao Yan and the other disciple as equals. "If Lord Holy Son needs this Man Faced Demon Spider, we shall gladly oblige. You hunted and killed it yourself, Lord Holy Son, so it is only right that it belongs to you. Meng Shu can stand guard for you as an apology for my granddaughter's rash offense just now."
"There's no need. I only helped with a small matter; I don't need the Man Faced Demon Spider." Xiao Yan waved a hand. Meng Shu was startled, though it was no wonder. How could Xiao Yan, Spirit Hall's Holy Son, fight for his life to hunt for Soul Rings like a mere independent cultivator? He asked in puzzlement, "Then, Lord Holy Son, you...?"
Xiao Yan pointed at Tang San, who was absorbing the Soul Ring, and said, "Though I'm unwilling, I do owe that man a favor. It's only natural to repay it to his son." With that, Xiao Yan left as though no one else were there, leaving only a few words behind.
"Senior Dragon Duke, there are many Soul Beasts here, so it must be dangerous. I don't need you to stand guard for me; just protect Tang San." After speaking, Xiao Yan shook his head, as though he wished to forget everything that had happened in the past.
Tang Hao... you are not my father, and you aren't worthy of being my father. Though you never raised me, you did at least provide me with a place to stay. Owing you that kindness has always left me ill at ease... Today, I protected your son. If I hadn't been there, the Dragon Duke and Snake Granny would surely have interrupted Tang San's breakthrough, and your son's life would have been in danger...
Let the bond between us end today.
I said I would repay the humiliation of that day. Clear Sky Douluo? Heh...
Nothing but a clay chicken and a pottery dog, a man with a straw marker in his hair, offering up his head for sale.
A stick of incense later, Zhao Wuji and his group came galloping up. When they arrived, the shock in their eyes was impossible to conceal.
They saw the Dragon Duke and Snake Granny, the seniors of the Soul Master World whose strength far surpassed theirs and with whom they had just made an enemy, standing at either side of Tang San, clearly guarding him.
"May I ask what you two are...?" Zhao Wuji bowed and asked in confusion.
But the Dragon Duke and Snake Granny were clearly still nursing their anger and could not be bothered to answer him. Feeling snubbed, Zhao Wuji stopped trying to provoke the old couple.
Suddenly, a current of Soul Power swept out. Zhao Wuji and his group lit up with delight. Tang San had clearly broken through.
Tang San slowly rose, a deep, powerful flow of Soul Power coursing through every limb and bone in his body. This trip had been quite fruitful. He glanced discreetly at his back, thinking that there were too many eyes and ears here for him to speak of it. Then he gave the Dragon Duke and Snake Granny a deep bow.
"You two seniors are truly noble and honorable. You did not disturb my breakthrough, and I admire you for it..." "Boy, you don't have that much face." Meng Shu interrupted Tang San's thanks in a low voice. "I might not have interrupted your breakthrough today, but that was only out of regard for someone else."
"Yiran, was it you?" Tang San smiled gently at Meng Yiran, but for some reason, her face remained red. She hid behind her grandmother, unwilling to spare Tang San a glance.
"Don't bother guessing. That lord didn't want his name mentioned, but I won't stand by and watch a crafty boy like you receive his kindness without knowing it," Meng Shu answered angrily. Clearly, he was not speaking up for Xiao Yan; he had only stood guard here because of Xiao Yan's status. Standing guard for a junior who had stolen his prey had left him feeling utterly humiliated, and now he could only vent his anger on Tang San. "You aren't worthy of having me stand guard for you. I protected you here only because I owed a lord of Spirit Hall that much regard."
"Spirit Hall...?"
"That's right. It was Spirit Hall's new Holy Son, His Holiness the Pope's personal disciple, His Highness Xiao Yan."
With that, the Dragon Duke and his companions strode away, clearly never having regarded Tang San and the others as worthy of notice.
"Xiao Yan... Xiao?"
Tang San clenched his fists. He had never imagined that Tang Yan would even dare to change his surname. He had no regard whatsoever for their father, or for Tang San, his elder brother.
Anger surged in his heart, but none of it showed on his face. He thanked Zhao Wuji and the others, then resumed searching for traces of Xiao Wu.
But when no one was looking, Tang San gave a cold laugh and glared viciously in the direction from which Xiao Yan had come running to help him.
Now that we are no longer brothers, this Xiao Yan has probably become Spirit Hall's lackey... Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan, you betrayed Father and disregarded our family bond. Since we cannot be family, we can only be enemies...
When facing an enemy, as long as they have a way to deserve death, show no mercy. Otherwise, you will only bring trouble upon yourself.