Tang San's Misery

The fight was over. Tang San had taken a rather miserable beating; the gap in raw strength was there for all to see.

What shocked everyone, however, was that Liu Wei had actually been injured.

Liu Wei looked at his left hand. A short bolt like a steel nail had pierced it. It was not deep, but it had most certainly injured him.

His pupils dilated, his face filled with disbelief:

"How is that possible? You're just a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master."

Tang San sounded composed, but his face was covered in bruises and swollen like a pig's head, leaving him with no air of dignity whatsoever:

"Nothing is impossible. There are only trash Martial Souls, only trash Soul Masters."

That line again. Xiao Yao wanted to laugh. Paired with Tang San's current appearance, it was even funnier.

He was not the only one who laughed. Liu Wei did too:

"No trash Martial Souls? Then go ahead and beat me with that Blue Silver Grass in your hand. Instead, my spear tore your Blue Silver Grass to shreds, and you only injured me with that thing on your hand. What was it called? Oh, a Hidden Weapon."

"But that's all it amounts to. It couldn't even seriously injure me. Now pay the price for your arrogance."

As he spoke, the two Yellow Soul Rings beneath his feet flared, and he moved to deliver the final blow to Tang San.

Ma Xiunuo stopped him, however.

He was also a rank-twenty-nine Battle Soul Master, and his Martial Soul was the rather formidable War Tiger. He had no fear of Liu Wei and even faintly gained the upper hand.

"Enough. This is Mo City. You dare lay hands on a newly awakened Soul Master? Aren't you afraid the bishop will punish you?"

Only then did Liu Wei relent. "Just you wait. At the tournament, the people we select will teach you an unforgettable lesson."

With that, he turned and entered the hotel.

Xiao Yao was very satisfied with what he had seen. Tang San had suffered a loss and offended an entire city's branch hall.

Although he had not gotten to see Tang San offend all of Spirit Hall, this was still pretty good.

Xiao Wu asked curiously, "Brother Xiao Yao, why do I get the feeling you're targeting this Tang San?"

"He dared flirt with you right in front of me. Not teaching him a lesson myself already showed considerable restraint."

"Nonsense. Nobody was flirting with me." Xiao Wu's face reddened again.

The three checked into the hotel under Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo's arrangements. He also specifically reminded Tang San to rest well and prepare for the upcoming "New Soul" tournament.

That evening, Tang San came to their room.

"What brings you here? Didn't Grandmaster Ma Xiunuo tell you to get some proper rest?"

The swelling on Tang San's face had already gone down. Spirit Hall's healing Soul Masters could treat these little brats' injuries with ease.

Tang San still looked very weak, however:

"I... I came to discuss our battle plan for the tournament."

He tried to make his voice as faint as possible, but Xiao Yao could still hear that it had plenty of strength behind it.

Xiao Yao understood. This brat Tang San wanted to play the suffering victim to win the beauty's favor.

He simply played along and let Tang San inside.

"Brother Xiao Yao, who is it?"

Xiao Wu had just finished bathing. She wore pink pajamas, her damp hair hanging down on either side and wetting her collar as well.

What a lotus emerging from the water.

Tang San stared, his eyes fixed on her.

Xiao Wu did not greet him kindly, however. She had never liked men who clung like adhesive plasters to begin with, and after what Xiao Yao had said earlier, she disliked him even more.

"Oh, it's you. What are you doing here?"

Tang San hurriedly repeated the reason he had just given.

Xiao Wu yawned. "What's there to discuss? They're just a bunch of little brats. Why not just beat them all into the ground?"

"But..."

Tang San came up with several more reasons, but unfortunately, none satisfied Xiao Wu.

Watching Tang San meet one soft rebuff after another from Xiao Wu, Xiao Yao laughed inwardly and decided to wound him even more deeply.

"Don't say that, Xiao Wu. Tang San is our teammate, after all. Besides, he's injured."

"Right." Tang San's eyes lit up as he remembered his original plan.

"Look at my hand. That man was really vicious."

Xiao Yao marveled at the sight. Tang San really was ruthless toward himself.

Liu Wei of Nuoding City had still shown restraint when striking a child. Although it had been painful and humiliating, he had not damaged his muscles or bones.

Tang San's wound was so deep that the bone was almost visible.

He had really spared no expense to win Xiao Wu's sympathy.

As he wished, Xiao Wu showed a look of concern. "Let me see."

She then grabbed Tang San's injured right arm and brought it before her eyes.

Feeling the touch of the beauty's palm, Tang San wore an intoxicated expression.

But he did not dare make it too obvious, so it turned into a constipated look.

Xiao Yao noticed the slight curl at the corners of Xiao Wu's lips and thought:

This girl is about to get up to mischief again.

Indeed, he had known from the start that Xiao Wu had no good intentions toward Tang San.

Xiao Wu also knew that Xiao Yao knew, which was why she had no reservations at all.

Because both of them had bellies full of bad ideas, especially when it came to Tang San.

The two played off each other, all to torment Tang San more effectively.

To sum it up in a phrase, they had lured the dog inside to slaughter it.

"Oh my, why is there a splinter here?"

Xiao Wu's cry snapped Tang San out of his intoxication.

But before he could react, Xiao Wu's hand moved faster, pinching Tang San's wound hard.

Tang San let out a miserable scream, but still did his best to maintain his composure:

"Wh-what splinter? Where?"

"This one right here. Can't you see it?"

Xiao Wu held her index finger and thumb together and waved them rapidly in front of Tang San, afraid he might get a clear look.

Xiao Yao played along:

"My little sister has an extraordinary gift. She can see things ordinary people can't. If she says it's there, then it must be there."

"Is that so?" Tang San was doubtful, but since she was the person he liked, he could only believe her.

Xiao Wu held her fingers before her eyes as if examining something closely.

Suddenly, Xiao Wu's expression changed. "Oh no, this splinter is poisonous! Brother Xiao Yao, hurry and bring our family's secret medicine."

Xiao Yao said, "All right."

He then walked behind the screen.

Tang San looked utterly bewildered. He had been trying hard to look at Xiao Wu's hand just now, even using his Purple Demon Eye.

But aside from finding her fingers soft and smooth, he had discovered nothing.

Yet Xiao Wu's and Xiao Yao's expressions did not seem feigned. He could not help asking worriedly, "What exactly is going on?"

Xiao Wu looked solemn. "That bastard Liu Wei used some tricks when he injured you."

"Poison?" Tang San did not believe it.

"No, microorganisms." Xiao Wu used a term Xiao Yao had mentioned while telling her stories.

"They're like poison, but not poison; like gu, but not gu. Anyway, they're terrifying. If you hadn't come to us tonight, you would most likely have lost the use of this hand."

"That serious?" Tang San jumped in fright. He no longer dared doubt her, and all lustful thoughts vanished.

Compared to beauties, strength still mattered most in his eyes.

Behind the screen was where Xiao Yao cooked extra meals for himself.

Having understood Xiao Wu's meaning, Xiao Yao began preparing the "antidote" there.

"A little salt, a little soy sauce, a little chili, and some cumin. Hmm, how could I forget the wine? No wine? Cooking wine it is, then."

Afraid that the strange smell of so many seasonings would arouse Tang San's suspicions, Xiao Yao even used Fallen Heart Flame to "purify" it before taking it out.