Seeing that Lin Gu remained entirely unruffled, displaying a calm beyond his years, City Lord Xiao threw back his head and laughed, his laughter ringing throughout the room.
"Lin Gu! You really do possess extraordinary talent. To think you could remain so calm at the brink of death! Hahaha!"
The corners of his mouth lifted, killing intent showing in his eyes as he continued:
"But do you think I don't know what you're talking about? You've joined Spirit Hall, haven't you? But they haven't come to pick you up yet. If I kill you now, when they come asking for you, I'll deny it to my dying breath and say I have no idea where you went. What do you think will happen?"
"Would they really make an enemy of the empire over a missing six-year-old child? Naturally, they'll let it go. So, Lin Gu, die in peace!"
With that, City Lord Xiao unleashed all his soul pressure. The Lone Wolf on his body raised its head and howled at the sky, and black wolf claws covered his hands as he prepared to tear Lin Gu apart with a single swipe.
Lin Gu's eyes widened, unwilling to accept this. Just then, an even greater soul pressure descended, followed by an alluring yet imposing male voice:
"Xiao He! Are you trying to make an enemy of Spirit Hall?"
As the words fell, a figure clad in golden armor appeared, a golden flower floating before him. Chrysanthemum Douluo had arrived.
He stepped through the air into the city lord's hall, nine Soul Rings gleaming around him: two yellow, two purple, and five black. He was a level ninety-five Power Attack System Titled Douluo.
In an instant, Chrysanthemum Douluo's soul pressure subdued the entire hall. City Lord Xiao He, who had been so arrogant and overbearing moments earlier, was immediately pinned beneath that pressure, forced to his knees and unable to move.
He was frightened and regretful. How could the timing be such a coincidence? He hurriedly yielded.
"So it's Elder Ju. How could I possibly dare make an enemy of Spirit Hall?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo gave a derisive chuckle. Looking down upon them from high in the air, he said lightly:
"Then how dare you make trouble for someone from Spirit Hall?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo was referring to Lin Gu. Two days earlier, Spirit Hall's main hall had received a recommendation letter from the Nuoding City branch. Since the Nuoding City branch had no powerful Soul Masters, delivering it had taken some time.
The letter reached Bibi Dong's hands, and she looked closely:
"A breastplate Martial Soul, innate level-nine Soul Power, and a thousand-year First Soul Ring?"
A trace of surprise appeared on Bibi Dong's exquisite face, and she summoned Chrysanthemum Douluo:
"Your Holiness!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo arrived, and Bibi Dong instructed him:
"Go investigate a Soul Master named Lin Gu. Look into his background, origins, and Martial Soul, and bring him to Spirit Hall to see me while you're at it!"
"Yes, Your Holiness!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo accepted the order and came to Nuoding City. After thoroughly investigating Lin Gu's origins, he planned to pick him up at Nuoding City Junior Academy.
Unexpectedly, he could not find him. Only after asking around did he learn that Lin Gu had clashed with the Nuoding City lord's son a few days earlier. Thinking that the city lord might have retaliated, Chrysanthemum Douluo went to the city lord's hall to look for him!
Sure enough, Lin Gu was there!
He therefore stormed inside with an imposing presence. In a tiny place like Nuoding City, no one dared provoke a level ninety-five Titled Douluo.
Everyone made way.
Lin Gu looked over and saw Chrysanthemum Douluo's delicate features, golden armor, and imposing presence. He thought, What perfect timing. Someone finally came.
Naturally, Xiao He did not dare resist. He hurriedly played dumb, trying to muddle through:
"Lord Chrysanthemum Douluo, I didn't know! So young Lin Gu belongs to Spirit Hall. I must have had eyes but failed to see. Please accept my apology!"
Xiao He knelt directly before Lin Gu and kowtowed. He truly knew when to bend and when to stand tall; no wonder he had risen to the position of city lord. He kept saying:
"Young Lin Gu, I know my son had a conflict with you. My son must have been blind! I'll discipline him when I get back. Please forgive him. A great man doesn't dwell on a petty man's faults!"
Xiao He kowtowed heavily, his attitude having made a full three-hundred-and-sixty-degree turn.
Even Lin Gu was surprised. This City Lord Xiao truly knew when to bend and when to stand tall. He was about to speak when Chrysanthemum Douluo's Soul Power enveloped him protectively and lifted him up, and Chrysanthemum Douluo looked him over.
"You're Lin Gu?"
Lin Gu nodded. Chrysanthemum Douluo probed deeper with his Soul Power and indeed sensed that his First Soul Ring was a thousand-year one. Moreover, the form of his Martial Soul was very unusual. This breastplate seemed to be separate, and there was actually another little wooden sword.
Twin Martial Souls?
No, this clearly feels like they're part of a single Martial Soul. Chrysanthemum Douluo rubbed his chin. Thinking he would take him back for Her Holiness to examine, he chuckled:
"Interesting, interesting, very interesting. Come with me to Spirit Hall."
Chrysanthemum Douluo turned to leave with Lin Gu. Everyone in the city lord's hall knelt, not daring to rise until they had left.
But Lin Gu glanced back at Xiao He. Though his attitude had changed so thoroughly, that was because he feared losing his life. Lin Gu gave a derisive chuckle and said to Chrysanthemum Douluo:
"Elder Ju, we haven't finished dealing with things here, have we?"
At these words, Xiao He broke out in a cold sweat behind them, too frightened to raise his head.
Chrysanthemum Douluo naturally understood what he meant and asked:
"Then how would you like to handle it?"
Hearing this, Lin Gu curled his lips and gave a low chuckle, uttering just a few simple words:
"Kill him!"
Though Xiao He was Nuoding City's lord, he allowed his son to bully the students like this. Leaving him alive would only leave a scourge.
Hearing this, Xiao He was scared witless, his eyes vacant and lifeless. He hurriedly crawled over on his knees, clutched Lin Gu's foot, and begged for mercy over and over:
"Lord Lin Gu, please show mercy! We were wrong! A great man like you shouldn't dwell on a petty man's faults. Please spare this lowly one's life."
Lin Gu said nothing and merely waited quietly.
Chrysanthemum Douluo gave a faint laugh. "What a grudge-bearing brat. Fine! I'll grant your wish!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo's Martial Soul lit up, and soul pressure surged forth, immediately crushing Xiao He into the floor. Then his First Soul Ring lit up as he prepared to finish Xiao He off.
But Xiao He hurriedly begged desperately for mercy:
"Spare me! Spare me! I have a Soul Bone here that I obtained by chance. I originally meant to save it for my son, but I'll give it to Lord Chrysanthemum Douluo. Spare my life!"
Only upon hearing this did Chrysanthemum Douluo withdraw his soul pressure, watching as Xiao He slowly took a Soul Bone emitting a faint golden light from inside his clothes.
Lin Gu also looked over. It was a golden skull, and its age did not seem low.
Seeing this, Chrysanthemum Douluo said, "The one who wants you dead is Lin Gu. Tell him!"
Xiao He hurriedly turned and offered it to Lin Gu with both hands:
"This is a two-thousand-year Soul Bone called the Golden Radiance Horizontal Visage Skull. I offer it to Lord Lin Gu. Please grant me a way to live."
Looking at the utterly earnest Xiao He, Lin Gu had gained another Soul Bone. Its age was too low, but having it was still not bad.
He therefore nodded. "Fine. For this Soul Bone's sake, I'll spare you. Chrysanthemum Douluo, sorry for the trouble, but please cripple his Martial Soul and Soul Power so he can never be a Soul Master again. I'll give this Soul Bone to you as my first-meeting gift!"
Lin Gu offered it with both hands. Chrysanthemum Douluo was delighted; he did not have even a single Soul Bone. He accepted it, then turned his gaze toward Xiao He!
"L-Lord Lin Gu, wh-what do you mean by this? Didn't you say you'd spare me?"