Red Hair? Surnamed Zhong? An Evil Soul Master?

After several rounds of food and drink, Qian Xunling saw the drunken men and women out, then called toward the bedroom, "Little Spider, is my room ready yet?"

"It's ready, Martial Uncle." Bibi Dong wiped her forehead and walked out of the master bedroom with a smile, though her little face was shy as she said, "Martial Uncle, I only prepared this room. Wouldn't it be a little improper for us to stay together tonight?"

"What are you talking about?" Qian Xunling stared at Bibi Dong in disbelief. "Go tidy up your own room, or you can sleep outside tonight. I won't care."

With that, Qian Xunling closed the door.

Bibi Dong pouted. She was the one who had tidied the room, but not only had Martial Uncle failed to praise her, he had even taken it for granted. She was angry.

Never mind. Bibi Dong turned and headed for the spare bedroom.

Deep into the quiet night, things were different from the comfort of Spirit Hall.

Here in the little village, there were always little animals chirping and crying at night, courting death. Qian Xunling opened his eyes and sat up.

A knock sounded at the door. Qian Xunling asked impatiently, "What is it?"

Bibi Dong's little face was shy, but her eyes were full of fear. In a low voice, she said, "Martial Uncle, I'm afraid to sleep alone."

"How old are you? You're already a Soul Master, and you're still afraid to sleep alone. Aren't you ashamed?" Qian Xunling scolded.

But Bibi Dong was so frightened that her heart was racing, and with the night wind so cold, her little face flushed red. She ventured a retort: "But you were the one who brought me out here, Martial Uncle! You have to take responsibility for me."

"What?!"

Those words gave Qian Xunling a real fright.

He could get electrocuted for that!!!

Qian Xunling jumped out of bed, threw open the door, and stared at Bibi Dong.

Clutching her bedding, Bibi Dong jumped in fright, but she didn't back away. She stared at Qian Xunling with reddened eyes. "Martial Uncle, I can sleep on the floor, okay? Please, Martial Uncle."

"No!" Qian Xunling snapped.

"But Martial Uncle, I'm really scared. Those little bugs sound like they're getting closer and closer to Dong'er, and sometimes they suddenly go so quiet that it frightens Dong'er." Bibi Dong sobbed.

"Cry, cry, cry. That's all you know how to do." The sight of her like this made Qian Xunling's anger flare. "Can't you just use your Soul Power to block your ears?"

Bibi Dong looked up and said aggrievedly, "But Dong'er is still scared."

Qian Xunling's eyelids twitched. Covering his forehead, he said, "Fine, you can sleep in here tonight, but only on the floor. Tomorrow, you're getting back to your own room."

"Mm-hmm." When she heard Martial Uncle relent, the redness around Bibi Dong's eyes immediately vanished, as though she had been pretending just now.

Qian Xunling was somewhat puzzled to see it. Had Bibi Dong been this clever in the original story?

Bibi Dong spread her little bedding on the floor, asked for a large quilt, and then lay down beneath it, leaving only her eyes exposed as she glanced at Qian Xunling.

Qian Xunling gave her a speechless look, blew out the oil lamp, and returned to bed. Before long, Bibi Dong's breathing grew deep and steady, and she fell asleep.

But around the third watch, a wisp of Soul Power drifted across Bibi Dong's chubby cheek, tickling her. She slowly opened her eyes, only for a slender hand to seize her by the neck and lift her up.

"Martial Uncle!" Bibi Dong screamed.

"Hehe?" A thin, seductive voice drifted beside Bibi Dong as the intruder who had seized her spoke. "So you're martial uncle and niece."

"What did you think our relationship was?" Qian Xunling said coldly. He rose from the bed and continued, "Wait a moment. Let me light a lamp first."

The Evil Soul Master was somewhat taken aback. This wasn't what she had expected. Qian Xunling should have been shouting in alarm right now.

He was far too calm.

Once both oil lamps were lit,

the Evil Soul Master's appearance was revealed.

She was a woman, with the sinister look common to Evil Soul Masters in her eyes. Even so, it could not conceal her beauty. Tight black clothes perfectly outlined her voluptuous figure; she was a true beauty.

But Qian Xunling's gaze rested mostly on her hair. It was red, just as one would expect of an Evil Soul Master.

The female Evil Soul Master, meanwhile, kept her gaze mostly on Qian Xunling's face and lower body. She licked her lips. "I saw you from a distance this morning. Now that I'm seeing you up close, you look even more delicious."

Qian Xunling rolled his eyes at her and asked, "Are you sexually frustrated?"

"Hah?" The Evil Soul Master laughed in anger.

Qian Xunling looked at Bibi Dong, whose neck was still in the woman's grip and whose face showed considerable distress. "She's my martial niece, whatever else you might say. You'd better loosen your grip. Hurt her even a little, and you'll end up in eight pieces."

"Martial Uncle..." Bibi Dong's nose reddened again.

Qian Xunling found it nothing but troublesome. "Shut up. Don't cry."

"Mm... mm." Bibi Dong held back and made no sound.

The Evil Soul Master gave a shrill laugh and said coldly, "You think you can hurt me? I watched you all day. Your Martial Soul is a healing Martial Soul, and your Soul Power can't be above level thirty. Otherwise, you wouldn't have shut the door to treat people, keeping others from seeing your predicament."

"Well, aren't you clever," Qian Xunling said with a nod.

His self-satisfied manner irritated her, but Qian Xunling's looks were entirely to her taste. She smiled. "Aren't you curious why I came looking for you?"

"No," Qian Xunling replied.

Blue veins bulged on the female Evil Soul Master's forehead as she glared darkly at him.

Qian Xunling said, "Don't glare at me like that. It makes your nasolabial folds look even more pronounced."

"What?" The female Evil Soul Master was taken aback. Were they really that noticeable?

Qian Xunling continued, "Other people might not be able to see them, but I can see them perfectly clearly. The nasolabial folds by your eyes are as deep as an old woman's.

"I've heard that Evil Soul Masters can devour other people's blood, essence, and Soul Power to increase their lifespan and cultivation. Growing younger should be easy too. Don't tell me you're already over a hundred?"

"Brat, aren't you afraid to die?" the female Evil Soul Master said icily. Her hand tightened around Bibi Dong's neck, and Bibi Dong coughed lightly, discomfort written on her little face.

"So that's why you're so thirsty. An old cow wants to eat tender grass." Qian Xunling waved a hand and continued, "Actually, I don't care how old a woman is. If you were a little prettier, I might even offer myself up for free. But you're not my type. How should I put it? You're a little ugly."

"What!?" The female Evil Soul Master was furious. It was the first time anyone had ever called her ugly. In the past, she had escaped danger and remained safe and sound thanks to that face and figure, yet now this greenhorn was humiliating her like this.

The female Evil Soul Master ground her teeth. "I originally wanted you to treat me too, but forget it. We're not fated for that. You'd better behave and let me devour you."

As soon as she finished speaking, four Soul Rings, two yellow and two purple, slowly rose around her. At the same time, a piece of armor resembling a hand appeared, wreathed in scarlet, sinister Soul Power that seemed ready to devour everything.

Qian Xunling chuckled. So this was the claw Martial Soul Niu Dahai had mentioned. It was clearly a gauntlet.

The armor, the red hair, the Evil Soul Master-all these things reminded Qian Xunling of something. But the female Evil Soul Master had already thrust the gauntlet at him, shouting, "Die!"

But an irresistible force of Soul Power stopped the gauntlet. Level seventy-four Soul Power erupted from Qian Xunling, and seven Soul Rings, six black and one red, suppressed all the strength in her body.

The female Evil Soul Master stared at the young man before her in disbelief and shock. Trembling, she said, "A Soul Saint... how is that possible? A Soul Saint so young, and that terrifying Soul Ring Configuration... it must be fake, right?"

Qian Xunling used his Soul Power to grip the gauntlet, then struck the female Evil Soul Master with his palm, sending her flying into the wall. Bibi Dong fell to the floor, coughing, and Qian Xunling said, "Get behind me."

Bibi Dong had no time to be afraid. She hurried behind Qian Xunling.

After examining the gauntlet closely, Qian Xunling still found it hard to believe, but he had to ask, "Is your surname Zhong?"

The female Evil Soul Master, blood spilling from her mouth, raised her head in terror and stared at Qian Xunling as though he had uncovered some great taboo. She gave no answer, but her reaction said it all.

Qian Xunling grinned. "Interesting. Someone who should only have appeared in Douluo II has actually shown up in Douluo I too. No, wait. I remember that when it appeared in Douluo II, it was a complete Death God Demon Puppet or Blood Soul Demon Puppet. Here, there's only a hand."

"Interesting."

Just as Qian Xunling was about to ask more, he looked back and saw the female Evil Soul Master bite down hard on her back teeth. Her face turned ashen, and she stopped breathing at once, dead beyond doubt.

At the sight, Bibi Dong burst into frightened sobs. "Boo-hoo!!! Martial Uncle!"

The gauntlet in Qian Xunling's hand dissipated.

"The Holy Spirit Cult."