Ma Hongjun's First Time

As the two passed Han Yu, they were still talking. Flender, however, glanced at Han Yu, his gaze settling on the Soul Tool at his waist.

"Huh?"

"Teacher, what is it?"

Noticing that his teacher had stopped, Ma Hongjun stopped as well and asked, then turned his gaze to Han Yu.

"Teacher?"

Ma Hongjun tugged at Flender's clothes, somewhat puzzled.

"Hongjun, wait a moment."

Flender looked down and reached out to ruffle Ma Hongjun's hair. He then looked Han Yu over, his sharp, hawk-like eyes scrutinizing the Soul Tool at Han Yu's waist for a long moment before he spoke.

"Where did you get that belt?"

Han Yu suddenly understood. Right, he was wearing the Soul Tool belt Yu Xiaogang had given him. No wonder Flender was looking him over like that. He reached down and patted the Soul Tool at his waist.

"Someone gave it to me."

"Someone gave it to you?"

At those words, Flender's heart skipped a beat. He narrowed his eyes slightly and stared fixedly at Han Yu. A dangerous presence abruptly rose from him as he kept sensing his surroundings for other experts.

"Who gave it to you?"

"Take a guess."

Though Flender's presence was growing stronger and stronger, Han Yu wasn't worried. He grinned as he spoke to him.

"All right, I won't tease you anymore. Yu Xiaogang gave it to me."

Seeing Flender grinding his teeth in anger, Han Yu waved a hand and answered, then turned and walked away.

"Xiaogang."

Flender watched Han Yu's retreating figure and muttered under his breath. Even Ma Hongjun, who was standing closest to him, couldn't hear him clearly. Flender pushed up his glasses, a fox-like smile spreading across his shoehorn-shaped face.

"Hongjun, go on."

Flender took out a Gold Soul Coin and handed it to Ma Hongjun, then vanished from the spot in a flash.

"Teacher, I..."

Ma Hongjun looked at the Gold Soul Coin in his hand, still slightly warm, then at the group of women waiting for him with smiles inside the alley. He looked back at the place where his teacher had disappeared, hesitating.

After all, Ma Hongjun was still young. If not for the problem with his Martial Soul, he would not have absorbed his First Soul Ring just a few days ago. If he cultivated now, his body would explode and he would die.

Gritting his teeth, Ma Hongjun walked into the alley and took his first step.

Han Yu, who had departed, was currently staying at a fairly nice hotel in Suotuo City. He planned to spend two days having fun in the city before returning to Nuoding City.

A few days later, Han Yu left Suotuo City alone. His clothes had once again risen a notch in quality, and his Soul Tool was packed with all sorts of food and novel items sold in the city. He had been away for nearly ten days this time; if he didn't bring anything back, the little rabbit would probably throw a tantrum.

Although Xiao Wu could no longer do without Han Yu and had come to regard him as her emotional support-after all, he was the first person she considered to be "one of her own"-rather than spend time coaxing her, he might as well bring some things back and save himself the trouble.

After leaving the city, Han Yu was about to take flight when he noticed two figures quietly following him. He thought for a moment, a smile curling his lips, and decided not to beat the grass and startle the snake, giving him a chance. Acting as though nothing were amiss, he walked toward a deserted stretch of countryside in the direction of Nuoding City.

"Still hiding? Come on out."

In a clearing in the forest, Han Yu stopped walking and turned to call out to an empty area.

The forest was silent. It was nearly noon, but the dense trees grew wildly here, blocking out the sky completely. Only a few shafts of sunlight reached the ground through gaps between the leaves and branches.

Before long, a burly but rather short figure in black emerged, a helpless expression on his face.

"I'll take the belt at your waist for a while. Once I've gotten to the bottom of this, I'll give it back to you."

Honestly, Zhao Wuji really didn't want to come here and bully an eight-year-old child.

After giving Ma Hongjun the Gold Soul Coin, Flender had returned to Shrek Academy and secretly instructed Zhao Wuji to keep an eye on Han Yu at all times. If he found that Han Yu had no connection to Yu Xiaogang, he was to seize the belt by force.

Flender had done this because he suspected that Han Yu had coerced his friend, who was only a Soul Grandmaster, into handing over the belt. That was why he had called Zhao Wuji over. He himself was also hidden in the shadows, but had not come out.

Han Yu glanced at a spot behind Zhao Wuji, the corners of his mouth lifting. Blue light spread out around him; he already knew where Flender was.

"Hm?"

Sensing the change around him, Zhao Wuji frowned slightly and strode toward Han Yu, loosening his muscles and joints as he went. A series of cracks and pops came from his body, as though he meant to frighten Han Yu. Once he was close, he reached for Han Yu's waist.

"You really are..."

Han Yu smiled. The Clear Sky Hammer suddenly appeared by his right hand, and he caught its handle and swung it at Zhao Wuji's head.

Zhao Wuji's expression didn't change. With a slight shift of his feet, he darted to Han Yu's right, only to freeze in shock the next second at the two black Soul Rings slowly emerging around Han Yu.

Strike while he was down and take his life.

A red light flashed in Han Yu's eyes, a single Tomoe slowly revolving within them. He leaped into the air and spun once, then used the force of the turn to smash the hammer toward Zhao Wuji's head with the speed of lightning.

If this blow landed, no matter how tough Zhao Wuji's body was, he would be gravely injured. After all, this was a Soul Saint who could be injured by someone throwing Hidden Weapons by hand.

A gust of cold wind swept toward his head. His extensive combat experience made Zhao Wuji instinctively raise an arm to block, and he completed his Martial Soul Possession in an instant. Two yellow, two purple, and three black Soul Rings floated up and down around him.

Boom-

Dust billowed into the air, and a burly figure flew out of it, crashing through several large trees in succession before coming to a stop.

"Damn brat!"

Zhao Wuji was in a sorry state after being sent flying. If word got out that a child had knocked him so far away, he might as well stop showing his face. He cursed and felt his trembling arm, a hint of shock in his eyes.

Another, slender figure now shot out of the dust, the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand poised to strike. In the blink of an eye, Han Yu reached Zhao Wuji and swung the hammer at him again, his face expressionless.

Zhao Wuji sneered, and his First Soul Ring suddenly lit up. Intense golden light erupted almost instantly, knocking the rapidly approaching Han Yu away. Then his Second Soul Ring lit up, and his hands transformed into bear-like paws, their sharp claws glinting coldly.

Immediately afterward, his Third Soul Ring and Fourth Soul Ring lit up.

In an instant, Han Yu's body, now on the ground, became as difficult to move as though he had sunk into a quagmire. At the same time, a purple Soul Ring detached itself from Zhao Wuji and swiftly encircled Han Yu.