Because she knew Tang Hao's strength, Qian Renxue was utterly baffled.
Dai Mubai's casual, carefree demeanor left her at a loss for words.
Her father, Qian Xunji, had died at Tang Hao's hands, after all!
Was her father too weak, or was Dai Mubai simply too strong?
The two stood face to face, their gazes locked, an odd tension lingering in the air.
"Exactly! That old bastard Tang Hao was already injured, so he was no match for me!"
"Look, this is my trophy!"
As Dai Mubai spoke, he produced the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor soul bone and handed it to Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue: "..."
It took her a long moment to react.
"This... is a hundred-thousand-year soul bone?"
"Yes, indeed!"
Qian Renxue: "..."
She was stunned, her mind in chaos.
Both she and Dai Mubai were in their seventies, Soul Sages, yet Dai Mubai had managed to kill a veteran Titled Douluo!
And not just any Titled Douluo—it was Tang Hao!
"Thank you."
After a long silence, Qian Renxue finally managed to say these two words. She barely glanced at the soul bone before returning it to Dai Mubai.
"Thank you? Why are you thanking me?"
After putting away the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, Dai Mubai teased her.
"Tang Hao was my father's murderer. I..."
"Helping my father-in-law get revenge is only natural, isn't it?"
Hearing this, Qian Renxue's cheeks flushed bright red. Gathering some unknown courage, she leaned in and lightly kissed Dai Mubai's cheek before darting out of the room.
Dai Mubai chuckled softly, making no move to stop her.
There was no rush.
At dawn, Dai Mubai arrived at the training grounds. It was the last day of the preliminaries for the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.
However, that wasn't why he was there.
"Well, if it isn't Tang Xiao-San. What's with the pig-head look today?"
Before, Tang San's face had been swollen, but his spirit had remained high!
After all, Tang Hao had promised to teach Dai Mubai a lesson!
Now, seeing Dai Mubai standing perfectly fine in front of him, Tang San was dumbfounded.
Before he could say a word, Dai Mubai raised his right hand and slapped him across the left cheek.
As confusion, bewilderment, rage, and disbelief flashed across Tang San's face, Dai Mubai's palm connected with a loud smack.
Tang San spun 360 degrees mid-air before landing on the ground.
"Turns out a single slap can still make a sound."
Dai Mubai murmured to himself.
"Dai Mubai! What's the meaning of this?"
Clutching his cheek, Tang San roared in anger.
Being slapped without warning first thing in the morning—if Dai Mubai didn't give him a good explanation, one of them wouldn't be leaving the grounds alive today!
What baffled Tang San the most was why Dai Mubai was here at all.
Wasn't Tang Hao supposed to have dealt with him already?
"What's the meaning of this?"
Dai Mubai clapped his hands, stepped closer, and without warning, swung his right hand again, slapping Tang San across the right cheek.
"No meaning. I just don't like you and felt like beating you up!"
Tang San: "???"
"Dai Mubai, you've gone too far! Do you really think I, Tang San, am afraid of you?"
Tang San got up, summoning the Haotian Hammer, adorned with four millennial soul rings. Without hesitation, he raised the hammer and prepared to attack using his Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique, pivoting instinctively on his right foot.
Dai Mubai smirked disdainfully and kicked Tang San mid-spin, sending him sprawling to the ground.
"What were you even thinking?"
"That self-created soul skill has such an obvious wind-up. How could you think of using it against me?"
Dai Mubai looked at the sprawled Tang San, his tone laced with confusion.
The Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique, while impressive, was too slow. Its fluid movements might seem seamless, but to a true expert, the technique was glaringly sluggish.
Against power or defense-type soul masters, it was passable. Against an agility-type soul master? Foolish.
Tang San was in complete disbelief.
How could Dai Mubai move so fast without using his Martial Soul?
Even with his Purple Demon Eyes, now at the Mustard Seed Realm, he couldn't track Dai Mubai's movements.
At that moment, Xiao Wu bounded cheerfully onto the training grounds. Seeing the scene before her, she hurried over.
"Mubai! Are you okay? That scoundrel Tang San dared to attack you!"
Xiao Wu rushed up to Dai Mubai, looking him over with concern, her face filled with worry.
Tang San: "???"
Xiao Wu, do you even hear what you're saying?
Tang San's jaw dropped. He couldn't understand why Xiao Wu was acting this way.
Wasn't she supposed to be siding with him against Dai Mubai?
Dai Mubai ruffled Xiao Wu's hair gently and said softly:
"Don't worry, Xiao Wu. I'm fine. Tang San's just a petty scoundrel—no match for me."
At that moment, Tang San nearly exploded in anger!
Calling him a petty scoundrel?
Dai Mubai had walked up and slapped him without any reason, and now he was calling Tang San the scoundrel?
Tang San prided himself on his noble character. How could anyone accuse him of being petty?!
Dai Mubai, you're asking for it!
Wait. Something wasn't right. What was going on with Xiao Wu?
When had she gotten so close to Dai Mubai?
"It's fine as long as you're okay."
Xiao Wu looked at Dai Mubai with wide, concerned eyes, completely ignoring Tang San.
Tang San: "???"
"Xiao Wu, Dai Mubai attacked me first!"
Although Tang San didn't care much about romance, he still felt that Xiao Wu's behavior was off.
"Impossible! Mubai is so kind. He would never attack you!"
"Even if Mubai did hit you first, you must've deserved it!"
"Why else would Mubai hit only you and not anyone else?" Xiao Wu retorted, her tone full of disdain.
Tang San: "..."
Why would he hit only me?!
"I don't know why he only hit me!" Tang San screamed internally.
He finally understood—Xiao Wu was no longer the same Xiao Wu. She was clearly siding with Dai Mubai now!
"Don't overthink it, Tang San. Your father Tang Hao was busy and had to leave. He asked me to slap you occasionally when I had free time!"
Dai Mubai's words carried a casual air.
Tang Hao had indeed left—turned to ashes...
(Chapter End)
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