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"Hey handsome, hey pretty girl! Need a haircut? Fifteen copper soul coins—cheaper than a cup of milk tea!"
Suddenly, a voice tinged with laziness drifted into the ears of Oscar and his companions.
Hearing the call, the group turned around.
A young man with his hair tied back, dressed in a white hoodie and black shorts, came into view. He wore heavy eyeshadow and had a generally scruffy, rough-around-the-edges appearance.
This person was Wu Liuqi.
"So, which handsome guy or pretty girl needs a trim? First time's on the house!"
Wu Liuqi looked at Oscar's group with a flicker of excitement. He formed the shape of scissors with his right index and middle fingers, practically buzzing with impatience.
Oscar and the others were completely stunned. They exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes doing all the talking.
"Is this the 'handsome guy' who cuts hair that Master told us about? He looks so… weak."
"Exactly. If we needed to ask for help, shouldn't we consult with Elder Yunshan or Elder Wu Song? They're the real powerhouses."
"We shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Master wouldn't deceive us. We cannot afford to underestimate a single person here."
Seeing the group just staring blankly at each other, Wu Liuqi felt a pang of disappointment. Unbothered, he simply turned and began to walk away with a distinct bow-legged swagger.
"Alright, handsome, pretty girl, remember to look me up next time you need a haircut. Seeing as you're Lan Minghua's disciples, I'll even give you a discount."
His words snapped Oscar and the others out of their daze. They looked up, only to find that Wu Liuqi had already vanished from the room without a trace.
"Hey, where did he go?" Oscar scanned the area and even dashed to the doorway to look outside, but he couldn't spot the mysterious barber anywhere.
He immediately turned to the two men arranging documents at a nearby desk. "Excuse me, big brothers, where did that handsome guy from just now disappear to?"
The Dragon Subduer and Tiger Tamer glanced up. "You mean Qi? It's perfectly normal that you can't find him. Aside from the Sect Master, no one can immediately locate him once he decides to disappear."
Oscar rubbed his palms together and asked with a sycophantic grin, "In that case, my two esteemed brothers, how strong is this Qi, exactly?"
This was the question that Zhu Zhuqing and the others were also dying to know. Their eyes widened in unison, eagerly awaiting the answer.
The Tiger Tamer finished filing the documents and asked in return, "You all know of Elder Yunshan, correct?"
"Of course! Elder Yunshan is incredibly powerful. Who doesn't know of him by now!"
"Well, don't let Qi's laid-back attitude fool you—he's just like the Sect Master in that regard. He is our Chief Shadow Assassin, and he is every bit as strong as Elder Yunshan."
Upon hearing this, Oscar and his friends all drew a sharp, collective breath.
Who was Yunshan? He was the absolute monster who had defeated Qian Daoliu, the man once hailed as being invincible in the skies! And this barber, Qi, was just as strong as him?! That meant the Tianlong Gang had at least two Limit Douluos in its ranks. They had thought they were already overestimating the gang's power, but they now realized they had still severely, massively underestimated it!
Meanwhile, on the other side of the continent, Lan Minghua was soaring leisurely through the heavens. His current destination was Shrek Academy. It wasn't that he harbored any particularly deep feelings for the place; he was simply going to pick up Li Yusong and the others and bring them to the Tianlong Gang. After all, he had made a promise to Oscar, and he was not one to go back on his word.
At that very moment, at Shrek Academy, Zao Wou-Ki stood guard at the main gate, his expression solemn. He dared not relax for even a second.
"What in the world happened at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?" he muttered to himself. "That world-shaking power… I just hope Little Ao and the others are alright."
It wasn't that he doubted Lan Minghua's strength, but the sheer destructive force of the attacks launched by the three gods aligned with the Asura God had been too terrifying. Even from Shrek Academy, countless miles away, he had felt a suffocating pressure wash over him like a tidal wave. This, combined with the recent battle where Wu Song had fought Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo and nearly obliterated the entire Balak Kingdom, filled him with an unshakable sense of dread.
Just then, a figure cloaked in green appeared behind him. "Old Zhao, relax," Dugu Bo said in a reassuring tone. "I, for one, still have faith in Master's capabilities."
Zao Wou-Ki forced a bitter smile. "You flatter me, Your Excellency Poison Douluo. Of course, I acknowledge Huazi's strength. I'm just worried he might have been spread too thin, unable to protect everyone."
Dugu Bo also felt a pang of uncertainty. Those attacks had been truly horrifying. Even as a Titled Douluo, he had felt a crushing, suffocating pressure.
As the two men stood there, lost in their worried thoughts, a figure materialized silently behind them. Lan Minghua observed Zao Wou-Ki and Dugu Bo standing stiffly like a pair of door gods and curiously followed their gaze into the distance. However, he saw absolutely nothing of note.
"The surroundings are a bit wrecked, but that must be from the fight between Wu Song and Golden Crocodile Douluo," he mused. "The academy itself is fine. What are they doing, standing guard against the empty air?"
Lan Minghua reached out, placed his hands on their shoulders, and then gave them a sudden, firm pat.
SLAP!
Zao Wou-Ki and Dugu Bo leaped apart as if they'd been struck by lightning.
"Who's there!?"
When they spun around and saw it was Lan Minghua, they froze on the spot.
"Master?!"
"Huazi?!"
Lan Minghua's mouth twitched as he spread his hands. "Really? We've been apart for a short while, and you've already forgotten what I look like?"
"No, of course not!" Zao Wou-Ki and Dugu Bo denied in unison. However, their relief quickly turned to anxiety when they realized Oscar, Dugu Yan, and the others were not with him. Their hearts sank.
Zao Wou-Ki steeled himself and asked, "Huazi, where are Oscar and the others? Why… aren't they with you?"
"That's right! Master, where is my Yanyan?" Dugu Bo added urgently.
Lan Minghua finally understood what they had been so worried about. So, they truly didn't have faith in his ability to protect their young ones. He rolled his eyes and feigned a look of profound sorrow. "They are all safe and sound back at the Tianlong Gang. To think you wouldn't trust in my strength… my heart is broken!"
Hearing this, both Zao Wou-Ki and Dugu Bo let out a huge sigh of relief. "As long as they're safe, that's all that matters."
Finding that his dramatic act was being completely ignored, Lan Minghua dropped the pretense. He got straight to the point. "You two, go tell Old Li and the others to pack their things. It's time I took you all to the Tianlong Gang."
"Eh?" Zao Wou-Ki and Dugu Bo exchanged a puzzled glance. "To the Tianlong Gang? But why?"
"The times ahead are going to be chaotic. If you continue to stay here, I'm afraid you'll meet a grim fate."
Lan Minghua didn't hide the details, recounting the events that had transpired at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. When Zao Wou-Ki and Dugu Bo learned that their next major adversary was Spirit Hall, they understood the gravity of the situation. While Lan Minghua and the Tianlong Gang were powerful, they themselves were just small fries in the grand scheme of things. Without the Gang's direct protection, they would be too far away to be helped and could be wiped out without anyone even knowing.
Dugu Bo nodded decisively. His only family was his granddaughter, Dugu Yan; there was no room for hesitation.
However, after Dugu Bo left to inform Li Yusong and the others, Zao Wou-Ki remained standing before Lan Minghua.
Lan Minghua patted his stomach. "Go on, ask whatever is on your mind."
Zao Wou-Ki sighed heavily. "Huazi, can you tell me… what did you do with him?" He was aware that Flender had betrayed them to side with the Heaven Dou Empire. He was also well aware of Lan Minghua's personality. Even so, he still clung to a sliver of hope.
Lan Minghua smiled faintly. "It wasn't I who dealt with him; it was Oscar. Although he was left crippled, he at least has a sizable fortune, more than enough to live out the rest of his life in peace and comfort."
"I see. I understand." Zao Wou-Ki let out a long breath, relieved. He could accept this outcome for Flender. After decades of friendship, he hadn't wanted to see him die at Lan Minghua's hand. This resolution was something he could explain to the other old teachers at the academy.
Soon, Li Yusong and the others had packed their belongings and were ready to depart for the Tianlong Gang. Just at that moment, Lan Minghua sensed a powerful, provocative aura emanating from the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Di Tian?" he murmured, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Is he… challenging me?"
His interest was suddenly piqued. He immediately turned to Dugu Bo and commanded, "Old Poison, you lead them back to the Tianlong Gang. I have some business to attend to."
"Master, you're not returning with us?" Dugu Bo asked, confused.
"And why would I want to go back?" Lan Minghua whined comically. "The moment I set foot in the Gang, that bunch will drag me off to do work. It's worse than being thrown in jail!"
Without giving Dugu Bo a chance to respond, Lan Minghua shot upwards with a whoosh, streaking across the sky directly towards the Star Dou Great Forest.
Deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, a man sat upon a black dragon throne. He had hair as black as ink, dark golden pupils, and intricate dragon scale patterns at the corners of his eyes. He was clad in obsidian dragon-scale battle armor and held a massive black dragon sword in his hand.
At this moment, his draconic eyes stared intently beyond the forest's edge.
"Humans," his voice boomed with ancient power. "Do you truly believe that our spirit beast clan is so easily bullied?!"
(End of this chapter)