Chapter 300: One Punch
The young soul master girl did not expect that the noble brat before her would actually attempt to assault her in broad daylight and in public. Though she wasn't a student of the top-tier soul master academies like the Five Element Academies, she was still registered at a soul master academy. Did this guy really think that just because he was a noble, he could disregard the law?
She planned to resist, but being a newly minted soul master, she knew she couldn't fend off multiple soul master-trained servants alone.
"With the great enemy before us, the Spirit Empire not yet vanquished, and yet the scum within the imperial city dare show themselves again?" A voice suddenly rang out from a corner. It was a man, his tone cold, as though weathered by time and hardship.
Having left Heaven Dou Imperial City for over half a year, he remembered the tense atmosphere that had pervaded before his departure. Even the noble youths had dared not roam freely.
But upon his return, this was the scene that greeted him.
In the past, given his personality, he would have sought someone to deal with the noble brat. But now, he no longer needed anyone's help.
"Who?! Who's speaking?! If you have the guts, come out and show yourself!" The noble brat, who had been grinning lasciviously at the girl, fantasizing about his evening plans, suddenly heard this reprimanding voice. His face twisted in anger, and he began cursing loudly.
"Daring to insult me? You're asking for death?!" The noble brat's eyes scanned the room like a wolf's, trying to find the one who dared insult him.
The surrounding diners, sensing the imminent madness of the noble brat, hurriedly abandoned their meals and fled. Some didn't even wait for their dishes to be served, escaping in a hurry.
In no time, the man sitting by the window stood out in the now empty hall.
Seeing the man sitting motionless by the window, gazing outside, the noble brat's face twisted into a sinister smile. Those who knew him well understood that when he smiled like this, it meant someone was in for a lot of trouble.
The noble brat signaled his lackeys, who momentarily released the girl and started towards the man by the window.
The girl, seeing this, shouted, "Be careful, run!"
Her shout, however, only made the noble brat angrier. "Get him! Break his legs!" he ordered.
He grinned at the girl, "Let's see who can save you now."
"I'll show everyone what happens when you mess with me in the imperial city!"
The girl's eyes widened in fear, her body stiffening in place, feeling lost and helpless.
This was not how she had imagined it. She thought that with her talent, coming to the imperial city would make her an outstanding soul master.
Instead, she had run into this noble brat shortly after arriving.
She felt ashamed for the man who had spoken up for her.
Just as she resolved to do her utmost to save the man who, despite his disheveled appearance, had defended her, a scream suddenly echoed from the window.
She then saw the noble brat's shocked face and a figure flying through the air.
Bang!
The girl looked closer and saw that it was the noble brat's chief lackey who had been flung to the ground.
"Young Master... tough guy... this fellow..." The chief lackey struggled to breathe, unable to finish his sentence.
Before he could say more, more thuds followed in quick succession.
The girl saw the once arrogant lackeys now sprawled on the ground, groaning in pain.
When she turned back to the window, she saw that the man had stood up and was now in front of the noble brat.
"So you wanted to break my legs?" The man's voice was oppressive, making it hard to breathe. The girl now saw that the white-haired man was not very old, but the scars on his face suggested a life of hardship.
It was clear he had endured much that ordinary people could not.
On the other hand, the previously arrogant noble brat, seeing his lackeys felled, quickly changed his expression from arrogance to fear.
"You... What do you think you're doing?! I'll have you know, I'm a noble of the Heaven Dou Empire! Even if you're a soul master, you have no right to touch me!" The noble brat's voice was shaky, clearly trying to mask his fear. His soul power was not particularly high, and he could sense that the white-haired man in front of him was at least a full realm above him.
Thus, he had to rely on his noble status as a shield.
"Noble?"
The white-haired man chuckled, his laughter dripping with scorn.
"The one thing I hate the most in this life is nobles like you."
"In this time, I've experienced a lot and seen many things and people I never encountered before."
"And I've discovered there's only one way to deal with people like you."
His eyes turned cold, "That's to make you pay a price so steep that it leaves a lasting mark!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the white-haired man prepared to strike.
However, his eyes suddenly flickered as he noticed a shadow appearing beside him.
Seeing the shadow, the noble brat, who had been trembling in fear, suddenly became excited and energetic, as if he had seen his savior.
"Grandfather, he's the one trying to attack me! Break him!" the noble brat shouted excitedly at the newcomer.
The person who appeared was none other than a Soul Emperor-level powerhouse, a protector of his family.
A Soul Emperor, regardless of where they were on the Douluo Continent, was considered a formidable force. Only in places like Heaven Dou Imperial City and Spirit City would they seem relatively common.
However, even here, a Soul Emperor was powerful enough to dominate a region.
"Young Master, have you forgotten about tonight's banquet? You're wasting time here at this hour?" The white-haired elder landed in front of the noble brat, scolding him without any courtesy.
As a family protector, the elder could technically ignore the young master's orders unless specifically asked to help. However, since the family paid him well, he would often handle minor matters for them.
Seeing the elder, the lackeys who had been on the ground quickly got up and resumed surrounding the white-haired man.
Being reprimanded, the noble brat dared not retort but remembered the importance of tonight's banquet, which his family had managed to get him into by pulling strings.
It was said that the banquet would be attended by not only royal and noble families but also members of the top three sects. If he could forge a connection with one of them, his family's prestige would soar!
He even dreamt of elevating his noble status.
After all, the Clear Sky School, one of the top three sects, had produced Tang San, a man who could become a god!
Tang San was also related to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan through marriage.
Aware of the banquet's significance, the noble brat still pointed at the white-haired man, "Grandfather, he tried to break my legs earlier. You must avenge me."
The elder glanced at the girl beside him, quickly understanding what the young master had been up to.
But, having been paid, he had to handle the matter.
Not sensing any significant aura from the white-haired man, the elder classified him as a low-level soul master.
He addressed the man, "Young man, in this world, strength is important."
"But so are background and connections."
"You seem like an outsider. Here in the imperial city, don't you know to gauge the situation and people before acting?"
"The water here is deep. Perhaps you can stand and talk to me now, but by tomorrow morning, your ashes could be floating down the river."
Hearing this, the girl's face turned pale, and she quickly covered her mouth in fear.
She could sense the elder's murderous intent!
She looked at the white-haired man, who remained as indifferent as ever.
The white-haired man ignored the elder's words and instead looked at the noble brat, "Is this your strongest backer?"
His words shocked everyone present.
What did he mean by that?
Even a Soul Emperor wasn't worth mentioning?
This was a powerhouse with soul power over level sixty!
"What do you mean?!" The noble brat was initially stunned but then thought the white-haired man was bluffing.
Did he think Soul Emperors were a dime a dozen?
The elder also thought the man was trying to provoke him.
"Boy, it seems you haven't listened to a word I said."
"Fine, let me show you the power of a Soul Emperor!" With that, the elder's soul power surged, the force of his aura causing his sleeves to flap wildly.
Six soul rings appeared at the elder's feet.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black!
The optimal soul ring configuration!
Moreover, a three-foot-long azure blade appeared in the elder's hand.
There was no doubt; he was a Battle Soul Emperor!
"I won't bully you. If you can withstand my sixth soul skill without dying, I'll let you all leave." The elder raised his long sword, speaking indifferently.
Hearing this, the noble brat and his lackeys immediately wore smug expressions.
The sixth soul skill was the elder's most powerful offensive skill.
They had witnessed a ten-thousand-year soul beast being slain with a single stroke of the elder's sixth soul skill!
As for the young man in front of them, they thought he wouldn't even survive the third soul skill, let alone the sixth.
"Why?! This is unfair!" the girl beside him shouted upon hearing the elder's words.
He was a Soul Emperor!
And the man who had come to her rescue looked so young, probably no more than a Grand Soul Master, at most a Soul Elder.
With such a vast disparity in soul power, if the elder used his sixth soul skill, her rescuer would surely end up dead!
"Heh, little girl, there is no true fairness in this world."
"Without strength, you are nothing." The elder chuckled, finding the girl's words laughable.
The girl was momentarily speechless, then suddenly declared, "I'm a student of the Clearwater Soul Master Academy! If you harm us, my academy won't let you off!"
The elder paused.
He knew the girl's academy was one of the five elemental academies that had merged, an offshoot of the Tianshui Academy.
Although not as powerful as Tianshui Academy, it was still backed by them, making it problematic if they were to cause trouble.
The elder glared at the noble brat, blaming him for causing trouble.
He then addressed the girl, "Since you've revealed your identity, I won't kill you."
"But this boy dared to threaten my young master. He must die today."
"I advise you not to stand in his way."
The elder continued, "Believe me, as a student from an ordinary academy, you can't compare with the nobility."
"You..." The girl was again at a loss for words.
She was about to speak again when the white-haired man gently pulled her behind him.
He looked calmly at the elder, "Are you done talking?"
The white-haired man's composure unsettled the elder. It was the first time he had seen someone so unfazed by his six soul rings.
Could he be hiding his true strength?
The elder wondered.
But then he dismissed the thought.
If the boy truly had such talent, he would have heard about him.
And judging by the boy's appearance, he was clearly an outsider.
He couldn't possibly be some hidden genius.
"Are you planning to call for help from someone powerful behind you?"
"If you do have some background, I might show some respect," the elder said cautiously. If the boy did have connections, it would be wise to avoid unnecessary trouble.
However, the boy's tone suddenly turned harsh, "Talking to people like you is a waste of time. I've become too soft since coming back here."
"Tianmeng was right, people like you should be slapped to death!"
Before the elder could react to who the boy was talking to, a gust of wind hit him.
A moment later, he felt a force as powerful as a primordial beast's blow, sending him flying with a single punch!
(Chapter End)