In Han Man's distorted vision, the world had flipped. The man he once followed was now his mortal enemy, and the youth he had intended to crush, Ye Qiu, had become the "Boss" he was sworn to protect. With a roar of misplaced loyalty, Han Man vowed to defend his new master to the death.
"You bastard! Don't even think about laying a finger on the Boss!"
"Third Soul Skill: Savage Bear Golden Bell Shield!"
A resonant, metallic boom echoed through the clearing as a shimmering golden bell manifested around Han Man. The air vibrated with the force of the tolling spirit power. Most of the incoming soul skills shattered against the golden barrier, and those that slipped through were met by Han Man's own body. He threw himself forward, acting as a human shield for a calm, watching Ye Qiu.
"Second Soul Skill: Kun Fist!"
Freshly bloodied but undeterred, Han Man charged into the fray, his fists whistling through the air as he struck out at his former allies. From the sidelines, Ye Qiu subtly intervened, lending a hand to trip up the weaker "Karami" henchmen. He moved like a conductor, ensuring the sides remained perfectly balanced so that Han Man was never truly overwhelmed, but remained trapped in his violent frenzy.
"Han Man! Are you insane?!" Sabu Chu's voice cracked, rising to a shrill, panicked pitch.
"What is happening? Is this... Ye Qiu's soul skill?" Ye Lingling watched the chaotic spectacle in stunned silence. She searched for a flicker of spirit power or a telltale glow, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly when Ye Qiu had ensnared them.
"He's lost it! Why is Han Man protecting that pretty boy?"
"It has to be a soul skill... look, another one's gone mad!"
The surrounding students stood frozen, watching the bizarre civil war. What was meant to be a group execution of Ye Qiu had devolved into Sabu Chu's own men tearing each other apart. Amidst the screams and the dust, Ye Qiu had become a mere spectator.
"Miss Lingling, stay here. Don't let the collateral damage touch you," Ye Qiu said smoothly. He stepped past her, walking with predatory grace toward Sabu Chu, who was attempting to slink away through the tall grass.
"Heh. If it isn't the young master of the Sadio family—the one famous for his 'plumbing' issues? Why the rush to leave?" Ye Qiu's voice was cool, blocking the only path of escape.
"Boy, you know I'm the son of an Earl!" Sabu Chu hissed, though his eyes betrayed a mounting terror. "Step aside. If you touch a hair on my head, I'll make sure you never see another sunrise!"
"Don't talk nonsense. I haven't touched you," Ye Qiu replied, a cold glint in his eyes. "I just thought you'd want to stay and see your men settle the score."
"First Soul Skill: Great Bear's Descent!" Han Man's roar interrupted them.
"Second Soul Skill: Heart-Piercing Dragon Strike!"
Crunch.
The final henchman collapsed under Han Man's heavy stomp, unconscious before he hit the dirt. The ground was now littered with Sabu Chu's goons, their bodies twisted at unnatural angles, groaning in a symphony of agony. Without a high-level Healing Soul Master, they wouldn't be walking for months. The brutality of the scene sent a chill through the onlookers.
"Boss! It's finished!"
Blood-soaked and breathing heavily, Han Man stumbled over to Ye Qiu's side. He stood like a loyal sentinel, glaring down at a trembling Sabu Chu. Han Man was in poor shape—fractured ribs and a jagged wound on his thigh—but the illusion held firm. His mental strength was a drop of water compared to the ocean of Ye Qiu's spiritual sea; the physical pain wasn't enough to break the trance.
"Han Man! Wake up! I'm your boss!" Sabu Chu shrieked, scrambling backward. "Kill him! Kill—"
SLAP!
A palm the size of a dinner plate collided with Sabu Chu's face. The force spun him around, sending him crashing into the dirt, ears ringing and vision swimming.
"You piece of filth! How dare you insult my Boss!" Han Man's face was a mask of gore and righteous fury. In the theater of his mind, every word Sabu Chu uttered was a direct insult to Ye Qiu.
"What did your 'boss' say earlier?" Ye Qiu asked, glancing at Han Man.
"Break his hands and feet," Han Man growled, his voice steady and murderous.
"Hehe... then by all means, begin." Ye Qiu flashed a chilling smile. He had no intention of showing mercy to a snake like Sabu Chu.
"You dare... you wouldn't dare!" Sabu Chu continued to bluster, even as he crawled away on his hands and knees.
"Ye Qiu... I'm okay now. Maybe we should stop?" Ye Lingling whispered, her hand reaching out. She feared the political fallout of maiming an Earl's son.
Ye Qiu ignored her, his gaze remaining icy. He wasn't the person he used to be. An Earl? An Earl likely had a dozen sons. He suspected that Xue Qinghe—the Crown Prince—would gladly overlook the "accidental" crippling of a minor noble's brat in exchange for a favor.
"You've got it all wrong," Ye Qiu said, waving a finger in a mocking, rhythmic motion. "I'm not the one harming you. Your own subordinates are simply... following orders."
Han Man loomed over the young noble. Sabu Chu, a First-Ring Soul Master whose cultivation had been wasted on wine and women, had no hope of resistance.
"No! Han Man, stop! AH—MY HAND!"
Snap. Crack.
The sounds were sharp and melodic in the sudden silence of the academy grounds. Sabu Chu's screams dissolved into pathetic, wet whimpers, his face a mask of tears and saliva as he lay like a broken dog. True to his brutal nature, Han Man didn't stop until the task was complete, finally snapping the noble's thigh bone with a sickening thud.
"Boss! It is done!" Han Man bowed his head respectfully toward Ye Qiu.
A collective, audible gulp rippled through the crowd. The scene was beyond ruthless—it was terrifying.
"Who is he? That soul skill is a nightmare..."
"Stay away from him. Imagine if he used that to lure someone into his bed..."
Ye Qiu looked at the wreckage on the ground and nodded, satisfied. "Han Man, pick him up. Dump him at the gates of Count Sadio's mansion."
"Understood, Boss!" Han Man hoisted the unconscious, mangled body of Sabu Chu onto his shoulder and marched toward the academy gates.
Ye Qiu watched them go, his expression unreadable. He had no pity for those who drew steel with the intent to kill. He looked around at the trembling students, a small, tired smile playing on his lips.
"Hehe... a Three-Ring Soul Elder really isn't that much to brag about, is it?" he muttered.
"Does that include me?" Ye Lingling's voice came from behind him, soft and uncertain.
"Of course," Ye Qiu began, turning around with a teasing remark on his lips, but he caught himself and coughed into his hand.
As he turned, his "red lips and white teeth"—the striking clarity of his features—caught the light. Ye Lingling froze. For a fleeting second, her heart hammered against her ribs, a strange, overwhelming urge to move closer washing over her. The icy veil of her composure, which had remained unshaken for years, began to thaw.
Ye Qiu noticed the dazed look in her eyes and immediately deactivated his Sharingan. The crimson glow faded from his pupils.
It took her several moments to find her voice. "Thank you," she whispered, lowering her eyes. Her face was hidden behind her black veil, but the tips of her ears were flushed pink.
"It was nothing," Ye Qiu replied, shaking his head. It hadn't been purely for her; he had his own debts to settle. "Let's get out of here before the faculty arrives."
"Mmm."
They walked away from the clearing, the crowd parting like the Red Sea. No one dared to stand in their path. As they disappeared from view, the silence broke into a frantic roar of gossip.
"I can't believe it... a Grand Soul Master just took down an entire squad without breaking a sweat!"