Chapter 161: Clarify the Background Before You Kill Someone

"Lower back..."

Hearing her say this, Qin Jian's eyes couldn't help but drift downward.

Zhuqing's eyes gradually grew hazy; she gently took Qin Jian's hand and placed it on her waist, murmuring, "Can you... help me rub it..."

Qin Jian felt around carefully, only to discover she wasn't injured there at all; rather, it was true that her hands had been slightly hurt from her one-on-one fight with that thousand-year Soul Beast just moments ago.

So... was this little kitten just teasing him?

Qin Jian steeled his heart and moved his hand from her waist further down...

Zhuqing simply rested her hands on Qin Jian's shoulders, burying her entire self in his embrace, and then softly let out a low... gentle... sound...

Qin Jian froze completely.

"Ahem!"

Seeing that Qin Jian and Zhuqing were about to start fondling each other right under her nose, Xiao Wu could only speak up again to make her presence felt.

"Ahem..."

The two finally realized the presence of a third person; Qin Jian gave a dry cough and then said with a straight face, "Zhuqing, your lower back isn't a big problem, but your fingernails are severely worn down. Was that because of the Soul Beast from just now?"

Zhuqing also pulled her body a little further away from him and said, "Mm... that black panther Soul Beast's claws were too sharp, I couldn't compare..."

She was very glad now that it was nighttime, so Xiao Wu couldn't see the blush covering her face.

Of course, this scene couldn't escape the gaze of Qin Jian, who was close enough to touch; that expression, so completely contrary to her usual coldness, was like fine wine, and Qin Jian felt he was about to get drunk...

"Stop staring at each other! Hurry up and go find the others!"

Xiao Wu had no choice but to disrupt their ambiguous atmosphere once again.

Qin Jian shook his head helplessly and helped Zhuqing stand up from the ground: "Zhuqing, why did you go so deep into the forest all by yourself?"

"Well... after Oscar's Mushroom Sausage wore off, I just kept running, kept running... I don't even know how long I ran for... until I ran into this Soul Beast..." Zhuqing said in a low voice.

"What a... silly cat..."

Qin Jian couldn't help but pull her into his arms again.

Xiao Wu stomped her feet, wishing she could use the talent skill she awakened after reaching level thirty on Qin Jian: the Eight-Stage Throw.

After finally waiting for Qin Jian and Zhuqing to finish their lovey-dovey display, Xiao Wu's mouth was pouting enough to hang an oil bottle on it.

"Let's go, let's go find Rongrong and the others."

Qin Jian patted her little head, which made her straight rabbit ears droop down again, and her pouting mouth retracted.

Dealing with this silly Rabbit was simple; the head-pat kill was effective every single time...

The three of them hadn't traveled far in a straight line before they heard the voices of people in a dispute.

"Kid, you aren't trying to play me for a fool with that Titan Giant Ape, are you? I don't have time to waste here with you. If you join my family, I will allow you to absorb this Soul Ring; otherwise, you only have a second choice: leave behind an arm as compensation for my granddaughter!"

From afar, Qin Jian saw the old man speaking, and with She Po and Meng Yiran beside him, he knew the other party was the "Heaven-Piercing Pepper" from the Unrivaled Dragon and Snake... er... the Long Gong of the Unrivaled Dragon and Snake.

At this moment, Tang San slowly raised the crossbow-shaped mechanism in his hand: "Since you cannot help me achieve my wish of saving my companion, it is naturally impossible for me to join your family. If you want my arm, come and take it yourself."

"Since you want to die, I will grant your wish." Killing intent filled Long Gong's eyes.

"Damn, why haven't the others come yet? It's just Tang San? The plot shouldn't be like this..."

Qin Jian frowned; he couldn't just watch Tang San die here...

Call Er Ming again? There's no time...

Do it himself? He couldn't win...

Qin Jian's eyes darted back and forth, and suddenly he rushed out and shouted: "Senior, you must clarify the background of the other party before killing them!"

If he had said anything else, Long Gong wouldn't have cared at all about what a Soul Elder was saying.

But this particular sentence caught Long Gong's attention; after all, it was his first time encountering a youth with such talent as Tang San—what if he really was the descendant of some great family...

"Kid, who are you?" Long Gong asked in a grim tone.

Qin Jian, Xiao Wu, and Zhuqing appeared together beside Tang San.

"Xiao Wu! You're okay!"

Tang San's eyes widened, and at the same time, he let out a long sigh of relief: "And Qin Jian, it's so good that you two are okay!"

After these events in the Star Dou Great Forest, Tang San was clearly much closer to Qin Jian.

Qin Jian patted his shoulder and then began to show off his background: "Senior Long Gong, this junior is Qin Jian, a direct disciple of Jian Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Jian Douluo?!"

Meng Yiran let out an exclamation, and even the gazes of Long Gong and She Po couldn't help but shrink.

"Do you need proof? My body... is like a sword!"

Qin Jian's martial soul sword landed in front of him in an instant: "This is the opening move of my teacher's Man-Sword Unity technique."

Long Gong and She Po narrowed their eyes slightly; the two exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously, both knowing the judgment in the other's heart.

"I believe you are a direct disciple of Jian Douluo, but what does that have to do with me wanting to kill Tang San?" Long Gong said coldly.

Qin Jian was slightly stunned: "Senior Long Gong, Tang San is my companion, can you not let him go?"

Tang San looked at Qin Jian's back as he stood in front of him, his gaze slightly moved.

"Hmph! He snatched Yiran's Soul Beast again this time; no matter what, I cannot let him go."

Long Gong said coldly: "Otherwise, the reputation of our Unrivaled Dragon and Snake will be completely thrown away."

Qin Jian shook his head, seemingly out of options.

Tang San said in a low voice behind him: "Qin Jian, it was I who offended them. Let me face this alone; they seem reasonable enough, they shouldn't vent their anger on you."

"Don't give up yet. No matter what I say next, I hope you won't be surprised."

Qin Jian whispered, then stepped forward again, spreading his hands: "Senior Long Gong, I originally didn't want to reveal Tang San's background, but being pushed to this point by you, I cannot just watch you deal with him."

"Kid, you aren't going to tell me his teacher is also a Peak Douluo, are you?" Long Gong pointed at Tang San and said.

Hearing this, Tang San gave a slight, bitter smile; his teacher was not only not a Title Douluo, but merely a level twenty-nine Great Soul Master.

Sure enough, Qin Jian also shook his head: "No, his teacher is not a Peak Douluo..."

Before Long Gong could continue to flare up, Qin Jian looked at him and said seriously: "But his father is a Peak Douluo."

Long Gong had not yet reacted much, but Tang San himself widened his eyes: "Qin Jian, you... what are you saying... my father is a Peak Douluo? How could that be possible..."

"Hehe..."

Meng Yiran could not help but laugh: "I say, when you guys brag, can you coordinate your stories first? You are saying something with a straight face that even Tang San himself doesn't know?"

Long Gong's white eyebrows also began to furrow: "Kid, are you playing me? Trying to stall for time? Let me tell you, even if Immovable Bright King Zhao Wuji were here today, he would have no way to stop me if I wanted to kill Tang San!"

43/71 (One extra chapter added for reaching the average subscription target)

I didn't take a break over the weekend and wrote quite a bit, so I'll post another chapter at 12 o'clock today~

(End of this chapter)