Chapter 6: The Fall of the "Master"
"So it's you, Master."
"What a pleasure to finally meet you."
"The Ten Core Competitiveness of Wuhun you proposed is truly eye-opening. It's something the soul master world should really pay attention to."
The sudden praise caused Qin Chuan's eyes to turn cold.
What a fine thing it must be—to reap glory for what you did not sow.
He slowly turned around to look toward the voice, only to hear another, equally familiar voice.
"Haha, thank you for your kind words. It is our duty to contribute to the soul master world."
It was Yu Xiaogang.
Calm and measured in tone, neither humble nor arrogant in the face of admiration—truly, he lived up to his name as a 'master of theory.'
"Master, did you come to Wuhun City for the finals of the Soul Master Elite Tournament?"
The first man continued politely.
"Yes," Yu Xiaogang responded after a brief pause. "That is one of the reasons."
It was then that Qin Chuan finally spotted him through the crowd.
A man around forty years old, buzz cut, wearing glasses.
How to describe it?
Perhaps it was the preconceived image Qin Chuan held, but Yu Xiaogang's first impression wasn't favorable.
In this Douluo Continent, where every soul master seemed to grow their hair long… why was he the only one with a military-style haircut?
It made him stand out—unfavorably.
And he breathes when he talks?
And when he walks, he leads with his right foot?
To borrow a famous line: That's enough to justify killing someone.
Yes…
Qin Chuan had already made up his mind to teach this man a lesson.
Breathing, walking, hairstyle—everything about him was irritating.
Without hesitation, Qin Chuan placed his hand firmly on Yu Xiaogang's shoulder.
Startled, Yu Xiaogang turned around.
"Who are you?" he asked, confused.
"Hmm?" Qin Chuan narrowed his eyes.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
Yu Xiaogang blinked in surprise, clearly at a loss.
Before he could respond, someone shouted in alarm, "Master, be careful!"
Bang!
A powerful punch landed squarely on Yu Xiaogang.
The wind trailing the fist was filled with soul power. Yu Xiaogang was instantly blown away, crashing through a roadside stall and tumbling across the street.
Panic rippled through the streets as screams and shouts echoed around them.
Not far off, the patrol soldiers of Wuhun City pushed their way through the crowd and rushed to the scene.
But the moment they saw Qin Chuan, their expressions changed drastically.
Yu Xiaogang groaned, struggling to rise from the rubble. Blood dripped down his face as he pointed angrily.
"Who are you?! How dare you commit violence in Wuhun City?!"
Spotting the soldiers, he shouted again, fuming with rage:
"I am an Honorary Elder of Wuhun Hall! I order you to arrest this criminal immediately, or I'll have you all punished for dereliction of duty!"
He tossed a token toward the soldiers.
One of them caught it and began examining it.
Yu Xiaogang straightened up and declared with authority, "I am Yu Xiaogang, a renowned theoretical master across the continent! That token was granted to me personally by Pope Bibi Dong! Is that not enough proof?"
"Arrest him at once!"
Gasps erupted among the surrounding crowd.
If not everyone knew Yu Xiaogang by appearance…
The title Theoretical Master was widely known among every soul master academy.
"So he's that master? Looks like this kid is in serious trouble."
"Hah! Doesn't know the difference between heaven and earth. To strike someone in Wuhun City? This will be fun to watch."
"Even if the master's soul power is only level 30, his status is far more important! Even Wuhun Hall wouldn't dare move against him. Now this kid's academy will pay the price too!"
Whispers, mockery, and gloating remarks filled the air.
Everyone assumed Qin Chuan had overstepped, and would now suffer the consequences.
Hearing the comments, Yu Xiaogang's pride swelled.
"You there, boy—what academy are you from? Go get your teacher."
Qin Chuan remained silent.
He listened to the crowd and sneered inwardly.
How could a sparrow ever understand the ambitions of a swan?
A summer insect cannot comprehend the cold of winter.
They still thought he was just another tournament participant.
They had no idea that he now stood at a level they could never hope to reach.
The soldiers stood frozen, token still in hand, hesitant.
Yu Xiaogang's face darkened.
"What are you waiting for?!"
But before the soldiers could react, one of them stepped forward, holding the token in both hands, and bowed to Qin Chuan with utmost respect.
"Grand Elder… this man…"
Grand Elder?
The words struck like lightning.
The crowd fell into stunned silence.
"…Grand Elder?"
Some looked at one another in confusion. They couldn't process it. Had they heard correctly?
Without a glance at the token, Qin Chuan held out his hand.
White soul power surged from his palm like divine fire.
In an instant, the black iron token melted into liquid, dripping from his hand like ink.
Everyone looked on in disbelief.
Yu Xiaogang's pupils trembled violently.
And then, before anyone could recover—
Boom!
Nine soul rings burst forth from Qin Chuan's body.
Three purple. Five black. One red.
Brilliant. Unmatched.
Nine rings.
"Ti… Titled Douluo?!"
Someone in the crowd stammered, mouth agape.
"How is this possible?! He's actually a Titled Douluo!"
Even Yu Xiaogang stood frozen, completely dumbfounded.
A Titled Douluo—one of the continent's absolute powerhouses.
And yet the man before him looked so young.
Even compared to the Haotian Douluo, once regarded as the greatest of the new generation, this youth appeared far superior.
"You… who exactly are you?" Yu Xiaogang's voice was dry, his limbs weak.
He gave a forced smile, barely able to speak.
"I've made a mistake. I shouldn't have offended… Your Excellency."
"I apologize."
Qin Chuan stepped closer, staring at him.
This face—ordinary, even ugly.
This was the man the one he loved had been thinking about all these years?
Was plot armor really this powerful?
"Your Excellency, we don't know each other. I…"
Yu Xiaogang trailed off.
And then his face froze.
A realization dawned.
"You're… the Grand Elder of Wuhun Hall?"
The title echoed in his mind.
A Titled Douluo whom the Wuhun City soldiers respectfully called "Grand Elder."
There could be only one.
A tremor ran down his spine.
Qin Chuan laughed coldly.
"Half right."
"Did the flood wash away the Dragon King Temple, Yu Xiaogang?"
Yu Xiaogang hurried to force a smile.
Bang!
Another fist landed squarely in his chest.
This time, Qin Chuan's punch carried full soul power.
The impact was devastating.
Yu Xiaogang spat blood as he crashed again, rolling across the stone pavement.
But this time—
It wasn't just flesh that was broken.
It was his soul foundation.
Soul power surged from Qin Chuan's fist like a tidal wave, forcefully entering Yu Xiaogang's meridians.
Just like flooding pork with water.
In an instant, his dantian—his soul core—shattered.
"You—!"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes widened in pain.
His body curled up, trembling, face pale.
Qin Chuan stood tall, glowing with white light, radiant as the sun.
He crouched beside Yu Xiaogang and gently patted his bloodied cheek.
"Didn't they call you a 'master of theory'?"
"I look forward to seeing whether you can develop a new theory… one that restores a shattered dantian."
"That would truly be a contribution to the soul master world."