Chapter 162: Backlash
When Deng Feng made his move, Du Xiao’s soul was easily captured.
Let alone Deng Feng, even if Yang Haoran had acted, capturing Du Xiao’s wánglíng would have been no difficult feat. In such circumstances, how could Du Xiao’s soul possibly escape?
“His name is Du Xiao. He doesn't have much ability, but he has a master behind him. He appeared in Lecheng, so I suspect his master might be in Lecheng too. ” Yang Haoran glanced at Du Xiao, who was struggling on the ground, then spoke to Deng Feng.
“You two dog-shit running dogs of the Underworld Office! May you die a terrible death! ”
“My master will definitely avenge me! Just you wait! ”
“It won't be long before my master comes for you. That will be your doomsday! ”
Du Xiao struggled on the ground, cursing furiously. Yang Haoran found it somewhat amusing. This young master had already died once, yet he still hadn't learned his lesson. Not only did he show no restraint, but he even dared to threaten Deng Feng, an Emissary of Death, to his face.
It was obvious without even thinking that this young master wouldn't have an easy time ahead. Setting aside his identity as a Spirit Medium, his current insults directed at Deng Feng alone were enough to earn him a scalding hot cup of trouble.
Yang Haoran's guess stemmed from the fact that Deng Feng, who had initially been excited, gradually turned cold-faced under Du Xiao’s barrage of curses.
Naturally, Du Xiao's insults included Yang Haoran as well, but seeing Deng Feng being cursed so vehemently, he conveniently overlooked his own part in the scolding.
“Shut your mouth! Is an Emissary of Death someone you can insult? ! ”
Yang Haoran suppressed the disgust in his heart and put on an act in front of Deng Feng. He deliberately uttered that sentence, partly to mislead Deng Feng and deepen his impression, making Deng Feng believe he was merely a sycophantic lackey.
Furthermore, he said it to provoke Du Xiao. Given Du Xiao’s agitated state, speaking such a phrase wouldn't silence him; on the contrary, it would only make Du Xiao curse even more vehemently!
As expected, it would have been better if Yang Haoran hadn't said anything at all. The moment he spoke, Du Xiao’s curses grew even more fervent.
“Screw your mother, you goddamn Emissary of Death! With that pointy nose and monkey face, you look like a damn ape! You’ve utterly disgraced the Underworld Office! Is your Underworld Office a zoo, huh? Is it a zoo? ! ”
His appearance had always been a thorn in Deng Feng's side. Whether before joining the Underworld Office or after, his looks had always been his sore spot.
However, as his strength grew and his status rose, fewer and fewer dared to mock his appearance. Yet, he hadn't expected to be thoroughly cursed by a wánglíng today.
Watching Deng Feng’s slightly trembling body, Yang Haoran felt a surge of satisfaction. Earlier, he had been cursed vehemently by Deng Feng, angered but daring not to speak, silently enduring it while putting on an act of 'You're absolutely right, boss. ' Now, having pulled this stunt, he finally got to let out some pent-up frustration.
“You may leave first. I know how to handle the rest. ” Deng Feng suppressed his inner fury and spoke to Yang Haoran in a deep voice.
Yang Haoran had intended to say something, but then his expression subtly shifted. After respectfully bowing, he exited the hall amidst Du Xiao’s continued cursing.
Stepping out of the hall, Yang Haoran's face suddenly paled. As if enduring something immense, he quickened his pace, moving away from the corridor.
Once out of the corridor and reaching the secluded small room of the Death God Temple, Yang Haoran could no longer endure it. He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, then gasped for air in large gulps.
Just moments ago, Deng Feng had told him to leave the hall first. He had originally wanted to extract some useful information from Deng Feng, so he didn’t want to leave immediately. However, to his surprise, the Enchantment Art was passively triggered while Deng Feng was speaking to him!
This should have been a good thing. If Deng Feng triggered the Enchantment Art, he would develop more trust and closeness towards Yang Haoran in the future, allowing Yang Haoran to reap more benefits from him. But to Yang Haoran's utter astonishment, although the Enchantment Art was triggered by Deng Feng, its activation failed!
The reason his expression subtly changed at that moment, and why he exited the hall without hesitation, was precisely because he sensed the Enchantment Art's failed activation. If he hadn't left immediately, his current state would have been completely exposed to Deng Feng, which would undoubtedly have led to yet another troublesome situation.
“Deng Feng’s strength is probably greater than I imagined. Thankfully, whether the Enchantment Art succeeds or fails in its activation, the trigger won’t sense it. Otherwise, I would have had a tough time leaving the hall today. ”
Although the Enchantment Art was formidable, it had its drawbacks. This drawback was that he couldn’t actively deploy the art; it could only be passively triggered.
Encountering a weaker target would have been fine, but when facing an existence far surpassing his own strength, the result would be just as Yang Haoran was experiencing now: suffering a backlash from the Enchantment Art, harming his own body.
As Yang Haoran thought to himself, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, then erased the blood on the ground, leaving no trace.
He had originally wanted to greet Jiang Dashi before leaving, but his current physical condition made him abandon that idea. Going to Jiang Dashi with such a pale face didn’t seem appropriate no matter how he thought about it.
Quietly leaving the Death God Temple, Yang Haoran drove straight to the General Store. Along the way, he recalled Deng Feng’s excited reaction upon seeing Du Xiao’s soul.
He was very puzzled, wondering what could have made Deng Feng so excited. After a moment of thought, he decided to call Xu Meijing.
The phone rang a few times before it was picked up, and then Xu Meijing’s voice came through.
“What is it now? ”
Her opening was direct, and it revealed a hint of impatience. Yang Haoran was long accustomed to it and naturally didn’t take it to heart.
“It's the end of the month today. I saw Deng Feng,” Yang Haoran said with a chuckle.
“Oh? Was his expression splendid? ” Xu Meijing asked, showing some interest.
“Splendid, indeed. It just made things tough for us Night Watchers,” Yang Haoran said with a wry smile.
“If he’s in a bad mood, he’ll definitely vent on you guys. So, did you suffer today too? ” Xu Meijing asked.
“I’m alright, I’m alright. Though I took a bit of flak, the harvest was decent. By the way, do you know if there are any Spirit Mediums in Lecheng? ”
Yang Haoran didn't mention being cursed vehemently by Deng Feng to Xu Meijing. After glossing over that, he steered the conversation towards Spirit Mediums.
“There’s a Spirit Medium in Lecheng? You’re not kidding, are you? ” Xu Meijing’s voice carried a hint of surprise.
“It’s true. I took care of one, but there’s something that puzzles me: Deng Feng seems overly concerned with the Spirit Medium’s soul. ” Yang Haoran said, his face full of doubt.
“Of course he’d be very concerned. If it were me, I’d be equally concerned. All Spirit Mediums are wanted by the Underworld Office, and every Spirit Medium’s soul, once handed over to the superiors, fetches a considerable reward. How could he not be concerned? ”
Xu Meijing's explanation dispelled the doubts in Yang Haoran’s mind.
“No wonder. I thought Deng Feng had some special connection with Spirit Mediums, which was why he reacted with such unusual excitement. So, it turns out there’s a hefty reward to be had. ”
Yang Haoran’s face showed an “aha” expression. However, he was still very curious about what kind of benefit could make Deng Feng so excited.
“The soul of an ordinary Spirit Medium is definitely worth more than an Evil Spirit. For powerful Spirit Mediums, their souls are even more valuable; they can be exchanged for corresponding Soul Pills from the superiors. You gave Deng Feng such a big gift, did he give you any benefits? ” Xu Meijing asked.
Yang Haoran felt a little awkward. At that moment, he felt his heart bleeding. He didn't know how to respond to Xu Meijing.
“It seems you didn't get any benefits at all. You’re truly foolish. Here’s a suggestion: if you get a Spirit Medium’s soul in the future, you’d best keep it for yourself. What if one day you get lucky and become an Emissary of Death? You’ll then realize just how valuable a Spirit Medium’s soul is. In the future, read more books when you have time. The more you understand about this world, the fewer detours you’ll take. ”
Yang Haoran felt a little depressed. He had just been severely scolded by Deng Feng, and unexpectedly, after escaping Deng Feng, he was now being lectured by Xu Meijing.
Though he felt depressed, there was one thing Yang Haoran couldn’t deny: Xu Meijing’s words were indeed reasonable.
In this regard, he truly needed to make some changes.
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