Chapter Seventy-Five: The Panda Bandit Gang

"Soul forging?" Tang Tian was intrigued by Uncle Bing's words.

Uncle Bing recalled, "The martial techniques in our time were different from now, but the soul power was much the same. We did a lot of research into soul power back then, and eventually we discovered that the soul is actually a kind of energy imprint. Initially, it lies dormant deep within the mind, extremely faint. As a martial artist begins cultivating true force, the body is gradually tempered and the soul imprint slowly awakens. When a martial artist's true force reaches the fourth tier, it hits a critical threshold, and the soul fully awakens and begins to grow. The mysteries of the soul—no one in our era ever truly unraveled them. And it seems, in this era, no one has either. Some believe it's an energy imprint; others say it's a second consciousness. The theories are endless, but soul power is vastly more complex than true force."

Tang Tian listened, half-understanding; it all seemed a bit too profound for him.

Uncle Bing went on, "Even though we never figured out the soul's true nature, our research wasn't entirely fruitless. There are two crucial aspects to the soul: density and purity. Any powerful soul, regardless of its abilities, is always dense and pure. The density of the soul and its purity are closely linked. They rise together in a spiral—a marvelous phenomenon. If you focus only on expanding the soul, you quickly hit a bottleneck; only by increasing purity can it grow further. Likewise, if you only pursue purity, you'll soon face another bottleneck, and only by strengthening the soul can you continue forward."

"Is the soul really that powerful?" Tang Tian was puzzled. "Apart from making soul general cards, what else can it do?"

"Of course it's powerful." Uncle Bing's tone grew serious. "You'll understand in time. The lower tiers are the domain of true force, but the higher tiers belong to the soul."

"What counts as a higher tier?" Tang Tian asked.

"After the tenth tier, I'd say," Bing replied offhandedly.

Tang Tian's face fell. "That sounds so far away..."

Bing shot him a look of scorn. "That seems far to you? Godlike youth, are you afraid already?"

Tang Tian sprang up, his eyes wide and furious. "Hey, old man, stop spouting nonsense! For a godlike youth, what's the tenth tier? Hmph! They're all just targets to be crushed to dust! Ha! Tremble before me, old man!"

"You little fourth-tier brat! Arrogant! Ignorant! Conceited!" Bing retorted.

"Wow, wow, wow! I challenge you to a duel! Come on, old man—tremble in the shadow of the godlike youth!" Tang Tian bared his teeth in a crazed grin, pointing straight at Bing.

Bing ignored his provocation. "By the way, soul forging through energy rifts is a famous torture. In our time, only the bravest recruits dared to use energy rifts to forge their souls. Ah, I still remember the screams echoing above the rifts. Tsk, tsk—when I first joined the camp, only five people dared try."

Tang Tian snorted with disdain. "Bet you weren't one of them."

Bing turned his blank, featureless face, his tone flat but brimming with sarcasm to Tang Tian's ears. "Sorry to disappoint—you guessed wrong. I was one of them."

Tang Tian choked for a moment, but quickly recovered and sneered. "You're just exaggerating. Soul forging can't be that terrifying."

"Heh, then why don't you try it? Godlike youth, dare to compete?"

Bing tilted his head back, recalling, "I lasted two hours. Boy, this is your legitimate chance to defeat me—it’s truly frightening, so terrifying, oh godlike youth..."

Tang Tian's face darkened as he gritted his teeth. "I'll make you admit defeat, fair and square!"

"Heh, everyone talks big at the start," Bing continued to mock. "Just don't embarrass yourself if you can't last even twenty minutes, godlike youth."

Tang Tian's expression was as black as the bottom of a pot. "Better worry about not losing to me! Ha! Just picture yourself sobbing under the shadow of my victory—that would feel amazing!"

"I'm looking forward to this duel," Bing nodded. "But first, we have to find Sai Lei."

"What for?" Tang Tian smirked slyly. "Scared, old man?"

"Heh, if it's a fair contest, we need to keep things even," Bing's smooth, blank face seemed to flash with a cold light. "The Soulforging Device—a name that strikes terror into every recruit’s heart. Whenever they hear it, their faces turn ashen!"

Tang Tian scoffed. "Seems your regiment lacked godlike youths! Southern Cross Regiment isn’t that impressive after all!"

Bing’s ever-mocking face snapped to Tang Tian, killing intent radiating. Tang Tian stared back, undaunted. The two glared at each other.

"Boy, you'll regret it when it's too late. The taste of wishing you were dead will be a memory you’ll cherish forever," Bing's voice was chilling.

"Hmph! Are you scared now, old man? Too late to surrender! I’ll make you lose so thoroughly you’ll have nothing to say!" Tang Tian’s face was wild with defiance.

"If you want to throw your life away, I won’t stop you," Bing straightened, exuding menace.

"Prepare to worship the godlike youth!" Tang Tian sneered, hands thrust in his pockets.

Man and soul, they marched into Trinity Soul City.

"You go find Sai Lei and give this to her," Bing handed Tang Tian a blueprint. "I’ll go buy the materials."

"Don’t run off, old man!" Tang Tian grinned as he took the blueprint.

"Run? Heh, I can’t wait to see that pained expression of yours," Bing’s killing intent thickened.

They exchanged icy glares, then simultaneously snorted and turned away down separate streets.

Tang Tian’s face was still dark as he rode his bronze mechanical ostrich, thundering down the street toward Sai Lei’s card shop.

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Inside the warehouse, Sai Lei was surrounded by three men. The place was a mess, littered with shards of machinery.

"What a pleasant surprise. Who would have thought Miss Sai Lei, besides being a mechanical genius, would be such a beauty. Truly mouthwatering. That’s a D, isn’t it?" The leader, a burly man in a cowhide coat of black and white patches and a straw hat, grinned greedily, a blade of grass between his teeth.

"C," said a slim youth in a black fur coat and white glasses, squinting as he muttered a single letter.

"What kind of taste is that, Old Black?" The fat man in a pure white fur coat shouted. "Definitely an E! But that’s not the point—the point is, look at those legs! Perfect, absolutely perfect! Snowy, smooth, curvaceous, just the right shape—tender and springy. Wow, wow, wow, a true masterpiece!"

The leader paused and turned. "Old White, I swear I've heard you say that before."

Old Black said coldly, "When you were gnawing pig's feet the other night."

The leader suddenly realized. "Right! Damn, in the blink of an eye, Old White ate seven! I only got one!"

Old Black: "Two."

Sai Lei looked at the three, arms crossed, her tone mocking. "The infamous Panda Bandit Gang, to take an interest in someone as insignificant as me—what an honor. Flower Panda, Black Panda, White Panda!"

White Panda clapped his fat hands, grinning. "If you’re honored, then come with us."

"I have no intention of going anywhere," Sai Lei shook her head.

Flower Panda narrowed his eyes, his face full of the bandit’s slyness; his tone was slow but menacing. "Why not? How much is your little shop worth? We’ll buy it. Work with us, live the good life. We need a mechanic. And you’re so beautiful, I just happen to be single. We’d be a great match."

Black Panda’s face was expressionless, but the killing aura around him intensified.

White Panda smiled gleefully, taking a step forward.

Sai Lei appeared calm, but inside she was frantic. She never expected the Panda Bandit Gang to target her. They were vicious and ruthless, their skills formidable. Every trap in her shop had been dismantled.

Damn!

Why isn’t anyone coming?

Sai Lei’s anxiety mounted; she regretted opening her shop in such a remote area.

Flower Panda seemed to read her thoughts and chuckled. "No one will come—we already hung a ‘Closed’ sign outside. Seems you’re not giving up. Guess we’ll have to do this the hard way. You two, keep watch. I want some time alone with the lovely Miss Sai Lei."

Sai Lei’s face changed.

Flower Panda began rolling up his sleeves, his eyes gleaming lecherously.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble—thunderous rumbling.

The three immediately tensed, alert. Sai Lei’s expression shifted, but her beautiful eyes suddenly lit up; she did not hesitate to shout, "Help!"

All three faces changed. Flower Panda lunged for Sai Lei.

Boom!

The warehouse doors behind them exploded into splinters.

Tang Tian charged in atop his bronze mechanical ostrich, like an ancient knight in heavy armor. The thunderous rumble shook the ground as he stormed in.

The ostrich's head was lowered, like a knight aiming his lance.

Amid the roaring and flying debris, with unstoppable force, he shot forward.

Tang Tian crouched low on the ostrich’s back, exuding a murderous aura.

Flower Panda, mid-air, turned pale. The shrill screech behind sent chills down his spine.

He abandoned Sai Lei, twisted his body, gathered his true force, and punched behind him with all his might.

Boom!

The terrifying impact made his throat taste blood and pain shot through his fist—he knew it was broken. Shocked, he used the force to leap aside.

The ostrich’s sturdy bronze legs scraped sparks across the floor. In the blur of motion, a strong arm caught Sai Lei around the waist.

It was as if she was flying through clouds. In that instant, all fear vanished.

For a moment, Sai Lei was lost in a daze.