Chapter 152 Shocking Xingluo_1

It's the same outcome whether I'm straightforward or not.

The Porcupine Douluo was no ordinary man.

With just a slight hesitation, he made up his mind.

After all, his mission was to convey the news to Qiandaoliu.

He braced himself and said, "Great Priest, there has been a slight change in Qin Xiao's situation, I'm afraid it's a bit different from the outcome you expected."

"Oh? What change?"

Qiandaoliu's expression suddenly shifted, and he asked sternly, "Don't tell me that little brat Qin Xiao has come up with some other condition?"

A dead man putting forward conditions? Isn't that absurd? The thought flashed through the Porcupine Douluo's mind as he shook his head, "No, that's not it."

Qiandaoliu became even more intrigued upon hearing this and said, "What is this 'slight discrepancy' you speak of?"

"Well…," the Porcupine Douluo hesitated, then said in a low voice, "To answer the Great Priest, Qin Xiao… Qin Xiao, he..."

"What happened to him? You're not saying he's dead, are you?" Qiandaoliu frowned.

"Yes, he's dead!" The Porcupine Douluo's heart trembled, but he no longer stammered.

"Dead is dead; why not just say so directly!"

Qiandaoliu first muttered to himself, but quickly realized there was something off.

His deeply furrowed brow suddenly arched.

"Wait, Porcupine, what did you say? Qin Xiao is dead?"

Qiandaoliu's voice rose sharply.

Surprise filled his face.

He asked again, probing for the truth from the Porcupine Douluo!

"Great Priest, Qin Xiao is truly deceased."

After seeing the Porcupine Douluo nod with a troubled expression, Qiandaoliu also had no choice but to believe the fact.

Sigh.

Inhale.

Sigh.

Inhale.

Qiandaoliu breathed heavily, trying hard to calm his agitated emotions.

Remembering what the Porcupine Douluo had said earlier, he couldn't help but laugh bitterly, "A slight discrepancy? This is what you call a slight discrepancy? There's a saying that the dead should be regarded with the utmost importance. Qin Xiao's gone, and you still tell me it's a trivial matter?"

"Well, I remember you once told us, Great Priest, that as long as it's not a matter involving the life and death of Martial Soul Hall, it's not a big deal. You told us to stay calm…"

The Porcupine Douluo dared not look into Qiandaoliu's eyes, yet he quietly made his defense.

Upon hearing this, Qiandaoliu fell silent.

He still remembered that when he said those words, he had just succeeded as the Great Priest of Martial Soul Hall, full of youthful vigor, thinking that he had become invincible in Soul Land.

Although he had been tempered by Tang Chen and Bossi later on, how could he take back what he said?

"When did this happen?"

After a moment of silence, Qiandaoliu asked again.

"It was a few days ago. More than a hundred miles outside Tiandou City, Qin Xiao engaged in battle with an unknown powerhouse. By the time I arrived, there was no trace of either party..."

The Porcupine Douluo summarized the events succinctly.

"Did Qin Xiao notify you before he went to battle the powerhouse?"

Qiandaoliu continued his inquiry.

"Not exactly."

The Porcupine Douluo shook his head, "It was the Sect Master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi, who came to the imperial palace and confidently told the Young Master that one of the parties in the battle was Qin Xiao."

So that was it... Qiandaoliu nodded in understanding.

He knew of the profound friendship between Qin Xiao and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Since Ning Fengzhi himself had delivered the news, it was all but confirmed.

"A powerhouse?"

"Based on what I know, Qin Xiao's strength was not weak either. Who could have slain him outright?"

Qiandaoliu murmured, his face full of contemplation.

From the information he had, aside from Tang Chen or Bossi, and the Second Priest of Martial Soul Hall, the Golden Crocodile Douluo, who else could have killed Qin Xiao?

At that moment, the Porcupine Douluo noticed the doubt in Qiandaoliu's eyes and quickly said, "Based on my senses, it was likely a being infinitely close to your strength. Ning Fengzhi also mentioned that he found golden scales at the scene, leading him to speculate that the powerful figure who targeted Qin Xiao might not be human, but a mighty soul beast."

"Did Ning Fengzhi say anything else? Say it all," Qiandaoliu demanded.

"Yes."

The Porcupine Douluo simply repeated Ning Fengzhi's words to Qiandaoliu.

"A powerhouse among soul beasts!?"

"A being that could be on par with me?"

Moments later, the Porcupine Douluo recounted almost verbatim what Ning Fengzhi had said.

Qiandaoliu's expression remained unchanged, but his heart was deeply shaken.

To his knowledge, there were no such mighty beings among soul beasts.

Could it be that in the depths of the Aquipeia Forest lurked an unknown existence?

But...

"Did Ning Fengzhi mention why that soul beast-like powerhouse would target Qin Xiao?"

"No."

"Then there's even less reason for Qin Xiao to engage it in battle."

Qiandaoliu was even more puzzled.

"Is it possible that the soul beast intended to attack Tiandou City, and Qin Xiao acted to protect it?" the Porcupine Douluo suggested softly.

After all, soul beasts and humans are natural enemies; it wouldn't be unheard of for a powerful soul beast to emerge from the Aquipeia Forest and attack a human city.

Qiandaoliu fell into silence after hearing the Porcupine Douluo's words; the possibility existed.

Perhaps there were some secrets between Qian Renxue and Qin Xiao that remained unknown.

A few moments passed.

"What does Xue'er think about this matter?" Qiandaoliu asked in a deep tone.

"The Young Master hopes the Great Priest can take action to seek out the real culprit and help Qin Xiao obtain justice," the Porcupine Douluo remembered Qian Renxue's instructions.

"Return to Xue'er's side and tell her that I will handle this matter."

"Yes!"

The Porcupine Douluo replied respectfully and quickly withdrew.