Douluo: I Can Choose My Own Soul Skills

Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:

patreon.com/ZeroMoney

I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated. 

******

In the eastern corner of Hanhai City, a crowd had gathered. Compared to the city center, the buildings here were more densely packed and irregularly arranged.

Among the eclectic array of architecture stood a particularly eye-catching blue-and-white cottage.

It was exquisitely maintained—snow-white steps gleamed without a speck of dust, and the glass windows were adorned with colorful seashells.

Through the windows, one could see a neatly arranged interior. The furniture was carefully placed, and the white walls were decorated with soft, plush ornaments, giving off an extremely cozy atmosphere.

In sharp contrast to the warmth inside, a noisy crowd had formed outside, creating a jarring clash of moods.

"Don't be so ungrateful! My boss has taken a liking to you—that's a blessing earned from your past life!" A chubby man with stubby limbs and a forgettable face pointed arrogantly at a young girl standing nearby.

He was flanked by two others—one short and one skinny.

The short man stood at the center of the trio, slightly ahead of the others, clearly the leader.

Standing in front of them was a frail-looking girl.

She kept her head down in silence, her gaze fixed on the trio's shoes. Her hands fidgeted aimlessly, and her whole body radiated discomfort and anxiety.

The skinny one sneered and added, "Do you even know who my boss is?"

The girl silently shook her head.

The skinny man's face lit up with excitement. "See the badge on my boss's chest? He's a freshly registered Soul Elder as of today!"

"Do you know what a Soul Elder is? In a few days, once the certificate comes through, my boss will officially be a noble of the Heaven Dou Empire!"

The surrounding neighbors and bystanders, hearing those words, lowered their voices, fearful of offending someone with noble status.

A few kind-hearted people who had intended to step in on the girl's behalf froze mid-step.

Soul masters were already figures that ordinary folks dared not provoke—let alone someone of Soul Elder rank.

Upon reaching Soul Elder, one was eligible to join the Heaven Dou Empire's nobility, officially becoming a baron.

Though a baron was the lowest rank among the nobility, it still belonged to the privileged class of the empire.

"I can't! I won't agree..." The frail girl finally summoned her courage and spoke in protest.

In the crowd, a middle-aged woman who overheard her refusal looked visibly frustrated, as if disappointed in her obstinance. "Xiaodie, your parents passed away early. Now a Soul Elder is willing to marry you—you should accept it. Miss this chance and you won't find another like it!"

Next to her, an elderly woman pointed at her nose and scolded, "You miserable widow! No wonder your husband died early! Xiaodie's marriage is none of your damn business!"

The chubby man scowled at the old woman. "Granny, this has nothing to do with you either! This is between my boss and Xiaodie. Say another word, and I'll smash your damn coffin!"

The old woman was stunned into silence by the force of his threat.

The skinny man chimed in, "Even though your parents are gone, my boss doesn't mind your poor background. He'll take good care of you."

"Don't talk about my parents like that! I have my grandfather to take care of me!" the girl snapped, glaring at the skinny man's cruel expression.

The short man's lewd eyes roamed shamelessly across her body. He swallowed hard.

The girl shivered under his gaze, feeling deeply uncomfortable.

"Skinny, what the hell are you saying? Who taught you to talk to your future sister-in-law like that?" the short man said, glancing sideways at his companion.

The skinny one slapped his own face a few times in mock repentance. "My bad! My bad! I deserve to die! Sister-in-law, please forgive my nonsense!"

Xiaodie trembled but said nothing.

With a nasal, unpleasant voice, the short man continued, "Xiaodie, your grandpa's not young anymore. How will you live alone in the future? I'm now a certified Soul Elder, recognized by the Spirit Hall. People bow when they see me! Come with me, and I'll make sure you live in comfort—with fine food, a nice home, and servants waiting on you. You'll be my noble lady."

He took a step forward, trying to get closer to the girl.

She instinctively stepped back, shaking her head repeatedly.

"I don't need your care. I don't want to live in your house, eat your food, or become a noble!" she shouted, retreating again and again, her voice growing hoarse with resistance and fury. She loathed how he dared curse her grandfather, as if the old man were already dead.

Xiaodie backed away until her heels touched the base of the blue-and-white cottage. She had nowhere left to go.

Among the crowd, some even voiced agreement with the short man's reasoning.

"That old man's not getting any younger. Xiaodie really should find a good family. This guy might be ugly, but he's a Soul Elder. Honestly, she's marrying up!" said the middle-aged widow again.

"Yeah, who knows where that old man went these last couple of days? He's nowhere to be seen—not even aware of such a big event at home."

"I heard he went to the Black Sea to catch some kind of octopus!"

"The Black Sea? Isn't that a place of no return?"

"Ha! Talk about perfect timing. A funeral and a wedding all in one!"

"Have you people no shame? Xiaodie's surrounded by trash neighbors!"

"Oh, don't act so high and mighty. For common folk like us, landing a Soul Master is like our ancestors blessing us from their graves."

...

The chubby man glanced at his boss's darkened expression and immediately understood—Xiaodie had seriously pissed him off.

Considering himself the boss's most loyal lackey, the chubby man's eyes gleamed with a sudden brilliant idea.

He leaned close and whispered into the short man's ear, "Boss, don't worry—I've got a plan."

After pausing for effect, he continued with a twisted smile:

"Boss, once we force her into the house, just shut all the doors and windows. After that, well, it's all up to you."

"Once the deed is done, she won't be able to say no even if she wants to!"

The short man's dark expression gradually flushed with color as the plan took root in his mind.

He patted the chubby man on the shoulder.

"Let's do it. Pull this off, and you'll eat and drink like a king!"

The chubby man smirked proudly upon receiving his boss's approval.

He and the skinny man then exchanged whispers, and the skinny one's eyes lit up with excitement.

The three of them began slowly closing in on Xiaodie, who was backed against the wall.

The chubby man shouted, "Alright, enough gawking! Everyone go home. Quit jabbering. My boss just wants to have a private talk with our sister-in-law. You'll all be invited to the wedding feast soon enough!"

The onlookers exchanged uneasy glances. They could guess exactly what the three intended.

But faced with the trio's Soul Master status, they hesitated, unsure of what to do.

Even the middle-aged widow who had supported the marriage now regretted her words.

She had never imagined these three would brazenly try to drag Xiaodie inside in broad daylight.

Once the door was closed, who knew what might happen?

The widow now wanted to slap herself to lessen her growing guilt.

But regardless of what the onlookers thought, none dared intervene.

A few quietly slipped away, heading toward the city gates to seek help from the city guards.

Even so, they weren't confident. After all, a Soul Elder was a future noble of the empire. Who knew if the officials would protect their own?

If Xiaodie couldn't be saved, those who reported the incident might end up paying the price.

Commoners couldn't afford the wrath of a Soul Elder.

As hesitation filled the crowd, the three continued to close in on the trembling girl.

(End of Chapter)