Douluo: No one but me can become a god.

Sikong Zheng turned and looked indifferently at the female general, not blinded by her beauty, and said:

"Alright, four hundred thousand is gone just like that. Aren't you going to explain why?"

The female general raised her head, her beautiful face filled with tears, yet she tried her best to appear strong. I couldn't help but want to hold her in my arms and cherish her.

Upon seeing this, Sikong Zheng stopped his cold expression and gradually softened his demeanor. He did not urge him on but waited quietly for what was to come.

"Thank you. Actually, it's not what you think. Our family wasn't rich, but we had enough to eat and wear. But my father became addicted to gambling. This money was borrowed from that guy's influence when he was alive. He lost it all in gambling, which led to the destruction of our family. My father couldn't bear the debt and jumped into the river, leaving only my sister and me. They have no choice but to ask me to repay the money. If I don't pay it back, they'll sell my sister. But don't worry, I'll work hard, and I will definitely pay you back."

The female general wiped away her tears, looked sincerely at Sikong Zheng, clenched her delicate, smooth hands, and spoke nervously.

Sikong Zheng shook his head and chuckled. He didn't feel the slightest bit heartache for the 400,000 gold soul coins; he only helped out of lust.

In the end, he couldn't control his feet, but he didn't regret it. Even if he had to do it again, he would still do it.

I seek no reward, only peace of mind.

He has as much money as he wants, and besides, he's about to head to the Killing City, so he doesn't have time to waste on debt collection.

He waved his hand dismissively, saying indifferently:

"I don't need your money."

Upon hearing this, the female general assumed that Sikong Zheng was greedy and had designs on her body like a lecherous man. She felt like she had just escaped one danger only to fall into another. Clutching herself tightly, she said in shame and anger:

"You, I didn't expect you to be like this too. Men are all the same."

Sikong Zheng's lips twitched, and he explained:

"Huh? You misunderstood. What I meant was that you don't have to pay it back."

The female general's brows relaxed, then furrowed again, her beautiful brows furrowing, and she said stubbornly:

"Are you trying to humiliate me? Humph, I'm not that low. I said I'd pay you back, and I will."

The female general thought that Sikong Zheng was pitying her, and unwilling to back down, she stared defiantly at him. Sikong Zheng did not expect that this would touch her pride.

In Sikong Zheng's view, arrogant girls are actually quite simple-minded and timid.

The tsundere character is simply an iron maiden wearing protective armor.

Arrogance is just armor to protect oneself.

Once they accept you, you'll find that your arrogance will turn into cuteness.

Unfortunately, Sikong Zheng adhered to the principle of not marrying He Liao and was unwilling to hurt those girls who deserved better than him.

Sikong Zheng rubbed his temples, feeling weary, and said:

"Alright, alright, return all 400,000 gold soul coins to me from now on, is that alright?"

Sikong Zheng made up his mind to stay far away from this woman from now on; she was just too troublesome.

Their eyes met, and the two, speechless, felt an awkward silence.

The female general, having stopped arguing, finally remembered that Sikong Zheng seemed to have witnessed her humiliating ordeal the entire time. Immediately, her face flushed red, she glared at Sikong Zheng and ran away in a panic.

Sikong Zheng, bewildered by the glare, sighed helplessly and slowly walked towards the office building.

What Sikong Zheng didn't know was that he underestimated the feelings of a young girl experiencing first love, and underestimated that the female general could wait for him for many years just to keep a promise to him.

What the female general didn't know was that liking someone could be so simple, without needing a love that was unforgettable or a vow of eternal love.

It's simply that I like you, and it has nothing to do with you.

At this moment, the female general who had run away looked back and could no longer see Sikong Zheng's figure, and a sense of loss welled up in her heart.

Realizing her own emotions, the female general's chest heaved violently, her face flushed with embarrassment: "Pah, pah, pah, how could I have thought of that slut?"

Pressing down on my pounding heart, I tried to calm myself down.

But she couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from gradually turning upwards. She stomped her foot angrily, cursing herself for being shameless. She was even thinking that tomorrow she could use the excuse of paying back some money to secretly see him.

Even though that bad guy wasn't handsome, he just wouldn't leave her mind.

At this moment, Sikong Zheng knocked on the middle-aged man's office door and went inside.

"Oh, it's Sikong Zheng? What's up?" the middle-aged man asked in surprise upon seeing Sikong Zheng.

Sikong Zheng crossed his arms and said calmly:

"Well, I'd like to take a four-year leave of absence, maybe not four years. In any case, I'll be back before the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament."

They didn't beat around the bush and stated their purpose directly.

Although he joined the botanical college, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement between him and the college.

With his addition, the College of Plant Sciences will be able to shine in the competition, gain fame and recognition, and attract more students in the future.

Sikong Zheng participated in the competition using a spot from the Botanical Academy, so the two could be considered to have a cooperative relationship. Therefore, Sikong Zheng didn't need to be subservient, since the academy wasn't capable of guiding him anyway.

The middle-aged man pushed up his glasses and asked curiously:

"Four years? Why does it take so long? Is there something you need that the academy can help you with?"

The academy pays special attention to geniuses like Sikong Zheng.

What can be done about the Slaughter City? Are you going to help me get through it?

Sikong Zheng shook his head, his attitude resolute:

"No need, this is my private matter and I can't say more."

The middle-aged man was helpless. He had received instructions from the dean to provide the best possible assistance. After all, such a genius was beyond their control; they could only try their best to cultivate a good relationship. If they didn't accept him, other academies would be vying for him.

Since the other party had already stated that it was a private matter, the middle-aged man didn't ask any further questions and nodded.

"Okay, it's a deal then. You must come back for the major tournament four years from now. The team will reserve a spot for you. Go!"

Having received approval, Sikong Zheng nodded slightly.

Not intending to linger at the Botanical Academy, he turned around and headed straight for the Killing City.

After leaving the Botanical Academy, Sikong Zheng headed north, occasionally glancing down at the simple map in his hand.

This simple map was drawn by Sikong Zheng from Yu Xiaogang when he was still at the Notting Junior Soul Master Academy.

Although I'm not on the same wavelength as Yu Xiaogang, I still owe him a favor, and I'll have to find a chance to repay it in the future.

Few people knew the name "Slaughter City," let alone its exact location. Sikong Zheng had no connections or other means of obtaining the location of Slaughter City, yet he had to go there to hone his skills and strengthen himself.

If he is not strong enough but still wants to conquer the world, the fate of the Spirit Hall will serve as a warning to him.

One's origins cannot be changed; Tang San's origins were already determined. He represented nobility, while the Spirit Hall absorbed many commoner spirit masters, rising from the common people and representing the commoners.

After the Spirit Hall's defeat, the aristocratic class consolidated its position and began a second phase of development. With limited resources, commoners had little chance of advancement, and only a few geniuses were absorbed and nurtured.

Admittedly, Tang San may only be seeking revenge for his family's death, which is understandable. How can the hatred of killing one's mother be forgotten with a laugh? He cannot leave it unavenged.

The Spirit Hall was not absolutely righteous. Those who obeyed it prospered, and those who opposed it perished. It practiced absolute tyranny, wanting to prove its rule over the world through tyranny and stop killing with killing. Unfortunately, it failed.

In the original work, the subsidies for Soul Masters were funded by the Empire and distributed by the Spirit Hall. Why didn't the Empire do things like winning people's hearts? And why didn't the Empire do things like Spirit Enlightenment?

Ultimately, they are just two factions with different stances. In this world where strength reigns supreme, right and wrong are irrelevant; justice is written by the victors.

Sikong Zheng was determined to be the victorious righteous one. Fortune turns, and what others had done, it was now his turn to do.

The City of Slaughter was Sikong Zheng's first stop, because real combat skills couldn't be improved in a place like the Soul Arena; that was just child's play. True strength required truly fighting your way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, risking your life for your own.

Only then can you take control of your own life and the lives of others.

Sikong Zheng shook his head, clearing his mind of the jumbled thoughts, and looked at the map in his hand again. He had only tried it out at the beginning, and was not sure if Yu Xiaogang knew the exact location of the Killing City.