"Damn it!"
Tang San's eyes were bloodshot.
"Even this lot dares humiliate me?! I'm the son of Clear Sky Douluo, the mainland's top sect's heir—you dare provoke me?!"
Things just kept going wrong for Tang San.
First, Zhu Zhuqing left. Next, disasters in Star Dou Forest left Xiao Wu heartbroken and gone.
He barely kept the Shrek team together, sneaking into the finals.
Now, yet again, the enemy ambushed them!
"Die!"
Tang San roared. Countless Blue Silver Grass lashed out to entangle the black-clad foes, while his hidden weapons flashed—using even the Deadly Mother-Child Poison Darts.
But soon, anger gave way to reason.
"They're Saints! Higher!"
The rest of the Shrek Team and trainees panicked.
No wonder the enemy dared—they were that strong!
"San, run!" Flender grew wings, soared with Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong, trying a martial fusion to buy time.
"Okay!" Tang San bolted immediately, the rest behind.
Oddly, Ning Rongrong lagged at the rear, only keeping pace because Oscar held her hand.
"Useless... I told you to train your body, but you never listen," Yu Xiaogang scowled.
Flender: "..."
Why do you think she's called a support soul master?
"Chase those kids!"
The black-gloved leader, raising his sleeve, exposed his poisoned arm—humiliation for a soul douluo!
"Yes!"
Two others instantly pursued.
"Settle it fast!" Flender's face darkened.
"Help San!"
"Got it!" ×2
Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong replied in unison.
But—
"Jie jie jie—thinking of rescue?"
A middle-aged man in golden armor appeared, sneering.
"She Long! Snake Lance Douluo!" All three paled.
Just one Titled Douluo would terrify; but three at once?
Did Spirit Hall truly want them all dead?
Even a bottom-ranked Douluo would be trouble, let alone a level 93 mid-tier powerhouse.
"Does Spirit Hall mean to wipe us all out?" Flender's voice dripped cold rage as he clenched his fist.
"And it was you who invited us here—does trust mean nothing?"
"Heh. When you're dead, who's left to know?" She Long smiled, twirling his snake lance—its tip splitting and coiling.
Nine soul rings flashed under his feet.
"Hah!"
"Fight!"
Flender and the others fused their spirits. A mighty golden dragon roared and charged.
Whatever happened to Tang San and the others now—fate would decide.
"Blugh—"
Tang San spat blood.
The black-clad leader yanked him by the hair and punched him in the gut.
A look of contempt on his face.
The poison on his arm was troublesome for a soul douluo—but not fatal.
"Not bad..."
Their slippery child had been caught after creative use of technique and weapons.
Another kick sent Tang San flying, his body curling on the ground, retching blood.
Wheezing...
Dai Mubai and the rest were in equally sorry shape.
"Elder Ying, is this necessary…"
The Dragon Duke and Serpent Grandmother appeared, warily watching the Spirit Hall powerhouses.
"Oh, it's you two?" Black-clad man chuckled.
"I'm just following orders."
"Let's go!"
With that, he and the other saints turned away.
The Empress had instructed: don't kill Yu Xiaogang, his disciple, or the main team.
But beating them—good for appearances.
(And Liu Erlong was to be killed.)
Of course, She Long had already taken care of that.
"Heh…"
She Long gripped Yu Xiaogang's throat, scornfully gazing at the battered pair.
"So this is the 'Golden Triangle'—just reputation?"
"Don't kill him!!" Liu Erlong, covered in wounds, pleaded desperately.
"I'll trade myself for him!"
"Erlong…" Yu Xiaogang was touched—knowing it was likely Bibi Dong's plan, but dared not bet...
If he lost that gamble, it'd be fatal.
So he called softly: "Erlong!"
"Fine..." She Long cackled.
One more accomplished deed for the boss.
"No, take me instead!!" Flender begged.
"I'm Shrek Academy's dean!"
Of course, he couldn't bear to see Erlong die.
"Flender..." Liu Erlong was moved.
She Long: "..."
Couldn't help but laugh.
This was a soap opera.
Yu Xiaogang was so useless—weak, unscrupulous, yet seduced so many… even the Empress—cough cough...
But that wasn't his problem.
"Heh, trash isn't worth killing personally," She Long sneered, tossing him aside—careful not to let him die accidentally.
A mere soul grandmaster.
"Now to finish you two."
With space splitting, Flender watched Liu Erlong's heart impaled by the snake lance—without even enough strength to fight back. She collapsed.
"You killed Erlong, I'll fight you to the end!" Flender screamed, then suddenly faltered, coughing blood.
She Long stood with snake lance through his heart; Flender fell, lifeless.
"Tsk, nothing worse than a loser in love... you all must die." She Long smiled.
"No!!!"
Yu Xiaogang lay on the ground, cursing under his breath.
But when She Long looked his way, he quickly pretended to faint, trembling in fear.
"…"
She Long's lips curled with real disgust.
Killing Flender and Liu Erlong was his job.
But Yu Xiaogang—he truly wanted to slice him up.
Just too revolting.
A kick sent Yu Xiaogang rolling, but he kept up his dying act.
"Tsk, where to begin?" She Long mused, tracing the tip across Yu Xiaogang's abdomen.
"Supposedly ancient torture, Lingchi (*Death by a thousand cuts), was fun—the trick was not to let the victim die too soon..."
"Wu wu wu! Please, spare me!"
Yu Xiaogang sobbed and pleaded for his life.
"Eh, it's easy enough," She Long said, smiling.
"…"
Suddenly—
She Long's face twisted in disbelief.
He'd smelled urine.
With a sigh, he turned and left.
He'd never seen someone so revolting—killing Yu Xiaogang would dirty his own blade.
"Wuuuu..."
Only Yu Xiaogang was left, weeping.
He'd truly lost face this time.
Not to mention he'd lost everything.
Shrek Academy was lost.
His trainees—their team—were all dead…
He had to demand justice from Bibi Dong!
If nothing else, maybe he could teach Spirit Hall's elite, just as long as he could prove his theories!
Nothing else mattered.
"Cunning brat…"
The Soul Saint with the Eagle Spirit narrowed his eyes, watching Osler fleeing below.
He was even craftier than Tang San.
Twice the boy had escaped his grasp.
Despite interference from others, this proved his talent.
"Such a young Soul Sect—makes even me want to take a student. Shame…"
Old Eagle shook his head.
This time, the Empress' order was annihilation.
Except Yu Xiaogang and his protégé—none would be spared.
How unfortunate.
He closed his clawed hand, gathering spirit power:
"Letting me use soul skills on you, boy—you should be proud…"
Cry!
A sharp eagle cry split the air.
Osler ducked low, weaving through the forest, his fourth soul ring shining—doubling his speed, blending faintly with the wind.
But—the gap was too great.
A Soul Douluo releasing all rings gave ultimate respect before the kill.
"Die!"
Lor Diarra readied his Golden Talon at Osler—
But at the last instant, the boy relaxed and shouted:
"Teacher—I surrender!"
Like someone losing a game, Osler turned back and grinned at Lor Diarra.
"Wait!! Something's wrong!" Lor Diarra's eyes widened, heart seized.
"Buzz…"
The world seemed to freeze.
His eagle-clawed arm was sliced off, blood spraying, terror filling him…
No, this was wrong.
A handsome young man in white hovered overhead, hands behind his back, watching with a smile.
"Spirit Hall?"
"Do you recognize me?"
"…"
"You're… Su…"
Lor Diarra fell to one knee, blood ignored, terror-stricken:
"Had I known he was your student, sir, I would never—"
Knowing this man's deeds in Spirit Hall—
Even the top Douluo had knelt, while he walked out stepping on the Empress' head—
No one dared challenge him.
He'd caused the Empress to move house, just to avoid his wrath.
And now—face-to-face, the pressure was suffocating…
"Who sent you?"
Su Wen kept his hands behind his back, unhurried.
"The Empress! She ordered us to wipe out all the academies. Ling Luan Douluo led the team, with Porcupinefish Douluo and Snake Lance Douluo!" Lor Diarra answered through the pain, gesturing at the distant battlefield.
The moment Su Wen appeared—
Even the three rampaging Douluos fell silent, and a previously fiery battlefield went cold and still.
Survivors looked around in confusion.
Where had this savior come from?
"..."
"You bastard…"
Nearby in the sky—
She Long, who had been trying to slink away, cursed Lor Diarra.
As Su Wen's gaze drifted over—
Still the same gentle smile.
Impossible to read his mood.
"Mr. Su…"
"I…"
She Long's bravado evaporated, replaced by utter cowardice.