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"Teacher, calm down!" Tang San said, feeling flustered and anxious as he watched Yu Xiaogang struggle.
Flender's forehead throbbed with annoyance, and his mouth twitched. His face shifted from helpless to completely irritated. He narrowed his eyes, raised his hand, and with a swift, clean chop to Yu Xiaogang's neck, the man's eyes rolled back, and he instantly fainted.
"Phew…" Flender let out a long sigh of relief. "Xiaogang's stubbornness is even more unyielding than a bull. I don't know how Sister Erlong was so blind to have fallen for him."
He bent down and picked Yu Xiaogang up. After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and turned to look at Tang Chuan. Forcing a smile that was both awkward and as friendly as he could make it, Flender nodded at Tang Chuan and then quickly headed for the exit of the Great Spirit Arena.
Tang Chuan raised an eyebrow, a half-smile on his lips. He shook his head and muttered under his breath, "That old fox, Flender, is so slippery. After he found out who I am, his expression changed faster than flipping a book."
Just then, Tang San walked over. His voice was low, and while he wasn't shouting, a hint of anger could be heard. "Brother, you... you were really too much today. I know there's a conflict between you and Yu Xiaogang... but one is my teacher, and the other is my brother, so it's not good for me to say more. I just hope you don't make things difficult for me in the future."
He paused, then continued, "I'm going back to the Academy now. If you have time, you can come to Shrek Academy to find me. Next time we spar, I definitely won't lose to you again."
Tang Chuan slowly exhaled a heavy breath, walked towards Tang San, and gently patted his shoulder. "I never consider enemies who fall by my hand to be opponents. I'll give you time to catch up, but you'll never be able to see me in the distance again." With that, he turned and left without looking back, leaving only his silhouette behind for Tang San.
A few minutes later, Manager Ao returned to his room. He unbuttoned his collar and let out a long sigh, tossing his coat onto a hanger before slumping into a chair, stretching his limbs, and closing his eyes.
"Phew, it's finally over," Manager Ao murmured, his expression weary.
But before he could even relax for a moment, a cold gust of wind blew into the room. The window was clearly closed, yet the air turned icy cold. Manager Ao shivered, noticing goosebumps on his skin. "What's going on?" he wondered.
He slowly opened his eyes, sat upright, and a faint sense of unease rose in his heart.
Suddenly, a black, ghost-like figure appeared silently in the center of the room. It was as if it had seeped out of the Void Realm. Its form was blurry, and it gave off a chilling coldness that made his heart pound.
"Who are you?!" Manager Ao's face changed in an instant, and his pupils constricted. He abruptly stood up, his voice rising in alarm.
The black shadow took a few steps forward. It was Ghost Douluo. He sneered, his voice eerie. "Who I am isn't important. What's important is that you need to answer my questions."
Manager Ao's heart skipped a beat. He secretly circulated his Spirit Power, forcibly suppressing his anger, and asked in a low voice, "What questions?"
Ghost Douluo took a piece of paper from his pocket, walked to a table, and handed it to him. Manager Ao subconsciously took it and looked down. The paper had information about Tang San and Tang Chuan, including their Spirits, ages, and Innate Spirit Power ranks.
"What does this mean?" Manager Ao's brows furrowed even tighter, his gaze filled with confusion.
Ghost Douluo's tone was cold. "Does your Great Spirit Arena have registration information for these two people?"
Manager Ao's gaze sharpened. He was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, but that doesn't comply with our regulations. Our Great Spirit Arena won't disclose any Spirit Master's information to outsiders."
"You're asking for death!" Ghost Douluo's eyes flashed with a cold light as he shouted.
As soon as Manager Ao finished speaking, he saw the other man's palm rise. His fingers spread slightly, and he made a grabbing motion. Instantly, the surrounding air seemed to solidify. Manager Ao didn't even have time to react. His entire body was inexplicably seized by the throat, his feet lifted off the ground, and he was slammed hard against the wall.
"Ugh!" Manager Ao's hands instinctively clawed at his neck, his face drained of color. Painful groans escaped his throat. He felt his entire body suppressed by a terrifying force, unable to circulate even a single trace of Spirit Power.
"You're a... Titled Douluo?!" he managed to say with great difficulty.
Ghost Douluo's expression was stern, and the corner of his mouth curved into a slight smile. He walked forward slowly, his voice chillingly cold. "Now... does it comply with your regulations?"
At this moment, Manager Ao's face had turned purplish-red, and his breathing was intermittent. He nodded desperately, his voice hoarse. "I... I'll tell you! I know this Tang San; he's a student from Shrek Academy outside Soto City.
As for... as for that Tang Chuan, I don't know. However, just two days ago, another Spirit Master with a Blue Silver Grass Spirit came to our Great Spirit Arena. His Spirit Power was over Rank thirty. He seemed to be called... Xiao Yan! I don't even know if that name is real!"
"Shrek Academy? Xiao Yan?" Ghost Douluo's brow furrowed, and a gloomy glint flashed in his eyes as he pondered.
A few hours later, inside a quiet room at Shrek Academy, sunlight streamed through the window onto the bed. Ma Hongjun was wrapped in bandages, bruised and swollen, still unconscious. On the other side, Yu Xiaogang was also wrapped like a mummy, with only his eyes visible, staring intently ahead.
The door opened, and Flender walked in, his expression complicated. He glanced at the two, sighed, and then approached the bed. "Xiaogang, you should rest well first," he said gently. "Fortunately, the treatment was timely. Your body isn't seriously injured; you'll be able to get out of bed in a few days."
Yu Xiaogang's face immediately darkened. "Hmph!" he snorted, suddenly sitting up. His face grimaced, and he bared his teeth. "Flender, why didn't you avenge me? Am I really not your brother? You just watched me get beaten and did nothing?"
Flender's face was full of helplessness, and his mouth twitched as he spread his hands. "You know who beat you, right? Tang Hao's son! Tang Hao would protect his offspring even if it cost him his life. You want me to stand up for you? Are you hoping I'll be lying in bed next to you right now?"
Yu Xiaogang's face froze. He opened his mouth, but for a long time, no words came out. Finally, he let out a heavy "hmph" and turned his head to look out the window, showing his dissatisfaction.
Flender patted his shoulder, then put away his playful expression, his voice deepening. "However, I did discover something strange, but I'm not sure."
"What is it?" Yu Xiaogang frowned, turning to look at him, his eyes narrowed slightly.
Flender squinted, his gaze filled with doubt and unease. "The two people today—that is, Tang San's brother and the golden-haired woman who was with him—strongly resemble the two fallen individuals I saw yesterday."