Chapter 174: Tang San Started Stealing at Nine Years Old?
The Shrek Academy members were already seething with anger, and this blatant provocation was like igniting a powder keg. They immediately glared fiercely towards the source of the voice.
Suddenly, they saw Dugu Bo and Tang Chuan walking towards them expressionlessly.
"Xiao Gang, be careful!"
Seeing that it was Dugu Bo, Liu Erlong's expression changed drastically. Almost instinctively, she stepped forward, using her body to shield the Grandmaster in the wheelchair behind her.
"Erlong, you be careful too!"
Seeing this, Flender's heart tightened instantly. He quickly stepped forward, blocking Liu Erlong's path, his face grave as he watched Dugu Bo approach step by step. The atmosphere instantly became tense!
"Who are you calling a thief!?" The first to leap out was Tai Long.
At this moment, Tai Long's fist was already raised. He didn't recognize Dugu Bo, and given his already short temper, how could he possibly hold back after being provoked?
"Tai Long, come back."
Just then, Tang San's voice suddenly rang out.
Tai Long's fist, about to be thrown, had to stop mid-air as he turned to look at Tang San.
Tang San calmly said, "What's the use of talking? If you want to fight, wait until the arena. Don't you know that fighting between Soul Master academies is prohibited here?"
"Their purpose in doing this is simply to provoke us so that Shrek Academy will be eliminated early. We can't fall for their trap."
Hearing this, Tang Chuan smiled slightly, then his gaze passed over Tai Long and locked onto Tang San standing behind him. His gaze was so deep it was somewhat unsettling. He said,
"Little San, judging from the fluctuations of your soul power, your aura is much stronger than before. Your cultivation has improved quite a bit during this time."
As he spoke, he looked Tang San up and down, a half-smile suddenly appearing on his Deleted, and his tone abruptly changed.
"It's just a pity... you followed such a useless teacher as Yu Xiaogang."
"As the saying goes, 'One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black.' You haven't learned much of the good things, but your petty theft skills have surpassed even your master's."
Before Tang San could retort, his voice suddenly rose, ensuring everyone around could hear him clearly.
"Do you know? Your so-called invincible teacher, in his youth, actually did something despicable: secretly plagiarizing core research materials from the Spirit Hall and publishing them under his own name! When the truth came out, the Spirit Hall ruthlessly expelled and blacklisted him, turning him into a stray dog!"
"Now, under his careful tutelage, you've gone to steal Senior Dugu's medicinal herbs, which can be considered... carrying forward the fine traditions of your sect."
"Truly, master and disciple are of the same ilk!"
These words, once spoken, were like cold water poured into boiling oil, instantly exploding.
Not only did people from other academies cast surprised and uncertain glances, but even substitute members of the Shrek Academy team, such as Tai Long and Huang Yuan, instinctively looked at the master in the wheelchair.
Yu Xiaogang's face instantly flushed red, his lips trembling violently. He grabbed the wheelchair armrest, trying to stand up and retort.
But when his gaze fell upon Dugu Bo, who stood not far away, expressionless and radiating a chilling killing intent, the angry curses that were on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back down.
He didn't want to have his bloodline drained by Dugu Bo again...
"Tang Chuan! You're talking nonsense!"
Just then, Tang San stepped forward, protecting the Grandmaster behind him, and shouted angrily:
"What do you mean I stole Dugu Bo's medicinal herbs?"
"The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eyes is a natural wonder, a gift from nature! When did it become Dugu Bo's private property?!"
"Moreover, I was the one who discovered and entered the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eyes first! That old bastard Dugu Bo arrived shortly after, saw the treasure, and, relying on his Titled Douluo cultivation, tried to forcibly seize it, even resorting to murder and robbery! In the end, when he failed to steal it, he even turned around and blamed me! Utterly shameless!"
Tang San became more and more agitated as he spoke, completely exploding the anger and grievances that had been building up in his heart.
"And you! Tang Chuan! As my elder brother, not only did you not protect me, but you also colluded with outsiders to frame me! You even stole the only memento my mother left me back in Holy Soul Village! You're worse than a pig or a dog, a complete beast!"
Tang San finished with a cold laugh, his voice ringing out.
"Moreover, the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eyes, such a treasure trove of heaven and earth, is naturally reserved for the virtuous! Dugu Bo is bloodthirsty and capricious, prone to massacring entire cities and exterminating entire clans. How could he be worthy of such a blessed land? This is the best example of a treasure trove being tarnished!"
"Boy, you're courting death!"
Hearing this, a cold killing intent flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes, and the surrounding temperature seemed to drop several degrees. He said in a sinister tone,
"Although I can't do anything to you here in the Great Soul Arena due to the rules of the competition, you'd better pray you don't encounter me alone outside the arena."
"Old Poisonous Man, why bother getting angry with someone like this?"
Just then, Tang Chuan suddenly raised his hand, slightly interrupting Dugu Bo's words.
His gaze returned to Tang San, his face carrying a feigned regret and undisguised sarcasm. He continued,
"Little San, I didn't expect that your verbal skills would improve so much in just a few months. It seems you've truly inherited Yu Xiaogang's talent for twisting the truth and making sophistry."
As he spoke, he glanced meaningfully at the ashen-faced Grandmaster behind Tang San.
"As for your accusation that I stole my mother's belongings..."
Tang Chuan scoffed, his tone suddenly becoming self-righteous. He said seriously,
"Since they are my mother's belongings, it's only natural for me, as her eldest son, to take them and inherit them. How can that be considered stealing? But you..."
He deliberately dragged out his words, a meaningful glint in his eyes, before speaking slowly and clearly, each word dripping with sarcasm:
"It's quite a coincidence, I once heard a story about a man named Tang San."
"It's said that he was born in the land of Bashu, and was kindly taken back to the sect by the patriarch of the Tang Clan while still an infant." "But this person, who received so much kindness from the sect, at the age of nine, committed the despicable act of stealing the Tang Clan's ultimate martial art, the Mysterious Heaven Art! Tsk tsk, isn't that repaying kindness with enmity, betraying one's own people?"
"As for why I'm certain Tang San started stealing at nine? It's simple. He was twenty-nine when he jumped off the Ghost's Sorrow cliff, and he himself admitted that it took him a full twenty years to create the Buddha's Wrath Tang Lotus."
At this point, Tang Chuan's sarcastic smile widened, as if stating an undeniable fact. "So, isn't the answer obvious? He must have stolen the Tang Clan's secret manual when he was nine!"
"Isn't someone like that worse than a pig or a dog, even worse than an animal?"
Finally, Tang Chuan didn't even give Tang San any chance to question or refute, casually giving Dugu Bo a knowing look.
The two then turned and left without hesitation, leaving behind a dashing silhouette.
At this moment, Tang San was petrified, frozen in place, his mind buzzing, completely blank, utterly at a loss.
"How...how could he know so clearly? Even the time and details are perfect!"
"Could it be...that my brother...also reincarnated from the Tang Sect?"
This absurd yet only plausible thought rushed into his mind, making Tang San feel dizzy and almost faint.
"But...how is this possible?!"
"If that's the case, then my brother must already be seeking death!"
"I absolutely cannot leave such a great threat behind..."
Seeing that Tang San's expression was somewhat unpleasant, and filled with worry and doubt, Grandmaster pushed his wheelchair closer and asked in a low voice:
"Little San, what exactly did your brother just say? What Tang Sect? What Mysterious Heaven Art, Buddha's Wrath Tang Lotus? I don't understand a single word?"
Tang San was startled by Grandmaster's voice and finally came back to his senses from the huge shock and chaotic thoughts. He took a deep breath and forced a very weak and even somewhat stiff smile, trying to make his tone sound relaxed and natural.
"Teacher, I…I don't understand either."
Afraid the master would press him further, he quickly changed the subject, his gaze fixed on the orderly crowd entering the arena. His tone was deliberately urging, "The opening ceremony is about to begin. Let's get ready to enter first, don't delay the important matters."
With that, he grabbed the master's wheelchair without further ado, signaling the others to follow, and led the way towards the entrance. His slightly hurried steps and flickering eyes revealed that he was far from being as calm as he appeared.
…
On the other side, after leaving the noisy entrance area, Tang Chuan and Dugu Bo went straight to the relatively quiet VIP lounge on one side of the Great Soul Arena.
Inside, Xue Qinghe was already waiting.
He was dressed in a magnificent prince's robe, exuding an air of elegance.
Seeing the two enter, Xue Qinghe nodded slightly. Dugu Bo casually sat down beside him, closing his eyes to rest, seemingly uninterested in the upcoming conversation.
Tang Chuan walked directly to Xue Qinghe, without any pleasantries, and lowered his voice to state his purpose.
"What? You want me to tamper with the draw ceremony for the first round of the preliminary rounds, to arrange for your Heavenly Movement Academy to face Shrek Academy in the very first match?"
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[end of the chapter]