Dugu Yan was left speechless by the question, unable to find any words to refute it.
Indeed, she was the one who had approached him first; Xu Yuan really had no reason to fabricate such a lie to deceive her.
Xu Yuan then said, "I have a way to cure it. If you want treatment, you'll need to pay a price. Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."
Dugu Yan took a deep breath and shook her head, indicating there was nothing more.
Her mind was in utter chaos now; she wanted to go back and ask her grandfather, to find out if it was really true.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan turned and left, heading in the direction of the hotel.
Xu Yuan asked in his mind, "Lord Martial Soul, are you sure this will work?"
God King Tang San nodded slightly, brimming with confidence as he said, "Of course, it's one hundred percent effective."
As long as Dugu Bo came looking for him, he could solve Dugu Bo's poisoning problem.
It must be said, Dugu Bo was a disgrace when it came to poison.
He was hailed as the number one poison master in the world, yet he couldn't solve the poison problem within his own body.
Poison Core?
Dugu Bo did have a Poison Core; logically, he shouldn't be poisoned, but he still was.
This point truly surprised him.
When he treated Dugu Bo back then, he had learned about the situation.
Only then did he realize that Dugu Bo couldn't gather all the poison within his body together.
Now it seemed he thought Dugu Bo's mental force wasn't strong enough to condense and compress the poison within his body.
But thinking about it, it made sense; at this time in Douluo, there were no methods to enhance mental force.
Thinking of this, God King Tang San couldn't help but feel a sense of superiority in his heart.
He possessed the Tang Sect's Ultimate Skills, which covered improvements in all aspects; the things in the Douluo Continent couldn't compare at all.
Hearing what God King Tang San was thinking, Xu Yuan was somewhat surprised.
So, after all this time, Dugu Bo's poisoning was due to this reason; he had thought it was something else... In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.
Xu Yuan and his group had basically never lost, though Huang Yuan and Tai Long had stumbled twice.
After being scolded a few times by Liu Erlong, the two quickly assured her they wouldn't be careless again.
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong had returned to Shrek Academy due to some matters, leaving somewhat reluctantly.
As usual, Liu Erlong led Xu Yuan and the others to the Suotuo Soul Arena.
"Erlong!"
Just then, a male voice called out from behind Liu Erlong.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a middle-aged man and Yu Xiaogang, leading Tang San and the others toward them.
The middle-aged man appeared to be around fifty years old; though not young, his physique was quite robust.
His face had distinctive features: his chin protruded slightly forward, his cheekbones were broad, his face was flat, and he had a somewhat hooked nose, which could be described as resembling the sole of a shoe.
Even with his eyes closed, his face gave off a somewhat cunning and sly feeling.
He wore a pair of black-framed crystal glasses with rigid, square frames, giving off a strange impression.
The newcomer was none other than Flender.
When Yu Xiaogang saw Liu Erlong, he instinctively hid behind Flender.
Seeing this, Liu Erlong felt utterly disappointed in Yu Xiaogang.
Although she had moved on, seeing Yu Xiaogang like this made her feel that she had truly been foolish back then to have liked someone like him.
Flender felt speechless inside, thinking to himself, "Yu Xiaogang, you're really too embarrassing."
Liu Erlong had liked you so much back then; you abandoned her and hid away, and now you hide behind me when you see her.
Liu Erlong's gaze was like steel needles tempered in fire, piercing straight into Yu Xiaogang.
She took a deep breath, her chest heaving violently, and quickly walked behind Flender, pulling the hiding Yu Xiaogang out.
"Yu Xiaogang!" Liu Erlong's voice carried barely suppressed anger, piercingly loud at the bustling Soul Arena entrance, "What are you hiding from? Am I a flood beast or a man-eating Spirit Beast?"
Yu Xiaogang stumbled from the pull, his eyes darting around, not daring to look at her.
"Back then, you ran off without a word! I searched for you for so long!" Liu Erlong's voice suddenly rose, her eyes slightly reddening, "I thought you'd at least have some backbone, even if you just told me it wasn't working out. I, Liu Erlong, am not someone who can't handle losing! But you? You hid like a stray dog for all these years, and now you still hide when you see me?"
The people around all turned to look, stopping to watch the spectacle.
Gossiping is human nature; even Spirit Masters want to indulge in it.
Flender tried to mediate: "Erlong, let's talk about this back at the..."
"Get lost!" Liu Erlong roared without turning her head, her gaze still fixed on Yu Xiaogang, "I want to make things clear today. What did you take me for? Was the affection back then worth so little in your eyes?"
Yu Xiaogang's face flushed red; he finally looked up, his voice tinged with bitterness: "Erlong, what happened back then... was my fault..."
"And that's it? Just 'my fault'?" Liu Erlong sneered, pointing at her chest, "Do you know how I've lived these years? I founded Blue Tyrant Academy, took in students, cultivated desperately—all to show you that I, Liu Erlong, can live just fine without you! But you? You didn't even have the courage to see me once!"
Yu Xiaogang's face flushed red; he finally looked up, his voice tinged with bitterness: "Erlong, what happened back then... was my fault..."
"Slap—"
A crisp slap exploded at the bustling Soul Arena entrance, instantly drowning out all the chatter.
Yu Xiaogang's head snapped to the side from the blow, his cheek swelling visibly red.
He stared blankly at Liu Erlong, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief; his lips moved, but no words came out.
Liu Erlong's hand remained frozen in mid-air, her fingertips trembling slightly.
That slap had used all her strength, as if it had drained all her emotions; the redness in her eyes faded, leaving only a dead calm like still water.
"This slap is for the foolish Liu Erlong who waited for you back then," Liu Erlong's voice was soft, yet carried a final, resolute tone, "From today on, we're even."
Flender was so shocked his eyes widened; he instinctively stepped forward but was stopped by Liu Erlong's icy glare.
The air around seemed to freeze; the onlookers held their breath, and even the sound of the wind blowing past was heard with unusual clarity.
Tang San and the others stood behind, watching the scene, none daring to speak.
Looking into Liu Erlong's eyes, now devoid of any ripple, Yu Xiaogang finally understood that some things had truly been shattered by his own hands.
At the same time, he regretted it—regretted abandoning Liu Erlong back then.
"Erlong..." Yu Xiaogang's voice was hoarse, thick with regret, "I..."
"No need to say more," Liu Erlong cut him off, turning to her students, her tone returning to its usual steadiness, "Let's go. It's time for the Soul Arena."
Xu Yuan and Xiao Wu quickly followed, with Xiao Wu unable to resist glaring at Yu Xiaogang.
This man wasn't worthy of Teacher Erlong
Flender looked at Liu Erlong's straight back, then at the dejected Yu Xiaogang, and sighed heavily, "You... you're completely hopeless now."
Yu Xiaogang did not retort, but just watched the direction where Liu Erlong disappeared into the Soul Arena entrance, his eyes slowly turning red.
The sting of that slap would remain on his face for a while, but the pain in his heart might never fade this lifetime.
Inside the Soul Arena, Liu Erlong took a deep breath, acting as if nothing had happened, and continued to instruct the students on the necessary precautions.
But Xu Yuan noticed that her fists were clenched, her knuckles white, trembling slightly from the force.
"Teacher..." Xu Yuan spoke softly.
Liu Erlong turned her head and forced a smile. "I'm fine."
Xu Yuan said to Xiao Wu and the others, "You guys head to the Lounge first. I need to have a good talk with Teacher."
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged a glance, seeing that Liu Erlong was not in a good state. Understanding that Xu Yuan wanted to comfort their teacher privately, they nodded obediently and headed to the Lounge with Tai Long and the others.
Xu Yuan took Liu Erlong's hand and led her to an empty corner.
Looking at Liu Erlong's appearance, Xu Yuan sighed softly and pulled her into his embrace.
Liu Erlong's body stiffened, as if a Body Freezing Spell had been cast on her. Her tightly clenched fists slowly relaxed, and Xu Yuan's scent inexplicably calmed her strained nerves.
Decades of accumulated grievances, anger, and resentment seemed to find an outlet at this moment.
She didn't push Xu Yuan away; her shoulders merely trembled slightly, and suppressed sobs escaped her throat, like a lost child who had finally found a safe harbor.
"Go ahead and cry, Teacher." Xu Yuan's voice was soft, carrying a comforting power.
This sentence was like a key, unlocking all of Liu Erlong's defenses. She could no longer hold back, and tears poured out, soaking Xu Yuan's lapel.
The years of waiting, the sacrifices, and the genuine feelings that had been betrayed all turned into scalding tears, silently telling their story.
Xu Yuan didn't say much, only gently patted Liu Erlong's back.
He could feel Liu Erlong's trembling gradually subside, and her crying transitioned from suppressed sobs to occasional sniffles.
After an unknown amount of time, Liu Erlong slowly pushed Xu Yuan away, raised her hand to hastily wipe her face. Her eyes were red, but she looked as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and her gaze was much clearer.
"Stinky brat..." Liu Erlong's voice was hoarse, tinged with embarrassment. "You saw me make a fool of myself."
Xu Yuan handed her a clean handkerchief, his tone natural: "In my heart, Teacher has always been the most amazing. Even amazing people have sad moments; there's no shame in that."
Liu Erlong accepted the handkerchief and wiped her face, feeling a mix of emotions as she looked at the young man who was not much shorter than her.
Thinking back to what happened that day, Liu Erlong felt even more guilt, feeling that she had let down such a good child.
Liu Erlong felt it was a great pity that the age gap between her and Xu Yuan was too large; otherwise, she would definitely be with him.
"Just now... thank you." Liu Erlong sniffed and forced a smile. "Alright, I'm fine now."
Xu Yuan nodded. "Mhm, let's go back."
The two walked side-by-side toward the Lounge. Upon arriving, they saw Yu Xiaogang and the others again, but Liu Erlong completely ignored Yu Xiaogang.
After a while, the one-on-one matches ended, and Xu Yuan easily crushed his opponent.
Xu Yuan observed Tang San's match and saw that Tang San won cleanly.
To put it simply, he used Mom's Binding, followed by Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and then Hidden Weapons, instantly killing the opponent.
After the battle ended, Xu Yuan and his group came to the two-on-two waiting area.
Yu Xiaogang and Flender brought their group to the two-on-two waiting area as well.
At this moment, Tang San's confidence was soaring. He felt that if he challenged Xu Yuan to a duel again, he would definitely win.
Yu Xiaogang was also feeling inflated, naturally believing that Tang San's easy victory was due to him; otherwise, Tang San couldn't have won so effortlessly.
At the same time, he looked down on Xu Yuan in his heart, thinking that Xu Yuan was just bullying people with his Rank and was completely inferior to his disciple, Tang San.
Glancing at Liu Erlong, Yu Xiaogang's mindset had changed; he wanted to make Liu Erlong regret her actions.
Xu Yuan noticed the situation with Tang San and couldn't help but smile when he saw Tang San's renewed confidence.
The sky cleared, the rain stopped, and Tang San felt like he was capable again.
""Two-on-Two Match Three: Yuan Wu Combination versus Third Young Master Combination.""
"??"
Hearing the Third Young Master Combination, Xu Yuan was completely stunned for a moment.
Third Young Master of the Tang Clan?
"Let's go up."
"Mhm."
Xu Yuan nodded and followed Xiao Wu onto the Competition Stage.
Xu Yuan was somewhat surprised to see their opponents, as the Third Young Master Combination consisted of Dai Mubai and Tang San.
Looking at the confident Tang San and Dai Mubai, who glared at him with resentment, Xu Yuan smiled helplessly.
Dai Mubai's gaze was like tempered ice, fixed intensely on Xu Yuan. As his spirit power circulated, three spirit rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—lit up.
His White Tiger Spirit possessed him, making his figure instantly more imposing. Fur-like white patterns crawled up his cheeks, exuding a fierce, bestial pressure.
Tang San stood beside Dai Mubai, a confident smile on his face. Blue Silver Grass silently spread out from his palm, and three spirit rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—also shone brightly.
"Xu Yuan, the score from last time needs to be settled today," Dai Mubai roared, activating his First Spirit Skill, White Tiger Barrier.
A layer of white halo enveloped his entire body, instantly boosting his defense.
Tang San spoke up at the right moment, his voice calm but containing a hint of provocation: "Xu Yuan, you might have an advantage in one-on-one based on Rank, but two-on-two relies on teamwork. Today, I'll show you what true tactics are."
Xiao Wu stood next to Xu Yuan, sticking out her tongue and making a face at Tang San. "Tang San, stop bragging! Don't cry if you lose later!"
After speaking, she immediately used her Second Spirit Skill, Charm, on Dai Mubai without hesitation.
Xiao Wu's eyes instantly rippled with pink light, and the Charm Spirit Ability activated without warning.
Dai Mubai was in a state of fury. In the instant his mind wavered, he felt the pink figure before him become exceptionally dazzling. A wave of dizziness hit his mind, and his charge immediately stalled.
"Not good!" Tang San's expression changed slightly. He hadn't expected Xiao Wu to be so decisive.
Tang San used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and quickly charged toward Xiao Wu.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan quickly charged towards Tang San and blocked him.
Xiao Wu moved as fast as lightning, Teleporting next to Dai Mubai and activating her First Spirit Skill, Waist Bow.
Like a pink flash of lightning, she accurately wrapped around Dai Mubai's arm. Using the explosive power of her waist and abdomen, she forcibly tossed Dai Mubai, who hadn't fully recovered from the dizziness, into the air.
This was precisely the first stage of the Eight Stage Drop: Mid-Air Intercepting and Circling Drop.
"Ugh!"
Caught completely off guard, Dai Mubai was carried by Xiao Wu in a strange arc through the air and slammed heavily onto the Spirit Fighting Stage floor
Dai Mubai was slammed heavily onto the ground, producing a dull thud. The glow of his White Tiger Barrier flickered violently a few times before dimming.
He shook his head, trying to struggle to his feet, but felt only a sense of vertigo.
Xiao Wu's Charm effect hadn't completely dissipated yet, and the explosive force of the Waist Bow made his blood and Qi boil.
"Mubai!" Seeing this, Tang San wanted to bypass Xu Yuan to provide support, but he was firmly pinned down by Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan's Blue Silver Emperor was like a nimble snake, constantly springing from the ground and weaving into an airtight net.
Although Tang San's Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track was fast, he was consistently unable to achieve a Breakthrough against this flexible defense; every time he was about to bypass it, he would be accurately intercepted by new vines.
"Your opponent is me," Xu Yuan's voice was calm and steady.
Tang San looked at Xu Yuan and couldn't help but frown, thinking he had no choice but to deal with Xu Yuan first.
Tang San's eyes turned sharp. His left hand quickly took out several Bone-Piercing Nails from his Hidden Weapons pouch. After infusing them with spirit power, he flicked his wrist and threw them. The silver-bright nails whistled through the air, heading straight for Xu Yuan's face.
Xu Yuan shifted his feet slightly, his figure sliding half a foot to the left like Gui Mei, just barely avoiding the sharp edge of the Bone-Piercing Nails.
Those Hidden Weapons flew past his shoulder and nailed themselves into the wall behind him.
Before Tang San could take out a second wave of Hidden Weapons, Xu Yuan had already closed the distance.
The Blue Silver Emperor spread rapidly around him, but it wasn't used for Binding; instead, it turned into points of leverage.
He stepped on the vines and leaped up, his right hand forming a palm that struck toward Tang San's chest with a gust of wind.
Xu Yuan didn't want to instantly defeat Tang San; he wanted to see what Tang San's Third Spirit Skill would be.
Tang San's pupils shrank as he retreated rapidly, but Xu Yuan was too fast, and the palm strike hit Tang San hard.
"Cough, cough."
Tang San was incredibly surprised; he had never expected Xu Yuan to have such great strength.
Could it be because he followed the Life Path?
Tang San was shaken by Xu Yuan's palm strike, his blood and Qi churning. Amidst his violent coughing, a purple spirit ring suddenly lit up.
A translucent green seed emerged out of thin air, emitting a faint aura of life.
Tang San flicked his finger, letting the translucent green seed land on his chest.
The moment the seed touched his clothes, it merged into his body. A gentle wave of life energy spread rapidly, and the dull pain in his chest actually eased quite a bit. The spirit power that had just been scattered also began to slowly recover.
Although the effect was weak, it allowed his tense nerves to relax slightly.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan understood the effect of Tang San's Third Spirit Skill.
Suddenly, a mischievous thought popped into Xu Yuan's mind; he wanted to tease Tang San.
Xu Yuan withdrew his palm and intentionally left an opening, his figure stumbling back half a step.
The offensive of the Blue Silver Emperor also slowed down, and the density of the vines became noticeably sparser.
A flash of doubt crossed Tang San's eyes, but he didn't think much of it.
He had personally experienced the power of that palm strike just now. Perhaps Xu Yuan was too eager to attack, leading to a gap in his spirit power flow.
"An opportunity!" Tang San's spirits rose as he pushed his Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps to the limit.
His figure turned into an afterimage, narrowly slipping through the gaps between the vines.
A cold light flashed in Tang San's eyes as he concentrated spirit power in his right fist. With the precision locked in by his Purple Demon Eye, he aimed straight for Xu Yuan's chest.
This punch was infused with his precise grasp of timing, a fatal blow intended to exploit the gap in Xu Yuan's spirit power flow.
Xu Yuan's seemingly stumbling figure swiveled slightly at the critical moment, as if his center of gravity was shifted by the wind of the punch, just barely avoiding the sharpest angle of the fist.
Tang San's fist brushed past his ribs. Although it still brought a gust of wind, most of the force had already dissipated.
"Huh?" Tang San was slightly stunned, feeling that this dodge was too coincidental.
But it was too late to pull back his strength. He could only change his move accordingly, his left hand forming a claw and grabbing toward Xu Yuan's wrist, intending to restrict his movements.
Tang San felt a bit excited, excited that he was finally going to win against Xu Yuan.
Seeing this from the spectator stands, Xiaogang also began to get excited.
As long as Tang San defeated Xu Yuan, it would prove that his theory was correct. Then, after Tang San defeated Xu Yuan a few more times, Xu Yuan would surely regret not taking him as a teacher back then.
Xu Yuan's wrist dropped slightly as he recoiled in apparent panic, but his fingertips lightly flicked just as Tang San's claw-wind arrived, hitting exactly on the weak point of his tiger's mouth.
Tang San felt a sudden numbness in his finger bones, and the force of his capture instantly collapsed. Instead, he was led forward half a step by this clever use of force.
"A great chance!" Tang San's heart grew even hotter. Using the momentum of that half-step, his right knee suddenly rose, driving toward Xu Yuan's lower abdomen with a sharp wind.
This knee strike concentrated his entire body's explosive power, intended to secure victory while the opponent's old strength was spent and new strength had yet to form.
Xu Yuan seemed caught off guard by this change of move. In haste, he leaned back and arched his waist, his back bending almost like a bow.
The knee brushed past the front of his clothes, and the wind it generated blew back his loose hair, revealing his smooth forehead.
"Now's the time!" Xiaogang suddenly clenched his fists in the spectator stands, his eyes flashing with excitement. "Tang San, suppress him!"
As expected, Tang San lunged with his left hand, grabbing for the wrist Xu Yuan had exposed while leaning back, while his right hand condensed spirit power, preparing for the final blow.
He had even planned to politely say "a good game" after winning, maintaining his grace while letting Xu Yuan see his growth.
Xiao Wu's figure appeared behind Tang San like Gui Mei, her rabbit-ear hair accessory trembling slightly, a hint of craftiness flashing in her eyes.
She had clearly taken advantage of the gap during Tang San's all-out attack to circle to the back using Rabbit Shadow Perplexing Steps. Her movements were so fast that even Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Tang San, watch this!" Xiao Wu's crisp voice rang out.
Before Tang San could turn around, a slender but powerful arm had already locked around his waist like an iron hoop.
Tang San's heart jolted. Just as he was about to turn and break free, he felt a clever force from his waist, and his body instantly lost balance.
Xiao Wu's toes tapped the ground, carrying Tang San as she soared into the air.
The two spun half a turn in mid-air. Tang San felt the world spinning, and his newly condensed spirit power instantly collapsed.
He wanted to mobilize his Blue Silver Grass to counterattack, but he was held firmly by Xiao Wu, unable to even muster the strength to lift his hand.
Tang San screamed in his heart, "No, just a little bit, just a little bit more."
Just a little bit more, and he could have defeated Xu Yuan.
"No—!"
Seeing this, Xiaogang cried out loudly. Those who didn't know better would have thought Xiaogang's wife had died.
"Bang!"
The first heavy slam hit the Spirit Fighting Stage, making the ground tremble slightly.
Tang San's vision went black as a wave of dizziness washed over him. Only Xiaogang's shout to suppress him echoed in his mind.
Before Tang San could recover, Xiao Wu used the momentum to swivel her body. Her hands grabbed his arms, and she forcibly flipped him over her head in another sharp back-flip slam.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Three consecutive heavy slams. Each one hit Tang San's shoulders and back precisely, avoiding vital points while layering the dizziness effect.
Tang San's consciousness began to blur. The light of the Purple Demon Eye dimmed completely, and even the clarity brought by the Purple Demon Eye was crushed by this violent slamming technique
Yu Xiaogang sat in the audience, dumbfounded, his clenched fist frozen in mid-air, and the excitement on his face instantly solidified into astonishment.
He never imagined that the one who would ultimately break Tang San's offensive would actually be Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu didn't stop, however. Seizing the moment when Tang San had completely lost his ability to resist, she exerted force with both arms, leading Tang San through a final 1,080-degree mid-air rotation.
"Boom!"
Tang San was smashed heavily onto the ground, and the entire Spirit Fighting Stage seemed to shake.
He lay prone on the ground, limbs splayed out, completely motionless. Only the faint rise and fall of his chest proved he was still awake, merely knocked unconscious temporarily by the fall.
Xiao Wu clapped her hands, stuck out her tongue, and looked at Xu Yuan: "Hehe, Brother Yuan, I helped you!"
Xu Yuan looked at the unconscious Tang San on the ground, then at Xiao Wu's face which was practically begging for praise, and smiled helplessly: "You... go easier next time."
Seeing that both Tang San and Dai Mubai had fainted, the referee announced: "The Yuan-Wu Duo wins!"
After Xu Yuan and Xiao Wu were declared the winners, Xiao Wu happily walked off the stage, hugging Xu Yuan's arm.
Four staff members arrived and carefully lifted Tang San and Dai Mubai onto stretchers, quickly walking toward the Soul Arena's medical room.
Tang San lay on the stretcher, the stray hairs on his forehead soaked with sweat. His face was pale, and his chest was still slightly rising and falling, but those eyes that usually flickered with sharp intelligence were now tightly shut, clearly shaken into temporary unconsciousness by Xiao Wu's spinning throw.
Dai Mubai's condition was slightly better, though his brows were furrowed as if he were still suffering from the torment of dizziness even in his coma.
Yu Xiaogang watched the stretchers disappear at the end of the tunnel. His face turned various shades of blue and white, his lips were pressed tightly together, and his hands were clenched into fists at his sides, his knuckles turning white.
That final scene just now was like a heavy hammer, smashing ruthlessly into his heart.
The tactics he had meticulously deduced and the Disciple he took pride in were ultimately defeated by Xiao Wu in such a clean and decisive manner; it was hard for him to accept.
Flender patted his shoulder and sighed: "Alright, a loss is a loss; being angry won't help. Tang San and Mubai just passed out; it's nothing serious."
"How can I not be angry?" Yu Xiaogang's voice carried suppressed rage. "That girl was too ruthless! And Xu Yuan—he clearly could have stopped it!"
Hearing this, Liu Erlong glanced at him coldly: "On the Spirit Fighting Stage, everyone relies on their own ability. Xiao Wu followed the rules; it's already good enough that she didn't kill them. As for you, you talk about theory all day, so how did you not calculate that your own Disciple would be beaten like this?"
Yu Xiaogang was choked into silence, his expression becoming even more unsightly, yet he didn't argue back in the end.
He thought to himself that the Liu Erlong of the past wasn't like this; she used to follow his lead in everything.
Why had Liu Erlong become like this?
Back then, Bibi Dong was like this, and he hadn't expected Liu Erlong to be the same.
Thinking of this, Yu Xiaogang turned and walked toward Tang San.
Yu Xiaogang vowed in his heart that he would definitely cultivate Tang San into a Titled Douluo.
That way, no one would dare to look down on him, Yu Xiaogang.
Half an hour later, Tang San slowly woke up.
At this moment, Tang San only felt as if his body were falling apart, and he couldn't quite remember what had happened before.
Recalling carefully, Tang San finally remembered that he had almost defeated Xu Yuan.
Thinking about how he had almost won against Xu Yuan, Tang San felt an immense sense of regret.
*Thud—*
Tang San punched the bedboard hard, feeling incredibly regretful.
Just then, Yu Xiaogang pushed open the door and walked in.
Seeing Yu Xiaogang arrive, Tang San got off the bed and said to him: "Teacher, I failed your expectations. I didn't win against Xu Yuan."
Yu Xiaogang shook his head and said: "No, you didn't lose. You actually already won."
Tang San was stunned and looked at Yu Xiaogang in confusion: "Teacher, I was clearly knocked unconscious by Xiao Wu. How could I have won?"
Yu Xiaogang explained: "Have you forgotten? After fighting you, Xu Yuan gradually became unable to beat you. That is the proof of your victory. In the future, you will only become stronger than him."
Tang San frowned as he recalled, the images on the Spirit Fighting Stage flashing by like fragments.
Those flaws he had ignored, now mentioned by Yu Xiaogang, truly seemed like proof of Xu Yuan's lack of strength.
"But..." Tang San was still a bit hesitant. "In the end, I was clearly knocked out by Xiao Wu."
"That was an accident!" Yu Xiaogang emphasized, his gaze turning sharp. "If Xiao Wu hadn't suddenly intervened, you would have already suppressed Xu Yuan! Think about it, why did he deliberately show flaws? It was nothing more than his spirit power being insufficient and him wanting to stall for time!"
These words were like a seed landing in Tang San's heart.
He recalled Xu Yuan's final, seemingly composed smile and actually perceived a few hints of forced endurance within it.
Perhaps Teacher was right?
Yu Xiaogang patted Tang San's shoulder and said: "Little San, Xu Yuan's path is an Evil Path. Only my theory is correct."
He couldn't help but feel smug, while also understanding why Tang San couldn't beat Xu Yuan before.
Before becoming a Spirit Elder, Xu Yuan's Life Path was stronger than the Poison Route, but after reaching the rank of Spirit Elder, his Poison Route became stronger.
Tang San nodded, secretly contemplating in his heart.
There was nothing wrong with his Poison-Life Path; next time he absorbed a spirit ring, he would choose a poison Spirit Beast.
Life Poison, Life Poison—the method of absorbing spirit rings he had come up with was the correct one.
Life Path?
Poison Route?
It's all bullshit; only his Life Poison is the kingly way!
However, he couldn't let his teacher know that he was following the Life Poison path.
Yu Xiaogang patted Tang San's shoulder and said: "Little San, I know you're unwilling. But the gap between you and Xu Yuan will only grow larger in the future. Xu Yuan will eventually be stepped on by you."
Tang San nodded vigorously, his knuckles turning white from clenching his fists: "Teacher, I understand. Next time, I definitely won't let any accidents happen."
Yu Xiaogang smiled with satisfaction, a trace of imperceptible calculation flashing in his eyes.
He knew Tang San's temperament; the more his competitiveness was piqued, the more he could burst forth with startling potential.
As long as he followed the path laid out for him, this child would sooner or later become his sharpest sword, cutting through all the looks of contempt directed at him.
"That's right." Yu Xiaogang raised his hand and pressed it lightly on Tang San's head. "Only poison is the kingly way. Blue Silver Grass is not suited for any Life Path at all."
Immediately after, Yu Xiaogang and Tang San began to discuss how they should deal with Xu Yuan next.
Beside them, Dai Mubai, who was lying on the bed, woke up. At this moment, Dai Mubai only felt his head spinning.
Thinking about what had happened before, Dai Mubai felt incredibly humiliated. He hadn't expected to be pummeled by a little girl; it was simply too embarrassing.
Dai Mubai suddenly thought of Zhu Zhuqing. He wanted to go find her; he regretted not taking her with him when he ran away back then.
If Zhu Zhuqing had left with him, she would have been in a team with him, and then no one would be able to defeat them