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Tang Hao finally pieced together the mystery of where his son's strange, self-created soul skills came from. It had been nagging at him for a while; his son seemed to have been practicing something called the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record from the very start.
'But how? Tang San was only two or three years old back then. Where could he have gotten such a thing?' Tang Hao had a few faint guesses swirling in his mind, but he pushed them aside. Now wasn't the time for that. His priority was clear: destroy the Spirit Hall, avenge Ah Yin, and restore the honor of the Clear Sky Sect. Everything else could wait.
So, brushing off the earlier thoughts, Tang Hao looked at his son and asked, "How long was I unconscious?"
Tang San answered simply, "Three days."
"Three days already?" Tang Hao murmured, his voice low and thoughtful.
Tang San shifted, urgency in his tone. "Father, I need to go—"
Tang Hao cut him off before he could finish. "You don't need to worry about that girl Xiao Wu. She'll be fine. And there's something else you should know. Xiao Wu, just like your mother, is a transformed soul beast. But don't panic. She's clever; she's hidden her soul beast aura somehow. The Spirit Hall won't catch a whiff of her."
The words "transformed soul beast" hit Tang San like a thunderbolt. His pupils shrank as memories of Xiao Wu flashed through his mind, little signs he'd overlooked. His face paled, and he muttered, "I should've figured it out sooner."
Tang Hao's eyes narrowed slightly. "So, now that you know she's a transformed soul beast, what's your plan?"
Tang San took a deep breath, his gaze hardening with resolve. "Soul beast or human, it doesn't matter. She's my sister. She stood by me when I was at my lowest, when I had nothing and no one. She's the most important person in my life. If anyone wants to hurt her, they'll have to kill me first. I'm going to find her, right now."
He stood up, ready to march straight toward Spirit City.
Tang Hao didn't move to stop him. Instead, he spoke calmly, his voice carrying weight. "One question: with your strength as it is now, can you protect her?"
"I…" Tang San froze mid-step. A wave of helplessness crashed over him, rooting him to the spot.
He realized the truth in an instant, even if he found Xiao Wu now, what could he do? He wasn't strong enough.
Seeing his son's defeated look, Tang Hao's frown deepened. His tone grew stern. "If she's smart, she'll head back to where she belongs. That's the only place she'll be safe. And you, a man doesn't crumble at the first obstacle. If you slack off now, how will you ever amount to anything?"
Tang San turned to face his father, desperation in his eyes. "Father, tell me what to do."
Right now, his mind was a storm of determination; to get stronger, to find Xiao Wu, to bring down the Spirit Hall. His earlier promises to Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar? Forgotten. He could barely handle his own problems, how could he worry about theirs?
Tang Hao's expression softened at his son's words. "Stay with me and train. Focus on building your strength. When you're ready, I'll let you go find her."
He paused for a moment, then added, "And when that time comes, I'll tell you everything about your mother."
Tang San had been about to say something, but those words made him swallow it back. The father and son fell silent, sitting by the flickering campfire. Tang San closed his eyes, slipping into a cultivation state, while Tang Hao focused on stabilizing his injuries and restoring his soul power. Ever since Tang San awakened his martial soul, Tang Hao's own soul power had been draining mysteriously, worsening year by year. He had to stay vigilant, always prepared to replenish it.
…..
Meanwhile, another campfire burned elsewhere, surrounded by the Golden Triangle; Flanders, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong. They were on their way back to the Heaven Dou Empire, camping for the night. Nearby, Yu Tianheng and the rest of the former team were either meditating or sleeping, their spirits low and their energy drained. Only the trio of Flanders, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong kept the conversation alive.
Their topic? The Soul Master Tournament.
When Liu Erlong heard that the Shrek Team had been disqualified because of Tang San's cheating, she exploded. "It's a setup! That woman from the Spirit Hall is targeting Xiaogang, I know it!"
Flanders shook his head. "No, Master Zhu Qing caught it fair and square. Tang San really did cheat."
Yu Xiaogang, oddly enough, didn't seem bothered. Even if Shrek had won the championship, it wouldn't have meant much to him personally. What mattered was whether Tang San could one day become a Title Douluo and prove his theories right. He turned to Flanders. "Shrek Academy's gone now. The kids have all graduated and scattered. What's your next move?"
Liu Erlong jumped in. "Flender, come with me to Blue Tyrant Academy. I'll make you the dean. Heaven Dou Imperial Academy's full of snobs anyway; it's not worth sticking around there."
Flanders waved her off. "I'm done with all that. You two should also just settle down and live your lives."
In the past, he'd have jumped at the chance, maybe even woken up laughing from the dream of it. But now? Shrek's name was mud, branded as cheaters by the Spirit Hall Pope herself and banned for life. Even if Liu Erlong gave him Blue Tyrant Academy, no one would show up to enroll.
Liu Erlong didn't push further, but Yu Xiaogang felt a pang of regret. He'd had his fill of rough days scraping by. Without Flanders around, he couldn't shake a lingering sense of unease.
Just then, a streak of azure light cut through the sky above and vanished into the distance unnoticed by them.
Ning Tian, carrying Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, soaring off to parts unknown.
Right after, Liu Erlong clutched her stomach. "Xiaogang, Flender, keep talking. I need to step away for a bit."
She didn't wait for a reply, hurrying off from the campsite.
Not long after, Flanders winced, pressing a hand to his own belly. "Xiaogang, I'm not feeling great. I must've eaten something bad. Rest up, don't wait for me."
With that, he shuffled off in a different direction, leaving the camp behind.
Yu Xiaogang didn't think much of it. He stretched out by the campfire and closed his eyes.
But moments later, something shifted. Yu Tianheng and the others sitting nearby, started feeling strange, a dry, burning thirst. Their eyes darted around, finally landing on Yu Xiaogang. One by one, their gazes turned sharp and hungry, like wolves spotting prey.
They closed in, surrounding him.
The sound of their footsteps jolted Yu Xiaogang awake. Heart pounding, he stammered, "Tianheng… what… what are you doing?"
Yu Tianheng and the others didn't answer with words. They answered with actions.
Soon, a line formed around Yu Xiaogang. And before long, he became a cream puff.
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