Tang San raised his head in a daze, staring blankly at the towering statue. His eyes were filled with confusion.
A deep, indescribable shock rendered his face void of any expression.
His mouth hung slightly open, his complexion pale to the point of terror, and his throat bobbed uncontrollably.
In the past, no matter how badly he was beaten, no matter what Nangong Lingyun did,
he always managed to come up with some strange angle to refute it, and always concluded with something like he's just flashy… I will ultimately… that sort of thing.
After all, the true advantage of twin spirits lies in the later stages, and the most deadly weapons on the hidden weapon ranking had yet to be made.
But now—
In the face of the 50-meter-tall Heaven-Earth Avatar, staring at this divine martial figure clad in heavy armor, the firm faith in his heart collapsed in an instant.
Hidden weapons were made to assassinate humans, and no matter how strong a fighter was, they were still bound by human limits.
But this thing...
Standing before such a colossus, the only feeling one could muster was helplessness and insignificance.
Could Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus, Guanyin's Tear, Yama's Decree, or Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles penetrate its defenses?
Even if they could, how long would it take for those tiny wounds from a few needles to recover?
Tang San couldn't help but recall a few years ago during a fight, when he tried to use his sleeve dart, only for Nangong Lingyun to easily deflect it—followed by that scornful gaze and mocking judgment.
Maybe, in this world, hidden weapons truly are a petty and unpresentable path?
In the distance behind him—
Zhu Zhuqing also looked utterly stunned. Faced with something that completely shattered prior knowledge and understanding, no one could remain calm.
But unlike the Shrek members consumed by terror, waves of indescribable excitement surged in her heart.
Her fists clenched in exhilaration, and her entire body trembled slightly.
If she joined Kaiyuan Academy, or even pledged allegiance directly to Nangong Lingyun, would the Star Luo Empire still dare to pressure her?
Absolutely not. They wouldn't just back off—they'd probably worship her like a deity.
As a member of the royal family, she knew better than anyone how cold-blooded and shameless those people were.
Even though an overwhelming pressure loomed above, making her martial soul tremble and her heart race like mad,
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly felt mentally relieved, as if clouds had parted and sunlight bathed her—her future now looked radiant.
From today on, she would leap over the dragon gate and soar free.
Nangong Lingyun didn't attack immediately.
He maintained the avatar state and quietly observed the expressions on their faces.
He was curious—just how arrogant could Lu Qibin still act? How would Flender and Li Yusong try to talk their way out?
If necessary, letting the Dark Evil God Tiger out to play wasn't off the table either.
Seconds passed in suffocating silence. Even the soul masters from Soto City who had come to investigate didn't dare make a sound.
Until finally, Tang San twisted his face and roared:
"Impossible!"
"It's fake, fake—an illusion! It has to be an illusion! No human could reach this level!"
Tang San, who treated hidden weapons and the Tang Sect as sacred beliefs, didn't even let Xiao Wu know their secrets in the original work.
To accept that hidden weapons were a side path? That would mean denying his entire identity!
That shout snapped the dazed Shrek group back to reality.
Flender hurriedly clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, trying to yield.
Though Shrek claimed "not daring to stir trouble is the mark of mediocrity," that only applied when the opponent was weaker.
For example, harassing other female students face-to-face, then acting all surprised when they got beaten up for it.
But when facing someone stronger?
They had a hundred ways to justify their cowardice and fragility.
Flender forced out a stiff smile and spoke with a panicked tone:
"Little friend Nangong, surely there's no real blood feud between us, right?
It's just a difference in ideals—nothing that can't be talked over peacefully.
If it's about our attitude earlier, I can apologize on behalf of Shrek."
"Heh… when you tried to kill me earlier, you didn't sound nearly this polite."
Nangong Lingyun chuckled coldly, showing no intention of backing down just because they wanted to make peace now.
He knew all too well how shameless these people were.
If he had a moment of mercy, thinking he had intimidated them enough and deactivated his martial soul—
they would immediately start spreading rumors, claiming he was all bark and no bite, or faking strength.
That's exactly the kind of thing Shrek would do.
"Remember that palm strike from above?"
Nangong Lingyun joked inwardly, then urged his towering avatar into motion. Its knees bent slightly, and two massive palms slammed toward the ground like swatting flies.
The speed was terrifying. Two sharp sonic booms echoed midair.
With a 50-meter-tall avatar, each finger was three to four meters long and nearly a meter thick.
The pressure from the palms alone violently compressed the surrounding air, forming thick white mist rippling outward.
With a thunderous boom, the giant palms embedded themselves into the earth.
It was like the heavens were collapsing. The ground nearby shattered into massive chunks, launching skyward.
But oddly—
all the sound, shockwaves, and tremors abruptly vanished as they reached Shrek's boundary.
Like a clear dividing line had been drawn—
this side was hit with a magnitude-28 earthquake, while that side's flimsy mud walls and dilapidated huts still stood tall.
Nangong Lingyun hadn't forgotten that there was a small village next to Shrek.
A simple move from him might've caused a catastrophe for innocent bystanders.
When the giant hands lifted again, Zhao Wuji, Li Yusong, and Lu Qibin had all vanished, buried deep underground and severely wounded.
Only Flender, with his flying martial soul and speed-boosting skills, barely escaped.
"Headmaster, surely this doesn't count as a sneak attack, right?
Uh…"
Nangong Lingyun was about to make a small joke when, to his surprise,
Flender suddenly burst into full-speed flight, fleeing toward Soto City like a rocket.
His lip twitched involuntarily.
"And here I thought you were all 'face death with dignity'—you sure fly fast, huh?"
A massive black tiger, eight meters long with wings spanning over twenty meters, suddenly appeared in the sky.
The Dark Evil God Tiger let out an excited roar:
"ROOAAAR~~"
Its voice boomed like a V24 engine, blasting apart clouds in an instant.
With a single flap, it turned into a black streak and intercepted Flender from the front, then spoke in human tongue:
"Where do you think you're going?"
The aura of the Dark Evil God Tiger was far more terrifying than even a Primordial Holy Body.
Nangong Lingyun had tight control over his martial soul, barely leaking energy and with life, blood, and strength leaning toward the positive.
But this extreme evil, dark attribute—it could stir endless negative emotions from deep within and exert unimaginable pressure.
Flender trembled violently, his voice incoherent.
"I... I-I, you... what... what are you?"
(End of Chapter)