A Different Choice?

"Bastard! We're just letting him leave like that? Third Brother and Xiao Wu got hurt for nothing?" Ma Hongjun roared.

Tang San had given him a new lease on life. Now Xiao Wu had been beaten into a pig's head, and Dai Mubai was in no better condition. He would have no way to answer to Tang San either. But as the captain, he knew what he should and should not do at this moment. Little San's identity as a remnant of the Clear Sky Sect already made appearing in Spirit City extremely dangerous. If they caused more trouble, they might not even make it out of this Holy Land of Spirit Masters.

He believed that a clear-headed Tang San would have made the same choice.

With the host stopping them, Shrek's Five Monsters supported Tang San and Xiao Wu to the side. Xu Yu let out a breath of relief. The host announced that Shrek Academy had won the overall championship of this Continental Elite Tournament, immediately setting off a tidal wave of cheers and discussion.

As for Xu Yu, he no longer cared much about winning or losing this match. He only felt it was a pity about those three soul bones.

But what the hell did it have to do with him? Even if they won, the three soul bones would never end up in his hands. Why risk his life when he could not even win?

"Help your teammates down. Don't stand there like an idiot." The host of the finals was a Spirit Douluo. He had been the one to block Shrek's attack just now. Xu Yu did not care about being scolded. He treated it like getting roasted by an NPC and let it slide.

Still, helping his teammates down was necessary. It had been a long time, but he remembered that Spirit Hall's team seemed to have something called the Golden Generation. They were incredibly talented, but unfortunately, they had run into the Shrek Seven Devils, who had practically taken drugs—Immortal Elixirs, at that. Otherwise, Shrek's team could never have contended with them. Overall, those three were quite talented. Building some rapport with them would not hurt.

Especially that fox girl, named Fox Li... ahem, Hu Liena. She would eventually be named Saintess and become the Pope's heir. Xu Yu intended to make a living in Spirit Hall in the future, so maintaining a good relationship with her was crucial.

Ignoring the hand she held out for help, Xu Yu walked over to Hu Liena and said, "Hehe, Captain, let me help you over to rest."

"...Did a door smash your head? I'm not the captain." Hu Liena frowned, avoiding Xu Yu's "helping hand" as she staggered off the Soul Battle Arena in dejection. She had lost. And she had lost horribly.

Teacher must be very disappointed in me!

"Captain Xie Yue, do you need me to help you?" Only then did Xu Yu finally remember who the captain was.

"Hmph!" Xie Yue was so furious his lungs nearly exploded. You only remember I'm the captain now? No chance. With that, he too staggered off the Soul Battle Arena.

Uh... was there really any need for that? Watching Xie Yue's stubborn retreating figure, Xu Yu sighed. People really were strange. Would it not have been more convenient for Xu Yu to support him?

Speechless, Xu Yu found that Yan and the other girl on the team, Zhang Ping, did not need his help either. Instead, Sun Chuantao and Li Kai, the two Assault System Battle Soul Masters who also served as meat shields, were half-dead and desperately begging for assistance. Xu Yu had no choice but to drag them along behind the team as they left the Soul Battle Arena.

The seven lowered their heads before the Female Pope. Xu Yu had originally wanted to raise his head and take a look at the face of this stunningly beautiful empress in the flesh, but suddenly looking up would have seemed too abrupt. So he went with the flow, figuring there would be plenty of chances in the future.

"Teacher, I..."

"Go rest."

"Yes!" Hu Liena bit her lower lip and withdrew dejectedly.

The other two members of the Golden Generation asked for permission. After receiving the Pope's approval, they hurried after Hu Liena to comfort her.

Drawing her gaze back from Hu Liena's desolate departing figure, Bibi Dong looked down at Xu Yu expressionlessly and asked, "What happened?"

Her voice was somewhat cold. If Xu Yu had concealed his strength and caused their complete defeat, she would not hesitate to strike him down. Xu Yu clearly sensed the icy killing intent of the Female Pope before him, and hurriedly explained to save his life.

"Your Excellency the Pope, I was indeed poisoned by Tang San's Deadly Poison. However, because the poison attacked my heart, it caused a Spirit Mutation. My healing abilities greatly increased, which was why I awakened midway through."

Bibi Dong, who had already had her suspicions, exchanged a glance with the Titled Douluo beside her. When Xu Yu had treated the seven, there had indeed been very little poison left in his body. She nodded to indicate that she understood.

Noticing that Bibi Dong's expression had softened slightly, Xu Yu breathed a sigh of relief. Then Bibi Dong said, "Come to the Palace Assembly tomorrow as well."

"Yes!" The weight in Xu Yu's chest finally lifted. He had thought Bibi Dong had begun to suspect something else. As he relaxed, he felt secretly delighted. It seemed he had gained Bibi Dong's attention. At the very least, she had noticed him. Becoming a Branch Hall Master in the future should not be too difficult, right?

But before that, he needed to tell her Shrek's deepest secret. That would earn even more of her trust.

"Your Excellency the Pope, this student has something else to report!"

"Hm? Speak."

She had nothing better to do, and watching the Shrek Seven Devils celebrate happily as they prepared to take the three soul bones she had carefully prepared was unbearable for anyone. So Bibi Dong gave Xu Yu the chance to speak.

However, she also noticed Xu Yu's troubled gaze as he looked around. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and her large eyes coldly swept over the youths below the platform. An icy aura spread from her, enveloping the two of them, as though warning Xu Yu to prepare for death if he wasted her time with nonsense.

Wiping away a cold sweat, Xu Yu thought, The old saying truly was right: serving a ruler is like serving a tiger! This woman was far too bloodthirsty. Fortunately, the information he was about to reveal was explosive enough. He told Bibi Dong that Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

Xu Yu thought that, emotionally and logically, he had to tell her. Besides, even if he did not, Xiao Wu would soon carelessly expose her identity as a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast anyway, nearly bringing disaster upon Shrek Academy.

What?!

Just as expected, Bibi Dong's attention snapped into focus. Half-believing and half-doubting, she looked at the dusky pink-haired girl whose aura was concealed by the Lovesick Heartbreak Red.

But the next second, she no longer doubted. Xiao Wu, excitedly running toward her brother, accidentally dropped the misty pink flower from her arms. An aura unique to a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast spread in every direction. All the experts above Spirit Douluo level involuntarily rose to their feet, staring in shock and fervor at the girl on the Soul Battle Arena as she hurriedly picked up the Lovesick Heartbreak Red.

There really was someone so eager to die. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast had taken human form and infiltrated Spirit City, the Holy Land of Spirit Masters, nearly deceiving all of them.

Should they say she was outrageously bold, or that they had been too careless?

She actually dared to gamble on something like this. A beast was still a beast. Even after becoming human, she could not learn humanity's cunning side. She had walked into the Holy Land of Spirit Masters of her own accord. She truly was the "first" Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast of her kind.

How was this any different from an evil ghost barging into a Buddhist holy ground? Was she here to disgust the Buddhas?

Childish.

She would not be leaving.

Predatory gazes fell upon her from every direction. Xiao Wu's body trembled slightly, and all traces of her luck had vanished. She knew that she would not escape this disaster today.

In response to the concerned looks from Ning Rongrong and the others, she shook her head slightly to indicate that she was fine. Yet the sorrow in her eyes could not be concealed.

"Now, let us invite Your Excellency the Pope to announce the results and present the rewards!"

"Little San, you go." Tang San, who had awakened and barely recovered some Soul Power, was patted on the shoulder by Dai Mubai.

Encouraged by the looks of the others, Tang San nodded and walked forward. Across from him, Xu Yu watched this so-called Son of Destiny, who was said never to have lost a fight. This kid's cheat code was a little too outrageous, wasn't it?

How could success come without a little hardship? Could smooth sailing really be called success?

"I announce that the overall champion of this Continental Elite Tournament is Shrek Academy."

"Please have your representative come forward to receive the rewards." As soon as her words fell, three distinct and wondrous soul bones floated before the Female Pope's ample chest.

Soul bones.

It was Xu Yu's first time seeing them, and his expression immediately turned curious. That was only because he was a transmigrator. The native Douluo around him, those who had personally experienced the allure of soul bones, were already trembling uncontrollably. It was an instinctive tremble. Even under the intimidating majesty of Spirit Hall, they reacted this way, showing the unique temptation soul bones held in the world of spirit masters.

Bibi Dong seemed to be trying to recruit Tang San, but he rejected her. Xu Yu found it somewhat regrettable. According to the original story, Tang San and Xiao Wu would escape successfully.

But novels were novels. Now that a real person like him had entered the story, reality was reality. Spirit Hall had more than twenty Titled Douluo, while the Seven Great Enshrined and over ten others were Super Douluo above Level Ninety-Five. Xu Yu simply could not understand how Tang Hao had managed to take Tang San and Xiao Wu away.

Their only sliver of survival was right now, yet Tang San had rejected it. Xu Yu suddenly had an idea. Perhaps Tang San knew that Xiao Wu's identity had been exposed. Maybe he would make a different choice?