Conflict

Tang San's eyes blazed with fury. In truth, he had been closely watching Dugu Yan ever since Imperial Dou Team 3 took the stage.

Ever since preparing for the Spirit Master Competition, he had been holding in a breath of resentment. Dugu Bo had gravely wounded him, all because Dugu Yan had provoked that disaster.

If not for his superior mastery of poisons compared to Dugu Bo, he would have been dead for sure.

What did "three years of pain" mean? He had to survive those three years first.

That old poison master Dugu Bo had tormented him in the Sunset Forest until he wished he were dead, nearly killing him on the spot. And the root of all this—wasn't it this very Dugu Yan before him?

Relying on her Titled Douluo grandfather, she had acted recklessly, ultimately drawing down a terrifying retaliation he couldn't withstand.

He couldn't defeat Dugu Bo, but could he not even deal with Dugu Yan, the one who had caused it all?

He had been waiting, waiting for the moment on the grand stage, under the eyes of the crowd, to use the Tang Sect's secret arts and the Eight Spider Lances to repay the pain she had inflicted on him tenfold, a hundredfold.

He wanted her to taste despair too.

He had originally thought the battlefield for revenge would be between the Imperial Dou Main Team and Shrek.

Countless times he had imagined the scene on the arena, under Dugu Bo's very gaze, stepping on Dugu Yan.

He never expected that she would join this team of only five people, yet one that displayed overwhelming, crushing strength—Imperial Dou Team 3!

To be honest, at this moment, his hope for revenge had sunk to rock bottom.

Thinking this, Tang San immediately stood up:

"No! We have to find out right now! Teacher is knowledgeable; he might know where these spirit abilities come from."

Before his words faded, he had already turned without hesitation, charging toward the direction where Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang was.

Ma Hongjun also jumped up: "Right! Find Grandmaster! This is way too weird!"

"Boss Dai? Where's Boss Dai?" Ning Rongrong was about to move when her gaze swept to Dai Mubai's spot, only to find it empty. "Where is he? When did he disappear?"

Tang San's heart tightened. He immediately recalled Dai Mubai's earlier odd behavior—muttering the name "Zhu Zhuqing" over and over. Wasn't she from Imperial Dou Team 3?

He quickly turned his head toward Imperial Dou Team 3's direction and sure enough, saw Dai Mubai blocking a white-clad girl, his emotions running high.

"Not good!" Tang San said in a low voice. "Xiao Wu, Oscar, Fatty, Rongrong, Tailong, follow me. Mubai's over there."

Time rewound to the moment Shui Bing'er was kicked off the arena—

Dai Mubai had already been burning with impatience, charging at full speed toward Zhu Zhuqing of Imperial Dou Team 3.

Now, he stood firmly blocking the girl's path, his face a mix of shock and ecstasy.

Age, spirit, that icy demeanor... no mistake, it was his fiancée, Zhu Zhuqing.

"Zhu... Zhuqing!" Dai Mubai's voice carried a barely perceptible tremor.

Zhu Zhuqing didn't even lift her eyelids. Expressionless, she sidestepped to leave.

Dai Mubai suddenly took a wide step, blocking her way again, and growled in a low voice: "Zhuqing, look clearly! I'm Dai Mubai! Dai Mubai!"

Before the roar faded, his violent spirit power erupted skyward. The phantom of the Evil Eye White Tiger roared behind him, its pressure radiating outward.

"I didn't expect to meet you here. I thought I'd have to..."

"You thought what?" Zhu Zhuqing's icy voice cut through his words like a blade. "That I died in Star Luo?"

A visible flicker of panic crossed Dai Mubai's face as he quickly defended himself:

"Of course not! Zhuqing, look, you're fine..." He then forced a smile, excitement gleaming in his eyes again.

Zhu Zhuqing's strength far exceeded his expectations. With her help, defeating Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun and seizing the throne was within reach.

"As long as we join forces, we can definitely beat Dai Weisi and your sister. Then, when I ascend the throne, you'll be the Empress of Star Luo!" Dai Mubai's tone carried an unshakable promise.

Zhu Zhuqing's face remained frozen solid. Her response to Dai Mubai was a sudden burst of deep blue light.

Her figure flashed, and a heavy punch slammed into Dai Mubai's completely unprepared chest.

"Boom!"

Dai Mubai let out a muffled groan, his body flying backward like a torn sack.

"Boss Dai!" Ma Hongjun cried out in shock.

Just then, Tang San and the others arrived, catching the scene of Dai Mubai being sent flying.

"What do you think you're doing?" Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the others instantly blocked in front of Dai Mubai, glaring at Zhu Zhuqing, their spirit power rippling faintly.

Dugu Yan, Nasha, and Xiluo reacted swiftly, stepping forward almost simultaneously to stand shoulder to shoulder with Zhu Zhuqing, forming a confrontational stance.

Shana and Xiluo knew full well about the entanglement between Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai.

But Shana didn't care about Star Luo's imperial family. Zhu Zhuqing's stance was her stance.

She snorted coldly, her crisp voice carrying undisguised mockery:

"What do we want to do? First, some shameless guy blocks the way and harasses her, and now you want to gang up on us? If you want a fight, just say so!"

Xiao Wu's eyes exploded with pink light, her fiery temper igniting instantly. "You hit someone and still act so arrogant?"

Her figure moved nimbly, her flexible waist twisting into a startling arc in the air, her legs slicing through the air with a sharp whistle, aimed straight at Zhu Zhuqing's throat.

"Waist Bow!"

However, a cold glint flashed in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, and a streak of lightning flickered across her body.

The next second, her figure had already appeared behind Xiao Wu.

"Xiao Wu, watch out!" Tang San's pupils contracted sharply. Blue Silver Grass shot out from his palm in an instant.

He tried to entangle Zhu Zhuqing's right hand while activating Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to rush forward and rescue her.

But someone was faster than him.

"Hmph!" A cold snort rang out as Dugu Yan's Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul manifested. Green mist roiled, and a condensed snake-shaped toxic gas shot out, arriving precisely in time to collide with Tang San's Blue Silver Grass.

At this moment, Dugu Yan had no idea what her grandfather had done, nor did she know he had been severely injured multiple times by Tang Hao.

But she did know that after her grandfather went to find Tang San, whether he lived or died, Tang San would not come out of it well.

Since that was the case, she naturally wouldn't hold back either.

A sizzling sound rang out as the gas rapidly corroded most of the Blue Silver Grass, blocking Tang San's rescue.

Nearby, Dai Mubai had just climbed to his feet, his heart burning with rage. He had thought that once he saw Zhu Zhuqing, everything would go as he expected.

He never imagined Zhu Zhuqing would attack him.

Raising his eyes, he saw Dugu Yan assaulting Tang San and immediately charged forward.

Shana and Xiluo on the other side moved at once. One blocked Oscar, Ma Junhong, and Ning Rongrong, while the other directly intercepted Tailong and Dai Mubai.

In an instant, the scene descended into chaos.

Xiao Wu only felt a sense of crisis behind her. Panic surged in her heart. The Soft Technique relied on close-quarters grappling, but Zhu Zhuqing's counterattack was too fast and too vicious—it gave no chance to entangle.

At the critical moment, Xiao Wu's waist erupted with astonishing flexibility. She twisted her body forcibly, crossing her arms in front of her chest to brace against the blow.

"Bang!" Zhu Zhuqing's strike, carrying the power of lightning, landed heavily on Xiao Wu.

A searing pain made Xiao Wu grunt. She stumbled backward several steps upon landing.

On the other side, Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire Line had just left his mouth when Shana blocked it with Earth Release.

Dai Mubai and Tailong were even kicked flying by Xiluo, who had activated the Eight Inner Gates.

Though Tang San was strong, he was tied up by Dugu Yan and couldn't effectively support his companions in time.

In just a few breaths, Shrek's position had clearly fallen into a disadvantage.

"Everyone, stop!"

A low, authoritative shout, brimming with thick soul power, exploded across the field.

An invisible pressure suddenly descended, instantly enveloping the entire conflict zone.

Both sides locked in battle—whether Shrek or Imperial Dou Team 3—felt their bodies grow heavy, as if bound by invisible shackles, their movements involuntarily freezing.

Not far away, Ning Fengzhi's scholarly figure had appeared without warning. His face was as calm as water, and his body radiated powerful soul power fluctuations. Clearly, the force just unleashed came from him.

At his side, Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong stood half a step behind, their auras equally exuding a terrifying presence that made hearts tremble.

On the other side, Duanmu Ci had already taken in the entire conflict involving Zhu Zhuqing.

Qian Renxue naturally saw this scene too. Until she noticed Ning Fengzhi's appearance, she frowned.

"Ci Di, it seems your team has had some conflict with that Blue Tyrant Academy over there. The Sect Master Ning is also present. Should I go with you to help mediate?"

Duanmu Ci shook his head. He watched the two sides brawling, a hint of amusement curling at the corner of his mouth, his posture entirely that of someone enjoying the show.

The Shrek members hadn't obtained any Immortal Herbs. Aside from Dai Mubai barely breaking through to the fortieth rank, the rest were merely Soul Elders.

Before Zhu Zhuqing and the others, whose strength had skyrocketed, they were nothing but cannon fodder.

It wasn't until Ning Fengzhi's figure abruptly appeared and forcibly intervened with his soul power pressure that Duanmu Ci's gaze instantly turned cold.

Though Ning Fengzhi was the type to be smooth and diplomatic, best at smoothing things over, and likely wouldn't do anything severe to Zhu Zhuqing and her group.

Still, he wouldn't let Ning Fengzhi put on this act. Imperial Dou Team 3 was under his protection.