Conflict

Tang San's eyes burned with anger. Ever since Heaven Dou Team 3 had taken the field, he had been closely watching Dugu Yan.

When preparing for the Spirit Master Competition, he had already been holding back his rage. Dugu Bo had severely injured him, all because of the trouble Dugu Yan had caused.

If his mastery of poison had not surpassed Dugu Bo's, he would have died long ago.

What did it matter if the pain would only last three years? That was assuming he could survive those three years.

That Old Poison Master, Dugu Bo, had tortured him in Sunset Forest until he wished he were dead, nearly killing him on the spot. Wasn't the source of it all the Dugu Yan standing before him?

Relying on the fact that she had a Titled Douluo grandfather, she had acted recklessly and ultimately brought down a terrifying retaliation he could not resist.

He could not defeat Dugu Bo, but could he not even deal with Dugu Yan, the true culprit?

He had been waiting, waiting to use the Tang Sect's ultimate techniques and the Eight Spider Lances in front of everyone on the arena to repay her tenfold, a hundredfold, for the pain she had inflicted on him.

He wanted her to taste despair as well.

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

Countless times, he had imagined stepping on Dugu Yan beneath Dugu Bo's very eyes in the arena.

He had never expected her to join this Imperial Dou Team 3, a team with only five members yet terrifying, crushing strength!

To be honest, his hopes of revenge had already fallen to rock bottom.

At that thought, Tang San abruptly stood up.

"No! We have to find out immediately! Teacher is knowledgeable—he might know where these soul skills came from."

Before his words had even faded, he turned without hesitation and rushed toward Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang.

Ma Hongjun also leaped to his feet. "Right! Find Grandmaster! Something about this is seriously wrong!"

"Boss Dai? Where's Boss Dai?" Ning Rongrong was about to move when her gaze swept toward Dai Mubai's seat.

Only to discover that it was empty. "Where is he? When did he disappear?"

Tang San's heart tightened. He immediately recalled Dai Mubai's earlier strange behavior—he had kept muttering the name "Zhu Zhuqing." Wasn't that someone from Imperial Dou Team 3?

He quickly turned toward Imperial Dou Team 3 and, sure enough, saw Dai Mubai standing in front of a girl in white, visibly agitated.

"Not good!" Tang San shouted. "Xiao Wu, Oscar, Fatty, Rongrong, Tailong, come with me. Mubai is over there."

Time rewound to the instant Shui Bing'er had been kicked off the arena—

Dai Mubai had already been frantic with worry as he charged at Zhu Zhuqing of Imperial Dou Team 3.

Now, he stood firmly in front of the girl, his face a mixture of shock and wild joy.

Her age, her Martial Soul, that icy temperament... there was no mistake. She was his fiancée, Zhu Zhuqing.

"Zhu... Zhuqing!" Dai Mubai's voice trembled almost imperceptibly.

Zhu Zhuqing did not even lift her eyelids. Expressionless, she sidestepped and tried to leave.

Dai Mubai suddenly stepped across her path again, blocking her way as he growled, "Zhuqing, look carefully! I'm Dai Mubai! Dai Mubai!"

Before his roar had faded, violent Soul Power surged skyward. The phantom of the Evil Eye White Tiger appeared behind him with a roar, radiating overwhelming pressure.

"I never thought I'd see you here. I thought I would still have to..."

"What did you think?" Zhu Zhuqing's icy voice was like a blade, instantly cutting him off. "That I died in Star Luo?"

A visible flicker of panic crossed Dai Mubai's face, and he hurriedly explained.

"Of course not! Zhuqing, look, aren't you perfectly fine..." He then forced out a smile, excitement flashing in his eyes again.

Zhu Zhuqing's strength had far exceeded his expectations. With her joining forces with him, defeating Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun and claiming the throne would be just around the corner.

"As long as we join forces, we can definitely defeat Dai Weisi and your sister. When the time comes, I'll ascend the throne, and you'll be the Empress of Star Luo!" Dai Mubai promised in an unquestionable tone.

Zhu Zhuqing's face remained frozen. Her response to Dai Mubai was a sudden eruption of dark-blue light.

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

Bang!

Dai Mubai let out a muffled groan and flew backward like a broken sack.

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

At that very moment, Tang San and the others arrived, just in time to witness Dai Mubai being sent flying.

"What are you trying to do?" Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the others instantly stood in front of Dai Mubai, glaring angrily at Zhu Zhuqing as their Soul Power stirred.

Dugu Yan, Nasha, and Xiluo reacted swiftly, stepping forward almost at the same time to stand shoulder to shoulder with Zhu Zhuqing in confrontation.

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

But Shana did not care about any Star Luo royal family. Zhu Zhuqing's attitude was her stance.

She snorted, her crisp voice dripping with undisguised mockery.

"What are you trying to do? First, some shameless guy blocks the road and pesters her. Now you want to use your numbers to bully us? If you want to fight, just say so!"

Pink light burst from Xiao Wu's eyes, and her fiery temper ignited at once. "You hit someone and still dare to act so arrogantly?"

Her agile body twisted through the air, her supple waist bending into an astonishing arc. Her legs tore through the air as they shot straight for Zhu Zhuqing's throat.

Waist Bow!

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

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

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

He tried to bind Zhu Zhuqing's right hand while activating Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, rushing forward to save Xiao Wu.

But someone was faster than him.

"Hmph!" With a cold snort, Dugu Yan summoned the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul. Green mist churned as a condensed serpent-shaped stream of poison struck later yet arrived first, precisely colliding with Tang San's Blue Silver Grass.

At this time, Dugu Yan still did not know what her grandfather had done, much less that Tang Hao had severely wounded him several times.

But she knew that after her grandfather went looking for Tang San, whether he lived or died, Tang San would definitely not have an easy time.

Since that was the case, she naturally would not hold back either.

It hissed and instantly corroded more than half of it, blocking Tang San's rescue.

Dai Mubai had just climbed up from the ground, his heart filled with fury. He had thought that once he saw Zhu Zhuqing, everything would proceed as he expected.

He had never imagined that Zhu Zhuqing would actually attack him.

Seeing Dugu Yan attacking Tang San nearby, he immediately charged forward.

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

The scene instantly descended into a chaotic melee.

Xiao Wu only felt a surge of danger from behind, and horror filled her heart. Soft Technique emphasized close-range grappling, but Zhu Zhuqing's counterattack was too fast and too ruthless, giving her no chance to engage.

In that critical moment, Xiao Wu's waist displayed astonishing flexibility. She forcibly twisted around and crossed her arms before her chest, trying to withstand the blow head-on.

Bang! Zhu Zhuqing's lightning-charged strike landed heavily on Xiao Wu.

The searing pain made Xiao Wu groan as she landed and staggered back several steps.

Elsewhere, Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire Line had barely left his mouth before Shana blocked it with Earth Release.

Dai Mubai and Tailong were both kicked away by Xiluo after he activated the Eight Inner Gates.

Though Tang San was strong, Dugu Yan had him tied down, leaving him unable to effectively support his companions for the moment.

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

"Everyone, stop!"

A commanding shout imbued with immense Soul Power exploded across the field.

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

Both sides in the fierce battle, whether Shrek or Imperial Dou Team 3, felt their bodies grow heavy, as though invisible shackles had bound them. Their movements involuntarily froze.

Not far away, Ning Fengzhi's refined figure had appeared at some point. His expression was dark, and powerful Soul Power fluctuations radiated from his body. Clearly, he had released that pressure.

At his side, Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong stood half a step behind him, similarly emanating terrifying auras that made hearts tremble.

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

Qian Renxue naturally saw it as well. When she saw Ning Fengzhi appear, she frowned.

"Ci, it seems your team has gotten into some conflict with Blue Tyrant Academy over there. Sect Master Ning is there too. Do you want me to go with you and help mediate?"

Duanmu Ci shook his head. Watching both sides brawl, an amused smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He looked entirely like someone enjoying a good show.

Without the Immortal Herbs, aside from Dai Mubai barely breaking through level forty, the rest of Shrek were merely Soul Elders.

Before Zhu Zhuqing and the others, whose strength had soared, they were simply offering themselves up.

But the instant Ning Fengzhi appeared and forcibly intervened with his Soul Power pressure, Duanmu Ci's eyes turned cold.

Although Ning Fengzhi was the sort of person who was smooth in all directions and best at smoothing things over, he most likely would not do anything to Zhu Zhuqing and the others.

Still, he would not let Ning Fengzhi put on this act. Imperial Dou Team 3 was under his protection.