The Remaining Half an Incense Stick Is Up to You!

Of course, Xiao Wu and Tang San knew perfectly well that Su Mo was a candidate, but they had no idea what was going on with his strength.

Ning Rongrong blinked, brimming with curiosity.

Dai Mubai was more inclined to agree with Teacher Zhao's assessment. Besides, the abilities Su Mo had displayed-flying and summoning a forest-were nothing like those of a Soul Grandmaster.

A gleam flashed through Zhu Zhuqing's beautiful eyes, and she grew increasingly suspicious that Su Mo was her teacher.

After all, "Azure Emperor" sounded like it had something to do with plants.

"Was that really necessary? Bringing out your ultimate move right off the bat?"

Inside Su Mo's Sea of Consciousness, Tian Meng watched the scene speechlessly and couldn't help complaining.

"None of the other Wood Release techniques could intimidate Teacher Zhao in berserk mode, and I didn't want to get beaten up. So I could only follow this road all the way into the dark."

Su Mo shrugged, feeling rather helpless about it himself.

Originally, he had only intended to bluff Zhao Wuji and buy some time. Who knew the man couldn't take even a little teasing and would explode at the slightest spark? Rather than fight a second-phase berserk bear, he might as well use Advent of a World of Trees to bluff him again.

"I have to say, Brother Sky Dream, the Advent of a World of Trees you developed is pretty impressive."

Su Mo was unstinting with his praise.

Although he had supplied the inspiration, Tian Meng was the one who had actually developed the wood-type soul skills. Su Mo collectively called these wood-type soul skills Wood Release.

Advent of a World of Trees was one of them.

"Hehe, I'm a genius!" The chibi Tian Meng stretched out his little hand and scratched his head, a little embarrassed and a little pleased with himself.

Suddenly, he seemed to remember something.

He reminded Su Mo, "With your current soul power, you can only sustain Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees for half an incense stick at most before exhausting yourself."

Su Mo: "..."

Heh. Sooner or later, you have to pay your debts.

Time ticked away.

The atmosphere grew increasingly strange.

With plenty of time to think, quite a few people noticed that something felt off. Zhao Wuji also discovered several problems.

First, why make them stand there for an entire incense stick?

Giving them a quick lesson would be better than having everyone waste time here.

Second, Su Mo had claimed he was accompanying a junior.

Yet why hadn't that supposed junior spoken to Su Mo all this time?

There was also Xiao Wu's earlier laughter.

She had clearly seen something funny, and she had laughed with such abandon.

Would a normal person act that way upon encountering a Titled Douluo?

Even if that Titled Douluo were Xiao Wu's elder, she shouldn't have behaved like that. Besides, the two of them hadn't exchanged a single word all this time.

Most importantly, Su Mo's reason for picking a fight didn't hold water.

If he had bullied the youngsters, it would make sense for their elder to show up after they were beaten. The problem was that he hadn't even attacked yet. The accusation of bullying the weak simply didn't stand at this point, and the other party had no reason to intervene.

Zhao Wuji considered whether he should probe him again.

Just then, half an incense stick had passed.

Su Mo's soul power ran dry, and the surrounding forest dissolved into soul power and dispersed. He slowly descended from the tree himself. Seeing everyone staring at him, he smiled calmly.

"So, uh... surprised? Didn't see that coming, did you?"

"Fuck! You little bastard! If I don't skin you alive today, I'll take your surname!"

Zhao Wuji was now completely certain he had been played again. Powerful soul power poured from his body, and the full pressure of a Soul Saint surged toward Su Mo, intent on forcing him to his knees.

As though that wasn't enough to vent his anger, two soul rings flashed beneath his feet.

Thousand-year third soul skill-Gravity Enhancement.

Ten-thousand-year fifth soul skill-Gravity Compression.

"Xiao Wu!"

Sensing trouble, Su Mo immediately called out to the sidelines.

The first soul ring beneath Xiao Wu's feet lit up, and she instantly appeared beside Su Mo. Then she flashed away several more times, taking him to the roof of a distant wooden cabin.

Watching Su Mo flee into the distance, Zhao Wuji couldn't help twitching his lips.

"The assessment isn't over yet. Get back here!"

Su Mo curled his lips. He wasn't stupid.

"Teacher Zhao, it's precisely because the assessment isn't over that I'm not going back. As long as we hide until the remaining half an incense stick burns out, we'll pass."

Hearing this, Zhao Wuji looked at the incense in his hand, with less than half remaining, and his face darkened.

"You little bastard, you might be able to run, but the other three can't. If you don't come back, I'll vent all my anger on them."

Tang San: "..."

Zhu Zhuqing: "..."

Ning Rongrong: "..."

Who did we offend to deserve this calamity out of nowhere?

Su Mo was speechless too. The man was actually using his companions to threaten him.

Had he thrown away even his last shred of shame?

"Little San, and you two beauties, I already held out for half an incense stick for you. The remaining half is up to you!"

When it comes to shamelessness, what do I, Su Mo, have to fear?

Tang San: "..."

Zhu Zhuqing: "..."

Ning Rongrong: "..."

Fuck!

The three couldn't help cursing.

You screwed him over and ran, leaving us to deal with an enraged Soul Saint?

How the hell are we supposed to fight him?

Zhu Zhuqing had previously suspected Su Mo was the Azure Emperor, but now, how could someone this despicable possibly be her teacher?

"I'll give the remaining half an incense stick a try."

In the end, Tang San stepped forward, deciding to take on Zhao Wuji alone. Since his sworn elder brother had displayed such formidable strength, he couldn't fall behind either.

"Ning Rongrong, give me a boost."

"All right."

Seeing Tang San shoulder the burden, Ning Rongrong was happy to oblige. She immediately gave him a thirty-percent boost to strength and speed.

Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing also asked for a boost, ready to support Tang San as the situation required.

Although she disliked Tang San, she wouldn't shirk a fight and would contribute as much as she could.

"Good, good, good!" Zhao Wuji laughed in his fury.

One provoked me and ran away, and the other knows I'm furious yet still dares to challenge me alone...

You really have guts!

"Since I can't teach that brat a lesson, I'll start with you instead." Zhao Wuji grinned ferociously, planted the incense in the ground, and charged toward Tang San.

He raised his enormous, fan-sized hand high.

A flash of purple light crossed Tang San's eyes. He executed Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to put some distance between them, while a hundred-year soul ring shone around him.

"I've got a... fucking blade of grass!"

He had known something must have gone wrong when he resonated with Oscar not long ago.

He hadn't expected the requirement to accompany skills with soul incantations, normally exclusive to food-type abilities, to transfer to him. Now, even creating a Blue Silver Whip required him to chant.

Dai Mubai: "???"

Why did that sound so familiar?

This hadn't happened when he sparred with Tang San earlier, had it?

Considering that Oscar no longer needed to recite soul incantations, and looking at the current situation, could the incantations have transferred to Tang San?

"Eww~"

Hearing Tang San suddenly spout vulgarities, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing felt disgusted.

"What is Tang San doing?"

On the roof, Xiao Wu looked puzzled.

"Dunno."

Su Mo put on an innocent expression and spread his hands to indicate he didn't know.

Inside, however, he was laughing himself sick. Oscar's soul incantations seem to suit the current Tang San even better. Blue Silver Whips, Thorn Whips-pfft, hahahaha...

"Little loach, you're pretty slippery!"

In the arena, Zhao Wuji was slightly surprised to see Tang San evade his swift pounce, so he accelerated again.

Tang San dodged left and right, finding it increasingly difficult to keep up.

No longer caring whether it was disgusting, he hurriedly recited his soul incantation, "I've got..."

In a flash, a long blue whip appeared in his hand.