Tang San vanished from where he stood.
It wasn't Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. It was pure, beastlike explosive speed.
The next second, he was already in front of Shi Mo.
The tips of four Eight Spider Lances stabbed toward Shi Mo's tortoise shell.
The Black Tortoise's defense was nearly unmatched among those of their age, but the Eight Spider Lances pierced its shell, producing a teeth-grating crunch. Four lances drove straight in.
"Argh—!"
Shi Mo screamed and staggered backward. Four holes now marred his shell, and blood gushed from them.
His face turned deathly pale at once, his lips trembling, but he gritted his teeth and stayed on his feet.
The skin around his wounds quickly took on an unnatural bluish-purple hue. Shi Mo felt as if his limbs had been filled with lead, the heaviness spreading from his wounds throughout his body.
Blue Silver Grass surged from beneath Tang San's feet—not precise control, but a wild, furious release.
Blue-purple blades sprouted madly beneath Shi Mo, coiling around his ankles, knees, and waist.
The grass was severed by the edges of his shell, but even more surged in, layer upon layer, like a tide engulfing his lower body.
Tang San raised his Eight Spider Lances again, their tips aimed at Shi Mo's chest.
"Tang San!"
Yu Tianheng's roar exploded from the side.
He had little Soul Power left, but he didn't hesitate.
Purple lightning burned with his resolve as he charged at Tang San.
Two Eight Spider Lances shot from Tang San's back to meet Yu Tianheng's right claw.
The lances clashed with the dragon claw, and Yu Tianheng staggered backward from the rebounding force.
One lance tip sliced open his side, and a bluish-purple hue quickly spread around the wound.
But he didn't stop.
"Do you even realize what you're doing?!"
His body slammed into Tang San's side. There was no lightning, just a body exhausted to its limits. They fell onto the platform together.
The instant they hit the ground, Tang San's Eight Spider Lances instinctively stabbed toward Yu Tianheng. Their four tips stopped just an inch from his throat and chest.
Yu Tianheng didn't dodge.
He lay on the ground, panting heavily as he stared into Tang San's eyes.
But Tang San couldn't hear him. There was only scarlet in his pupils.
The dark-red patterns on his Eight Spider Lances lit up again, and their tips began to tremble. It was the instinct of a predator that had caught the scent of prey.
Stab him.
A voice inside him urged.
"Xiao San!"
Dai Mubai's voice rang out from the side.
"Get out of the way!"
Zhu Zhuqing's voice was hoarse, stained with blood.
Then an immense force slammed into Tang San's waist from the side.
He flew sideways, his back crashing into a pillar at the edge of the platform.
With a boom, stone chips flew everywhere.
Osler stood where Tang San had just been, his Ghost Claws still poised from the strike as he warily watched Tang San lying on the ground.
In that instant, he had seen Tang San's eyes. They hadn't looked human.
If he had arrived a second later, if he had been even a little slower...
Yu Tianheng climbed to his feet, his right arm hanging limp at his side. His face was ashen, and the right half of his body had begun to go numb, but he gritted his teeth and remained standing.
He looked at Osler, his lips moving, but no words came out.
"Boss Yu," Osler said tensely,
"His spider lances... they're poisoned."
Yu Tianheng glanced down at the wound in his side. The bluish-purple poison had spread to his chest, but he didn't look at his injury.
His gaze passed over Osler's shoulder and fixed on Tang San.
Tang San lay at the edge of the platform, his Eight Spider Lances spread behind him like those of a giant spider. His shoulders heaved violently as he panted in a way that seemed inhuman.
"Third Brother!"
Xiao Wu's voice came from a distance, choked with tears.
Tang San's fingers twitched.
"Third Brother! Wake up!"
Xiao Wu's voice pierced the scarlet haze like a needle.
Tang San blinked, and the scarlet receded a little.
He jerked his head up.
Osler stood in front of Yu Tianheng, Ghost Claws slightly curled as he watched Tang San warily.
Tang San's pupils contracted.
What had he... been about to do?
A trace of dark-red light still lingered at the tips of his Eight Spider Lances. That was...the precursor to devouring. If he had stabbed...
Cold sweat drenched his back.
He couldn't. He absolutely couldn't let anyone see that ability.
He looked over again and saw Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu was still on the ground, gritting her teeth as she pushed herself up.
But she was looking at him. There was no fear in her eyes, only concern.
Concern for him!
Then he saw the stands, with twenty thousand pairs of eyes.
Several figures had risen in the VIP section. Chen Jieqi wore a grave smile, and faint golden patterns glimmered at the cuff of the black-robed elder.
Everyone had seen it.
The Eight Spider Lances, the External Soul Bone—all his secrets.
What if they found out his Eight Spider Lances could devour?
What would Xiao Wu think?
No. He couldn't use them again.
The Eight Spider Lances trembled faintly behind him. Their dark-red patterns slowly faded, turning back to their cold blue-purple hue.
In the VIP section, the black-robed elder slowly sat down, a playful smile lifting the corners of his mouth.
"He reined himself in... interesting. It's not that he can't control it. He just doesn't want anyone to see."
His companion frowned.
"That thing on his back... is it a Man Faced Demon Spider?"
"No," the elder said, shaking his head.
"It's rarer than a Man Faced Demon Spider. It's an External Soul Bone. It evolves along with its host...if he's willing to reveal it."
He paused, his gaze settling on Tang San as his voice dropped.
"This boy is cleverer than I thought. He knows what to show and what to hide for the rest of his life."
After a moment's silence, he added even more quietly, as if speaking only to himself,
"After tonight, keep an eye on this child named Tang San."
Tang San slowly withdrew his Eight Spider Lances, dropped to one knee, and gasped for breath.
Cold sweat rolled down his forehead, dripping onto the platform and mixing with the blood.
He raised his head and looked at Yu Tianheng.
Yu Tianheng stepped out from behind Osler and walked up in front of him.
The lightning on his right claw had completely died out. The knuckles of his left fist might have been cracked, and the bloody hole in his shoulder was still seeping blood.
The wound in his side was bluish-purple. His right arm hung limply at his side, its fingertips curled slightly and completely numb, yet he stood tall.
The scarlet had completely faded from Tang San's eyes. He looked at Yu Tianheng and remained silent for a long while.
"I've lost," he said.
His voice was quiet, but everyone on the platform heard him.
Yu Tianheng fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
He looked at his teammates behind him. Shi Mo and Shi Mo were covered in wounds, but they were still standing. Shi Mo's wounds were especially dark.
Tian Xuan's Azure Vine was mostly shattered, but he hadn't fallen. Yu Feng stood unsteadily, half his body scorched. Osler's face was pale, and blood stained his Ghost Claws.
And Ye Lingling could barely stay on her feet.
The pink-white light of the Nine-Heart Begonia was growing dimmer. Her lips had lost their color, and her vision was blurring, yet she continued to maintain the healing.
Yu Tianheng turned back and looked at Tang San.
"You're very strong."
His voice was hoarse, but sincere.
"But sometimes, the strongest opponent isn't the person standing across from you."
Tang San fell silent for a moment.
"It's the one inside your own heart," he said quietly.
Yu Tianheng paused, then smiled.
"Let's go."
He turned and walked toward his teammates.
"We should thank Lingling."
He went to Ye Lingling and supported her by the shoulder. She lifted her head, her face as pale as paper, but the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
"We won," she said softly.
"Mm."
Yu Tianheng nodded.
"We have you to thank."
When Yu Tianheng reached the edge of the platform, he suddenly stopped and looked back.
Tang San was still kneeling on the platform, and Xiao Wu was walking toward him.
Yu Tianheng was silent for a moment, then turned and continued on.
Kneeling on the platform, Tang San watched the seven members of the Imperial Fighting Team support one another as they walked off.
Ye Lingling was last. The pink-white glow of the Nine-Heart Begonia finally went out.
Her steps were unsteady, as if she might collapse at any moment. Tian Xuan turned back to support her. She said nothing, only nodded slightly.
Then Tang San heard the voices behind him.
Dai Mubai got up from the ground and went to Zhu Zhuqing's side, helping her to her feet. She said nothing, merely leaning against his shoulder with her eyes closed.
Ma Hongjun got up from the ground, clutching his chest and grumbling something under his breath.
Oscar lay on the ground, his clothes soaked through with blood across his back, but he was smiling.
"Fatty, that last shot of yours was damn accurate..."
"Shut up. Your shoulder's been ripped open, and you're still praising me..."
Ning Rongrong got up from the ground and stumbled over to Oscar. She crouched down and draped his arm over her shoulder.
Xiao Wu clutched her waist and walked step by step toward Tang San.
"Third Brother..."
Her voice was soft, choked with tears.
Tang San lifted his head and looked at Xiao Wu.
There was still blood at the corner of her mouth, and her face was still pale, but she was smiling.
"You scared me so much just now!"
Xiao Wu said,
"Your eyes were all red."
She paused, her voice lowering as if she were speaking only to Tang San.
"But I know you're not like that. You were just...too worried about me."
Tang San fell silent for a moment.
"I'm sorry," he said.
Then he silently added to himself,
I'm sorry for worrying you. I'm sorry I almost exposed myself.
The Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons and the Eight Spider Lances' devouring ability—no one can ever learn about any of them.
I've already revealed too much today. Next time...I can't let this happen again.
Xiao Wu shook her head and held out her hand.
"Come on, help me up."
Tang San took her hand and stood.
On the platform, the Shrek Seven Devils supported one another as they slowly walked away.
Doudou stood on the main Soul Fighting Arena, watching the two teams' retreating figures. She took a deep breath, and her voice rang throughout the venue.
"Team battle Soul Fighting—victory goes to the Imperial Fighting Team!"
The applause and cheers of twenty thousand people rang out again, but this time, quite a few were applauding the losers.
In a corner of the stands, several pairs of eyes never left Tang San's retreating figure.
Someone took out paper and a pen, hurriedly jotting down notes in the dim light.
Some were talking in low voices, their words drowned out by the applause. Only the shapes of their mouths could just barely be made out.
"Shrek...Tang San...External Soul Bone..."
After tonight, the name "Tang San of Shrek" would no longer belong only to the Soto Great Soul Arena!