In the God Realm, Tang San's expression was rather grim.
Naturally, he could see what was happening in the lower realm, and he understood the predicament the three of them faced.
"Damn it..."
Tang San's fingers unconsciously tightened, squeezing the armrest until it creaked.
He had never imagined that Shrek Academy would be made entirely of Soul Tools.
"This is simply... a desecration of Soul Master traditions!"
His brows were tightly furrowed, his eyes filled with disgust and conflict.
The solution to Wang Dong'er's suffering was actually very simple. All he had to do was lift the restriction he had placed deep within her soul to prevent her from being seduced by clever contraptions and dubious tricks.
But...
Tang San was full of resistance.
"Soul Tools... are nothing more than a crooked path that relies on external objects."
"Only Soul Power cultivated through one's own efforts, along with the exquisite hidden weapons passed down by my Tang Sect for ten thousand years, are the proper path for Soul Masters—the true road to becoming strong!"
"If I lift the restriction, won't Xiao Qi's mind be corrupted by those cold lumps of metal?"
"And besides..."
Tang San's gaze darkened.
"Now that Soul Tools are flourishing across Douluo Continent, they have already severely squeezed the Tang Sect's hidden weapons out of existence."
"Those worthless descendants haven't even learned the barest scraps of Buddha Fury Tang Lotus, Pear Blossom Needle in Rainstorm, Guanyin Tear, or Yama's Invitation. Yet they have been steadily crushed by Soul Tools instead. They have utterly disgraced me!"
Although Tang San had never passed down the complete methods for crafting those hidden weapons, it was their own problem that they had failed to recreate them.
"If I compromise with Soul Tools now... wouldn't that mean admitting that my Tang Sect's hidden weapons are inferior to those Soul Tools?"
Once that thought arose, it became like a thorn deeply embedded in Tang San's heart, making it impossible for him to decide so easily.
Just as Tang San sank into contemplation and hesitation.
A light set of footsteps approached, followed by a faint fragrance that lingered around his nose.
"Third Brother, what's wrong?"
A gentle voice sounded beside his ear.
A stunning woman in a pink dress slowly approached. She was tall and graceful, with features as exquisite as a painting. Her signature scorpion braid hung to her waist, swaying gently with her movements and adding a touch of playfulness and liveliness.
She was none other than Tang San's beloved wife, Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu came to Tang San's side and gently took his hand. Her large ruby-like eyes were full of concern.
"Your brows are so tightly furrowed. Did something troubling happen?"
Tang San turned to look at the familiar, beautiful face before him, and his taut nerves relaxed slightly.
He clasped Xiao Wu's soft hand in return and sighed softly.
"Xiao Wu, you know that Soul Tools run rampant in the lower realm now."
"These things that rely on external objects have developed so quickly that they already seriously threaten the status of Tang Sect hidden weapons. One could even say they are shaking the very foundations of the Soul Master world."
"I'm conflicted right now..."
"Should I... set aside some of my prejudice and accept this change?"
As Tang San spoke, his tone was filled with helplessness and weariness.
Yet he completely ignored the fact that, at this very moment in the skies of the lower realm, his biological daughter Wang Dong'er was pale with agony and on the verge of fainting because of the restriction he had imposed!
And what he was agonizing over was merely the hollow matter of whether Tang Sect hidden weapons would be replaced by Soul Tools!
In the lower realm, several thousand meters in the air.
"Hey, you three."
Cai Yue'er frowned slightly and looked impatiently at the three people dawdling before her.
"What exactly are you doing?"
"Didn't you say you were here for the test?"
"Why did you stop moving once you reached the entrance? Are you putting on some tragic little drama for me here?"
Seeing Wang Dong'er in such pain, Cai Yue'er found it somewhat strange, but she was even more displeased that they were wasting her time.
"If you don't want to join Shrek Academy, then get lost already!"
"Stop wasting my time here!"
"No, no, no! Please calm down, Teacher!"
Upon hearing this, Da Ming and Er Ming grew frantic, cold sweat breaking out across their foreheads.
"It's just that... the child suddenly felt a little unwell..."
Er Ming hurriedly came up with a clumsy excuse while frantically calling for Tang San in his heart.
Xiao Qi is practically dying of discomfort! If you don't act soon, we really won't be able to get through these gates!
What kind of mess is this?!
The two looked at the pale Wang Dong'er in their arms, then at the impatient Cai Yue'er. They nearly wanted to cry but had no tears.
God Realm.
After listening to Tang San's troubles, Xiao Wu only smiled gently.
She reached out with a slender finger and lightly smoothed the deeply furrowed space between Tang San's brows.
"Third Brother, I know what you're worried about."
"But times are changing. We can't remain stubborn and closed off forever."
Hearing Xiao Wu's gentle, tender consolation, the conflict in Tang San's eyes gradually faded.
That was right.
If he did not let Xiao Qi enter, he would have no way to monitor that damned variable through her, much less intervene at a critical moment.
As for the Tang Sect...
Hmph.
A cold glint flashed through Tang San's eyes.
It would depend on whether that Son of Luck had enough sense to lend it a hand later.
If that truly did not work...
"At worst, I'll personally descend upon the Douluo Continent plane!"
Tang San hardened his resolve in secret.
"Those so-called Soul Tool technologies... hmph, when the time comes, I'll make a trip to that Mingde Hall in the Sun Moon Empire."
"I'll force them to hand over their most core Soul Tool technologies, then combine them with my Tang Sect's hidden weapons."
"Then all of that technology will become new hidden weapons exclusive to my Tang Sect!"
"Making the Tang Sect great again will be no more than a wave of my hand!"
Having thought things through, Tang San suddenly felt enlightened. The gloom on his face was replaced by a confident smile.
He turned and gazed affectionately at Xiao Wu.
"Thank you, Xiao Wu."
"I understand now."
For the future of Douluo Continent, for justice, this tiny sacrifice... was worth it.
With that, Tang San raised a hand and lightly pointed toward the lower realm.
An invisible ripple of divine power instantly pierced through space and landed precisely upon Wang Dong'er.
Bzzzz—
In the lower realm, before the gates of Shrek Academy.
Wang Dong'er, who had felt as though her internal organs were churning violently, suddenly felt her body grow light.
The intense nausea and rejection rapidly receded like a tide, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye!
In its place came an unprecedented sense of ease and comfort.
"Huh?"
Wang Dong'er blinked in surprise, scarcely able to believe it.
"I... I don't feel sick anymore?"
"I'm really better?"
Seeing this, Da Ming and Er Ming, who had been on edge the entire time, finally released long breaths of relief.
"Whew... thank heavens!"
They had been worried that Wang Dong'er might suffer some kind of lingering effects if she stayed here any longer, and had even been considering retreating.
"Um... Teacher!"
"Hehe, the child seems to have suddenly recovered!"
"So... shall we go in and take the test now?"
Cai Yue'er gave the three of them a suspicious glance. Though she felt that they were acting strangely, since no one was hurt, she could not be bothered to investigate further.
"Enough nonsense."
"Since she's better, follow me inside."
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