Tang San vs. Long Yuan: Long Yuan's True Power

For an entire week, Gu Linyuan remained at Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena to train.

His cultivation steadily improved, and he was already infinitely close to level twenty-nine.

At this rate, Gu Linyuan would break through to level thirty even faster than he had expected.

"If nothing unexpected happens, my progress toward becoming a Soul Elder should be about the same as Tang San's."

"That means I can still make it in time for the Eight Spider Lances to appear."

As usual, Gu Linyuan easily dealt with his opponent.

As he walked back toward the resting area, he thought casually.

Although the Eight Spider Lances were far inferior to the Dark Gold Terrorclaw, they were still a top-tier External Soul Bone.

Even Gu Linyuan could not simply overlook a treasure on the level of an External Soul Bone.

After all, External Soul Bones could grow alongside a Soul Master and be continuously refined by Soul Power.

"As long as I keep nurturing the Dark Gold Terrorclaw with Soul Power, one day I'll surely transform it into a true Destruction God Claw. Its power will far surpass Xiong Jun's Sky-Rending Claw."

"In the original story, the Eight Spider Lances evolved alongside Tang San's ascension to godhood and became his Sea God Eight Wings, a treasure comparable to a divine artifact. I'm confident I can cultivate the Eight Spider Lances into something even more terrifying."

A sharp gleam flashed in Gu Linyuan's eyes.

To refuse what Heaven offered was to invite punishment.

If he could obtain the Eight Spider Lances, he would possess two External Soul Bones.

When he ascended to godhood, these External Soul Bones would likewise receive a great fortune and advance.

It could be said that External Soul Bones were even more important than Martial Souls themselves.

After a Soul Master became a god, their cultivation system would completely shift into a divine power system. By then, the role of a Martial Soul would diminish.

External Soul Bones, however, were different. Even after one became a god, they could continue evolving.

At the end of their evolution, External Soul Bones should become a deity's inherent divine artifact.

"I wonder how much longer it'll be before Tang San and the others head to the Star Dou Great Forest..."

"Although the Man Faced Demon Spider is nowhere near the Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, an External Soul Bone from the ribs is far more important than one from the palm bones."

"An External Soul Bone from the ribs can combine with a torso bone to make the body's torso more perfect."

Gu Linyuan's second purpose in coming to Suotuo City was to keep watch over Shrek's monsters, lest he miss the Eight Spider Lances.

In the Soul Fighting Arena's spectator stands.

Ma Hongjun's fingers dug deeply into his palm as he stared at Gu Linyuan with hatred in his eyes.

"Damn Long Yuan. You'd better not fall into my hands, or I definitely won't let you off."

Whenever he thought of the humiliation of being scared into wetting himself by Long Yuan, it felt like knives were cutting through his heart.

"Third Brother, are you confident? Today's the day you fight Long Yuan."

Ma Hongjun could not help asking.

Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Dai Mubai, and the others also looked over.

"Long Yuan is indeed strong."

"But his cultivation is lower than mine. There's no reason I should lose to him."

Tang San thought for a moment.

If he used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, then at the very least, it would be impossible for Long Yuan to defeat him with the same method he had used against Ma Hongjun.

He possessed Innate Full Soul Power and Twin Martial Souls. Since birth, he had used the Mysterious Heaven Skill as his foundation, mastered the Tang Sect's secret arts, and was skilled with hidden weapons.

He did not believe that, with so many methods at his disposal, he would be inferior to Long Yuan.

The talent of this life, combined with the memories of his past life. Foundation Establishment during infancy, followed by diligent cultivation after awakening his Martial Soul.

He was confident that over these twelve years, he had reached the limit among those his age. No Soul Grandmaster could possibly be stronger than him.

"Third Brother, then you have to avenge me..."

Ma Hongjun was delighted, while the others secretly nodded as well.

They had all witnessed Tang San's strength. If Tang San defeated Long Yuan, perhaps Shrek Academy could become famous through this battle as well.

Ning Rongrong said nothing, merely nodding gently.

Though she did not speak, she was secretly looking forward to it as well.

The name Long Yuan always gave her an indescribable sense of concern. If Tang San won, perhaps she could let go of that inexplicable feeling.

Everyone chimed in at once, and the atmosphere grew lively.

Only Zhu Zhuqing sat quietly in the corner, her pale eyes calm as still water.

She glanced at the high-spirited Tang San, then at the blurry black figure in the contestant passage below. Her lips pressed together slightly.

What a pity.

Third Brother is destined to be no match for that guy.

She was the only one who had seen Long Yuan's true face.

That night, he had made her fully understand what a gap in talent truly meant.

If she had not witnessed that Soul Ring configuration herself, she would never have believed it.

A two-ring Soul Grandmaster with a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring!

Who would believe it if she told them?

But she had seen it with her own eyes.

When that black Soul Ring slowly revolved around the pitch-black scepter, even her Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul had trembled.

It was reverence originating from the very source of her Martial Soul.

"Still..."

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze flickered slightly as it fell upon Ning Rongrong.

That girl still did not know that the person she had given up was now shining brilliantly in another way.

"Good thing Rongrong gave up on him."

Zhu Zhuqing lowered her eyes, a feeling she herself did not fully understand rising in her heart.

"Otherwise, Rongrong really would have found a treasure."

She did not know what she was feeling either.

Her relationship with Rongrong was fairly good, yet after learning that Rongrong and Long Yuan—no, Gu Linyuan—had broken up, she had instead felt a little secretly pleased.

The moment that thought surfaced, Zhu Zhuqing quickly suppressed it.

Her face remained as cool and detached as ever, revealing nothing.

Yet under the moonlight, the tips of her ears faintly reddened.

Soul Fighting Platform.

Tonight, Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena was packed to capacity.

It was not because there was any particularly special match tonight, but because Long Yuan had come again.

In just one short week, this mysterious youth in black had become the most talked-about figure in the history of Suotuo City's Great Soul Arena.

There were no celebrities in this world.

If one had to say, those talented Soul Masters were the true rising stars.

In this world of cultivation, geniuses were always the most talked about.

The spectator stands were a sea of people, and even the aisles were packed full.

The noble boxes were brightly lit. Suotuo City's lord, representatives of the major forces, Soul Masters who had rushed over upon hearing the news... nearly half of Suotuo City's upper society had arrived.

"I heard Long Yuan's opponent tonight is Shrek's Tang San!"

"Tang San? I heard he's never lost! I wonder how he compares to Long Yuan."

"I have to say, Shrek Academy does have some substance. Such a small academy actually has so many geniuses. Tang San's Martial Soul is only Blue Silver Grass, yet he can overpower so many Soul Masters. He truly deserves to be called a prodigy."

The entire Soul Fighting Arena was filled with an agitated, excited atmosphere as everyone waited for this clash of dragons and tigers.

On the Soul Fighting Platform.

Two figures emerged from the contestant passages.

On the left, Tang San wore a fitted blue outfit. His back was straight and his steps steady. His features were handsome and resolute, while his deep eyes held calm confidence like an ancient well.

On the right, Gu Linyuan wore a Black Mysterious Robe. His hood concealed most of his face, revealing only his sharply defined chin and the faintly raised corners of his lips. He walked slowly and casually, as though he had come for a stroll rather than a fight.

The two met in the middle of the Soul Fighting Platform and stopped twenty paces apart.

"Long Yuan. You'll use your Martial Soul today, won't you?"

"Although I don't know what your Martial Soul is, if you don't even use it, you can't possibly be my opponent." Tang San looked calmly at Long Yuan before him, his gaze sharp.

That familiar sense of pressure surged toward him, filling Tang San's eyes with fighting spirit.

This was the first time since coming to this world that he had felt such an intense desire to fight, one that demanded victory even at the cost of revealing his trump cards.

"That depends on your skill. Still, Tang San, you give me a different feeling from everyone else."

Gu Linyuan raised an eyebrow.

Tang San was serious.

For someone like Tang San,

the difference between fighting seriously and not fighting seriously was enormous.

Gu Linyuan still remembered that in the original story, after Tang San arrived in Heaven Dou City, he had even defeated Tai Nuo, a level fifty-eight Spirit King. Although he had used hidden weapons, it was still enough to demonstrate Tang San's strength.

"Long Yuan, I know you're strong."

"But your winning streak ends here."

Gu Linyuan did not answer.

Beneath his hood, the corners of his lips curved slightly.

It was not contempt, nor was it mockery, but an anticipatory smile.

"Tang San."

He silently repeated the name in his heart.

Let me see just how capable the future Sea God and Asura God really are right now.