"Dean, I..."
Tang San tried to explain, but Flender cut him off at once.
"There's nothing more to say. Xiao San, you need to understand: Soul Masters who can compete in a tournament like this are practically all geniuses. We don't need individual heroics. Every move we make must be for the team."
Tang San lowered his head, his heart full of humiliation and rage.
He looked at Ye Xuan, a trace of venom flashing in his eyes.
He thought it was all Ye Xuan's scheme, that Ye Xuan had deliberately targeted him.
Ye Xuan naturally noticed Tang San's gaze, but paid it no mind.
He walked to the center of the group and swept his gaze across everyone, his voice firm.
"From now on, everyone must strictly follow team discipline and obey orders."
"In the upcoming matches, other teams may take notice of us and target us. That'll be true even if Tang San doesn't compete. So stay sharp. You can play the pig, but don't actually think you're one."
There was an inexplicable confidence and a stirring force in his words.
Half a month later.
At dusk.
Tang San stumbled through the dense forest, his eyes unfocused and his face clouded with confusion.
After the disappointment of the previous day's match, he had gone out to clear his head. Somehow, he had fallen into a strange illusion.
The scenery around him twisted without pause. Familiar streets became a gloomy forest, faint whispers echoed in his ears, and it felt as though countless eyes were watching him from the shadows.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Tang San forced Soul Power through his body. Blue Silver Grass quietly spread around him as he warily searched his surroundings.
But no matter how carefully he sensed his surroundings, he couldn't find a