Xiao Wu tugged at Li Yuan's sleeve in a panic and lowered her voice. "Xiao Yuan, once this Soul Fighting match is over, let's run, okay? I found out something huge."
"Tang San's father is a Titled Douluo. I don't know whether he's discovered that we're both Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts..."
Li Yuan remained calm. He patted the back of Xiao Wu's hand, telling her not to panic, and said quietly, "Run? Where would we go? It's no use. Tang Hao won't make a move against us lightly right now."
"He's Tang San's father. If he hasn't acted all these years, he must want Tang San to claim our Soul Bones and Soul Rings himself. If he acts now, he'll only get the Soul Bones. The Soul Rings will go to waste."
Xiao Wu knew she wasn't particularly clever, so she put the decision entirely in Li Yuan's hands. "Then what do we do?"
A mysterious smile curved Li Yuan's lips. He leaned close to Xiao Wu's ear. "Just let things take their course. I have a plan!"
Xiao Wu blinked her big eyes. Though she didn't quite understand what Li Yuan meant, she nodded obediently. "Okay!"
A simple Soul Fighting Arena had been hastily erected in the middle of the once-empty Playground.
Quite a few students had gathered around after hearing the news, their discussions rising and falling.
"Tsk, tsk. Li Yuan versus Tang San, and they're calling it a match between Notting Academy's best students. If we're going by Soul Power, isn't Xiao Wu the best?"
"Come on, do you even need to ask? Tang San must've pulled strings through Grandmaster. Who doesn't know he likes Xiao Wu?"
"Exactly. A graduation Soul Fighting match out of nowhere, and it's Tang San against Li Yuan? The abacus beads are practically hitting me in the face."
"Who do you think will win?"
"Li Yuan, obviously. His Soul Power might not match theirs, but he has a Beast Martial Soul—the White Snake! How can Tang San's Blue Silver Grass compete with that?"
"True. At the same level, Beast Martial Souls are a little stronger."
Meanwhile, on the raised platform.
Yu Xiaogang stood with his hands behind his back, expressionless, every inch the Grandmaster who had everything under control.
Beside him, Chen Gang, the head of Notting Academy, rubbed his hands helplessly. "Xiao Gang, isn't it a bit hasty to arrange a Soul Fighting match so suddenly? What if something happens?"
"Rest assured, Headmaster."
Yu Xiaogang's tone was flat, filled with unquestionable confidence. "I know Tang San's strength well. Few his age can match him. He won't strike Li Yuan too hard."
"All right." Chen Gang nodded.
Yu Xiaogang's gaze drifted toward Li Yuan.
Hmph!
Li Yuan, you may have decent talent, but you lack systematic theoretical guidance and combat training.
This match will show you what a true expert is—and what it means to be outclassed.
Then we'll see how you come begging me to take you as my disciple!
"The Soul Fighting match begins! Both contestants, enter the arena!"
The referee's call rang out.
Tang San's eyes flashed. With one swift step, he leaped onto the Soul Fighting Arena in a crisp, graceful motion. Chin slightly raised, he struck the pose of an expert, expecting gasps and adoring looks from the crowd below.
But—
Reality dealt him a heavy blow.
The crowd's reaction was nothing like he had imagined!
"Wow, Li Yuan is so handsome!"
"Go, Li Yuan! Don't lose to Tang San!"
"Go, Li Yuan! We'll always be behind you!"
Every voice below supported Li Yuan.
And most of them belonged to girls?!
Wait! This isn't how the script goes!
The Group Chat was much the same.
Xiao Wu had recorded a video of Tang San entering the arena and posted it there.
[Child Without Parents: That's how a normal person enters the arena. I don't get why Tang San had to show off.]
[Viper-Hearted Big Sister: Exactly. An ugly face really does love making a spectacle of itself.]
[Richest Little Heiress of Heaven Dou: It's simple. He wants to catch a certain girl's attention!]
[Ice-Snow Smart: Oh? What makes you say that?]
[Richest Little Heiress of Heaven Dou: Hehe, my dad told me! If a boy suddenly starts showing off and fussing over how he looks at a particular event, there's an eighty percent chance he's trying to catch a certain girl's attention!]
[Li Yuan: There's a name for people like that: Jiahao!]
Li Yuan read the discussion in the Group Chat, sent a reply, then strolled onto the Soul Fighting Arena.
His easy pace stood in stark contrast to Tang San's carefully staged, graceful leap.
It drew another round of shrieks from the girls below.
Tang San's expression changed at once. He looked at Li Yuan, who had strolled up onto the arena. "Li Yuan, for old times' sake, you still have time to surrender. Fists and feet don't have eyes. If you get hurt later, don't blame me."
"Whatever you say."
With that, Li Yuan deliberately gave a long stretch.
At his neck, a finely crafted Little Angel pendant with a distinctive design came into full view. It gleamed in the sunlight, throwing off a dazzling glare.
Hidden in the crowd, Tang Hao's face changed drastically the instant he saw the golden Little Angel pendant.
"Someone from the Qian Family?"
He had seen that pendant design before... It was unmistakably the one Qian Xunji had worn.
Why was this brat wearing it?
Had the Qian Family discovered his and his son Tang San's whereabouts long ago?
Then why hadn't they made a move?
Had Qian Daoliu held back because of his agreement with Tang Hao's grandfather?
The more Tang Hao thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
Only that could explain how he had escaped Qian Daoliu's pursuit back then, when he had only just become a Titled Douluo and was gravely wounded.
So it wasn't that Tang Hao had been capable enough to escape. Qian Daoliu had... deliberately let him go!
And this little rabbit had very likely been in the Qian Family's sights for a long time too...
Tang Hao gritted his teeth. He hated to give her up, but what else could he do?
He had no choice but to let her go.
Tang San had yet to come into his own. Tang Hao didn't dare antagonize the Qian Family again.
"Qian Daoliu, don't think my son and I will thank you just because you spared us. Sooner or later, we'll settle this score!"
Tang Hao's face was dark enough to drip water. He clenched his fists, killing intent surging in his eyes, but ultimately forced it down.
"This brat... I won't touch him for twenty years!"
He stared at Li Yuan on the arena—or rather, at the Angel Pendant around Li Yuan's neck—and made a vicious vow. "But in twenty years... Hmph! I'll leave the brat for Tang San to kill. His head will make a fitting offering to mark the Clear Sky Sect's triumphant return to the world!"
Twenty years would be enough for Tang San to grow strong.
Li Yuan naturally had no idea Tang Hao had already staged an entire drama of the Tang family's hereditary double standards in his head.
He had deliberately shown the pendant to borrow the Qian Family's fearsome reputation, give himself a plausible identity, and frighten Tang Hao.
Of course, if Tang Hao didn't buy it, he had another move: the Group Chat's Red Envelope function.
Red Envelopes could send living beings. In other words, Li Yuan could save his life simply by sending himself to a trustworthy member of the group.
The drawback was that doing so would expose his identity.
So Li Yuan wouldn't use that move unless he had no other choice.
On the Soul Fighting Arena.
Tang San and Li Yuan stood facing each other.
"Li Yuan, take this!"
Tang San raised his right hand. The Soul Ring beneath his feet lit up, and he opened with his own mother... Blue Silver Entanglement.
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