Heaven Dou Imperial City, its long streets bustling with life.
Yu Xiaolong twirled a scale between his fingers.
It was as thin as a cicada's wing, its edge razor-sharp.
Sunlight glinted off it, revealing an eerie, chilling gleam.
Flying Flower Blade Scale.
The signature skill of the Pisces Star Dragon, one of the Twelve Star Dragons.
Yu Xiaolong's lips curved slightly.
He had gained quite a bit from this trip to Heaven Dou Imperial City.
He calculated the Dragon God Temple's accounts in his mind.
"Old man, expanding the academy is going to take quite a lot of money!"
Beside him,
the busty Huo Wu folded her arms across her chest.
She pouted as she spoke.
Shui Bing'er, standing nearby, said nothing, her expression docile.
She walked side by side with Yu Xiaolong, tall and graceful.
Hearing this,
Yu Xiaolong nodded.
At the same time, he mused to himself,
Huo Wu is right. We're short on money.
Shui Bing'er nodded in agreement, too.
"If the Dragon God Temple is to grow, gold is its foundation."
"This Flying Flower Blade Scale is good, but..."
"Better to sell it than keep it."
As the two of them talked,
meanwhile,
in another part of the city,
a man riding in a golden palanquin
stuck his head out.
He suddenly spotted three people walking along the roadside.
One of them, a middle-aged man,
was twirling a small knife the likes of which he had never seen before.
Xue Beng stared in amazement.
Wait, isn't that Shui Bing'er's teacher?
Why do I keep running into him!?
"Stop!"
A haughty voice rang out.
Yu Xiaolong raised his eyes.
A richly dressed young man blocked their path.
Xue Beng.
The Fourth Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire.
His gaze was fixed on the object in Yu Xiaolong's hand.
"You again. What's that in your hand?"
Xue Beng narrowed his eyes.
The aura coming from that scale...
was far from ordinary.
"Greetings, Fourth Prince." Shui Bing'er greeted him calmly.
She bowed to the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng.
The Fourth Prince's eyes darted around.
Today, all he could think about was the small knife in Yu Xiaolong's hand.
He had just seen it.
That incredibly sharp little knife
had simply been twirled in the man's hand,
and then split into nine pieces.
If only I could have one...
Yu Xiaolong's thoughts stirred.
A customer had come.
He opened his palm, the Flying Flower Blade Scale spinning upon it.
"Hidden Weapon, Flying Flower Blade Scale."
"Five hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins."
Xue Beng's eyes lit up.
Hidden Weapon.
Those two words made his heart race.
"Five hundred thousand? Deal."
Xue Beng agreed without hesitation.
He tossed over a heavy bag of Gold Soul Coins.
Yu Xiaolong caught it and weighed it in his hand.
It was plenty heavy.
The Flying Flower Blade Scale fell into Xue Beng's hand.
He felt the sharpness of its edge.
A cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
Tang San...
This time, I'll make you pay.
In a courtyard at Shrek Academy,
Tang San held a finely crafted metal box.
The Godly Zhuge Crossbow.
His eyes gleamed with smug satisfaction.
Xiao Wu came closer, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Third Brother, this thing..."
"Isn't it too vicious?"
Oscar looked troubled, too.
"Yeah, Xiao San. All sixteen bolts are coated in poison..."
Tang San shook his head, his expression calm.
He gently stroked the Godly Zhuge Crossbow, his gaze tranquil.
"Hidden Weapons are a means of self-defense."
"How can something used by the wise be called vicious?"
Xiao Wu opened her mouth.
She wanted to argue, but couldn't think of where to start.
Tang San's gaze was far too composed.
As if this were simply the natural order of things.
"But what if the enemy uses Hidden Weapons, too?" Ning Rongrong suddenly asked.
Tang San smiled, his gaze turning cold.
"Then they're underhanded and despicable. A victory like that doesn't count."
At his words, the courtyard fell silent for a moment.
Xiao Wu blinked.
Something about it just didn't feel right.
But seeing how certain Third Brother was...
Maybe she was overthinking it.
Tang San put away the Godly Zhuge Crossbow and clasped his hands behind his back.
He spoke of this principle as naturally as could be.
As if the world had always worked that way.
At the training grounds of Heaven Dou Royal Academy,
Xue Beng strode over, followed by several students.
His gaze landed on the people from Shrek Academy.
More precisely, it landed on Tang San.
"Tang San, we meet again."
Xue Beng's voice was calm,
but hatred roiled in his eyes.
Last time, Tang San had humiliated him.
With that ridiculous wager.
Tang San turned around, his expression indifferent.
He recognized Xue Beng.
Back when he had visited Heaven Dou Royal Academy for an exchange...
he had clashed with this man.
"What do you want?"
Tang San's tone was casual.
Xue Beng suppressed his anger.
He clenched the Flying Flower Blade Scale inside his sleeve.
"I want to challenge you to a match."
Tang San raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Why should I?"
Xue Beng took a breath.
Following his plan, he cast out the bait.
"If I lose, I'll kneel and apologize to every one of you."
A glint flashed in Tang San's eyes.
That was a good condition.
He liked it.
Wagers never fail.
Tang San told himself.
How many people had he beaten with wagers over the years?
Every time, he had ruined his opponent's reputation.
This time would be no different.
"Fine."
Tang San nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
He strode toward the center of the training grounds.
The Shrek students exchanged glances.
Xiao Wu was a little worried.
But when she thought of what Third Brother could do...
she relaxed again.
Xue Beng slowly stepped forward.
The two faced off, no more than ten paces apart.
The training grounds fell silent.
"Begin—"
Before the referee's voice had even finished, Xue Beng suddenly raised his hand.
A flash of cold light shot through the air!
Flying Flower Blade Scale!
Tang San's pupils contracted sharply.
He hadn't expected Xue Beng to strike first.
The scale traced a strange arc through the air.
It was too fast.
Tang San dodged sideways.
The scale grazed his left arm.
Blood sprayed.
Tang San grunted and staggered back several steps.
The sleeve over his left arm was slashed open.
The wound was deep enough to expose bone.
Xue Beng's expression was icy.
The Flying Flower Blade Scale returned to his hand.
The training ground fell silent.
Tang San clutched his left arm, his face ashen.
He stared at the Hidden Weapon in Xue Beng's hand.
Fury blazed in his eyes.
"You!"
"Using a Hidden Weapon to ambush me?"
Tang San's voice trembled with anger.
He raised a hand and pointed at Xue Beng, rebuking him harshly.
"Underhanded and despicable!"
"You can't call that a fair victory!"
Xue Beng froze.
He stood there, holding the Flying Flower Blade Scale.
Those words...
Why did they sound so familiar?
Xiao Wu parted her lips and looked at Ning Rongrong.
The two exchanged glances.
Both saw the shock in the other's eyes.
Hadn't Third Brother just said that Hidden Weapons were "the work of the wise"?
But now that Xue Beng had used one...
It was "underhanded and despicable"?
Tang San pressed down on his wound, a cold glint flickering in his eyes.
"Well, well, Xue Beng."
"To resort to such despicable methods."
His voice dripped with scorn.
As though he'd forgotten that tucked inside his robe...
Was a case of poisoned crossbow bolts.
Xue Beng came back to his senses.
A mocking smile curled his lips.
"Tang San, what did you say?"
"You call what I did despicable?"
"Then what about the Godly Zhuge Crossbow"
"Tucked inside your robe?"
Tang San's expression changed.
He couldn't answer.
Everyone on the training ground was looking at him.
In their eyes...
There was doubt, shock, and dawning understanding.
Tang San gritted his teeth.
He had never felt so humiliated.
He could always try again after losing a bet.
But this argument, torn apart right in front of everyone...
How could he patch it back together?
Blood trickled down his arm.
It spattered on the ground, spreading into a dark red stain.
Just like Tang San's face at that moment.
So dark it was terrifying.
And Xue Beng stood there, holding the Flying Flower Blade Scale.
He looked at Tang San's furious, twisted expression.
Suddenly, he felt that those five hundred thousand gold coins...
Had been worth every last one.
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