Two Defeats of Tang San

This wasn't the first time Tang San had realized he was being outsmarted. In previous Soul Fights, he had repeatedly found himself at a disadvantage or taking hits because of similar schemes—or, more accurately, tactics.

This time, though, Sanzi was especially impressed. He was unconvinced and aggrieved, far more than he was angry.

The reason was simple.

Most of the previous schemes had stemmed from his unfamiliarity with Huang Tian's Martial Soul and Soul Skill abilities. This time, both sides' capabilities were out in the open, and Huang Tian had won through sheer intelligence.

If even Tang San could see what was going on, then the Principal, Yu Xiaogang, the teachers, and some of the students watching from the sidelines naturally understood it even more clearly.

Several voices of praise rang out at once.

The Principal shook his head regretfully.

"You just said this child had added a ten-year white Soul Ring?

What a pity. What a terrible pity."

Nuoding Academy had too few teachers to find suitable Soul Rings for all its students.

But if they encountered someone with Innate Full Soul Power, surely he, the City Lord's Mansion, and the Spirit Hall Branch would all be more than willing to lend a hand.

Even if they had no personal connection to that person, and no teacher-student relationship or anything of the sort.

The very fact of helping someone become a Soul Douluo or even a Titled Douluo would be enormously valuable.

Several other teachers reacted just like the Principal.

One of them even voiced displeasure toward Gu Yue.

"A teacher like that is simply leading a student astray."

On the field, Tang San had forcefully suppressed both injuries with the power of the Mysterious Heaven Skill. The technique was gentle and balanced, and carried a slight healing effect of its own.

Once the dizziness in his head had eased, his gaze sharpened again, and a faint, eerie purple glow appeared in his eyes.

Now that he had seen through his opponent's tricks, of course he could think of a way to counter them. It was simple: turn the tables and use the same trick against him.

He had to think one step further. When he circled behind Huang Tian, he shouldn't attack right away. He should wait for Huang Tian to finish his elbow strike, then seize the moment to close in.

With the Mysterious Jade Hand bolstering him, even if he was weaker than Huang Tian, he could still make him suffer.

Having settled on a plan, Tang San's lips curled up involuntarily. Just imagining himself defeating Huang Tian fair and square before the eyes of the crowd—defeating a powerful Soul Master with a Soul Ring—

Then the teacher would praise him, the boys would admire him, and the girls would look up to him. His delight surged like a flood, impossible to hold back.

He couldn't resist showing off a little.

"Huang Tian, I'm genuinely surprised you could get this far.

But this is where it ends."

His words made many people around them grow solemn.

Tang San had been taking hits the whole time, but they were still amazed by him. They weren't sure they'd do any better in his place.

"Could it be that he's about to use some kind of ultimate move? Like that Self-Created Soul Skill that lets him flicker around?"

The first time Tang San used a Tang Sect Martial Skill, Wang Sheng had recognized it. It was obvious enough that the teachers all knew exactly what it was.

(Wang Sheng recognizing it is from the original story.)

Before anyone else could react, the instant Sanzi finished speaking, he flashed forward, exploding with all his strength. He was faster than he had been at any point before.

When he came within a fist's length, he suddenly stopped and raised both hands as if to attack.

He had thought Huang Tian would feint a defense, as he had in the previous exchanges, baiting him into using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to flash behind him and follow up with an elbow strike.

To his utter surprise, Huang Tian changed tactics. The moment Tang San stopped, he stepped forward and swung a heavy right punch straight at his face.

The fist tore through the air with a furious howl. Tang San's pupils contracted sharply, stark fear blooming in his eyes as thunder boomed in his mind.

"Damn it, my move is a feint, but his isn't!"

"I'm such an idiot. He already realized that I'd figured out his moves. Of course he'd expect me to change tactics."

The difference between a feint and a real attack was that a feint involved only simple bodily movements, while a real attack required the whole body's strength—including internal energy and Soul Power—to gather and burst forth.

The latter took an instant longer to build up than the former, and after it landed, it also left a brief opening. Those two fleeting moments were the key to a contest between experts.

His repeated all-out bursts had just put Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track on a brief cooldown. Tang San had no way to dodge. In the panic of the moment, he could only raise both hands in front of his face, trying to use the hardness of the Mysterious Jade Hand to absorb some of the damage.

As long as he blocked the first strike, he could use Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to shift away again, and still remain undefeated.

But what Tang San hadn't expected was that the punch, which should have landed right after he raised his hands to cover his face, never came.

As he wondered what was happening, a burst of pain exploded along the side of his right knee. A side kick sent him flying, both feet off the ground, his body horizontal and parallel to the field.

Huang Tian pressed his advantage. Both fists slammed hard into Sanzi's abdomen and chest.

He held back enough not to cripple him outright, but it still hurt like hell.

Tang San watched as his opponent prepared to unleash a flurry of blows. Suspended in midair and wracked with pain, he could barely make any effective response.

He tried using Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, but first, his internal energy was already running low; second, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon was a technique for manipulating Hidden Weapons, and it was simply too difficult to use against a person.

He managed to deflect the blows slightly, but they still landed heavily on him.

His body plummeted toward the ground faster and faster. No—not plummeted. He was hurtling toward it.

His butt hit the ground first. The terrifying impact sent his flesh and skin trembling violently.

He braced his upper body with his arms, but even that one movement dislocated his left shoulder.

At least he'd saved the back of his head. By the time it hit the ground, most of the force had already been absorbed and dissipated.

Now Bie San had a dislocated arm, a sprained lower back, a knee that was almost wrecked, and a head covered in lumps. His stomach was churning, and his chest was so constricted he could barely breathe.

As for his butt, he could no longer feel that part of his body at all.

Pain was everywhere. His heart seemed to stop, and he could barely keep the Mysterious Heaven Skill circulating. His consciousness grew hazy.

But it wasn't over yet. After smashing down with both fists, Huang Tian leaned over him again. One hand pressed against his chest while the other drew back.

It was easy to imagine what came next: his fists would rain down in a violent torrent.

At the critical moment, Tang San finally said those three words:

"I give up."

When Huang Tian stopped, just as he'd expected, Tang San finally let himself pass out.

"Xiao San!"

The instant after Tang San was struck, a roar that shook heaven and earth erupted from the crowd.

Yu Xiaogang stumbled and scrambled onto the field, shielding his disciple with his body and carefully checking him for injuries.

When he saw the bowl-sized purple bruise on Tang San's chest, his eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. His heart ached and he was so frantic that tears streamed down his face.

Whatever his ability, and whether he'd done more harm than good, his affection for Sanzi was genuine. He was counting on this disciple to make his name, rise to prominence, and achieve greatness.

After calling to Tang San several times and seeing that he still showed no sign of waking, Yu Xiaogang rose in a fury and roared at Huang Tian:

"You were just sparring with a fellow student. Why did you have to hit him so hard?"