Tang Hao's Beating, Flender's Resolve

Nightfall.

Stars dotted the sky.

The village was silent inside and out, with only moonlight shining down.

Compared to other academies, Shrek Academy had one major advantage: an abundance of dormitories.

There were many times more dorm rooms than students.

Students could choose whichever dorm they liked. Across the entire continent, few Soul Master Academies could manage such a thing.

It was downright lavish.

During the day, Oscar had dragged Tang San to the pond with a rope and washed him clean.

Then he picked out a fairly decent room for him.

After cleaning it up, since there were no blankets or bedding, Oscar had even laid his own brand-new bedding on Tang San's bed. As for why it had to be brand-new, Oscar simply could not get past the mental barrier.

Even if Tang San only used bedding Oscar had used before, the thought of the two of them having shared the same set of bedding made a chill run down his spine.

He could not accept it at all.

Elsewhere in Shrek Academy, in the Vice Dean's office, Zhao Wuji lay back in his chair with his feet propped on the desk as moonlight streamed in through the window.

"..."

Staring at the moon, Zhao Wuji covered his face and let out a long sigh.

If what happened today got out, he would probably be laughed at for the rest of his life...

"Ah..."

That kid should be fine. I held back, and he ate a Recovery Sausage. At most, he'll be unconscious for an hour or so. He should wake up normally by dawn. Who would've thought Blue Silver Grass could produce a genius too...

"Get out here!"

All of a sudden, a deep voice heavy with suppressed fury, like a volcano on the verge of erupting, reached Zhao Wuji's ears from outside.

He froze.

"Who is it?!" he shouted.

He immediately released the perception of a Soul Saint. He could clearly sense every blade of grass and tree within a hundred meters outside, yet there was complete silence beyond the room. Not a single person was there.

He could evade my perception?

Someone stronger than me?

Who is it?

Zhao Wuji's heart sank, and he immediately rushed outside.

Under the moonlight, he saw a dark figure standing on the grass. He wore a tattered black robe, and his features could not be seen clearly. Only the dark stubble on his chin was visible.

A middle-aged man.

Zhao Wuji hesitated for a moment. Even standing face-to-face at such close range, he could not sense the other man's presence.

That could only mean the man was stronger than him.

Overwhelmingly stronger!

Zhao Wuji immediately changed his attitude. He cupped his hands and bowed. "Senior, may I ask who you are...?"

Stronger than him, meant he had to be respectful.

He might look big and brutish, but he knew perfectly well that if he had relied solely on brute strength, he would have died countless years ago. The reason he had roamed the Soul Master world for so many years without incident

was because he knew how to adapt.

The black-robed man said nothing and remained standing there in silence.

To Zhao Wuji, that was not a good sign.

Then, the black-robed man made a grasping motion with his left hand, and a massive black hammer appeared in his grip. A yellow Soul Ring slowly rose around him.

Zhao Wuji could only force himself to continue bowing. "Senior, this junior is dull-witted. I do not know how I may have offended you. I hope Senior will enlighten me!"

The black-robed man remained silent. A second yellow Soul Ring lit up around him, followed by a third, a fourth...

Soul Rings appeared one after another, until the ninth Soul Ring.

A Blood Red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring!

Zhao Wuji's pupils contracted sharply. A chill ran down his spine, and his heart leapt into his throat.

Two Yellow, Two Purple, Four Black, One Red!

A Titled Douluo!

He bent even deeper at the waist and hurriedly forced a smile. "This junior dares to ask—which senior has arrived...?"

Tang Hao did not respond. He stood there in silence.

Only the chirping of crickets in the grass remained.

It made the place feel even more deathly still.

Zhao Wuji's mouth went dry. He truly had no idea what he had done to offend this Titled Douluo, and could only steel himself and continue, "Please forgive me, Senior. This junior..."

The furious Tang Hao did not wish to say another word.

He swung his hammer down.

"No! Senior! This junior..."

Before Zhao Wuji could finish speaking, heavy fists and the giant hammer intertwined, raining down upon him like a storm, leaving him unable to utter another word...

The Immoveable Bright King Body Defense he had always been so proud of

was as weak as a chick before a Titled Douluo who was not even using any soul skills. He had no ability to resist, and Zhao Wuji did not dare resist either, for fear of enraging Tang Hao further.

Tang Hao had originally been able to endure it, but in the end, he had come so close... He had nearly failed to hold back. Just a little more, and he would have beaten Zhao Wuji to death in broad daylight!

What a monstrous humiliation!

He had dared insult the Son of Clear Sky Douluo!

Tang Hao threw punch after punch.

Zhao Wuji's screams echoed across the desolate, empty field.

Once Tang Hao had vented his rage, Zhao Wuji lay sprawled on the ground.

His head had swollen to twice its size, like a pig's head. Both eye sockets were blackened, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, both arms were broken, and there was not a single uninjured patch left on his body. Tang Hao had driven Dark Force into him punch by punch, twisting his organs and muscles until the pain became unbearable.

He could only lie there, gasping for breath.

"Th... cough cough... thank you, Senior... for sparing my life... cough cough cough..."

Tang Hao put away the Clear Sky Hammer, shook out his Black Robe, and stood with his hands behind his back.

Flender, who had been hiding in the dark, emerged from the shadows and bowed. "Thank you, Senior, for sparing his life."

He had arrived when Zhao Wuji began screaming, but he had been unable to show himself. Nor had he hoped to evade a Titled Douluo's perception.

Tang Hao sneered. "Hmph, Flender the Four-Eyed Owl."

He did not wish to say more and gave his orders directly:

"You two will protect my son, Tang San. Do not allow him to suffer any injury that could affect him for a lifetime."

"Encourage his relationship with Xiao Wu."

"There is also a Xia Yan at your academy. Keep a close eye on him. If he intends to oppose Tang San, defect to Spirit Hall, or even get close to Xiao Wu, execute him immediately!"

A savage light flared in Tang Hao's eyes.

"No mistakes will be tolerated!"

Tang Hao's lifelong obsession was revenge—to annihilate Spirit Hall!

Yet during all these years living in seclusion in Soul Birth Village, he had seen no hope of revenge. Burdened by Hidden Injuries, he spent every day drunk from hangovers.

Then his son had suddenly awakened Innate Full Soul Power, along with the Clear Sky Hammer and Blue Silver Grass!

It was hope!

But with only the two of them, killing nearly twenty Titled Douluo including Bibi Dong, as well as all those Soul Douluo and Soul Saints...

would be somewhat difficult.

Tang Hao had originally hoped that Tang San and Xia Yan would become good friends. Xia Yan also possessed Innate Full Soul Power, and his talent and strength far surpassed those of his peers. He could fully become major assistance in the father and son's revenge against Spirit Hall.

But he had never expected Tang San and Xia Yan not to become friends, but enemies instead. That trash Yu Xiaogang could not even handle such a trivial matter!

Even worse, Xiao Wu had actually fallen for Xia Yan!

It was not that he had never considered killing Xia Yan, but a dead White Moonlight was the most terrifying, What if Xiao Wu spent the rest of her life thinking about Xia Yan?

Only by keeping Xia Yan alive and letting Xiao Wu see the flaws in him that she could never accept could they erase her feelings for him.

He couldn't be killed.

Tang Hao regretted it countless times—why hadn't he acted sooner? Otherwise, things would never have become this ugly.

After giving his instructions, Tang Hao flew into the night sky.

Flender remained where he was, still respectfully bowed, waiting until that burly figure in a black robe vanished into the darkness overhead.

Only then did he straighten up.

He helped Zhao Wuji to his feet.

"Ah..."

Flender carefully watched the direction Tang Hao had left in. "I think I finally understand why Xia Yan came to Shrek..."

He had asked Xia Yan about it before, but Xia Yan had only said that Shrek did things in a mysterious and strange way, which suited his tastes, so he had come.

Now, it seemed—

he had actually wanted to find some remote place to hide from Tang Hao.

He just hadn't expected to run into him at Shrek anyway...

Zhao Wuji's entire body was in agony. He wanted to take some medicine, but he didn't dare. His lips had turned black and swollen like sausages as he asked indistinctly, "Then... then what do we do? We can't really make a move against him, can we?"