Tang San's Friends, I Dare Not Believe!

Er Ming flapped his Dark Gold Bone Wings, his massive body slowly ascending into the sky before he plunged into the spatial rift without a backward glance.

The edges of the rift slowly knitted together, sealing the spatial channel between the Star Dou Forest and Martial Soul City once more.

The sky returned to calm, as if the overwhelming Ten Thousand Beast Torrent had never appeared at all.

Golden Crocodile Douluo retracted his Golden Crocodile King avatar, the nine soul rings beneath his feet slowly fading away.

He stood in the center of the devastated plaza, staring at the direction where the spatial rift had vanished, and remained silent for a long time.

Then he turned around, his aged face devoid of any expression.

"In the Star Dou Forest soul beast archives, what is the recorded age on the page for the Titan Giant Ape?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan paused for a moment, then leaned in cautiously: "Reporting to Lord Golden Crocodile, the archives record the Titan Giant Ape as... a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast."

"A hundred thousand years?"

Golden Crocodile Douluo looked down at the bloody gashes on his arms caused by the recoil, then at his crocodile tail, which was missing several barbs and still throbbing with pain, and suddenly let out a laugh of pure fury.

"A fine hundred thousand years! Does several hundred thousand years also count as a hundred thousand?"

The corners of Chrysanthemum Douluo's mouth twitched; how was he supposed to answer that?

He was a victim too!

Golden Crocodile Douluo turned around and cast a cold glance toward the direction of the Worship Hall:

"Have the deacon of the Intelligence Department report to the Logistics Department tomorrow. From now on, get a new team to compile the intelligence on the Star Dou Forest!"

The spatial rift finally healed.

Tang San slammed his knees onto the shattered bluestone tiles, his head facing the direction where the rift had disappeared, his face twisted in gut-wrenching agony.

"No—"

"Don't go!"

Tears gushed from his eyes as his entire body went limp; he pressed his forehead against the ground, his shoulders heaving violently.

The soul masters who had yet to leave the viewing stands in the distance were all moved.

Several female soul masters even reddened around the eyes, pulling out handkerchiefs to gently dab at their corners.

"This child..." an elderly soul master sighed, "what a devastating blow this must be for him."

Grandmaster stood at the very front of the Shrek group, watching Tang San's state and letting out a deep sigh; a rare softness and heartache appeared on his usually stern face.

"This child is truly loyal and righteous."

"San, get up." Flender also walked to Tang San's side, joining Grandmaster in helping him up from the ground.

"Xiao Wu..." Flender gritted his teeth, "She is a soul beast in human form; returning to the Star Dou Forest is her best destination."

"Only there can she continue to grow stronger. Once you also become a peerless powerhouse, you will have the possibility of continuing your journey together!"

Tang San closed his eyes tightly, feeling as if his heart had been stabbed by a blade.

If Xiao Wu continued to grow stronger, becoming so powerful that even Title Douluo could do nothing to her...

Then how was he supposed to obtain her soul ring?

That was a hundred-thousand-year soul ring; he wished Xiao Wu would fall into a desperate situation right now!

But with everyone watching, the act had to be maintained.

A line of clear tears flowed from the corner of Tang San's eye, "I just can't bear the thought of not seeing Xiao Wu again, don't worry about me, Dean."

Just then, a soft, mocking chuckle rang out at an inappropriate moment.

Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan used his orchid fingers to smooth a stray lock of hair from his forehead, his feminine face filled with undisguised derision.

He stood at the edge of the high platform, looking down from above at Tang San, who was surrounded by the crowd, his red lips parting slightly.

"Are you sure he is loyal and righteous?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice was feminine yet sharp, neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for everyone present to hear clearly.

"I think he's just gone mad wanting that soul ring."

The moment the words fell, a sharp, piercing killing intent erupted.

Tang Hao's eyelids snapped open.

His body was still broken, the three deep, bone-reaching claw marks on his chest still oozing blood, and standing was already a struggle.

Yet, even in this state, the moment Chrysanthemum Douluo spoke those words, a suffocating, icy killing intent exploded from his entire being.

The Clear Sky Hammer hummed in his palm.

Chrysanthemum Douluo felt a chill shoot straight from his tailbone to his crown.

In that instant, he recalled a past event from many years ago.

To be precise, it was a past event that the entire Martial Soul Hall still remembered to this day.

That time, Martial Soul Hall had hunted the Blue Silver Emperor, who was also Tang Hao's wife.

There had been more than one Title Douluo present, yet they had been smashed into critical condition by this man, one hammer blow at a time.

Pope Qian Xunji had even fallen on the spot.

Chrysanthemum Douluo had been there at the time, and he had also taken a hit from the Clear Sky Hammer...

Chrysanthemum Douluo's orchid finger zipped to cover his mouth as he shrank back half a step, hiding half his body behind Ghost Douluo, leaving only his eyes visible to watch Tang Hao vigilantly.

Tang Hao stared coldly at Chrysanthemum Douluo.

The veins on the back of the hand gripping his hammer bulged, yet he never made a move.

Although Golden Crocodile Douluo had already retracted his Avatar of the Martial Soul, he still stood upon the high platform, those dark green eyes watching him coldly.

Dozens of feet separated Tang Hao and Golden Crocodile Douluo, but both men knew that if Tang Hao dared to move, Golden Crocodile Douluo would certainly be able to intercept him before the Clear Sky Hammer could fall.

In Tang Hao's current state—bathed in blood and pushed to his limit—he had no chance of winning a head-on confrontation with the level 98 Golden Crocodile Douluo.

Tang Hao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the surging killing intent in his chest.

He put away the Clear Sky Hammer, bent down, scooped up Tang San—who was kneeling on the ground and crying until he was nearly unconscious—and hoisted him onto his shoulder.

Tang San sobbed on Tang Hao's shoulder, his face smeared with tears and snot, looking truly devastated to the extreme.

Tang Hao glanced back at Bibi Dong, then at Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, but in the end, he said nothing, turned around, and left with Tang San on his shoulder.

Regardless of anything else, Xiao Wu had been saved this time.

Next, he would teach Tang San how to be a real man!

After Tang Hao's figure vanished outside Martial Soul City, another figure stood up.

Ning Fengzhi.

From beginning to end, he had remained seated in the viewing area, his back as straight as a pine.

Even when the ten thousand beasts had pressed down upon them, and even when Golden Crocodile Douluo and the Titan Giant Ape had fought until the heavens crumbled and the earth split, he had not lost his composure in the slightest.

Elegant and handsome, his bearing was calm and collected.

At this moment, he stood up, smoothed out non-existent wrinkles on his sleeves, and bowed toward Bibi Dong on the high platform.

"Your Majesty the Pope, I have troubled you for too long today; Ning will take his leave now."

Bibi Dong nodded slightly, making no move to keep him.

Such is the way of a world where the strong are respected.

Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was affiliated with Martial Soul Hall, it was, after all, the second-greatest sect in the world, and the weight of Ning Fengzhi himself was enough to earn the Pope's basic respect.

"Rongrong, let's go."

Ning Fengzhi beckoned to Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong did not move; instead, she turned around and looked at Oscar, who was standing among the Shrek group.

"Dad, take Oscar with us too! He is my friend!"

Ning Fengzhi did not look at her, merely repeating calmly, "Let's go."

Oscar's expression shifted slightly.

He gritted his teeth, suddenly took a few quick steps forward, stopped ten paces away from Ning Fengzhi, and bowed deeply to him.

"Sect Master Ning! I... I would like to ask you to take me with you! I want to be with Rongrong!"

His face flushed red as he spoke, but his gaze was earnest as never before.

Ning Fengzhi stopped in his tracks.

He turned around and looked at Oscar.

The boy's eyes were clean and burning with intensity.

Having read countless people, Ning Fengzhi could naturally tell it wasn't an act.

He watched for a moment, but in the end, he shifted his gaze toward the direction where Tang San and Tang Hao had disappeared.

Ning Fengzhi shook his head slightly.

"Forget it."

Just like Chrysanthemum Douluo and Bibi Dong, he had also sensed something wrong.

In other words...

He dared not trust the friends of Tang San!