The moment those words fell, the great hall fell into a sudden, deathly silence.
Then the crowd erupted.
Countless Soul Masters in the audience seats whispered to one another, their buzzing discussion like a boiling sea.
Some were furious, some sneered, and some took pleasure in others' misfortune. But the way they looked at Xiao Wu had changed.
On Shrek Academy's side, Flender, Grandmaster, and Liu Erlong had all flashed with disbelief for an instant, but their bodies moved faster than their minds.
The three figures shot forward almost simultaneously, firmly blocking Tang San and Xiao Wu.
Flender's gaze lingered for a moment on the girl behind him. His expression was complicated, but he showed no sign of retreat.
Liu Erlong clenched her fists, the Fire Dragon Martial Soul roaring within her, ready to burst forth.
Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang remained silent, but where he stood said everything.
Xiao Wu was actually a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
The revelation was simply too shocking.
The companions who had spent every day with her at Shrek Academy now looked at her with shock, confusion, and disbelief.
But no matter what, no one from Shrek backed down.
"Do you really think you can stop us?"
Two cold laughs rang out at once.
Two figures appeared before Flender and the others, one on either side, as ghostly as specters.
The person on the left had delicate, feminine features, and a faint chrysanthemum fragrance wafted from him. The person on the right was gaunt, surrounded by a chilling aura of ghosts.
Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan.
Ghost Douluo, Gui Mei.
The two Titled Douluo stood shoulder to shoulder, nine Soul Rings slowly circling beneath each of them. Their vast Soul Power pressed down like two great mountains, and Flender and the others instantly paled.
"Just look at you sorry lot," Chrysanthemum Douluo said, holding up a delicate orchid-fingered hand, his tone flippant and scornful. "You think you can shelter a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast? Are your Soul Rings so low in age that you want to be buried alongside hers?"
Before his words had even faded, another figure suddenly rushed forward.
The poisonous aura of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor spread in an instant. Dugu Bo's face darkened, his eyes glowing a ghostly green as he charged toward Tang San and Xiao Wu.
His goal was clear: seize the chance to take the two children away.
Dugu Bo and Tang San had a history, and to him, that bond was reason enough to act.
As long as he got Xiao Wu away, the people from Spirit Hall would have no reason to keep attacking the others!
But he was fast. Someone else was faster.
Bibi Dong moved from the high platform.
No one saw how she did it.
In the blink of an eye, her graceful, regal figure had appeared before Dugu Bo. Golden light burst from behind her, like a blazing sun rising inside the great hall.
A colossal golden Martial Soul slowly took shape behind her.
All nine Soul Rings lit up at once—two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red.
That red Soul Ring stood out among the nine, like a blood moon set in their midst.
The pressure of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring swept down like a tangible force. Dugu Bo felt as though an invisible giant hand had clamped around the throat of his Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul. The Soul Power in his body nearly ground to a halt.
He grunted as the pressure forced him back into place. The bluestone slabs beneath his feet cracked apart, inch by inch.
The gap between Titled Douluo could sometimes be greater than the gap between a man and a dog.
Bibi Dong didn't even spare Dugu Bo a proper glance.
Her gaze remained fixed on Xiao Wu, filled with admiration. Every so often, she even nodded lightly.
As if she were looking at prey already in her grasp.
All color drained from Xiao Wu's face.
She could feel the pressure emanating from Bibi Dong, a force that made even her soul tremble.
She could see the despair that swept across the faces of the Shrek group after Dugu Bo was subdued.
It was all over.
Xiao Wu raised her head, her eyes locked on Bibi Dong, bitter hatred buried deep within them.
It was her.
This was the woman who had once killed her mother.
That rainy night, the golden light, her mother's final look as she pushed Xiao Wu away before dying...
She remembered all of it!
She had taken human form and begun cultivating anew. She had infiltrated the human world and fought desperately to grow stronger... all so that one day she could avenge her mother.
But she had never imagined that before she could gain the strength to take revenge, she would meet the same fate as her mother.
She would die at this woman's hands.
Just as everyone thought they had reached the end of the road, no one noticed Tang San's mouth curve up slightly in the shadows.
That's right. Just like this.
Push things to the absolute limit.
Drive Xiao Wu into a corner with nowhere to run.
Only when she was truly desperate would she choose to sacrifice herself.
Only if she willingly offered up her Soul Ring and Soul Bone could he truly absorb that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring and race ahead on the path to the summit.
Almost there. Just one last step!
Tang San could barely contain his excitement.
But at that very instant—
BOOM!!!
A thunderous roar crashed down from above the great hall.
The sound was so violent that it seemed an entire storm cloud had exploded at once.
Dust shook loose from the great hall's glazed dome, and countless spectators clapped their hands over their ears and doubled over in pain.
A dark figure smashed through the dome like a meteor, bringing a rain of broken tiles and lightning as he crashed to the ground.
Tang Hao.
Clear Sky Douluo.
His hair and beard whipped wildly, and his black robe snapped in the surging Soul Power. Nine Soul Rings whirled beneath his feet as he faced Bibi Dong from afar.
His left arm and right leg were twisted unnaturally, but as he stood there, he was like an immovable mountain.
Tang San's pupils suddenly widened.
Damn it!
How had that guy come here?
Tang Hao's timing was infuriatingly precise.
If he had arrived even a moment later, Xiao Wu might already have started her sacrifice after Tang San coaxed her in her desperation.
But right at this crucial moment, Tang Hao had dropped from the sky and thrown the entire plan off course.
If Tang Hao acted, then with the strength of a Clear Sky Douluo, he might not be able to defeat all the Titled Douluo present, but taking Xiao Wu away might not be difficult.
But then, how could Xiao Wu sacrifice herself?
If she didn't sacrifice herself, how could he absorb a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring?
If he didn't absorb one, how could he grow stronger?
Countless thoughts flashed through Tang San's mind in an instant.
But his control over his expression was impeccable.
By the time everyone looked toward him, his face had already taken on a look of mingled joy and surprise. Even his eyes glistened with a few perfectly timed tears.
"Dad... Father!"
He called out with heartfelt emotion, and even the tremor in his voice was flawless.
But his heart instantly went cold as he rapidly calculated the situation.
Tang Hao was strong, but how many Titled Douluo were on Spirit Hall's side?
Bibi Dong, Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, and there might even be several old monsters lurking out of sight.
No matter how fierce Tang Hao was, he couldn't protect everyone from so many Titled Douluo attacking at once.
There would inevitably be a moment when Xiao Wu was left unguarded.
An opportunity would come.
Tang San kept the delighted smile on his face, but deep in his eyes lay nothing but cold calculation.
Today, he would make Xiao Wu willingly sacrifice herself.
No one could stop him!
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