A Threat from Tang Hao

Just as Yu Tianlin was about to step forward and teach the Shrek group a lesson, an exceedingly concealed yet chilling aura locked onto him. Every hair on his body stood on end at the same instant.

Yu Tianlin froze in place, his right leg suspended halfway through a step before slowly withdrawing. Behind the Withered Wood Mask, his pupils narrowed to slits, and for the first time, his face showed an expression so grave it was nearly frozen.

That icy aura, wrapped in killing intent, was absolutely at the Title Douluo level.

His spiritual power spread out instantly, covering the entire Great Soul Arena. The crowd in the stands was still in an uproar over the appearance of the ten-thousand-year soul ring. The seven Shrek members stood at the edge of the arena, gasping for breath, while the referee stared intently below.

Every fluctuation of Soul Power was clearly caught by his divine sense, yet he could not find the source of that aura. It was everywhere, yet nowhere to be found. It was as though someone stood above the clouds, looking down upon the entire Soul Fighting Arena, and yet also as though someone stood within three steps behind him, waiting for him to turn around.

They remained locked in that standoff for several breaths before the aura abruptly vanished, just as without warning as it had arrived. Yu Tianlin's back was already soaked with cold sweat. He did not wipe it away, merely slowly unclenching his fist, leaving five crescent-shaped white marks in his palm where his nails had dug in.

On the arena, the Shrek seven could no longer hold on. Dai Mubai's White Tiger Vajra Transformation had been broken, and blood still seeped from the burns on his right arm. Several large holes had been scorched into the back of Ma Hongjun's clothes by lightning, exposing the red, swollen skin beneath. Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing supported each other as they barely remained standing. Ning Rongrong's Soul Power had been completely depleted, and the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda had already shrunk back into her palm.

Tang San withdrew all of his Blue Silver Grass into his body. Lowering his head, he looked at the Godly Zhuge Crossbow bolts scattered across the ground. Every arrowhead had been crushed crooked by the force field, and more than half the crossbow slots were empty.

The Godly Zhuge Crossbow was their final trump card, yet their opponent had casually neutralized it alone. If even the Godly Zhuge Crossbow, capable of piercing a Soul King's defenses, could not injure him, there was no point in continuing the fight.

Tang San raised his head and looked at the figure wearing the Withered Wood Mask on the arena. After a moment of silence, he slowly raised his right hand.

"We surrender."

The referee took half a beat to react, likely not having fully recovered from the shock of the ten-thousand-year soul ring and ten-thousand-year soul skill. But professional instinct made him swiftly raise his arm, his voice echoing above the silent arena. "The Shrek Team surrenders! The Ji Ni Tai Mei Team wins and successfully advances to Silver Soul!"

The commotion in the stands only grew louder after the referee announced the result. Some people stood and applauded, while others loudly discussed the origins of that black soul ring.

In a corner of the eastern spectator stands, Yu Xiaogang still stood with both hands braced against the railing, notebooks scattered all over the floor. He stared silently at the masked figure on the arena for a long time. Flender quietly picked up the notebooks from the ground, dusted them off, and said nothing.

The Shrek seven supported one another as they walked off the arena. When Dai Mubai reached the exit, he turned back for one last look. The person wearing the Withered Wood Mask still stood at the center of the arena.

That evening, the members of Thunder Academy returned to the inn.

In the inn's lobby, Lei Jiu held up the Silver Soul badge beneath the lamp and examined it again and again. The silver-white badge reflected a soft gleam in the candlelight. The crossed-swords design on the front had changed from iron gray to bright silver, while the back was engraved with points and match records.

"Three months. From Copper Soul to Silver Soul, undefeated in team battles. When is Captain giving us a break?" Lei Jiu rubbed the badge against his clothes over and over.

Yu Tianlin stood before the window with his back to the others. Outside was Suotuo City's nightscape. Streetlamps lit the roads as brightly as day, while the distant dome of the Soul Fighting Arena still flickered.

Hearing Lei Jiu's words, he turned his head and raised a hand as he spoke.

"Two days off. Make your own arrangements."

The inn's roof nearly got blown off by the cheers. Lei Jiu and Lei Dong were already heading for the door. Yu Xiaolou sprang off the bed, grabbed Yu Tianxin by the sleeve, and dragged him outside, shouting about going to the barbecue restaurant they had passed before but could not bear to enter.

Yu Tianxin stumbled two steps from being pulled, a helpless smile on his lips, but he still followed. Lei Li was the last to leave. When he reached the doorway, he stopped, turned back, and nodded to Yu Tianlin before gently closing the door.

Before long, only Yu Tianlin and Qing Luo remained in the room.

Qing Luo walked to the window, took Yu Tianlin's coat from the back of the chair, folded it neatly, and placed it at the foot of the bed. Her movements were as light as usual, but beneath the candlelight, a faint crease could be seen between her brows.

"Young Master, on the arena just now... did you sense something?"

Yu Tianlin did not turn around, still looking out the window. "An expert. At least a Title Douluo. He locked onto me with his aura inside the Great Soul Arena."

Qing Luo fell silent for a moment and did not press further. She knew what she should ask and what she should not. She merely walked to the door, turned back, and softly said, "Young Master, I'm going to take a bath." Then she pushed open the door and left.

Yu Tianlin was alone in the room. Leaning against the window, he maintained his divine sense at the lowest level of alertness, his fingers unconsciously tapping softly on the windowsill. Who exactly had that aura on the arena belonged to?

Someone who could evade the tracking of spiritual power and precisely lock onto him alone in full view of everyone possessed at least the strength of a Title Douluo. But he roughly knew all the Title Douluo on the continent. Only one person fit the conditions: Tang Hao.

Just as he was deep in thought, that aura appeared again.

Just like on the arena, it came silently and without warning. It seeped in through the window, through the walls, through the floor. It was everywhere, yet nowhere to be found.

The chilling aura spread through Yu Tianlin's body like icy water, fixing him in place before the window. Before that aura, any thought of resistance seemed pale and powerless.

At the same time, a voice rang out beside Yu Tianlin's ear. It was old and low, devoid of emotional fluctuation, every syllable carrying unquestionable weight.

"Come out. The northern woods."

Yu Tianlin fell silent for a moment. Then he pushed open the door. The corridor was empty, while in the distant stairwell came the sounds of Lei Jiu and Yu Xiaolou arguing over which barbecue restaurant to visit. He did not alert anyone and headed alone toward the inn's back entrance.

The night wind blew in from the north, carrying the distinctive scent of pine resin and soil from the woods. The moonlight was faint, mostly hidden behind clouds, and the path leading into the northern forest wound onward through the darkness.

Yu Tianlin stepped onto that path. Gravel crunched softly beneath his feet, sounding especially clear in the silent night. At the edge of the northern woods, countless tree shadows swayed gently in the night wind, and his figure soon vanished amid the dark silhouettes of the trees.