Blue Tyrant Academy.
Yu Xiaogang had just realized Tang San was missing. He had found Flender and Liu Erlong, and they were about to go rescue Tang San.
Then they saw Tang San returning near the school gate.
"Xiao San, what happened? Did you run into any danger?" Yu Xiaogang hurried over anxiously.
"Don't worry, Teacher. I wasn't in any danger." Tang San shook his head.
"Then how did you... end up coming back from outside the school?" Flender asked, puzzled.
"You couldn't have just been out having fun, could you? That doesn't seem like you."
Hearing this, Tang San said gravely, "It was Dugu Bo. He abducted me."
"Fortunately, I was lucky enough to run into Han Xing and his master. They rescued me."
"Han Xing?" Flender looked confused.
"He was Tang San's classmate back when he was at Notting Academy. Like him, he had Innate Full Soul Power," Yu Xiaogang explained.
"I even wanted to take him on as a disciple back then, but he didn't think much of me."
As he said this, Yu Xiaogang put on a self-deprecating expression.
"Xiao Gang, it's his loss for not thinking much of you," Liu Erlong consoled him.
Flender's mouth twitched at that.
Though he didn't know Han Xing, the fact that he'd rescued Tang San meant his strength was certainly no weaker than a Titled Douluo's.
He admitted that Yu Xiaogang was knowledgeable, and he was willing to stand by his good friend, but compared with a Titled Douluo...
"Thank you, Erlong." Yu Xiaogang recovered from his disappointment with her comforting words.
"As long as you're all right. But where's Han Xing? Why didn't he come with you?"
"After all, he saved you. We should at least thank him and invite them over as guests."
Yu Xiaogang had his own motives, too. If he could bring Han Xing over to their side, it would greatly increase their team's strength.
More importantly, Han Xing's master was a Titled Douluo, which could go a long way toward keeping the members of Shrek safe.
At the mention of Han Xing, Tang San couldn't help wondering to himself:
I wonder how the Immortal Herbs at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye are doing.
Will I get a chance to get some from Han Xing later?
"Teacher, Han Xing and his master had some other matters to attend to," Tang San explained.
"Is that so? All right, then." Yu Xiaogang sighed helplessly.
"It's just a shame. If Han Xing joined the academy, his powerful Three-Legged Golden Crow Martial Soul would be an enormous asset."
"And if you want to compete in the Advanced Soul Master Academy Competition someday, you'd have another powerful team member you could bring in as a substitute."
Liu Erlong froze when she heard the words "Three-Legged Golden Crow."
"You mean that student is called Han Xing, and his Martial Soul is the Three-Legged Golden Crow?" Liu Erlong asked with a frown.
"Is there a problem?" Yu Xiaogang asked, puzzled.
Liu Erlong smiled. "I just think it's quite a coincidence. The person you're talking about might be a student at Blue Tyrant Academy."
Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up at her words, and he quickly asked, "Erlong, is that true?"
"Do you think I'd lie to you?" Liu Erlong said, exasperated.
"Han Xing is twelve years old, has the Three-Legged Golden Crow Martial Soul, and is at Soul Power Level thirty-eight. His title is Solitary Crimson Sun."
"He joined the academy just half a year ago. I was surprised myself that the academy had such a genius."
"So I looked into his background. He really did study at Notting Academy."
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang didn't know what to say for a moment.
He'd thought Han Xing had suddenly left Nuoding City to go to Spirit Hall.
He'd never imagined Han Xing had met a powerful Titled Douluo, become his disciple, and then come to Heaven Dou City.
When Tang San heard that Han Xing was a student at Blue Tyrant Academy, his heart leaped with joy.
He'd been worried he wouldn't have another chance to see Han Xing and trade for Immortal Herbs.
Now that he knew Han Xing was a student at Blue Tyrant Academy, there was no need to rush to find him.
Unlike Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, Flender was more interested in something else about Han Xing.
"Wait, did you say Han Xing reached level thirty-eight at just twelve years old?"
At those words, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang finally caught on.
Han Xing had always been one level ahead of Tang San before.
But it had only been a year, and Tang San was only level thirty-four now.
How had Han Xing managed to get four levels ahead of him?
Could Han Xing have eaten an Immortal Herb before? Tang San wondered.
He remembered seeing Radiant Douluo and Han Xing searching for Immortal Herbs.
The fact that they'd gone out of their way to search for them meant they knew what the herbs could do.
That made it very likely they'd eaten some themselves.
At that thought, Tang San felt a weight lift from his heart.
I knew it. I have the Mysterious Heaven Skill and Innate Full Soul Power. How could anyone cultivate faster than me?
If it was because of an Immortal Herb, then it all made sense.
Meanwhile,
the audience listened to Tang San and the others, and couldn't help discussing it among themselves.
[Whoa, Han Xing quietly enrolled at Blue Tyrant Academy without anyone noticing.] [Is this the bond of fate between Han Xing and the protagonist? One came to Blue Tyrant Academy early, while the other went roundabout before ending up there too.] [I'm telling you, Han Xing is actually the second male lead in this anime.] [To the person above, explain yourself. Why should Han Xing be the second male lead? I, Dai Mubai, refuse to accept it.] [Just look at his story: as a prince, his own brothers turned against him; he fled the royal family and met the protagonist; then his fiancée traveled a thousand miles to find him.] [Who else has a better setup for the second male lead than me, Dai Mubai? Once I claim the throne, I'll be the protagonist's most reliable backer.] [Dai Mubai's résumé is impressive, sure. But have you looked at Han Xing's setup?] [An orphan and a genius from Spirit Hall, Innate Full Soul Power, a Divine Beast Martial Soul, a Titled Douluo for a master, and he even rescues the protagonist at a crucial moment.] [And most importantly, he's the same age as the protagonist, and no one has surpassed his strength yet.] [We can't say what'll happen later, but just look at the characters who've appeared so far. Compared to Tang San, that cheat code, who can keep up with him?] [Aside from Xiao Wu, the heroine, Han Xing is the only one of their generation whose talent can match Tang San's—or even surpass it, right?] [Tang San has the Mysterious Heaven Skill cheat and Han Xing is still four levels ahead of him.] [Even if Tang San gets another lucky break, at most he'll just catch up to Han Xing's cultivation speed.] [As the second male lead, he's got the talent, the strength, and the background. What does your Dai Mubai have that can compare?] [But Dai Mubai is a prince.] [He's just a prince who lost the struggle and fled the Star Luo Empire. He has no real power.] [And if we're really comparing status, even if he hadn't fled the Star Luo Empire, he might still not be better off than Han Xing is now.] [Just look at how Dugu Bo acted around Prince Xue Xing. Other than the crown prince, I really don't think a prince outranks a Titled Douluo's disciple.]
Han Xing had no idea what the audience was saying.
After accepting the reality that his popularity ranked outside the top ten, Han Xing chose to take an Immortal Herb and enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Eye.
Otherwise, he would absolutely have given that big brother who'd come to his aid a like.