"Yue Guan, Gui Mei." Tang Hao's pupils abruptly contracted, and shock waves surged through his heart.
He hadn't expected Spirit Hall's people to arrive so quickly, or to send two of its elders right away.
"Is it because of that kid named Gu Han? Or... have they already discovered the secret that this rabbit is a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?"
A massive Clear Sky Hammer suddenly appeared in Tang Hao's hand, and its blood-red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring radiated a suffocating aura.
It forcibly pushed back the pressure Yue Guan and Gui Mei brought with them. He absolutely couldn't let Spirit Hall take Tang San away, or they would use him to threaten Tang Hao.
"You Spirit Hall lackeys sure have sharp noses." Tang Hao's voice was filled with hatred and wariness.
Yue Guan held up his orchid fingers and smiled.
"Oh, the Clear Sky Douluo is as hot-tempered as ever. We're only following orders to take a look at this interesting little fellow. There's no need to draw weapons, is there?"
Though he smiled, his eyes stayed fixed on Tang Hao, and he didn't dare let down his guard for a moment. The shadow of the grievous wounds Tang Hao had inflicted on him all those years ago had still not completely faded.
Black mist roiled around Gui Mei as his icy voice rang out.
"Tang Hao, leave the child behind and you can go. We won't hunt you down."
Gui Mei's gaze swept over Gu Han, who lay badly wounded on the ground, then flicked discreetly toward the interior of Dorm Seven, as if weighing some plan.
Gu Han endured the pain and dizziness as his mind raced.
"Why did Yue Guan and Gui Mei show up at this critical moment? Could it be because my First Soul Ring is a thousand years old? I didn't expect the news to spread so quickly."
In an instant, another thought struck him.
"But Xiao Wu's identity absolutely can't be exposed. If they investigate carefully, there's a good chance they'll discover she's a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. If that happens, they'll hunt her down."
"No! I absolutely can't let that happen. I have to do something."
As the three Titled Douluo's auras clashed fiercely, Tang Hao knew there was no time to linger.
If they held him up and Spirit Hall's reinforcements arrived, he might be able to escape with all his strength, but if they intercepted him, Xiao San could be in danger.
"Spirit Hall, I'll settle the score with you lot another day!" Tang Hao roared, a trace of resolve flashing in his eyes. "Ring Detonation!"
Boom!
His First Soul Ring suddenly exploded, and a violent surge of energy flowed into the Clear Sky Hammer. The entire Nuoding Academy trembled beneath its power.
But he didn't attack Yue Guan and Gui Mei. Instead, he slammed the hammer into the ground.
"Not good! Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Two Forms Stillness Domain!"
Yue Guan and Gui Mei's expressions changed drastically. They hadn't expected Tang Hao to act so decisively and use his trump card right away.
"We absolutely can't let him attack Gu Han. He's the child His Holiness the Pope wants. Nothing can happen to him!"
Their figures instantly overlapped, and golden and black light intertwined as they tried to imprison the space around them.
However, the power unleashed by Ring Detonation was too violent. The Two Forms Stillness Domain could imprison space, but it couldn't fully restrain Tang Hao. It only slowed him for an instant.
Taking advantage of that brief opening, he moved like lightning—not toward Gu Han, who lay by the wall, but straight into the dormitory, where he snatched up Tang San, who had been woken by the tremendous commotion.
He became a streak of light, burst through the roof, and vanished into the endless night in an instant.
"Bastard!" Yue Guan cursed furiously. Their main target was Gu Han, and, wary of Tang Hao, they hadn't done everything they could to stop him from taking Tang San.
Even so, they memorized Tang San's appearance. He would never be allowed into any academy under Spirit Hall's jurisdiction.
Outside the dormitory, everything lay in ruins. Only the gravely wounded Gu Han remained, along with the work-study students inside, whom the commotion had woken.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei's gazes returned to Gu Han, and they instinctively wanted to investigate all of Dorm Seven.
"Now!"
A ruthless glint flashed in Gu Han's eyes. He squeezed out the last trace of Soul Power in his body, even drawing on his injuries at any cost. The phantom of the Karma Scissors flickered in his palm and vanished.
"Second Soul Skill: Fiber Severing!"
This time, he didn't target an attack. Instead, he locked onto the intangible, invisible karmic thread linking Xiao Wu to the "aura of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast." He would temporarily sever that connection.
Snip.
The faintest sound yet rang out as the karmic thread tying Xiao Wu to the aura of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast snapped. The Soul Beast aura on Xiao Wu was completely cut off and concealed, making her seem like an ordinary human girl.
Once he had done that, Gu Han could no longer hold on. His vision went black, and he lost consciousness, falling into a deep coma.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei frowned slightly. They thought they had just sensed an extremely faint wave of Soul Power coming from Gu Han, but it vanished in an instant.
Their Soul Power swept across all of Nuoding Academy. Apart from the girl sleeping soundly and the other work-study students who had been startled awake, there was nothing unusual.
"Seems his injuries were so severe that his Soul Power leaked out," Gui Mei rasped.
Yue Guan nodded and walked over to Gu Han, checking his injuries. "He's badly hurt, but his foundation is intact. This kid sure has plenty of secrets. To withstand a blow from Tang Hao is impressive."
"There's nothing unusual here. Let's hurry and take him back for treatment. The person His Holiness the Pope wants to meet can't die."
With that, Yue Guan carefully picked up the unconscious Gu Han. He exchanged a glance with Gui Mei, and the two vanished in a flash, as if they had never been there.
After who knew how long, Gu Han slowly awoke from his deep coma.
Instead of the shabby dormitory at Nuoding Academy, he found himself in a luxurious, unfamiliar room, with an exquisite carved ceiling, a soft velvet bed, and the faint scent of sandalwood in the air.
He moved a little. Waves of pain still ran through his body, but it seemed he had received proper treatment, and the pain was no longer as unbearable as before.
"Looks like they brought me back. I wonder if Xiao Wu was discovered. Tang Hao really is despicable, using his strength to bully the weak. What a Clear Sky Douluo."
"One day, I'll make you pay. You'll regret it then."
Gu Han's eyes turned icy in an instant. But he didn't notice that, just as his hatred surfaced, a blood-red karmic thread appeared on the Karma Scissors...
"You're awake." A cool female voice sounded from the doorway.
Gu Han turned his head. A woman dressed in Spirit Hall attendant's clothes stood there, addressing him respectfully.
"This is Spirit Hall. His Holiness the Pope wishes to see you. If you're able to move, follow me."
His Holiness the Pope—Bibi Dong.
"Looks like my Martial Soul has piqued her interest."
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