"Yu Xiaogang!" Tuoba Xuan shouted. "Today, I'll show you just how far the useless person you spoke of has grown."
"Come fight!"
A powerful aura radiated from Tuoba Xuan.
Everyone knew that the main combatants in this battle would be Tuoba Xuan and Tang San.
"Tang San, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass. Level 33 control-type Soul Grandmaster."
Grandmaster's lips trembled. He was usually good at showing off those theories he'd stolen, but with his two farting Soul Skills, he'd be laughed to death in a real fight.
But now, Grandmaster was caught between a rock and a hard place. He could neither fight nor back down.
"What's the matter? Can't bring yourself to say how strong you are?"
Tuoba Xuan sneered.
"In that case, I'll say it for you. Grandmaster, Martial Soul: Luo Sanpao. Level 29 Power Attack System Soul Grandmaster."
Then Tuoba Xuan announced his own strength.
"Tuoba Xuan, Martial Soul: Mountain Dragon King. Level 40 defensive-control-type Quasi-Soul Ancestor."
"Level 40!"
Those three words echoed in everyone's ears.
"How is that possible?" Yu Xiaogang shouted, his composure shattered. "It hasn't been that long! How could you possibly be level 40?"
Yu Xiaogang's voice weakened, and his chest seemed to cave in.
"Ah!"
Overcome with rage, Yu Xiaogang spat out a mouthful of old blood and crumpled to the ground.
He had never imagined that the useless person he'd publicly humiliated three years ago would become this powerful.
A super Martial Soul with a terrifying aura, and a full forty levels of Soul Power.
In an instant, Yu Xiaogang had become a clown in front of everyone.
"Look! Grandmaster's so furious he's coughing up blood!"
Ning Rongrong covered her mouth and cried out.
"Teacher!" Tang San hurried to Yu Xiaogang's side and tried to smooth out his disordered breath.
"What, is this just wounded pride?"
"If you're feeling unwell, I can let you off the hook today."
Tuoba Xuan pursed his lips, waiting for Grandmaster's reply.
"I... We'll fight..."
Grandmaster spoke in a wretched, halting voice.
Tuoba Xuan could see clearly that Yu Xiaogang really was enraged—but he was also putting on an act, trying to win everyone's sympathy.
No one could match Grandmaster for shamelessness.
At this rate, he'd reach level 99 Limit Douluo in a year.
"Little friend, Your Excellency, Grandmaster is already in this state. How about postponing the match?"
Flender lent them a timely hand. As a friend of many years, he'd seen through Grandmaster's intentions too.
Giving up now would bring endless mockery and scorn, but it was better than getting beaten to a pulp in a moment.
Tang San's body trembled, his chest heaving violently. He didn't want to give in, but Grandmaster was clearly in no condition to fight.
"No need. Tang San, since you're his disciple, you and I can fight instead."
Tuoba Xuan spoke coldly, making no effort to spare Grandmaster.
Tang San looked more miserable than if he'd swallowed a bitter herb.
He'd been about to concede the match, accepting defeat just as Yu Xiaogang had suggested.
But Tuoba Xi hadn't given him the slightest face.
On one side was the teacher he revered; on the other, Tuoba Xuan, who was trampling all over him.
Everyone wore amused expressions, including Ma Hongjun and the other two.
They'd just had a fierce argument with Tang San and Grandmaster, so they couldn't help taking pleasure in their misfortune.
Tang San's gaze shifted uneasily. If he refused, he and his teacher would be nailed to the pillar of shame forever.
But if he agreed, there was no telling whether he could beat Tuoba Xuan—and then there was Grandmaster's condition.
If Tuoba Xuan deliberately dragged out the fight, Grandmaster might well draw his last breath before it ended.
"What, no answer in three seconds? Then don't blame me for being rough."
Tuoba Xuan gave them no time to think. Soul Power was already faintly flowing around his fingertips.
"We concede!"
As Tang San said those words, it felt as if all his strength had been drained away.
He hated Tuoba Xuan for being so relentless. He hated Grandmaster for pulling such a stunt and handing their opponent ammunition.
Tang San thought that he and his teacher might originally have stood a chance if they fought together. He could've used a Hidden Weapon while Tuoba Xi wasn't paying attention.
He might not have been able to kill Tuoba Xi outright, but he could've crippled his Soul Power.
But Yu Xiaogang had thrown everything into disarray, leaving Tang San dumbfounded. He glared at Tuoba Xi and Yu Xiaogang with bitter resentment.
A seed of hatred had already been quietly planted.
"Good!" Tuoba Xuan roared with laughter. This was exactly the outcome he'd wanted. Yu Xiaogang thought of himself as a master of Martial Soul Theory.
Beating him to a pulp would have been satisfying, but it wouldn't have done much to damage his reputation.
After all, to a scholar, reputation was everything.
There was plenty of time. Tuoba Xuan would have more than enough chances to expose Yu Xiaogang's true colors in public.
"In that case, each of you will slap yourselves twenty times and shout, 'Useless trash, get out of here!'"
Seeing that the fun was over, Dugu Bo twisted the knife once more.
Now, not only were Tang San and his teacher mortified, but the other members of Shrek Academy were stunned too.
They'd rather die than do that!
But after Dugu Bo demonstrated the might of a Titled Douluo, Shrek's people obediently did as they were told.
Of course, Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong weren't subjected to such humiliation.
The three of them had special standing. Grandmaster and Tang San were the ones who suffered.
They were the two people in Shrek Academy who cared most about saving face.
But after Tuoba Xuan had put them in their place, they became docile, like rats scurrying in a gutter.
Their slaps rang out as they muttered under their breath, then slunk out of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Shrek Academy had arrived at the invitation of Meng Shenji and the other two. Now they were leaving with their tails between their legs.
All three wore grim expressions, and with Qin Ming gone too, they were on the verge of exploding.
"You three old fossils, if you don't want to die, don't do anything rash."
Dugu Bo spoke faintly as another dense cloud of poison began to gather.
"What's this?" Now that they were facing Dugu Bo's pressure head-on, Meng Shenji and the other two were instantly terrified.
Dugu Bo was far more powerful than he'd been the last time he acted.
"Your Excellency, you've broken through!"
Meng Shenji cried out. With the situation so tense, and Dugu Bo the Heaven Dou Empire's only Titled Douluo, he naturally hoped that Dugu Bo had grown stronger.
Dugu Bo smiled in satisfaction and withdrew his poisonous aura. "Yes. I was just lucky."
After showing off in front of the crowd, Dugu Bo felt his mood instantly lighten.
"Enough. Now that this matter is settled, I won't stay any longer."
Dugu Bo waved a hand, then strode off.
Tuoba Xuan shook his head with a smile. "That Old Poison really is such a tsundere."
Tuoba Xuan and Dugu Yan followed Dugu Bo away.
Only Meng Shenji, Xue Xing, and the others remained, rooted to the spot.
Meng Shenji swallowed. "Your Highness, do you know where that young friend Tuoba comes from?"
Xue Xing gave him a look that said, How would I know? Of course, he understood that Meng Shenji wasn't asking about Tuoba Xuan's background, but about why he was so powerful.