Tang Hao

Yang Jian withdrew his gaze and stopped looking at Chen Xin. With a wave of his left hand, the Howling Celestial Dog turned into a streak of white light and entered his palm.

He turned and walked toward Yue Guan, tossing out a sentence without looking back.

"We should leave."

Yue Guan followed beside him. He glanced back at Chen Xin, who stood rooted to the spot, then at Gu Rong's corpse on the ground. Unable to resist, he lowered his voice and asked, "Are we really letting him go?"

The corners of Yang Jian's lips lifted slightly, forming a cold curve.

"He killed Gu Rong with his own hands. This will make him live in guilt for the rest of his life." Yang Jian's voice was soft, audible only to Yue Guan. "It'll hurt more than killing him."

Yue Guan nodded thoughtfully.

"Besides." A trace of killing intent flashed through Yang Jian's eyes. "I'm only letting him go today."

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect dared to ambush me, so they'd better be prepared to be destroyed by me."

"When the time comes, he and everyone in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will die."

Yue Guan's heart trembled. Looking into Yang Jian's cold, fierce eyes, he inwardly sighed.

This kid was truly ruthless.

But that was only natural.

He had been inexplicably ambushed by two Titled Douluo and nearly lost his life. If he did not retaliate, he would be a complete idiot.

"In that case, why not return to Spirit Hall now?" Yue Guan suggested. "Gather an army and head straight for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, before they have time to prepare."

"No need." Yang Jian shook his head. "I alone am enough."

"But there's no rush. We'll go to Shrek Academy first."

Yue Guan looked at him and could tell that he already had a complete plan in mind, so he asked no further questions.

"Then we'll do it your way."

The carriage had been destroyed in the earlier battle. Yue Guan took Yang Jian into the air, speeding toward Soto City.

Along the way, Yue Guan hesitated several times, wanting to ask about the Howling Celestial Dog.

Just what was that dog?

Why was a beast martial soul that could leave its body so powerful?

Yet every time the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back down.

Everyone had their secrets.

When Yang Jian wanted to talk about it, he naturally would.

East of Soto City, Shrek Academy.

Yue Guan brought Yang Jian down into a small forest outside the academy. Both had changed into clean clothes, and the bloodstains on them had been dealt with. There was not the slightest sign that they had fought.

Standing in the shade of the trees, Yue Guan looked at the academy in the distance and frowned slightly.

This place...

Was shabby.

Not just ordinarily shabby.

The academy's walls were piled from stone, their tops covered in moss. Some sections had even collapsed, exposing the courtyard within.

The gate consisted of two battered wooden doors. Most of the paint had peeled away, revealing the grayish-white wood beneath.

Above the gate hung a crooked plaque bearing four words—Shrek Academy.

"This is Shrek Academy?"

Yue Guan spread out his spiritual power to investigate. A moment later, the expression on his face became even stranger.

"Three Soul Sages, two Soul Emperors, and several at over level twenty or thirty." He stroked his chin. "The teaching staff is decent, and the students can be called geniuses."

"But why build an academy in a place like this? And why is it so run-down?"

Yang Jian did not answer.

He was also searching with his spiritual power.

Having cultivated the Eight-Nine Mysteries, Yang Jian's spiritual power was already comparable to that of a Soul Douluo-level powerhouse. It silently covered the entire academy.

Very quickly, he found what he was looking for.

Yu Xiaogang was not there.

The discarded son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the theoretical master who had proposed the Ten Core Theories of Martial Souls, Tang San's teacher, was not at Shrek Academy.

That meant Tang San had not yet gone to the Star Dou Forest to hunt his third soul ring, nor had he obtained the Eight Spider Lances, an external soul bone.

I didn't come too late.

Yang Jian nodded inwardly.

Just then, Yue Guan suddenly let out a low cry.

"A hundred-thousand-year soul beast!"

He grabbed Yang Jian's shoulder, his face filled with excitement, his eyes shining.

"Xiao Jian! Guess what I just discovered?" His voice was low, but he could not hide the excitement in his tone. "A hundred-thousand-year soul beast! A hundred-thousand-year soul beast that has taken human form!"

"Your luck is incredible! You just happen to be lacking a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, and one has delivered itself right to your doorstep!"

"Wait here. I'll go capture it for you right away! Kill it and absorb its soul ring!"

He was already impatient to rush into Shrek Academy.

"Uncle Yue."

Yang Jian reached out and stopped Yue Guan.

Yue Guan froze and halted.

"A hundred-thousand-year soul ring is certainly good." Yang Jian shook his head. "But it still depends on whether it's suitable."

Yue Guan was startled, then quickly calmed down.

He was right.

Yang Jian's first four soul rings had all come from the Titan Giant Ape. They were all strength-type, enhancement-type soul rings.

If this transformed soul beast's attributes did not suit him, absorbing it rashly would not only waste a precious hundred-thousand-year soul ring, but might also harm him.

"Besides." Yang Jian's gaze swept toward a certain direction outside the academy. "Uncle Yue, didn't you notice there's someone else nearby?"

Yue Guan was stunned.

He hurriedly expanded the range of his spiritual power and searched in the direction Yang Jian indicated.

A moment later, his expression changed.

There truly was someone hiding in the dark.

Their aura was powerful.

So powerful that even he felt a trace of pressure.

"A Titled Douluo, at least level ninety-five!"

Yue Guan's pupils contracted slightly. Gritting his teeth, an ominous thought arose in his heart. "Could he also have his eye on that transformed soul beast?"

Yue Guan focused his spiritual power to its utmost limit, trying to see the person's face clearly.

The next second, his expression changed completely.

"Tang Hao!"

Even Yue Guan's voice changed pitch.

He would never forget that face.

Six years ago, it was this man who had severely wounded Pope Qian Xunji with a single hammer strike, ultimately causing Qian Xunji to die from his injuries.

Tang Hao.

The Clear Sky Douluo.

Once the youngest Titled Douluo on the continent.

Why was he here?

In the distance, beneath a large tree.

A burly middle-aged man leaned against the trunk, his gloomy gaze fixed on Shrek Academy.

His hair was a mess, his face covered in stubble, and his clothes were old and tattered, making him look like a destitute vagabond.

But his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

"Chrysanthemum Guan?"

Tang Hao's brows knitted tightly, and a trace of gravity flashed through his eyes.

Why were people from Spirit Hall here?

Had his whereabouts been exposed?

That should not be possible.

If Spirit Hall had truly discovered his location, they would not have sent only Yue Guan.

They would at least have brought Gui Mei, or perhaps Bibi Dong would have acted personally.

Could it be... Spirit Hall thought he was an easy target, and that Yue Guan alone would be enough?

A cold smile tugged at Tang Hao's lips.

His gaze then fell on Yang Jian beside Yue Guan, and his pupils suddenly shrank.

Level fifty?

He looked only a few years older than Little San, yet he had already reached level fifty?

Tang Hao's gaze turned dangerous.

When had Spirit Hall produced such a monstrous talent?

No.

Tang Hao's eyes chilled as he made his decision.

Today, he would not only kill Yue Guan.

He would also eliminate this Spirit Hall genius.

He could not allow such a threat to continue growing.

He straightened from the tree trunk. With a flip of his right hand, the Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his palm.

Then he walked toward Shrek Academy.