Tang San Borrowing a Knife to Kill? Flender Prepares an Ambush!

With a low shout, Gu Ling's kick landed squarely against Xiao Wu's side.

"Off you go."

Whoosh—!

Xiao Wu slid across the ground, skidding several meters before crashing straight off the edge of the soul-dueling platform!

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, Xiao Wu landed beneath the platform, and the entire Thirteenth Soul-Dueling Arena fell silent.

Referee: "..."

Spectators: "..."

Even the referee failed to react for a moment.

Under normal circumstances, when faced with a pretty young girl who had already fainted from the backlash of a soul skill, most people would at least wait for the referee to declare the match over, even if they did not help her up, right?

But this guy?

He went up and kicked her straight off the platform!

Seeing the stunned referee, Gu Ling could not help reminding him,

"Referee, she's already fallen off the soul-dueling platform. Aren't you going to announce the result?"

"Huh?"

Only then did the referee snap back to his senses. He looked down at the unconscious Xiao Wu beneath the platform, then at Gu Ling standing above, the corner of his mouth twitching.

He then raised his right hand high.

"This soul duel is over!"

"The winner is—Spicy Rabbit Head Lover!"

Hearing those last words, the surrounding spectators were briefly stunned.

Then—

Boom!

The entire audience erupted in laughter. The Soft-Boned Enchanting Rabbit against Spicy Rabbit Head Lover—and in the end, this "rabbit" had really been kicked off the stage!

But at that moment—

A blue figure entered through the Thirteenth Soul-Dueling Arena's entrance. It was Tang San. He had just finished his previous soul duel and, figuring Xiao Wu's match should be nearly over, had come to take a look.

Yet the moment he entered, the first thing he saw was Xiao Wu lying beneath the soul-dueling platform.

"Xiao Wu?!"

Tang San's expression changed abruptly. Especially when he saw Xiao Wu's tightly shut eyes and pale face, a surge of fury rose from his chest almost instantly.

"Xiao Wu!"

Taking three steps in two, Tang San hurried to Xiao Wu's side and helped her up from the ground.

Fortunately, she had only suffered a brief fainting spell from the mental backlash of her soul skill. Combined with the impact from falling off the platform, she had not sustained any truly serious injuries.

Even so, Tang San's face remained incomparably grim. Xiao Wu was the most important person in his life. He had only arrived a little late, yet she had been beaten into this state?

At that thought, Tang San suddenly raised his head and looked toward the soul-dueling platform. His gaze immediately fell upon the black-clad youth, and he froze.

"Gu Ling?!"

Tang San's pupils contracted slightly. Last night, when Yu Xiaogang had mentioned the Bone Dragon Martial Soul, combined with Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's description of the other man's age and appearance, Tang San had already had his suspicions.

But before seeing him in person, he had not dared to be completely certain.

Yet now, who else could the person standing on the soul-dueling platform be but Gu Ling?

Tang San's gaze gradually turned cold. Especially after he looked once more at the unconscious Xiao Wu in his arms, the fury in his heart intensified. In his eyes, Gu Ling had already earned a death sentence!

However, Tang San did not make a move immediately.

This was the Soto Great Soul Arena. After a soul duel ended, if soul masters privately attacked other contestants within the venue, the Great Soul Arena would absolutely not stand by and ignore it.

Not to mention that he was only a Soul Elder now—even Soul Ancestors and Soul Kings could not openly disregard the Great Soul Arena's rules. Tang San could only suppress the rage in his heart.

At that moment, Gu Ling had already walked down from the soul-dueling platform. When he saw Tang San, his expression did not change, but Tang San took the initiative to block his path.

Gu Ling stopped, looking puzzled.

"Is something the matter?"

Tang San first glanced at the still-unconscious Xiao Wu behind him, then said in a deep voice, "You were also the one who injured Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun at the Soto City Lantern Festival last night, weren't you?"

Gu Ling raised an eyebrow slightly. Looks like those two really did plenty of complaining after they went back. Still, he did not deny it and simply nodded.

"Those two came up and harassed my friend on the street. After I stopped them, not only did they refuse to admit they were wrong, they even summoned their martial souls and attacked me."

"Shouldn't people like that be beaten? Was I supposed to praise them instead?"

"The fact that I didn't beat them to death was already me showing mercy."

Tang San's expression stiffened slightly. He had wanted to say something more, but when the words reached his lips, he did not know how to refute him.

Because everything Gu Ling had said was true. From the matter itself, Gu Ling really was in the right.

That only made Tang San feel more stifled. But Gu Ling clearly had no interest in wasting words with him any longer and waved a hand.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."

With that—

He walked straight past Tang San and headed toward the Imperial Dou Team's rest area.

Tang San stood where he was, watching Gu Ling's retreating back. His fists slowly clenched. Especially when he thought of the still-unconscious Xiao Wu, he could not suppress the rage in his heart no matter what.

In his view, it was one thing for Gu Ling to deal Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun such heavy blows, but now even Xiao Wu had been beaten into this state? She was the person he loved most. This matter absolutely could not be let go so easily!

But this was still the Soto Great Soul Arena, and the Great Soul Arena had its rules. After a match ended, participating soul masters were not allowed to fight privately within the venue.

At that thought, Tang San's eyes flickered slightly as he thought to himself,

Since it isn't convenient for me to act right now, I'll go find the dean. Didn't he want to seek an explanation for Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun? Perfect—I'll borrow his hand to avenge Xiao Wu!

A few minutes later.

Inside the private rest room rented by Shrek Academy within the Soto Great Soul Arena, Flanders slammed a hand onto the table before him, his face having completely darkened.

"What did you say?"

"That Gu Ling is at the Great Soul Arena right now?"

Tang San stood to one side and nodded. His expression was equally unpleasant as he said,

"Just now, Xiao Wu's opponent in her one-on-one soul duel was him. During the duel, Xiao Wu fainted from the backlash of her soul skill. Even after she had lost consciousness, Gu Ling kicked her off the soul-dueling platform."

Hearing this, Flanders's face grew even uglier.

Yesterday, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun had just been severely injured by Gu Ling. Flanders had taken Tang San into Soto City overnight and searched for hours, yet they had not found so much as a shadow of him.

Who would have thought that tonight, this brat would show up at the Soto Great Soul Arena himself—and had even beaten up Xiao Wu as well!

Flanders snorted coldly.

"Good! Very good!"

"Looks like this brat has really decided to pit himself against Shrek Academy!"

Yu Xiaogang, seated nearby, also frowned. Especially after confirming that Gu Ling truly was the one who had injured Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, the dissatisfaction in his heart deepened noticeably.

Six years ago, Gu Ling had repeatedly questioned his martial soul theories at Notting Academy. Now that he had come to Soto City, he had clashed with Shrek Academy's people again and again.

In Yu Xiaogang's opinion, this could no longer be explained away as mere coincidence. He felt that the brat had come specifically to cause trouble!

The next second, Flanders stood up directly and said coldly,

"Little San, take me there right now."

"I want to see with my own eyes just how capable this Gu Ling really is!"

Tang San's eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately nodded.

Seeing this, Oscar, who was seated nearby, suddenly froze. After hesitating for a moment, he could not help reminding him, "Dean, isn't private fighting forbidden inside the Great Soul Arena? If we go looking for him now and fight here, won't we provoke the arena?"

Hearing this, Flanders paused slightly. Then he turned to glance at Oscar, raised a hand to adjust his crystal glasses, and his tone gradually turned cold.

"Who said I was going to fight inside the Great Soul Arena?"

"Private fighting in here is naturally forbidden. But once we leave the Great Soul Arena's gates, whatever happens outside is no longer the Great Soul Arena's concern."