Third Brother, Don't Look at Me, Oh-Ho-Ho-Ho

Chen Ling did not take the gold card right away. He merely shot Flender a cold sidelong glance, his tone indifferent and icy. "Since this has nothing to do with them, then this whole incident today was your idea from beginning to end?"

Flender subconsciously glanced at Yu Xiaogang, who lay miserably on the ground. The corner of his mouth twitched violently before he finally nodded with difficulty.

He truly hated that idiot Yu Xiaogang to death now.

Since Yu Xiaogang had taken the lead in the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Flender had originally held a somewhat blind confidence in him.

Yet things had ended up like this. Yu Xiaogang had egged him on into provoking a Soul Douluo with a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. How could he not resent him?

Not only had they nearly all been wiped out, but he had also lost his entire life savings. Flender had cursed Yu Xiaogang a thousand times over in his heart, regretting it until his guts turned green.

His only hope now was that the other party would accept the gold card, let this matter go, and spare them all.

Just as Flender was suffering in anxious torment, Chen Ling raised a hand and accepted the gold card. He slowly said, "I can spare them."

As soon as those words fell, the hearts hanging in everyone's throats finally settled. They all secretly let out a long breath, and their tense bodies finally relaxed.

Tang San stood among the crowd, his fists clenched so tightly that his fingertips had turned white.

He did not dare raise his head to look Chen Ling in the eye, but he had already placed the man on his kill list, silently tallying up every reason Chen Ling deserved to die.

He would endure and retreat for now. Sooner or later, he would collect this debt with interest.

Yet before everyone's breathing could steady, Chen Ling lightly uttered two words, instantly freezing the atmosphere once more. "However..."

Chen Ling's gaze locked precisely onto Xiao Wu. His tone was firm and left no room for negotiation. "This girl must stay."

Before Flender could plead for mercy, Tang San could no longer contain himself and was the first to explode.

"No!"

Ignoring the deadly sword hanging over his head and the risk of having his body pierced at any moment, he desperately tried to rush in front of Xiao Wu and shield her behind him.

But he had taken only two steps when a flash of cold light was already pressed against Xiao Wu's slender neck.

With a single thought from Chen Ling, this rabbit would immediately explode into a Soul Ring. Chen Ling had done this as a precaution, eliminating any possibility of Xiao Wu sacrificing herself. Though with Tang San's current cultivation, he had not yet reached the point of breaking through a bottleneck, so the chances were low.

This scene stopped Tang San from advancing any further. He could only glare at Chen Ling, his eyes bloodshot as he panted heavily.

"I'll go with you."

Before Tang San could say anything else, Xiao Wu stepped forward of her own accord.

She knew she would not escape death, but she could not drag Third Brother down with her.

Tang San still wanted to stop her, but Flender was quick to react. He raised his hand and chopped Tang San precisely on the back of the neck. With a soft crack, Tang San's vision went black, and he collapsed unconscious on the spot.

The flying sword remained suspended overhead, its killing intent still undispersed. At this moment, saying even one more word would mean everyone being buried with them. There was no room for even the slightest willfulness.

Flender was equally unwilling to let Xiao Wu be taken away, but he did not dare gamble with the lives of everyone who remained.

Brotherhood and dying together were mostly just empty words spoken when there was no true desperation. When disaster struck, everyone fled for themselves. Even married couples were like that, let alone teachers and students or fellow classmates.

Moreover, he had carefully observed Chen Ling's expression and behavior. The other party clearly did not intend to harm Xiao Wu. With the possibility of taking her life ruled out, the remaining reason was rather thought-provoking.

After all, they did not know Xiao Wu was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. What else could taking away such a beautiful young girl be for?

Chen Ling casually glanced in Ning Rongrong's direction, then grabbed Xiao Wu by the back of her collar. A long sword appeared beneath his feet, carrying the two of them as they turned into a sharp streak of light and vanished beyond the horizon in an instant.

Only deathly silence remained, along with Tang San and Yu Xiaogang lying unconscious on the ground.

Standing among the crowd, Ning Rongrong watched the direction Chen Ling had vanished in. Remembering the voice transmission from earlier, she lightly blinked her clear eyes, an expression hidden in them that no one else could understand.

Shrek Academy.

Tang San opened his eyes in confusion and blankly looked around.

The surroundings were pitch-black. His body was tightly restrained, leaving him unable to move. He could only see two figures tangled together in the distance.

The moment he saw clearly, Tang San completely broke down. His mind was thrown into chaos as he screamed desperately in that direction, yet like a helpless husband, he could do nothing.

"No... Don't, Xiao Wu, my Xiao Wu."

Xiao Wu seemed to hear something as well and looked over, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Third Brother, don't look at me, oh-ho-ho-ho-----"

Tang San jolted awake from his dream and discovered that he had returned to his familiar dormitory.

Still shaken, that sound lingered in his mind and would not fade. He hurriedly looked around. Beside him lay only Yu Xiaogang, still unconscious, while the familiar figure who had always been by his side was nowhere to be seen.

His heart skipped a beat. The scenes from before he had passed out instantly surged into his mind. Panic overwhelmed him, and without even taking time to put on his shoes, he stumbled out of the room and immediately spotted Flender standing guard outside.

"Dean, Xiao Wu..." Tang San clung to his final shred of hope. He no longer cared who had knocked him out. His entire heart was focused solely on Xiao Wu's safety.

Looking at Tang San's anxious face, Flender let out a helpless sigh, his tone heavy. "Xiao Wu... was taken away by Chen Ling."

Those words were like a bucket of cold water over his head. Tang San's entire body stiffened, and he staggered back two steps, his face full of disbelief as though his heart had been gripped viciously.

Just as he was on the verge of despair, Flender's next words reignited the spark of hope within him.

"But don't worry. Xiao Wu is not in immediate danger. As long as we wait for your father to arrive, we will definitely rescue her safely."

"My father?" Tang San looked utterly bewildered. Wasn't his father just a drunkard who had spent his life drinking?

Seeing this, Flender no longer hid the truth. He immediately told Tang San about the origins of his second martial soul, as well as the title of "Clear Sky Douluo," a name that resounded throughout the entire Douluo Continent.

Tang San was completely dumbfounded. His father was a Titled Douluo?

After the shock came wild delight.

"Dean, is what you said true?" Hope instantly flared in his heart.

How could Chen Ling, a mere Soul Douluo, compare to his Titled Douluo father?

This time, I still have the advantage.

But in the next instant, the dream from earlier flashed through his mind again, and an inexplicable unease rose in his heart.

Still, that feeling came and went quickly, soon suppressed by his hope of rescue.

No matter what, Xiao Wu had done it to save him. As long as he could save her, what did it matter if she was already covered in scars? She was his little sister.

After steadying himself, all that remained was to wait. Tang San could only pray for Tang Hao to appear soon.

Chen Ling's purpose in taking Xiao Wu away was naturally not to do that sort of thing. On the contrary, he too was waiting for Tang Hao to appear.

Taking Xiao Wu away made her not only bait to lure Tang Hao to his door, but also a spare Soul Ring and soul bone. Either way, he would not lose out.

After returning to the hotel room where he was staying, Chen Ling casually tossed Xiao Wu onto the bed. He sat sideways nearby, quietly waiting for Tang Hao to come looking for him.

Xiao Wu curled up in the corner of the bed, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She stared at Chen Ling with wary eyes, every muscle in her body tense as she prepared to resist at any moment.

Though she knew she would definitely not escape death, if Chen Ling wanted to do anything else, then even if she died, she would never let him have his way.