Below the stage, Yu Xiaogang shouted frantically. He had never imagined that his proudest disciple would be pinned to the ground and beaten, utterly powerless to fight back.
He was both excited and furious now.
He was excited because his opponent's strength exceeded his imagination. If he could make contact with him, his own circumstances would improve greatly.
After all, in his eyes, he and the other man were the same kind of person. Whatever the other man could accomplish, he could accomplish too.
As for his fury, of course it came from the other man beating Tang San.
The situation before him was clearly no longer a contest, but a one-sided beating.
If no one stopped it, his most outstanding disciple might well be crippled right here on the spot.
He still needed Tang San to back up his theories. If he was crippled just like this, wouldn't all his previous efforts have been wasted?
Besides, the boy was the son of Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao.
Zhao Wuji had taken a beating from him last time. If he found out that his son had been crippled, wouldn't he go completely mad?
A Titled Douluo going mad was no laughing matter. Everyone here might end up finished.
But no matter how loudly he shouted, the referee showed no sign of wanting to intervene.
After all, this was the Suotuo Great Spirit Arena.
Someone dying was hardly a rarity.
What was more, the very first rule posted at the entrance to the Suotuo Great Spirit Arena read:
[The match will not end until someone calls out their surrender or their opponent completely loses consciousness and the ability to resist.]
"Who's this idiot? What's he shouting about?"
"You think we're playing house here? You want it stopped, so it stops?"
"If you haven't got the skills, don't enter the ring. If you get beaten to death, isn't that what you deserve?"
"Seriously, don't come out and embarrass yourself with a useless martial soul like Blue Silver Grass. I thought this kid had some ability before, but it turns out he was just lucky. The moment he meets someone stronger, his true colors show."
"Exactly. A trash martial soul is a trash martial soul. Even having soul power won't help."
Mockery and abuse kept rising from the crowd.
Ye Lingling sat among the spectators, her face somewhat pale.
It was her first time witnessing a scene like this, and she struggled to adjust.
"He's... so strong!"
Dugu Yan's reaction was the complete opposite of Ye Lingling's. Her eyes were filled with shock as she watched Mo Lin thrashing Tang San on the stage.
But while the two girls were still immersed in the stunning impact of the battle onstage, a pair of soft little paws silently appeared beside Ye Lingling.
A paw caught Ye Lingling's hem and tugged lightly.
Ye Lingling turned her head and saw that Xiao Hei, who should have been on the stage, had somehow appeared beside her.
"Little one! What are you doing here?"
Seeing Xiao Hei crouched beside her, Ye Lingling nearly cried out in surprise.
The commotion successfully drew Dugu Yan's attention too. Her eyes widened when she saw Xiao Hei.
"Am I hallucinating? You... how did you get out here?"
Uncanny. This was fucking uncanny.
Seriously, how had this little thing slipped out under so many people's noses?
And weren't you a martial soul? Your actual body was fighting up a storm onstage, and instead of helping, you slipped out to find girls. Was that appropriate?
"Master sent me."
A little girl's soft, sweet voice came from Xiao Hei's mouth, once again overturning both girls' understanding of the world.
"Lingling, I think I'm hearing things. Did she just speak?"
"I heard it too."
Watching the two humans jump at every little thing, Xiao Hei was somewhat speechless.
Honestly, if it weren't for fear of getting beaten, it would never have willingly come over to them.
She was the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, whose very name once struck terror into people's hearts. Now she had been reduced to someone's mount, with a whole string of side jobs as a martial soul, a plush toy, and even a mattress.
If she hadn't gone looking for trouble back then and come out to ambush that human, none of this would have happened.
He had given her such a beating, talking about "Wu Song Beats the Tiger" as he hit her.
Just which bastard was this Wu Song? Look at the rubbish you taught him.
Her gaze shifted toward Tang San, who was still being thrashed onstage. Xiao Hei smiled disdainfully and thought to herself.
Trash. This isn't even a tenth of what I took back then.
Forget it. No point dwelling on this. She had accepted her fate anyway. So what if she had a few more side jobs? At least she had a mighty leg to cling to.
"Come with me first."
Business first. After all, she hadn't come here to play the clown and watch the girls look shocked.
"Come with you? Where?"
"I'm taking you somewhere safer."
According to Mo Lin's expectations, once he beat Tang San half to death and then pulled a disappearing act, Tang Hao would certainly come looking for trouble.
He had originally intended to lure him out of the city before making his move, but he had just sensed Tang Hao's aura nearby.
That meant they might well fight inside the city. In that case, he could only activate his backup plan.
Before that, though, he had to ensure Ye Lingling's safety.
"Shall we go?"
Dugu Yan looked at Ye Lingling, asking what she thought.
"Let's go."
Taking a deep breath, Ye Lingling decisively followed Xiao Hei away.
As she left, Ye Lingling cast one last look at the stage.
To her surprise, Mo Lin had already stopped what he was doing, and his gaze met hers.
Mo Lin gave her a slight nod, so subtle that practically no one would notice.
Having acknowledged her, Mo Lin kicked Tang San aside, where he lay on the ground like a dead dog after his beating, then turned his head toward the referee.
"I'm tired of hitting him. You can announce the result."
Seeing this, the referee cast an indifferent glance at Tang San on the ground.
"The match is over. Thousand Faces wins."
With his first victory secured, Mo Lin had no intention of lingering here.
When Yu Xiaogang and the others heard that it was over, they hurried onto the stage.
When they saw Tang San's face, beaten so badly that even his mother wouldn't have recognized him, they all sucked in a breath of cold air.
There was no other reason. They simply felt that his opponent had brought a great calamity upon himself.
Zhao Wuji in particular had a trace of awe flash through his eyes as he looked in the direction Mo Lin had left.
Daring to beat Clear Sky Douluo's son into this state-this kid was ruthless.
The ignorant knew no fear, but this kid probably wouldn't live to see tomorrow's sun.
After carrying Tang San out of the ring, Yu Xiaogang did not go looking for Mo Lin.
In his eyes, this matter was already beyond his ability to handle.
What a pity, though. He had finally managed to meet a "fellow practitioner."
Meanwhile, in a deserted corner of the Suotuo Great Spirit Arena.
Cloaked in a cape, Tang Hao dug his fingers hard into the solid stone wall beside him.
The tremendous force cracked the wall inch by inch, the fractures spreading outward like a spiderweb.
His clouded eyes were blood-red, his chest heaved violently, and soul power spilled from his body, making his robes snap and flutter.
His fury had already reached its limit. He could tell that his opponent had not simply been competing, but had gone in entirely to toy with his adversary.
His actual strength should have already far surpassed the Soul Elder level. Otherwise, with Tang San's strength, it would have been impossible for him to be completely unable to fight back.
"Good. Very good. Suotuo Great Spirit Arena... Thousand Faces. You will all pay for this!"
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