Almost Kicked the Bucket

Qian Xixi: "My dear lady! We're playing a game, but these characters in the story aren't!"

Qian Xixi: "We can use everything we have, so we don't need to worry about anything else. At most, we just need to check whether we have enough mana. They have way too many restrictions."

Spirit Hall Eternal: "I remember that using Twin Martial Souls at the same time requires immense spiritual power. Was Wang Dong one-half or one-third Tang Wutong? Her spiritual power definitely couldn't be that high."

Agile Dog in the Mountains: "What do you think would happen if we got rid of the heroine right now?"

Wang Zhongwang: "You really are a dog! Never done causing trouble, are you? Tang San's divine sense is inside Wang Dong's head! Wait, maybe we really can force him out and see."

Qian Xixi: "Don't mess around. Aren't you worried that if Tang San's divine sense comes out, he'll instantly wipe out everyone in the arena? How would we get our rewards then?"

Agile Dog in the Mountains: "@Ten-Year Veteran, then expose the fact that Wang Dong is cross-dressing as a boy and sharing a dorm room with Huo Yuhao, and tease her about it a little."

Ten-Year Veteran: "Why should I listen to you? What's in it for me?"

Agile Dog in the Mountains: "Don't always think about what's in it for you. We're just looking for fun. Fun is what matters most."

I Am an Angel: "I'm actually pretty curious too. Why is she pretending to be a boy? Shrek Academy doesn't refuse female students."

Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "I know this one. I think the book explained that she was too beautiful, so she dressed as a boy to avoid trouble. But I think that explanation's pretty ridiculous. I never thought she looked that beautiful in the anime."

Spirit Hall Eternal: "Agreed. Especially Tang Wutong's later design. No matter how you look at it, something feels off."

I Am an Angel: "Maybe the model was too big? The original novel said Tang Wutong was very tall after she grew up."

Qian Xixi: "The 'too beautiful' excuse really doesn't hold up. Jiang Nannan is even called the number-one beauty, and apart from Xu Sanshi, I've never seen anyone harass her. Though maybe Xu Sanshi drove off anyone else who tried."

Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "Exactly! If she's too beautiful and likely to be harassed by boys, then she dresses as a boy-but she's still beautiful, so wouldn't girls harass her just the same?"

Invincible Tyrannosaurus Warrior: "Besides, it's much easier for girls to harass boys than for boys to harass girls, and they're less likely to get punished for it."

Agile Dog in the Mountains: "That's why I want to know what Wang Dong is thinking. @Ten-Year Veteran, you're not even a little curious?"

At that moment, Wang Dong, who had been building up power with the Chaotic Wind Hammer Method, brought the Clear Sky Hammer down on Ten-Year Veteran again.

This strike was indeed much more powerful than before. But Ten-Year Veteran braced his spear against it, and even taking the blow head-on only made his health bar drop a tiny bit.

Ten-Year Veteran's curiosity had truly been piqued now.

Ten-Year Veteran: "Wang Dong-or should I call you Wang Dong'er? I'm curious. Why are you pretending to be a boy? Shrek Academy doesn't refuse female students."

Ten-Year Veteran didn't lower his voice. Many of the spectators could hear him.

The people from Shrek Academy looked at one another in dismay.

"Wang Dong is pretending to be a boy? Seriously? Doesn't she live with Huo Yuhao?"

"Teacher Zhou..."

Ma Xiaotao looked toward Zhou Yi. At this point, Ma Xiaotao was somewhat interested in Huo Yuhao, so suddenly hearing that his roommate was a girl was a little hard for her to accept.

"Why are you looking at me? I didn't know about this either."

On the arena, Wang Dong was getting flustered and angry.

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

Ten-Year Veteran: "What I said is clearly the truth. Why are you getting so worked up? Don't tell me you really think you're pretending to be a boy because you're too beautiful. That'd be pretty conceited."

"Shut up!"

Wang Dong's furious reaction only made it seem more likely that Ten-Year Veteran had hit the mark.

Wang Zhongwang: "So that really is the reason? How big is her ego? Does she really think she's the most beautiful woman under heaven? All the guys in the channel, come out and tell me: Orange or Wang Dong-which one would you choose? Let's have a vote!"

Qian Xixi: "If we're talking about the anime designs, Orange is more my type."

Spirit Hall Eternal: "+1. Orange's outfits in the anime are all eye-catching. Wang Dong'er's are rather hard to look at. I seriously wonder if the production team had it in for her too."

Agile Dog in the Mountains: "I prefer Orange too. This is the part in the original story where she steals the seeds..."

Wang Zhongwang: "I think they changed it to a clone in the anime. All I can say is, they really know how to change the story beyond recognition!"

The conversation had wandered off in who-knew-what direction again, so Qian Xixi reminded Ten-Year Veteran.

Qian Xixi: "@Ten-Year Veteran, stop dawdling and finish the fight already!"

Ten-Year Veteran: "All right! I'll end it now!"

Ten-Year Veteran glanced at Wang Dong, who was fuming.

Ten-Year Veteran: "I hope you can withstand this next strike. Twin Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Overlord's Strike!"

Ten-Year Veteran summoned the Overlord Phantom. Gripping a long spear, it stabbed straight at Wang Dong.

Wang Dong was overwhelmed by its imposing presence and froze in place. She couldn't defend herself or dodge.

She could only watch helplessly as the strike hit her.

If it had been anyone else, it would have meant certain death. But just as the strike landed on Wang Dong, a light-blue barrier flashed into view, reducing most of its power.

Even so, the remaining force was enough to gravely wound Wang Dong and send her flying off the arena.

Behind the scenes, Tang Yi saw this and asked the system, "If Tang San's divine sense on Wang Dong'er is triggered, will Tang San in the God Realm sense it?"

[While it is obscured, Tang San cannot sense it.]

"Good. Now I don't need to worry at all."

Back with the players, Agile Dog in the Mountains cried out in the team voice chat.

Agile Dog in the Mountains: "Holy crap...! I was only saying it. You really wanted to kill her! Impressive, impressive!"

Ten-Year Veteran: "I'm telling you, I only wanted to test the power of the Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Do you believe me?"

Qian Xixi: "I believe you, I believe you, bro! We believe anything you say."

Wang Zhongwang: "I'm not imagining it, right? A blue light flashed just now."

Spirit Hall Eternal: "You're not imagining it. I saw it too. It must've been something Tang San left behind to protect her. I wonder if Tang San will notice us because of it."

Primordial One: "Who cares? If he doesn't show a health bar, he's just a stray dog by the roadside. If he does, he's our prey."

By then, Zhou Yi had taken Wang Dong away for treatment, and Star Luo Emperor Xu Jiawei had risen from his seat.

"Everyone, the results of this year's Soul Master Tournament are in. Let us congratulate the New Tang Sect Academy Team on winning this year's Soul Master Tournament!"

Thunderous applause and cheers broke out. At that moment, every player felt richly rewarded with emotional value.