Tang San saw nothing worth valuing in Shrek Academy. If the Shrek Seven Monsters alone had been worth some consideration, adding that good-for-nothing Gangzi left him with nothing worth staying for.
And you want an explanation? I'm a fucking transmigrator, a future God King, and I owe you an explanation? Like hell I do!
If the original God King Tang had succeeded, the other six Monsters had indeed contributed a great deal, but things were very different now.
Tang San knew the original plot inside out and needed no one else's help. God King Tang already had plenty of cheats to begin with; any path would do.
Besides, leaving Shrek hardly meant Tang San had nowhere to go. Wouldn't joining Spirit Hall be great?
Almost every obstacle on God King Tang's road to godhood had come from Spirit Hall. At its root, that was because, like his father Haozi, he had fallen in love with a Soul Beast and made an enemy of Spirit Hall.
If he had joined Spirit Hall early on, how would God King Tang have ended up with so much bullshit to deal with?
So, almost without hesitation, Tang San prepared to turn around and leave.
Seeing this, Xiao Wu gritted her teeth, followed him, hugged Tang San, and planted a kiss on him.
"Brother, I know how you feel about me. I think everyone's misunderstood something. Can't we all take a step back?"
Everything else about God King Tang was open to debate, but his feelings for Xiao Wu were beyond reproach.
At the end of Douluo IV, he had even been willing to slit his own throat and depart this world for Xiao Wu. Though that had partly been for the sake of continuing the story, he had actually done it, after all. There was simply nothing to fault there.
Xiao Wu naturally knew all this and was equally devoted to Tang San. But the Seven Monsters were also very close, leaving her caught in a difficult position for the moment.
Tang San stroked Xiao Wu's head. "It's fine. There's no misunderstanding. Apart from you, there really isn't anything here worth staying for."
"Brother... won't you reconsider? Explain things properly to Grandmaster and the others. There's no grudge that can't be resolved."
Tang San lowered his hand and shook his head. "My mind's made up. There's nothing more to say. Decide for yourself whether you'll come with me."
Hearing this, Gangzi stepped forward and caught hold of Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu, don't let him deceive you. I misjudged him before, too."
After agonizing over it for a long time, Xiao Wu still went back to stand with the others.
"Brother, I'll always be waiting for you at Shrek Academy."
Of everyone present, Xiao Wu knew Tang San's strength best, so she was not too worried about him.
She therefore decided to stay with the Seven Monsters and talk the others around. To her, everyone reconciling would be the perfect outcome.
But that could only be Xiao Wu's wishful thinking. Tang San said little more, turned, and left.
Gangzi snorted coldly. Rather than trying to stop him, he spoke earnestly to Xiao Wu. "Don't overlook your early foundations just because you'll achieve something later. Shrek Academy will absolutely be a great help to your growth."
"Just watch. Once he gets out there and finds himself running into walls everywhere without my theoretical guidance, he'll come back."
In truth, Gangzi was only saying it. He had no intention whatsoever of continuing to teach Tang San; those words were merely meant to reassure Xiao Wu.
What a joke. A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who had taken human form-even a pig could teach her to become a Titled Douluo. Who wouldn't want a student like that?
With Tang San gone, the remaining six Monsters would be counting on Xiao Wu to hold up the banner.
After leaving, Tang San headed straight for Spirit Hall in Suotuo City.
The moment Tang San arrived and said he wanted to join Spirit Hall, he stunned the people slacking off inside.
A thirteen-year-old Soul Elder-a genius like that had delivered himself right to their doorstep. Even meat pies falling from the sky could hardly beat this, could they?
Soon, someone had dressed properly and hurriedly led Tang San away.
"Suotuo City can't teach a genius like you. Come, I'll take you to Spirit City."
His guide was beside himself with excitement. This would earn him considerable credit.
Spirit City, Pontiff Hall.
The man who had brought Tang San was now rather uneasy instead. Rubbing his hands, he stood outside the hall and told Tang San to go in alone.
"I never imagined His Holiness the Pope would summon you personally. Go in by yourself, and mind your manners. That's the pontiff of Spirit Hall."
Tang San was not surprised. He went inside, found a chair, and sat down.
Spirit Hall's eyes and ears were spread throughout both empires. It could be said that the slightest rustle of wind or grass anywhere on the Douluo Continent would reach Spirit Hall.
Otherwise, Tang Hao would not have been forced to live in seclusion in Holy Soul Village.
With the connection through Gangzi as well, Bibi Dong probably already knew about Tang San.
Tang San was not worried about encountering any difficulties in joining Spirit Hall.
In the original course of events, Qian Renxue had tried to recruit God King Tang several times. Bibi Dong's characterization in the early stages had not been that of a madwoman either; on the contrary, she had been very shrewd.
So Tang San was not overly concerned about joining Spirit Hall.
As for the grudge between Tang Hao and Spirit Hall, it had always been God King Tang who took it to heart. A staunch supporter of feudalism, God King Tang had kept fighting Spirit Hall tooth and nail even after Ah Yin had been resurrected later on.
Otherwise, how could there have been so much trouble?
Suddenly, footsteps sounded.
A woman slowly approached, her sumptuous black robe edged with gold patterns displaying her lovely figure in full. A Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown rested on her head, and she held a staff. The sacred bearing she unconsciously exuded made anyone who saw her unable to resist bowing in worship.
It was none other than Bibi Dong, the pontiff of Spirit Hall.
Tang San looked at Bibi Dong's face and raised an eyebrow, thinking, No wonder she's on the must-have list in fan fiction. What was Gangzi thinking?
Of course, what puzzled him most was why Bibi Dong was so infatuated with Gangzi. He could only say that Old Man Fate's mighty hand had exerted its force.
"You're Tang San?"
Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes settled on Tang San, looking him up and down, her expression impassive.
"Aren't you Grandmaster's disciple? Why would you want to join Spirit Hall?"
Hearing this, Tang San understood. Sure enough, Bibi Dong had summoned him because of Grandmaster.
Otherwise, the Shrek Seven Devils had yet to enter team matches or make a name for themselves. Though a thirteen-year-old Soul Grandmaster counted as a genius, he still would not have caught Pontiff Bibi Dong's discerning eye.
And judging by Bibi Dong's words, she clearly knew little about Tang San's background. Now Tang San understood completely: in this world, only the Seven Monsters and Gangzi had been reborn. Everyone else remained the same.
Tang San had long since prepared for this question.
"The reason is simple. I don't think Grandmaster can teach me."
A faint ripple disturbed Bibi Dong's lake-calm gaze, and a trace of anger entered her voice.
"Oh? What an arrogant boy. He's Grandmaster, whose theories are ahead of their time, renowned throughout the Soul Master World, yet you think he can't teach you?"
Hearing this, the corner of Tang San's mouth twitched.
Old Man Fate's mighty hand really is terrifying. Bibi Dong genuinely thinks Gangzi is the king of all talk, with unbeatable theories. In reality, it's bad enough that plenty of those theories are wrong; quite a few were probably stolen from your Spirit Hall, too.
Fighting back the urge to snark, Tang San spoke slowly. "However strong Grandmaster's theories are, there are still things he doesn't understand."
"Such as... Twin Martial Souls."
As he spoke, a small, pitch-black hammer appeared in Tang San's hand, utterly ancient and simple in appearance, carrying an indescribable sense of weight and power.
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