"Tang San, come with me!"
Flender's face was so dark it could have dripped water, and his voice was frighteningly grim.
Tang San hung his head, his fingertips curling slightly as he followed behind him without a word.
His heart was as clear as a mirror: he knew he had done wrong.
But his mistake had never been targeting Lin Kong itself-deep down, he looked down on this "trash" he had once scorned.
His mistake was doing it so blatantly!
Even if he wanted to target Lin Kong, he should have stayed in the shadows and worked his tricks without a sound. How could he lay his jealousy and hostility out in the open like this, drawing everyone's sidelong glances?
Flender dragged him into a corner of the VIP room and, with his back to the others, demanded in a low voice, "What exactly are you trying to do?"
Tang San kept his head lowered, his lashes hiding the malice in his eyes, his lips pressed together without a word.
His thoughts could not have been clearer-What right did Lin Kong have to stand above me? What right did he have to steal the glory that should have been mine?
Seeing how utterly impervious he was to persuasion, Flender grew so angry his chest tightened, and he nearly lost his breath. He drew a deep breath and asked again, "What exactly do you want? Will you only be satisfied when you've made it impossible for everyone to save face?"
Tang San remained silent, his teeth clenched.
An obsessive thought had already begun to form in his heart-As long as Lin Kong is here, I'll never be anything but a backdrop. In Shrek, it's him or me. We can't both stay!
How could Flender have guessed that he harbored such an irreconcilable thought? Assuming he was merely nursing resentment over losing a match, he patiently counseled him, "Didn't you just lose to Lin Kong once? What's the big deal? A real man has to be able to take a loss before he can win it back!"
Meanwhile, in the main area of the VIP room, the others had already gathered around Lin Kong, pointing at Tang San's back and talking, their voices full of indignation.
"What kind of person is he? Isn't he way too petty?"
"Is there something wrong with Tang San's head? What did Brother Lin ever do to him?"
"Exactly! What's wrong with asking him to lend Brother Lin a hand with a few little gadgets? It's not like we're asking him to risk his life!"
"He can't beat Brother Lin, so he starts making snide remarks. Pah! What a sore loser!"
"Does he even consider himself part of Shrek anymore? He's nothing but a shit-stirrer!"
Today was the second day since the Shrek group had met.
On the first day, Tang San had struck viciously at Zhao Wuji like a madman during the entrance assessment, his ruthless manner leaving everyone frightened.
On the second day, after losing to Lin Kong in a duel, Tang San had shown this face of jealousy toward the talented and capable, thoroughly angering everyone.
For a time, not a single person had a good word to say about Tang San.
Xiao Wu stood outside the crowd, watching everyone criticize Tang San, her eyes rimmed red and her heart anxious and panicked. After hesitating for a long while, she bit her lip and walked quickly up to Lin Kong. With her head lowered and her voice slightly choked, she said, "Lin Kong, I... I'm apologizing to you on Third Brother's behalf. He didn't mean it..."
Lin Kong raised his eyes to glance at her. Seeing her reddened eyes and how close she looked to tears, he merely shook his head gently and said evenly, "It's nothing."
"B-Brother Lin, I'm really sorry." Xiao Wu spoke more emphatically, her voice full of guilt. "Third Brother was wrong. Please don't take it to heart."
Lin Kong waved a hand, not bothering to dwell on it any longer. "Mm... forget it, forget it. It's no big deal."
Flender brought Tang San back to the group and ordered, his face livid, "Tang San, take those little gadgets of yours-hm, hidden weapons, yes. Lend your hidden weapons to Lin Kong so he can win the upcoming duel!"
Tang San hung his head, his face full of reluctance, and argued quietly, "Some hidden weapons require specific methods and techniques. Outsiders can't use them."
"Then give him ones that don't require methods or techniques!" Flender's voice abruptly rose, making everyone's eardrums tremble.
Tang San was still making a last desperate struggle. "But some hidden weapons... might not be powerful enough."
"Cut the crap!" Flender's chest heaved with anger, his eyes almost spitting fire. "If your hidden weapons don't help at all, just see how I deal with you!"
The surrounding students joined the clamor, talking over one another as they criticized him.
"Hurry up, Tang San! Stop dragging your feet!"
"How can you be this kind of person? You're way too selfish!"
"Do you even consider yourself part of Shrek anymore?"
Under everyone's condemnation and Flender's pressure, Tang San finally yielded. Gritting his teeth, his face full of resentment, he took the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow out of the Storage Soul Tool at his waist and hurled it at Lin Kong.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen-!"
The host's ringing voice resounded throughout the Soul Fighting Arena through the Amplifying Soul Tool.
In an instant, the entire audience erupted, the waves of cheers nearly lifting the roof.
"The next Soul Fighting match is the focus of everyone's attention! He is Suotuo City's undefeated legend-Black Prison Asura!!!"
"Ohhh-! Black Prison Asura! Black Prison Asura!"
Countless spectators waved their arms, their faces flushed with excitement.
Lin Kong walked slowly onto the fighting platform, his posture straight and his steps steady.
Today, he was not wearing his signature Asura mask, leaving his handsome, cold-featured face fully exposed to everyone.
"Aaah-! He's so handsome!"
The noblewomen and young ladies in the stands exploded into an uproar, their screams rising one after another. Quite a few even flushed with excitement, clutching their chests with stars in their eyes.
The host's voice rang out again, carrying a deliberately provocative note. "And challenging Black Prison Asura is a gifted powerhouse from Suotuo Advanced Soul Master Academy-Heaven-Burning Fierce Tiger, Shi Liyuan!"
Clack, clack-
In one corner of the Soul Fighting Arena, a cheering squad made up of teachers and students from Suotuo Advanced Soul Master Academy immediately began cheering, banging gongs and beating drums. Though their display was less grand than the former, it still carried complete confidence.
Shi Liyuan strode onto the fighting platform and stopped ten meters from Lin Kong, his gaze haughty and his chin slightly raised. His voice brimmed with the confidence of certain victory. "Lin Kong, if you know what's good for you, surrender now, before you completely disgrace yourself in front of everyone!"
Hearing this, Lin Kong merely shook his head gently. There was even a trace of barely perceptible pity in his gaze.
Silly child, you have no idea how terrifyingly powerful the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow is. At its upper limit, this thing can slay gods.
If you run now, you might still make it.
Naturally, Shi Liyuan could not read the deeper meaning in Lin Kong's eyes and merely took him for a dead duck whose beak remained stubbornly hard.
At the thought that he would soon shatter Black Prison Asura's undefeated legend with his own hands and trample this powerhouse with forty consecutive victories underfoot, after which countless flowers and honors would come pouring in, he could not help his heart surging.
This feeling was simply out of this world!
Shi Liyuan threw back his head and laughed, his voice arrogant. "Hahaha! Fine! Lin Kong, I'll make you pay a terrible price for your stubbornness!"
"Both sides, prepare-!" The referee raised his right hand high and shouted solemnly.
"Lie Yan Tiger, possess me!" Shi Liyuan roared, his Soul Power abruptly bursting forth.
Yellow Hundred-Year Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet, the two Soul Rings pulsing up and down. Dazzling flames instantly wreathed his body as he suddenly grew taller, colorful tiger stripes emerging on his skin. His hands transformed into sharp tiger claws, and a savage gleam filled his eyes. He was like a fierce tiger bathed in flames, radiating an intimidating pressure.
Everyone's gaze focused on Lin Kong, waiting to see him summon that mysterious Dark Blue Silver Grass.
But Lin Kong did not summon his Martial Soul.
With a turn of his wrist, an exquisite metal case appeared in his hand-that was the Storage Soul Tool Ning Rongrong had lent him.
Ning Rongrong had specifically pressed it into his hands before he entered the arena, for a simple reason: walking in holding the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow was not handsome enough. Only taking it out of a Storage Soul Tool would make a proper showing!
Click.
Lin Kong held the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow in his hands, his movements flowing like clouds and running water, looking outrageously handsome.
Shi Liyuan's smile froze on his face, his brows drawing tightly together. "What is the meaning of this?"
The next second, he suddenly remembered that the Soul Fighting Arena's rules differed from those of sparring matches within the academy-outside objects were allowed here!
"W-What is that thing?" Shi Liyuan stared at the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow, which exuded cold killing intent. An inexplicable chill rose in his heart, and even his voice trembled slightly.
Lin Kong raised the crossbow, aimed at Shi Liyuan, and threw his earlier words straight back at him. "Now, you can surrender."
"Impossible!" Shi Liyuan roared, fierce in appearance but cowardly within, forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart. "I'll definitely win! My Lie Yan Tiger Martial Soul counters your Dark Blue Silver Grass. You're certain to lose!"
"Begin the Soul Fighting match-!" The instant the referee's words fell.
Buzzz-!
Lin Kong pulled the trigger without hesitation.
In a flash, dozens of crossbow bolts became a streak of black light, tearing through the air with unstoppable force as they shot toward Shi Liyuan, blotting out the sky!
They were too fast!
So fast that Shi Liyuan had no time even to react. He could only watch helplessly as that black light swallowed his figure. Given the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow's power, once he was hit, he would undoubtedly die!
At the moment when his life hung by a thread-
Whoosh!
A figure abruptly appeared in front of Shi Liyuan. It was Majila, his face livid, Soul Power surging wildly from both hands as he formed a thick Soul Power barrier.
Thud, thud, thud-!
The densely packed crossbow bolts struck the barrier with a series of dull sounds, then fell to the ground one after another.
Majila gritted his teeth and spoke one word at a time, his voice filled with humiliation and resentment:
"We... sur... render!"