"Let the match… begin!"
The referee announced calmly.
Contrary to what other teams might have expected, there was no sign of concern for the Sun-Moon Empire team in his expression, nor any intention of cheating in broad daylight. Everything was conducted so normally that it felt a little off.
"Bring out your Clear Sky Hammer. I want to see how much you've improved over the years…" Tang San smiled slightly, looking at Wang Dong'er opposite him. His eyes carried a relaxed glint.
As for Wang Dong'er, once the Abyss Plane severely damaged the Sun-Moon Empire, he planned to strike and annihilate the Abyss Plane. At the same time… he would demand the return of Xiao Qi's soul from the Silver Dragon King.
To him, the Sun-Moon Empire didn't have much time left. When that time came, he wanted to see what this rebellious child would have to rely on and whether she would still dare speak to him so defiantly.
Of course, that was a matter for later.
For now… he intended to beat her soundly, to vent all the pent-up anger he had held over the years.
"Clear Sky Hammer?"
Wang Dong'er sneered. "Who uses that thing? And stop speaking like you're some elder. Be careful, or you'll get beaten so badly that even your parents won't recognize you."
"Hm?" Tang San froze for a moment.
He didn't understand what she meant.
How could a martial soul just be not used?
Oh—Tang San came to a realization and gave a helpless smile. Still mad at the Clear Sky Sect, huh? Just a kid throwing a tantrum—it was normal to say such things.
As Tang San stood calmly on his side, planning to offer Wang Dong'er the first three moves, his expression gradually turned blank.
So did the expressions of the other six members of the Clear Sky Sect—and the tens of thousands of people in the arena.
"Black, black, black, black, black, red, red, red… gold…"
A Clear Sky disciple stared at the opposite side with a face full of horror, his voice trembling. "I didn't see wrong, did I? This… this can't be real! Tang Chao, slap me! Slap me hard! Wake me up!"
PAH!
A crisp slap rang out across the arena.
The disciple's right cheek visibly swelled up, but he still stared at Wang Dong'er in a daze, horrified. "Not… not a dream! They're Title Douluos too?!"
"Title Douluos, huh? You people treat that like some precious treasure." Wang Dong'er's light blue eyes scanned over the Clear Sky Sect with contempt. She opened her pale hand, and a nearly two-meter-long signal axe slowly appeared in her hand. She slung it over her back and smirked. "Tang San, prepare to die!"
BOOM!
The deafening sounds on the stage echoed throughout the venue.
The members of Shrek Academy were equally stunned, their faces pale.
Before this tournament, as one of the "strongest" opponents of the Sun-Moon Empire from the last round, Xian Lin'er had carefully led them through analyses of all potential matchups.
As for Wang Dong'er—even though she was Xu Cheng's disciple—in the last tournament, she had only been about twelve or thirteen years old! Her soul power had just reached Soul Elder level! She wasn't even a core member of the Sun-Moon Royal Academy team!
Back then, during strategic sessions, Principal Xian Lin'er only mentioned her briefly. The focus was instead on Xu Cheng, Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and others like Cain and Wang Qiu'er, who had appeared in the Mingdu War.
But now, if Wang Dong'er displayed the combat strength of a Title Douluo—with such an absurd spirit ring configuration—this alone was enough to show the terrifying power of the Sun-Moon Royal Academy team.
They had sent out an insignificant member, and she crushed the pride of both Shrek Academy and the Clear Sky Sect…
"Silence!" Beibei gritted his teeth, breathing heavily.
"I've said it before—perhaps the Sun-Moon Empire is using some kind of soul tool technology to help them break through bottlenecks rapidly, reaching the same level that we only reached with divine assistance. Don't be jealous of them…"
But his words were swallowed by a dreadful silence, stirring no reaction at all.
Even Dai Huabin opened his mouth, but said nothing.
No one was stupid.
If the Sun-Moon Empire's soul tool tech could really achieve this level… why wouldn't anyone want that? To reach Title Douluo at age twenty, and with a ring combination of four black, four red, and one gold! What was that gold ring? No records of it existed in history—but its sheer aura was off the charts. And you're telling us this is some crooked shortcut?!!
What the hell kind of "crooked path" is this?!
We needed divine trials to just barely reach this level, but they…
Could it be that the Sun-Moon Empire also had a god behind them?!!
Xie Huan Yue scratched his head, glancing around. "Our spirit ring configurations were supposed to be optimal… but it looks like they've far surpassed 'optimal'."
"Shut up!" Beibei's eyes were red with fury as he glared.
"…Beibei…" Xu Sanshi spoke softly, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder with a sigh. Beibei hadn't always been like this—he used to be a cheerful, sunny guy, popular with many girls at the Academy. But ever since that day… he had changed completely.
"...Haa."
Beibei was silent for a while, then seemed to calm down a little. "Everyone, get ready. Whether it's the next elimination round, promotion round, group stage, or finals—we may face the Sun-Moon Royal Academy. But Shrek Academy… must not lose!"
"Yes!"
The response was weak and scattered, as if everyone's soul had been sucked away.
The group stared blankly down at the battlefield—Cao Jinxuan, Zhou Sichen, Lan Ruoruo, Lan Susu, even Dai Huabin—they were all the same age as Wang Dong'er, even in the same class.
Now that they had transformed themselves and joined Shrek Academy, even without saying it, they had carried an unspoken sense of superiority.
We went through divine trials, ones personally guided by Tang San, the Sea God himself. Even Zhou Sichen has just reached Soul Emperor. Your Sun-Moon Empire might have advanced soul tools, but so what? Can it compare to a god?
But then—
BOOM!
On the battlefield—
Wang Dong'er's axe came crashing down like a mountain splitting strike. With wild, flowing movements, even space seemed to ripple as her attack came down on Tang San.
The other Clear Sky Sect disciples stood rooted to the spot. They couldn't join a fight between Title Douluos—they didn't qualify.
Meanwhile, the remaining four beauties of the Sun-Moon Royal Academy, each with their own charm, had no intention of joining in. Instead, they watched the show with relaxed expressions.
Shing~!
Tang San, flustered, tried to block the strike with his Blue Silver Emperor vines.
But under the terrifying might of that axe, even the resilient vines were slashed apart, all the way to his shoulder.
"Boy, take another hit!" Wang Dong'er smirked, tapping her foot lightly and shooting forward to chop at him again.
"You—" Tang San's eyes were filled with fear as he dodged in a panic.
But Wang Dong'er only grew more powerful the longer she fought.
That signal axe, nearly as tall as a person, didn't seem cumbersome in her hands—instead, it moved with elegant precision.
"You sure talk big. But you crumble so easily." Wang Dong'er appeared at his side in a flash. Her axe borrowed momentum and swept across horizontally.
"..."
Tang San gritted his teeth, feeling the chilling air slicing at his waist. He finally summoned the Sea God's Trident, planting it in front of him to block the blow.
"Oh? Finally willing to use it?" Wang Dong'er licked her red lips, a trace of surprise flashing in her beautiful eyes. Her hands, however, didn't pause. She swung the signal axe horizontally and slapped its back with her palm.
"Pfft…"
Tang San spat out another mouthful of blood.
His body was blown back, leaving two long gouges across the metallic battle stage.
Half-kneeling on the ground, propped up by his divine weapon, his expression was one of disbelief—like he had seen a ghost.
"That's not your weapon… it's your Martial Soul?!"
He roared aloud.
Only now did he finally understand why the signal axe felt so strange—like a Martial Soul, yet with a sense of tangible form. It even… seemed somewhat related to his own Hao Tian Hammer.
This wretch—she smelted and reforged her own Martial Soul!
He could endure anything else, but this—this he could not forgive!
This act of Wang Dong'er had completely crossed his bottom line.
In his eyes, a Martial Soul is a sacred gift from one's parents. How could one dare to alter it at will?!!
And to forge it into such an ugly-ass axe!
Seriously…
Rage spread around Tang San like a storm.
"You could tell?" Wang Dong'er slightly furrowed her brows, glancing at Tang San in suspicion. As a spiritual blacksmith, upon reaching the ninth grade, she had earned the rare chance to forge her own Martial Soul.
And after forging, even many Titled Douluo wouldn't be able to discern it.
After all, it neared physical form, and even soul power detection would appear normal.
Only Xu Cheng, and a handful of others who knew the truth, were aware of it.
The girl narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly.
This Tang San… is not simple.
Should she kill him?
After all, the referees were all people of the Sun Moon Empire. A little advance notice and it could just be chalked up as an accidental death. No one would say much.
Her gaze toward Tang San became increasingly dangerous.
"Pfft!"
Tang San, enraged beyond reason, spat out more blood. His eyes locked onto Wang Dong'er, gradually turning ice-cold.
Just a tool, and yet she dared to modify her Martial Soul without permission. If Xiao Qi (Little Seven) were to return to this body someday—what then?!!
"You have no right to forge your Martial Soul…" Tang San said coldly.
In his eyes, the Hao Tian Hammer was a symbol of the Tang family's legacy.
But now, it had been altered—by a tool.
Tang San slowly straightened his back, his aura rising higher and higher.
"Is it that trident in his hand?" Meng Hongchen frowned slightly. The Sea God's Trident was held tightly in Tang San's grip, planted firmly on the ground, as pale blue ripples radiated outward from his feet.
"Probably," Ning Tian shrugged.
"But don't worry, I'm still here…"
As she spoke, she stepped forward.
Countless eyes turned to her.
Short-haired, efficient, with a delicate face. Though not as stunningly beautiful as the other girls, her aura was equally compelling.
"Who's that?"
"The current young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Supposedly one of the first to follow the Sun Moon Empire. Back during the academy exchange between Shrek and the Sun Moon Royal Academy, she took the chance to go to the Sun Moon Empire and secretly formed ties. Eventually, the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan moved to the Sun Moon Empire with full support…"
"Her face is so tender, like you could squeeze water from it."
"What are you thinking?! Keep staring and I'll gouge out your eyes. You think no one'll notice just because it's crowded?"
"I'm just curious… Wang Dong'er is already at the Titled Douluo level. What about this Ning Tian? Could she be peak Soul Sage? Everyone knows the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan just changed names, not their foundation. Otherwise, with their Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, they wouldn't be struggling to even guard their ancestors' fortune."
"She might actually be a Soul Sage. That level of support-type Soul Master would be enough to double Wang Dong'er's strength!"
"Heh, dragon versus tiger, this is gonna be fun."
"..."
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan?" Tang San wiped the blood from his lips, glancing indifferently at Ning Tian.
"It's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile…" Ning Tian replied word for word, seriously.
"Heh~" Tang San shook his head, a hint of disdain in his eyes.
Ten thousand years ago, Ning Rongrong's father, Ning Zhifeng, wanted her to bear Tang San's child and continue the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile bloodline. Rongrong had wished for it, but Tang San refused, using the excuse that a god could not linger too long in the mortal realm.
Later, from the heavens, he kept watch. Ning Zhifeng had changed the clan's name to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan—but it was just an empty shell. No true Nine Treasure bloodline had passed down. If it wasn't from his herbs hidden within the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, then this name would forever remain a joke.
"You can call it Nine Treasure if you want." Tang San waved his hand dismissively.
His gaze turned back to Wang Dong'er, expression gradually darkening:"I didn't take you seriously before, which let you become this way. In that case, today…"
He flipped his hand, the Sea God's Trident flashing with a chilling light as he moved it behind him.
"…let me teach you what it means to respect your elders!"
A terrifying pressure erupted from within him.
The entire arena felt like it had sunk into the deep sea—a thick, suffocating aura descended, and the goddesses within the arena grew visibly tense.
"He's something…" Meng Hongchen muttered.
"But not much." Wang Qiu'er twirled her Golden Dragon Spear, her beautiful eyes flashing with anticipation.
"This seems like a domain skill… and not just any domain—it's connected to divinity," Tang Ya said seriously.
Her eyes were fixed on the opponent.
She suspected… this man was Tang San!
The real Sea God Tang San!
"Dong'er can handle it." Wang Qiu'er said calmly.
Just as she finished speaking—
A shockwave blasted out from the arena's center, making the girls' long hair billow in the wind.
Wang Dong'er and Tang San clashed violently at the center of the field, every move deadly. Their figures moved so fast they blurred into blue streaks of lightning crashing into one another, the explosive force making every spectator tremble.
With a Titled Douluo's full strength, plus a divine weapon, the combat level had nearly reached that of a Super Douluo.
"Xiao Tian!!!"
Wang Dong'er's expression paled.
Even with her reforged Martial Soul, she was beginning to struggle under Tang San's full-force assault.
"Got it!" Ning Tian said quickly.
She tapped her toe lightly, ripples spreading across the ground like blooming lotus petals.
"Nine Treasures Glazed Tile—First: Power!"
"Second: Speed!"
"Third: Soul!"
"..."
"Seventh: Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda!"
"Eighth: Invincible Defense!"
As the final incantation fell—
The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda burst into brilliant light, rays landing on Wang Dong'er and shining amid the stunned expressions of countless spectators.
(End of this chapter)