Chapter 193: Shrek's Collapse, Tang San Feels Capable Again
Impossible—absolutely impossible!
Ning Rongrong shook her head hard. Even if she looked somewhat similar to Bibi Dong, and Gu Chen shared the same Devouring Spider Emperor spirit as Bibi Dong, her father was Ning Fengzhi, and Gu Chen's father was Bone Douluo. They were completely different people, so there couldn't be any connection.
It must be—yes, it must be that Grandpa Bone had met some female soul master with the Devouring Spider Emperor spirit and fathered Gu Chen with her. That had to be the explanation!
"Rongrong. Rongrong!"
"Huh? Xiao Ao, what is it?"
Oscar's face was full of concern. "You look pale. Are you feeling unwell?"
Ning Rongrong shook her head and forced a smile. "No… no, I'm fine."
Just then, Flender returned with news: their scheduled opponents for this match had chosen to forfeit.
Everyone was delighted. Gu Chen, who had just come out of the dressing room in a fresh set of clothes, also looked up.
Dai Mubai said, "Looks like we can rest today. Since that's the case, why don't we try out the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill!"
"Seven-in-One Fusion Skill?"
Flender and Gu Chen were both confused.
Gu Chen glanced at Dai Mubai as though he were an idiot. Was this some kind of joke? A Seven-in-One fusion was something rarely seen in a hundred years. Usually, only martial spirits of nearly identical attributes—essentially the same type—had a slim chance of performing that top-level fusion skill with incalculable might.
Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong, however, were all well aware. In their previous life, they had pulled off this Seven-in-One Fusion multiple times, each instance shocking the entire crowd, overcoming numerous formidable foes.
"Xiao Dai, how do you intend to do a Seven-in-One Fusion Skill?"
Flender himself didn't know much about it. He had the Three-in-One Golden Holy Dragon with Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong. That was already enough to stand against a Titled Douluo for a few moves. If Heaven Dou Team Two really managed a Seven-in-One fusion, they could practically shout, 'The rest of you are fighting for second place!'
Dai Mubai gave a hearty laugh. "We have Oscar feed his soul power to Rongrong. Rongrong uses it as a base to activate her second soul skill, the Soul Power Amplification. Then we each in turn transfer our soul power forward, until all that power converges on the seventh person standing at the front. That completes the Seven-in-One Fusion Skill."
"And naturally, that seventh person would be our captain—namely you," he continued.
Dai Mubai had already made up his mind to rely on Gu Chen, so practicing the Seven-in-One fusion with Gu Chen as the seventh man—and thus the center of attention—was his way of showing goodwill.
Flender stroked his chin. "Xiao Dai, what's the principle behind this Seven-in-One Fusion? Typically, martial spirits and soul masters can't exchange soul power with each other unless their spirits are extremely compatible."
Dai Mubai froze briefly, then smiled. Honestly, he himself didn't know the principle; he was just following what Yu Xiaogang had once said—go about it in this manner, and success would follow.
"Let's try it out. If it fails, so be it. We don't have a match today, so we've got time. A test run can't hurt."
Star Dou Forest.
As he wandered the woods with Tang Hao, searching for a fourth soul ring for his Blue Silver Grass, Tang San had no idea that his siblings were gradually falling away from him.
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong were losing the fervent affection they had once buried inside, unable to express it openly.
In his previous life, Tang San's ability to capture Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing's hearts came from his unstoppable might—battle after battle won, his clever and composed strategies that turned the tide, controlling the field to triumph over stronger foes, plus his exceptional gifts, twin spirits, and handing out top-grade immortal herbs at no charge. Even when facing the Pope of Spirit Hall, a lofty figure, he remained neither arrogant nor servile.
But in this life, that unbeaten Tang San had lost for the first time at the Soto Great Spirit Arena—so badly he'd had his external spirit bone, Eight Spider Lances, ripped off. Then, during his stay at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, he'd let Gu Chen openly lust after Xiao Wu—his own beloved—yet had been utterly powerless. Whatever cunning or strategies he tried, Gu Chen beat him down every time. Tang San constantly wore a jealous green-hued anger on his head, eyes red, panting hard. No trace remained of the unstoppable, calm, resourceful genius who overcame the odds. He looked instead like a hapless clown—a vast contradiction from his past self.
Ultimately, the biggest blow was that Tang San's Blue Silver Grass martial spirit was ruined, stuck at rank 39, making him the laughingstock of Heaven Dou City.
The potent goodwill Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong had once felt toward Tang San's strength, reliability, and wisdom gradually fell away once it all collapsed.
Still, with Tang Hao's Title Douluo-level spiritual power, they found a 5,000-year Sunflower in the forest's outskirts in only half a day. That Sunflower possessed extremely vigorous life energy, vital enough to suit his Blue Silver Grass.
"Dad, we should look for a higher year count. I think I can handle a 7,000-year ring."
Normally, a soul master's fourth ring runs about 5,000 years. Tang San's 7,000-year one would be a huge leap surpassing typical expectations, but he still found it lacking. In his previous life, he'd forcibly absorbed a 10,000-year Ground Demon Spider for his fourth ring, shocking everyone at the Soul Master Tournament. Even Dugu Bo, who once didn't believe he could defeat Spirit Hall's representative team, had nurtured a slight hope upon seeing Tang San's 10,000-year fourth ring. Now, in this life, he could only take 7,000 years—and it felt humiliating, all because of evil Spirit Hall robbing him of his ice-fire body-refining immortal herbs!
If not for the grueling waterfall training from Tang Hao, and losing the Eight Spider Lances, Tang San might not even handle a 7,000-year ring.
Tang Hao nodded slightly. He had trained this genius son personally. If Tang San had the confidence for a 7,000-year ring, so did Tang Hao.
They searched further, and eventually father and son discovered a nearly 7,000-year matured "Rising Sun Flower." After killing it, Tang San absorbed the ring, taking half a day to complete the process. Initially, his Blue Silver Grass gave off that purple aura infused with the Man-Faced Demon Spider's poison, but with this fourth ring, it reverted to blue.
Tang Hao asked, "Xiao San, what's your fourth soul skill?"
"Dad, it's a healing-type skill, sort of like Nineheart Begonia. By consuming some of my own soul power, I can heal injuries."
Tang San lowered his gaze. "But it seems my Blue Silver Grass poison has been largely nullified by this fourth ring. My first three soul skills are much weaker than before, nearly half-wasted now."
Tang Hao gave a quiet sigh, unwilling to say more. Even if he tried to blame everything on Yu Xiaogang, whenever the topic came up, he'd inevitably share some of that guilt himself.
"All right, let's head back. But if we return to Heaven Dou City right now, you'll probably miss the rest of the prelims."
"Don't worry, Father. Individual matches are where I really shine. I have a plan to bring down Qian Renchuan and exalt the Clear Sky name."
Tang San's plan involved his Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer method. Even with no spirit bone from Xiao Wu to help him move around, he could still spin in place.
Gu Chen might be able to interrupt it with his Bone Prison, but what could Qian Renchuan's Blue Silver Grass leaves do to stop him? Once he finished building up force, just as he once hammered Qian Renxue into the ground, he would likewise smash Qian Renchuan to bits!
Let that Gu Chen enjoy his moment. By the time Tang San added rings to the Clear Sky Hammer, every bone in Gu Chen's body would soon be in fragments!
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