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"And what are you going to do about it?" Tang San asked, unfazed by Yu Tianheng's questioning tone.
"Since you want to stand up for those two, then you will get on your knees and give me three loud kowtows. After you've done that, I will let this matter go!" Yu Tianheng declared.
Upon hearing Yu Tianheng's demand, Tang San felt as though he had been gravely insulted! Aside from his master and his father, no one could make him kneel and admit fault.
Since you refuse to be reasonable and insist on pressing your advantage, don't blame me for being merciless.
Tang San's expression turned grim. With a subtle flick of his wrist, several Bone-Penetrating Needles shot out instantly.
Shi Mo noticed the dangerous shift in Tang San's demeanor and immediately sensed that Yu Tianheng was in danger! The very instant Tang San launched his hidden weapons, Shi Mo lunged forward, positioning his body in front of Yu Tianheng.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The moment the Bone-Penetrating Needles struck him, Shi Mo staggered back, colliding with Yu Tianheng. Yu Tianheng immediately braced himself, absorbing the force to steady Shi Mo.
"Brother!" Shi Mu cried out anxiously upon seeing his brother get injured.
Yu Tianheng looked closely at Shi Mo and saw several bleeding holes in his arms. The hidden weapons were buried deep within the wounds, and fresh blood flowed out ceaselessly.
After undergoing Ye Lan's hellish training, Shi Mo's pain tolerance and defensive capabilities had improved immensely! Although he didn't have time to summon his Xuanwu Turtle Shield, the hardness of his arms, reinforced by his Spirit Power, had managed to withstand the initial burst of the Bone-Penetrating Needles. The needles had failed to pierce through his arms and enter his torso.
Gritting his teeth, Shi Mo used his Spirit Power to force the needles out of his flesh. The Bone-Penetrating Needles clattered onto the floor with a series of sharp clinks. Shi Mo then immediately summoned his Xuanwu Turtle Spirit Avatar, tensing his muscles to stanch the bleeding.
"Captain, I'm fine. You must be extremely careful of this person's hidden weapons. He is definitely a treacherous viper."
Seeing that his brother was not seriously harmed, the heavy weight in Shi Mu's heart finally lifted.
"Third Brother, are you okay?" Xiao Wu, in a flash of pink Spirit Power, appeared at Tang San's side.
Tang San shook his head, looking with a hint of regret at the burly man who had blocked his Bone-Penetrating Needles. If not for that man's interference, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit Master would have been either crippled or severely injured.
Yu Tianheng stared at the long, black needles on the floor. He couldn't imagine what the consequences would have been if Shi Mo hadn't blocked them for him, what would have happened if those needles had pierced his own body!
"You brat, you're courting death!!" Yu Tianheng was thoroughly enraged.
He had originally intended only to teach these troublemakers a lesson, but he never expected them to resort to lethal force! Completely incensed, Yu Tianheng charged towards Tang San and Xiao Wu with incredible speed.
His dragon claw became a blur of blue afterimages, each one wreathed in thick bolts of lightning. He closed the distance in an instant and struck forward. In his fury, Yu Tianheng didn't care if his opponent was a female Spirit Master; anyone who was an enemy would be struck down!
Faced with the overwhelming presence of the blue figure in close combat, Xiao Wu's first instinct was to use her third Spirit Ability, 'Teleportation', to dodge. However, her Third Brother was right beside her. If she teleported away, her brother would be the one to take the hit!
In that moment of hesitation, Xiao Wu raised her arms in an attempt to block Yu Tianheng's rage-fueled blow. Tang San saw Xiao Wu move to shield him from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit Master's attack, and his heart sank. He had sworn that day to never let Xiao Wu get hurt again. He could have used his 'Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track' to evade Yu Tianheng's attack, but in order to protect Xiao Wu, he made a different choice.
Tang San's hands turned a jade-like color as he stepped in front of Xiao Wu, directly confronting the lightning-wreathed afterimage.
BANG!
The Mysterious Jade Hand and the Thunderous Dragon Claw collided violently. Tang San had believed his Mysterious Jade Hand could defend against the attack! However, an immense force erupted from the point of impact. The Thunderous Dragon Claw, along with his own hands, slammed into his chest.
Although his Mysterious Jade Hands were unharmed, Yu Tianheng's Spirit Power was a full seven ranks higher than his! Furthermore, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was a top-tier Power Attack System Spirit. Tang San was simply unable to nullify the ferocious impact of Yu Tianheng's enraged strike.
The moment the force exploded against his chest, Tang San was thrown back into Xiao Wu's arms. The two were sent flying, but what Tang San found most troublesome was not the explosive power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit Elder. It was the thick bolts of lightning, which clung to him like a persistent specter. As he and Xiao Wu flew backward, they were completely unable to shake off the lightning from the 'Thunderous Dragon Claw'.
"Aaargh! Aaaaaargh!"
"Ah! Third Brother!!"
Tang San and Xiao Wu cried out in agony as the electricity coursed through them. Xiao Wu desperately clung to Tang San, seeking some small measure of security. Tang San tried to push her away, but he had no leverage. And so, the two of them were forced to endure the full, unabated power of Yu Tianheng's Thunderous Dragon Claw.
Paralyzed, they crashed through a dozen tables before landing in a heap on the floor, motionless. Arcs of electricity still danced across their bodies, crackling audibly. The Spirit Masters whose tables had been overturned did not show any anger. Instead, they looked thrilled and began to cheer loudly.
"A good hit!!"
"Don't be fooled by how plain that short guy looks. That pair is the most insidious of the five."
"If one of them gets hurt, the other goes berserk and uses some unknown hidden weapons to launch a sneak attack!"
"Any Spirit Master hit by those hidden weapons can't expect to recover for several months."
"For those few months, Spirit Masters can't even rely on Spirit Fights to support their families!"
Some of the gossips began to explain the Shrek Five's misdeeds to those who were unaware.
"And that red-haired fatty, he's a pervert reincarnated. Any woman who comes within a few hundred meters of him isn't safe."
The people had suffered under the Shrek Five for a long time! To the Spirit Elders, Grand Spirit Masters, and Spirit Masters of Suotuo City, seeing the Shrek Five get taught a lesson by a new team was no less joyous than a festival.
Lying on the ground, Tang San felt a pain far greater than the agony radiating from every cell in his body. It was the pain of their words, each one a needle piercing his heart. He wanted to destroy everyone and everything in this place!
Just as Tang San was about to lose control completely, a burly man with an incredibly powerful spirit pressure appeared before him in an instant.
"Little San? What happened? Are you alright?" Zao Wou-Ki asked with concern, looking at Tang San's hate-filled face. He had been entrusted by the Clear Sky Douluo to look after Tang San. If anything truly happened to him, Zao Wou-Ki would be in deep trouble.
Tang San, who had been on the verge of a murderous rampage, instantly regained his clarity. Even setting aside the question of whether he could kill everyone here, he wouldn't be able to get out of Suotuo City even if he did. Spirit Hall's supervision over Spirit Masters in various regions was extremely strict. If a Spirit Master committed malicious murder, they would be immediately classified as an Evil Spirit Master by Spirit Hall. Once he was branded an Evil Spirit Master, he would no longer be facing Grand Spirit Masters and Spirit Elders, but targeted elimination by Spirit Masters at the Spirit Saint level and above.
Fortunately, with Zao Wou-Ki here to back him up, Tang San planned to reclaim every ounce of the humiliation he had just suffered. He glanced at Xiao Wu, who was whimpering in pain beside him, and immediately used his Mysterious Heaven Skill to check her injuries. After assessing her condition, a wave of relief washed over him. He had absorbed most of the lightning, and Xiao Wu had not suffered any serious internal injuries.
But anyone who harmed Xiao Wu deserved to die!
"Teacher Zhao, don't let a single one of them from that team in the blue and white uniforms get away! You must make them understand what a painful lesson truly is!" Tang San's eyes burned with resentment.
Hearing this, a violent shockwave of golden Spirit Power erupted from Zao Wou-Ki's body. Yu Tianheng, Shi Mo, and Shi Mu were instantly sent flying by the blast.
"Yu Tianheng! Shi Mo! Shi Mu!" The members of the Imperial Fight Team immediately rushed to catch the three who had been blasted by the golden shockwave. Ye Leng Leng, who was about to go treat Shi Mo, immediately turned back towards Yu Tianheng's group. A Nine-Heart Flowering Crabapple, with petals of pink and white, appeared in her palm. A purple spirit ring flashed around her, and petals drifted down onto the three of them. In just a moment, the deathly pallor of their faces was replaced with a healthy color.
Seeing the miserable state of Yu Tianheng, Shi Mo, and Shi Mu, Dugu Yan was overcome with rage. She strode directly in front of Zao Wou-Ki and challenged him, "This is a conflict between Spirit Elders and Grand Spirit Masters. As a Spirit Saint, for you to interfere, how shameless can you be?"
Zao Wou-Ki said dismissively, "Who do you think you are, little girl, to lecture your Grandpa Zhao? On the Douluo Continent, strength reigns supreme! You'd better show some respect, you little Spirit Elder."
"Hah! Have Spirit Saints become this arrogant these days?" Dugu Yan sneered.
Zao Wou-Ki had already noticed that the masked, blue-haired girl in this group possessed a remarkable Spirit—the Nine-Heart Flowering Crabapple! From that alone, he knew these people had extraordinary backgrounds.
"And who are you?" Zao Wou-Ki asked.
"You don't need to know who I am. You only need to know that my grandfather is Dugu Bo," Dugu Yan stated.
The Poison Douluo?
Zao Wou-Ki's heart skipped a beat. These brats were really good at finding trouble. Of all the people to provoke, they had to provoke someone connected to the Poison Douluo? How many people in Shrek Academy could withstand Dugu Bo's retaliation?
Although Zao Wou-Ki was terrified of Dugu Bo's vengeance, Tang San was the son of the Clear Sky Douluo. Steeling himself, Zao Wou-Ki said, "So what if you're Dugu Bo's granddaughter? He's not here right now. If you want this to end with any room for reconciliation, I suggest you take your people and leave immediately."
"Leave? Neither that red-haired fatty nor that blond pretty boy has apologized to me. None of you are going anywhere!" Dugu Yan retorted.
"Shrek Academy does not have a tradition of admitting fault. An apology is out of the question," Zao Wou-Ki said, standing protectively in front of the Shrek Five.
Seeing Zao Wou-Ki's towering figure, a warmth spread through Ma Hongjun's and Dai Mubai's hearts, and they felt proud to be students of Shrek Academy.
Dugu Yan turned her mocking gaze to Tang San, who was behind Zao Wou-Ki. "Can't beat Yu Tianheng, so you hide behind a Spirit Saint? What happened to all that ferocity from your sneak attack earlier?"
Tang San replied indifferently, "Against people like you, hidden weapons are exactly what's called for! When used for a just cause, they are just. There's no such thing as a sneak attack."
"Tch, a group of people three times more disgusting than Xue Beng actually has the nerve to talk about a just cause," Dugu Yan said with revulsion.
Tang San's face showed his displeasure. He looked up at Zao Wou-Ki, wondering why he hadn't made a move yet.
Zao Wou-Ki used a Spirit Power sound transmission, "Little San, you've really kicked an iron plate this time. That girl's grandfather is Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo. His combat power among Titled Douluo isn't the highest, but for anyone below that rank, he is an absolute nightmare. Even a small city of over a hundred thousand people couldn't survive a single night of his poison, let alone Shrek Academy! We cannot withstand his retaliation! So, we can't touch these people! She's a porcupine, untouchable."
Tang San clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms. Although Zao Wou-Ki had already heavily injured the three leaders of the opposing team, Tang San felt it wasn't nearly enough to vent his anger! And now Zao Wou-Ki was telling him these people were protected by a Titled Douluo, and he couldn't retaliate. Tang San felt a suffocating pressure in his chest, an unbearable frustration.
After communicating with Tang San, Zao Wou-Ki said to Dugu Yan, "Since you're not leaving, then we will."
With that, Zao Wou-Ki prepared to leave with the Shrek Five.
"Did I say you could leave? Zao Wou-Ki," a voice called out.
Zao Wou-Ki heard the voice and found it somewhat familiar.
"Captain Ye!"
"Captain Ye!"
"Captain Ye!"
The members of the Imperial Fight Team saw that the newcomer was Ye Lan and became instantly excited! Ye Lan was their pillar of strength!
"Idol! You're finally here! It's been so long!" Dugu Yan threw herself into Ye Lan's arms. She looked up at him with an expectant gaze, her eyes sparkling like stars, as if Ye Lan could solve any problem, even against a Spirit Saint!
Feeling the soft pressure against his chest and seeing Dugu Yan's expectant eyes, Ye Lan felt a bit helpless. Yanyan doesn't actually think I can deal with Zao Wou-Ki, does she?
Besides Dugu Yan, Ye Lan also saw the worried look in Ye Leng Leng's eyes from behind her black veil. Ye Lan gave Ye Leng Leng a reassuring glance.
On the other side, Xiao Wu, who had been somewhat dazed from the electric shock, instantly regained her focus when she saw Ye Lan. She pointed a finger at him and stammered, "Third Brother! Ye... Ye Lan!"
Tang San looked at Xiao Wu with a pained heart. She seemed to be having a traumatic reaction to seeing Ye Lan. Had Ye Lan really become that terrifying to her?
When Zao Wou-Ki confirmed that the newcomer was indeed Ye Lan, he scoffed, "Brat, you're telling me I can't leave? I'll leave whenever and however I please!" The current Zao Wou-Ki was not like when he attacked Ye Lan before, unable to use his Spirit. Zao Wou-Ki, with his Spirit and Spirit Abilities at his disposal, didn't give Ye Lan a second thought. So what if you're the continent's number one theoretical master, the 'Scholar'? Aren't you still just a little Grand Spirit Master? Why should I, the Spirit Saint Zao Wou-Ki, listen to you?
An annoyed look crossed Ye Lan's face. He called out, "Uncle Wolf! Teach him what respect is!"
As soon as Ye Lan finished speaking, a fully armed, silver figure clad in heavy plate armor shot out from the shadows directly at Zao Wou-Ki.
Zao Wou-Ki was shocked; he hadn't expected someone else to be present and had completely failed to detect the person in the shadows. Zao Wou-Ki looked at the giant, silver meteor.
Not good! It's that Sacred Imperial Warrior from that day!
This person is Ye Lan's personal bodyguard?
So that day was no coincidence at all. Ye Lan has a Spirit Douluo-level Sacred Imperial Warrior protecting him around the clock. Just who in Spirit Hall is Ye Lan?
Countless theories flashed through Zao Wou-Ki's mind, but he had no time to ponder them. He immediately summoned his Spirit Avatar: Vigorous Vajra Bear! Zao Wou-Ki instantly transformed into a five-meter-tall brown bear! This bear was different from the Bloodthirsty Demon Bear Ye Lan had seen; its muscles were more defined, and its thick, brown fur could not hide their powerful contours.
The moment Zao Wou-Ki transformed, he broke straight through the tavern's wooden ceiling. The numerous Spirit Masters who had been watching the spectacle realized a battle of the Spirit Saint level or higher was about to erupt. They scrambled towards the tavern entrance, instantly congesting the wide doorway. Some of the quicker-witted ones simply smashed through the windows to escape.
Meanwhile, Zao Wou-Ki, having activated his Spirit Avatar, had no time to use a Spirit Ability to restrict Silver Wolf! The giant silver meteor was simply too fast! In the blink of an eye, it slammed into the Vigorous Vajra Bear's abdomen. A violent burst of silver Spirit Power exploded from Zao Wou-Ki's chest.
Although the Vigorous Vajra Bear was much larger than Silver Wolf, in the world of Spirit Masters, size is not the deciding factor! The massive Vigorous Vajra Bear was sent flying by the impact, hurtling backward uncontrollably.
BOOM!
Countless red wooden planks and splinters flew everywhere, scattering across the street along with the Vigorous Vajra Bear's body. The bear was instantly knocked out of the tavern. Zao Wou-Ki clutched his chest, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Fortunately, he had activated his Spirit Avatar in time; otherwise, this impact would have severely injured him again, just like last time.
The Shrek Five watched as the five-meter-tall Vigorous Vajra Bear was sent flying like a giant rag doll. Fear filled their eyes. Although they often joked around with Zao Wou-Ki, they knew his strength was formidable even among Spirit Saints. The invincible Zao Wou-Ki in their eyes had been instantly sent flying by a helper Ye Lan had called upon?!
Tang San stared at Silver Wolf's fully-equipped, heavy silver knight armor and the terrifying pressure he exuded. He didn't dare to even twitch his wrist. He knew that if he made a move, he would really die! Damn you, Ye Lan! Who is this person to him? Why does he help Ye Lan time and time again?? Tang San was filled with resentment but remained rooted to the spot.
After seeing Zao Wou-Ki get injured, Xiao Wu immediately started to run towards him. After just a few steps, her hand was grabbed. She turned to see it was her Third Brother. Tang San silently shook his head. If Xiao Wu ran over there, she would definitely be caught in the crossfire of the ensuing battle.
"But..." Xiao Wu said anxiously.
"Be good, Xiao Wu," Tang San said firmly. Anyone here could die, but Xiao Wu could not be harmed. Xiao Wu silently lowered her head and moved to stand behind Tang San.
On the other side, Zao Wou-Ki had barely caught his breath when the silver meteor that terrified him came charging at him again. This time, Zao Wou-Ki had time to release his Spirit Abilities. A purple and a black spirit ring flashed around him.
Zao Wou-Ki bellowed, "Gravity Mire! Gravity Squeeze!"
The charging silver meteor was instantly affected by the change in gravity, and its speed dropped by several degrees. Silver Wolf felt an incredible weight on his body, made even heavier by his armor. As his speed decreased, an immense force assaulted him from all directions. It felt as if space itself was crushing him, making it difficult for him to breathe.
Eight spirit rings rose slowly from under Silver Wolf's feet: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black! A perfect spirit ring configuration!
Silver Wolf's seventh spirit ring, a black one, flashed, and he shouted, "Moon Shadow!"
Silver Wolf instantly transformed into a beam of moonlight, which stretched into a thin line. In the next moment, he flickered out of the line of light, reappearing instantly in front of the Vigorous Vajra Bear.
"Moon Blade!"
A shadow of the moon appeared above Silver Wolf's head. It radiated a cold, white moonlight. Zao Wou-Ki, seeing the moon in broad daylight, was momentarily dazed. But he had no time to appreciate the full moon's brilliance. The next moment, countless moon blades shot out from it. In just a few seconds, hundreds of moon blades rained down on Zao Wou-Ki's massive body, which had become a living target.
In an instant, blood flew from Zao Wou-Ki's body. Each moon blade left a bloody gash, and countless streams of blood splattered across the street. At that moment, Zao Wou-Ki felt as if he were being sliced by a thousand cuts. But he had not yet lost the will to fight. The Vigorous Vajra Bear's pupils turned blood-red. His seventh black spirit ring lit up, and a violent golden Spirit Power gathered in his mouth.
In the next second, a golden energy wave shot out from his mouth.
Silver Wolf frowned as he saw the golden energy wave. He could easily dodge it, but Ye Lan and the others were behind him. Silver Wolf's fifth spirit ring, a black one, lit up. The full moon above his head instantly transformed into a round, moon-colored shield, directly blocking the path of the incoming golden energy wave.
Although Zao Wou-Ki's golden energy wave looked spectacular, when the magnificent blast hit the moon shield, it failed to cause even the slightest ripple. After all, Silver Wolf was a high-ranking Spirit Douluo and a Sacred Imperial Warrior skilled in combat. While Zao Wou-Ki could fight above his rank, Silver Wolf's ability to do so was no less impressive. The power jump from Spirit Saint to Spirit Douluo wasn't as exaggerated as the jump from Spirit Emperor to Spirit Saint, but it was comparable to the leap from Spirit Ancestor to Spirit Emperor. There was no way Zao Wou-Ki could fight back when challenging a Spirit Douluo of Silver Wolf's caliber.
After ten seconds, Zao Wou-Ki's Spirit Power could no longer sustain his Spirit Avatar. He reverted from the Vigorous Vajra Bear back to a burly man, lying on the ground and gasping for breath. Xiao Wu, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and the others could not bear to watch any longer and immediately ran to Zao Wou-Ki's side to treat his wounds.
Ye Lan waved his hand at Silver Wolf, signaling him to stop. Since Silver Wolf had already settled the score for Yu Tianheng, Shi Mo, and Shi Mu, the matter could be considered closed.
Just as Ye Lan thought the incident was over and was about to check on his three teammates' injuries, Silver Wolf sent him a Spirit Power transmission: "Little Lan, if I'm not mistaken, this man is the same mysterious Spirit Saint who attacked you that day!"
"What?! Are you sure?" Ye Lan exclaimed aloud.
"Ye Lan, sure about what?" Ye Leng Leng asked.
Ye Lan replied, "You'll know in a moment. It seems old enemies are destined to cross paths!"
Silver Wolf continued his transmission: "Little Lan, I'm almost certain! When he summoned his Spirit Avatar, I found it somewhat familiar. But when he used his seventh Spirit Ability, the glow of that golden Spirit Power and the fluctuations from his body... my intuition tells me he is undoubtedly the Spirit Saint from that day!"
"Good," Ye Lan said. "In that case, this matter cannot be settled so easily."
(End of Chapter)