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Elsewhere, amidst the boisterous crowd spectating the battle between Zao Wou-Ki and the Silver Wolf, stood an inconspicuous figure clad in black with an ordinary face.
He silently observed the intense struggle between the Silver Wolf and Zao Wou-Ki.
As the situation between Ye Lan and the Shrek team continued to escalate, the black-clad figure's fists would repeatedly tighten, then release, only to clench once more.
Evidently, the man in black was wrestling with a profound internal conflict, endlessly debating whether or not he should intervene.
This shadowy figure was none other than Tang San's guardian and father, Tang Hao.
Tang Hao had been enjoying a drink somewhere when the sudden eruption of combat between Zao Wou-Ki and the Silver Wolf captured his attention.
Concealing himself within the throng of onlookers, Tang Hao pieced together from the words of passersby that Ye Lan's bodyguard was a Spirit Douluo-level Holy Emperor Warrior.
His heart was profoundly shaken by this revelation!
Ye Lan was once just a commoner who might not have even graduated from Nuoding Academy, yet now he had a Spirit Douluo as a personal protector?
Could his so-called theories alone truly have garnered such significant attention from Spirit Hall?
Although Zao Wou-Ki was at a disadvantage, being consistently overpowered by the Silver Wolf, Tang Hao's brow furrowed as he looked at the fully armed combatant.
Without detonating his rings, he had absolutely no confidence in achieving a one-hit kill.
Furthermore, regardless of whether he could succeed in a single strike, the moment he made a move, it would inevitably attract the notice of Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo.
If Titled Douluo were to continuously come to Suotuo City to investigate, Xiao Wu's identity as a spirit beast would surely be exposed.
If he were careless for even a moment, what would happen if Xiao Wu was ambushed and taken?
That represented a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring and a hundred-thousand-year spirit bone!
And once Xiao Wu was exposed, the fact that Tang San was his son likely wouldn't remain a secret for much longer.
Tang Hao had no desire for Tang San to live a life perpetually on the run from Spirit Hall, just as he did.
In such a scenario, his son would have no stable environment in which to cultivate, and his grand plan for vengeance against Spirit Hall would be utterly consumed by flames.
Besides all this, the most critical point was this:
Tang Hao couldn't be certain whether Ye Lan had a Titled Douluo protecting him as well. A Spirit Douluo had already appeared, so the presence of a Titled Douluo was not outside the realm of possibility.
Thinking this, Tang Hao fully extended his perception, attempting to locate any nearby Titled Douluo.
After a long while, he was still unable to confirm the presence of any such expert. After all, if a hidden Titled Douluo was concealing themselves within the crowd just as he was, he would be completely unable to detect them.
Just like that, Tang Hao wrestled with his indecision, shadowboxing with hypotheticals in his mind.
When Tang Hao saw Zao Wou-Ki take the blame for what had happened that day, he gave a subtle nod of approval.
If what Tang San had done were to be exposed, Tang Hao would have been forced to intervene, no matter the consequences.
After all, Tang San was the very hope for his revenge against Spirit Hall!
It wasn't until the conflict between the Shrek Five Devils and the Heaven Dou First Team concluded, and the five devils had walked a fair distance away, that Tang Hao finally let out a sigh of relief.
His greatest fear was the presence of a nearby Titled Douluo; in that case, Xiao Wu could very well have been caught in the crossfire of the ensuing battle.
Although Tang Hao was confident he could seize Xiao Wu's spirit bone, the hundred-thousand-year spirit ring would be lost in the process.
After witnessing the day's clash involving a Spirit Douluo and the Shrek Five Devils, Tang Hao decided it was time to reveal his identity to that hundred-thousand-year-old rabbit spirit.
These past few months, the effort of finding a way to conceal Xiao Wu's aura had consumed a significant amount of his energy.
He no longer wanted to live in constant, heart-pounding fear that something might happen to Xiao Wu.
He had been so busy running around for Xiao Wu's sake lately that he had barely found any time to drink.
Before the main gates of Shrek Academy, Tang San, Xiao Wu, and their companions supported Dai Mubai and Zao Wou-Ki as they limped and stumbled down the main road.
Tang San's group was in a truly wretched state. Even Oscar, who was uninjured, was drenched in sweat from the exhaustion of creating so many sausages.
The villagers on both sides of the road, seeing the approaching Shrek contingent, scattered in every direction to avoid them.
As if fleeing from a plague, the villagers on Shrek Academy's main road vanished in an instant, leaving not a trace behind.
After the crowd dispersed, the group could faintly make out the gates of Shrek Academy in the distance.
A collective sigh of relief escaped them.
The oppressive feeling emanating from Ye Lan and that silver-armored Spirit Douluo had simply been too overwhelming.
Seeing the academy gave them a feeling of returning home, a strange and sudden sense of security.
Besides spotting the academy gates, Oscar also saw, from afar, the goddess of his dreams: Ning Rongrong.
A hint of excitement finally broke through the stubbled, exhausted expression on Oscar's face.
"Ning Rongrong!" Oscar shouted with exhilaration.
The sheer volume of his cry made Ma Hongjun's ears ache, and he shot Oscar a weary glare.
Even at a time like this, was Oscar still thinking about fawning over Ning Rongrong?
Ning Rongrong was Ye Lan's student, and the six of them had just been thoroughly disciplined by Ye Lan!
Hearing Oscar's shout, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong turned to look back at the Shrek Five Devils.
At that moment, the five of them presented a bizarre spectacle.
Xiao Wu, Tang San, and Dai Mubai all sported scorched, afro-style hairdos.
But what truly shocked Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong was the sight of Zao Wou-Ki's left shoulder—it was completely empty!
Ning Rongrong's expression changed slightly. "What happened to Teacher Zao? Where's his arm? Zhuqing and I were only gone for a little while, what kind of trouble did you all get into this time?"
Hearing Ning Rongrong accuse them of causing trouble, even though she was correct, Tang San only felt that she was mocking them. He retorted with resentment, "You have the nerve to ask what happened to Teacher Zao's arm? You should go and ask your precious teacher! Ask Ye Lan exactly what he did to Teacher Zao!"
"No, that's impossible!" Ning Rongrong said in disbelief. "Ye Lan isn't that kind of person! Tang San, you must be lying to me, right!?"
In Ning Rongrong's memory, Ye Lan was the angel who had pulled her up from the abyss.
How could he possibly have crippled Teacher Zao?
Xiao Wu snorted coldly. "And you call yourself a student of Shrek. Teacher Zao was crippled by Ye Lan, and you're still defending him!"
Ning Rongrong shouted back, "Ye Lan is my teacher!"
Zhu Zhuqing tightened her grip on Ning Rongrong's hand, comforting her. "Rongrong, trust our teacher! Even if he really did it, there's no way our teacher could be the one in the wrong!"
Ning Rongrong nodded forcefully.
Ye Lan was not like the five before her, who went around causing trouble and doing all sorts of misdeeds.
If it weren't for Zhuqing's massive number of fans, the Shrek Team would have absolutely been voted the most despised team in all of Suotuo City.
Seeing that he had failed to drive a wedge between Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Ye Lan, Tang San instantly lost interest.
Regardless, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was a martial soul he valued immensely.
At its current level of twenty, it already provided a thirty percent boost!
In another year or two, when Ning Rongrong reached level thirty, the enhancement would increase to forty percent across three attributes.
He considered that his own Eight Spider Lances only provided a fifty percent attack power bonus.
This was a treasure comparable to a hundred-thousand-year spirit bone, though of course, the most valuable aspect of the Eight Spider Lances to Tang San wasn't the attack bonus.
As this thought crossed his mind, Tang San licked the corner of his mouth.
Oscar heard Tang San telling only part of the truth to deceive Ning Rongrong.
He wanted to speak but hesitated, then remembered that he still had to make his way at Shrek Academy in the future; after all, he was just a commoner.
But Oscar couldn't stand to see Ning Rongrong unhappy. He gently set Dai Mubai down against a wall.
He then immediately retrieved an exquisite box of sweets from his spirit tool. With a broad smile, Oscar offered the box to Ning Rongrong, saying, "Ning Rongrong, these are some sweets I bought this morning. They're your favorite flavor. Go on, eat up!"
Ning Rongrong's already frayed nerves had just been soothed by Zhuqing, and now Oscar had to come and pester her.
Her mood, which had just started to improve, soured once again.
Bang!
The box of sweets was instantly swatted away.
"Oscar, just eat them yourself!" Ning Rongrong snapped impatiently.
Oscar didn't even glance at the discarded sweets; instead, his face was filled with apology.
He hadn't expected to make Ning Rongrong angry again.
After standing there sheepishly for a long time, Oscar noticed that Ning Rongrong wasn't pressing the matter further.
A flicker of joy ignited in Oscar's heart, and he quickly composed himself.
He believed that with his unwavering persistence, day after day for ten thousand years, he would sooner or later capture Rongrong's heart.
On the other side, Dai Mubai, who had been laid on the ground by Oscar, had a deathly pale complexion.
He realized that even with such grievous injuries, Zhu Zhuqing still hadn't spared him a single glance.
Dai Mubai's heart instantly filled with despair. Why was it like this?
Even Ma Hongjun and Oscar showed more concern for him than Zhu Zhuqing did.
Seeing that Ning Rongrong was terribly upset about the incident involving their teacher and Teacher Zao, Zhu Zhuqing offered some comfort. "Rongrong, isn't the most important thing that our teacher has come to Suotuo City?"
"Once we see him, we can just ask him and find out the specific reasons for what happened."
Ning Rongrong was instantly pulled from her dejection.
That's right!
The Ye Lan she had been longing for had finally returned!
After that day, Ning Rongrong had assumed that Zhu Zhuqing and Ye Lan were already together.
She had thought Ye Lan would stay in Suotuo City to be with Zhuqing, or perhaps Zhuqing would accompany Ye Lan to Heaven Dou City.
But the next day, she discovered that Ye Lan had left, and Zhuqing had stayed behind.
Completely puzzled, Ning Rongrong, after some careful and indirect questioning, finally understood that "sleeping together" did not necessarily mean two people would become a couple.
When Ning Rongrong learned the truth, she felt a secret delight in her heart.
Although she had pushed Ye Lan towards Zhuqing, the experience had also made Ning Rongrong understand her own heart.
It turned out her heart belonged to Ye Lan.
Having realized her feelings late, only to feel a sense of renewed hope, Ning Rongrong found that each day at Shrek Academy made her miss the days of training and bickering with Ye Lan even more.
With Ye Lan's arrival, the minds of the Shrek Seven Devils were filled with vastly different thoughts.
A demonic gust of wind swept by, and Zao Wou-Ki's expression suddenly changed.
One second, Tang San was still holding Xiao Wu's small hand.
The next second, Tang San felt Xiao Wu's hand seem to slip away.
Tang San whipped his head around. Xiao Wu, who had been right beside him, had vanished without a trace.
He frantically looked around, realizing that their group of eight was now only seven.
"Teacher Zao Wou-Ki, did you see Xiao Wu?" Tang San asked, his face turning deathly pale. "Why is Xiao Wu gone!"
Zao Wou-Ki, of course, knew that the dark figure was the Clear Sky Douluo, but Tang Hao had demanded he keep his identity a secret.
Therefore, Zao Wou-Ki couldn't tell Tang San the truth.
Feigning confusion, Zao Wou-Ki said, "Xiao Wu? Where'd she go? There was a whole Xiao Wu here just a moment ago!"
Hearing Tang San's anxious voice and seeing Zao Wou-Ki's bewildered expression, the others finally realized it too: Xiao Wu was missing!
A living, breathing person had suddenly disappeared.
Zhu Zhuqing tightened her grasp on Ning Rongrong's hand, afraid that she, too, might suddenly vanish.
Xiao Wu's abrupt disappearance was simply too horrifying.
Tang San's anxiety quickly spiraled into a complete breakdown, and he began to weep.
"Xiao Wu!!"
"Xiao Wu!!!"
As he cried out her name, the Eight Spider Lances burst through his clothes.
At this moment, the Eight Spider Lances were exceptionally dark, their black surface faintly tinged with a bloody hue.
Still crying out, Tang San began to crawl rapidly in the direction he believed Xiao Wu had disappeared, moving like a giant spider.
Ma Hongjun watched Tang San scuttle away like an arachnid before quickly turning to Zao Wou-Ki. "Teacher Zao, what do we do now?"
"I don't know either. Just help me back to the academy for now."
"Later, you all can go and ask Grandmaster. The former number one master of theory is bound to have some information," Zao Wou-Ki said with an air of indifference, knowing full well that Xiao Wu was safe.
Not far from Shrek Academy, Tang Hao, who had taken Xiao Wu, heard Tang San's cries as he sped along. He couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment. Part of his reason for suddenly taking Xiao Wu was to test her importance in Tang San's heart.
He didn't want his good intentions to backfire; it wouldn't be worth it if father and son became enemies over this.
Beyond that, Tang Hao wanted Tang San to get used to the feeling of losing Xiao Wu ahead of time, to desensitize him.
He didn't want Tang San to fall into a years-long stupor after losing Xiao Wu, just as he had.
However, the results of his test were very disappointing. He hadn't expected Tang San to react so poorly.
Without this rabbit spirit, it was as if his son was on the verge of death.
Despite his disappointment in Tang San, he was, after all, his son.
He had taken Xiao Wu precisely to help her completely eliminate the hidden danger she represented.
After bringing the unconscious Xiao Wu to a remote, dense forest, Tang Hao used his spirit power to rouse her.
As Xiao Wu slowly opened her eyes, she noticed that the spirit power of the black-clad man before her was incredibly profound.
Realizing the person who had captured her was a Titled Douluo, Xiao Wu's face filled with terror.
So, had her identity as a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast finally been exposed after all?
Third Brother, it seems I must go on ahead...
At the thought of having to leave her Third Brother, Xiao Wu's eyes turned red, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.
Tang Hao frowned upon seeing Xiao Wu cry.
"Who are you? Why did you bring me here?" Xiao Wu asked timidly.
"Me? I am a failure, and also Tang San's father, Tang Hao," he stated slowly.
"Tang San's father!?" Xiao Wu was incredulous.
She couldn't believe that Tang San's father, who had been missing for so many years, was actually a Titled Douluo!
"That's right. From a spirit master's perspective, I should raise you in captivity. Then, when Tang San needs it, I would kill you."
"By doing so, my son would have a hundred-thousand-year spirit bone and a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring!" Tang Hao declared.
Xiao Wu bit her lip and remained silent for a moment before saying, "So, are you here to take my spirit bone for Third Brother? If my spirit bone is for him, then I am willing!"
Hearing Xiao Wu's final monologue before her perceived death, Tang Hao was extremely satisfied.
Truly my son, he thought. He's charmed this rabbit spirit into a complete love-struck fool.
Tang Hao feigned reminiscence. "But from a husband's perspective, I am willing to give you a chance to be with Tang San."
"A husband's perspective?" Hearing Tang Hao say he would give her a chance to be with Tang San, the sorrow in Xiao Wu's eyes instantly transformed into joy.
"Indeed. Tang San's mother, my wife, was also a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast."
"She was so kind, so meticulous, so gentle," Tang Hao said, a look of fond remembrance appearing in his eyes as he thought of Ah Yin.
Within that memory, a hint of guilt and pain flickered across his face.
A moment later, Tang Hao's tone shifted.
"Because my wife was also a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast, I hold no prejudice against you. In my eyes, you are a living human, not a spirit beast!"
"Really? Am I truly human?" Xiao Wu asked, deeply moved.
All these years, the reason she had never dared to confess her feelings to Tang San was because she was a hundred-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit.
Humans and spirit beasts were, after all, not the same species.
"Of course. If you were a spirit beast, you would have already become a spirit bone by now," Tang Hao said with an air of righteousness.
"Yes! I am human!" For the first time, Xiao Wu felt a sense of genuine respect.
An almost imperceptible curve formed on Tang Hao's lips. He continued, "Xiao Wu, since you want to be with Tang San so much, why are you so irresponsible with yourself?"
"You should know that a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast in its 'infancy stage' cannot hide its identity from a Titled Douluo. Only a spirit beast in its 'maturity stage' can avoid being seen through, correct?"
"You must realize how dangerous it is to stay in Suotuo City, don't you?"
"Suotuo City isn't a small town like Nuoding. A Titled Douluo could arrive here any day."
"If you truly want to be with Tang San forever, you should have cultivated in the Star Dou Great Forest until you reached your 'maturity stage' before seeking him out."
"I..." Xiao Wu just wanted to stick by Tang San's side every day; she hadn't considered things so deeply.
Besides, she was afraid that if she left, Tang San might fall for someone else.
"You are fortunate that the first Titled Douluo you encountered was me, Tang San's father. If it had been any other Titled Douluo, you would have already been reduced to a pile of dust," Tang Hao continued.
Hearing his words, a warmth spread through Xiao Wu's heart.
Gathering her courage, Xiao Wu asked, "Can I really not stay by Third Brother's side anymore?"
Tang Hao didn't answer her question. Instead, he retrieved a thirty-thousand-year spirit bone from his spirit tool.
He looked at the spirit bone with a pained expression before handing it to Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu, this spirit bone comes from a Shadow Beast and is thirty thousand years old!"
"This spirit bone cost me a great deal of effort to obtain. Its ability is 'Breath Concealment'."
"'Breath Concealment' can hide a spirit master's spirit power, and most importantly, it can completely mask a person's aura."
Xiao Wu excitedly took the Shadow Beast's left arm bone.
With this spirit bone, she could be with her Third Brother every single day!
"Thank you, Uncle!"
"Still calling me Uncle?"
"Thank you, Father! I will take good care of Third Brother!" Xiao Wu exclaimed happily. Tang Hao nodded in satisfaction. Xiao Wu's heart was now firmly tied to Tang San.
Even if their feelings for each other were to change in the future, his hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor's red spirit ring was not just for show.
Xiao Wu would still be unable to escape his control.
"I'm entrusting Tang San to your care. You can head back to Shrek Academy on your own."
"If anyone asks, just say you don't know anything."
"That you just woke up and found yourself in the forest."
Xiao Wu nodded and then happily skipped and hopped back towards Shrek Academy.
On her way back, she ran into a sobbing Tang San, his face a mess of tears and snot.
When Tang San realized the figure ahead was actually Xiao Wu, he instantly sprinted towards her.
The two embraced tightly.
Tang San's tear ducts burst anew as he vowed, "Xiao Wu! Don't you ever leave me again, okay?"
"Okay, Third Brother! I'll never leave!" Xiao Wu hugged Tang San's head tightly.
At the Great Spirit Arena's restaurant, although the first floor had been heavily damaged by the battle between the Silver Wolf and Zao Wou-Ki, one should never underestimate the productivity of spirit masters on the Douluo Continent.
With enough money, the damaged restaurant was swiftly repaired by spirit masters until it was nearly as good as new.
The eight members of the Heaven Dou First Team were gathered on the top floor of the grand restaurant, though the Silver Wolf was not among them.
Ye Lan had strongly insisted that Uncle Wolf join them for their gathering, but the Silver Wolf ultimately declined the invitation, citing his old age as the reason.
At first, Ye Lan thought that Uncle Wolf genuinely felt a generation gap with them.
But when he discovered the Silver Wolf had gone on a date with an old flame, dark lines appeared on Ye Lan's forehead.
It seemed a woman was indeed the most important thing after all.
Inside the private dining room, the eight of them sat around a circular table.
Ye Lengleng and Dugu Yan sat on Ye Lan's left and right, respectively, while the other five were clustered together, engaged in a drinking contest.
Dugu Yan clung to Ye Lan's arm, her mind not on the food at all.
Instead, she was secretly watching what Lengleng was doing.
She observed Ye Lengleng, who had a placid expression, eating methodically, chewing slowly, and taking one bite after another.
Besides observing Ye Lengleng, Dugu Yan also served both her and Ye Lan food, all the while surreptitiously checking if the two of them were exchanging any glances.
After a long time, Dugu Yan failed to notice any interaction between them.
She was somewhat baffled.
Why were Ye Lengleng's and Ye Lan's hands clasped so tightly together just a moment ago?
Could it have been my imagination?
Impossible!
Although Dugu Yan wanted to have her idol, Ye Lan, all to herself, if the person who won him over was Ye Lengleng, she found she could somehow accept it.
In terms of appearance alone, Dugu Yan believed that only Ye Lengleng was a perfect match for her idol.
Ye Lengleng was also her best friend, and Dugu Yan knew her very well.
If her idol could be with Lengleng, the two of them would truly be a match made in heaven!
But this was all predicated on the assumption that Dugu Yan hadn't fantasized about being with Ye Lan herself.
Dugu Yan had never imagined a day when she would have to share Ye Lan with someone else.
Thus, the intimate gesture between Ye Lengleng and Ye Lan had caught Dugu Yan completely off guard.
Dugu Yan no longer knew how to handle her relationship with Ye Lengleng and Ye Lan.
She wasn't sure what Lengleng was thinking when she herself was being so close to Ye Lan.
Dugu Yan didn't want to lose Ye Lan, but she didn't want to lose Ye Lengleng either.
Just as Dugu Yan was wrestling with her internal conflict, a knock came from the door of the private room. The visitor was none other than the Heaven Dou First Team's leader, Qin Ming.
"Teacher Qin, you're finally here!" Yu Feng exclaimed in delight.
"The food is getting cold! Teacher, take my seat, I'll pour you a drink!"
Hearing this, Qin Ming was about to happily take the seat, but then he noticed the pale faces of Shi Mo, Shi Mo, and Yu Tianheng next to Yu Feng.
"How much have you all had to drink? Why do Shi Mo, Shi Mo, and Tianheng look so unwell?" Qin Ming asked curiously.
Hearing Teacher Qin's question, Ao Siluo recounted everything that had happened earlier in detail.
Initially, Qin Ming was pleasantly surprised to hear about junior students from his alma mater, Shrek Academy. But as Ao Siluo's story unfolded, his expression gradually turned grim. Qin Ming had never imagined that the junior students from his own academy could be so troublesome and arrogant, their behavior comparable to that of Heaven Dou's Prince Xue Beng!
Qin Ming had always viewed Shrek Academy through the nostalgic lens of an alumnus, but the injuries sustained by Shi Mo, Shi Mo, and Yu Tianheng made him feel immensely guilty for choosing Suotuo City as the final stop of their spirit duel tour.
He had originally intended to use this opportunity for the students of Shrek Academy to meet the geniuses of the Heaven Dou Empire, thereby broadening their horizons.
If not for Ye Lan's intervention, Qin Ming couldn't imagine what would have befallen the entire Heaven Dou team.
"Fine, just fine. Zao Wou-Ki, Zao Wou-Ki! What a piece of work!" Qin Ming said furiously. "Ye Lan did the right thing! If his arm wasn't crippled, he surely would never have learned his lesson!"
"As a Spirit Sage, he bullied those of a lower rank, picking on Spirit Honored ones. He was even willing to attack you for a spirit bone!"
Qin Ming couldn't understand how Shrek Academy had become like this; it wasn't this way when he was a student.
At this thought, Qin Ming felt a wave of disappointment.
Indeed, things change, and people change with them.
(End of Chapter)