At Shrek Academy's male dormitory, Tang San's room was situated right at the center, the prime position, reflecting his protagonist status and importance. On either side of his room were the dorms of Oscar and Dai Mubai, like loyal guardians. Ma Hongjun's dorm was located just behind Tang San's.
Every night, when Tang San had fallen asleep, a Hundred-thousand-year-old little rabbit would randomly appear in the dorms of Oscar, Ma Hongjun, or Dai Mubai to tease them.
Gradually, this had become a little secret only known to the three of them, a tacit understanding. Tang San was completely unaware.
This brings up a question: If Tang San didn't know, then did Tang Hao know?
The answer: Of course not!
Tang Hao made a rookie mistake. In his past life, he had carefully protected Tang San all the way to Shrek Academy. After confirming that Tang San was safe for the time being, Tang Hao left to take care of his own affairs (traveling across the continent to hammer the Spirit Hall, seeking to collect interest on past debts).
Perhaps because everything had gone too smoothly in the previous life—and with Tang San carrying the fortune of the Douluo Continent, it was unlikely for accidents to occur—Tang Hao in this life did not keep close tabs on Tang San and Xiao Wu. He would only appear when necessary to check in.
When Tang San joined Shrek Academy, Tang Hao had indeed returned to see him. But his purpose was simply to beat up Zhao Wuji—to stand up for his son under the guise of "teaching Zhao Wuji a lesson," while also venting the suffering he had endured in the past.
After this, Tang Hao left again, perfectly missing the ridiculous incident that occurred between Xiao Wu and Dai Mubai on their first night.
In the back mountain behind Saint Soul Village—lush and beautiful—there was a Water Curtain Cave, which welcomed two uninvited guests: Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue.
"This is the place where Tang Hao hid the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor soul bone and the seed of the Blue Silver Emperor's life?" Bibi Dong asked.
"Mother, to be precise, there should only be the right leg bone of the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor here," Qian Renxue replied, gazing at a clump of Blue Silver Grass with golden veins growing on a small mound. "That's a fake."
Thanks to the success of the Seven Shrek Monsters in the previous life, their legends—including those of Tang Hao, Ah Yin, and the Golden Iron Triangle—were widely spread and turned into well-known tales for people to sing praises about. As a result, the lives of Tang San and Tang Hao had been clearly documented (except for the exact location of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well).
Among those records was the detail that during a low point in Tang Hao's life, he stored Ah Yin's soul bone and the life seed in the Water Curtain Cave behind Saint Soul Village.
With such a clear location, how could Qian Renxue let it slip?
Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue searched around inside the Water Curtain Cave for a short while and eventually found a box. They opened it and discovered two soul bones: the hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone and the hundred-thousand-year Soft Bone Rabbit's right arm bone.
"The rabbit's soul bone is here too? What an unexpected bonus," Bibi Dong said with surprise. She, of course, recognized the old rabbit and had once reluctantly given that precious hundred-thousand-year soul ring to Tang Hao due to the rabbit's identity.
Qian Renxue was briefly stunned. "This solves the issue of the prize for the Soul Master Tournament in two years. Last time, it was our Spirit Hall that provided the reward and got taken advantage of. This time, let Tang San and his people offer the prize. With these two powerful soul bones, the soul master academies will definitely be motivated. It'll be a fierce tournament."
Bibi Dong took the two soul bones. Qian Renxue seemed to think of something and said, "Mother, keep a close eye on Dragon Duke and Serpent Woman. They have a granddaughter named Meng Yiran. When she goes to hunt for a soul beast, make sure to watch them closely. They'll encounter Tang San and compete for a Man-Faced Demon Spider. Just stay hidden and watch—you'll be surprised."
Bibi Dong nodded. "Understood."
To ensure Tang Hao realized Ah Yin was gone, Qian Renxue even went so far as to dig up the fake Blue Silver Emperor life seed before leaving.
A few days after Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue departed, a weathered figure arrived at the Water Curtain Cave. Raising his head to look at it, he remembered that Ah Yin's life seed should still be inside.
A soft look came over his aged face. "Ah Yin, our son is doing well. He's joined Shrek Academy now. Everything will return to its proper path. Two years from now, he'll lead the Shrek Team to defeat the Spirit Hall Team, then inherit your noble identity as the Blue Silver Emperor, go to the Slaughter City to inherit the Killing God Domain… Eventually, he'll ascend and destroy the evil Twin Gods of Spirit Hall. Our Tang family will rule the world, and you'll be revived. You'll fall in love with me again. That day… is not far off."
Tang Hao spoke excitedly, then leaped into the cave.
What met his eyes, however, was devastation.
The small mound had been partly dug up, and it told him one thing—Ah Yin was gone.
Tang Hao's heart suddenly sank. His eyes frantically searched around until they landed on an empty box. He stumbled toward it, picked it up—
It was empty.
Both soul bones he had prepared for Tang San were gone.
At this moment, how could Tang Hao not realize he'd been robbed?
"Ah Yin—! And my soul bones—!" Tang Hao roared in fury.
In the midst of his burning rage, he forced himself to calm down and tried to deduce who had taken the soul bones and life seed. This hadn't happened in his previous life.
Could it be…
The Spirit Hall?
Yes, that must be it. That damned Spirit Hall!
Tang Hao's eyes turned blood red. His breathing became erratic, like a raging bull. He summoned the Clear Sky Hammer, enveloped in a blood-red aura, and nine soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red—circled around him.
He couldn't hold back anymore. He would demand justice from the Spirit Hall. He would destroy all the branch halls outside Spirit City to pressure them into returning Ah Yin and the soul bones that were rightfully his.
Then, he suddenly thought of his sect. The Spirit Hall had become unreasonable. Those despicable people had long since forgotten the promise made between his grandfather and Qian Daoliu. They could attack the sect at any time.
Tang Hao was forced to calm down again. He clutched his head in anguish and said, "No… I can't drag the sect into this."
But where could he vent the anger in his heart?
All he could do was raise the Clear Sky Hammer and smash everything in sight, leveling the back mountain of Saint Soul Village to the ground.
The ground trembled violently. The villagers of Saint Soul Village thought an earthquake had struck and fled into their homes in terror.
After a bout of furious venting, the entire back mountain of the Holy Soul Village was flattened by Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer.
"Just you wait, Spirit Hall—" Tang Hao roared, eyes bloodshot and panting like an ox. "Spirit Hall, thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Don't bully a poor middle-aged man! Just you wait—when Xiao San becomes a god, it'll be the end of Spirit Hall!"
Having said this, Tang Hao turned and left the scene.