He was supposed to be the chief steward of the Asura God Temple in the Divine Realm, serving both the Lord and Lady. Suddenly, the world collapsed around him—Tang San felt as if he were falling into utter darkness.
Tang San's hazy consciousness gradually returned.
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Salas. Tang San immediately became alert.
Salas patted Tang San's shoulder and said gently, "Child, don't worry, we're not here to harm you. We were late, and you've suffered because of it. But rest assured, the one who tried to kill you—Shi Nian—has already been brought to justice. The crimes he committed will be judged fairly by the Spirit Hall."
In that moment, Tang San seemed to see a radiant light of justice enveloping Salas.
The next second, Tang San shook his head and thought, What am I thinking? Spirit Hall is the enemy of this life of mine.
Then, from the name "Shi Nian," he suddenly realized his recent predicament.
He had just been trapped in an illusion created by Shi Nian, and lived through a life of pain.
In that illusion, he had watched Yu Tianheng pull the Asura Sword from Xiao Wu's chest. He had watched Yu Tianheng steal everything that belonged to him—Xiao Wu's love, the Asura God position, and even his life.
All the soul power Tang San had cultivated with immense effort was turned into the very foundation that helped that dog Yu Tianheng ascend to godhood.
But that wasn't the worst part.
After becoming a god, Yu Tianheng even resurrected him just to humiliate him—turning him into a eunuch, a chief eunuch no less—and even made him a part of their "kinky play."
Tang San's eyes instantly turned red, his breathing heavy like an enraged bull.
Shi Nian! You dared to trap me in such a humiliating illusion—you've chosen the path to death!
He looked up at Salas and said, "Bishop Salas, I want to personally kill Shi Nian. May I?"
Salas shook his head. "Shi Nian has already been handed over to the Spirit Hall's judiciary. He will receive a fair judgment. If you still feel unsatisfied, you're welcome to attend the public trial yourself."
Tang San fell silent. If he couldn't kill him himself, then there was no point in staying.
He turned and left, returning to the Shrek Academy lodgings.
Everything seemed unchanged, but when Tang San saw Yu Tianheng, he instantly froze, almost obsessed.
In the illusion, a phrase kept echoing in his mind: Xiao Wu is the sheath of the Asura Sword. To have Xiao Wu is to earn the Asura God's trial.
That sentence was now deeply rooted in his consciousness.
It was him—Yu Tianheng! That damned bastard who stole Xiao Wu's love from me with sweet words and took away my rightful Asura Godhood!
No! Xiao Wu belongs to me! The Asura Godhood belongs to me! I must prove to Xiao Wu that I'm better than Yu Tianheng. I will make her fall in love with me!
The Spirit Hall convened a public trial for Shi Nian. His crimes went far beyond just the attempted murder of Tang San. During the tournament, three other academy geniuses had also died at Shi Nian's hands.
Salas presided over the trial. Ning Fengzhi, Huo Qiqiang, Yu Xiaomen, and others were present as observers.
The verdict was announced: Shi Nian was sentenced to death by hanging, to be carried out immediately.
And so, Shi Nian died on the gallows.
At the trial scene, Tang San watched Shi Nian take his final breath, but still felt no relief—because he hadn't ended Shi Nian's life with his own hands.
With venom in his eyes, Tang San muttered, "Shi Nian, after you subjected me to such humiliation, do you think death is the end? I'll remember this debt.
Once I win Xiao Wu's heart, once I pull out the Asura Sword and ascend to godhood, I'll resurrect you from hell—and return every bit of that humiliation a hundredfold, a thousandfold!"
While handling Shi Nian's body, the executioner discovered a gem-like head-type soul bone, which he presented to Salas. Salas examined the crystal soul bone with interest.
This gem-like soul bone immediately caught Ning Fengzhi's eye—it was a ten-thousand-year soul bone especially well-suited to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda martial spirit. Ning Fengzhi instantly thought of his daughter Ning Rongrong.
So he offered, "Bishop Salas, may I purchase this soul bone? We can negotiate a price."
He also gave Salas a subtle look—Whatever cut you want, I'll make it worth your while.
Salas stroked his beard and responded righteously, "Sect Master Ning, this soul bone belongs to the Spirit Hall. Its true ownership will be determined by the current Pope. I, Salas, cannot overstep my bounds. If you wish to acquire it, you'll have to speak with the Pope directly."
Ning Fengzhi: "…"
After the trial, Ning Fengzhi left a bit annoyed. He couldn't help but think, If only I had captured Shi Nian myself, Rongrong would already have a head-type soul bone. With it, her chances of evolving from the Seven Treasures to the Eight Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda would increase significantly…
Gu Rong, seeing no one around, quietly approached and said, "Sect Master, I have a suggestion."
"What is it?" asked Ning Fengzhi.
"Salas will send someone to deliver that soul bone. Why don't we intercept it en route?" Gu Rong suggested, his eyes flashing coldly—clearly not unfamiliar with such tactics.
But Ning Fengzhi looked at Gu Rong, noting his missing arm, and shook his head.
"Uncle Gu, this would be too risky. Even if we obtain the soul bone, once Rongrong uses it, everyone would know we stole from Spirit Hall. That would put the entire Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect at the forefront of the battle against Spirit Hall."
Ning Fengzhi wanted to form a united front to counter Spirit Hall—not throw his sect directly into conflict.
"You're right, Sect Master. I was too reckless," Gu Rong quickly conceded.
Ning Fengzhi clasped his hands behind his back and strolled calmly through the marketplace. Suddenly, he saw someone in the crowd—
It was Tang San, walking hurriedly with his head down.
"That's Tang San," Ning Fengzhi said.
Though Tang San's performance in this year's tournament wasn't outstanding, his twin martial spirits still made him a talent worth watching. Ning Fengzhi gave Gu Rong a glance. Gu Rong understood instantly and disappeared. A short while later, he returned with Tang San.
Tang San stood before Ning Fengzhi, looking visibly depressed.
Ning Fengzhi gently said, "Ah San, you seem down. Is it because of setbacks during the tournament?"
Adopting the tone of an elder, he comforted Tang San:
"You don't need to dwell on the matches. You have twin martial spirits, which means your potential far exceeds others. With your Clear Sky Hammer, you can even surpass your father—and perhaps your great-grandfather. Don't be discouraged by temporary failures."
Twin martial spirits? So what? I still can't win Xiao Wu's heart or her love, Tang San thought gloomily. He forced a smile and replied with fake cheer
"Thank you for your encouragement, Uncle Ning. But may I ask—did you seek me out for something?"
"Tang San, I have something to discuss with you. Could you come with me for a moment?" said Ning Fengzhi.
"Alright," Tang San nodded, already vaguely guessing Ning Fengzhi's intentions.
Ning Fengzhi brought Tang San to a teahouse, where a young man awaited them.
The youth turned his gaze to Tang San. "So this is the Brother Tang San that Uncle Ning speaks so highly of."
"I'm flattered," Tang San responded with a slight nod, silently thinking: As expected.
Ning Fengzhi smiled and said, "Let me introduce you. Ah San, this is His Highness Xue Qinghe, the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire."
Tang San raised his head and carefully studied Xue Qinghe.
As someone reborn, he naturally knew the truth about this so-called crown prince. The original Xue Qinghe had been a carefree youth, immersed in poetry and the arts, with little ambition.
According to Dai Mubai, Xue Qinghe's two brothers had died mysteriously more than a decade ago. He then quickly rose to become the crown prince of Heaven Dou Empire, earning a reputation for righteousness and virtue, and had gradually become the de facto heir to the empire.
Which meant this person had to be Qian Renxue—there was no other possibility.
"So it's Your Highness. Tang San greets you." He bowed slightly and spoke with neither arrogance nor servility.
Though he knew the other's true identity, Tang San had no intention of exposing it. In his eyes, Qian Renxue's plan to seize control of the Heaven Dou Empire was utterly foolish.
Qian Renxue's talent far surpassed his own. If she hadn't wasted her time entangled in palace intrigue and had instead focused solely on cultivation and the pursuit of the Soul Master pinnacle, she could have become a god a full ten years earlier. A Qian Renxue who attained godhood a decade earlier would pose an immense threat to him.
Of course, Tang San didn't really believe that a Qian Renxue who became a god ten years earlier could threaten him.
After all, he was the child chosen by the Asura God. The faction behind the Asura God in the divine realm would never allow him to die by Qian Renxue's hand before he had a chance to mature.
In fact, it might even be that Qian Renxue's involvement in this national power-grabbing scheme was orchestrated behind the scenes by the Asura God himself.
Qian Renxue's decision was heavily influenced by Bibi Dong, and behind Bibi Dong stood the Rakshasa God.
Though the Rakshasa and Asura Gods were publicly seen as enemies, after becoming the Asura God, Tang San had learned that the two deities had an intimate connection.
Thinking of this, Tang San couldn't help but feel a sense of superiority. Whether it was the Angel God or the Rakshasa God, they were merely whetstones for him in this lifetime.
Bibi Dong had been the first among the three to receive divine inheritance, yet she was the last to become a god. Though Qian Renxue had the advantage in talent and age, she wasted it all in the political struggle for Heaven Dou. Why? —
All of it was to wait for me, Tang San! Until I neared godhood, the gods of the Divine Realm wouldn't permit Qian Renxue to ascend. They were forging trials for me. When I became a god and surpassed Qian Renxue, they released Bibi Dong to sharpen me further.
(Although that went off-script, and I unexpectedly died at Bibi Dong's hands. I was careless. I didn't dodge! But it's fine. I can still be resurrected.)
Oh~ this whole world, this entire era, revolves around me, Tang San. In this life, I enjoy the lion's share of resources. I eat meat, those around me get to sip the broth, and everyone else? They just stand by and watch. This is the treatment reserved for the Child of Destiny. Truly, subarashii!
Xue Qinghe praised, "If Uncle Ning hadn't told me, I'd never have believed you're only fourteen. When I was your age, I was just a naive boy. It's a pleasure to meet you. If you don't mind, just call me Brother Xue—no need for the whole 'Your Highness' thing."
Ning Fengzhi chimed in, "Alright, let's sit and talk. The green tea here is excellent. Ah San, give it a try."
In this life, Tang San hadn't gone searching for information about his father, so Ning Fengzhi introducing Xue Qinghe to Tang San was nothing more than a simple attempt at establishing connections.
Tang San responded to Xue Qinghe with perfect courtesy, all the while thinking: Ning Fengzhi must still be in the dark about this fake prince being Qian Renxue.
After parting ways with Ning Fengzhi, Tang San left the teahouse and looked up at the sky.
From their conversation, he had confirmed that Qian Renxue hadn't changed in this lifetime. Which meant that for now, she posed no threat to him.
On the contrary, letting her continue her deluded dream of seizing Heaven Dou would only further delay her cultivation. All Tang San needed to do was expose her plot at the crucial moment, and her decades-long plan would go up in smoke.
Of course, if needed, Qian Renxue could also serve as a hostage to threaten the Spirit Hall. Just not yet.
Qian Renxue wasn't his greatest threat. Thinking of what was, Tang San's expression darkened.
He recalled the illusion he had seen earlier. The illusion's realism had created a subtle dissonance in his mind: Am I truly the child chosen by the Asura God? Or is Xiao Wu the scabbard of the Asura Divine Sword, and only through her can I obtain the Asura God's position?
These two beliefs were beginning to blur in Tang San's subconscious.
But no matter which was true, for Tang San, the Asura God position was his. And Xiao Wu—she had to be his, too.
His greatest threat wasn't from outside—but from within Shrek.
Yu Tianheng, that mutt daring to pursue Xiao Wu. And Er Ming, that beast pretending to be a brother just to get close to her (couldn't he just stay in the forest and wait to be sacrificed like a good beast?). These two were threats to Tang San.
They even had Spirit Fusion techniques with Xiao Wu! Tang San couldn't make a move on them before securing Xiao Wu's love and trust.
Otherwise, all he'd gain was her hatred. The only path forward was to win Xiao Wu's love, make her fall for him like she did in their past life. Only then could he make his move to eliminate these two fools courting death.
Tang San raised his head, gazing at the soul marks of the Blue Silver Grass and the Clear Sky Hammer.
Though adding spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer would rapidly boost his strength and potentially win Xiao Wu's affection, Tang San had a better plan in mind. It wasn't yet time to enhance his second spirit.
"Let's focus on evolving the Blue Silver Grass into the Blue Silver Emperor first," Tang San murmured to himself.
Even without the Ice and Fire Body Refining method, the Blue Silver Emperor should be enough to handle the upcoming competition. He wouldn't fall too far behind Yu Tianheng or Er Ming—those two morons courting death.
With that thought, Tang San felt much more at ease and returned to Shrek's temporary residence.
By the time he arrived, the current round of the competition had just concluded. Yu Xiaogang, Flender, Liu Erlong, and the others were in the middle of announcing something.