The next day
The finals of the Soul Master Tournament officially began. Spirit Hall's team fought Xinghuo's team. Spirit Hall won—skipping details.
Then, Bibi Dong awarded the prizes to Spirit Hall's team.
During this process, Tang Hao, hidden in the shadows, didn't make a move. Both father and son fixed their eyes on who would receive Xiao Wu's mother's and Ah Yin's soul bones, memorizing the moment.
Though he wanted to take back Ah Yin's and Xiao Wu's mother's soul bones, this wasn't the right time. First, confirm who absorbed them. Later, find a chance to kill and take the bones.
For now, there was only one priority—Xiao Wu!
In the previous life, Xiao Wu had accidentally dropped the Acacia Heartbreak Red, causing her soul beast aura to leak, which led to everything afterward.
But this life, the immortal herb concealing Xiao Wu's aura was still pinned firmly to her. If things went as normal, without mishap, everyone would simply go home afterward.
Yet in the crowd, a burly figure casually picked up a grain of gravel, placed it on his fingertip, aimed at Xiao Wu, and moved his lips to whisper through a soundline to Tang San:
"Xiao San, I'm making my move. Be ready."
Hearing this, Tang San instantly stiffened, gave Tang Hao an "OK" hand signal—
With a flick—
The gravel shot out, striking the immortal herb on Xiao Wu's body. The herb flew away.
Seeing her immortal herb knocked loose, Xiao Wu's face turned pale with panic. She rushed to the ground to pick it up.
But it was too late. The instant the herb flew away, Yue Guan, Ghost, Bibi Dong, Chen Xin, Yu Xiaomen, Huo Qiqiang, and the other Title Douluo present all turned their gazes upon Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu—" Tang San seized the chance to approach her, intending to shield her behind him and win her favor.
But before he could act, someone else moved faster.
Yu Tianheng rushed forward, placing Xiao Wu behind him and wrapping her with his broad coat.
Dai Mubai, Er Ming, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar also charged up to protect Xiao Wu. Even Tailong, standing behind Tang San, looked like he wanted to join in!
Watching all these men surround Xiao Wu protectively, Tang San's scalp tingled, his breath quickened, and he felt himself turning green with jealousy.
Of course, their actions didn't actually help Xiao Wu's situation. Bibi Dong pointed at her and commanded:
"Seize her for me!"
"Yes, Your Holiness!" Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo bowed.
And they moved toward Xiao Wu.
At this moment, Flender and Liu Erlong stepped forward and said:
"Wait, Your Holiness. Xiao Wu is our student. She hasn't committed any crimes—why arrest her?"
"What if I told you she's a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast reborn into human form?" Bibi Dong replied.
Her words shook Shrek's teachers and outsiders like Ning Rongrong to the core.
"Xiao Wu, is that true?" Flender turned to her.
Xiao Wu's face turned ashen. She had entered the human world to avenge her mother, but before she could act, her identity was exposed.
Surrounded by men shielding her, she still felt no safety at all—this was Spirit Hall, the place with the greatest number of Title Douluo in the human world.
Her expression alone confirmed the truth for Flender and the others.
"Now you know she's a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast. Knowing this, do you still intend to block Spirit Hall's hunt?" Bibi Dong asked coldly.
Here it comes—Tang San secretly praised Bibi Dong in his heart. This is my specialty! Now he would step forward, spread his arms wide, protect Xiao Wu, and bravely declare—
"If you want her, you'll have to step over my corpse first!" Yu Tianheng spread his arms wide and placed himself before Xiao Wu.
Tang San froze in shock. Wait… wasn't that supposed to be my line?!
"Count me in. To get her, you'll have to step over my corpse first!" Dai Mubai followed.
"To catch Sister Xiao Wu, you'll have to step over my corpse!" Er Ming shouted.
"If you want her, step over my corpse!" Oscar declared.
"If you want her, step over my corpse!" Ma Hongjun added.
With so many men heroically standing before Xiao Wu, Tang San's hand stiffened in midair again. He felt like a dish on the banquet table—one called Too Many Fish.
"Feng Xiaotian, don't go! Do you want to die?" Fire Dance cried out from among the watching soul master teams.
But Feng Xiaotian ignored her, rushing forward like the wind. He spread his arms wide before Xiao Wu and proclaimed:
"If you want her, step over my corpse!"
Tang San's eyes began to redden.
"Dai Weisi, you bastard! Leave and never come back!" Zhu Zhuyun's anguished voice came from the Star Luo team.
But Dai Weisi ignored her, striding right up to Xiao Wu. He spread his arms and bravely declared:
"If you want her, step over my corpse!"
Tang San's breathing grew ragged.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the Heaven Dou Empire's delegation. A figure dashed forward.
"Brother, where are you going?" Xue Qinghe shouted in alarm.
The figure had already reached Xiao Wu. It was Xue Beng. He spread his arms before her and shouted:
"If you want her, step over my corpse!"
Xue Beng and Xiao Wu?! One was his disciple from a past life, the other his beloved. Tang San had never imagined such a pairing. Do they have something going on too? His eyes turned bloodier, his breathing heavier.
From the crowd, a middle-aged man in jeans and a hat, sallow-faced with two buck teeth, rushed out as well.
At first, Tang San didn't notice him. But when the man stood bravely before Xiao Wu, spreading his arms, he declared:
"If you want her, step over my corpse—I, Bu le!"
This time, both Tang San and Tang Hao were utterly floored.
Their plan had been simple: create a crisis, place Xiao Wu in mortal danger, then let Tang San step up as the hero who saves her, using the classic "rescue the beauty" trope to win her heart.
Tang San had even fantasized that, at her darkest moment, Xiao Wu would hug him from behind and say:
"Brother San, thank you for saving me. Now I finally understand—you're the one who truly loves me most!"
But reality turned out like this: he and his father had engineered the crisis, his father built the stage, he was supposed to play the hero—but his starring role was stolen.
Not by one man, but by nine men at once!
If it had just been Yu Tianheng, Er Ming, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, Feng Xiaotian, and Dai Weisi, Tang San could grudgingly accept it—they had long harbored designs on Xiao Wu.
But Xue Beng? And even that random uncle, Bu le?!
At this moment, Tang San felt utterly green—green to the point of dripping oil. He felt like the clown of the show. In his mind's ear, he heard a man dressed like a bat whispering:
"Come back, little loser. Come back to Gotham. I promise I won't kill you."
And so, a spectacular sight unfolded: before Xiao Wu stood men from all factions—
Bu le, the commoner soul master,
Oscar and Ma Hongjun,
Xue Beng, prince of Heaven Dou,
Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi, prince of Star Luo,
Feng Xiaotian of Elemental City,
Er Ming of the soul beast realm,
Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
And next to them, one figure—his body coiled with tension, about to charge but frozen in place. His eyes red, breath ragged like a bull, his dark face twitching.
Finally, this "charred black head" broke down completely. Before the eyes of the entire audience, he threw his arms wide like an ape, pounded his chest furiously, and let out a mournful baboon's cry:
"Ahhhhhhhhhh—!"
"Your Holiness," Yue Guan, who was about to strike, turned to Bibi Dong for instructions.
For the energy gathered around Xiao Wu by all these men was no small matter. Even Spirit Hall could not ignore it.
At this moment, our famous troublemaker Ning Fengzhi stepped onto the stage.
"Your Holiness, a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast appearing right before our eyes is shocking indeed.
But you're not the only one who discovered it—there's also the Body Sect, Spark Academy, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Surely, Your Spirit Hall doesn't intend to monopolize this spirit beast, does it?" Ning Fengzhi said.
The revelation of Xiao Wu's spirit beast identity shocked Ning Fengzhi, and greatly tempted him. Of course, he wanted it. But he was also very aware of himself—there was no way he could out-compete the three titans: Spark Academy, Spirit Hall, and the Body Sect.
Since he couldn't snatch it, he couldn't allow Spirit Hall to claim it alone either. So, he might as well stir the waters!
"Your Holiness, Sect Master Ning is right. A hundred-thousand-year spirit beast should be shared. Spirit Hall cannot swallow it whole!" the Snow Empress said.
Huo Qiqiang said nothing, but his expression also revealed interest in the hundred-thousand-year spirit beast.
Seeing Bibi Dong troubled, Ning Fengzhi felt smug. Troubled, was she? Good. With Sect Master Huo and the Snow Empress—both Ultimate Douluo—here, even Spirit Hall wouldn't dare open hostilities.
Any conflict Spirit Hall picked would not be to its advantage.
"There's only one hundred-thousand-year spirit beast. How should we three parties divide it?" Bibi Dong had to take a step back.
Ning Fengzhi stepped forward:
"Your Holiness, Sect Master Huo, Your Majesty the Ice Empress—I may have a suggestion!"
"What suggestion?" Bibi Dong asked.
Clearing his throat, Ning Fengzhi said:
"Since we already know that rabbit is a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast, why don't all parties cease hostilities here and allow it to leave for now? We can agree on a time, say ten days. Ten days later, all sides may act. Whoever captures the beast then shall own it. What do you say?"
"Sect Master Ning's suggestion is excellent. My Body Sect agrees," Huo Qiqiang immediately supported him, boosting Ning Fengzhi's confidence.
Turning to the Snow Empress, Ning Fengzhi asked:
"Your Majesty, what do you think?"
"Exactly to my liking," the Snow Empress said.
Because both Huo Qiqiang and the Snow Empress were at a disadvantage in the Pope's Palace, fighting Spirit Hall here was unfavorable.
By persuading them first, Ning Fengzhi aligned their interests and then quietly pressured Bibi Dong:
"Your Holiness, what is your stance?"
"With both of you saying so, then ten days it is. We'll contest this rabbit then." Bibi Dong looked at Xiao Wu as she spoke.
Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath, feeling thoroughly satisfied. With his schemes, he had leveraged the Body Sect and Spark Academy against Spirit Hall, forcing Spirit Hall to give up its chance at claiming a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast.
However—what Ning Fengzhi didn't know was that the Body Sect, Spark Academy, and Spirit Hall had already colluded in secret.
Bibi Dong had no need to harvest Xiao Wu's spirit ring. But since Xiao Wu's spirit beast aura had been exposed, Spirit Hall couldn't just do nothing.
Of course, they wouldn't actually capture her—Xiao Wu was a main character chosen by the gods.
So how could they create an opening for her to escape? Ning Fengzhi just happened to hand Bibi Dong a perfect excuse.
Thus, a crisis surrounding Xiao Wu ended in an anticlimax!
Below the stage, Xiao Wu and the others nervously listened to the high-level discussions. When they learned Xiao Wu had ten days of safety, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"We're saved. Thank you, everyone!" Xiao Wu said gratefully.
Naturally, Tang San was not included in her thanks.
He was dumbfounded. In this lifetime, Xiao Wu's crisis had ended so easily? Those nine men had stepped up to play heroes, pressured Spirit Hall into retreat, and saved her—while he did absolutely nothing?
Watching Xiao Wu thank the nine men, Tang San's eyes nearly split with rage. He wished he could tear the scene apart. But he didn't realize—a new crisis was about to descend upon him.
From the Pope's throne, Bibi Dong said:
"Our Spirit Hall can agree to spare that hundred-thousand-year spirit beast, giving all sides a fair chance. But now, Spirit Hall must handle its own private matter. I hope none of you will interfere."
Ning Fengzhi glanced at Tang San, and suddenly realized Bibi Dong's aim. He wanted to protect Tang San, but when he looked at the two Limit Douluo watching from above, he knew Tang San was doomed.
Convincing those two before had been through benefits. But the Body Sect and Spark Academy had no ties of interest to Tang San. They had no reason to protect him.
So Ning Fengzhi stayed silent.
Bibi Dong pointed at Tang San:
"Seize that beastman!"
Beastman? Tang San blinked, staring at her finger. Was she pointing at… me? I'm a beastman??
"Yes, Your Holiness." Yue Guan and Gui Mei bowed.
Unlike Xiao Wu's case, when Spirit Hall ordered Tang San's arrest, only Yu Xiaogang braced himself and stepped forward, feigning ignorance:
"Wait! Your Holiness, what crime has my disciple committed that you would seize him?"
Bibi Dong said coldly:
"He is the offspring of Tang Hao and a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast—a beastman hybrid, carrying both human and spirit beast blood. Tang Hao's sins are beyond forgiveness. Spirit Hall cannot allow his bloodline to continue. What's more, this hybrid poses a threat to all of humanity!"
The word beastman ignited the crowd.
"He's the child of a human and a spirit beast?"
"So Tang San isn't human! No wonder he looks so strange—like some freak breed!"
"Beastmen can't be trusted—the wolf raiders were proof enough! With such terrifying talent, this beastman will surely plunge the continent into chaos one day."
"Kill this evil beastman! Don't give him the chance to endanger the Douluo Continent!"
"Kill him! Kill this evil beastman!"
Voices of bloodlust rose around him.
I'm a beastman… so what? Tang San was dumbfounded. In his previous life, when it was revealed he had spirit beast blood, he was not treated this way.
In that life, Sea God Tang San's name resounded across the Douluo Continent for tens of thousands of years.
His father and Ah Yin's love story was celebrated as a legend. No one had ever scorned him for his half-spirit beast bloodline.
So why, in this lifetime, had he become a beastman despised by all??