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"Zhuqing!"
Oscar dashed forward without hesitation, his eyes filled with panic and concern.
A cold glint flashed in Tang San's eyes. He pulled out another fully loaded Zhuge Divine Crossbow from the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges.
Without a moment's pause, he pulled the trigger. A volley of bolts flew out, aimed directly to kill both Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing.
After all, the Soul Battle wasn't over yet!
Oscar quickly spread his arms to shield Zhu Zhuqing, his entire body radiating a brilliant golden light.
The bolts struck the golden aura, erupting into a shower of sparks. Though they didn't pierce through directly, the impact penetrated the shield, causing Oscar significant pain.
The Zhuge Divine Crossbow crafted by Tang San was immensely powerful—at full force, it could even kill a Soul King or Soul Emperor.
After one round of bolts, Oscar had already sustained internal injuries. Blood trickled from the corner of his lips.
Yet, he didn't retreat a single step—even though he'd once been taught by Lan Minghua to dodge when you can't block.
But behind him was Zhu Zhuqing, his junior sister. No matter what, he would never abandon her.
Zhu Zhuqing's face was pale as paper. Her long lashes quivered gently. At this moment, Oscar appeared incomparably tall in her eyes.
Since birth, no one had ever risked their life for her like this.
Compared to Dai Mubai, Oscar was like heaven and earth.
Tang San sneered viciously and retrieved another Zhuge Divine Crossbow, fully loaded.
"I don't believe you can block this one too!"
Oscar said nothing. He simply raised his right hand and gave a thumbs-up to Zhu Zhuqing behind him.
"Zhuqing, I'll leave it to you!"
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes firmed with resolve. She swallowed the sausage and cured sausage Oscar had handed her in that critical moment.
"Leave it to me. I won't let you down!"
In an instant, her soul power erupted like a volcano, violently surging forth. The crossbow bolts lodged in her body were ejected by the force.
Despite her injuries from the Zhuge Divine Crossbow, her speed now soared to a shocking level.
Tang San hastily pulled the trigger again. Several bolts whistled through the air.
But Zhu Zhuqing moved too fast—like a flash of black lightning.
Even Tang San's Purple Demon Eye couldn't track her figure—only a blurred afterimage was faintly visible.
Not long ago, Tang San had overexerted himself in pursuit of strength, depleting too much soul power and leaving himself in a weakened state.
Now, trying to dodge, he felt as if his body were weighed down with lead.
Zhu Zhuqing appeared before Tang San almost instantly, her eyes gleaming with a cold, murderous light.
Her fingers had turned pitch black—this was the Nine Yin White Bone Claw from the Nine Yin Manual.
"Die!"
With a vicious swipe toward Tang San's chest, her claw carried a fierce gust, as if it could rip the very air apart.
Tang San failed to mount an effective defense. With a tearing sound, the strike landed squarely.
Blood sprayed into the air, and white bone was visible at the gaping wound.
Having grown up in a harsh and oppressive environment, Zhu Zhuqing had long developed the belief that killers must be prepared to be killed.
If Tang San sought to kill her and Oscar, then she had no qualms about killing him in return.
This blow nearly tore Tang San open. He was flung backward through the air.
Xiao Wu, bound by his Blue Silver Grass, was dragged along with him.
The two crashed outside the Soul Battle arena in a cloud of dust—defeated.
The audience was stunned into silence by this dramatic reversal.
Then, like a tidal wave, thunderous applause erupted, honoring the victors of this Soul Battle—the Ao-Zhu Duo!
Zhu Zhuqing did not revel in victory. She rushed straight to Oscar.
Tang San's final volley had broken through Oscar's golden light shield.
"Oscar, are you alright?!"
Zhu Zhuqing caught the collapsing Oscar and held him tightly in her arms.
"Thank goodness... we finally won."
Oscar's weak voice came through. Before losing consciousness, he trembled as he handed her a small cured sausage.
"The bolts were poisoned... eat this to detoxify."
With that final sentence, he passed out completely.
Zhu Zhuqing swallowed the sausage, then bit her lip and did something shocking that left the entire arena speechless.
She picked up the unconscious Oscar in a princess carry and slowly walked out of the Soul Battle arena.
Although it was quite unusual for a woman to carry a man in a princess hold, not a single spectator mocked Oscar.
If he hadn't shielded Zhu Zhuqing from the fatal blow at the last moment—and given her those sausages to help her recover—Tang San would have won this match with his hidden weapons.
With such courage and sacrifice, how many people here could have done the same?
And who among them had any right to laugh at a true hero?
Zhao Wuji, watching from the audience, smiled warmly and took the lead in applauding.
The crowd soon followed. The entire Grand Soul Arena rang with applause.
And all that applause was for the victors of this battle: the Ao-Zhu Duo.
As for Tang San and Xiao Wu's San-Wu Duo, they had long been forgotten.
Victory crowns the king, defeat condemns the conquered—that's the harsh truth.
Outside the Soul Arena, Zhao Wuji had been waiting.
He took Oscar from Zhu Zhuqing's arms and gently said, "You're both seriously injured. Come with me."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded, her eyes filled with worry. "Teacher Zhao, will Oscar be alright?"
"Don't worry. The Grand Soul Arena has survived all these years thanks to its capable healing staff."
If there were no healing Soul Masters, the number of dead or crippled fighters would be astronomical.
Besides, healing was also a profitable business—the Grand Soul Arena wouldn't neglect that.
Zhao Wuji gave Zhu Zhuqing a fatherly look. She grew a bit flustered under his gaze, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks.
"T-Teacher Zhao, let's go get Oscar treated, quickly!"
"Yes, yes, let's go right now."
Zhao Wuji chuckled as he led her away for treatment, inwardly muttering, Oscar, you lucky brat.
Though Zhu Zhuqing hadn't said much, the old man saw the signs.
After all, a woman's blush speaks louder than a thousand words.
As for Tang San and Xiao Wu—that was no longer Zhao Wuji's concern.
Anyone who dares to use lethal force against fellow students deserves no pity.
Besides, he had recently confirmed from Flender the identity of the black-robed figure that night.
Combined with the cryptic words from Lan Minghua, Zhao Wuji had put the pieces together.
Tang San was the black-robed figure—Tang Hao's son.
Had he been the examiner that night instead of Lan Minghua, Tang Hao would've tried to kill him.
And unlike Lan Minghua, Zhao Wuji didn't have the strength to survive an attack from a Titled Douluo.
Only now did he truly understand the "calamity" Lan Minghua spoke of.
To him, Lan Minghua had saved his life.
(Of course, in the original story, Tang Hao merely gave him a brutal beating.)
But that night, Zhao Wuji had seen only Tang Hao's cruel and ruthless side.
Now, with one leg and one arm crippled by Lan Minghua, Tang Hao might even be dead.
No matter how poorly he treated Tang San going forward, he felt no guilt whatsoever.
Let Flender deal with the fallout. After all, he was the headmaster.
At that very moment, on the southern edge of the Star Dou Forest, Tang Hao finally stirred awake.
Several days had passed since that fateful night.
Using the last of his strength, he had made it to this location before passing out.
Thanks to sheer tenacity, he had survived.
"Damn it... I'll kill that bastard!"
But how could a cripple exact revenge on Lan Minghua?
His furious roar brought him no comfort—only trouble.
It attracted soul beasts.
Just as Tang Hao tried to sit up, several humanoid soul beasts blocked his path.
They were Mating Apes. As for what they're into... you can imagine what comes next.
And in the Douluo world, Mating Apes don't discriminate by gender.
Tang Hao wanted to resist, but he discovered he didn't even have the strength of a Soul King left.
"No! Stay away!"
Thus began the most unforgettable chapter of Tang Hao's life.
And the one responsible for it all—Lan Minghua—was off having the time of his life.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on accepting Dugu Bo as a disciple. You have gained 800 Mentor Points. You now have 1000 Mentor Points. Would you like to draw a prize?]
"A total of 1000? Damn it, you thieving system—did you eat my 200 Mentor Points?!"
(End of Chapter)