So, how was Tang San's reward?
Well—
He thought it was absolute garbage!
"It's about the same as everyone else's, nothing special," Tang San muttered vaguely.
That only made Tang Lan more curious!
He immediately turned to Bo Saixi—as the High Priest, she obviously knew the exact rewards.
"His reward isn't bad either," Bo Saixi said calmly. "Overachieved by 199%, so his spirit power increased by 1.5 levels."
That's it?
No spirit ring age increase?
The group's expressions turned strange.
As the only one here with a white spirit ring, Tang San needed spirit ring upgrades the most.
And yet—
Because he missed by 1%… he got nothing?!
No wonder he had been so quiet—this had to be driving him insane!
But honestly—
He deserved it!
Who told Tang San to act tough and overexert himself earlier?
If Tang Lan hadn't noticed in time, he might have jeopardized the entire team's progress!
At that point, the trial was already complete, and they were pushing for higher limits.
If the formation collapsed, it would have immediately ended the assessment—
There wouldn't have been a second chance.
So—
No one comforted Tang San.
In fact, some of them were even secretly gloating.
—That's what you get for not following the plan!
Serves you right!
Tang San's face grew even darker.
Was this really the team he was supposed to "lead" in the future?
This was—
This was absolutely—
"Xiao San."
Tang Lan frowned and said, "The overly rigid break easily. This time, you were too impatient and almost dragged the whole team down. You need to reflect on that."
Tang San's cheek twitched.
Reflect?
He had only wanted to hold on a little longer to ease Tang Lan's burden,
So that Tang Lan could conserve more energy to keep climbing…
To keep climbing…
Wait.
Climbing what?
The summit?
But Tang Lan's Heaven-Sundering Sword had directly torn through the Sea God's Light, even scattering the clouds above.
Did he even need Tang San's support?
At that moment—
Tang San realized that his so-called perseverance had indeed been ridiculous.
But—
Would he ever admit it?
"...I understand, brother," Tang San said grimly. "I won't push beyond my limits again."
On the surface, it looked like he had accepted Tang Lan's guidance.
But what he truly felt inside—
Only he knew.
Tang Lan wasn't bothered.
As long as Tang San was alive, he was just a tool to farm rewards.
Nothing else mattered.
Turning to Bo Saixi, Tang Lan asked, "Xi-jie, are we leaving now?"
"In such a hurry?" Bo Saixi hesitated. "Shouldn't you at least check what preparations you need for the Second Trial?"
Tang Lan grinned confidently.
He flicked his fingers, sending a spiritual energy orb toward Bo Saixi.
After absorbing the knowledge, she was surprised.
"This footwork… Ripple Step? Quite profound."
"And this Crimson Flame White Tiger? It grants flight capabilities?"
"You can copy martial soul techniques? That's an extremely rare ability."
After understanding the true depth of the team's capabilities,
Bo Saixi exhaled in relief.
Her objective assessment—
"Even if you start the Second Trial immediately, you'll only need minor adjustments to clear it with ease."
"A whole year? More than enough time."
"Your team's strength is beyond my expectations."
"No wonder Lord Sea God has set His sights on you."
Tang Lan's expression remained casual—
—He had invested a lot into building this squad, after all.
The others smiled proudly.
—They had just been acknowledged by a Rank 99 Limit Douluo!
Only Tang San stood there with a dark expression,
His head lowered, standing at the back of the team to hide his emotions.
Almost everyone overlooked it.
Except for Bo Saixi—who gave him a deep, knowing glance.
Then, she turned back to Tang Lan.
"In that case, let's prepare to leave."
Tang Lan nodded in agreement.
"Xi-jie, for long-distance travel with Blood Evasion Technique, you'll need to enter my storage ring for safety."
Bo Saixi understood immediately.
But unlike the Hanhai Soul-Sealing,
As an expert in mental power, she could seal her own consciousness,
Leaving only her body's natural functions intact.
After storing Bo Saixi away,
Tang Lan glanced at Tang San and noticed something was off.
So—
He turned toward Xiao Wu.
"Tang San, you guys rest for now."
"If all goes well, I'll be back to pick you up in a day—at most, half a month."
"This next year of training will be just as intense."
"So enjoy this rare free time while you can."
With a casual wave—
Tang Lan transformed into a streak of blood-red light, shooting toward the east.
Xiao Wu watched the blood light disappear,
Then turned to the group and called out—
"You all heard what Brother just said."
"Everyone, go do your own thing."
"Do whatever you want—but don't cause trouble and make things difficult for Brother."
"Understood?"
Jing Ling straightened his posture and responded, "Yes, Xiao Wu-jie!"
—This was the sect leader's primary wife—he had to show respect!
"Ahhh, come on, Xiao Wu-jie!" Oscar chuckled. "What trouble could we possibly get into?"
"You never know," Dai Mubai teased. "Some creepy old guy might have some special hobbies."
"Whoa! Boss Dai! You don't have to expose yourself like that!" Oscar fired back.
"Excuse me? Apart from you, who else here qualifies as an old guy?" Dai Mubai shot back.
The two bickered as they dragged Jing Ling along, heading down the stairs.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and the other girls linked arms,
Excitedly discussing where to shop and explore.
Leaving Tang San standing alone in front of the Sea God's Hall.
Completely ignored.
It wasn't that they were deliberately excluding him—
But after what Tang San pulled earlier, who would want to deal with him?
If he wanted to "reintegrate" into the team, it was his responsibility to put in the effort.
But—
Would Tang San even try?
Or rather—
Did he even want to?
Slaughter City – Tavern at the Entrance
Tang Lan disguised himself, altering his appearance,
And stepped through the doors with a concealed Bo Saixi.
In an instant—
Dozens of malicious gazes swept over them,
Most locking onto Bo Saixi.
Only a few stared at Tang Lan with disturbing intensity.
Tang Lan's expression darkened on the spot.
Having a few ugly women eyeing him was one thing—
He was too handsome, after all—it was inevitable.
But—
What's up with those huge, burly men staring at me?!
"...Die."
With a cold smirk,
Tang Lan unleashed a wave of mental energy, merging it with his spiritual power,
Compressing the air into a tangible shockwave.
BOOM—
The impact swept across the entire tavern!
CRASH!
While clearing the place, he "accidentally" flipped up a section of the tavern floor,
Revealing the entrance to Slaughter City.
Tang Lan glanced at the trembling bartender.
"The entrance?"
The bartender nodded frantically.
Without hesitation, Tang Lan leapt down, and Bo Saixi followed close behind.
Slaughter City – The Gates
A familiar blood mist surrounded them—
But this time, Tang Lan already possessed the Killing God Domain,
And his killing aura was strong enough to resist the mist's corruption.
Meanwhile, Bo Saixi simply ignored the blood mist entirely through sheer power.
The two landed directly in front of Slaughter City's gates.
Terror Knight Scott descended once more.
Tang Lan's gaze fell upon Scott's empty right arm.
Which seemed to enrage him.
"I am Terror Knight Scott!"
"You have violated the rules—to enter, you must defeat m—"
"SWOOSH—"
(Chapter End)