Chapter 147: Tang San's Collapse
"Referee, I protest! Luo Ling wasn't fighting—he was killing! He violated tournament rules! I demand that Luo Ling be disqualified!"
Yu Xiaogang and Flender had rushed to Tang San's side, hurriedly prying him from the wall he'd been nailed into.
Tang San's face was pale, his eyes empty. His injuries were severe, but it was the wound to his spirit that hurt far more.
His greatest pride—the Tang Sect's signature technique—had been dismantled and turned against him in the cruelest way possible.
How did Luo Ling know Batwing Rebound?
Was it just coincidence?
Or had he mastered it after seeing it only once?
Tang San's confidence shattered completely. His mind was blank—his belief in his superiority, broken.
The referee, who had been frozen in shock, finally snapped to attention. Seeing the battered state of Tang San and his teammates, he hesitated.
Disqualify Luo Ling? But he was a member of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Doing so would be an insult to the academy itself—and Emperor Xue Ye was watching from the stands!
As if sensing his hesitation, Luo Ling turned toward the referee, his expression calm—almost innocent.
"Honorable referee," he said, smiling faintly, "I assure you, I never intended to kill them."
"You saw it yourself—they were the ones attacking me three-on-one. I defended myself seriously, that's all. Who knew they couldn't even last a single strike?"
"As for that flying blade, it wasn't mine—it was Tang San's! My scythe just happened to deflect it back. Unfortunate luck, really."
"It's not my fault his luck ran out. Besides," Luo Ling added coolly, "the rules forbid killing—but they're still alive, aren't they?"
He looked down at the three broken bodies on the ground, his eyes glinting with amusement.
He'd spoken loud enough for everyone in the arena to hear.
The referee blinked, stunned by Luo Ling's easy composure. And, truthfully, nothing he said was wrong.
Tang San and his companions had teamed up to fight one opponent and still been overpowered. The fault lay only in their weakness.
And that blade? Everyone had seen Tang San throw it himself. It returning to strike him truly was terrible luck.
The referee scratched his head. It did seem almost too convenient that seven blades were destroyed while the last one just "happened" to return and impale its owner.
Raising his gaze to meet Luo Ling's smiling face, the referee's lips twitched involuntarily.
With a resigned sigh, he announced loudly:
"Luo Ling has not violated any tournament rules! By concession—Blue Tyrant Academy's Shrek Team forfeits! Heaven Dou Royal Academy wins the first match of the preliminary round!"
The words ignited a storm across the stands.
A single fighter, defeating three of Shrek's core members without even bleeding? It was almost unbelievable.
And everyone watching could tell—Luo Ling hadn't even used his full strength.
If the match had continued, could he truly have taken on all seven alone?
Was Heaven Dou Royal Academy home to another genius to rival the mysterious Evil Master?
On stage, the remaining four members of Shrek looked pale with dread. Yu Xiaogang's surrender had saved them from the same fate.
Seeing the miserable state of their teammates, fear replaced their pride.
Ma Hongjun forced a nervous smile toward Luo Ling. Ever since their days in Soto City, he had respected—perhaps even feared—Luo Ling. Back then, he'd witnessed him slay a Soul King while still a Soul Sect.
Now that same man was a Soul King himself.
When Luo Ling noticed Ma Hongjun's hesitant smile, he gave a small nod in return.
"Fatty, you know that guy?" Jiang Zhu asked cautiously, eyes wide.
With a weak chuckle, Ma Hongjun nodded. "Brother Ling and I came from Soto City together. But he's not one of us—he never was part of Shrek."
"He's Rongrong's cousin—her guardian. Just a bystander who joined to accompany her."
"At Soto City, he was already terrifying. A Soul Sect killing a Soul King was nothing to him. Now that he's advanced to Soul King himself… his strength is on another level."
As he spoke, the others gathered closer, their faces a mixture of shock and disbelief.
"I've seen him at Blue Tyrant Academy too," Jiang Zhu murmured. "I thought he was one of you!"
Ma Hongjun sighed. "If only he wanted to join us, Shrek might have had a real shot at the championship. But Brother Ling has no interest in us. He walks his own path."
He shook his head, ending the conversation.
Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang ordered Jiang Zhu to continue healing Tang San and the others.
Yu Tianheng and Tai Long had already regained consciousness—the bleeding had stopped—but Tang San's wound was more serious.
The blue-silver blade had pierced through his shoulder completely, narrowly missing his heart but fracturing bone in the process.
A higher-level healing spirit master would be needed to repair it.
Yu Xiaogang's face darkened as he looked at his disciple, whose eyes remained blank and lifeless.
He understood all too well. Tang San had believed himself to be narrowing the gap, but instead, he had once again been crushed—utterly and irreversibly.
The wounds on his body would heal. The fissures in his mind would not.
Around them, the audience buzzed excitedly—but their focus was all on Luo Ling.
A fifteen-year-old Soul King who displayed absolute dominance—such figures were rarely ever seen, even in the great tournaments of the past.
Shrek's once-soaring reputation had been completely drowned by his shadow.
With a heavy sigh, Yu Xiaogang motioned for Flender and Zhao Wuji to carry the injured away.
…
In the Heaven Dou Royal Academy resting area, Luo Ling was greeted like a hero returning from battle.
Cheers erupted the moment he stepped through the door.
Especially the six members of the former second team—they pressed close around him, eyes shining with admiration.
"Brother Ling, you're amazing! Next time, please let us fight with you again! I swear, no one in the tournament can stand against you!" one of them gushed.
"Exactly! You're unstoppable!" another chimed in immediately.
"Enough! Step aside. Don't crowd around him."
A cool female voice cut through their flattery.
Dugu Yan approached, flanked by the original first-team members. Even their usually proud faces held visible respect now.
They had once suffered a crushing defeat at Luo Ling's hands, but what he displayed today surpassed even that.
Especially his ability to grant flight to teammates—it defied common sense.
"Xiao Ling, that ability to let others fly—that's one of your spirit skills, right?" Dugu Yan asked eagerly, her tone betraying barely contained excitement.
That had to be it.
For most Spirit Masters, flight was reserved for the most advanced, often restricted to those whose martial souls naturally allowed it. For them, it was an unreachable dream.
Luo Ling nodded lightly, smiling. "Yes. It's my second spirit skill. It boosts power while also bestowing levitation and flight. At present, I can grant it to up to five people."
A collective gasp filled the room.
A tool-type spirit… with the power of flight? It was unheard of. Everyone could only look at Luo Ling with faces full of envy and awe.
(END CHAPTER)
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