Before dawn, Tang Hao and Tang San, both in disguise, quietly left Shrek Academy under the cover of darkness.
Meanwhile, in the damp and grimy prison cell of Spirit Hall, Yu Xiaogang crouched in the corner, staring at the moldy bun handed to him by a Spirit Hall disciple. An indescribable bitterness filled his heart.
Once, he had been revered by the students of Shrek Academy. Now, he was a prisoner, utterly humiliated. The thought alone was laughable.
His body was covered in scars, pain coursing through him with every breath. And according to the guards… the next round of torture was about to begin.
—
As Tang San and Tang Hao passed by the Spirit Hall's main hall, Tang San suddenly stopped in his tracks, fists clenched in frustration.
He hated himself for being powerless to save his teacher.
He stood there for a long time…
"Let's go," Tang Hao said.
"…" Tang San silently nodded, but just as he turned to leave—
A blood-curdling scream echoed from within Spirit Hall.
There was no mistaking it. That voice belonged to Yu Xiaogang.
"Damn it! Tea—"
Before he could finish, Tang Hao clamped a hand over Tang San's mouth, silencing him.
"Patience. Recklessness will only ruin everything," Tang Hao said sternly. "The Grandmaster is tough. He can endure. Now, let's move."
With that, Tang Hao threw Tang San over his shoulder and carried him away.
—
"Ye Hao, I'm going to kill you!"
Tang San was consumed by rage, his eyes bloodshot as they traveled.
Seeing his son in such a frenzied state, Tang Hao could only sigh in disappointment.
"Here we are," Tang Hao said as they stopped.
Tang San looked up.
"Moon Pavilion?" He asked in confusion. "Father, what is this place?"
"You'll see when we go inside," Tang Hao replied indifferently.
The father and son ascended the steps to the main entrance.
"Stop. Those dressed so poorly are not allowed inside Moon Pavilion," two well-dressed guards blocked their way.
But before they could react—
Crack!
Tang San seized both guards' wrists in his rage.
They were ordinary people without spirit power. Against Tang San, they had no chance.
With a slight twist, their wrists snapped like twigs.
Kicking the two aside, Tang San stormed into the building.
Inside the lavishly decorated hall, nobles from Heaven Dou City were enjoying tea and conversation.
The sudden appearance of Tang San and Tang Hao drew their immediate disdain.
"When did Moon Pavilion start letting stray dogs in?" a nobleman scoffed, sipping his tea.
"Indeed," a noblewoman chimed in. "One should know their place. The world is full of all sorts of lowly creatures."
Murmurs spread throughout the hall as everyone turned to glare at the newcomers.
Tang San's fury only grew, but before he could act, Tang Hao grabbed his wrist, holding him back.
At that moment—
"Who dares harm my guards?!"
A commanding voice rang out as a noblewoman entered the hall.
She had been in the pavilion's lakeside pavilion but had rushed inside upon hearing the commotion.
What she saw was shocking—her guards, hands broken, groaning in pain.
Her chest heaved with anger.
"Are you too much of a coward to show yourself?!"
Slowly, Tang Hao turned around, dragging Tang San with him.
"Second Brother?" The noblewoman was briefly stunned before breaking into a radiant smile. "So you finally decided to come back?"
Second Brother?
Tang San's mind exploded.
This elegant woman… was his father's sister?!
Which meant…
She was his aunt?!
"Yuehua, we'll talk later," Tang Hao said quickly.
Then, forcing Tang San down, he ordered, "Apologize to your aunt."
Tang San clenched his teeth. He didn't think he had done anything wrong. But under his father's stern gaze, he had no choice.
"Aunt… I'm sorry," he muttered stiffly.
He still felt that those guards had deserved it.
"This… Second Brother, is this your son?" Tang Yuehua was surprised.
"Yes," Tang Hao nodded.
"Forget it," she sighed. "Stand up. Just remember not to be so reckless in the future. You're lucky this is my place. If it were somewhere else, you'd be crawling out."
She turned to Tang San.
"What's your name?"
"Tang San," he replied.
"Tang… San." She repeated the name softly. "So you still can't forget her, Second Brother…"
Her expression darkened.
"Last time, you left without a word. I haven't forgotten that debt."
Tang Hao looked momentarily guilty, but his expression soon hardened.
"Yuehua, I came because I need your help."
She understood immediately.
"Come with me," she said, leading them to the second floor.
—
"What?! Someone wants to kill Xiao San?!"
Tang Yuehua was visibly shaken after hearing Tang Hao's explanation.
"Yes." Tang Hao nodded grimly. "His identity has been exposed. And with the tournament finals taking place in Spirit Hall, if Xiao San competes, he's walking into certain death."
Tang Yuehua looked at Tang San with sympathy.
Such a young boy… forced to bear such a heavy burden.
"Second Brother, just have him withdraw from the tournament," she suggested.
Tang Hao sighed. "I tried, but he's too stubborn."
"Xiao San, think about your father," Tang Yuehua urged. "Spirit Hall is already hunting him. Now he's taken a huge risk coming here to find me. Listen to me—withdraw from the tournament. For your father's sake, and for your own."
"No!" Tang San refused outright. "Aunt, do you even know who wants to kill me?"
"You just won't listen, will you?" Tang Yuehua shook her head in exasperation.
"Fine, tell me. Who dares to target my nephew? Don't tell me it's… Spirit Hall?"
Tang Hao nodded. Other than Spirit Hall, no one else could harbor such deep hatred toward the Clear Sky Clan.
The enmity between the Clear Sky Clan and Spirit Hall dated back to Qian Daoliu's era. Over generations, the hatred had only intensified, making the two factions mortal enemies.
"Yuehua, do you recognize this name?" Tang Hao picked up a brush and wrote down two characters before passing them to Tang Yuehua.
"Ye Hao?"
Tang Yuehua frowned, deep in thought.
"Ye Hao… Ye… Hao…"
Suddenly, her eyes lit up with recognition.
"I remember now! I've heard someone mention this name before. Ye Hao is a student at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy and one of the most prominent competitors in this year's tournament. Even His Majesty holds him in high regard."
"Could this Ye Hao be the one trying to kill Tang San?"
Tang Hao nodded without hesitation.
"You're absolutely right. There is an irreconcilable hatred between Tang San and him. Just yesterday, Tang San's teacher was captured by Spirit Hall because of Ye Hao's schemes. His fate is still unknown."
Hearing this, Tang Yuehua's anger flared.
"Xiao San, how did you and Ye Hao become enemies? Why does he want to kill you?"
Tang San sighed deeply.
"Aunt, you don't know this, but Ye Hao and I once attended the same academy. You could even say we were roommates. A few years ago, my teacher wanted both of us to transfer to Shrek Academy. Ye Hao refused, which led to a dispute between him and my teacher. Later on…"
Tang San wove a fabricated story, painting himself as the victim. By the time he finished, Tang Yuehua was fuming.
"How could someone be so despicable?" she thought.
Just because of a minor conflict, he wants my nephew dead?
"This is outrageous! A person like him shouldn't be a student at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, let alone be favored by His Majesty! I must go to the Emperor and report Ye Hao's misdeeds."
Tang Yuehua was highly esteemed in Heaven Dou City. Her Moon Pavilion was the most prestigious etiquette school for nobles, revered by the empire's aristocracy. Many noble children applied every year, but only a select few were admitted.
As a result, few dared to disrespect her within Heaven Dou City.
However, Tang Hao sighed helplessly.
"Yuehua, going to the Emperor won't help."
"Why not?" Tang Yuehua asked angrily. "Ye Hao already has a knife at Tang San's throat. If you don't take action, how can you stand by and watch?"
She turned on her brother.
"Second Brother, aren't you a Titled Douluo? The youngest Titled Douluo in history, no less! Yet you let that Ye Ritian steal Xiao San's external soul bone right in front of you! Have you ever taken responsibility as a father?"
Tang Hao remained silent, accepting her scolding without protest.
"Aunt, please don't blame my father. It was my own failure." Tang San said dejectedly.
His teacher's fate was uncertain. When he passed by Spirit Hall earlier, he had even heard Yu Xiaogang's anguished screams, proving how much he was suffering.
"Second Brother, you still haven't told me—who exactly is Ye Hao?" Tang Yuehua asked.
Tang Hao took a deep breath.
"Ye Hao is from Spirit Hall. He is none other than the son of the current Pope, Bibi Dong. His martial soul is the Death Spider Emperor."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Yuehua choked in shock, coughing violently.
"The son of Bibi Dong?!"
She could hardly believe it.
"Second Brother, are you sure?"
Tang Hao was growing impatient.
"Yes. I'm a hundred percent sure. He looks very similar to Bibi Dong, and he has four or five Titled Douluo protecting him. One of them wields a snake spear, and another—whom Xiao San mentioned this morning—is a female Titled Douluo with the Soul Devouring Spider Emperor martial soul and a hundred-thousand-year soul ring. Her power surpasses mine."
"Impossible!" Tang Yuehua covered her mouth, completely shocked.
"A Spirit Hall prince, willingly studying at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy? Unheard of!"
"Second Brother, what exactly is your purpose in coming here?"
Tang Hao hesitated, his expression conflicted.
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"Yuehua, I need to see our eldest brother…"
—
Outside Moon Pavilion, Tang Yuehua bid farewell to Tang Hao and Tang San.
She knew that the crisis they faced was beyond anything they had encountered before.
Spirit Hall was determined to eliminate Tang San.
If Tang San stayed in Heaven Dou City, he wouldn't survive.
"Second Brother… The moment you return, you burden me with a difficult task…" Tang Yuehua sighed deeply, already formulating a plan.
—
Yu Xiaogang was drenched in blood, his face pale. His body was so battered that he barely resembled a human anymore.
"Yu Xiaogang, you really have a stubborn mouth." Salas sneered.
"Tell me—where did you get the Pope's Decree?"
"I… I'm innocent," Yu Xiaogang weakly muttered.
Salas: "…"
Since his capture, Yu Xiaogang had repeated that phrase countless times.
"Continue beating him!" Salas ordered, barely restraining his frustration.
Yu Xiaogang's lips trembled as he watched the glowing thunder whip in the torturer's hand. He gritted his teeth and finally shouted—
"I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"
Salas's eyes gleamed.
"Now that's more like it. Speak—every detail. If you dare lie, I'll make you suffer pain beyond your imagination."
Yu Xiaogang's face was filled with dread.
"The Pope's Decree… it was given to me by Tang Hao."
Salas murmured, "Tang Hao…"
He pondered for a moment before asking, "That boy, Tang San—is his father Tang Hao?"
"Yes. You're right. Tang San's father is Tang Hao."
Under extreme torture, Yu Xiaogang finally broke and spilled everything he knew about Tang San.
"So I was right. Tang San is Tang Hao's son. That means Tang Hao is likely hiding in Heaven Dou City…" Salas's eyes lit up.
He pressed further.
"Yu Xiaogang, where exactly is Tang Hao now?"
Yu Xiaogang hesitated, then shook his head.
"I don't know. After Tang Hao gave me the Pope's Decree, he vanished without a trace. I haven't seen him since."
Salas narrowed his eyes, clearly skeptical.
Yu Xiaogang was Tang San's teacher. He had surely met Tang Hao before.
Yet, ever since Tang Hao was severely injured by Spirit Hall's Worship Elders, he had disappeared from the soul master world.
Had he truly vanished, or was he hiding, waiting for the right moment?
Salas had a feeling that major events were on the horizon.
—
Could it be… that Tang Hao was already dead?
Yu Xiaogang was battered and weak, his breath shallow. He mustered the last of his strength and whispered, "I've told you everything… Can you let me go now?"
Salas waved his hand dismissively.
"Continue the beating!"
Yu Xiaogang's fragile mental state finally shattered. He became frantic, nearly hysterical.
"Salas! I've confessed everything! Why are you still torturing me?!"
Salas regarded him with cold amusement.
"And you dare to ask? You claimed that your Pope's Decree came from the Clear Sky Clan. The truth is, Spirit Hall once issued one decree to each of the Upper Three Clans. If your decree was given to you by Tang Hao, then it is indeed legitimate."
Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up with hope. "If it's legitimate, then why did you arrest me and torture me? I will go to the Pope and report you! I'll make sure you suffer just as I have!"
Yu Xiaogang had gone completely mad. The tortures of the past two days had pushed him to his breaking point. He could think of nothing but dragging Salas down with him.
"Report me to the Pope?"
Salas burst into laughter.
"Yu Xiaogang, do you think you're worthy?"
His sneer deepened.
"The issue of the Pope's Decree is settled. But that leaves another problem—you impersonated a Spirit Hall elder, damaging our reputation."
"This time, I won't use the whip on you."
Hearing this, Yu Xiaogang sighed in relief.
Salas continued, "Everyone knows you have the thickest skin. Today, I want to see exactly how thick it is."
He picked up a branding iron from the burning coals. The metal glowed red-hot.
Yu Xiaogang's pupils shrank in terror. His composure broke completely.
"Help! HELP!" he screamed. "Tang San! Come save your teacher! Flender, where the hell are you?! Where are you?!"
His cries grew increasingly desperate, his legs kicking frantically.
Then, suddenly—
Yu Xiaogang's body twitched, his eyes rolled back, and he passed out.
Salas laughed heartily.
"Hahaha!"
"What a coward!"
He tossed the branding iron back into the fire and turned to his subordinates.
"Send Yu Xiaogang back to Shrek Academy. And return the Pope's Decree with him."
One of the Spirit Hall disciples hesitated. "My lord, this decree originally belonged to the Clear Sky Clan. If we return it now, won't it seem like we arrested the wrong man? It will be difficult to justify this to the Pope."
Salas was already prepared for this.
"Draft an official statement under my name:
Former member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Xiaogang, was arrested by Platinum Bishop Salas for impersonating a Spirit Hall elder and obstructing the tournament committee's investigation.
After investigation, it was found that the Pope's Decree in his possession was originally issued to the Clear Sky Clan and later gifted to him by the exiled Tang Hao.
For the crime of impersonation and tarnishing the reputation of Spirit Hall, Yu Xiaogang has been duly punished. He is hereby warned to abide by the law and never misuse the Pope's Decree again. Any future violations will be severely punished.
"Have this announcement spread throughout the entire city. I don't want Shrek Academy to have any excuse to claim injustice."
Two Spirit Hall disciples swiftly took down Yu Xiaogang from the cross, stuffed him into a sack, and carried him to the back door.
A waiting carriage was summoned. Without hesitation, they tossed the bloodied sack inside.
The carriage sped off to Shrek Academy.
—
At the gates of Shrek Academy, Tang San had just returned from Moon Pavilion. His mood was grim as he wrestled with one thought—how to rescue his teacher.
Just then, a speeding carriage arrived and screeched to a halt.
Before the gatekeeper could inquire, the carriage door swung open. Two men in Spirit Hall uniforms emerged, unceremoniously dumping a blood-stained sack onto the ground.
Without another word, the carriage sped off.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
Tang San rushed forward, but by the time he reached the gate, the carriage had vanished into the distance.
"Damn it… Spirit Hall… I swear, one day, I will annihilate you!" Tang San vowed in his heart.
"Master? Someone come quickly! Master is injured!" the gatekeeper yelled.
Other students arrived. When they saw the battered, unconscious figure inside the sack, they couldn't bear to look.
"Move! Get out of the way!"
Tang San pushed through the crowd and froze at the sight before him.
"Teacher! It's really him!"
Without hesitation, he hoisted Yu Xiaogang onto his back and sprinted toward Shrek Academy's back mountain, shouting for someone to fetch Flender and Liu Erlong.
For the first time in days, Tang San's heart felt at ease.
His teacher was back.
Tang San checked him over—Yu Xiaogang's injuries were severe but mostly external. With proper rest, he would recover.
Before long, Flender, Liu Erlong, and several teachers arrived, gathering at the back mountain's wooden cabin.
So many people had come that the place was completely packed.
Liu Erlong was growing impatient.
"Do you all think crowding in here is fun?! Get back to class, now! Who's going to teach the students?!"
Her temper was legendary. The moment she snapped, everyone panicked and fled.
Once the crowd had dispersed, Liu Erlong broke down in tears.
She knelt beside Yu Xiaogang, running her delicate fingers over his bloodied face and the horrifying wounds on his body.
Her shoulders trembled.
"Spirit Hall… Salas… I will never forgive you."
Meanwhile, Flender reached into the sack and retrieved the Pope's Decree and a letter from Salas.
After reading it, he ripped it to shreds on the spot.
Looking at his old friend in such a wretched state, he felt a deep sorrow he couldn't put into words.
"Liu Erlong, don't be too upset. Xiaogang will be fine."
At that moment—
Yu Xiaogang suddenly coughed violently.
The unexpected sound startled everyone, sending shivers down their spines.
"Ahhh!!!"
Yu Xiaogang shot upright, screaming at the top of his lungs.
His eyes darted around wildly, filled with pure terror.
Even after realizing he was back in familiar surroundings, he was still trembling uncontrollably.
He collapsed onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Liu Erlong… Flender…" His voice was weak.
Liu Erlong sobbed uncontrollably.
"Xiaogang, you're finally awake! I thought I'd never see you again!"
Flender sighed. "As long as you're alive, that's all that matters. Xiaogang, tell us—what did Salas do to you?"
Yu Xiaogang's lips curled into a twisted smile.
"Me? Yu Xiaogang? I have great luck! What is Spirit Hall compared to me?!"
Flender pressed, "Did they interrogate you about anything? About Tang San?"
Tang San, who had been silent in the corner, snapped to attention.
He, too, wanted to know.