"Xiao San, you and Xiao Wu stay here. I'll handle this… Ning Fengzhi, I'll be waiting for you."
A deep, echoing voice rang out from all directions, shaking the very buildings around them. Everyone present immediately understood—the speaker possessed terrifying strength. It could only be the man Ning Fengzhi had mentioned earlier: Tang Hao, the youngest Title Douluo in the entire continent.
At that moment, Ning Rongrong finally put the pieces together. Her father and Sword Grandpa had come… for Xiao Wu?
Although she didn't fully understand why, she instinctively stepped forward to plead on her friend's behalf.
"Father, what did Xiao Wu even do? Can't you let her go?"
She tugged on Ning Fengzhi's arm, her tone almost coquettish—but before she could finish, he firmly shook his head.
"No."
Seeing the decisiveness in her father's eyes, she lowered her head and silently stepped behind Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo Chen Xin, avoiding Xiao Wu's gaze.
After all, she and Xiao Wu had only known each other for a couple of months. Asking once was already more than enough—a show of kindness and sentiment.
"Uncle Jian, let's go."
Ning Fengzhi turned to Chen Xin, and the two transformed into twin streaks of sword light, flashing eastward.
The moment they left, three hidden Soul Douluo and seven Soul Sages from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan revealed themselves, surrounding Tang San and Xiao Wu in a tight formation. Soul rings of various colors rose beneath their feet, unleashing suffocating pressure.
"Don't worry, Xiao Wu—I'll protect you."
Tang San pulled Xiao Wu behind him, one hand hiding a loaded Zhuge Divine Crossbow, aimed straight at the strongest among them: Wang Xu.
At that moment, Flender descended from the skies with Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang by his side, landing beside Tang San and the rest of the Shrek Seven Devils.
Yu Xiaogang quickly assessed the group of Soul Sages and Soul Douluo surrounding them, then turned his eyes toward Xu Yang and Ning Rongrong.
"Rongrong, Xu Yang—what exactly did Xiao Wu do to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan? Is she really worth all this?"
Xu Yang answered calmly, "She didn't offend us. But she possesses something too valuable."
A truth so simple it stunned everyone present.
Even Ning Rongrong looked at him in shock, grabbing his arm and pleading, "Brother, I'll try and convince Xiao Wu to hand it over! Please—don't hurt her!"
But before he could reply, Xiao Wu stepped out from behind Tang San. Her voice was quiet but resolute:
"No need, Rongrong. What your brother wants isn't something I can give—he wants my life. Because I'm a ten-thousand-year soul beast in human form."
Her confession silenced the crowd.
Those unaware now stared at her in disbelief. The lengths the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had gone—mobilizing two Title Douluo—finally made sense.
Even a standard ten-thousand-year soul bone was considered a "Blood River Treasure." A ten-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone from a transformed beast? Priceless.
Now even Yu Xiaogang and Flender couldn't entirely suppress the greed in their eyes as they looked at Xiao Wu.
Turning to Tang San, Xiao Wu gave him a soft smile.
"Brother… don't forget me."
Tang San looked utterly devastated. He reached out toward her, shouting with a voice full of anguish:
"No! Xiao Wu! I don't care what you are! I swore—if anyone wants to hurt you, they'll have to go through me first!"
As he spoke, his hands turned a glimmering jade color, and between his fingers appeared dozens of hidden weapons—ready to launch at any moment.
It was a touching moment.
Xu Yang sighed inwardly. Why do I feel like the villain in all this...?
Ning Rongrong stood frozen after hearing the truth. Looking at Xiao Wu with disbelief, she silently stepped away and threw herself into Dugu Yan's arms, burying her face in Yan's chest.
Dugu Yan sensed her emotional turmoil and gently patted her back in comfort.
Suddenly—
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion tore through the air. Everyone turned in unison, eyes wide in shock.
Far in the eastern sky, a colossal sword and a massive hammer clashed. The impact shredded the sky in two. Within a radius of nearly a kilometer, the very ground was ripped apart by the force—everything above it obliterated.
"…Looks like the negotiations failed."
Xu Yang's expression hardened. With a single wave of his right hand, the ten Soul Douluo and Soul Sages moved in unison, lunging toward Xiao Wu to capture her on the spot.
Tang San, calm but ruthless, made his move just as quickly.
With a flick of both hands, over a hundred hidden weapons launched simultaneously—not at the soul masters, but directly at Ning Rongrong, still in Dugu Yan's arms.
He knew very well that he couldn't touch the elite Soul Sages or Douluo. But if he could threaten Rongrong, they might hesitate. A classic "rescue the lord by attacking the vassal."
Bang!
Gunshots rang out in succession.
Tang San felt a sudden lightness at his waist. His hand reached back instinctively—but found nothing.
Looking down, he saw his storage belt had been blown clean off, now lying yards away. The strap was punctured in three precise places, clearly shot clean through.
His gaze shot up—and saw Xu Yang, now standing in front of Ning Rongrong. His left hand held a soul tool pistol, and in his right, a gleaming Tang Blade.
All of Tang San's projectiles had been deflected mid-air.
He anticipated this?!
Tang San was stunned. Xu Yang had predicted he would resort to hidden weapons—and even which tactic he would use. And just like that, he had cut off all access to the arsenal inside his storage belt.
In just a few days of observation, this man had already seen through him completely.
With only a few mechanical-type hidden weapons left on him, there was no way he could protect Xiao Wu now.
"No! Xiao Wu!"
In desperation, Tang San summoned the Clear Sky Hammer to his left hand and charged at Xiao Wu. Even with no hope, even if it cost him his life—he would protect her.
But before he could reach her—
"AHHHHH—!!"
A shrill, piercing scream tore from Xiao Wu's lips. It reverberated across Shrek Academy, shaking its very foundations.
A blinding crimson light erupted from her forehead, expanding into a hundred-meter radius, coating the world in red. For a moment, time itself seemed to stop.
The ten attacking soul masters froze in midair.
A towering pillar of blood-red soul power surged into the sky, forming an intricate, arcane array high above.
Tang San stood at its center.
The unique energy of a ten-thousand-year soul beast flooded into him, and his soul power began to rise at an impossible speed.
Rank 33… Rank 34…
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin