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Everyone felt that Feng Xiaotian's victory was only natural.
However, this match also made those outside the top three sects clearly understand the piss-poor character of the so-called elite sects.
The "Soul Master Exchange Tournament" was nothing more than a crude method for them to illegitimately pocket the rewards.
The disciples of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Clear Sky Sect, and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect who had advanced to the second round now all wore expressions as dark as a pot's bottom.
Because of Tang San, they were all branded as sore losers.
"Damn it, I just don't understand why he can't behave as a proper live-in son-in-law and has to come out here to show off."
"Exactly! Just a mere Soul Grandmaster advancing in the individual competition isn't enough for him; he has to make a spectacle of himself in front of everyone. I really don't understand how the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect could have chosen such an idiot."
The disciples of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, feeling they were caught in an undeserved disaster, ignored any notion of camaraderie and openly mocked him.
Already heavily injured, Tang San's anger flared upon hearing the ridicule, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
He glared viciously at those who had mocked him, his eyes burning with venomous resentment.
"Damn you, mocking me… you're courting death. If Feng Xiaotian hadn't countered my hidden weapons, there's no way I would have lost to him."
But the defeat was sealed. Any explanation was pale and powerless.
All he could do was be supported away by disciples of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, disappearing from public view in utter humiliation.
Lan Minghua observed Tang San's expression with great interest—it was a look as if he had just eaten shit.
He knew perfectly well that the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had sent Tang San into the arena to showcase the power of hidden weapons.
The sect wanted to use this opportunity to demonstrate the strength of their hidden weapons to Spirit Hall and other factions, shattering the impression that they were merely a support sect and making those with ulterior motives more wary of them.
However, due to Lan Minghua's sudden interference, their plan had fallen through.
Lan Minghua looked with great enthusiasm toward the viewing platform where the top three sects were seated.
At this moment, Gu Rong's already grim face had grown even more somber.
He had intended for Tang San to magnificently display the power of the hidden weapons.
Instead, Tang San failed to showcase their strength and instead exposed their weaknesses.
Even Feng Xiaotian, a mere Soul Ancestor, could treat most of the hidden weapons as nothing.
Even the supposedly mighty Mother-and-Son Soul-Chasing Life-Taking Gall, which Tang San had hyped up so much, seemed far weaker than he had imagined.
After all, it couldn't even kill a lone Soul Ancestor like Feng Xiaotian.
In Gu Rong's view, such hidden weapons were less useful than the Zhuge Divine Crossbow.
It was worth remembering that all of Tang San's current hidden weapons had been produced with the help of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
Although Tang San had not handed over the core schematics, Gu Rong felt he had been completely duped.
What damn bullshit weapons! What fucking good are they!
"Sigh… Don't be angry, don't be angry. At least the Zhuge Divine Crossbow is still very suitable for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."
Gu Rong took a deep breath, barely managing to suppress his rage.
Yu Yuanzhen sneered contemptuously. He saw nothing impressive about Tang San—only a clownish display.
To retaliate against the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and Clear Sky Sect for forcibly dragging the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect into this, he openly mocked Gu Rong.
"The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect has really found a fine successor. He hasn't even taken over yet and he's already tarnished the image the top three sects built over many years."
Although enraged, Gu Rong was powerless to refute it.
To ensure Tang San's advancement, he had threatened Shrek Academy to try and force Feng Xiaotian to surrender.
Then, to save Tang San, he had shamelessly allowed his sect's referee to intervene in public.
Both incidents had happened in front of everyone. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had completely lost face because of Tang San.
But Gu Rong was not one to simply take abuse. His attention shifted to the final match of the first round.
Indeed, it was the battle between Dugu Yan and Yu Tianxin.
"So, that is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's sole young sect master? My, truly a talented youth."
Gu Rong emphasized the word "sole" heavily. What seemed like a concerned inquiry was, in fact, filled with sarcasm.
Hearing this, Yu Yuanzhen's eyes sharpened, and the air around him began to crackle with electric currents.
A mocking smile touched Gu Rong's lips, and his eyes, deep as an abyss, fearlessly met Yu Yuanzhen's gaze, which roiled with thunder.
For a moment, the space around the two of them seemed to become a vacuum.
Tensions rose to a breaking point, as if a fight could erupt at any second.
"Put away your powers. Don't make fools of yourselves in front of everyone."
At this moment, the perpetually silent Tang Xiao finally spoke.
His voice was not loud, but both Gu Rong and Yu Yuanzhen felt an inexplicable pressure.
"Tang Xiao's strength… is actually this formidable?!" The same thought simultaneously crossed their minds.
It made sense. After all, Tang Xiao was at least a Rank 96 Titled Douluo; how could the two of them, both at Rank 95, possibly compare?
Of course, this was only in terms of soul power.
Tang Xiao had no intention of fighting Gu Rong or Yu Yuanzhen. He quickly retracted his aura and played the role of peacemaker.
"We share a common enemy. Before Lan Minghua is dealt with, it's best we avoid internal strife. Even if we eliminate Lan Minghua, the behemoth that is Spirit Hall is still watching covetously. Our alliance brings more benefits than harm."
At these words, both Gu Rong and Yu Yuanzhen quieted down.
They were now grasshoppers on the same rope; if trouble came, none of them could escape.
Although he reined in his aura, Yu Yuanzhen couldn't resist one last jibe: "Tianxin is indeed the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's only candidate for young sect master, but at least he isn't like a certain highly-anticipated successor who is still only a Soul Grandmaster—and an arrogant one at that."
Gu Rong seethed with fury but, for the sake of the bigger picture, endured it.
Tang Xiao rolled his eyes, choking on the comment himself.
No matter what, Tang San was Tang Hao's son—his nephew—and possessed Twin Spirits with innate full soul power.
No matter how disgraceful his performance had been, his talent was top-notch.
They did not continue the topic, turning their attention to how Yu Tianxin would perform against Lan Minghua's disciple.
Lan Minghua had thought Gu Rong and Yu Yuanzhen might actually fight, but he wasn't surprised that they ultimately yielded for their own interests.
He then shifted his gaze to the arena, completely confident in Dugu Yan's abilities.
Although Yu Tianxin was also at Rank 42 and possessed the so-called world's strongest beast spirit, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, Lan Minghua did not think for a second she would lose.
Thus, he paid little attention to this match, focusing instead on the area outside the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
At that moment, the sect was already surrounded by the Heaven Dou Empire's army.
The troops had silently encircled the sect, seemingly awaiting an order.
But this was not Lan Minghua's main concern.
Because outside the army's perimeter, he could detect the presence of several Titled Douluo auras.
Lan Minghua's lips curled into a slight smirk as he withdrew his gaze, letting it fall upon Xue Qinghe.
"Heh… interesting. If I'm not mistaken, this must be your handiwork, Xue Qinghe. No, I should say… Qian Renxue."
(End of Chapter)