Chapter 62 – The Weight of the Law
As the Shrek team prepared for their next match, the atmosphere in the arena was thick with gossip. The Toy Tang San had used against the Tianshui Academy in the preliminaries had been under investigation.
"The rules are clear," a Martial Soul Hall judge announced to the Shrek waiting room. "No external weapons. If your Captain uses those silver needles again, Shrek Academy will be disqualified immediately. We let it slide in the Empire's qualifiers due to visual ambiguity, but here, in the Holy City, we see everything."
Tang San's face darkened. He looked at the Torrential Pear Blossom Needle he had spent nights perfecting, it is now a useless hunk of metal. He had relied on these tools to compensate for his weakened spirit and his mental trauma. Now, he is being stripped of his crutch.
"I don't need them," Tang San lied, his voice tight. "I still have my own self created techniques."
The judge just look at Tang San with a raised eyebrow and left them, he rolled his eyes as he went past them, as if he was dismissing this fools.
•••••••••••
The match against the Star Luo Imperial Academy was far more desperate than the original timeline. Without the Hell White Tiger fusion, the pressure fell entirely on Tang San's shoulders.
"Dai Mubai! Use your third skill to cover Ma Hongjun!" Tang San shouted.
But Dai Mubai was flagging. His spirit was broken by the sight of Zhu Zhuqing in the Martial Soul Hall stands talking at Lakan with tender look. Every time he tried to focus, he saw her voluptuous, refined figure and her cold eyes. He was fighting like a man in a daze, his White Tiger Barrier flickering.
Tang San was forced to dance a dangerous dance. He used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step to weave between the Star Luo attackers, but without the "Detailed" stage of his Purple Demon Eye, he couldn't predict their movements perfectly. He was hit—hard. A blow from the Star Luo Captain sent him tumbling back.
"San-er!" Yu Scumgang shouted from the sidelines, his hands trembling.
Gritting his teeth, Tang San channeled his soul power into his hands. Mysterious Jade Hand. He caught a jagged blade with his bare palms, the friction creating sparks. He followed up with Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon, redirecting the kinetic energy to throw the attacker toward Ma Hongjun's fire.
It was a narrow, ugly victory. They didn't win because they were Monsters, they won because Tang San pushed his body to the point of internal bleeding to compensate for a team that was falling apart.
After the match, the audience remained silent. There were no cheers for Shrek. Contrastingly, when the Martial Soul Hall Team (Lakan's Team) entered for their exhibition, the stadium vibrated.
Lakan walked to the center of the stage. Per your vision, he stood tall at 14, a lean, muscular frame that radiated a calm, terrifying stillness. Theres no crown on his head, neither is he a titled Douluo, yet his presence was undeniable. He didn't need a crown or light to show his power, the way the air seemed to bend around him was enough.
Beside him stood Shui Bing'er, looking like a Queen of Frost.
"One person," Lakan said, his voice reaching every corner of the arena. "Zhuqing, show them what a Soul Spirit can do for a master who isn't stuck in the past."
Zhu Zhuqing stepped forward. Her evolution was the talk of the city. The Mutya Pill had worked wonders; her body was a perfect blend of feminine grace and predator-like power, her full silhouette a testament to the high-level nourishment she'd received.
She faced a team of mid-level Spirit Ancestors. She didn't use a single hidden weapon. She didn't need to. She moved with a speed that left after images, her Void Stalking Panther martial soul flickering in and out of reality. She dismantled the opposing team in seconds, her strikes precise and merciful, yet leaving no doubt of the gap between them.
In the VIP section, the remnants of the Empire's pride were gathering. Huo Wu, Feng Xiaotian, and Shui Yue'er (Bing'er's sister) sat together. Along with the vice-captain of Tianshui, Xue Wu, they were forming a pact.
"We can't win alone," Huo Wu whispered, her eyes fixed on Lakan. "The Martial Soul Hall team is beyond anything we've ever seen. Even the Shrek team is just a distraction. If we want to represent the Empire, we must merge."
Shui Yue'er nodded, her face serious for once. "My sister Bing'er is on that team. I know how she thinks. But I also know that Xue Wu and I have a dance that can freeze the world. If we join with Blazing and Godwind... we might at least force the Holy Son to reveal his martial soul."
••••••••••••••••
In the far reaches of the stadium, the Slaughter King watched the proceedings through narrowed eyes. He saw Tang San's frantic, desperate fighting style and felt a faint resonance, a connection to the Clear Sky Sect.
But his gaze always returned to Lakan.
The boy doesn't move like a soul master, the King mused. He moves like he owns the space he occupies. No soul core, no visible divinity... and yet, the God of Asura is restless because of him.
He shifted his gaze to Xiao Wu, who was standing near the Shrek bench. Her aura was being suppressed by a high-level treasure, but the King could smell the purity of a 100,000-year-old soul.
"The tournament is a farce," the King whispered into the shadows. "The real battle will be over that rabbit. And when the Hall makes its move to negotiate, I will be the one to turn this holy city into a slaughterhouse."