The sky was cloudless, but it felt lifeless and oppressive. The streets of Heaven Dou City were sparsely populated, a far cry from their former glory. Inside the resplendent imperial palace, guards were stationed every few steps, and patrols were everywhere, adding to the tense atmosphere of the city.
It had been half a month since Emperor Xue Ye fell into a coma. His condition had visibly deteriorated day by day. The revelation that Ye Hao was the young master of the Spirit Hall had dealt a devastating blow to him. Since spitting blood that day, the emperor's vitality had been fading, as if he were on the verge of death.
Gradually, Emperor Xue Ye opened his dim, aged eyes and saw that all the important officials of the imperial court were gathered around him.
"Your Majesty, you've finally awakened..." Prince Xue Xing sighed deeply. He hadn't rested well these past few days.
"Father!" Xue Beng knelt before Emperor Xue Ye, his eyes bloodshot as he swore, "Father, I swear that in my lifetime, I will personally annihilate the Spirit Hall and behead that brat Ye Hao."
Xue Beng had always called Ye Hao "big brother," but now he knew the truth—Ye Hao was from the Spirit Hall, and not just any member, but its young master.
Emperor Xue Ye, however, shook his head weakly. "The Spirit Hall is no longer what it used to be. Now that Ye Hao is its young master, our only chance of defeating them is... to ally with the Star Luo Empire."
Ally with the Star Luo Empire?
The two empires had been at war for years, becoming mortal enemies. How could they possibly ally?
"Where's Qinghe? Has Qinghe returned?" Emperor Xue Ye suddenly shouted.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is still at the Spirit Hall and has not returned. Your Majesty, do you have any orders?" a minister quickly replied.
At that moment, a soldier entered the room holding a top-secret letter. Seeing so many people present, he hesitated, unsure whether to proceed.
"Read it!" Emperor Xue Ye commanded.
The letter was classified as top-secret, and with so many people in the room, the soldier was unsure what to do.
"I ordered you to read it!"
As he spoke, Emperor Xue Ye began coughing violently, spitting up blood.
The soldier dared not disobey and reluctantly began reading: "Your Majesty, the cause of death of the Second and Third Princes has been determined."
The room erupted in gasps. Everyone was stunned.
The deaths of the Second and Third Princes had shaken the entire Heaven Dou Empire. Their deaths were too strange, too mysterious, leaving everyone suspicious.
At the time, Prince Xue Xing had led the investigation, but no clues were found, and the case was shelved.
Now, after all this time, the truth had finally been uncovered.
Everyone was curious—who could have been so bold as to kill two princes without anyone noticing?
Prince Xue Xing, understanding the gravity of the situation, wanted to dismiss the soldier, fearing that Emperor Xue Ye couldn't handle any more shocks.
"Read it here!" Emperor Xue Ye glanced at Prince Xue Xing, knowing his brother meant well.
But the emperor desperately wanted to know who had killed his sons—both of them.
Finally, the soldier looked down at the top-secret letter.
With trembling hands, he read out two names...
"Ye... Hao."
The room fell silent. Ye Hao? How could it be him?
It was important to note that Ye Hao had only appeared long after the deaths of the two princes. How could he be involved?
Emperor Xue Ye took a deep breath, suppressing his murderous rage, and asked, "I ask you, is this top-secret letter genuine? Where did it come from?"
The soldier immediately knelt, trembling uncontrollably. "Your Majesty, this was obtained by a spy sent by Prince Xue Xing. He overheard Ye Hao himself confessing..."
"That old fool Xue Ye would never guess that his two sons died by my hand. Now he still dreams of making me the future cornerstone of the Heaven Dou Empire. How ironic..."
The soldier lowered his head and continued trembling, "These were Ye Hao's exact words..."
As soon as he finished, Emperor Xue Ye's face turned red. In front of everyone, blood gushed from his mouth, and he collapsed onto the bed.
"Your Majesty!"
"Father!"
"Your Majesty!"
Chaos erupted in the room as everyone rushed to the emperor's side.
The soldier remained kneeling, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Quick, call the imperial physician!"
The soldier hesitated for a moment, then stood up and left with a bow.
---
Meanwhile, in the Spirit Hall.
The final match of the tournament had begun.
"Demonic Charm."
In an instant, Xie Yue and Hu Liena successfully merged. A red mist began to fill the entire arena.
The two individuals had now become one—a figure with long, flowing hair, clad in hard red armor, their face covered by a mask, leaving only their piercing eyes visible. In each hand, they held a crescent-shaped blade.
With every swing of the blades, surges of red energy filled the air. The figure was enveloped in red mist, creating an eerie and unsettling presence.
All members of Shrek Academy, except for Tang San, were now trapped within the red mist. Their senses, soul power, and speed were reduced by 50%, and their movements were slowed by the same amount.
The mist was so thick that they couldn't see their own hands, and the red haze, mixed with a disorienting aura, made it impossible to locate their teammates. Frustration and anger began to build.
The merged figure, Demonic Charm, moved with unnatural grace, as if the red mist were its home.
Tang San, seeing this, was horrified. He glared at Ye Hao, realizing that Ye Hao had completely isolated him from the rest of his team.
Using his Purple Demon Eyes, Tang San could see through the mist, but Ye Hao stood firmly in his way.
Recalling his teacher's final words, "Xiao San, those three soul bones are crucial for you. You must obtain them!"
Among the three soul bones, the head bone was the most precious.
Now, Tang San had lost his external soul bone, and the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone, which should have been his, had been taken by Ye Hao. He was left with nothing.
"Ye Hao, you killed my teacher and destroyed my family. Aren't you afraid of retribution?" Tang San retracted his Blue Silver Grass and instead summoned his Clear Sky Hammer.
"No, I'm not," Ye Hao replied calmly. "I'm sure Tang Hao has told you about what happened back then. If I hadn't acted, it would have been us who were destroyed.
"Tang San, I know your nature. You're vengeful and won't stop until your enemies are completely annihilated."
Hearing this, Tang San frowned.
"Your teacher was all talk, spouting grand theories but lacking any real ability. Even his so-called martial soul theories were plagiarized from the Spirit Hall. Tell me, what has Yu Xiaogang actually given you since you became his disciple?"
---
"I..." Tang San was momentarily stunned.
He lowered his head and touched the Twenty-Four Bridge Moonlit Night. Did that count?
"My teacher taught me how to identify the age of soul beasts, knowledge about martial souls, and the principles of being a good person."
As soon as Tang San finished speaking, the entire arena erupted in laughter.
"Identifying the age of soul beasts and knowledge about martial souls? Those are all in the academy textbooks. Your teacher isn't anything special."
"No wonder he was killed. He walked in that day looking so arrogant."
"..."
Facing the ridicule, Tang San glared furiously.
Ye Hao waved his hand, and the crowd immediately fell silent.
"Tang San, did you hear that? You're a soul master too. Over the years, Yu Xiaogang gave you nothing but those basic things. And as for the principles of being a good person, your behavior is hardly commendable.
"You're always talking about 'the path to death,' casually deciding the life and death of others. You have no right to do so."
Tang San staggered, raising the Clear Sky Hammer above his head. Dark red energy surged down in an instant.
"Die!" he roared, bringing the hammer down with force.
The spot where Ye Hao had been standing was now a small crater.
"Titan Giant Ape left leg skill: Titan's Divine Strength."
Using his Six-Winged Purple Light Wings, Ye Hao soared into the air. His left leg glowed with a crimson light, and a powerful pressure descended.
Immediately, Tang San's eyes widened. He knelt on one knee, raising the Clear Sky Hammer high, hoping to withstand the overwhelming pressure.
The pressure spread throughout his body. Tang San's arms grew numb, and the ground beneath him cracked like a spider's web.
Above, Bibi Dong watched with a satisfied nod. She glanced at A Yin, who was already in tears, watching her son suffer below. As a mother, she was powerless, and her heart ached.
Meanwhile, inside the red mist.
The Demonic Charm figure flickered, and soon, the first elimination occurred.
Tai Long was covered in blood, his skin cut open to reveal the white bone beneath. Blood pooled around him.
Next, Jiang Zhu was thrown out. Aside from her disheveled clothes and hair, she was only unconscious and otherwise unharmed.
Inside the red mist, Ma Hongjun trembled, his body enveloped in flames. He looked around nervously, not daring to let his guard down.
"First soul skill, Phoenix Fireline!"
Ma Hongjun's first soul ring lit up, and a stream of scorching flames erupted from his mouth.
Suddenly, a cold breeze brushed past his back, sending shivers down his spine.
The Demonic Charm moved like a ghost, perfectly at home in the red mist.
A flash of white light appeared in the mist, and a sinister blade left a cut on Ma Hongjun's abdomen. This time, Ma Hongjun was lucky—the blade only grazed the outer layer of his clothes. Next time, he might not be so fortunate.
"Come out already! Hiding in the shadows isn't what a soul master should do!" Ma Hongjun instinctively shut his mouth. He was too nervous, his palms sweating.
Suddenly, the Demonic Charm appeared in the mist.
It held two crescent blades, their surfaces seemingly soaked in blood, glowing with a crimson light.
The Demonic Charm's combined strength was almost at the Soul Emperor level. Ma Hongjun took several steps back, regretting his earlier outburst.
"I'm here. Show me what you've got," the Demonic Charm's voice echoed in Ma Hongjun's ears, lingering like a haunting melody.
Gritting his teeth, Ma Hongjun knew there was no turning back now.
His first and second soul rings lit up, and flames erupted from his body. The fiery phoenix behind him seemed almost illusory.
"First soul skill, Phoenix Fireline!"
"Second soul skill, Blazing Phoenix!"
This time, the Phoenix Fireline was even more ferocious, the heat of the flames making the air tremble.
But he was facing the Demonic Charm.
The Demonic Charm flickered, and the two crescent blades merged into one.
In an instant, Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fireline was split in two.
Seeing this, Ma Hongjun was horrified. He tried to gather his flames again, but the Demonic Charm had already appeared behind him.
It raised its blade and slashed down mercilessly...
The next second, outside the red mist.
Ma Hongjun was thrown out, covered in blood. Like Tai Long, his bones were shattered. Even if he recovered, it would take at least half a year.
And even then, his future soul power cultivation would be difficult unless he obtained a rare treasure like the Fiery Passionflower. Otherwise, there was no hope.
"Hongjun!"
Flender's heart ached as he watched Ma Hongjun being carried away, covered in blood. The teacher seemed to have aged a decade in an instant.
Time passed, and the Demonic Charm threw out two more people from the mist: Dai Mubai and Oscar. They were in no better shape than Ma Hongjun.
Due to the immense soul power consumption of the martial soul fusion skill, Hu Liena and Xie Yue were racing against time.
When dealing with Dai Mubai and Oscar, they acted swiftly and decisively, ensuring a quick defeat.
"Your teammates have already lost, Tang San. Surrender."
Ye Hao stood in mid-air, looking down at Tang San like a victor.
Tang San looked down and saw that he was the only one left on the field. Xiao Wu was pinned under Xie Yue's foot, a blade pressed to her throat.
Seeing this, Tang San felt a deep sense of helplessness. He was unwilling!
"Useless trash," Tang San cursed under his breath.
He wasn't in much better shape himself, sprawled on the ground. His Clear Sky Hammer had been shattered into pieces, scattered around him.
The power of the 100,000-year Titan Giant Ape's left leg bone was simply too overwhelming. In front of it, Tang San was nothing but an ant.
"I... surrender," Tang San said reluctantly.
Hearing this, Ye Hao gradually withdrew the pressure.
But in that instant, Tang San's hands turned milky white. His eyes lit up, and he quickly grabbed the shattered pieces of the Clear Sky Hammer.
His arms moved swiftly, his fingers seeming to disappear as he manipulated the fragments.
The pieces of the Clear Sky Hammer shot toward Ye Hao like meteors, attacking from all directions.
Tang San's aim was precise, using the sharpest parts of the shattered hammer. Some of the fragments were even coated with poison, as Tang San was an expert in toxins.
The fragments flew toward Ye Hao.
"Bat Wing Reincarnation," Ye Hao murmured. He had expected this move.
A black light flashed from his forehead, and the Death God's Heart enveloped him perfectly.
Tang San's "Bat Wing Reincarnation" was completely blocked. But just then, Tang San's lips curled into a sinister smile.
Several hammer fragments suddenly flew back, just as Ye Hao deactivated the Death God's Heart.
Ye Hao felt two powerful gusts of wind approaching from behind. His left leg glowed crimson once more.
"Gravity Swamp."
---
An unprecedented pressure crushed Tang San's entire body. Just as he stood up, he was slammed back to the ground by an overwhelming force.
In the next moment, Ye Hao flashed through the air, grabbing Tang San and lifting him into the sky.
At the same time, the two fragments of the Clear Sky Hammer, coated with deadly poison, pierced Tang San's body. Tang San's eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
"You... you actually countered my Bat Wing Reincarnation?" Tang San's trembling voice reached Ye Hao's ears.
"Hidden weapons?" Ye Hao smirked, his voice cold. "They're nothing more than cheap tricks, Tang San. You've broken the rules."
With that, Ye Hao hurled Tang San from the sky. His body crashed heavily onto the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.
Everything settled.
"Hmph!" Bibi Dong snorted, her eyes filled with a chilling killing intent.
"He got off too easily."
Attacking after surrendering was exactly the kind of thing Tang San would do.
"Now do you see? This is the son you and Tang Hao raised," Bibi Dong said disdainfully, glancing at Ah Yin, who stood silently, tears streaming down her face.
She then ordered someone to take Ah Yin away...
"I declare that the winner of this year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament is... the Spirit Hall team!"
Instantly, cheers, shouts, and applause erupted like thunder.
Countless people cheered for the Spirit Hall, shouting "Long live the Spirit Hall!"
Meanwhile, a covert operation was already underway.
Xie Yue retracted his martial soul and disdainfully kicked Xiao Wu away before walking over to Ye Hao.
"Young Master."
"Young Master."
Xie Yue and Hu Liena approached Ye Hao.
"You've worked hard. There's nothing more for you to do here. Once you receive the soul bones, you can leave."
"Yes."
The siblings bowed respectfully.
Shrek Academy had lost. They had lost completely.
Xiao Wu shot a hateful glance at Ye Hao before rushing to Tang San, who lay on the ground.
Escape. That was all Xiao Wu could think of now.
"Escape?"
Ye Hao sneered. "Do you really think you can?"
At the same time, the Death God's Heart on Ye Hao's hair disappeared, splitting into six massive mirrors that enveloped the entire arena. Xiao Wu was now trapped like a fish in a net, with no way out.
Of course, no one else noticed this.
"Brother, are you okay?"
Xiao Wu's eyes were filled with tears as she hurriedly helped Tang San up.
Tang San was covered in blood, his arms pierced by fragments of the Clear Sky Hammer. The wounds were already festering.
"Ye Hao, I..."
Before Tang San could finish, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Those who do evil will reap what they sow."
Ye Hao took a step forward, shaking his head lightly. "Tang San, this is the price for your sneak attack. You had already surrendered. I don't understand why you attacked.
"Are you a sore loser? Or..."
"..."
Tang San was speechless. He gritted his teeth and pulled the Clear Sky Hammer fragments from his shoulders, quickly taking an antidote.
"Xiao San, Xiao Wu."
Liu Erlong rushed to the two of them. Aside from Dai Mubai and Oscar, who had just regained consciousness, the others had already been carried away.
Flender sensed that something was wrong and whispered, "Let's go!"
"Go?" Bibi Dong descended from above. "The tournament isn't over yet. Where are you going?"
With that, Bibi Dong took out the tournament's prize: three soul bones.
The soul bones floated in Bibi Dong's hand, their dazzling light making Tang San's mouth water. He wished they were all his.
Currently, he had none. He was alone.
Some of the spectators felt the same way, but this was the Spirit Hall. They had the desire but not the courage.
"Now, I will award the tournament prizes to the Spirit Hall team. I hope you continue to work hard and soon break through to become Title Douluos, becoming the pillars of the Spirit Hall."
Hu Liena and the others, having received the soul bones, bowed to Bibi Dong and Ye Hao before leaving.
Seeing that it was over, Flender forced a smile. "Your Holiness, Shrek Academy admits defeat. May we leave now?"
Bibi Dong smiled. "Of course."
With that, Flender and the others breathed a sigh of relief and quickly prepared to leave.
"But she must stay."
Ye Hao pointed at Xiao Wu. At the same time, the hidden Spirit Hall disciples swarmed out, surrounding Shrek Academy completely.
Seeing this, Xiao Wu's face turned pale, and she trembled uncontrollably.
Flender was confused, and Dai Mubai and Oscar were equally baffled. Only Tang San knew the truth.
"Ye Hao, what do you mean by this? Are you trying to wipe us out?" Liu Erlong demanded angrily.
Xiao Wu was her daughter. Now that Yu Xiaogang was dead, she couldn't bear to lose her only child.
"Liu Erlong, if I say you're blind, you really are blind," Ye Hao sighed helplessly.
"What did you say!" Liu Erlong was furious.
"My Spirit Hall can't harm a little girl, but a soul beast... that's a different story," Ye Hao said with a mysterious smile.
"Soul... soul beast?" Liu Erlong was stunned. She turned to look at Xiao Wu, who was peeking out from behind Tang San, her eyes filled with disbelief.
"No, that's impossible!" Liu Erlong refused to believe it.
"Still in denial?" Ye Hao smiled faintly, his gaze shifting to Tang San.
"Tang San, aren't you going to explain? The girl behind you—no, the 100,000-year soul beast, the Soft Bone Rabbit."
His words caused an uproar!
Ye Hao's revelation shocked everyone. A 100,000-year soul beast? You're saying this girl is a 100,000-year soul beast?
Liu Erlong stared at Xiao Wu in shock, and Flender staggered, equally stunned.
Dai Mubai and Oscar shuddered, unable to believe that Xiao Wu wasn't human.
"Damn it, Fatty, we've been had!" Oscar chuckled.
Recalling Ma Hongjun's curse in the mountain cabin that day, it had truly been a prophecy.
"This is... unbelievable," Dai Mubai muttered.
"Damn you, Ye Hao!" Tang San cursed inwardly.
He shielded Xiao Wu behind him. No matter what, he wouldn't let the Spirit Hall take her.
Bibi Dong stepped forward. "So you're the one who slipped through the net back then. I never expected you to be so bold as to come to the Spirit Hall openly. You really have a death wish."
Xiao Wu's rabbit ears twitched in anger, but there was nothing she could do.
"You killed my mother. I'll never forgive you! Or the Spirit Hall!" Xiao Wu spat venomously.
"Hmph!" Bibi Dong snorted.
"Xiao Wu, use your third soul skill and run!" Tang San secretly transmitted his voice using soul power.
"Brother, what about you?" Xiao Wu's face was filled with anxiety.
"Don't worry. Uncle is waiting outside. I'll be fine."
At that moment, Xiao Wu's third soul ring lit up. Her body was enveloped in a pink light, and she vanished in an instant.
Seeing this, Tang San breathed a sigh of relief.
But the next second...
"Ouch!" Xiao Wu rubbed her head, which had turned red, as she stared at the black, transparent wall in front of her. She was momentarily lost in thought...