Tang San had no choice but to use one of Oscar's Mushroom Sausages and flew into the air.
Yu Xiaogang spoke in a low voice, "Although we've lost Dai Mubai and Xiao Wu, we still have aerial superiority! They can't pursue us, and we're fast. Their soul skills can't possibly reach us!"
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, his voice heavy.
If they lost to a bunch of kids, that would be too humiliating!
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.
Tang San opened his mouth, intending to persuade Yu Xiaogang to let him go back down.
After all, his Blue Silver Grass wasn't particularly useful in midair. On the ground, with his nearly all-round abilities, he could truly turn the tide.
But he knew Yu Xiaogang wouldn't listen.
Ma Hongjun grinned, "You all got up here? Great, now I can start attacking properly! When Boss Dai was trapped down there, I couldn't use my full power."
Yu Xiaogang nodded. "Ma Hongjun, you lead the attack. Break open their formation."
"Alright!!!"
Ma Hongjun grew excited.
With a loud cry, a dozen Phoenix Fire Lines shot downward, launching toward the people below. The entire arena seemed to heat up from the flames.
The Blue Tyrant Team responded by releasing massive water orbs.
These water orbs didn't have much offensive power, but the moment they came into contact with the fire, they vaporized, producing thick clouds of white mist that obscured the figures within.
The Soul Arena was huge, and now shrouded in fog, it was nearly impossible to target anyone accurately.
"Damn! They're so shameless!"
Ma Hongjun was dumbfounded. His attacks were fierce but not wide-ranging. If he kept spamming them, he'd just run out of soul power.
Even Yu Xiaogang's face turned serious. He'd never encountered such a situation before.
After all, he was still just a theorist at heart!
Tang San activated his Purple Demon Eye and tried to peer through the fog. However, his current level wasn't high enough—he could barely see, and it took time.
Meanwhile, the Blue Tyrant Team kept moving around inside.
Tang San pointed in a direction, "Over there... No, wait, they moved again!"
Ma Hongjun fired another Phoenix Fire Line into the mist. It glowed red for a moment, then faded—only for more white mist to roll out.
Time was slipping away quickly...
Below the stage, the audience watched this scene in silence. The atmosphere grew strange.
Dai Mubai and Xiao Wu walked over, both lowering their heads in shame and frustration. They were prideful by nature, yet both had been eliminated.
Flender ground his teeth. If the Blue Tyrant Team won, he'd be saddled with enormous debts!
"You… you guys… sigh!"
"Now we can only rely on Xiaogang. Xiaogang, don't let me down…"
Flender clenched his fists, sweat beading on his forehead.
Always dancing on the edge… Today, would he finally fall in?
Liu Erlong stood with Huo Wu, both staring at the stage, dazed.
Huo Wu's mind wasn't on the fight at all—she was thinking of Dan Heng.
Liu Erlong was full of doubt.
Why?
The man she thought of as the wisest, the master strategist, was being outplayed by the Blue Tyrant Team?
Even if Zhu Zhuqing was strong, Dai Mubai's elimination had little to do with her!
"How could Yu Xiaogang be losing?"
"This is just a slight disadvantage, right? Xiaogang will win, he'll win…"
Right now, Liu Erlong was even silently praying for Shrek to win.
[T/n: Traitor]
"Four minutes have passed. Husband, the Blue Tyrant Team has already eliminated two people—both offensive soul masters."
Gu Yuena narrowed her eyes, smug.
Dan Heng nodded slightly, glancing at Yu Xiaogang on the stage with a hint of surprise.
He realized he had overestimated Yu Xiaogang.
Could it be he wouldn't even last ten minutes?
On the platform, just as their mushroom sausages were about to expire and the Shrek team was about to eat another round…
Suddenly, Tang San shouted, "Something's wrong!!! Get out of the way!"
Without hesitation, Blue Silver Grass shot from his body, twisting into three ropes that tied around Yu Xiaogang, Oscar, and Ning Rongrong, trying to drag them away.
In the next instant, a figure shot out from the mist—Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing had no way to stay airborne. She had only jumped up to startle the Shrek members.
"Attack her!!!"
"If we can eliminate her, the Blue Tyrant Team is doomed!"
Yu Xiaogang shouted in joy, urging Tang San.
"Teacher…" Tang San hesitated. He knew Zhu Zhuqing well. Even in the air, he might not be her match.
If he engaged her here, he might be the one eliminated instead!
But on the ground, he had more room to maneuver.
Before Tang San could act—
Another shadow burst from the mist, heading straight for Ma Hongjun.
Ma Hongjun had paused to look at the situation above and didn't expect an ambush.
"Down you go, fat chicken!"
Tai Long laughed and punched hard at Ma Hongjun.
Ma Hongjun unleashed flames, but Tai Long's punch sent a blast of wind that blew them away.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh… BAM!
A mighty strike landed right on Ma Hongjun's chubby face.
He flew like a flaming meteor, shot off the platform, and crashed into the ground, unconscious.
Tai Long landed and made a throat-slitting gesture at the Shrek team.
"Tang San!!!"
Yu Xiaogang yelled in panic. Now only Tang San could still fight.
Even if they were airborne, Tang San lacked ranged attacks.
If he landed, even if he could defeat two or three, facing all seven members of the Blue Tyrant Team was hopeless!
Yu Xiaogang's eyes turned red. Under his command, Shrek had lost?
He—the great Master—how could he face anyone after this?
Yu Xiaogang clenched his teeth, his face darkening.
"Teacher, maybe I can use my hidden weapons…" Tang San suggested, frowning.
Yu Xiaogang shot him a cold look. "Hidden weapons, hidden weapons! Didn't I tell you not to waste your time on useless things? If you had followed my strategy and not acted out of line, we wouldn't have lost! And Dai Mubai—he was arrogant and reckless! I wasted my teachings on you all!"
The more he spoke, the angrier he got, his face turning red.
He could feel the audience's eyes on him—mocking, questioning.
Tang San lowered his head. Respecting his teacher, he swallowed back his explanations.
But in his heart, he believed—if he had organized the battle, they never would've lost.
"Those up there, why don't you surrender? After all, you're from Soto City. It's no shame to lose here."
The mist cleared. Tai Long laughed.
Yu Xiaogang's face turned pitch black. "Let us down."
"Teacher, let me try. I think I can take all seven of them…"
Tang San said, unwilling to give up.
Yu Xiaogang growled, "Do you have to embarrass us further? Stop! A loss is a loss! Denying it will only make people laugh!"
"We surrender!!!"
Yu Xiaogang practically screamed it.
Tang San, Ning Rongrong, and Oscar all showed expressions of disappointment.
They thought of themselves as geniuses, hardworking and proud. And yet, they lost—to a team they had looked down on.
These opponents didn't even have particularly high innate talent!
And yet, they won overwhelmingly—with no team members eliminated.
Tang San's face turned pale. He stared blankly at Yu Xiaogang.
As soon as they landed, Yu Xiaogang turned and ran off the platform.
The rest of the Shrek team remained silent.
They had come to Blue Tyrant Academy to show off—to assert their superiority.
This soul battle was supposed to prove Shrek's elite training methods.
Instead, it was a total defeat!
There was no pride left in them.
Flender's face turned ashen. He staggered back a few steps.
He stared at the platform, eyes empty.
It was over. Everything was over.
The gambling ring he'd organized—even if he gathered all the students' money, it wouldn't be enough to pay the debt!
"Mr. Flender, the results are out. When can we collect our winnings?"
Shui Yue'er asked with amusement.
Flender snapped back to reality, face pale as a ghost. He swallowed and blurted out,
"Three days from now! We need to… sort out the accounts!"
"Haha… I'm not running off, don't worry! You'll get every coin you're owed!"
Flender stammered and walked away quickly.
His steps grew faster and faster, as if something was chasing him.
"That useless Yu Xiaogang!"
"He talks such a big game, I believed in him. And now this! It's over…"
"Where am I supposed to get that much money? Borrow from Erlong? I'm not that shameless…"
The more Flender thought, the colder he felt.
The rest of the Shrek team also had no face to stay behind. They followed him in silence.
The faster they followed, the faster Flender walked—almost as if trying to ditch them.
It looked more and more like a bizarre footrace.
Shui Yue'er couldn't help but laugh out loud, and soon others joined in the laughter.
Only the Shrek team looked mortified, faces flushed with embarrassment.
Liu Erlong snapped out of her daze. Hearing the laughter, she realized the result was final.
Her Blue Tyrant Team had won—a clean and decisive victory.
It wasn't even like the match with Blazing Academy. Zhu Zhuqing hadn't even played the key role this time.
She should've been thrilled.
But she wasn't happy at all.
This victory had shown her something: Yu Xiaogang might not be as extraordinary as she believed.
"Xiaogang…"
She thought of Yu Xiaogang who once spoke with unmatched confidence, dismissing everyone else.
Now, he had been defeated by a group of children…
The gap between that image and reality made her feel like she was dreaming.
She could tell—the Shrek kids were geniuses, their soul power not weaker than the Blue Tyrant Team.
Yu Xiaogang had even developed fusion techniques.
So, how did this happen?
"Husband, I won today. Tonight, you better not beg for mercy."
Gu Yuena said seriously.
Dan Heng's mouth twitched slightly. He'd misjudged Yu Xiaogang.
"…Alright," Dan Heng nodded softly.
At that moment, a red figure approached.
It was Huo Wu.
She looked at Dan Heng, face filled with excitement.
"Mr. Dan Heng… I—I want to become your disciple!"
Dan Heng was slightly taken aback and shook his head. "You've got the wrong person."
"No, I haven't! Mr. Dan Heng, I was too impulsive before. I… I failed to recognize your brilliance!"
Huo Wu grew more emotional. She was desperate to grow stronger!
Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wushuang quickly came over to stop her.
"Huo Wu, don't trouble Mr. Dan Heng…"
"Yeah, Huo Wu. Besides, our teachers at Blazing Academy are already great!" Feng Xiaotian added.
Dan Heng and Gu Yuena walked off together.
Huo Wu stared at Dan Heng's back, biting her lip.
She had made up her mind—she must become Dan Heng's disciple.
No matter what obstacles appeared, she wouldn't give up!
Dan Heng returned to the library and resumed his usual routine of reading.
But though he held the book, he couldn't focus on a single word.
Gu Yuena's voice echoed in his ears.
She wanted a child...
But he couldn't give her that.
The last natural birth among the Vidyadhara Clan was supposedly thousands of years ago—and even that might've been a myth.
His own identity was even more unusual. The idea of fathering a child was nearly impossible.
"Douluo Continent's books probably don't contain what I need… But I can at least start researching."
Dan Heng, feeling restless, grabbed a relevant book and began to read. But it was hard to concentrate.
What he'd usually finish in moments now took him half a day just to flip a page.
At that moment, a figure appeared at the service desk.
"Oh? You're reading this sort of book? You really are a book lover. The palace has many ancient books. If you have time, I'll take you to see them."
A hoarse voice rang out.
Dan Heng looked up.
It was Poison Douluo.
He held a pot of golden chrysanthemum and placed it on the desk.
"See this? Know what it is?" he grinned.
Dan Heng nodded slightly. "Thank you."
"Thank me? You saved my life. I don't think this little flower is enough to repay that!"
"Still, getting this flower wasn't easy. That place was overrun by soul beasts—even a hundred-thousand-year beast. I had to fight for ages before it finally let me take one herb."
Poison Douluo smiled smugly.
Dan Heng didn't respond, instead examining the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum. It was well-preserved—no problems.
Poison Douluo noticed the lack of reaction and pouted. "Tch. Talking to a regular guy like you is pointless. Anyway, when you've got time, I'll take you to the Heaven Dou Palace library."
Dan Heng was a bit tempted, though he didn't want to attract attention.
"Don't worry. With me around, no one will notice you. You can even wear a mask or something…"
(End of Chapter)