Tang San used the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.
With each strike causing the ground beneath his feet to fracture in a spiderweb pattern, pressure rolled across the arena like overlapping waves.
The audience held their breath.
'This time, it's over', Tang San thought coldly. 'He can't possibly withstand this.'
Just as Tang San was about to unleash the accumulated power—
Feng Xiaotian's voice rang out, sharply.
"Forty-eight consecutive—Myriad Flashes!"
Crescent-shaped wind blades erupted from every direction, overlapping, intersecting, and spiraling like a violent tempest. Unlike his earlier attacks, these blades were not launched from the front alone—they descended from above, swept in from the sides, and surged from behind, sealing off every path of retreat.
Tang San's pupils contracted.
'So fast—!'
There was no time to dodge.
At the critical moment, Tang San forcibly redirected the stacked power of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer trying to hit all the incoming wind blades.
BOOM—!
A terrifying explosion engulfed the center of the arena.
Wind blades and hammer force collided in a blinding flash of light. The shockwave flattened the surrounding barriers, sending fragments of stone flying in all directions.
Two bodies were flung in opposite directions, crashing heavily onto the shattered arena floor.
Silence followed.
The referee stared in shock before finally declaring with a strained voice:
"…The match ends in a draw!"
----
Darkness faded from Tang San's vision.
He slowly opened his eyes, pain radiating from every inch of his body. His bones ached, and his soul power was in complete disarray, yet consciousness returned quickly.
'Feng Xiaotian…' Tang San thought coldly. 'You think you're impressive just because you managed to suppress me when I didn't even attach a soul ring to the Clear Sky Hammer.'
'But the most important question is how are you capable of releasing 48 slashes, I recall that there were only 36 slashes.'
'He cannot be a regressor....maybe a variable.' Tang San concluded his suspicions. He was not a fool after living and having memories of a long life time. Although he believed that the source of the problem was Spirit Hall, his instinct always screams as if he was overlooking something.
Just then the healing soul master left, Yu Xiaogang arrived at his side and informed him of the situation.
"The elemental academies—Godwind, Skywater, and Blazing—have all left Heaven Dou City," Yu Xiaogang said with a frown. "They departed in great haste. They didn't even stay for the award ceremony."
This news caused Emperor Xue Ye visible displeasure during the ceremony. His expression darkened slightly, though he said nothing publicly.
Once the awards were distributed and the preliminaries officially concluded—
Yu Xiaogang clenched his fists, his face flushed with excitement.
"Now that the preliminary matches are over," he declared, "we will head to Spirit City for the next round of the tournament!"
His eyes gleamed.
'At last, 'he thought, 'the stage where my theories will be acknowledged by the entire continent.'
Flender, on the other hand, was already calculating potential profits in his mind, while the other Shrek members discussed their own expectations and plans for Spirit City.
Tang San remained quiet.
His thoughts drifted to the time he had hunted for his fourth soul ring. By chance, he had discovered a rare plant—Masked Scent Herb.
The herb held no medicinal value, but its unique property allowed it to completely obscure one's scent, even from soul beasts and spirit masters with enhanced perception.
'With this', Tang San thought, 'Xiao Wu should be safe in Spirit City.'
At that moment, his gaze subconsciously lifted toward the VIP platform.
His eyes found the golden-haired girl he believed to be Qian Renxue.
She was looking directly at him. Their eyes met again and she smiled.
It was the kind of smile that would make others feel warmth and goodwill.
Yet for reasons Tang San could not explain—a chill ran down his spine.
----
Sunset Forest
Ice and Fire Yin Yang Valley
6 Days later since Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon attacked.
Mist swirled gently above the valley floor, Jiang Mo strode through the valley with measured steps, his spiritual sense spreading outward like a net.
"Senior Poison," he called out, his voice echoing faintly between the jagged rocks, "have you seen Jun Wuhen?"
Beneath the shade of a massive stone, Dugu Bo lay reclined, one knee propped up, eyes half-closed as he regulated the soul power within his body. Hearing Jiang Mo's voice, he slowly opened one eye.
"No," Dugu Bo replied lazily. "Look around carefully. The valley may be vast, but it's not large enough for a Soul Sage to vanish without a trace."
He paused, then added, "Why are you so eager to find him? Let the boy stabilize his cultivation. A sudden breakthrough is no small matter."
Jiang Mo stopped walking, his brows knitting together.
"I wanted to spar with him," he said frankly. "After consuming the immortal herb, even without his martial soul evolving, he leapt straight to the rank of Soul Sage. And he successfully absorbed the seventy-thousand-yearThunder Unicorn you captured."
His tone carried genuine admiration.
"Yet I've already searched most of the valley," Jiang Mo continued, "and I still haven't found him."
He looked toward the distant poison fog at the valley's edge.
"Still, he should be inside. There's no way he could leave on his own. To pass through the poison barrier safely, one would need a Super Douluo's assistance or a high-grade antidote pill." Jiang Mo shook his head. "He doesn't have one."
Before Dugu Bo could respond, light footsteps approached from behind.
Tian Yue appeared, her expression innocent and unguarded, as if she were merely sharing an afterthought.
"Ah… about that," she said softly. "Yesterday, I gave him some."
Both men froze.
She continued. "Wuhen came to me late last night. He said the attacker who injured him used a poisoned technique, and he was worried about lingering effects. So he asked for an antidote pill."
She tilted her head slightly. "I didn't think it was a big deal."
Silence descended. Dugu Bo stared at the sky and Jiang Mo pinched the bridge of his nose.
A moment later—
Smack.
Both men facepalmed simultaneously.
----
(Author notes: The part of Element academies rushing out is actually another event, that Eve was talking about some chapters ago. Don't think the Acts are the only manipulation carried out by Qian Renxue. At the moment, she is manipulating the entire continent. I won't waste time on them as Qian Renxue's ascension is coming.. Some of the events will be only known through scattered information. I'm giving some of them in the following chapters.)