Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
For every 5 Patreon memberships I receive, I'll release 15 chapters all at once. Your support means a lot to me.
******
"A hundred-thousand-year soul beast?"
As Su Wen's voice rang out, a wave of shock rippled through the gathered Spirit Masters. In this world, a hundred-thousand-year soul ring or soul bone was the ultimate prize, the singular goal that every master spent their life chasing. At the mention of such a legendary creature, every eye in the arena snapped toward the speaker, their attention absolute.
"I investigated this matter and came across a rather... laughable answer," Su Wen continued, his voice dripping with irony. "Back in the day, the great Tang Hao actually married a hundred-thousand-year soul beast that had taken human form."
Hiss—
A collective gasp echoed through the stands. Some Spirit Masters looked on with a twisted sense of admiration. Brother, you actually laid hands on a soul beast? What a ruthless man!
But then, a darker realization dawned on them. If Tang Hao's wife was a soul beast, then...
The gazes directed at Tang San shifted instantly. He was no longer just a talented young man; he was a half-breed, a creature carrying the blood of a soul beast in his veins.
"I find the particular 'hobbies' shared by this father and son pair quite difficult to comprehend," Su Wen added with a mock sigh. "I recall that Tang San also had a human-form soul beast constantly by his side. Their relationship appeared... exceptionally intimate."
To be honest, Su Wen could almost tolerate Tang Hao's dalliance with the Blue Silver Empress. But Tang San going after a rabbit? That was simply nauseating. Why was "taboo love" called taboo? Because the gap between species and their fundamental concepts of existence was simply too vast.
"Whether such a story ends in tragedy or joy is plain to see," Su Wen said, his tone turning cold. "The mother is dead. Tang Hao obtained a hundred-thousand-year soul ring from her sacrifice, yet... no soul bone was found within his remains."
Tang San felt as if his heart were being squeezed by an invisible hand. He finally understood the purpose behind Su Wen's earlier words. Every sentence, every revelation, had been a calculated setup for this final, devastating blow.
Su Wen was splashing dirty water on him—water that would never wash off!
Beside him, Yu Xiaogang's heart sank. He had used his past relationship to force Bibi Dong to protect Tang San, but he hadn't anticipated this variable. Even if Tang San managed to leave this place alive today, he would never know a moment of peace again.
And it wasn't just Tang San. Yu Xiaogang, the rest of the Shrek Seven, Flender, and Liu Erlong—none of them would be safe. While the power of the Golden Iron Triangle might protect them within the walls of Heaven Dou City, they could never step into the outside world alone. Tang San would be hunted, perhaps even kidnapped from the very heart of Shrek Academy.
After all, a hundred-thousand-year soul bone was a treasure people would kill a god for.
Tang San felt a bitter, sickening frustration rising in his throat. He didn't have the bone! Aside from his Eight Spider Lances, he didn't possess a single soul bone, let alone a hundred-thousand-year one from his mother.
Chi Xunji did not bring back a hundred-thousand-year soul bone when he returned all those years ago, Bibi Dong thought privately, her eyes narrowing as she studied Tang San. In that case...
Even to her, a treasure of that magnitude was incredibly precious. It could easily become the crowning piece of her own collection.
"If it isn't on Tang San's person, then it is hidden within the Clear Sky Sect!"
Having delivered his final verdict, Su Wen turned and walked off the stage, making his way directly to Ning Fengzhi's side. Ning Fengzhi patted Su Wen's shoulder approvingly, summoning his spirit to bestow a surge of supportive energy. Su Wen, though exhausted, immediately began casting several self-healing spirit skills, gradually stabilizing the internal injuries he had sustained.
The battle had taken a significant toll on him.
"You brat... you really are ruthless," Chen Xin whispered as he leaned toward Su Wen.
The mighty Clear Sky Douluo had been solo-killed by a mere Spirit King. This explosive result would ensure that for the next several centuries, Tang Hao's name would be a mark of shame among Title Douluos. The reputation of the Clear Sky Sect had been utterly dismantled. People would wonder: would their strongest master still dare to take the title "Clear Sky"? If not, the very name of the Clear Sky Hammer would become an embarrassment.
"The Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament concludes here," Bibi Dong announced, her voice sounding somewhat distracted. "The various academies may begin their departure."
As the crowd began to disperse, a group of powerful figures approached Su Wen. At least a dozen masters, none lower than the rank of Spirit Saint, pushed through the crowd to stand before him.
They bowed deeply and respectfully. "Greetings, Sect Master Ning, Sword Douluo Mianxia... and Grandmaster Wen."
"Greetings. I believe I know why you have come," Su Wen replied with a graceful smile.
In an instant, his aura had shifted. The bloodthirsty warrior who had traded blows with Tang Hao was gone, replaced by a refined, elegant scholar. Yet, none of the masters before him dared to let down their guard. They had seen his power. Even if Tang Hao's body had been riddled with old injuries, the strength he had unleashed was at the peak of the Spirit Douluo level, yet Su Wen had met him head-on for dozens of rounds.
To them, Su Wen was already a peer, an expert to be treated with the same reverence as a Spirit Douluo. Furthermore, he was backed by Xiao Zhan—who had recently broken through to the Spirit Douluo rank—as well as the Poison Douluo and the full might of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
"What you seek are the various cultivation methods I mentioned previously," Su Wen said calmly. "Return to your respective cities and establish the Academies as quickly as possible. I will personally visit to oversee the final construction and leave all the necessary manuals and data at each branch."
These high-level masters held significant influence in their local regions; they were the key to Su Wen spreading his "Grand Academy" across the continent.
"These are Inheritance Crystals. Within them is the circulation route for my internal power."
Su Wen gestured, and glowing orbs of light manifested from the pages of his martial soul. One by one, the orbs drifted into the hands of the waiting masters. Following Su Wen's instructions, they pressed the crystals to their foreheads.
Instantly, a torrent of information flooded their minds. They stood in stunned silence as they processed the techniques, barely noticing when the light in their hands faded away.
"Gentlemen, the success of the Grand Academy depends on your assistance," Su Wen said, cupping his fists.
"Grandmaster Wen is too polite!" Huyan Zhen replied, his voice brimming with newfound respect. He had completely forgotten his past grievances with the young man. It wasn't just the internal power technique that shocked him; it was Su Wen's method of transmission.
Teaching through direct consciousness transfer...
Huyan Zhen finally understood what Su Wen meant when he said the Academy could handle the theoretical education of the younger generation.
Even Bibi Dong, having witnessed the use of the Inheritance Crystals, felt a flicker of intrigue. This method was remarkably similar to the way God Trials imparted information—direct, profound, and impossible to forget.
By distributing the internal power routes to these influential masters and announcing them to the continent in the name of Spirit Hall, Su Wen ensured his legacy was secure. As the tournament ended, the news of the final battle spread like a wildfire across the land.
The name of Su Wen, the "Grandmaster Wen," became a living legend.
Yet, while the world buzzed with his name, the man himself had already gathered the Poison Douluo, the Sword Douluo, and Ning Fengzhi. Together, they turned their backs on the civilization of men and headed deep into the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest.
(End of Chapter)