Douluo: Yu Hao is reborn, this Tang San is different

Chapter 108 Tang San's Attempt to Steal Herbs

As night deepened, the hustle and bustle of the arena faded away, leaving only a few scattered lights on the streets.

Flander released his grip on Tang San's hand, patted his shoulder, and whispered, "Calm down first, this isn't over yet."

Tang San's clenched fists trembled slightly, but his gaze never left Huo Yuhao, until Qin Ming quickly stepped between the two and spread his hands in a reassuring gesture:

"It's all a misunderstanding. Everyone's tired today."

Flander had already stepped in front of him, extending his hand to Qin Ming: "We haven't seen each other for years, how about we find a place to have a couple of drinks?"

Qin Ming glanced at the ashen-faced Royal Fighting Team members, then at the tense expressions of the Shrek Seven Devils, and after a moment of contemplation, nodded: "I shall obey your command."

Because Tang San had acted too violently and without any regard for martial ethics, everyone except Yu Tianheng refused to eat. Afterwards, the two sides found a hotel to have a meal.

The autumn moonlight, like a veil, filtered through the carved window lattice, casting dappled silver spots on the rustic sandalwood table. Flander, his chopsticks holding peanuts, hovered in mid-air as he chatted animatedly with Qin Ming and Zhao Wuji.

Three cold dishes gleamed softly in the flickering candlelight, and half a pot of aged wine exuded a rich aroma. Amidst the rising and falling laughter of the two, a sense of warmth rose.

"This aroma is making my mouth water!" The voice could be heard before the person was seen.

Ma Hongjun's round, chubby figure, like a cheerful little bear, was the first to burst into the restaurant. His thick nostrils flared violently, and his eyes instantly shone like stars in the night sky, making him look like a hungry cat that had caught a whiff of meat.

As Flander's personally trained disciple, he was never formal in front of his teacher. He strode straight to the table, his chubby hand reaching for the celadon wine cup, muttering, "Teacher must have saved some good wine for us!"

"No manners!" Flander reacted quickly, striking the back of his hand with the bamboo chopsticks as precisely as a nimble snake.

Ma Hongjun jumped back half a step with a roar, grimacing as he rubbed his reddened hand. His round face scrunched up, and he muttered pitifully, "Teacher is too cruel! I'm going to hug a beauty with this hand! If it's scarred in the future, which girl will even look at me?"

His exaggerated expressions and words made Zhao Wuji, who was standing to the side, unable to hold back his laughter and almost spit out the wine in his mouth.

Qin Ming pushed up his glasses, his gaze sweeping over Ma Hongjun with a look of suspicion.

The boy in front of me was wearing a loose-fitting dark blue outfit with a leather belt around his waist. His round face still had a childish look, and his cheeks were chubby. It was hard to reconcile the image of him who had fought fiercely and imposingly in the Soul Arena just now.

"Old Dean, who is this junior brother..." He hadn't finished speaking when his tone was full of surprise and confusion.

"Senior Qin, you must have a bad memory!" Before Flander could even speak, Ma Hongjun plopped down on the table, making the cups and saucers on the table wobble slightly.

He patted his chest, revealing two rows of white teeth, his face beaming with a smug smile. "I am the Evil Fire Phoenix! I was just having a fierce battle with Yu Feng! His Wind Chime Bird Soul Skill looks flashy, but once my Phoenix Flame burns him, he has no choice but to admit defeat!"

As he spoke, he gestured with his eyebrows and eyes to describe the scene of the battle. Several charred wounds that had not yet healed could be vaguely seen where his sleeve had slipped down, as if telling the story of the fierce battle that had just taken place.

Qin Ming's pupils contracted sharply, and the terrifying scene from just now surged into his mind—the figure enveloped in phoenix flames, stubbornly holding on under the oppressive force of the rising wind and clouds, the purplish-red flames like a raging fire dragon, actually burning through his proud third soul skill.

He stared incredulously at Ma Hongjun's chubby face, his voice unconsciously rising a few decibels: "You're this year..."

"Thirteen!" Ma Hongjun proudly held up three fingers, his chubby face beaming with pride, his eyes narrowing into two curved slits. "I entered the academy when I was eleven, earlier than Boss Dai and the others! Don't let my size fool you, I can run faster than a rabbit, and I'm no slouch when it comes to fighting!"

As he spoke, he deliberately showed off his not-so-obvious muscles.

Just then, the other members of the Shrek Seven Devils entered the restaurant one after another.

Dai Mubai stood tall and straight like a pine tree, the sword at his waist gleaming coldly, every step exuding an innate kingly aura; Xiao Wu was as agile as a fox, the rabbit ear hair ornament in her hair trembling gently with each step, every frown and smile revealing playfulness and cuteness.
These figures, who once dominated the arena, now stood together and most of them only reached the shoulders of adults, yet the powerful aura they exuded was not to be underestimated.

Flanders stroked his chin, letting out his signature hoarse laugh, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes crinkling into a smile: "How about that, scared, huh?"

He gestured with his chin towards the crowd, his eyes brimming with pride. "Our Shrek Academy rules only accept promising talents under the age of twelve. This year is a bumper year, with several excellent prospects arriving at once! These children are all exceptionally gifted and destined for greatness!"

Qin Ming stared blankly at the group of teenagers, his throat tightening.

He boasted of his exceptional talent, having caused a sensation when he broke through to level 30 at the age of sixteen. Yet these still-childish kids before him had already begun to make a name for themselves in the world of Soul Masters.

His hand trembled slightly as he raised the glass, tilting his head back to drink the strong liquor in one gulp. The pungent liquid went down his throat, but it couldn't overshadow the surging awe within him. In that moment, he suddenly realized that Shrek Academy truly lived up to its reputation; this place might indeed be the birthplace of legends.

Just as Qin Ming was still immersed in the shock, the wooden door of the restaurant creaked open, and a thin figure walked in, enveloped in the night.

The master adjusted his slipped glasses, his gaze sweeping across the crowd before finally settling on Yu Tianheng in the corner. He nodded slightly in acknowledgment and walked straight to sit down beside his nephew.

"Xiao Heng, I have something to tell you." The Grandmaster's voice was deep and powerful, carrying an unquestionable tone. He took out a roll of parchment from his pocket and slowly unfolded it on the table. It was densely covered with various martial spirit theories and cultivation insights. "Take a look at these. These are the results of my research over the years. At the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, they only value your bloodline and martial spirit talent, but they don't know how to truly tap into your potential."

Yu Tianheng stared at the parchment on the table, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes. Seeing this, Grandmaster continued, “Shrek Academy may be small, but it’s full of hidden talents. Dean Flander, Teacher Zhao Wuji, and I—the three of us working together—will definitely cultivate you into one of the continent’s top Soul Masters. Just think, training alongside geniuses like Tang San, sparring with each other, how fast will your progress be?” “But Uncle…” Yu Tianheng was about to speak when Grandmaster interrupted him. “No buts!” Grandmaster slammed his hand on the table, his emotions running high. “Do you know why the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has stagnated? It’s because they’re complacent and only know how to rest on their laurels! At Shrek Academy, we encourage innovation and breaking conventions. Only here can you truly realize your value!”

Yu Tianheng fell silent, recalling his experiences at the Heavenly Dou Royal Academy these past few days.

Despite having abundant cultivation resources, most of the teachers at the academy simply taught in a step-by-step manner, and their guidance was only superficial. The Shrek Academy that the master spoke of, while sounding challenging, was also full of opportunities.

Just as Yu Tianheng was hesitating, Flander suddenly burst into laughter, his signature hoarse laugh echoing through the restaurant: "Xiao Gang, Xiao Gang, don't mislead these young people! Our Shrek Academy is almost out of money for next month's food expenses, how are we going to educate Yu Tianheng? Look at these kids,"

He pointed at the Shrek Seven Devils, "Which one of them hasn't been eating their next meal without me by now?"

The master's face instantly turned ugly. He glared at Flander: "Flander, what do you know! The growth of a Soul Master doesn't depend on material conditions, but on proper guidance and fierce competition! If Yu Tianheng stays at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, he will only be wasted by those mediocre teachers!"

"Delay?" Flander scoffed. "The Heaven Dou Royal Academy is rich and powerful, with a dedicated Soul Beast Forest for students to practice in, and top-tier Soul Tools to aid their cultivation. What do we at Shrek Academy have? Just a bunch of reckless kids and a bellyful of theories!"

The two argued back and forth, their faces turning red with rage.

Yu Tianheng sat in the middle, feeling as if his head was about to explode.

He looked at the master and saw earnest expectations and confidence in his abilities; then he looked at Flander and had to admit that what the other said was true. This sudden invitation was like a tangled mess, shattering his originally clear plans for the future.

"Uncle, Dean, please stop talking for now," Yu Tianheng finally spoke, his voice weary. "Let me think about it, okay?"

"Since Shrek Academy is running out of funds anyway, why don't we bring our students to join your Heaven Dou Royal Academy? Qin Ming, what do you think?" Just then, Flander suddenly spoke up.

These words struck everyone like a heavy hammer blow. Tang San's chopsticks clattered to the ground, and Xiao Wu's rabbit ears drooped instantly.

The master abruptly stood up, the wooden chair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound. His gaze behind his glasses pierced Flander like an icicle: "Are you insane? Making my student serve as a foil for those nobles?"

"A mere foil?" Flander suddenly burst into a hoarse laugh, tears welling in his eyes. "Yu Xiaogang, look at the state we look in now! Last month, Zhao Wuji took the children to the Star Dou Great Forest, and to save on travel expenses, they walked for several days straight!"

The master suddenly stood up, the chair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound: "Is education built on piles of resources? How many people ridiculed Tang San's Blue Silver Grass as a useless martial soul back then? But look at him now! Every single one of his skills was honed through countless battles!"

His knuckles turned white from exertion.

"Those pampered young masters and ladies from the Heaven Dou Royal Academy don't even have the most basic practical combat skills! Are you sending Shrek's kids there to be assimilated, or to let them rot in a greenhouse?"

"A greenhouse?" Flander sneered, a flash of pain in his eyes. "You think I don't know that Soul Masters need to be tempered? But the reality is, without resources, the children can't even continue the most basic training! These children have suffered so much following me..."

"So you're going to bow to reality?" A cold glint flashed in the Grandmaster's glasses. "Back then, we founded Shrek Academy precisely to break the prejudice of valuing only martial spirits. Now you're going to lead your children to join an academy that only values ​​bloodlines and money!"

He suddenly pointed at Tang San, "Ask Xiao San, would he rather be a decoration in the gilded cage of the Royal Academy, or would he rather crawl and roll in the mud with me?"

Tang San was startled and about to speak when Flander interrupted, "Don't use children as a shield! Tang San is exceptionally talented, but what about the other children? Zhu Zhuqing's Netherworld Cat Martial Soul requires extremely fast speed and precise control. Without advanced soul tools to assist in training, how can she break through the bottleneck? Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire needs rare medicinal herbs to suppress it. What can we give him?"

"True strength comes from fighting your way out of desperate situations!" The master's voice echoed in the restaurant. "Do you think the Royal Academy genuinely wants to nurture them? They just want to use Shrek's reputation to recruit talent! Once they've squeezed the children dry, they'll throw them away like rags!" His emotions grew increasingly agitated, his chest heaving violently.

"Enough!" Flander suddenly roared, veins bulging in his neck.

"The current situation is that without resources, the academy simply cannot survive! Look at these bills!" He pulled a stack of crumpled papers from his pocket and slammed them on the table. "Next month's rent, the children's food expenses, the cost of cultivation materials—everything costs money! If we don't find a solution soon, we won't even have a place to live!"

The argument inside the restaurant nearly lifted the roof off. The master's neck veins bulged, and the two men's spittle almost collided, but at that moment, a calm voice interrupted them.

"Enough!" Qin Ming stood up abruptly, the metal chair scraping against the ground with a screeching sound. "Joining the Heaven Dou Royal Academy is no small matter. Even if Dean Flander makes the decision, he still has to go back and discuss it with the other teachers."

The master turned around abruptly, beads of sweat sliding down his pale cheeks: "Flander, if you insist on going, I won't stop you. But Tang San and I will never step into that golden cage!"

Flander, panting heavily, turned to look at Tang San, who had remained silent: "Tang San, what do you think?"

Tang San's fingertips unconsciously traced the rim of the bowl, and Dugu Bo's sinister face suddenly appeared in his mind. The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, that mysterious place where countless celestial herbs grew, was now drawing his thoughts like a magnet.

If we don't go to Tiandou City, how can we get close to Sunset Forest? And how can we obtain those precious medicinal herbs that can change our fate?
"Teacher, I can go." Tang San's voice was soft, but it exploded in the private room like a thunderclap.

Upon hearing this, the master staggered back half a step, barely managing to stand by holding onto the table.

"What did you say?" The master's voice seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of his throat. He stared intently at his most prized disciple, as if he had never known the person in front of him before.

(End of this chapter)