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

Chapter 136 Assassination
The crystal dome of the arena reflected a cold light, dividing the figures of the Grandmaster and the Canghui Academy instructors into two halves of light and shadow.

The former's gray robe fluttered in the draft, while the latter's purple robe remained perfectly still.

"A foul?" The master's fingertips tapped heavily on the match replay crystal ball. "Which rule forbids normal damage from soul skills? Your so-called killing blow is merely a demonstration of our students' control over soul skills." A cold glint flashed in his glasses. "If Canghui Academy doesn't even have this much resilience, why did they even bother participating in the Continental Tournament?"

Instructor Cang Hui's bat-wing martial spirit suddenly unfolded, and the stench of rotting flesh intensified: "Normal damage?" He pointed at Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire Line in the replay from a distance, "The flame temperature of this move exceeds two thousand degrees Celsius, enough to melt refined iron! Do you dare say this isn't intentional crippling?"

Dai Mubai took half a step forward, his tiger claws scraping the ground and sparks flying: "The competition allows the use of any non-lethal soul skills. The temperature of the flames is a characteristic of the martial soul and has nothing to do with whether it's a foul." His voice was like an ice pick, "Are the martial souls of your academy's students made of paper?"

"Shut up! Who do you think you are, to have the right to interrupt?" Instructor Cang Hui's single eye became bloodshot. "Yu Xiaogang, do you think no one knows that you secretly studied theories at the Spirit Hall back then? Now you've taught such a thug, you're a disgrace to the Spirit Master world!"

The master's pupils suddenly contracted, and his right hand instinctively reached for the yellowed martial spirit manuscript in his sleeve.

That was his "Introduction to Martial Soul Awakening," written stroke by stroke over twenty years in the basement of Notting Academy.

"Stealing knowledge?" He suddenly sneered. "While I was organizing ancient books in the Spirit Hall library, your academy's instructors were probably still being used as targets by spirit beasts, weren't they?"

The murmurs from the stands surged forth like a tide. Emperor Xueye leaned forward slightly, his fingers unconsciously stroking the armrest of his throne.

"The judging panel has reached a conclusion!" The emcee's voice broke the silence. A white-haired judge stepped onto the stage and unfurled a gold-embossed scroll: "Upon review, all soul skills used by Shrek Academy were within the rules and contained no lethal attacks. Canghui Academy..."

He paused, "He was seriously injured due to a significant difference in soul power; he will bear the responsibility."

"Impossible!" Instructor Canghui's roar made the crystal chandelier vibrate. "They used poison, fire, and mental attacks..."

"Poison?" Tang San held up a leaf of Blue Silver Grass. "This is the venom of the Mandragora Serpent, a normal effect of the first soul skill. Rule 7 clearly states that the use of a spirit with its own venom is permitted." His Purple Demon Eye swept over the Canghui group. "As for mental attacks—does your academy's leader's spirit also possess one?"

Suddenly, the whole audience was in an uproar.

"Enough!" The master's voice suddenly softened. "Canghui Academy can't afford to lose, but we at Shrek Academy disdain cheating."

He turned to look at his students, his gaze sweeping over the Shrek badges on their chests. "True Soul Masters rely on strength and character, not on verbal disputes."

As the Shrek Academy students left, the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the dome, gilding the gray robes of the Grandmaster with a golden edge. Watching their retreating figures, Instructor Canghui suddenly recalled the young figure he had seen outside the Spirit Hall twenty years ago—the same gray robe, the same unwavering resolve; the difference was that back then, Yu Xiaogang's eyes still held a longing for the Spirit Hall.

"Teacher, did we really win?" Xiao Wu asked softly. The master patted her head, his gaze behind his glasses fixed on the distance: "What we won wasn't the competition, but people's hearts."

His voice was low, but firm as iron: "One day, someone will understand that the true meaning of a martial spirit is not fighting, but protecting."

Behind them, the students of Canghui Academy were carried onto stretchers, and the leader's mechanical prosthetic eye shattered into dust, reflecting the gradually extinguishing lights of the Soul Arena.

Night fell over Tiandou City, and the bustling streets of the day gradually fell silent, with only a few scattered lights flickering in the darkness.

The atmosphere in the lounge of Canghui Academy was so oppressive it felt like water could be squeezed out of it.

The injured students lay on stretchers, groaning in pain, while their teacher, the middle-aged Soul Master in a dark purple robe—Ao Hong—paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, his gloomy face even more unsightly than the night.

"Teacher, are we just going to let this go like this?" The one-eyed youth struggled to sit up in bed, his eyes filled with resentment. "Those Shrek bastards have ruined us like this, I can't swallow this!"

Ao Hong whirled around, three pairs of bat-wing-shaped illusory martial spirits unfurling behind him, a nauseating stench spreading out. "Can't swallow it? Neither can I!"

He gritted his teeth and said, "In front of the entire continent, our Canghui Academy has lost face. We must get our revenge!"

"But the game is over, and the referees have ruled that they did not commit any fouls. What can we do?" another trainee asked timidly.

Ao Hong sneered, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "We can't do it openly, but can't we do it secretly? After they finish their matches and leave the Soul Arena, we'll find an opportunity to..." He made a throat-slitting gesture, "...that way, there will be no one to testify, and who can say we did it?"

The room was silent, save for the heavy breathing. After a moment, the one-eyed youth nodded first: "Good! I've wanted to kill that Tang San for a long time. The way he looked at us on the field, he clearly didn't take us seriously!"

“However, we must proceed with caution,” Ao Hong narrowed his eyes. “The Shrek Academy group is quite strong, especially that Yu Xiaogang, who is cunning and shrewd. We cannot confront them head-on; we must find the perfect opportunity to strike decisively!”

He walked to the map, his finger tracing the streets and alleys of Tiandou City.
"Falling Star Alley in the west of Tiandou City is their only way back to the academy. It is narrow, dark, and has many intersections, making it a good place to make a move. Moreover, it is close to the slums, so even if something happens, it is easy to blend into the crowd and escape."

"Teacher is wise!" the students echoed, their eyes burning with even greater hatred.

Meanwhile, the Shrek Academy students were on their way back to the academy. Their daytime victory had put them in high spirits; Ma Hongjun hummed a tuneless little tune, while Oscar magically produced several sausages and distributed them to everyone.

"What a satisfying day!" Ma Hongjun said with a bite of sausage. "Seeing those guys from Canghui Academy get so humiliated makes me happier than if I'd eaten honey!" Tang San, however, frowned and scanned his surroundings warily. "Everyone be careful. I have a feeling that Canghui Academy won't let this go. They lost so badly today, they might retaliate."

Dai Mubai's smile vanished, a cold glint appearing in his tiger-like eyes: "Afraid of them? If one comes, we'll take them on one; if two come, we'll take them on both!"

Xiao Wu skipped over to Tang San's side, her Soft Bone Rabbit spirit instinctively becoming alert: "Third Brother is right, we can't be careless. And I have a feeling something bad is about to happen."

The group proceeded cautiously and soon arrived at Falling Star Alley. A stench permeated the alley, and the walls on both sides were covered with moss. Moonlight filtered through the narrow gaps, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

"Everyone, stay close together and hurry up to get through here," Tang San said in a low voice.

However, they had only been in the alley for a short while when a rustling sound suddenly came from all around them. Immediately afterwards, dozens of dark figures darted out from the rooftops and corners of the walls, surrounding them.

"Shrek Academy scum, today is your death day!" Ao Hong's voice came from the shadows. He slowly walked out, followed by students from Canghui Academy, each with a ferocious smile on their face.

Dai Mubai snorted coldly: "I knew you bunch of cowards would pull this tactic. What, you can't win on the field, so you resort to underhanded tricks?"

"Enough with the nonsense!" The one-eyed youth brandished his spiked club. "None of you will leave here alive today!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the Canghui Academy students launched their attack. Ao Hong's Bat Wing Martial Soul spewed out black poisonous mist, instantly enveloping the entire alley; the one-eyed youth's spiked club glowed with a ghostly blue light, slamming towards Oscar with a sharp whistling sound; the other students also unleashed their Soul Skills, with wolf claws and poisonous thorns raining down.

"Watch out for the poisonous fog!" Tang San shouted, and Blue Silver Grass instantly surged from the ground, weaving into a huge protective shield that enveloped everyone. "Dai Mubai, Tailong, attack the front line; Xiao Wu, Jing Ling, roam and ambush; Oscar, Jiang Zhu, provide support!" He commanded methodically, while simultaneously using his Purple Demon Eye to search for the enemy's weaknesses within the poisonous fog.

Dai Mubai's tiger-like eyes widened, and a meteor shower of white tigers crashed down, the dazzling starlight striking the enemy; Tailong's Vajra Bear Martial Soul erupted in full force, and he roared as he charged towards the one-eyed youth, unleashing the Vajra Earth-Shaking skill, which cracked the ground with spiderweb-like fissures; Xiaowu activated her teleportation skill, her pink afterimage weaving through the poisonous mist, her rabbit claws occasionally striking the enemy's vitals; Jingling moved like a venomous snake, seizing the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy.

Oscar's sausages shone brightly, continuously throwing out various auxiliary sausages; Jiangzhu's healing light flickered, restoring the injuries of her wounded companions.

The battle intensified, blood staining the ground of Falling Star Alley. Seeing that his attack was unsuccessful, Ao Hong's eyes flashed with ruthlessness. He formed hand seals and shouted:
"Seven Asura Illusions, Final Chapter - Ten Thousand Wolves Devour the Sky!"

In an instant, countless wolf shadows emerged from the poisonous mist, their blood-red mouths wide open, pouncing towards the Shrek group.

Just as everyone was in dire straits, a dazzling golden beam of light suddenly descended from the sky. The light was as radiant as the sun, instantly dispelling the poisonous fog. A figure draped in a black cloak slowly descended, the faint phantom of the Clear Sky Hammer visible beneath the cloak causing everyone present to gasp in shock—it was the legendary number one weapon spirit in the world!
"Who gave you permission to touch my son?" The deep voice seemed to come from the depths of hell, carrying a terrifying pressure. Tang Hao slowly raised his Clear Sky Hammer, the patterns on the hammer body lighting up with a scarlet light, and the soul power of the entire world began to surge wildly.

Ao Hong's pupils contracted sharply as he finally saw the person's face clearly. His legs trembled uncontrollably: "Tang... Tang Hao! Didn't you go into seclusion?"

"Retire into seclusion?" Tang Hao sneered, slamming his Clear Sky Hammer into the ground. A massive golden ripple spread out from the point of impact, instantly shattering the martial spirits of everyone from Canghui Academy.

Ao Hong tried his best to raise the bat wing shield, but it shattered like paper under the impact of the ripples. He was blasted into the wall and his fate was unknown.

The one-eyed youth tried to escape, but found himself unable to move. Tang Hao's mental pressure was so tangible that it felt like his internal organs were about to shift. "Remember, anyone who dares to touch Shrek Academy is an enemy of the Clear Sky Sect."

Tang Hao's voice was as cold as frost. He swung the Haotian Hammer again, and a giant golden shadow descended from the sky, engulfing all the remaining students of Canghui Academy.

Tang Hao's gaze swept over the wounds on the Shrek Seven Devils, and the aura beneath his cloak suddenly turned icy: "Those who harm my son shall die."

He raised his hand and waved it lightly, and a golden ripple spread out, instantly shattering the Big Dipper Killing Formation of Canghui Academy. The twelve students were sent flying like kites with broken strings, crashing into the wall with muffled thuds of shattering bones.

"An opportunity!" Dai Mubai's tiger eyes flashed with a bloodthirsty light, and the White Tiger Meteor Shower crashed down. The dazzling starlight pierced through the poisonous mist, pinning two Canghui students to the ground. Xiao Wu activated her teleportation skill, and in the pink afterimage, three rabbit claws tore open the throat of an agility-type student. Blood splattered on the wall, and under Tang Hao's pressure, it even condensed into ice crystals.

Oscar frantically rubbed his hands together, and a dazzling light burst forth from the sausage mold: "Copy Mirror Sausage! Boss Dai, catch!" Dai Mubai caught the sausage and swallowed it in one gulp. Zhu Zhuqing's Netherworld Cat pattern instantly appeared on his body. His speed increased threefold, and his sharp claws sliced ​​through the one-eyed youth's mechanical prosthetic eye, digging it out completely.

Tailong unleashed his Vajra Bear Martial Soul, roaring as he charged toward Ao Hong: "Taste the Vajra Earth-Shaking Technique!" The cracks in the ground coiled around Ao Hong's legs like giant pythons, and Huang Yuan's Lone Wolf Assault followed closely behind, its sharp claws tearing open Ao Hong's abdomen.

However, Dean Canghui still tried to fight back before he died. The poisonous stinger on his bat wing shot at Oscar, but it was instantly evaporated by a golden light shield - Tang Hao had appeared in front of the Shrek Academy members at some point.

"Kill! Leave no one alive!" Tang San's voice was filled with unprecedented ruthlessness. His Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul grew wildly, enveloping all the remaining Canghui students. The barbs on the golden vines pierced their meridians, greedily absorbing their life force.

Ma Hongjun's phoenix flames transformed into the form of a fire phoenix. Wherever his wings swept, the screams stopped abruptly, leaving only charred remains on the ground.

When the last Canghui student breathed his last, the ground of Falling Star Alley was soaked in blood. Tang Hao turned to look at Tang San, the killing intent in his eyes instantly vanishing: "Little San, who will dare to touch you in the future?" He didn't finish his sentence, but patted his son's shoulder heavily, his figure disappearing into the night sky like a shooting star.

The Shrek academy members stared at the scene of devastation, their heavy breathing echoing clearly in the quiet alley. Their wounds still bled, but their eyes shone with an unprecedented determination. This battle was not only about revenge, but also a declaration to the entire continent: Shrek Academy was not a pushover to be bullied.

Tang Hao's appearance was like a thunderclap in the darkness, making everyone understand that anyone who dares to provoke Shrek Academy will pay a heavy price.

(End of this chapter)