Before anyone could react, Tang Hao's severed legs fell from the sky.
Blood sprayed everywhere as the two mutilated limbs crashed near the edge of the Blazing Fire Academy's spectator area, immediately drawing horrified screams from the students at the gruesome sight.
Yu Tianming looked down at the legs, both of which still contained soul bones, his eyes filled with icy disdain. His voice was low and cold. 'Tang Hao, oh Tang Hao... You're nothing but a rat fleeing in panic. Can't you see your own situation? I spared your life, yet you dared to act up in front of me again. Are you satisfied now?'
After having his legs severed, Tang Hao's muscles spasmed to clamp down on the wounds and halt the bleeding. He forced every ounce of soul power he had left to increase his speed, barely managing to escape Spirit City's bounds in the span of a few breaths.
If he hadn't clamped Tang San under his armpit horizontally while flying, that space blade would've sliced off Tang San's legs too.
But now, Tang Hao's face was pale as death. With Tang San in tow, he landed in a dense, overgrown forest.
Having lost both leg bones, Tang Hao's strength had dropped sharply to Rank 75. His soul power was only a third of what it used to be. No longer a Title Douluo, he could only burn his life force to escape. Luckily, Spirit City was situated between the two empires and not far from the Star Dou Forest. Any further, and he would've been caught before he could flee.
"Xiao Wu is a 100,000-year soul beast? Dad, why did you expose her identity?" Tang San screamed with a sharp voice, his eyes fixed on Tang Hao's deathly white face.
Even though he'd spent nearly ten years with Xiao Wu, Tang San wasn't a fool. The moment he saw his father and Yu Tianming fighting over Xiao Wu, he immediately understood her true identity. 'So it's all true. That's why Xiao Wu's always kept her distance from me... Because her soul beast identity was already discovered by Yu Tianming. She just didn't want to drag me down!'
That realization made Tang San feel as if someone was crushing his heart. The pain left him breathless. He couldn't even spare concern for his gravely wounded father. His mind was consumed with Xiao Wu's smile, her voice, their time together.
'My name is Xiao Wu, like dancing.'
'Why would I care? What are you afraid of? You think I'd force myself on you or something?'
'If one day, many people want to kill me, and they're all stronger than you... what would you do?'
As those innocent, playful memories surged in his mind, Tang San's blood boiled. He slammed his fists into a nearby tree while screaming in his shrill voice, "Yu Tianming, you bastard! I, Tang San, will never forgive you!"
Once his anger finally ebbed, the nearly unconscious Tang Hao spoke weakly. "Xiao San... Yu Tianming probably already knew Xiao Wu's identity. I exposed it to shift everyone's focus onto her... I was hoping in the chaos, she might survive..."
"Dad..." Only now did Tang San truly notice his father's condition.
Tang Hao's towering frame was missing everything below the waist. The violent battle had left his rough cloak soaked in blood and turned it a rusty red. His waxy yellow face was pale, his lips cracked and crusted with blood, and his entire being looked like a breath away from death.
"Xiao San... listen to me. I just used a secret technique from the Clear Sky Clan, and I've lost both legs. My strength is down to one-tenth of what it was. I can't fly anymore." Tang Hao shakily pulled out a tattered map and handed it to Tang San. "You'll have to cross the forest on your own... Go to this location. Someone will be waiting to guide you further..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Hao fell unconscious. His stumps began bleeding again uncontrollably.
Panicked, Tang San wiped his tears and snot away and fumbled through his bag, retrieving Tang Sect medicine to treat his father's wounds.
…
Back in Spirit City, the Soul Master Tournament finals arena.
All eyes had turned to Xiao Wu. The five words "100,000-year soul beast" were now seared into everyone's minds.
Some stared in fear, others in judgment—and many more with unmistakable greed.
Among soul masters, the most coveted treasure was the 100,000-year soul bone. Even Title Douluos only had nine soul skills, but a 100,000-year soul bone could massively enhance one's physical capabilities and grant two extremely powerful abilities. Possessing one meant holding the key to the peak of power.
Moreover, if one could absorb a 100,000-year soul ring upon reaching Rank 90, they could ascend to the strongest echelon of Title Douluos—just like Tang Hao once did when fighting off multiple enemies alone.
"Mubai, your team didn't just hide a hybrid like Tang San—you even brought a 100,000-year soul beast along. Did you raid the soul beast den or something? If you ever become Emperor of the Star Luo Empire, wouldn't that be the laughingstock of the continent?" Davis sneered as he sauntered across the arena.
Dai Mubai didn't respond. He simply knelt to the ground, soulless, eyes dull, as if his entire world had collapsed.
In the VIP area, the elegant and imposing Bibi Dong turned her gaze toward Xiao Wu, who was currently being held in the air by Yu Tianming, pinched at the back of her neck like a kitten.
Xiao Wu's face was ashen, her expression utterly hopeless, eyes devoid of will to live.
"This girl... she's really a 100,000-year soul beast in human form?" Bibi Dong asked, her icy voice slicing through the tense atmosphere.
Since Tang Hao had already spilled the secret, Yu Tianming made no effort to hide it. A white light flickered from Xiao Wu's body, and the aura of a 100,000-year soul beast erupted for all the Title Douluos to see.
"Yes. Xiao Wu is a 100,000-year Soft Bone Enchanting Rabbit. She's my reserved soul ring and soul bone. Does Your Holiness have an opinion?"
"I thought so. I've met this little one before." Bibi Dong's gaze sharpened. "Xiao Wu, the 100,000-year Soft Bone Rabbit in human form... you were the one that got away back then, weren't you?"
this, Xiao Wu's eyes flared with hatred. "Yes. You're right. I'm the rabbit that slipped away. And ever since then, I've dreamed of tearing your flesh, drinking your blood, peeling your skin, and grinding your bones to dust!"
Bibi Dong chuckled dismissively. "How amusing. And yet you delivered yourself right to my doorstep. Looks like you won't be getting your revenge after all."
"Oh? You have a grudge with the Pope too?" Yu Tianming raised a brow at Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu stayed silent, but Bibi Dong smiled and explained. "Years ago, when I was hunting soul rings, I found two 100,000-year rabbits. I killed the larger one—her mother. She was the one who escaped. And now, look who's come crawling back, hahaha..."
Xiao Wu's eyes turned bloodshot. If Yu Tianming hadn't been holding her by the neck, she would've lunged straight at Bibi Dong's throat.
Yu Tianming rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Xiao Wu... I've seen you joke around and play with your classmates all day long. You never trained seriously. And now you remember your blood feud? Or were you too busy flirting with Tang San to care about your mom?"
Bibi Dong couldn't help but snort with laughter, covering her mouth as she looked at Xiao Wu with a mocking glint. 'So you didn't hate me that much after all, did you?'
Xiao Wu just huffed and looked away.
Seeing this, Yu Tianming waved his hand, and Xiao Wu vanished in a flash of light—teleported to an underground cavern within his Water World.
That world's subterranean layer contained many hollowed-out, bubble-like chambers. Some were used for storage, others were empty. One now became Xiao Wu's prison—safely away from the rare immortal herbs on the surface.
Yu Tianming narrowed his eyes toward Bibi Dong. "Your Holiness, 100,000-year soul beasts should be claimed by those who earn them. Since I caught Xiao Wu, she's mine to handle. You've got no objections, right?"
Knowing his strength—and his relationship with her daughter—Bibi Dong didn't press further. She glanced at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan with a flash of coldness in her eyes, then chuckled softly. "Naturally. I'm not the type to steal what isn't mine. I just hope the heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Clan won't break too many hearts. I hear he already has two fiancées..."
With that cryptic remark, she turned and left with Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo in tow.
Yu Tianming knew she was referring to Qian Renxue. But Ning Fengzhi and the others assumed it was Bibi Dong's own bitterness from past heartbreaks, venting indiscriminately.
"Haha, Tianming is really blessed. To find a 100,000-year transformed soul beast..." Ning Fengzhi chuckled.
Before he could finish, Yu Tianming turned and smiled. "I plan to give Xiao Wu to Rongrong."
"Eh? Is... is that really appropriate? That's a 100,000-year soul beast!"
"Of course it is. I've already got all my soul rings—I don't need Xiao Wu's. And the Soft Bone Rabbit is of spiritual nature, making it a perfect match for Rongrong's support system."
Ning Fengzhi stroked his beard, testing the waters. "Then... should we keep her until Rongrong reaches Rank 90 to absorb her?"
"No. High-level soul rings should be absorbed as early as possible. I think we should have Xiao Wu sacrifice herself now and let Rongrong get a red fifth soul ring immediately."
Both Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo gasped.
'The fifth soul ring... a 100,000-year ring? Unprecedented! What kind of future would Rongrong have with such a start?!'
Seeing no objection, Yu Tianming waved his hand. Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Ning Rongrong vanished from their seats—teleported to Water World.
Inside, they stood together while Yu Tianming held Xiao Wu, her face drained of all color.
"Brother Tianming... Xiao Wu isn't a bad person. We lived and fought together at Blue Tyrant Academy for years. Isn't it too cruel to make her sacrifice herself for me?" Ning Rongrong hesitated. "I don't... really want a 100,000-year soul ring that badly..."
"Xiao Wu's fate was sealed. If she doesn't sacrifice herself for you, someone else will make her their soul ring. I'm giving her a chance because you two were friends. Besides, if you become a god, her soul can be resurrected."
Then he turned to Xiao Wu, who had yet to say a word.
"I know this is cruel. But if you don't offer yourself to Rongrong, I'll go hunting other 100,000-year soul beasts in the Star Dou Forest. I'm sure you've got friends there. You don't want them to die, do you?"
"I... I'm willing... I'm willing to sacrifice myself for Rongrong..." Xiao Wu's tears poured down.
"Mama... Da Ming... I'm sorry. It was all because I was being playful and insisted on coming to Heaven Dou City... I can't avenge you now..."
Yu Tianming dropped her to the ground, waving impatiently. "Alright, get it over with. If not in this life, maybe in the next. The sooner you do it, the sooner it'll be over."
Xiao Wu gave Ning Rongrong one final look. Then, a brilliant red light burst from her brow and spread in all directions. Everything it touched was dyed crimson. And for a moment, the entire world fell silent.
Her clothes burned away, revealing a flawless and translucent body now turned ruby-red—the final moment of a 100,000-year soul beast's life.
But as it was a soul beast sacrifice, everyone else's consciousness was frozen. Only Yu Tianming could still perceive her.
Xiao Wu glanced one last time at him and whispered, "Rongrong... I leave my soul ring and soul bone to you..."
A crimson flame erupted from her body. As it darkened, her figure faded—replaced by a massive red soul ring that descended beneath Ning Rongrong's feet, slowly contracting.
(End of Chapter)
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T/N: Alright my Friends it's a new month and I would like to Thank Every Single one of you who is with me from the start here and on my Patreon, Specially to my Patrons who supported me and are still supporting me, A heartfelt Thank You from me I hope you lot keep supporting me like this in the future.
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