The first time was right after Zhao Wuji was brutally beaten—back then, he already knew this Clear Sky Douluo had been secretly protecting Tang San.
During the incident at Heaven Dou Academy, he'd been waiting for Tang Hao to make a move. Yet even when Tang San was dismembered by Dugu Bo, the man never showed up.
Because of that, he—Yu Xiaogang—was left to endure humiliation after humiliation at the hands of that Poison Douluo.
Fine, don't save us. But even when your own son was being torn apart, you still didn't step in?
Fury surged in Yu Xiaogang's chest. He couldn't hold it in any longer and directly questioned Tang Hao.
"..."
Tang Hao only shook his head, a flicker of fear flashing through his eyes.
He hadn't acted that day—because that one was there.
The others didn't know, but he had once fought that person. No… it couldn't even be called a fight.
It was total, one-sided annihilation.
His martial soul avatar had been shattered, and he'd been grievously injured. His soul power rank had plummeted—again and again. Though he still bore the title of Titled Douluo, his power had fallen below rank 90.
He hadn't dared show himself—not because of Dugu Bo, whom he didn't fear—but because the mysterious youth, the one who had become a heart demon to him, was also present.
Had he dared to act recklessly, he wouldn't have faced the Spirit Hall's pursuit, but a sword stroke from that young man that could end his life in a blink.
From the shadows, he'd known what his son had obtained—that miraculous treasure was clearly connected to that mysterious youth.
And in his heart… he'd wanted to claim it for himself.
If his son could gain the treasure's recognition, he might also benefit from it—perhaps even receive an immense opportunity.
That's why he hadn't warned Tang San of the treasure's hidden dangers, which led to the disaster. But not all of the blame could be placed on the treasure.
The real Issue was that his son had harbored killing intent toward that old poison freak's granddaughter.
Clearly, the boy still wasn't ruthless enough. If it had been him, that little poison brat would've—
Tang Hao suddenly snapped out of his thoughts and quickly said, "Grandmaster, thank you for taking care of San these past days. Things have escalated—I've got to take him away now, or we won't make it."
He shot Yu Xiaogang a look, then lifted the blanket and picked up Tang San. With a sweep of his other arm, he scooped up Xiao Wu. In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished from the room.
"Dean… Dean! They've broken in! Several instructors have already been captured!"
A student's shout snapped Yu Xiaogang back to reality. He glanced at Ma Hongjun, then leaned close to Liu Erlong and whispered something in her ear.
Liu Erlong frowned, nodded, and walked over to Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai.
Before they could react, she struck them both unconscious without a word.
"You—watch them. Everyone else, follow me!"
She pointed at two Blue Tyrant Academy students to guard the two unconscious ones. The rest, including Yu Xiaogang and Flender, followed her out into the hall.
"Xiaogang, why did Erlong—"
"Don't ask. We're on the brink of disaster."
Flender didn't understand why Liu Erlong had knocked the two boys out and left them guarded, but since she was his long-held love and Yu Xiaogang wasn't offering answers, he could only grit his teeth and stay silent.
"Where are you hiding the one who killed Miss Keke?!"
"I—I don't know… Please, don't kill me…"
Out in the Blue Tyrant Academy's plaza, Dugu Bo was lifting an instructor by one hand, but still hadn't gotten a confession.
"Enough! Poison Douluo, aren't you taking things too far?!"
The moment the Shrek group emerged with Yu Xiaogang at the front, Liu Erlong saw one of her own academy instructors being choked and shouted in fury.
"Too far? Heh—"
Dugu Bo casually flung the instructor, sending him tumbling to a stop at Liu Erlong's feet.
"D-Dean… save me…"
The instructor's face was dark with poison. He passed out before he could finish his plea.
"Poison Douluo… It's true that Blue Tyrant Academy has no Titled Douluo, but that doesn't mean the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has none!"
Liu Erlong ground her teeth, and Fire Dragon, her martial soul, manifested behind her, roaring with rage.
"Fire Dragon Martial Soul… Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, huh…"
Dugu Bo snorted and said coldly, "Even if Yu Yuanzhen himself were here today, he'd be kneeling and begging for mercy!"
"You—!"
Liu Erlong was about to explode when suddenly a more terrifying aura appeared behind Dugu Bo.
A shadowy figure tugged at him, and both he and Chen Xin instantly withdrew to the side, not daring to breathe too loudly.
Next, groups of armored guards flooded in and quickly sealed off the entire plaza.
Then, a lone figure walked slowly into view, cradling a young girl in his arms, with Paimon hovering at his side.
Everyone along the path instinctively made way.
It was him!
Yu Xiaogang's face paled. He subtly shifted to hide behind Flender.
Liu Erlong hadn't seen Aether before, but she had seen Dugu Bo and Chen Xin. Both men lowered their heads in silence when the youth approached. That alone made the situation clear.
"Hand over Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai."
Aether's gaze swept the Shrek crowd but didn't see the two.
"Sir, perhaps there's been some misundersta—ugh!"
Before Liu Erlong could finish her sentence, an invisible slap sent her flying, crashing to the ground as blood spilled from the corner of her lips.
"I no longer care about right or wrong. Hand them over—or die."
His voice was calm but cold. The plaza went dead silent. You could've heard a pin drop.
Even Dugu Bo and Chen Xin beside him trembled at the chill in his tone.
The Shrek people weren't strangers to this youth. Zhao Wuji and the others had already seen him twice before.
No one dared speak up—not that any of their more hot-headed members were even present.
Seeing their dean struck to the ground, even the original Blue Tyrant Academy instructors went utterly silent.
They didn't know who the youth was, or what had happened—but it was clear the academy had provoked someone far too powerful.
And they did know Liu Erlong's other identity.
But even that clearly wasn't enough to defuse this crisis.
"S-Sir… they're in the main hall. I'll have someone bring them right away…"
Yu Xiaogang had asked Liu Erlong to knock Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai unconscious for one reason—he had anticipated this.
He'd already guessed when Tang Hao rushed off with Tang San—if things spiraled out of control, the only way to survive was to cut losses.
Forget Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai—he'd never liked those two anyway.
Even Tang San, his most treasured disciple, had been dismembered in public by Dugu Bo, and he had done nothing but watch.
How was this any different?
"My lord, I'll return shortly."
Hearing they were in the back hall, Dugu Bo cupped his fists and vanished on the spot.
Three or five seconds later, he reappeared with two unconscious bodies in hand, tossing them to the ground before Aether and bowing, awaiting further instruction.
_
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