"Ah!" The sudden question startled Xiao Wu, making her nervous immediately.
Her heart was in chaos, but she forced a small smile and said, "Brother San, how could I be getting fat? You must be mistaken."
Liu Erlong's eyes narrowed, sensing the gravity of the situation. It seemed Tang San was starting to have suspicions.
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong exchanged a glance, both clearly shocked. The implications were immense.
Judging from Tang San's reaction, it seemed he didn't know about Xiao Wu's pregnancy.
Or perhaps… the child wasn't his?
That thought struck them like a bolt of lightning. Even someone as cold and composed as Zhu Zhuqing couldn't remain calm. The information was overwhelming.
"Xiao San, what's your current soul power level?" Liu Erlong quickly interjected to shift the focus.
Tang San, no longer paying attention to Xiao Wu, replied, "Last night, my soul power broke through to level 42."
"Not bad, not bad. Keep it up, Xiao San. You won't disappoint the Master's expectations," Flender said.
Dai Mubai slapped Tang San on the shoulder, laughing, "Well done, Xiao San! Neither Xiao Ao nor I have broken through yet, but you're becoming more and more of a monster."
With everyone chatting, Tang San completely forgot about his earlier suspicion and stopped paying attention to Xiao Wu.
Xiao Wu let out a sigh of relief, having narrowly escaped his questioning. She wanted to stay by Tang San's side but didn't know how to face him.
The journey ahead was long. Traveling from Heaven Dou City to Spirit City would take about twenty days, most of which would be spent in the carriages.
The finals would follow a knockout format. Thirty-three teams would compete, and the champions, runners-up, and third place would be decided in ten days.
The large procession had barely left Heaven Dou City for an hour when they encountered a stranger.
"Halt! Who are you?" A knight raised his weapon, pointing his sword at the approaching figure.
It was a burly man, his clothes tattered and covered in bloodstains, looking utterly ragged.
"I'm here to find Shrek Academy!" The man's voice was hoarse, his face cold and indifferent.
The knights exchanged glances, unsure of what to do. This man's aura suggested trouble.
"Sir, please identify yourself. Without proper information, we cannot grant your request," said General Roxon, clad in silver armor, stepping forward.
"I'm a soul master from Heaven Dou City," the burly man replied coldly, showing an identity token.
General Roxon took the token, examined it briefly, and then returned it.
"Please wait here. I will inform Shrek's teachers of your request."
General Roxon left for Shrek's carriage and relayed the situation to Flender and Liu Erlong.
"Someone's looking for Shrek?" Flender asked, confused.
"Yes, Dean Flender," General Roxon confirmed. "I've checked the visitor's cultivation; he's merely a level 56 Soul King."
By now, the entire Shrek group had left their carriages, attracted by the conversation.
"Dean, what's going on?" Tang San and Dai Mubai asked, puzzled.
Chen Xuan and Jiangzhu, along with the other Shrek Seven Devils, approached and overheard Roxon's last words.
"A Soul King, level 56?" Chen Xuan's eyes twitched. This level had become too sensitive lately.
He quickly recalled the memory his shadow clone had transmitted a day or two ago, where the clone had beaten up the two Soul Kings escorting Yu Xiaogang, who had been disguised as Tang San.
"Let him through, General Roxon. One man can't cause much trouble," Flender said confidently, trusting his own strength.
Liu Erlong didn't object. With two Soul Sages and a Soul Emperor present, they had nothing to fear.
"Very well. I'll bring him in," General Roxon replied.
Shortly after, Roxon returned, accompanied by the burly man. He stood tall, towering at over two meters, with muscular limbs and a hulking frame.
However, the man looked disheveled, his clothes torn and stained with dust and blood. His appearance didn't inspire trust.
Chen Xuan immediately recognized him as one of the Soul Kings his water clone had controlled.
He felt a bit nervous, fearing recognition, but quickly calmed down, realizing it was unlikely.
The burly man followed General Roxon closely, step by step, but when he spotted a blue figure among the crowd, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
Tang San frowned, sensing the wave of killing intent emanating from the man.
"Dean Flender, I've brought him here, and now I'll return to the front," Roxon said, saluting the Shrek group before leaving to attend to his duties.
Flender's cat-like eyes sharpened as he gazed at the filthy man. "What business do you have with Shrek?" he asked.
Though Flender knew Yu Xiaogang had hired two Soul Kings, he had never met them, so he didn't recognize the man.
Liu Erlong's face was cold and vigilant. As a Soul Sage, she could sense the man's hostility.
With two Soul Sages and a Soul Emperor present, there was no way this man could cause any trouble.
"I wish to speak with Tang San," the Soul King said coldly, his eyes locked onto the blue figure.
To him, this refined young man, Tang San, was nothing more than a treacherous villain who had betrayed his teacher, a disgrace to humanity. His methods were vicious—he had nearly killed his own master.
If not for a kind passerby, his brother would have died.
Tang San frowned. So, the man had come for him after all.
Flender's expression was unreadable. "You can speak here, or you can leave," he said.
The Soul King remained calm and spoke quietly. "This concerns the Master."
His words were few, but their impact was immediate.
"What do you mean?" Flender's gaze sharpened. Many possibilities crossed his mind in an instant. Could Yu Xiaogang have been kidnapped by this man?
"What happened to Xiaogang? Did something happen to him?" Liu Erlong couldn't keep calm. She was extremely agitated.
If not for Xiao Wu holding her back, she might have rushed forward.
The Soul King remained silent, his eyes fixed on Tang San. His intent was clear.
He was holding back, suppressing the raging fire inside him. If not for the presence of the two Soul Sages, he would have already lunged at Tang San to tear him apart.
Flender understood. This man was after Tang San, and even though he knew the danger, he couldn't avoid the situation.
"Xiao San, go," Liu Erlong ordered. She wasn't concerned about formalities now; she wanted answers.
Tang San didn't hesitate either. The Master's information was important to him too. He moved away from the group, stopping about thirty meters from them.
As he walked, he circulated his internal energy, his eyes flashing with purple light, and his hands were covered in a jade-like glow, ready with his Purple Demon Eyes and Mysterious Jade Hands.
"Uncle, now can you tell me? What happened to my teacher?" Tang San asked.
The Soul King let out a cold laugh, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous thing.
"Still pretending to be innocent? You hypocrite! Go to hell!"
Suddenly, the Soul King exploded with power, his soul force soaring. He drew a gleaming blade, and with the flashing of three soul rings, his aura became overwhelmingly oppressive, like a prehistoric beast.
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