The grounds of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy were vast. Ye Hao and Dugu Bo arrived at a secluded clearing. By now, it was deep into the night, and nearly all the students had gone to bed.
Dugu Bo sneered, "Alright, there's no one around here. Now, start talking."
Ye Hao smiled faintly. "Old Poison, you're a Titled Douluo; your knowledge must far surpass mine."
"Of course," Dugu Bo replied, visibly pleased with the compliment. But a moment later, his tone grew serious. "Stop trying to butter me up. Spit it out, or I'll tie you up and take you away myself!"
Ye Hao chuckled. "Old Poison, don't be so serious! The reason I can't accept you as my teacher… well, it's complicated."
"Complicated?" Dugu Bo scoffed. "What kind of excuse could a brat like you have?"
How bold must someone be to openly call him 'Old Poison' and live to tell the tale? Ye Hao might be the only one alive to pull off such a feat.
Maintaining a calm smile, Ye Hao raised his right hand. Three soul rings materialized beneath his feet, and his Death Spider Emperor martial soul emerged, quickly enveloping his body in its terrifying form.
"Old Poison, does this look familiar?" Ye Hao asked calmly, his expression confident.
Dugu Bo froze, his throat dry as he swallowed hard.
"Th-the… Death… Spider Emperor?"
"You… you brat… Could it be…?"
For the first time in years, Dugu Bo felt a sense of real danger. The Death Spider Emperor martial soul. No wonder Ye Hao seemed so similar to someone he knew. Now it all made sense. It was lucky Ye Hao hadn't agreed to become his disciple; otherwise…
Dugu Bo let out a bitter laugh. "You're from Spirit Hall, aren't you? Why are you here? And that Death Spider Emperor of yours…"
He stopped short, hesitant to speak further.
Ye Hao withdrew his martial soul and smiled nonchalantly. "Old Poison, I am who I am, and Spirit Hall is Spirit Hall. Don't confuse the two. As for why I can't be your disciple… well, you know the answer to that."
Dugu Bo hesitated briefly before deciding to leave. Staying near someone with such an identity was far too dangerous.
Titled Douluo cherished their lives dearly, and those who reached such heights were never fools.
"Well, then," Dugu Bo said, taking a step back. "Let's just say I wasn't here tonight. Goodbye!"
With that, he leaped into the air, transforming into a streak of green light and vanishing into the horizon.
"Come again sometime!" Ye Hao waved cheerfully but quickly realized something.
Oh no! The immortal herbs!
He smacked his forehead, annoyed. By the time he looked up, Dugu Bo was already long gone. Ye Hao couldn't help but laugh at himself. Oh well, there's no rush. The herbs aren't going anywhere. I'll deal with it another day.
With Dugu Bo gone, Ye Hao returned to his dorm, eager for a good night's rest after such a long and exhausting day.
The Next Morning, Outside Soto City – Shrek Academy
Ten days had passed since the fierce battle between the Emperor Team and the Shrek Seven Devils. During this time, the Seven Devils had been recuperating, especially Tang San.
Without his External Soul Bone, Tang San had been withdrawn and melancholic, often locking himself in his room for hours. Ye Ritian had become a inner demon haunting his thoughts, casting a shadow he couldn't shake.
This behavior did not go unnoticed by Tang Hao, who had been secretly observing his son from afar. The pain Tang San felt was a dagger to his heart.
However, Tang Hao couldn't reveal himself or have a heartfelt father-son reunion. Instead, he left things in the hands of Grandmaster to investigate Ye Ritian's whereabouts.
Finally, after relentless effort, Grandmaster arrived with news.
"Tang Hao," Grandmaster began, his tone urgent.
"Have you found him?" Tang Hao asked anxiously. He had to know where Ye Ritian was.
Grandmaster offered a wry smile. "Yes, I found him."
Tang Hao's eyes lit up as he leaned in closer. "Where is he?"
Grandmaster stroked his beard, his voice measured. "My suspicions were correct. That Ye Ritian is from Spirit Hall. Recently, Spirit Hall circulated an internal notice stating that Ye Ritian had been spotted within their territory. Interestingly, the Pope herself issued an order for his capture."
"Capture? Why?" Tang Hao frowned. Why would Spirit Hall go after their own?
Grandmaster speculated, "It likely has to do with Tang San's External Soul Bone. You know how valuable soul bones are, and external soul bones even more so.
"Ye Ritian must have hidden the External Soul Bone for himself. Once Spirit Hall discovered this, they issued the order. It makes sense, doesn't it? After all, you know what Spirit Hall is like."
Tang Hao's fury boiled over. Now that he knew where Ye Ritian was, there was only one course of action: go to Spirit Hall, kill him, and take back his son's External Soul Bone.
"Grandmaster, I'm leaving!" Tang Hao declared before launching into the sky, heading straight for Spirit Hall.
"Don't—!" Grandmaster called after him, but Tang Hao was already gone.
Grandmaster sighed in frustration. Tang Hao was walking straight into a trap. Spirit Hall's forces were vast, and this mission was as good as suicide. But what could a Soul Grandmaster like him do against a Titled Douluo's determination?
Resigned, Grandmaster turned back toward Shrek Academy. All he could do now was support Tang San in his recovery.
At Shrek Academy, Grandmaster approached Tang San's room and found a cold meal sitting outside the door.
Knocking softly, he called, "Tang San, it's me. Open up."
After a moment, the door creaked open. Tang San's face was pale and drawn.
"Teacher, why are you here?" he asked weakly.
Grandmaster stepped inside, glancing at the disheveled state of the room. It was a reflection of Tang San's mind—utterly chaotic.
"Can I come in?"
Tang San hesitated before nodding, stepping aside to let Grandmaster enter.
Sitting down, Tang San finally broke the silence, his voice trembling. "Teacher… my Blue Silver Grass… is it really ruined?"