"Stop, Dugu Bo!"
At that moment, Tang San leaped down from the treetop, landing firmly in front of Dugu Bo. In his hand, he gripped the ancient and imposing Clear Sky Hammer.
Seeing this, Dugu Bo turned slowly, his gaze drawn irresistibly to the Clear Sky Hammer in Tang San's hand.
So that's it... So that's it!
No wonder Tang Hao showed up suddenly; it all made sense now.
"Dugu Bo, where is my teacher? Don't tell me you've already…" Tang San frowned deeply, genuinely afraid that Dugu Bo might have killed the Grandmaster right there.
To Tang San, the Grandmaster was like a father figure.
The principle of "once a teacher, always a father" was deeply engraved in Tang San's mind.
"That useless Yu Xiaogang is your teacher?" Dugu Bo looked at Tang San with disdain.
Impossible!
This kid had twin martial souls—one being Blue Silver Grass, and the other being the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand. A twin martial soul genius like this couldn't possibly have a cowardly, feeble man who only talked big as his teacher.
"Dugu Bo!" Tang San's eyes reddened as he gripped the Clear Sky Hammer tightly in his hand.
"My teacher is not useless!" Tang San roared, exuding a faint killing intent.
Killing intent was something Dugu Bo was extremely sensitive to, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
The next second, Tang San felt as if a mountain had landed on his back. His limbs collapsed under the weight, leaving him sprawled on the ground, unable to move an inch.
At this moment, Tang San was no different from a fish on a chopping board.
He needed power—immense power! Only with strength could he free himself from others' control.
Tang San glared resolutely at Dugu Bo, his heart seething with hatred.
"Yu Xiaogang, that piece of trash, is your teacher?" Dugu Bo crouched down, looking at Tang San with interest.
"How about this: why don't you take me as your teacher? I'll teach you all my poison techniques. How about it?"
Dugu Bo was tempted. A twin martial soul was exceedingly rare in Douluo Continent—perhaps one or two existed in the entire world.
"I'll say it one more time: my teacher is not trash!" Tang San stared at Dugu Bo with wide eyes, declaring fiercely, "Once a teacher, always a father. I will never take you as my teacher, so give up that thought!"
"Besides, my mastery of poison techniques is already beyond yours. Why would I acknowledge you as my teacher?"
This piqued Dugu Bo's interest. He grabbed Tang San like a chicken with one hand, his curiosity growing.
No one on the continent had surpassed him in poison techniques, yet Tang San claimed to be more skilled. This stirred Dugu Bo's excitement; he was reluctant to kill Tang San now.
"Who would have thought you're a poison expert as well? Let's have a proper contest, then—let's see whose poison is deadlier, yours or mine!"
"Hahaha!"
In high spirits, Dugu Bo threw Tang San over his shoulder and swaggered into the poison formation.
The enchanting night was silent in the forest.
Tang Hao, severely wounded, had escaped to the area. His body was scorched, his flesh burned in many places. Though he was used to injuries, this time was different—he had been poisoned.
The poison was severe. Blood he coughed up was tinged with purple, a clear sign of deadly venom.
The Death Spider Emperor, a 100,000-year soul beast subdued by Ye Ritian, carried venom potent enough to kill even a Titled Douluo. Tang Hao had only absorbed a trace, but even that was enough to cause havoc.
Tang Hao felt numb all over, as if his legs were bound. He could barely move, and his vision blurred as he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness.
Shaking his head violently, Tang Hao forced himself to stay upright, leaning heavily against a tree. His body turned a faint purple, and his blood-red complexion had faded completely.
This was the precursor to the Death Spider Emperor's poison flaring up. Tang Hao gritted his teeth against the unbearable pain that left him utterly drained.
After a long while, Tang Hao barely held on. His sweat-soaked clothes clung to him as he knelt weakly on the ground.
"Ye Ritian, I'll kill you!!!"
As dawn broke and the warm sunlight bathed the land, the chaos of the previous night finally ended.
At the edge of Sunset Forest, Flender supported the injured Yu Xiaogang as they emerged one step at a time. Flender shielded his eyes from the glaring sun.
Breathing a sigh of relief, he looked back at the forest with lingering fear, shuddering involuntarily. This mission had nearly cost him his life. Thankfully, Dugu Bo's eccentric nature worked in their favor—nothing was more important than surviving.
"That was too close. Dugu Bo really isn't someone to mess with," Flender muttered.
Liu Erlong nodded in agreement and added, "Flender, not bad! You managed to hold your own when it mattered."
Pleased, Flender puffed out his chest and grinned. "Of course! As the leader of the Golden Iron Triangle and the principal of Shrek Academy, I've got to step up. Right, Xiaogang?"
Yu Xiaogang said nothing. His clothes were tattered, his body covered in dirt and bruises. His face was scratched, and dried blood clung to his skin, making him look like a battered zombie.
In contrast to Flender's bravado, Yu Xiaogang's timid demeanor during the ordeal made him appear utterly insignificant.
Sighing, Liu Erlong pushed Flender aside and approached Yu Xiaogang.
"Xiaogang, why aren't you saying anything? I know Dugu Bo's words hurt you, but Tang San is still alive, and that's what matters most."
At last, Yu Xiaogang spoke, his tone heavy with thought.
"I'm not worried about Tang San. Tang Hao's presence makes Dugu Bo hesitant to act rashly. He knows that if Tang San dies, Tang Hao will stop at nothing to hunt him down. And even if that weren't the case, Tang San has the mighty Clear Sky Sect behind him. Even in its decline, a camel is bigger than a horse. Dugu Bo understands this."
Rubbing his stubbled chin, Yu Xiaogang pondered aloud.
"As for that mysterious man in black, he must be Ye Ritian. Otherwise, Tang Hao wouldn't have reacted so strongly."
Flender gasped. "No way! Tang Hao is a Titled Douluo. How could Ye Ritian withstand a full-force blow from the Clear Sky Hammer, the number one weapon martial soul?"
For once, Yu Xiaogang's usual confidence wavered.
"The Clear Sky Hammer is indeed the strongest weapon martial soul, but Ye Ritian must have used some underhanded means. Otherwise, Tang Hao wouldn't have been defeated."
Yu Xiaogang's voice regained its firmness as he clung to his faith in Tang Hao, his idol.
"What do we do now?" Flender's confidence faltered. If Ye Ritian could defeat Tang Hao, no one in Shrek Academy could stand against him if he attacked again.
Sighing, Yu Xiaogang touched his bruised face, the pain making him wince.
"We'll wait and see."
With that, the three headed toward Heaven Dou City. Exhausted from the harrowing night, they were barely holding on.