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Though Ye Wen's tone was gentle, Tang Hao couldn't relax in the face of Ye Wen's seemingly calm expression.
Tang Hao had a gut feeling that if he refused to negotiate, his fate would be dire. However, as the proud Hao Tian Douluo, he still gripped his thunder-wrapped massive Hao Tian Hammer tightly and coldly asked,
"How do you propose we talk?"
Ye Wen didn't immediately answer Tang Hao's question. Instead, he smiled at Ah Rou, who stood silently nearby, ready to act at any moment.
"Madam, please don't be nervous.
I've come to stop this battle with no ill intentions."
"Enough with your smooth talk! You human soul masters only want the soul rings of high-year soul beasts like us. I won't let you deceive me before hunting me down," Ah Rou retorted sharply.
The rift between humans and soul beasts ran deep, and Ye Wen didn't expect to change Ah Rou's mindset in such a short time.
"For now, go back, little girl. But tell your mother not to think about escaping. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to use force to restrain you both. You should already understand my abilities."
Seeing Ye Wen release Xiao Wu without restraint, she didn't dare to run. She had already witnessed his terrifying spatial abilities firsthand.
Spatial attributes were among the most mysterious and unpredictable powers. No matter how fast she and her mother could flee, they couldn't outrun instantaneous spatial teleportation. After all, she had just been brought here by this man in the blink of an eye.
Ah Rou's heart tightened upon hearing Ye Wen's words, but seeing him release her daughter so freely left her confused.
However, her years of experience weren't wasted. Though spatial-attribute soul beasts were exceedingly rare, Ah Rou had indeed encountered one before. Faced with such abilities, escape was impossible.
Next—
"Tang Hao, can you give me the courtesy of sparing this mother and daughter? After all, your wife was also originally a soul beast. Surely you wouldn't slaughter her kind indiscriminately?"
The union of humans and soul beasts was taboo, and Tang Hao hadn't expected Ye Wen to directly expose his greatest secret—the very origin of the Hao Tian Sect's decline.
But the emotions stirred by Ah Yu's sacrifice long ago left Tang Hao conflicted.
Watching Tang Hao's expression shift, Ah Rou and Xiao Wu were astonished. They never imagined that this scruffy, seemingly useless middle-aged man would dare defy societal norms by falling in love with a soul beast.
This revelation was juicy indeed.
Seeing this, Ye Wen decided to add fuel to the fire.
"Tang Hao, I assume you wouldn't want your biggest secret exposed, would you?"
"!" Tang Hao immediately thought of Tang San, glaring fiercely at Ye Wen.
"If you dare harm Xiao San, I'll destroy your Tianxing Academy!"
Ye Wen's expression turned icy. The Tianxing Academy was his life's work—how dare a mere 95-level Super Douluo speak so arrogantly.
(A/N: Tang Hao's exact level wasn't specified during his first appearance when he saved Tang San and Xiao Wu. After recovering from his injuries post-amputation, he reached level 97. Given his previous hidden injuries, his level likely fluctuated between 95 and 96, so it's set at 95.)
A massive wave of soul power pressure swept over the three present, leaving them struggling to breathe.
Then, a familiar and shocking sight appeared before Tang Hao—six black and three red soul rings, reminiscent of the terrifying 98-level Tianxing Douluo from the past.
"You…"
"I may not be much, but as a 95-level Tianxing Douluo, I hope the Hao Tian Douluo will grant me this favor.
Surely you wouldn't refuse, would you?"
Ye Wen's voice was chilling. How could Tang Hao oppose him? Their levels were nearly equal, and Ye Wen's abilities severely countered his own. There was no point in fighting anymore.
Seeing Tang Hao back down, Ye Wen retracted his soul rings and the oppressive aura.
"Very well, this matter ends here.
Hao Tian Douluo, you know that my Tianxing Academy is a neutral force and has no intention of meddling in the affairs of your major factions. However, I advise you to be more cautious in the future. Don't recklessly threaten others' backing forces—you never know when you might encounter someone untouchable."
Ye Wen's words stung Tang Hao's ears, but with the situation against him, he had no choice but to submit.
At least Tang San's situation wouldn't be exposed—for now.
No.
After returning, he'd have to move Yu Xiaogang and Tang San to another place for schooling. Who knew if this "neutral" force was truly neutral?
What was supposed to be a simple mission to gain benefits had instead ended in frustration. Tang Hao was deeply irritated but had no choice but to leave.
However, the intense battle and Ye Wen's overwhelming presence had aggravated Tang Hao's hidden injuries. After recalling his martial soul, his condition worsened, preventing him from immediately relocating Tang San and the others. He could only find a place to recuperate for now.
Now came the main issue: what to do with this mother-daughter pair?
Ye Wen was somewhat troubled.
Intercepting Xiao Wu was meant to prevent Tang San from obtaining the future Asura Sword Sheath. But Ah Rou, the unexpected surviving variable, left Ye Wen unsure of how to handle them.
"Come with me for now. I bear no ill will toward you. My wife was also originally a soul beast—I simply don't want you to die at Tang Hao's hands," Ye Wen said.
Ah Rou and Xiao Wu breathed a sigh of relief, realizing there was a deeper connection at play.
Their luck was indeed peculiar—they had encountered two individuals tied to soul beasts within a single day.
Still, Ah Rou felt that Ye Wen hadn't been entirely truthful about his strength. In her spiritual perception, Ye Wen was like a dense fog—far from an ordinary 95-level Super Douluo.
But at this moment, neither Ah Rou nor Xiao Wu realized that from the moment Ye Wen revealed Ah Yin's identity, they had already lost their freedom.
By the time Ah Rou realized it, they were already fully integrated into Ye Wen's circle.
Surprisingly, Ah Rou didn't resist the environment around Ye Wen.
With the cultivation resources Ye Wen provided, Xiao Wu's progress skyrocketed.
Under Ye Wen's guidance, the once mischievous rabbit had vanished, replaced by a refined and elegant young lady.
As the saying goes, trees need pruning to grow straight, and people need discipline to mature.
Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang was deeply troubled as he prepared teaching materials for Tang San.
He couldn't afford to slack off—if he failed to properly educate the son of a Title Douluo, his life would be forfeit.
Fortunately, though Yu Xiaogang lacked academic talent, he had memorized vast amounts of soul master cultivation theory through sheer rote learning. He planned to take Tang San hunting for soul rings the next day.
He had examined Tang San's body and confirmed that he had already reached his current limit. Without acquiring a soul ring, further advancement was impossible.
But how could the son of a Title Douluo have such a low initial absorption limit—only around 420 years? Was this really the genius with full innate soul power and twin martial souls?
Yu Xiaogang couldn't comprehend it. This number aligned only with his old theory of maximum soul ring absorption limits.
Nowadays, even top-tier prodigies started with a minimum of 500 years.
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