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Tang San's gaze turned cold, and he acted without hesitation.
Bullying the weak, oppressing men and women—such actions were a death sentence waiting to happen.
However, Tang San's martial soul, lacking the true bloodline of the Thunderclap Hell Vine, was only slightly stronger than an ordinary Green Vine martial soul.
"Second Soul Skill—Parasite.
First Soul Skill—Entangle."
It was the familiar combination that had once again ensnared Dai Mubai, leaving him immobilized.
For a control-type soul master, these two skills formed a solid foundation. Normally, soul masters would seek offensive-type skills to compensate for their lack of attack power.
But in this altered storyline, it remained uncertain whether Tang San would still acquire his Human-Faced Spider external bonus.
Dai Mubai felt himself tightly bound, his face flushing red—not only from the discomfort of being restrained but also from the humiliation of being controlled by a mere Battle Soul Master.
In Tang San's eyes, Dai Mubai had already lost. With an arrogant expression, he prepared to let him leave.
"Don't get too cocky, brat!
Third Soul Skill—White Tiger Adamantine Transformation!"
Already muscular, Dai Mubai's body swelled further as he forcefully broke free from the dense vines binding him, scattering them across the floor.
Tang San watched the scene with a grave expression.
"A thousand-year soul skill—terrifying indeed."
"Kid, round two begins. I'm getting serious now," Dai Mubai declared, attempting to salvage his pride.
In an instant, the two clashed again.
An ordinary control-type soul master would have been crushed by Dai Mubai by now, but Tang San was no ordinary person.
Aside from his foundational control skills, Tang San was also proficient in the Ghost Shadow Perplexing technique, allowing him to mimic an Agility Attack System soul master.
The battle dragged on, neither side able to gain the upper hand.
"Little eel, if you've got guts, fight me head-on! What kind of skill is all this dodging?"
Dai Mubai tried to provoke Tang San with trash talk.
Unfazed, Tang San searched for an opportunity to strike Dai Mubai with one of his insidious hidden weapons.
Just as he found his chance and prepared to act, Dai Mubai abruptly stopped, standing impatiently.
"Enough, enough. When will this end? Such bad luck—it's killed my mood."
With that, Dai Mubai turned to leave. The receptionist hurriedly called out to him.
"Master Dai, what about the damages you caused earlier…?"
Without turning around, Dai Mubai waved dismissively.
"I know—I'll pay. Deduct it from my room card. There should be plenty left."
Within seconds, Dai Mubai had vanished from sight.
Hidden on the second floor, Ye Wen and Zhu Zhuqing exchanged odd looks. 'How slippery.'
Ye Wen had noticed Tang San preparing to unleash one of his treacherous hidden weapons, but Dai Mubai had narrowly escaped.
Even after all these years, Tang San's murderous intent hadn't diminished. It was curious how he managed to cultivate the orthodox Xuantian Technique.
Perhaps practicing the Xuantian Technique was precisely to suppress his murderous instincts. After all, the Tang Sect wasn't exactly known for playing fair.
Tang San awkwardly stood frozen in place. Just as he was about to deliver the killing blow, his opponent had fled, leaving him frustrated.
Watching the two youngsters settle into the Rose Hotel, Ye Wen took Zhu Zhuqing and left.
"How are you feeling, Zhuqing?"
Zhu Zhuqing stood emotionlessly for a moment before exhaling deeply.
"Teacher, thank you."
It seemed this stubborn girl had finally let go of her last lingering attachment.
However, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly knelt before Ye Wen and spoke earnestly.
"Please take me as your disciple, Teacher. All I seek now is strength. I know my talent is mediocre, so I'm willing to obey any command you give in exchange for becoming your disciple."
Ye Wen was startled—he had expected Zhu Zhuqing to say something like dedicating herself to a life of solitude.
But such a seductive disciple offering unconditional obedience? Wasn't that straight out of an adult visual novel scenario? No, no—he was already the father of three children.
"Stand up. From now on, you're my disciple-in-name, Zhu Zhuqing.
There's no need to pledge unconditional obedience. Just remember not to betray Tianxing Academy and lend your strength when the academy needs you—that's enough." Ye Wen said kindly.
Warmth surged in Zhu Zhuqing's heart, and her affection for Ye Wen skyrocketed.
Looking up at him with gratitude, her expression soon turned cool and composed.
Zhu Zhuqing had never been the type to cling to romantic fantasies—she had merely harbored a sliver of hope and the youthful yearning for love.
Now, with Dai Mubai shattering that innocence, Zhu Zhuqing had undergone a complete transformation.
Having resolved Zhu Zhuqing's inner turmoil, Ye Wen didn't rush to leave.
The original Shrek Seven Monsters had fallen apart—what would become of Shrek now? Ye Wen was curious.
Zhu Zhuqing had no objections. As long as she stayed by Ye Wen's side, it didn't matter where she trained.
The two strolled casually through Soto City. Along the way, Ye Wen noticed something peculiar—Flender, that cunning merchant, had reopened his shabby little shop. Hadn't Ye Wen already given him 100,000 gold spirit coins—more than enough for retirement? Why bother?
Was being a profiteer really that addictive?
Flender looked just like his manga counterpart, with a scruffy beard tied into a small knot at the end, resembling a goat's beard. His unkempt appearance made it impossible to associate him with a Spirit Sage of the Agility Attack System.
Tang San seemed fated to encounter that impure crystal.
Ye Wen remembered that such crystals were supposedly used as enhancement tools in later parts of the Douluo series, though their exact purpose had never been fully understood. With divine powers at his disposal, Ye Wen no longer needed such things.
These impure crystals were as worthless as pebbles littering the ground, yet Flender had placed one in an ornate box lined with silk.
Tang San asked, "Boss, how much is this?"
Too lazy to even get up, Flender lounged in his chair, rocking back and forth.
"Not expensive—just 100 gold spirit coins."
If Tang San's companion had been Xiao Wu, she would have spoken rudely, prompting Flender to raise the price.
But Tang San's companion was Ning Rongrong, whose Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda possessed the innate ability to sense valuable items—a reason why Ye Wen had once recommended the old sect leader focus on upgrading this aspect of their martial soul.
A mere 100 gold spirit coins was pocket change to Ning Rongrong, who paid without hesitation, seizing the opportunity to win Tang San's favor.
Tang San couldn't help but marvel at how wealthy this young girl truly was.
After years of blacksmithing and scrimping, he had barely amassed over a hundred gold spirit coins.
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