New Shrek Academy, Heaven Dou City.
After meeting Flender and knowing the difficulties faced by him , Liu Erlong changed the name of the Blue Tyrant Academy to Shrek Academy.
On this day, Flender came running down the corridor, his usual composed demeanor nowhere to be seen. His robe fluttered behind him as he nearly stumbled through the doorway, eyes gleaming with excitement and disbelief.
"My little monsters!" he shouted, barely catching his breath. "I have information—important information! The prize for the Elite Young Soul Master Competition has been officially announced!"
The moment those words left his mouth, the previously noisy hall fell silent.
Flender straightened his back, his voice rising with deliberate emphasis.
"It is seven soul bones—all of them ten-thousand-year-ranked soul bones! Among them, the highest one reaches an astonishing seventy thousand years!"
"Hiss—!"
The sharp sound of collective inhalation echoed through the room.
Even the Shrek Monsters—who prided themselves as monsters ordinary Soul Masters—could not suppress their shock. Soul bones were treasures that could alter one's destiny, objects many Titled Douluo might never encounter in their entire lifetime. To offer seven at once, and of such terrifying age, was nothing short of extravagant.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Only one thought lingered in everyone's mind—
'Spirit Hall is absolutely confiden to win thos competition.'
Tang San's brows knitted together.
Something about this didn't sit right with him.
According to his memories—the reward for the Continental Soul Master Tournament should only have been three soul bones. Among them was the Mind Condensing Wisdom Skull, which had eventually fallen into his hands.
Then where did the other four come from?
Flender on the other hand started explaining the different soul bones abilities that were kept as prizes.
As Tang San was deep in thought, a hoarse, low voice suddenly sounded behind him, carrying a weight of distant memories.
"Back then… Grandfather Tang Chen taught me the Clear Sky Absolutes."
Tang San's body stiffened. He slowly turned around. Leaning against the doorframe stood Tang Hao.
His face was pale, his breath uneven. His body was visibly thinner than before, and his hand tightly gripped the wooden frame for support. It was clear that the poison had not fully dissipated—he was standing there purely through sheer willpower.
Tang Hao's eyes were deep, as if gazing at the past.
"He fully intended to select me as the next clan leader," Tang Hao continued slowly. "However… the elders opposed it."
A faint, self-mocking smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"To prove myself, I left the Clear Sky Clan with your Uncle Tang Xian. Together, we traveled across the continent, tempering ourselves in blood and battle."
Tang Hao's voice grew steadier, pride unconsciously seeping into it.
"Before leaving, I left behind four inherited soul bones of the Clear Sky Clan. I planned to reclaim them only after my name resounded across the Soul Master world."
His gaze softened.
"During those travels… I met your mother."
Tang San's heart tightened.
"Our journey made the name of the Clear Sky Hammer echo throughout the continent," Tang Hao said quietly. "And in time, I won your mother's heart. Not long after… you were born."
Silence filled the room.
Tang San took a step forward, panic flashing across his face.
"Father!" he exclaimed. "You shouldn't be out of bed! The poison hasn't been completely removed yet!"
Tang Hao waved his hand slightly, but his trembling fingers betrayed him.
Tang San clenched his fists.
He had already exhausted every antidote he knew—drawing upon both Tang Sect poison theory and his understanding of this world's medicinal herbs. Yet Dugu Bo's poison was fundamentally different. It was not a single toxin, but a terrifying fusion of multiple poisonous attributes reinforced by soul power.
Each time Tang San neutralized one poisonous strain, the remaining poison would feed on his father's soul power, mutating and giving birth to a new variant.
It was as if the poison itself were alive.
Tang San lowered his head, his nails digging into his palms.
Flender straightened his robes and immediately stepped forward. Without the slightest hesitation, he bent deeply at the waist.
"Your Excellency, Clear Sky," he said solemnly.
The atmosphere in the room changed at once.
After Tang San had already revealed the man's identity when he brought him back, the others had long since guessed the truth. Still, hearing Flender personally address him in such a manner caused everyone to subconsciously stand straighter.
The man before them was not merely Tang San's father. He was Clear Sky Douluo—the infamous figure whose name alone had once shaken the entire Soul Master world.
Tang Hao's gaze settled on Tang San.
"I know," he said slowly, his voice hoarse yet resolute, "the poison in my body has not been completely removed. But such a thing… cannot stop me."
"I am Clear Sky Douluo."
Tang Hao's expression suddenly darkened.
"Those soul bones being used as prizes," he said, his voice cold, "they are the ancestral soul bones of the Clear Sky Clan."
For a brief moment, the air itself seemed to freeze.
"Those bastards!!!"
Tang Hao took a step forward, fury surging through him like a raging storm. However, that very agitation caused the poison lurking within his body to violently react.
His vision darkened. Before anyone could react, his body swayed—and collapsed.
"Father!!"
Tang San rushed forward, catching Tang Hao before he could hit the ground. His hands trembled as he supported his father's weight, feeling the chaotic surge of poisoned soul power within Tang Hao's meridians.
With his mastery in toxicology Tang San was able to bring the poison under control and save Tang Hao's life.