Chapter 171: Tang San Explodes with Rage
Hearing Luo Ling's words, Xiao Wu's heart pounded wildly between confusion and warmth.
Was that… a confession? Her limited understanding of the human world left her utterly flustered.
He said she would one day resent him—why would he say that?
Watching her perplexed expression, Luo Ling could tell exactly what she was thinking.
He was the Holy Son of Spirit Hall. Xiao Wu's mother, the Soft-Boned Rabbit King, was very likely killed by Bibi Dong.
He couldn't quite recall every detail—different accounts existed even in the story he remembered—but one thing was obvious: Xiao Wu's mother had become a spirit ring.
Inevitably, one day Xiao Wu would learn the truth about his identity as the Spirit Hall's Holy Son. She would eventually meet Bibi Dong and realize her mother's soul had become that woman's spirit ring.
When the time came, Luo Ling knew without hesitation whom he would choose—his teacher over a deceived rabbit girl.
To him, there was no comparison.
"You can think it over," Luo Ling said softly. "If I'm wrong, just treat me like some narcissistic lunatic talking nonsense."
Xiao Wu's emotions gradually settled. Her face remained faintly flushed, but she gave a small nod, saying nothing more.
Then she turned to the referee, raising a hand. "I concede."
The referee blinked in surprise. He had overheard snippets of their earlier conversation—it sounded a lot like the cryptic, sentimental exchanges of young lovers.
'You stayed because of me?' He sighed internally. Modern youths and their melodramas.
Shaking his head to clear the thought, he raised his voice and declared, "Shrek Academy forfeits the fourth match! Heaven Dou Royal Academy wins!"
The announcement stunned the crowd.
They had been expecting an exciting battle, but the beautiful Xiao Wu hadn't even released her martial spirit before surrendering. It was a disappointment for every watching fan.
In the viewing area, Tang San looked ready to explode.
The moment he saw Luo Ling and Xiao Wu speaking so closely—her cheeks flushed pink—his blood boiled. He wanted to rush down and tear Luo Ling apart on the spot.
Damn Luo Ling! He must have bewitched Xiao Wu. What filthy things did he say to her to make her act that way?
Tang San kept repeating those thoughts to himself, desperately trying to rationalize what he'd witnessed—like a jealous, pathetic fool.
If Luo Ling could have heard his inner monologue, even he would've been stunned. The mighty Tang God King had become the Tang Toad of love.
Still, one thing could be said in his favor—Tang San's affection for Xiao Wu was genuine.
Unfortunately for him, she had already been stolen away.
Back in Shrek's rest area, Yu Xiaogang's tone dripped with anger. "Xiao Wu! Even if you're close to Luo Ling, you shouldn't just surrender like that!"
"Your teleportation and Invincible Golden Body could've exhausted his spirit power!"
"Master, Xiao Wu doesn't have to listen to you!" Ning Rongrong retorted sharply before Xiao Wu could even open her mouth. "None of us agreed with your ridiculous strategy in the first place!"
The daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had no fear of provoking him.
Yu Xiaogang's face alternated between blue and red with fury, but in the end, all he could do was adjust his sleeve stiffly.
Deep down, resentment festered—not only toward Ning Rongrong but also toward the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Just wait... when I become the Pope of the Primordial Church, you'll all pay for every slight you've dealt me!
His mind simmered with hatred as the next match began.
The fifth opponent—Zhu Zhuqing.
"Zhuqing," Yu Xiaogang said quickly, "I know you're on good terms with Luo Ling, but remember—you're still part of Shrek. This is a tournament, show it the respect it deserves!"
Zhu Zhuqing gave him an indifferent glance, then turned toward the stage. "Don't worry. I'll fight him properly—I won't give up."
Without waiting for a reply, she walked onto the field.
Across from her, Luo Ling watched quietly as she stepped onto the arena.
Meeting his gaze, Zhu Zhuqing said firmly, "I'm not like Xiao Wu. I won't surrender."
Luo Ling nodded slightly, making no attempt to dissuade her.
He respected her resolve. To him, Zhu Zhuqing was a warrior—strong, disciplined, determined to change her destiny.
Even after Dai Mubai's death, she hadn't stopped pushing herself. After joining the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she had continued to train with relentless dedication.
Ning Fengzhi himself had expressed admiration for her.
"Master wanted me to exhaust your energy using my speed advantage," Zhu Zhuqing said calmly, pausing before continuing, "But I don't want that. I know my speed can't match yours. You can defeat me easily, but I still want to fight you—to see how much I've grown."
"I hope you'll take this seriously." Her tone grew solemn as she bowed slightly.
Luo Ling blinked, then gave her an approving smile. "As you wish."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded and entered her spirit form.
The Ghost Civet's aura enveloped her as graceful feline ears and a tail appeared, her beauty tinged with a dangerous allure.
Around the arena, the Royal Knights erupted with cheers.
Zhu Zhuqing wasted no time. With a flash of light, she activated her fourth skill—Nether Shadow Clones!
Three identical figures appeared at once.
In the next instant, all three blurred and vanished, only to reappear around Luo Ling simultaneously.
Nether Stab!
Luo Ling blocked effortlessly, his immense spiritual perception reading every movement.
He didn't counter immediately. If Zhu Zhuqing was willing to fight in earnest, the least he could do was gauge how far she'd progressed.
She vanished again, striking from the opposite side.
Her coordination with the clones was near-perfect, her attacks coming from every direction. Controlling shadow doubles like that required extraordinary precision.
Luo Ling, who himself wielded a spirit similar to clones—the Crow Shadow Puppet—understood full well how difficult it was.
And yet, she had mastered it.
Through eyes capable of perceiving soul threads, he noticed how her clones were tethered by pure mental force.
She couldn't actually see those threads—so maintaining physical and spiritual control simultaneously placed tremendous strain on her mind.
Still, she executed each strike flawlessly.
It reminded Luo Ling of the Seven Treasure Sect's split‑focus control technique.
Three clones—three separate points of awareness. She had likely reached the Three‑Point Mind Mastery level already.
As minutes passed, Zhu Zhuqing's relentless assault began to falter. Her movements slowed, her clones stiffening as exhaustion set in.
Her face grew pale, but she refused to yield, biting her lip as she launched another round of attacks.
All three shadow forms unleashed her third skill—Nether Slash!
Three flashes of blade light struck from different angles.
The spectators watched breathlessly, enthralled by Zhu Zhuqing's grace and determination.
Her control over her clones exceeded that of most combatants present, and for a brief moment, every eye was on her.
(END CHAPTER)
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