Chapter 175: The Promotion Tournament Nears Its End
With preparations involving Xue Beng complete, the promotion tournament entered its final two rounds.
Shrek Academy was set to face Blazing Academy.
Throughout the past days, Shrek's fighting style had grown increasingly vicious.
Ever since Luo Ling had humiliated them, Tang San had changed completely. He no longer showed mercy to any opponent—each strike was intended to cripple.
His Blue Silver Grass, now tainted with an evil attribute, was several times more deadly than before.
His brutality sickened the spectators, who openly voiced their disgust, but Tang San didn't care.
All he wanted was to qualify for the finals—then reclaim his pride.
The first match paired him against Huo Wushuang.
Huo Wushuang's Fire Dragon spirit was powerful, and fire naturally countered Tang San's Blue Silver Grass.
At least, it should have—under normal circumstances.
But Tang San's spirit was no longer normal.
The battle began in an instant.
Huo Wushuang fought cautiously, fully aware of Tang San's newfound savagery.
At first, the two were evenly matched.
But soon, Huo Wushuang was overwhelmed.
Tang San's Ghost Shadow Perplexing Steps were strange and unpredictable, and when combined with his concealed weapons—the Batwing Reincarnation technique and his fourth skill, Blue Silver Blade—the result was devastating.
One slash later, Huo Wushuang fell, his body pierced by several poisoned blades.
In the stands, Huo Wu clenched her fists in fury, her eyes blazing.
As she stepped onto the field next, her expression was grim, while Tang San took a deep breath to steady himself.
Defeating Huo Wushuang had consumed nearly forty percent of his spirit power. The remaining sixty would have to be enough to beat Huo Wu.
If he defeated her, Shrek would effectively secure a place in the finals. The last match against Godwind Academy was uncertain, so he couldn't afford to lose this one.
In his analysis, Huo Wu was Blazing Academy's strongest. Her fusion ability and her signature Blazing Sun Dance made her a danger to anyone.
Even so, part of Tang San's drive came from pride—knowing Luo Ling had defeated all of Shrek single‑handedly still gnawed at him.
As the match started, flames flickered around Huo Wu, and behind her appeared a hazy, orange‑red silhouette mirroring her movements—a fiery afterimage glowing faintly through the heat.
Her toned legs moved like whips as she sprinted forward.
Though she wasn't an agility‑type spirit master, reaching level forty had elevated her body far beyond that of normal humans.
The distance between them closed in seconds.
Tang San's expression hardened as tendrils of Blue Silver Grass lashed out while he threw several spinning blades that traced a deadly curve through the air.
But instead of dodging, Huo Wu accelerated. The thirty‑meter gap shrank to just ten in the blink of an eye.
Her eyes flared with orange‑red light as her third spirit ring glowed brightly, radiating power.
The third skill—Repelling Fire Ring.
A dazzling orange ring burst outward, shattering the incoming Blue Silver Grass and scattering Tang San's blades aside.
The signature Tang Sect technique, his Batwing Reincarnation, had been nullified instantly.
Tang San froze for a moment. He hadn't expected her Repelling Fire Ring to dispel his Blue Silver Blades.
He had known the skill could push people away—but that it could repel his flying weapons as well? That was new.
As he hesitated, the shockwave reached him too.
Its thirty‑meter radius covered most of the stage. Since the arena itself was only fifty meters wide, being forced back another ten meters would put him out of bounds and result in automatic defeat.
Reacting in time, Tang San summoned his Eight Spider Spears, driving them deep into the ground to halt his momentum.
Cracks spread where the sharp limbs punctured the floor.
Seeing the bone‑white spears unfold from his back, Huo Wu's face darkened. She had seen them before in other matches; their presence alone carried suffocating menace.
As Tang San stabilized himself, his movements suddenly quickened. He dashed straight toward her.
He had to end this quickly—if she managed to trigger Blazing Sun Dance, his chances would plummet.
Meanwhile, flames gathered around Huo Wu as she channeled the energy for her finishing move, her four spirit rings merging in rapid succession.
But just as the orange glow around her reached its brightest, a gleaming blade shot toward her from an unexpected angle. The trajectory was nearly impossible to predict.
Huo Wu sensed it too late. The poisoned Blue Silver Blade buried itself in her shoulder. Pain flashed across her face as her body stiffened.
Ignoring the agony, she yanked the blade free—but before she could retreat, Tang San was already upon her.
The Eight Spider Spears glistened coldly as they thrust forward.
At the last second, Huo Wu rolled to the ground, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike—the spears only slashed her back, leaving deep bloody cuts.
Her complexion went pale. The toxin from the Blue Silver Grass had already spread, and the Eight Spider Spears carried an even stronger venom.
In the Godwind Academy viewing area, Feng Xiaotian's eyes flared like torches.
At Blazing Academy's seats, panic erupted. Their teacher immediately shouted to concede.
The referee halted the match at once.
Tang San exhaled heavily as the outcome was declared.
Two level‑forty Soul Masters defeated in a row—it wasn't comparable to Luo Ling's feats, but still impressive.
Yet the audience remained silent.
No cheers, only boos and curses echoed through the stands.
Tang San left the stage expressionless, though the trembling of his clenched fists betrayed his turmoil.
The remaining fights were handled by Yu Tianheng, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu, who together eliminated the rest of Blazing Academy's team, securing Shrek's victory.
Only one round of the promotion tournament remained.
The next day came quickly—Shrek versus Godwind Academy.
As Tang San stepped onto the stage, Feng Xiaotian's eyes were cold and sharp.
"This time," he said, voice like ice, "you'll pay for what you did to Huo Wu."
The fury behind his words was palpable; he could never forgive anyone who hurt her.
Tang San said nothing. He no longer cared.
Shrek's record already guaranteed them a place in the finals. This match didn't matter—what mattered was buying time.
Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and the others were already carrying out their jailbreak plan. The chaos would soon erupt across the city, and Tang San's job was to hold everyone's attention here.
Seeing Tang San's indifferent silence only enraged Feng Xiaotian further.
He clenched his fists.
He'd make sure Tang San left the arena crippled.
(END CHAPTER)
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