Chapter 199: 218. The Ming-Wu Duo
Yu Xiaogang was drenched in sweat. Perhaps the memories of that dreadful bathhouse incident were too obscene even for his own mind to bear. It was as if his memory itself had locked them away—buried so deeply that they became little more than a fevered nightmare.
But the sight before him, this living painting of hell, awakened those long-forgotten scenes. Panic clawed at him; he spun to flee—but the iron door clanged shut behind him, the lock snapping into place.
At Shrek Academy.
Ever since Er Ming had joined the school, Tang San felt as though an invisible green hat hovered constantly above his head.
One day, he caught sight of Xiao Wu entering Er Ming's room. Another day, he glimpsed Er Ming walking out of hers.
Each scene drove a spike deeper into his heart.
Finally, unable to bear it, he confronted her.
"Xiao Wu," he said tightly, "don't you think you're spending a little too much time with Er Ming? Others might… get the wrong idea."
Xiao Wu frowned and countered sharply, "Brother San, Er Ming is my little brother—and yours too! How can you even think that way about your own brother?"
"I—I didn't mean it like that. I just—"
"Besides," she interrupted, "Er Ming and I share a martial soul fusion technique. Of course, we need to train together. What's so strange about that?"
Tang San faltered. "…"
"How could you have such impure thoughts about us? You call yourself my brother, yet you think like this?" she added, her tone dripping with moral reproach.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Wu," he said quietly, lowering his head. "Brother shouldn't have doubted you."
"Hmph. Next time, I won't bother talking to you at all." She shot him a contemptuous look, crossed her arms proudly, and walked away.
Tang San stood frozen, his chest tight with unspoken rage. He wanted to yell—but he dared not.
He hated their closeness. Yet in terms of cultivation logic, training through a martial fusion technique required proximity—it was completely reasonable, even encouraged by Shrek's instructors.
And Xiao Wu and Er Ming were, at least publicly, "siblings." What argument could he possibly make?
In his previous life, there had been no talk of such a fusion skill. Of course not—Er Ming had never taken human form; he'd stayed a beast till the end. Naturally, there'd been no "fusion" to speak of.
Damn it, Er Ming. You should have stayed in the forest, waiting for Spirit Hall's hunters. I would have saved you, taken your sacrifice, turned it into power. Without me, you'd have died forever—you'd never have become a divine officer, never strutted before Di Tian and the others. You ungrateful beast. You've chosen the path of death.
With fire gnawing at his chest, Tang San stalked away.
Poor, blind Tang San—he had no idea. By day, Xiao Wu was Er Ming's; by night, she entertained Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar in secret.
Shrek's standard training regimen revolved around the Great Spirit Arena in Soto City, where students competed and gained experience. This life was no different.
Tang San was eager. In his previous life, the arena had been his stage—he and Xiao Wu had formed the "San-Wu Duo," rising to fame across the continent.
This time, he told himself, would be the same. A chance to rekindle intimacy, to draw her closer again.
So he mustered his courage and approached her with a hopeful smile. "Xiao Wu, the tournament's starting soon. Would you team up with me again? I even came up with a name already—since I'm Tang San and you're Xiao Wu, how about we call ourselves the San-Wu Duo?"
But Xiao Wu's face showed hesitation. "I'm sorry, Brother San," she said gently. "I can't agree."
"Wh—why not?" The words tore at his throat.
A massive figure stepped between them. Tang San looked up—and saw Er Ming.
"Brother San," Er Ming said coolly, "Xiao Wu already agreed to team with me. Our team will be called the Ming-Wu Duo. You can sit this one out."
"You—!" Tang San trembled with fury, his hidden sleeve-arrow mechanism already loaded, itching to strike the smug brute down.
But Xiao Wu quickly stepped in. "Brother San, it's not that I don't want to form a team with you. I just promised Er Ming first. And you're his elder brother—shouldn't you yield a little to your younger sibling?"
Tang San: "@#￥%*…"
He wanted to kill Er Ming right then and there. But logic restrained him.
First, Er Ming was Xiao Wu's "brother." If Tang San harmed him, she'd despise him forever, and Tang San couldn't bear to lose her affection.
Second, Er Ming was destined to be his Haotian Hammer's spirit ring. Killing him now would waste a rare, precious opportunity.
Grinding his teeth, Tang San silently vowed: Just wait. When you one day offer yourself to me in sacrifice… we'll see how merciful I feel.
Soto City's Great Spirit Arena.
Tang San sat among the spectators, watching the Ming-Wu Duo dominate the stage. The two fought in perfect rhythm, complementing one another flawlessly. Each victory twisted a knife deeper into his gut.
During one intense match, both were only level 31, facing opponents as high as 38 and 39. It was grueling. Xiao Wu took heavy hits; her teleportation drew enemy focus. At the last moment, Er Ming unleashed his Titan Giant Ape might, overturning the match and crushing their foes.
When it ended, he lifted the wounded Xiao Wu in his arms—a scene straight out of a romantic tale.
Around the arena, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers:
"Ming-Wu Duo! Ming-Wu Duo! Ming-Wu Duo!"
The cries echoed in Tang San's ears like stabs of ice. His vision blurred red as he stared at them—the way she leaned against Er Ming's chest, smiling gratefully.
That was it.
Rage exploded.
"Er Ming, you dare touch my Xiao Wu—you've sealed your fate! I, Tang San, will kill you even if it costs me my life!"
He sprang to his feet, sleeve-arrows cocked for the kill—when the Shrek trio grabbed him from behind, holding him fast before disaster struck.
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/LightKira10