Chapter 216: It's So Good to Have You
Nightfall settled over the royal hunting grounds. After his victory over Tang San, Dai Yao was in an exceptionally good mood. His teammates couldn't quite understand his elation—was beating Tang San really worth this much excitement?
While the atmosphere in the Auckland Academy camp was filled with joy, the mood in the Shrek Academy tent was somber, shrouded in a figurative cloud.
Inside the Shrek tent, Yu Xiaogang sat by Tang San's bed with a worried expression. "Tang San, maybe you should go back to the academy. The finals are still a few days away, and it would be better for you to recuperate somewhere comfortable. This hunting ground isn't suited for a full recovery."
Tang San forced his eyes open and spoke weakly. "No, teacher. Ning Fengzhi's treatment healed most of my arm injuries. I only need to rest for a month now. I can watch the matches from the sidelines without fighting. That won't hinder my recovery."
Yu Xiaogang sighed, knowing Tang San's unbreakable stubbornness. Reluctantly, he released Tang San's hand. "Alright, Tang San, just focus on recovering."
Dai Mubai, noticing Tang San's concerned expression, clenched his fists with resolve. "Don't worry, Tang San. Leave the rest of the competition to us."
"That's right, Third Brother. We're the Shrek Seven Devils. Even if you're injured, we'll keep Shrek Academy's name strong," Fatty declared, pounding his fist into his palm.
"If only I wasn't a support spirit master, I could help too," Oscar said with regret.
Hearing everyone's words, Tang San's heart warmed. The Seven Devils truly were united as one.
The group left the tent, but they all noticed that Xiao Wu lingered behind. Sharing knowing glances, they smiled with a hint of teasing in their eyes.
Blushing, Xiao Wu looked away from their gazes. "You all go on ahead. I'll stay and take care of Tang San."
As the tent flap fell back down, silence and darkness filled the tent, with only the soft sounds of Xiao Wu gently wiping Tang San's body breaking the quiet. Moonlight trickled through the tent's seams, casting a faint glow on Xiao Wu's pink silhouette.
In this serene atmosphere, Tang San's heart raced as he looked at Xiao Wu. He felt his pulse quicken, an overwhelming warmth filling him. "Xiao Wu, thank you. It's so good to have you here."
Xiao Wu's face flushed pink, and with a shy glance at Tang San, she murmured, "You're my brother. I'll always be here for you."
Although Dai Yao's schemes had sown doubt in Xiao Wu's heart, seeing Tang San gravely injured dispelled all lingering suspicion, leaving only concern and loyalty.
"Only my brother?" Tang San thought, feeling a hint of disappointment.
In the original story, a kiss from Huo Wu had stirred Xiao Wu's jealousy, leading her to kiss Tang San herself, taking their relationship beyond that of mere siblings. Tang San wasn't the most intuitive when it came to love—most of the time, it was the girls who approached him first. Having devoted his previous life to mastering hidden weapons, he'd had no experience with romance.
But here in Douluo Continent, Xiao Wu's appearance had brightened his life, bringing color and joy to his world. Although they called each other siblings, he had always felt a deeper longing, an unspoken desire that defied their titles.
Looking into her eyes, Tang San let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Xiao Wu. I couldn't defeat Dai Yao and avenge you."
The memory of his promise under the moonlight to always protect her, to confront anyone who dared harm her, weighed heavily on his mind, filling him with regret. His forehead throbbed with guilt.
Seeing Tang San's self-blame, Xiao Wu's heart twisted with emotion. "How could I have ever doubted him?" she thought. Dai Yao's scheme had asked her to steal Tang San's most treasured hidden weapon designs—a line she could never cross.
"No matter the cost, I'd never betray my brother's trust," she vowed internally, feeling even more guilt.
"Brother, all that matters is that you're safe. I would regret it forever if you got hurt for my sake." She dabbed at Tang San's injured arms with a cloth, her heart aching as his arms lay limp and useless. She grew to hate Dai Yao even more deeply.
"Don't worry, Xiao Wu. Uncle Ning's treatment helped me a lot. All I need now is rest," Tang San said, though his eyes dimmed slightly. But as he recalled Dai Yao's taunting figure, his heart burned with unresolved anger.
"Xiao Wu, Dai Yao isn't just your enemy; he's mine too," Tang San said firmly. "During the preliminary matches, he tried to poison me. If I hadn't been able to neutralize his toxin, I would have died. In today's fight, he increased his strength at the last moment. Without Uncle Ning's intervention, my injuries would have been much worse."
"This grudge between us will never end until one of us is dead."
Xiao Wu stared at Tang San, her mind whirling. "Dai Yao's toxin…was from the Man-faced Demon Spider spirit bone?" Suddenly, she recalled the state Tang San had been in back in Star Dou Forest, and her heart dropped.
"Could Dai Yao have stolen Third Brother's spirit bone back then?"
Yes, it must be that! Tang San's back had been covered in wounds after absorbing his spirit ring, which must have been when Dai Yao stole his spirit bone. As for the details of how it happened, she didn't want to question it further.
Her hatred for Dai Yao deepened, yet she dared not reveal her own secrets. After all, Dai Yao knew the truth about her—she was a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast.
Tang San, noticing Xiao Wu's hesitation, asked, "What's wrong, Xiao Wu?"
After a pause, she asked, "Third Brother, since Dai Yao is our enemy, is there any way we could kill him? Facing him head-on, we're no match for him."
Tang San nodded thoughtfully. "Not yet. But if I could craft even a single top-ranking hidden weapon, I'd have a way to take him down!"
"What kind of weapon would do that?" she asked, feeling a spark of hope.
After thinking for a moment, Tang San replied, "Some are too difficult to create here, like Buddha Fury Tang Lotus or Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle. But even something like the Yama's Invitation would be enough to kill him."
"What materials would you need for that? I could help you find them," Xiao Wu offered earnestly. With the resources of Star Dou Forest behind her, she could easily procure rare herbs and materials.
Tang San sighed. "Yama's Invitation requires forty-nine rare medicinal herbs to make its poison incurable. It would take something like one of the Three Great Treasure Grounds to find them all."
"The Three Great Treasure Grounds? Brother, didn't Poison Douluo mention having a medicinal garden called the Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well? Isn't that one of the treasure grounds?" Xiao Wu asked, her eyes brightening.
Tang San's face darkened. "Yes, Elder Dugu Bo's Ice-Fire Yin Yang Well could produce those herbs, but it belongs to Dai Yao now. Only recently did I learn from Elder Dugu that Dai Yao took control of it after exchanging poison techniques with me."
"I imagine Dai Yao has gained significant benefits from that place."
Xiao Wu gently touched the Acacia Heartbroken Red at her chest, understanding dawning on her. "Brother, that garden originally belonged to Elder Dugu Bo. You two are close; perhaps he'd allow you to visit the garden. With his support, Dai Yao wouldn't dare stop you from collecting what you need."
Tang San's eyes lit up as realization struck him. "You're right!"
Looking at Xiao Wu, his heart filled with warmth, and he said softly, "Xiao Wu, you're so clever. It's so good to have you by my side."
The tournament continued in full force. The final match was Auckland Academy against Divine Wind Academy, with neither team having lost a match yet. Everyone anticipated a fierce battle, but the outcome of this match was far more shocking than anyone expected—a moment engraved in everyone's memory.
Bolts of lightning, like countless silver serpents, descended from the sky, splitting heaven and earth, filling the air with an unrelenting roar. The spectators pressed their hands to their ears, staring, wide-eyed, at the figure on the battlefield who seemed like a thunder god.
A ten-thousand-year spirit ring! A fourth spirit ring, and it was ten thousand years—something unseen throughout history.
As the blinding light of that spirit ring flared, the competitors from every kingdom and duchy gaped in disbelief. "Could a mere Soul Elder unleash such a spirit skill?"
Within just a few breaths, Divine Wind Academy had lost six members in a row. Their strongest fighter, Feng Xiaotian, knelt on the ground, unable to continue.
The arena was deathly silent, everyone recalling the power that had just been unleashed. Dai Yao's first move was to use his fourth spirit skill. The first student from Divine Wind barely withstood three bolts before retreating. Even those who had reached the level of Soul Elders could only handle ten bolts at most. Feng Xiaotian, the strongest, managed thirty.
Yet in the sky, there were still countless bolts of lightning ready to strike.
Dai Yao stood tall, his arm extended, hand open, gazing impassively at Feng Xiaotian. "You lost, Feng Xiaotian."
Feng Xiaotian struggled to rise, staring in despair at Dai Yao, who loomed over him like a king of thunder. His once-proud wings now hung tattered and charred. He had entered the match ready to test his Wind Demon Wolf's Thirty-Six Consecutive Strikes, but Dai Yao's spirit skill had shattered his focus before he could even start.
As he lowered his head, a trace of unwillingness flickered in his eyes. He struck the ground fiercely. "I lost."
Dai Yao nodded slightly, withdrawing his overwhelming spirit power. The thunder faded, and with it, the sound of applause rose for Auckland Academy, marking fourteen wins in fourteen matches.
Auckland had beaten teams like Blazing Academy, Tianshui Academy, Shrek Academy, Botany Academy, and now Divine Wind Academy—all in crushing defeats. They had firmly established themselves as the number one academy in the Heaven Dou Empire.
"Auckland Academy wins!" the referee's announcement rang out. The crowd celebrated Auckland's victory and the conclusion of the tournament, their spirits like a flood released from a dam.
Watching the excitement, Dai Yao felt a wave of nostalgia. He realized that these might be his last days in the Heaven Dou Empire. He had spent nine years in the Star Luo Empire and six years here, years that had shaped him and marked important milestones in his life.
In these six years, he had grown through hard work, forged close relationships, and met elders he respected, uniquely talented women, and loyal comrades. He had begun to intersect with characters from the original storyline, altering their paths like the flutter of a butterfly's wings.
"Congratulations on securing first place," a voice broke Dai Yao's reverie. He turned to see Feng Xiaotian.
"Thank you. You're strong as well," Dai Yao replied politely.
Feng Xiaotian gave a rueful smile. "We're nowhere near as strong as you. You took us down single-handedly. It seems like the Spirit Hall Academy may finally have met its match."
Despite his confidence, Dai Yao felt a faint pressure at the mention of Spirit Hall. Just as in the original story, the mere mention of Spirit Hall inspired a sense of awe, even fear, among the other teams.
Spirit Hall Academy boasted three Soul Kings and four peak Soul Elders. Each of these Soul Elders would be the core member of any other team, yet in Spirit Hall, they served only as a backdrop to the Soul Kings.
Auckland Academy, meanwhile, now had six Soul Elders, with Luo Ling, their support member, still a Soul Master. In terms of pure strength, Spirit Hall Academy should have no problem prevailing. In the original story, Tang San relied heavily on his hidden weapons to overcome Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, especially his Eight Spider Lances and poisons.
While Dai Yao lacked Tang San's hidden weapon skills, he was not without his own advantages. His Yin-Yang Hands were designed to counter Hu Liena and Xie Yue's fusion ability, Charm. Tang San had managed to fend off Charm in the original story, but not without significant risk. Dai Yao had prepared for this, aiming to counter not only Spirit Hall's Golden Generation but also Yan, the Soul King, with his teammates Feng Wutong and Zhu Zhuqing.
"If any team has a chance against Spirit Hall, it's Auckland Academy," Feng Xiaotian added.
As they spoke, Shui Bing'er of Tianshui Academy joined them. Hearing their conversation, more teams chimed in, sharing stories of Spirit Hall's power as if they were recounting tales of a dark, looming shadow.
Soon, the crowd turned their attention to Auckland Academy, voices rising in unison, each person placing their hope in them. Dai Yao felt the collective weight of their expectations pressing down on him.
It reminded him of the final scene in Ultraman Tiga, where the people, desperate and hopeless, transformed their belief into light, empowering Tiga to overcome a seemingly invincible enemy. If only they knew…
He thought with a wry smile, I'm actually one of Spirit Hall's own.
After the tournament, Emperor Xue Ye delivered an inspiring speech, assigning Prince Xue Qinghe as the imperial envoy to lead the sixteen teams from the Heaven Dou Empire to Spirit Hall for the grand finals, set to begin in three days.
Returning to Auckland Academy, Dai Yao decided to spend the time before departure relaxing rather than training. He strolled around the academy with Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong, stopping occasionally to advise younger spirit masters.
Their wanderings led them to a newly erected statue depicting the nine members of Auckland's team. Dai Yao's statue was already partially sculpted. While it captured his features, it felt more serene and scholarly than his actual fierce persona.
As he gently touched the statue, Dai Yao's gaze grew distant. "When I return, I wonder how much will have changed," he murmured softly.
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