"Well, would you look who it is? The disgrace returns at last. Tell me, did you finally come to terms with your pathetic fate?"
Dai Weisi sneered, trying to get into Dai Mubai's head — though deep down, his words were laced with the same old insecurity he'd always carried.
After all, Dai Mubai had awakened with level 9 innate soul power, a prodigious genius from the very beginning, while Dai Weisi had only reached seven and a half. That disparity in their talent still haunted him at night.
Dai Mubai, meanwhile, was painting his nails with zero interest in the Taunt. He looked up, unimpressed, then went back to polishing them cherry red.
Tang Yin laughed like a maniac inwardly but maintained a calm, neutral expression on the surface. Let's watch the fun unfold, he mused.
Dai Mubai spoke in a high-pitched voice, every word dripping with sass. "Hmph~ I'm not who I was before, Weisi-ge~ I've become betterrr~"
Dai Weisi's spine shivered. He opened his mouth, then closed it again like a goldfish. He coughed awkwardly and shifted topics.
"So this is Lanba? Hah. Didn't know they let cowards in. Guess it's true what they say—losers attract other losers."
Tang Yin instantly stepped forward, eyes cold.
"That's a bold statement. We'll see after the match, won't we? After I kick your smelly mouth in, you'll know exactly who the loser is."
Dai Weisi's temper was about to flare when his gaze briefly wandered to the Lanba girls — a second too long — before Zhu Zhuyun gave him a glare sharp enough to shave him clean. He fumbled, then straightened up with forced righteousness as his gaze hardened.
"Dai Mubai!" DAI Weisi roared loud and clear.
"You're a disgrace to our bloodline! Xing Luo Empire has no need for cowards! I will end this — like I should've years ago!"
Whereas, Dai Mubai exhaled softly on his freshly painted nails to dry them, then flicked his golden hair dramatically.
"Oh my god, you're so loud," he began whining
"My ears are hurting~ Can you like, shut up~?"
Zhuqing frowned. Something was off about that incompetent tiger—today, he was acting more and more like a flamboyant eunuch.
Well, who cares, she scoffed inwardly, shifting her focus back to Zhu Zhuyun. As long as he pulls his weight.
Zhu Zhuyun glanced sideways at Dai Weisi, confusion flashing across her eyes as she hesitated. Should she focus on Dai Mubai—the unpredictable, flamboyant wild card—Or was her real fight still with her sister, Zhuqing?
In the stands, Yue Guan sparkled with delight.
"Ara~! What a lovely face… Such elegance! Gui Mei, wouldn't he make the most perfect disciple for me?"
Gui Mei nodded slowly but visibly shuddered. One Yue Guan was enough. Two? The Spirit Hall might become even more chaotic.
(Fun fact: In the original story, Yue Guan actually wanted Dai Mubai as his disciple due to the Chrysanthemum immortal herb's compatibility. Fate really is unpredictable.)
Back on the field, Dai Weisi was visibly repulsed, his face twitching uncontrollably.
The audience sat in stunned silence, watching the heir of the Xing Luo Empire swing around like… a fruity eunuch with way too much zest in his veins.
Bibi Dong, however, didn't bat an eye. She had seen Yue Guan vogue mid-slaughter. This was child's play in comparison.
"You—!! Mubai, are you trying to anger me?! I swear, I'll kill you even if it means breaking the rules of this damned tournament!" Dai Weisi finally snapped.
But Dai Mubai flicked his hair like a true drama queen, radiating bold, chaotic feminine energy.
"Hmph! We'll see about that… won't we, Ge~?"
The host, unsure if he was watching a Trash Talk or a family drama unfolding, panicked.
"R-READY—!!" he shouted before he could catch a stray of sass.
Both teams simultaneously released their martial souls and soul rings, causing the arena to tremble with Soul power. But when Dugu Yan unleashed her martial soul, the crowd fell into stunned silence—she was already a Spirit King.
"What?" The other teams stared in disbelief.
"A Spirit King?! Lanba Team actually has a Spirit King hidden up their sleeve!"
Her black soul ring radiated a huge oppressive pressure that weighed down on the viewers.
"Start!" The host's voice cut sharply through the stunned silence as he flew away in a hurry.
Dai Weisi and Dai Mubai both activated White Tiger Body Enhancement, muscles bulging, claws extending, colorful soul rings flashing. Dai Mubai knew he had no chance to defeat Dai Weisi head-on—but he had a trump card ready.
Zhu Zhuyun and Zhu Zhuqing activated Hell Civet martial souls. The sisters disappeared into flickering shadows lunging at eachother. Zhuqing speed was considerably superior in comparison to her sister as she disappeared like a ghost in-between strikes.
"Third Soul Skill—Soul Devouring Cage"
Tang Yin's third soul ring shimmered, instantly trapping Tang Hongning—an agility-type soul master—and the troublesome Li Yang, whose Reflecting Mirror martial soul could teleport allies between mirrors.
They struggled against the bloody cage, but the more they resisted, the more their soul power was drained away—devoured bit by bit—as the cage grew even more tougher.
Dugu Yan joined the fight, facing off against Ying Wei, who unleashed a swelling Buffalo martial soul. With jade-white light shimmering from her hands, Dugu Yan struck relentlessly, sending Frey's defenses crumbling as bruises blossomed across his body.
Ye Lingling and Ning Rongrong joined forces to face the Benevolent Water Duo—Dong Hui and Yang Mingxin, both of whom wielded auxiliary-type martial souls. But without strong offensive abilities, the duo couldn't hold their ground against the overwhelming support synergy of Rongrong and Lingling.
As they fought, Rongrong expertly maintained the boosts, enhancing her teammates' speed and strength without missing a beat.
"First Soul Skill—Strength Boost!" Rongrong's voice rang out, her soul power surged rapidly. "Second Soul Skill—Speed Boost!"
The Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda glowed brightly, casting a radiant light that enveloped the team in a cascade of blessings. Zhuqing received a timely boost, gaining the edge to overpower Zhu Zhuyun.
"First Soul Skill—Earth Dragon Lance!"
Meng Yiran's first spirit ring brightened as she launched an attack on Dai Weisi, supporting Dai Mubai, who was struggling to hold his own against his brother. Both had been locked in a hand-to-hand combat for some time when suddenly—
"Second Soul Skill—White Tiger Light Wave!"
Dai Weisi's second ring flared as he unleashed a concentrated beam of light straight at Mubai.
"First Soul Skill—White Tiger Shield!"
Dai Mubai's first ring glowed, enveloping him in a layer of white light that blocked the attack. But Dai Weisi quickly followed up with a variant—a horizontal wave slicing through the air.
With Meng Yiran's timely support, Dai Mubai narrowly dodged, but deep down, he knew he couldn't hold on much longer. Steeling himself, he prepared for an Ultimate Attack.
Meanwhile, overwhelmed by Dugu Yan's Spirit King power, Ying Wei faltered under the fierce onslaught. The battle swiftly turned one-sided, and before long, Dugu Yan claimed a decisive victory.
Tang Yin's opponents' soul power drained completely as they ceased struggling. With a swift motion, he threw them out of bounds, disqualifying both of them.
"Second Soul Skill—Hell Hundred Claw!"
With a swift and powerful move, Zhuqing unleashed her second soul skill, delivering a decisive strike that sent her sister flying out of bounds—disqualifying her from the match.
Zhu Zhuyun slowly stood, meeting Zhuqing's cold gaze, a storm of mixed emotions began flickering across her face.
"I finally defeated you, Zhu Zhuyun! You're no longer a threat to me. Don't let me see you again," Zhuqing said sharply, her gaze locked firmly on Zhu Zhuyun.
Zhuqing turned away, years of burden finally lifted. She returned to Tang Yin's side with a rare, quiet lovely smile.
As the words sank in, Tang Yin watched quietly from the sidelines, his thoughts circling the twisted bond between the two sisters. Let me check what's going on.
He activated his telepathy, brushing against Zhu Zhuyun's surface thoughts—and what he found stunned him.
When did that level 20 little girl become a Soul Ancestor in just two years? Zhu Zhuyun asked herself, her eyes narrowing as they settled on Tang Yin. 'Was it… him who helped her?'
"I'll tell Zhuqing about my suspicion later," Tang yin muttered inwardly, eyes narrowing slightly as they locked onto Zhu Zhuyun.
Back to the match,
Rongrong and Lingling finished off their own opponents with ease. Without hesitation, they turned their focus to Dai Mubai, Directing their buffs toward him as he struggled to withstand Dai Weisi's crushing might.
Dai Mubai was on his last legs. With his spirit power nearly drained, he steeled himself—he had just enough left to unleash his ultimate—
"Fourth Soul Skill—Tiger's Passionate Rawr!"
A fierce growl escaped Dai Mubai as his fourth spirit ring gleamed. Pink light glowed in his eyes, and a feminine aura radiated from him, repulsive to most but strangely alluring to Dai Weisi, who shared the tiger martial soul.
The air around Dai Mubai shimmered with an intoxicating heat—subtle yet overwhelming. Waves of aphrodisiac energy pulsed outward, targeting only those bound to the male tiger spirit.
Dai Weisi instantly lost control, his gaze filled with uncontrollable desire for his own brother. But it wasn't just Dai Weisi—Dai Mubai himself also felt the overwhelming side effects, his own desires stoked to a fever pitch.
They lunged at each other—hungry, greedy, desperate, completely overtaken. In full view of the crowd, their clothes tore to shreds as they tangled together, displaying what could only be described as raw, taboo desire.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Cries of horror erupted from the stands as the two tiger brothers appeared locked in an embrace that defied all sense—engulfed in a taboo affection that left onlookers stunned and repulsed.
Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun stood frozen in disbelief as the two brothers shamelessly went at it before the entire crowd. Disgust twisted in their guts, both feeling their stomachs churn.
Ning Fengzhi froze in disbelief. Even Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, turned her face away in disgust, eyes shut tight.Sword Douluo's expression twisted, his expression contorting with visible revulsion as a sharp murderous aura burst from his body.
On the viewing platform, Bibi Dong's face was stone-cold. Fury simmered beneath her calm exterior—this shameful display had happened on their sacred tournament ground. Her pale fingers twitched, ready to intervene.
But before she could act, a sharp voice sliced through the chaos like a blade.
"Fourth Soul Skill—Black Serpent's Thorn!"
Tang Yin stepped forward, face cold as ice. A long, black vine—serpent-like and barbed—burst from the ground, impaled both Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi and hurling them apart.
Acting mode online—
"Dai Mubai!" Tang Yin shouted, voice laced with fury. "Are you trying to make our Lanba Academy a laughingstock? Are you oh-so-desperate to show your... love for your brother in front of the entire continent?"
The crowd went dead silent.
Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi finally snapped out of their trance, pulling away from each other, flushed and shaken, shame settling over them like a heavy cloak..
Dai Mubai spoke up as he hastily explained—It's due to my fourth Soul skill it has enigmatic aphrodisiac like effect on tiger spirit but I didn't know their were side-effect as well. It's not my fault… I didn't do it with full awareness.
Flender's face turned pale with shame as he stepped forward from the crowd, shoulders heavy. He knew full well he had helped Dai Mubai hunt down that particular soul beast—but it had been at Dai Mubai's insistence.
The onlookers murmured pointing fingers,
"Why would you choose such a bizarre soul beast—one that grants such a vulgar soul skill? It must be intentional"
From the sidelines, Tang Yin folded his arms—
You're done for, Mubai. Hehe..
Panicking and shifting blame, Dai Mubai cried.
"It—it wasn't me! I didn't pick the soul beast! It was Dean Flender! He thought it'd be a good idea to give me a soul skill that, uh… stimulate male tigers. I had no idea it would backfire like this! Wu...." He cried pathetically.
Flender was stunned, then enraged. He had protected Mubai under his wing for over four years, and now Mubai was throwing him under the bus without a second thought.
Zhao Wuji, already aware that Mubai had been the one who chose the soul ring himself, was even more disgusted. He stepped forward and punched mubai in the gut, sharply Rebuking.
"Mubai, I know it was on your own insistence. Flender already told me everything. Don't shift blame—take responsibility."
Liu Erlong's voice rang out, firm & unwavering, as she locked eyes on Dai Mubai. Without a shred of hesitation, she delivered judgment.
"Dai Mubai because you refused to take responsibility for your actions, you also stained the reputation of our Lanba Academy, you are hereby expelled from Lanba Academy. I ask for everyone's apology."
Bibi Dong said nothing, but the crowd had already come to their own conclusions. The incident had been handled with swift, decisive action by Lanba Academy, leaving no room for controversy.
Despite expelling a potential heir, Lanba's impartial judgment won the admiration of many—especially among the commoner spectators. They hadn't shifted blame or hesitated; they acted with clarity, fairness, and conviction.
In that moment, everyone saw Lanba Academy for what it truly was: firm, principled, and unafraid to do what was right.
The final victory belonged to Lanba Team.
Applause echoed throughout the arena as onlookers clapped, not just for their strength, but for their fairness and righteousness—qualities that had earned them admiration.
Meanwhile, Tang Yin had already caused more than a few ripples during the tournament. One of his more questionable accomplishments?
Unintentionally altering Dai Weisi's outlook on life—after that... bizarre and chaotic soul skill incident involving Dai Mubai. His preferences, once firmly grounded, now fixated on one very specific person— Who else but Dai Mubai.
After this, most chalked it up to psychological trauma, and thankfully, no one looked too deeply into it.
..........
What had Tang Yin discovered during his brief telepathic venture into Zhu Zhuyun's mind, you ask?
Not just confusion. Not just bitterness.
But guilt. Regret. And something else—a quiet, aching longing.
Beneath the chaos of her rivalry with Zhu Zhuqing was a flicker of hesitation. She hadn't truly wanted her sister dead. Every so-called assassination attempt had been laced with deliberate flaws—just enough room for Zhu Zhuqing to escape.
Zhu Zhuyun wasn't free. She was bound to Dai Weisi, tied into the deadly system of Xing Luo's royal selection. She couldn't openly protect Zhu Zhuqing without risking her own life… and her position. Letting her "flee and vanish" had been the only mercy she could afford.
The assassins she sent? Always just Soul Elders—never agile types, never elite enough to actually catch Zhu Zhuqing.
A true threat would've mobilized high-level Soul Masters or trackers. But she never did.
She herself was at a soul ancestor level when she ambushed zhuqing but how could a level 20 escape from level 40?
A Soul Grandmaster like Zhuqing escaping the imperial city? Impossible—unless someone had deliberately let her go.
Even now, in the tournament, Zhu Zhuyun had been aggressive, yes. But not bloodthirsty.
She never aimed to kill. She never unleashed her strongest techniques.
And when Zhu Zhuqing finally defeated her—she didn't rage or cry. She just stood there… quiet. Almost relieved.
Tang Yin's eyes narrowed.
"So that's how it is..."
The truth was never black and white.
It was gray. Complicated. Tragic.