At Blue Tyrant Advanced Spirit Master Academy, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing were chatting on a bench in the plaza when two black shadows suddenly appeared in front of them.
"Miss, please come with us!"
The sudden appearance startled the two girls. Before they could react, the two figures had already grabbed Ning Rongrong by both arms and started dragging her toward the academy gates.
"What are you doing?!"
Ning Rongrong cried out and struggled, managing to shake them off with effort.
Zhu Zhuqing immediately stepped in front of Ning Rongrong protectively, her gaze sharp as she glared at the two men.
"Rongrong, who are they?"
"It's fine. They were sent by my father to protect me," Ning Rongrong said, gesturing for Zhu Zhuqing not to worry. But then, her temper flared. She placed one hand on her hip and pointed at the two men with the other, scolding angrily:
"You two are really bold! Do you believe I won't tell my father about this?!"
"Miss, this was the sect master's personal order. Forgive us."
One of them spoke, then gave a look to the other. The two nodded in unison, grabbed Ning Rongrong again, and forcefully dragged her outside the academy.
"You've got some nerve! Let go! Let go of me—!"
Zhu Zhuqing watched as Ning Rongrong was taken away by force. After a moment's hesitation, she chose not to intervene.
First, this was a personal matter of Ning Rongrong's clan—getting involved might not be wise.
Second, both black-clad men were clearly powerful. To Zhu Zhuqing, their aura was at least on the level of a Soul Sage, like Teacher Flender. With her limited strength, she wouldn't stand a chance.
Meanwhile, inside the academy's main hall, Yu Xiaogang sat upright in the central seat. Liu Erlong and Flender sat to either side. Dai Mubai stood in the middle, pale-faced, recounting what had happened earlier. Ma Hongjun stood beside him, looking sheepish.
"No wonder…"
Yu Xiaogang's fingers gripping the armrest turned white after hearing Dai Mubai's report.
"…Did anyone see you?" Flender asked Ma Hongjun, a look of deep disappointment on his face.
Among all the Shrek students, Flender had a special attachment to Ma Hongjun. Now that trouble had arisen, his first instinct was to think of ways to protect him.
"I'm sorry, Teacher. I acted impulsively…"
Ma Hongjun, with gauze wrapped around his head, admitted fault, then frowned in thought.
"At the time, no one should have seen us. And even if they did, they probably didn't know who we were…"
"Headmaster, Rongrong was just taken away by people from her clan."
Zhu Zhuqing had just arrived and quickly explained what had happened.
"What? Why would they take Rongrong away? Wasn't her father always tacitly approving of her being here?"
"I think we should prepare for the Crown Prince's wrath," Yu Xiaogang interrupted Oscar coldly, his expression grim as he looked around the hall.
"Xiaogang, what should we do now?" Liu Erlong asked, while Flender also turned toward Yu Xiaogang, waiting for a response.
"What to do? I only just realized this morning…"
Yu Xiaogang seemed to be talking to himself.
"The mysterious powerhouse that Zhao Wuji's group encountered while hunting spirit rings… was that same youth who appeared at Heaven Dou Academy the other day!"
"Didn't any of you notice something strange this morning?"
"Something strange?"
Everyone exchanged confused glances, unable to follow what the Grandmaster meant.
"Why would Ning Rongrong be taken away by force? And why did my disciple…"
"Headmaster! Trouble!"
A panicked shout cut off Yu Xiaogang's analysis. A Blue Tyrant student rushed in, his face pale with fear.
"Headmaster! A large group just forced their way into the academy! The guards tried to stop them, but they suddenly collapsed without warning! Now all the students and teachers outside have been subdued by Heaven Dou palace guards! I—I…"
"Heaven Dou guards? Is the Crown Prince leading them?" Liu Erlong asked urgently.
"No. The leader is a young man carrying a girl. The Crown Prince is there… but he's following behind him…"
"Flender… what kind of student have you raised…"
Yu Xiaogang's heart sank completely after hearing the report.
Once again, they had kicked the iron plate—and the same one as before!
That girl wasn't some maid to the Crown Prince as they had assumed, but someone important to that mysterious young man!
No wonder that terrifying aura had appeared this morning—an aura so dreadful that even Yu Xiaogang, a Spirit Master with rank 29 spirit power, could sense the overwhelming danger.
After that aura appeared, Tang Hao had silently arrived and hurriedly taken Tang San and Xiao Wu away.
Had he already foreseen this outcome?
Yu Xiaogang's eyes were blank as he recalled what had happened earlier.
…..
In a quiet room at the Blue Tyrant Academy, Yu Xiaogang was gently comforting Tang San.
"Xiao San, how are you feeling?"
"Teacher, I'm okay… just a bit weak."
"Though you've lost a spirit bone, thankfully there weren't any permanent effects. With some rest, you'll recover gradually."
"Teacher, my spirit power…"
"Don't worry about that. As long as you recover, everything is still possible."
Nearby, Xiao Wu sat beside the bed, never leaving Tang San's side since the incident.
Perhaps because she hadn't dared to act that day, she felt immense guilt.
"…Hm? Who are you?!"
A gray shadow suddenly appeared, making Xiao Wu's eyes flash red in alarm.
Tang San tried to sit up, thinking it was an intruder, but Yu Xiaogang quickly pressed down on his shoulder, making him wince from the pain.
But then, when he looked more closely at the figure, Tang San realized that the man's form and aura closely resembled his father.
"Dad…? Father?"
He called out uncertainly, not fully convinced.
The man was wrapped in rags—even his head was covered, hiding his face.
"Xiao San, it's me…"
"It's your useless father, who let you suffer such agony…"
Tang Hao stepped forward after briefly glancing at the startled Xiao Wu. He took Tang San's hand, his face full of sorrow.
"Father… that getup… you're the one who saved me at Heaven Dou Forest?!"
Tang San finally recognized him. This was the same mysterious man who had rescued him during the attack.
"Yes… I'm sorry, Xiao San. I've kept this from you for far too long."
Tang Hao sighed and pulled off the cloth covering his face, revealing an aged appearance.
"Father… what happened to you?!"
Tang San was shocked. His father, who once looked in his fifties or sixties, now resembled an elderly man in his eighties.
"This is a long story… I came this time to—"
"Clear Sky Douluo, where were you the day Xiao San was humiliated? Why didn't you step in?!"
Yu Xiaogang suddenly interrupted, clearly having met Tang Hao before.
_
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