The first method was to participate in the Continental Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.
To do that, he'd need to join a reputable soul master academy and fight his way to victory.
His current strength could support this plan—but the risks were enormous.
Unlike arena duels, the tournament had strict rules: only martial souls were permitted—no external weapons allowed.
That wasn't a major concern.
With six years to train, mastering bare-handed Dou techniques should secure him victory.
But…
Stealing a soul bone under the Spirit Hall's nose would inevitably draw their attention. Given their continent-wide influence, even without using his Soul Breaking Spear, his identity would be exposed within half a day.
He had to admit it:
If that happened, not only would he be targeted—the entire Breaking Clan would become the Spirit Hall's focus.
The second method? Skip the tournament entirely.
Without interference, the soul bone would land in Tang San's hands.
But stealing it from Tang San meant facing Tang Hao—a near-impossible task.
Another window existed: ambush Tang San en route from Moon Pavilion to the soul beast forest to find Tang Hao. But that wouldn't happen for eight more years.
Eight years…
Unacceptable. He couldn't wait that long.
Then another idea struck him:
Target Shrek Academy!
Tang San had the Hao Tian Douluo's protection—but what about the others?
Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing were in another empire. Oscar and Ma Hongjun were commoners.
No need to kill them—just ensure they "fell ill" before the tournament. The championship would then go to the Spirit Hall, and the head bone (originally meant for Hu Liena) would "find its rightful owner."
But… Hu Liena, as the Holy Maiden, surely had Title Douluos guarding her. Eliminating her? Nearly impossible.
Yang Fan clawed at his scalp in frustration.
Securing that 60,000-year spirit-type head bone seemed hopeless.
Yet knowing it would appear in six years—and watching it fall into Tang San or Hu Liena's hands—gnawed at him.
From afternoon till dusk, he sat paralyzed by indecision.
A breeze finally roused him from his thoughts.
No solution? Then don't force it. He had six years to figure it out.
For now, he needed his third soul ring—a 10,000-year one.
Attribute didn't matter.
Yao Lao had affirmed the Breaking Clan's path: spear-type martial souls pursuing ultimate offense was correct.
But the only flaw?
No Title Douluo had ever emerged to prove the Soul Breaking Spear's might.
…
Shrek Academy.
Yu Xiaogang decided to stay in the derelict village outside Sotuo City—without consulting Tang San.
Orphaned and adrift, Tang San had no objections—but unease stirred in his heart.
"Teacher, should we inform Headmaster Flender?"
"He already knows."
"Don't we owe him an explanation?"
"Focus on training—not distractions."
Yu Xiaogang saw through Tang San's worry: that girl Xiao Wu.
'They're too young for such nonsense', he thought bitterly.
'Look at me—two failed relationships left me in ruins.'
"I understand, Teacher," Tang San said aloud—while mentally drafting a letter to Xiao Wu.
Their talk ended quickly. Flender summoned Yu Xiaogang away.
"Xiaogang, any progress on Ma Hongjun's evil fire issue?"
Yu Xiaogang's face paled.
After expelling Tang San's hidden force, he'd examined Ma Hongjun. His "theories" concluded only that the Fire Phoenix martial soul was "incompletely mutated."
He envied the boy.
Others turn chickens into phoenixes; I turned a dragon into a pig.
"Well?!" Flender pressed.
Yu Xiaogang hesitated. "Ma Hongjun's case is complex. Let me research further."
A "theory master" in name only—a charlatan in truth!
His "research" was just regurgitated book knowledge. Actual martial soul innovation? Nonexistent.
"Hurry up," Flender ordered. "Wuji and I will take Tang San to hunt soul rings. You stay and study Ma Hongjun's condition."
Yu Xiaogang nodded.
A Soul Grandmaster was dead weight in the soul beast forest anyway.
…
Time flew.
Another month passed.
Yang Fan turned eight years old—two years since leaving the Breaking Clan.
From an innate full-soul-power youth dreaming of strength, he'd become a Dou Shi, now hunting his third soul ring.
Hah—!
On a mountaintop, Yang Fan planted the Heavy Xuan Ruler into rock with a dull thud.
His legs trembled with exhaustion.
He'd always believed Dou Qi was harder to cultivate than soul power—except when hunting soul beasts.
Bad luck was relentless.
A full month in Sunset Forest yielded zero 10,000-year beasts. Soon, he'd have to try Star Dou Forest.
"Master… shall we use that method?"
Yao Lao nodded reluctantly.
Initially, he'd refused. While the technique attracted soul beasts, it could summon anything—even catastrophically powerful ones.
But a month of fruitless searching had worn down even Yao Lao's patience.
The next second—a pale-red flower bloomed in Yao Lao's hand.
The Aromatic Silk Beauty Immortal Herb, taken from the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Well.
Its aura could lure nearby soul beasts—a fact confirmed by both the original story and Yao Lao.
Desperate, master and disciple would now risk this gamble.
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