Chapter 46

"Jian Shu, Gu Shu, I wish to betroth Rongrong to Tang San!"

Upon hearing Ning Fengzhi's words, the two Title Douluo felt no surprise, only asking: "But what about Lin Yu…?"

"Hmph!"

Ning Fengzhi let out a cold snort, his tone carrying a chill: "He has consistently refused to reveal the gunpowder formula, merely hoping to use it as leverage to bargain with us later."

Gu Shu pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly: "Lin Yu is already a disciple of our Sect, and the most gifted among all disciples—he will surely become an indispensable pillar of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"Had Tang San not appeared, Lin Yu would undoubtedly have been Rongrong's ideal choice."

At this moment, Ning Fengzhi seemed to have made up his mind; he whispered: "Jian Shu, Gu Shu, do you know who Tang San's father is?"

"Who?"

Seeing Ning Fengzhi's grave expression, the two Title Douluo grew serious.

"Tang Hao!"

Upon hearing this, Jian Shu and Gu Shu were utterly stunned.

…

The next day, at the entrance of Shrek Academy.

"Who is Tang San?"

Tai Tan, patriarch of the Strength Clan, asked in a calm yet weary tone.

"I am."

Tang San stepped forward slowly, raising his soul power to its peak.

Tai Tan asked coolly: "Was it you who injured my son and grandson yesterday?"

"Yes."

Tang San nodded slightly, unwilling to elaborate.

"Good."

Tai Tan's eyes suddenly blazed with light; a vast force erupted from his body.

"Boy, showing off requires real strength! I won't use my seniority to bully you—how about a wager?"

"What kind of wager?"

Tang San stared straight at him as Tai Tan casually waved his sleeve; a stick of incense flew out like an arrow, shooting dozens of meters and embedding itself in the academy gate, its tip instantly igniting.

"I won't move or release my martial soul. If you can endure the pressure I exert for the duration of one stick of incense, you win. I'll make Tai Nuo and Tai Long kneel and apologize to you."

"If you lose, you join our Strength Clan."

As Tai Tan stated the wager, Oscar interrupted: "That's unfair."

"Then what do you suggest?"

Tai Tan ignored Oscar and turned to Tang San.

Oscar, ever the chicken, chimed in again: "Simple! If you lose, you join Tang San's family."

Tai Tan still paid no attention to Oscar; a flicker of doubt crossed his eyes as he asked Tang San: "Oh? You have a family?"

"Yes. My family is called the Tang Sect."

Tang San spoke up now, lest Oscar steal all his prestige.

"The Tang Sect?"

Tai Tan searched his mind—he had never heard of such a sect, let alone one powerful.

He nodded without hesitation: "Fine, it's settled."

As a pure physical-type Spirit Master, Tai Tan's pressure naturally stemmed from raw strength.

To win this wager, he began by releasing six-tenths of his power.

Tang San felt as if his body were about to be crushed under the immense pressure—something he had never experienced even when facing Dugu Bo.

This duel was silent, yet extremely perilous.

Tang San's clothes were soaked through, yet he gritted his teeth and held on: "I absolutely cannot fall—otherwise, all the prestige I've built up over these years…"

Zhao Wuji's gaze settled on Tai Tan, his expression grim: "I didn't expect it to be this old devil—Tang San is in serious trouble now."

"Do you know him?"

Xiao Wu asked anxiously.

Zhao Wuji nodded, his face dark: "This old devil is terrifying—his soul power has reached eighty levels, a Soul Douluo. Long ago, I accidentally injured his clan brother, and he hunted me relentlessly—this is why I co-founded Shrek Academy with Flender." Hearing this, Xiao Wu panicked and cried out: "Brother, if you can't hold on, just give up!"

"…."

A man can lose anything, but he cannot fail.

Hearing Xiao Wu's voice, Tang San's focus wavered slightly; Tai Tan's crushing pressure seized the opening.

With a "whoosh," Tang San spat out a mouthful of blood.

Head may fall, blood may flow, but hairstyle must not be disturbed.

With lightning speed, he shoved Oscar's Big Sausage into his mouth and swallowed it whole.

Relying on the rising heat from the Sausage's restoration, he barely managed to stay upright.

Tang San's robes tore open; eight Eight Spider Lances erupted from his back, the lower four piercing the ground to support his body.

The upper four lances trembled slightly, their red-and-white light blazing brilliantly.

Tai Tan immediately recognized the signs—through the external release of the Eight Spider Lances, Tang San's resistance to pressure had clearly strengthened.

"So it's an External Spirit Bone…"

"Boy, it seems I cannot let you live today!"

Thinking this, Tai Tan instantly increased his pressure from six-tenths to nine-tenths.

The air around them, once slowly warping, suddenly churned violently, like turbulent water surging in layer upon layer of waves that rushed toward Tang San.

—Pfft! Tang San spurted another mouthful of fresh blood, unable to hold on any longer.

"Am I about to lose? Am I really going to lose? No, absolutely not!"

After working so hard to build up the image of a king of pretentiousness, how could he give up so easily?

Without warning, Tang San's eyes lit up, and two beams of gold-purple light instantly shot forth.

Taken completely off guard, Tai Tan felt as if a needle point had pierced his brain; a wave of dizziness swept through his mind, while his eyes were struck by intense stinging and burning sensations.

Yet again, Tang San spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turned deathly pale, and his whole body swayed unsteadily, on the verge of collapsing at any moment.

"Boy, if you do not admit defeat now, do not blame this old man for being impolite!"

As an elder, Tai Tan issued a warning first, so as not to give others ammunition for gossip.

Xiao Wu, Zhao Wuji, and the others were truly worried that if Tang San kept up this act, he would risk his own life, and they urgently urged, "Xiao San, admit defeat quickly!"

"No."

Tang San refused, but blood continued to flow uncontrollably from the corner of his mouth; like a stubborn duck with a hard beak, he said, "Please continue."

"Boy, you are truly too pretentious! Since that is the case, this old man will grant your wish!"

Having spoken, Tai Tan released the full pressure of his soul power, and the air around them rippled once more.

Tang San secretly withdrew his Blue Silver Grass martial soul, then slowly raised his left hand.

Focusing all his attention on his left hand, this was his last hope: "Whether I can pull off one more act of pretension depends entirely on you!"

A dense mass of black light surged from his palm, gradually coalescing into shape.

A small black hammer appeared in Tang San's palm, its surface covered with deep, dim patterns.

He held the hammer before his chest, forcibly resisting Tai Tan's pressure.

"This is..."

Tai Tan's face paled in shock, and the pressure that had been rushing toward Tang San instantly weakened.

At that moment, seven streams of dazzling light descended from the sky, enveloping Tang San's body like a seven-colored rainbow.

Tang San's body trembled violently, and his dull skin regained its luster; he could not help but groan, "Ugh!"

He slowly closed his eyes, using his heart to feel this sudden surge of intense relief.

At the same time, a deep and powerful voice rang out from all directions: "Old gorilla, what kind of skill is it to bully the young with your strength? If you wish to compete, then let me accompany you!"

In a flash of light and shadow, three more figures appeared in the arena.

"I wondered who it was; it turns out to be Sect Master Ning and Bone Douluo Gu Rong. This old man offers his greetings."

Tai Tan's pupils instantly contracted; the three who had appeared were Ning Fengzhi, Ning Rongrong, and Bone Douluo Gu Rong.

(End of this chapter)