Tang San had been wondering what would happen if he used his Eight Spider Lances to drain an opponent's power. But opportunities to face a truly life-or-death enemy were rare, and if the Eight Spider Lances' devouring effect proved too destructive, the consequences could be dire.
The encounter with father and son today was nothing more than an ordinary conflict.
"Brother, how are you?" Xiao Wu burst through the door and immediately spotted the blood Tang San had coughed up. She rushed over to support his arm.
Tang San shook his head with a smile. "I'm fine. Just some minor shock injuries. Tai Nuo's father is the strongest purely strength-type Soul Master I've ever seen. That kind of extreme all-strength build is a specialized cultivation path — if his agility had been even slightly higher, I would have lost."
Xiao Wu helped Tang San sit down on the bed. "Brother, you actually defeated a Soul King — it's caused a huge stir at the academy. If you hadn't run off so quickly, you'd probably be surrounded by students and teachers right now. When I chased after you, I already saw several teachers going to negotiate with Tai Long and his father. They seem to be making them compensate for the damage to the grounds in front of the academy. They really did lose both the battle and the battle. The Tai family really does protect their own. Back when we were at Notting, I beat up plenty of people, but I never once saw anyone's family come to their defense. Brother, do you think that after what you did to Tai Long's father, his grandfather might actually come out?"
She couldn't help but giggle after finishing that last question.
Tang San cracked a smile too. His impression of the father-son duo wasn't actually bad — if Tai Nuo hadn't insulted Xiao Wu, he wouldn't have resorted to such a potent poison. Even Tang San himself could hardly believe that he had managed to defeat a Soul King.
Xiao Wu glanced at the empty bed across from Tang San and said irritably, "That Big Sausage Uncle — who knows where he ran off to. Just when we actually need him, he's nowhere to be found."
Tang San took a slow breath, feeling a sharp pain in his internal organs. He knew his injuries weren't trivial. "Xiao Wu, go back and rest. I need to cultivate for a while to ease the damage to my meridians."
"No. I'm not leaving. I'll stay here and guard you — what if someone else comes looking for trouble? Go ahead and cultivate, Brother. I'll keep watch."
Tang San nodded, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began circulating the Mysterious Heaven Skill's internal energy in a slow, controlled flow.
---
Tai Nuo, supported by Tai Long, finally left Shrek Academy. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt this weak. The poison had been neutralized, but it had sapped his body as though it had been hollowed out entirely — so feeble he could barely walk.
Humiliation, disgrace, pain, indignation — a tangle of emotions churned within him. He never would have believed he could capsize in a ditch like this, losing to a teenager who wasn't even at the forty-level mark. That feeling was somehow harder to bear than the physical wounds themselves.
Tai Long supported his father, not daring to utter a single word. The money for repairing the ground in front of the academy had been paid before the teachers would let them leave. Supposedly, they had even been given a discount as a courtesy to one of the academy's students.
Fortunately, Shrek Academy wasn't located in the city center — though the commotion had been considerable, at least it hadn't drawn the city guard.
Tai Long understood his father's current state of mind all too well. He had felt something similar when he lost to Tang San, and given that his father far surpassed him in both age and strength, the pain would naturally run even deeper.
"Dad, are you feeling a little better?" After they had walked quite a distance, Tai Long finally ventured cautiously. He knew his father's explosive temper all too well.
To Tai Long's surprise, Tai Nuo didn't unleash his anger on him. Instead, his expression was remarkably calm. "Son, your loss wasn't undeserved. Even your old man ended up like this — no wonder you couldn't beat him. Do you know anything about that kid's background?"
Tai Long shook his head blankly. "He only started classes today. I saw him sitting next to Xiao Wu, so I wanted to challenge him to a one-on-one. You know how it is — I really like Xiao Wu."
Tai Long gave Tai Long a glare. "For the sake of a woman — you really have ambition. Just like your father was in his days. But you weren't wrong about it. When you want the woman you like, you have to charge forward boldly. That's how I won your mother's heart, except back then the Soul Master I challenged was far stronger than me. You — how embarrassing. You can't even beat someone younger than you. This is what happens when you don't put in the work."
Tai Long ventured carefully, "But, Dad — I'm pretty sure I'm the fastest cultivator our family has ever had. When you were my age, you weren't as far along as me, were you?"
"You little brat — what's that supposed to mean?" Tai Nuo flared up.
Tai Long replied helplessly, "What I mean is, it's not that your son is useless — it's that the opponent was just too strong. I really don't know how that kid trained. He looks fifteen or sixteen at most — how could he possibly have that kind of Soul Power? Could he be from one of the Seven Great Sects?"