In front of the camp, Xiao Tianyang was engulfed in blazing flames.
At first, everyone's faces were filled with joy. After all, this was their first major victory since entering the Sunset Forest! However, as time passed, their hearts grew heavier.
On one hand, the silence from within the flames made them worry about Xiao Tianyang's safety.
On the other hand, there was the possibility that their opponent had emerged unscathed. These two outcomes were mutually exclusive—only one could be true.
"Brother Tang San, he couldn't have died in there, right?" Ma Hongjun whispered, his voice low. "It's been almost a minute, and nothing's happened. Shouldn't we put out the fire?"
"It's unlikely," Dai Mubai interjected before Tang San could respond.
"His physical strength far surpasses ours, and the quality of his soul power might be at the Soul Saint level. Even if he lost, he wouldn't be burned to death. He's not foolish enough to let that happen." After a brief pause, he glanced at the group and added, "We should stay alert. He should still—"
"Boom!"
Before he could finish, the flames erupted in a violent explosion! Immediately after, Tang San and the others heard a hoarse voice.
"Your time's up. Are you ready to face me now?"
At that moment, it felt as though an invisible hand had clenched their hearts.
The suffocating pressure made them question if life was even worth living!
Xiao Tianyang raised his head, and beneath his black goggles, two cold glints of light flashed.
He lifted his right foot and stomped heavily on the ground. With a loud crash, the earth beneath him caved in, and Xiao Tianyang shot forward like a cannonball, his right hand gripping the Cong Yunqie blade.
In the next instant, a flash of sword light brought him directly in front of Tang San and the others.
"Disperse!" Tang San reacted swiftly, his voice cold as his hands took on a jade-like hue.
"Catching a blade with empty hand?" Xiao Tianyang was momentarily surprised by Tang San's actions, but then the corners of his mouth beneath the mask curled slightly.
"What a foolish decision?" His tone turned icy. "You dare try to catch my blade? How naive!"
For someone who could effortlessly control his own soul power, Xiao Tianyang had no fear of harming Tang San. Instead of stopping, he accelerated, his strike becoming even more ferocious as he slashed downward.
"Crack!"
The blade grazed Tang San's hands without making direct contact, but a crisp cracking sound echoed through the air.
Tang San's Mysterious Jade Hand had been shattered!
Severely injured, Tang San staggered back, his hands dripping with blood, his face contorted in pain.
"This is the price you pay for overestimating yourself and underestimating your enemy!"
Xiao Tianyang flipped the Cong Yunqie in his hand, and in the next moment, the hilt shot forward like a staff, striking Tang San's lower abdomen.
"Little San!"
"Brother!"
Dai Mubai and the others cried out in alarm. They hadn't expected Xiao Tianyang to strike so ruthlessly!
Fueled by anger, they lunged forward without hesitation, ready to attack. But Xiao Tianyang remained unfazed, dodging and blocking their assaults with ease, rendering their attacks useless.
All the while, he continued to relentlessly "teach" Tang San a lesson.
What was more striking was that Xiao Tianyang's focus never shifted from Tang San.
Even as Ma Hongjun and the others hurled insults, he paid them no mind.
It seemed less like a test and more like an act of vengeance. But how could that be?
Xiao Tianyang bore no grudge against Tang San; in fact, their relationship was closer than friendship. It was akin to brother from same mother.
"Boom!"
After a prolonged assault, Xiao Tianyang delivered a final slap to Tang San's shoulder.
There was no sound of bones breaking, but Tang San spat out a mouthful of dark blood. He stumbled back, his face as pale as paper, and moments later, he collapsed to his knees.
Xiao Tianyang ceased his attack and took a step back, embedding the hilt of the Cong Yunqie into the ground. "How do you feel?" he asked in a deep voice.
"Madman!" Ma Hongjun stepped between them, his chubby face trembling with rage. "If you've got the guts, come at me! Why are only picking on injured Tang San. It's so cowardly!"
"That's right! I thought you were a senior, but I didn't expect you to be so petty!" Oscar chimed in, his face dark with anger.
"Edward, if you don't give us an explanation today, you're not leaving!" Dai Mubai exchanged a glance with Zhu Zhuqing, and the two nodded in silent agreement.
It was clear they were preparing to unleash a martial soul fusion technique they had never used before. This alone showed how desperate they were.
After all, the Shrek Seven Monsters were a united front. They would never stand by and allow Xiao Tianyang's seemingly vengeful actions to go unchallenged.
But just as the tension reached its peak, Tang San, who had been kneeling on the ground, suddenly raised his head and spoke.
"Stop. We've lost."
"Brother, are you okay?" Xiao Wu's delicate face was filled with worry and anxiety.
Tang San shook his head and looked at Xiao Tianyang with a complex expression. Finally, he clasped his fists and said respectfully, "Thank you!"
Everyone: "…?"
"Tang San, have you been beaten senseless?" Ma Hongjun's mouth twitched. "You were beaten until you vomited blood, and now you're thanking him? Did I hear that wrong?"
"No, he wasn't attacking me. He was helping me," Tang San explained, though he left out the fact that more than half of his Eight Extraordinary Meridians had been opened during the ordeal.
The details were too complicated to explain, so he simply stated that Edward had been aiding him.
…
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