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Xue Qinghe nodded slightly and looked up toward the distant horizon. Her gaze seemed to pierce through the thick palace walls, reaching all the way to the Supreme Pontiff Palace standing tall in Spirit City. She commanded in a low, heavy voice that everyone should continue to monitor the situation closely.
She told her follower to report immediately if there was any unusual activity. She also ordered their people to stay hidden for a while and warned that no one should take any unauthorized actions without her direct orders.
The figure in the black robe bowed deeply and replied that he understood her command. Then, he flickered like a candle flame and vanished into the shadows as if he had never been there at all.
Xue Qinghe stood alone in the beautiful garden, surrounded by many colorful flowers. She looked at a bright Neishang Peony, but her eyes slowly became cold and deep. She whispered to herself that Bibi Dong finally could not hold back anymore. She realized she would have to find a time to return to Spirit City in secret.
Meanwhile, deep inside the Sunset Forest, Yu Xiaogang let out a short, painful scream. Even though the sound was very quiet, Tang Hao was a powerful Titled Douluo and heard it easily.
Both father and son looked at each other with worry and rushed toward the noise. When they finally found Yu Xiaogang, he looked like a broken doll thrown into the bushes.
He was covered in thick mud and dark blood. His breathing was so weak that it seemed like a small candle about to be blown out by the wind. He was very close to dying.
Tang San looked at Yu Xiaogang and frowned deeply. He saw that his teacher was in a much worse state than before. He quickly released his mental force to check the area for any hidden enemies and asked his father if Yu Xiaogang had been attacked by a powerful Spirit Beast.
Tang Hao did not say anything at first. He knelt down on the dirty ground and put his rough fingers on Yu Xiaogang's wrist. He sent a bit of his own spirit power into the man's body to see what was wrong.
After a moment, Tang Hao pulled his hand back. His face looked very serious and even a bit shocked. He told Tang San that it was not a Spirit Beast that did this. He explained that while the injuries were bad, the real problem was that the Origin of the Golden Sacred Dragon had been completely taken out of Yu Xiaogang's body.
Tang San was shocked to hear that his teacher's bloodline was stolen again. He immediately thought of someone and asked if the person his teacher met was the Old Poison, Dugu Bo. Tang Hao nodded with a grim look on his face.
He said it was likely Dugu Bo because the old man's home was deep in this forest. He guessed that their noise must have attracted him. He remarked that it was just bad luck for Yu Xiaogang to run into such a dangerous person.
Tang San felt angry and very worried. He asked his father what they should do now. He was scared that if Yu Xiaogang died, he would never learn how to cultivate his Clear Sky Hammer properly. He knew that only Yu Xiaogang could go to Spirit City and talk to Bibi Dong to get the secrets of cultivating twin spirits. He could not let his only hope for power disappear.
Tang Hao looked at the dying man and thought for a long time. He said he had a plan, but the result would depend on luck. Tang San begged to know the method. Tang Hao looked toward the far-off city of Spirit Hall and said that Yu Xiaogang was too hurt for him to save.
He explained that he would use his spirit power to keep the man's last breath stable for a little while. Then, he planned to carry him at full speed to Spirit City and leave him right at the front door of the Supreme Pontiff Palace.
Tang San was confused and asked why they would just throw him at the entrance. Tang Hao explained that Yu Xiaogang always claimed he had a past with Bibi Dong. Now, it was time to see if Bibi Dong still cared about their old relationship.
He said that with the great power and resources of Spirit Hall, she might be able to save him. If he lived, he could still help Tang San get the cultivation method. But if she refused to help, then Yu Xiaogang would simply die there, and his connection to Spirit Hall would be over forever.
It was a very risky plan that relied entirely on a woman's feelings, but Tang San knew they had no other choice. He looked at his dying teacher one last time and nodded his head.
A few days later, the scene changed to the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena in the capital city. The building was huge and circular, and the noise from the crowd was incredibly loud. People were cheering and shouting so hard that the whole place seemed to shake. The bright sun shone through the crystals in the roof, making the smooth stage look like a mirror.
The Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament was happening, and the atmosphere was very exciting. The stands were filled with tens of thousands of people, and even the walkways were crowded. Flags from many different schools were waving in the air like a sea of colors. High above the stage, big scoreboards showed the points for each team.
The host of the event spoke into a spirit tool, and his voice boomed through the arena. He told the crowd that the tournament was almost at the end. He mentioned that top schools like Tianxing Academy, Thunder Academy, and others were doing very well.
He also talked about Shrek Academy. He noted that even though they were missing their main control system Spirit Master, Tang San, they still had a chance to move to the finals. He told everyone that the next few battles would decide which five teams would win.
Inside the private room for Tianxing Academy, things were much calmer. The team knew they were already safe and would move on to the next round. Tang Chen stood up from his chair and stretched his arms. He looked over at Dugu Bo, who was drinking tea, and asked who they were supposed to fight today.
Dugu Bo put down his cup and looked at Tang Chen with his green eyes. He told him that their opponent was Tianshui Academy. He asked Tang Chen if he was actually interested in the fight. Tang Chen thought for a moment and remembered something from the past. A small smile appeared on his face. He told Dugu Bo that he wanted to go out and fight in this match.
Dugu Bo was surprised and looked Tang Chen up and down. He joked that Tang Chen had been acting like a lazy manager lately, only watching the games from the sidelines. The only time he had fought before was when he wanted to teach his brother a lesson during the match against Shrek Academy.
Dugu Bo teased him, asking if he only wanted to fight Tianshui Academy because the school was full of beautiful girls. Tang Chen did not argue, but his mind was already on the upcoming battle. He knew that every step in this tournament was important, even if they were already winning.