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The referee's face turned pale when the Poison Douluo suddenly appeared on the Douhun Stage. He felt a deep sense of dread. A Titled Douluo held a status that was respected and feared by everyone in the world.
How could a simple referee like him dare to offend such a powerful man? However, it was his job to manage the stage, so he forced himself to take a step forward.
He bowed very low and spoke with a trembling voice. He said that since the competition was still happening, his sudden appearance was against the rules. He begged the Poison Douluo not to make things difficult for the staff.
Dugu Bo narrowed his emerald eyes when he heard the word rules. A heavy, invisible pressure filled the air, making the referee break out in a cold sweat. He let out a cold snort that echoed through the entire arena.
He told the referee that he was there for the safety of all the matches. He claimed that if they let sneaky and evil methods go unpunished, many talented young students from the various academies would suffer in the future.
He ignored the terrified referee and walked over to the members of the Canghui Academy. He crouched down and pretended to check the condition of the captain and the other team members who were lying on the ground.
After a short moment, Dugu Bo stood up slowly. He looked toward the VIP section where the high-ranking leaders were sitting. He announced to everyone that his investigation showed the students from Canghui Academy were in a terrible state. He claimed their blood had been almost completely drained and their life force was nearly gone.
He said their spirit power origin had suffered even worse damage, as if it had been stolen or eaten by something. He shouted that this was definitely not an injury caused by a normal Spirit Ability. He called these methods evil and against the natural order.
For the sake of fairness and safety, he asked the organizing committee to send Spirit Masters who were experts in healing and investigation to check the stage. He demanded an explanation for Canghui Academy and all the students.
Dugu Bo's words were like a giant rock thrown into a quiet lake. They caused a huge storm of noise throughout the arena. The crowd began to whisper and shout in shock. People were asking what kind of evil technique could drain blood and life force. Many began to wonder if Shrek Academy was responsible for this.
Everyone wanted to know what had happened inside that seven-colored light just a moment ago. Countless eyes filled with fear and suspicion turned toward Tang San. He was the only member of the Shrek team still standing on the Douhun Stage.
In the VIP section, Emperor Xue Ye, Ning Fengzhi, and Salas all looked very serious. If what Dugu Bo said was true, then this was no longer just about who won a game. It involved an evil act that the Spirit Master world could not accept.
Just as the crowd was getting louder, a teacher from Canghui Academy ran onto the stage. His eyes were red with anger and sadness. He knelt next to a student who looked thin and was barely breathing. He picked the boy up with shaking hands and looked up at the VIP section.
He roared that he wanted to file a formal complaint. He said that stealing a Spirit Master's spirit power and life force was the behavior of an Evil Soul Master. He claimed this was something that the entire world should hate.
The teacher pointed at Tang San and yelled that even though he was young, he was already a Spirit Ancestor with a ten-thousand-year fourth spirit ring. He said this did not make sense and was illogical. He told everyone he suspected Tang San got his power by stealing it from others. He called Tang San a degenerate and an Evil Soul Master.
These words made the arena explode with noise again. People started shouting that Tang San was an Evil Soul Master. They wondered if that was why he grew strong so fast. Many were terrified that he would use such scary methods during a public competition.
In the VIP section, Ning Fengzhi felt uneasy. As the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, he was a very important man. He knew he should stand up and support an investigation to keep the competition fair.
However, as he prepared to speak, he remembered his secret deal with Tang San regarding Hidden Weapons. He knew how valuable those weapons were to his school. Because of this, he chose to stay silent and swallowed the words he was about to say.
Salas, the Platinum Bishop of Spirit Hall, did not have any reason to wait. A sharp light flashed in his eyes. In an instant, he moved from his seat and appeared on the Douhun Stage. He ignored the people around him and walked over to one of the fallen Canghui students.
He reached out with a thin finger and touched the student's wrist to check his pulse. He sent a small amount of his own spirit power into the boy's body to see what was wrong. His face quickly became very grim. He frowned and pulled his hand back.
He turned to face Emperor Xue Ye and spoke with a cold, formal voice. He told the Emperor that he had verified the situation and that the Poison Douluo was telling the truth.
Salas declared that the life origin of the seven students was badly damaged and almost empty. He said their spirit power foundation was ruined. He explained that these injuries were not from normal skills but were caused by something that had stolen their energy.
He told the crowd that, at best, these students would never be able to grow stronger again. At worst, they might even die soon. This confirmation from a high-ranking member of Spirit Hall was like a final judgment.
It pushed Shrek Academy and Tang San into a very dangerous position. The entire arena became deathly quiet. A heavy atmosphere settled over the crowd as everyone waited for Tang San to say something or for the committee to give a verdict.
Tang San looked at Salas and the angry crowd. He made his face look like he was being treated unfairly. He took a step forward and shouted that this was all nonsense. He called the accusations absurd. He asked Bishop Salas and the teacher where their evidence was. He asked if they were blaming him just because of how the students looked.
He pointed at the injured Canghui students and told everyone to remember how dangerous their illusion skill was. He said the Seven Shura Illusion had trapped his whole team and stripped away their senses. He claimed that to save himself and break the spell, he had to use every bit of his spirit power. He said he had even pushed himself past his limits to win.
He reminded everyone that his Blue Silver Grass had paralyzing toxins and that this was a well-known fact. When he spoke about his ten-thousand-year fourth spirit ring, he acted a bit arrogant. He told the crowd that he had absorbed it under the protection of his elders after almost dying.
He said it was his own talent and strong will that allowed him to use such a high-level ring. He asked how his talent could be used as a reason to call him an Evil Soul Master. He asked if being talented was now a crime. Then, he changed his tone and began to blame Canghui Academy instead.
Tang San argued that Canghui Academy used a dangerous illusion that could hurt people's minds. He said they were the ones who didn't care about the safety of their opponents. He claimed that because their skill was broken by his power, they suffered a backlash.
He told the crowd that their injuries were their own fault because they weren't strong enough. He asked why Shrek Academy should be blamed for their failure. Tang San spoke very fast and tried to sound logical. He avoided the strange parts about the life force being stolen. He blamed everything on the backlash and his own poison.
His acting made some of the audience members start to doubt what they had heard earlier. Some people began to whisper that maybe he was right and that Canghui Academy had made a mistake.
Salas listened to Tang San's clever words and excuses. He did not look like he believed any of it. Instead, a cold and mocking smile appeared on his face. He had already received secret orders from Spirit City. He knew exactly who Tang San was.
He knew Tang San was the son of Tang Hao, a man that Spirit Hall wanted to get rid of very badly. Now that he had a chance to catch him and bring him to Spirit Hall, he was not going to let him go. He didn't care how smart Tang San's arguments sounded.