Chapter 73: Plotting for the Blue Silver Emperor
Amid the endless rain of crow feathers, the Darkgold Bear spirit master burned through every drop of his energy, his body shredded and bloodied from head to toe.
He staggered weakly across the ring, barely standing.
The once-roaring Great Spirit Arena had gone completely silent.
The victory had been far too effortless.
It was as if the Strange Magician had merely taken a casual stroll before ending the fight with ease.
His immaculate suit and top hat remained spotless—not a hint of dust upon him.
Seeing this, the host's eyes shone with excitement as she loudly announced,
"I declare the winner of this battle—our one and only Strange Magician!"
At her words, the entire arena erupted once more into thunderous cheers.
Even the Shrek group couldn't help but applaud.
Flender smacked his own forehead in regret. "Damn it, I forgot to place a bet!"
Below, a number of lucky gamblers were already lining up to collect their winnings. The amount wasn't massive, but any profit was better than none.
Everyone around Flender groaned and sighed, gaining new appreciation for just how greedy their headmaster could be.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu stared at the retreating figure leaving the arena, her brows furrowed. Something about that silhouette stirred a sense of familiarity deep inside her.
She turned to Flender. "Headmaster, didn't you say this Strange Magician first appeared in Spirit City?"
"Yes, why?" Flender replied absently, still mourning his lost wager.
Xiao Wu said nothing more, but now Oscar spoke up.
"Headmaster, why didn't I see any spirit rings on him?"
The question made everyone blink. They'd all been so captivated by the spectacle that none of them had noticed the absence of rings.
Flender paused, uncertain. "I'm not sure myself. But there's a rumor that he can hide his spirit rings at will."
"He can do that?" Oscar gasped.
"Enough idle chatter," Flender grumbled, waving a hand. "The Strange Magician is done. Go get registered—try a few bouts yourselves. One-on-one, two-on-two, your choice."
The group finally shifted their attention back to their own goals.
Tang San smiled at Xiao Wu. "I just checked; we can participate in different battle types even on the same day. How about a two-on-two match together?"
Xiao Wu didn't respond.
Some of the others nodded thoughtfully—the suggestion made sense if they wanted to accumulate points quickly.
Standing near the window, Luo Ling glanced outside. A crow perched briefly on the sill before he dismissed it, letting it dissolve into smoke that merged into his body.
When he turned back, he found three sets of eyes—Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing—watching him expectantly.
"What is it?" he asked, puzzled.
"Brother Ling, want to partner with me for a two-on-two?" Ning Rongrong was the first to step forward.
Luo Ling blinked, then realized what was happening, his expression turning half amused, half exasperated.
They all wanted to team up with him?
He sighed. "I'm a Soul Sect. You're a Soul Honored. If we team up, we'll fight two Soul Sects."
"So what? With my support, there's no way they'd beat you!" Ning Rongrong said confidently, unconcerned.
At that, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing seemed to recall their own levels—they were still only Soul Grandmasters. Teaming with Luo Ling would throw them into battles far beyond their range.
They wouldn't just fail to help him—they'd become his burden.
"Xiao Wu, team up with me. We're both Level 29—it's perfect," Tang San said quickly, stepping closer.
He was secretly pleased when Luo Ling rejected Ning Rongrong, thinking this might bring Xiao Wu back to his side.
But Xiao Wu shook her head. Her gaze swept the group, lingering on Zhu Zhuqing.
"Zhuqing, let's be partners."
That simple sentence struck Tang San and Dai Mubai like a hammer.
Tang San's mouth opened slightly, his expression darkening. He said nothing—but the rejection stung.
Ning Rongrong watched the awkwardness unfold, amusement flickering across her gaze.
Turning back to Luo Ling, she smiled teasingly. "Brother Ling, shall we go next? I'll support you!"
"I don't need a burden." Luo Ling gave her a faintly annoyed glance.
"I'm not a burden!" she protested indignantly.
"Enough. Let's just watch for now." Luo Ling ended the banter with a wave of his hand.
Nearby, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing grouped together, while Tang San stood beside Dai Mubai.
The others began preparing for their one-on-one matches.
Tang San and Dai Mubai shared a glance, both sighing as if united in frustration.
"Little San," Dai Mubai said at last, "since you're good with hidden weapons, why not get a spirit skill like the Strange Magician's?"
Tang San's brow furrowed. "I'd love to—but I have no idea what kind of beast could give me something like that."
He replayed the image of the crow feathers in his mind, brimming with awe.
His skills were all planned under Yu Xiaogang's guidance. But now, for the first time, he wondered if there might be better combinations out there.
When the teacher returns... I'll have to talk to him about this, he thought excitedly.
Imagine having a soul skill like the Crow Feathers—a perfect supplement to my Tang Sect weapons. I could attack with soul techniques first, then finish them off with hidden weapons!
With that, he could ditch the weaker projectiles and focus solely on crafting the deadliest ones.
The more he imagined, the more exhilarated he became.
Luo Ling, watching Tang San muttering and grinning to himself, felt his worldview quietly crumble.
Is this really the so-called protagonist?
Meanwhile, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing's battle began—a very different pairing from the original events. Tang San wasn't one of Zhu Zhuqing's opponents this time, and even the two-versus-two matchups had changed.
Luo Ling watched the unfolding fights, uninterested.
He had been at Shrek long enough now. Yu Xiaogang still hadn't appeared, and the anticipation bubbling under Luo Ling's calm exterior was nearing its limit.
Soon, the story would follow its expected path—Shrek's Seven Devils venturing to the Star Dou Forest.
But he wouldn't be joining them.
His eyes gleamed faintly. Yu Xiaogang would arrive in Soto City right after the forest trip.
And Tang Hao... was already here.
Now was the perfect time to seize the Blue Silver Emperor's seed—and its ten-thousand-year spirit bone.
The thought solidified into resolve.
Even if not for the sake of weakening Tang San, a ten-thousand-year spirit bone was a treasure he could never allow to slip away.
Turning back to Ning Rongrong, he said quietly, "Rongrong, I'll be leaving for a while soon."
"What?" she blinked in surprise.
"I have something important to handle. I'll be back once it's done."
"Where are you going? I'm coming with you!" she insisted.
He shook his head. "I have to go alone. Stay here in Soto City."
She frowned, clearly unwilling, but before she could argue, he continued.
"Actually, there's something you should know. The reason I came to Soto City—it's part of a mission."
He looked her in the eyes, voice calm and serious.
"Do you know who Tang San really is?"
(END CHAPTER)
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