Upon hearing these words, Flender felt a chill rise in his heart. Was the prophecy about to come true?
Then, Emperor Xue Ye continued, "Shrek Academy, you have truly broadened my horizons. First, Tang San casually decided another person's life and death, and then, with just the words 'path to death,' he completely redefined my understanding. Does that mean anyone who offends him is doomed?"
"Now that I am reprimanding you, does that mean I too have a 'way to death'?"
Flender immediately dropped to his knees, trembling uncontrollably.
At the same time, the Grandmaster suddenly spoke up, "Your Majesty, please do not be misled by others. This is all..."
"This is all Ye Hao's doing! My disciple has always been disciplined and well-behaved. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth clearly!"
Hearing this, Ye Hao could only sneer at how shameless the Grandmaster was, trying to shift the blame onto him.
"Just now, Your Majesty also heard it yourself. Tang San clearly said I had a 'path to death.' Everyone here heard it—unless the Grandmaster is deaf?"
"I…" The Grandmaster was momentarily speechless, his face filled with resentment and unwillingness as he glared at Ye Hao.
First, he was captured and beaten in Spirit Hall. Then, he suffered the punishment of a hundred strikes under Xue Qinghe's orders. Now, Tang San had become a target for all.
It was all because of you!
"In my lifetime, I will personally destroy Spirit Hall!" the Grandmaster gritted his teeth and whispered to Ye Hao.
Ye Hao narrowed his eyes. Yu Xiaogang was quite bold.
"Your Majesty, the situation is already clear. That rabbit ambushed me when I was unprepared. If I hadn't used my fourth soul skill, Thorn Spider Armor, to defend myself, I might already be dead by now."
Immediately, Liu Erlong retorted loudly, "And so you cruelly beat a young girl into this state? My poor daughter is only fourteen years old—how can she face the world like this in the future?"
At that moment, the three members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect sitting in the VIP section chuckled simultaneously.
That rabbit is fourteen years old? Are you serious?
"Enough!" Emperor Xue Ye impatiently waved his hand. "I have already understood the whole story. That girl launched a sneak attack despite having already lost, and the competition clearly forbade the use of items unrelated to the match."
"As for Ye Hao beating her so severely…"
Emperor Xue Ye looked at Ye Hao and shook his head with a wry smile. "You should refrain from doing such things in the future."
Ye Hao immediately nodded in agreement, "Yes, Your Majesty. I won't do it again."
Because next time, that rabbit will become my soul ring—I won't even have time to beat her.
"Now, I declare the promotion tournament over. The upcoming elimination rounds will be led by the Crown Prince and take place in Spirit City."
With that, Xue Qinghe stepped forward and bowed to Emperor Xue Ye.
Just as Emperor Xue Ye was about to leave, he added, "Shrek Academy has failed to properly manage its students, causing unnecessary trouble for Ye Hao. As a penalty, Shrek Academy must pay 100,000 gold soul coins to Ye Hao within one day as compensation."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Emperor left with his entourage. He no longer wished to see the members of Shrek Academy—they were an eyesore.
"Your Majesty, I refuse! I refuse!" The Grandmaster immediately stood up, shouting towards the Emperor's departing figure, unwilling to back down.
Slap!
A loud slap echoed through the hall as a royal knight stepped forward to discipline him.
"How dare you be disrespectful to His Majesty! Are you not afraid of death?"
Facing the icy tip of a spear, the Grandmaster instantly froze, as if someone had grabbed him by the throat. He dared not utter another word.
"Damn it! This is Ye Hao's fault—so why do we have to compensate him with 100,000 gold soul coins?!" Liu Erlong's eyes filled with murderous intent as she slowly approached Ye Hao.
"You just wait! One day, I will personally destroy you!"
Ye Hao didn't back down, staring straight at Liu Erlong.
"Liu Erlong, I'll be waiting. I hope you open your eyes next time and don't be so blind."
"Hmph!" Liu Erlong pulled out a gold card from her robes. Channeling her soul power, she turned the gold card into a razor-sharp blade and hurled it toward Ye Hao.
Clang!
Ye Hao caught the gold card, taking a step back. Liu Erlong was quite strong.
Liu Erlong's eyes widened slightly. "That's 100,000 gold soul coins. Remember this—you will pay for every bit you take from me."
"Much appreciated, Vice Dean Liu Erlong." Ye Hao put the gold card away—this was a substantial fortune.
"I hope you visit your sect more often. Even the most beautiful flowers wither one day."
"Wait!" Liu Erlong was visibly shaken. "What do you mean by that?"
But before she could ask further, Ye Hao left without looking back.
"Liu Erlong, Grandmaster—you think you can throw dirt on me and I won't fight back? Do you really believe I'm so easy to bully?"
With that, Ye Hao departed from the Royal Hunting Grounds, heading back to Heaven Dou City.
----
At Shrek Academy's dormitory was filled with painful groans—Ye Hao had beaten all seven tournament participants, with Tang San and Xiao Wu suffering the worst injuries.
"Xiao Wu! What happened to you?" Lying on his bed, Tang San gazed at the swollen-faced Xiao Wu, his heart bleeding.
"Was it Ye Hao?!" Tang San demanded angrily.
Just then, the Grandmaster walked in, his face dark and bruised, still carrying the imprint of the slap from earlier.
"... … …"
After the Grandmaster explained everything, Tang San exploded with rage. Ignoring his injuries, he forced himself up.
"Ye Hao, you have sealed your own fate! I will kill you!"
Hearing this, Flender's face turned dark.
"Tang San, is 'way to death' your catchphrase now?"
Tang San froze. "Dean Flender, what do you mean…?"
"Tang San, you should stop saying that phrase," the Grandmaster said solemnly, patting Tang San's shoulder.
Little did he know that this phrase had nearly doomed Shrek Academy.
Just then, a burly, white-haired elder suddenly burst into the room.
"Young master! Young master, are you alright?"
The elder rushed to Tang San's bedside, his face filled with urgency upon seeing the state Tang San was in.
Not far away, another injured contestant, Tai Long, initially felt joy upon seeing the elder. However, that joy quickly turned into disappointment.
"Grandpa, I'm over here!" Tai Long called out helplessly.
The elder slowly turned his head. When he saw Tai Long's injuries, his fury ignited instantly.
But instead of showing concern, he walked up to Tai Long and delivered a resounding slap across his face.
"How were you protecting the young master? How could you let him suffer such severe injuries?!" he scolded.
Tai Long felt like crying but had no tears. His heart was full of grievances, yet he had no one to vent to.
This elder was none other than Tai Tan, Tai Long's grandfather, the current patriarch of the Strength Clan, a powerful Soul Douluo, and the most loyal follower of Tang Hao. He was also Tang San's devoted "guardian."
At this moment, rather than worrying about his own grandson's injuries, Tai Tan was more focused on reprimanding him for failing to protect Tang San, allowing him to be gravely wounded.
"Grandpa Tai Tan, don't blame Tai Long for this," Tang San said while shaking his head, still rubbing the bruises on his face.
"If not him, then who? Before leaving, my master specifically entrusted the young master to me. This foolish brat was too weak, and because of that, the young master suffered serious injuries. He deserves to be punished!"
Tai Tan showed no regard for Tai Long's dignity as he continued loudly, "Once you graduate from the academy after the tournament, just wait and see if I don't hang you from the rafters and give you a good beating!"
Upon hearing this, Tai Long's eyes rolled back, and he fainted on the spot.
"How did I, Tai Tan, end up with such a useless grandson?" Tai Tan sighed in disappointment.
Then, he turned to Grandmaster and asked urgently, "Who did this to my grandson and the young master?"
"Ye Hao," Grandmaster replied.
"Ye Hao?" Tai Tan frowned.
"Who is this person? Where is he?"
Hearing this, Grandmaster raised an eyebrow and asked, "Didn't Tang Hao tell you about him?"
Tai Tan shook his head honestly. "That day, Master just… sparred with me for a bit and then told me to protect the young master. As for anything else, he didn't explain a thing."
At that moment, Grandmaster had a sudden idea.
"Ye Hao is a student of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. Not only did he injure Tai Long and Tang San, but he also openly mocked the Strength Clan."
Hearing this, Tai Tan felt his blood boil. He asked in a deep voice, "What did he say about the Strength Clan?"
Tai Long hesitated, then muttered, "Not only did he insult our Strength Clan, but also…"
"But also what?! Speak up, or I'll hang you up and beat you right now!"
Tai Long took a deep breath, squeezed his eyes shut, and blurted out, "He said… our Strength Clan are lapdogs."
Tai Tan's face turned ashen, and his rage erupted like a volcano.
"How dare he insult my Strength Clan! Where is Ye Hao? I'll teach him a lesson right now!"
Grandmaster said, "Ye Hao is currently at…"
Before Grandmaster could finish, Tai Tan's face darkened, and he stormed out of the room with large strides.
Watching Tai Tan leave, Flender shook his head with a sigh.
"Xiaogang, this 'using a borrowed knife to kill' strategy of yours is quite clever."
"But do you think Tai Tan can actually defeat Ye Hao?"
Grandmaster chuckled bitterly, "Don't worry. Tai Tan is a Soul Douluo, and his martial soul, the Vigorous Orangutan, is one of the strongest power-type beast martial souls. Even an average Title Douluo wouldn't necessarily be able to threaten him."
"Besides, Ye Hao is still within the city. Tai Tan will definitely give him a painful lesson. This way, we can avenge Tang San and Tai Long while also punishing Ye Hao—killing two birds with one stone."
Hearing this, Tang San smiled. His teacher's plan was brilliant. He had personally experienced Tai Tan's strength, and he was certain that Ye Hao would soon suffer the same fate as him.
"But, Xiaogang, don't forget—Ye Hao has a Title Douluo by his side," Flender pointed out.
Grandmaster, however, remained confident and smirked. "Relax. In Heaven Dou City, no matter how strong Ye Hao is, would he really dare let a Title Douluo show up in broad daylight?"
"But what if Ye Hao retaliates against the Strength Clan afterward?" Flender asked again.
Grandmaster waved dismissively, unconcerned. "The tournament is currently ongoing, and the Strength Clan holds a prestigious status in Heaven Dou City. Even if Ye Hao is the heir of Spirit Hall, he wouldn't dare act recklessly against them."
"Let's just wait for Tai Tan to bring us good news."
----
The promotion tournament had ended, and Ye Hao had returned home first to pack his belongings. He was preparing to travel to Spirit City to meet his mother.
What should he bring?
At this moment, his sister was still in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, making arrangements for the upcoming journey to Spirit City.
As the empire's crown prince and the leader of the team, Emperor Xue Ye naturally had many matters to discuss and coordinate. It would be a while before she returned.
"Finally done packing."
Ye Hao collapsed into a chair, stretching lazily.
Just then…
"Ye Hao, get out here!"
A furious voice suddenly roared from outside.
Ye Hao frowned. The visitor was clearly hostile. Judging by their aura, they were at least a Soul Sage… or possibly even stronger.
Taking a deep breath, Ye Hao walked to the entrance and carefully unlatched the door.
Standing before him was an elder with white hair. Unlike most old men, this one was towering and muscular—built like a human tank.
Ye Hao's gaze sharpened. "May I ask what brings you here, senior?"
The elder's face was grim. He took a quick glance at Ye Hao and sneered. "So, you're Ye Hao?"
"Yes. May I ask who you are, senior?"
"Hmph!" The elder let out a cold snort, his imposing aura causing the surrounding onlookers to shudder.
"You're the one who beat my grandson, aren't you?"
"Your grandson?" Ye Hao was puzzled. "May I ask your name, senior?"
The elder puffed up his chest and said proudly, "I am Tai Tan, patriarch of the Strength Clan."
So it was him!
Tai Tan, notorious for fiercely protecting his own. But why was he here?
Could it be because of today's match? Did he come seeking revenge for his grandson?
That didn't make sense, though. Normally, if you beat up the grandson, the father would come after you first. If you beat up the father, then the grandfather would step in.
But this guy had jumped straight to the final boss!
Ye Hao cupped his hands politely. "So, you're the Strength Clan patriarch. It's an honor to meet you."
"Senior, I believe I understand why you're here. I was indeed a bit heavy-handed in today's match, but this is the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. It's not some children's playground. Injuries are part of the competition."
"Surely, you haven't come all this way just for that?"
Tai Tan scoffed. "Not just for that. You beat my grandson—that's one thing. But you also insulted my Strength Clan. That is something we must settle right now!"
"I insulted your Strength Clan?" Ye Hao scratched his head.
"Don't play dumb with me!" Tai Tan's eyes flashed with anger. "You called my Strength Clan 'lapdogs.' Don't tell me you've forgotten those words!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Hao furrowed his brows tightly. "I see... Tai Tan Clan Chief, you were originally one of the subordinate sects of the Clear Sky Clan. When the Clear Sky Clan closed its gates back then, you and the other three subordinate sects withdrew together. And that Tang San is Tang Hao's son. You came here alone just for this?"
"Hmph!" Tai Tan's soul rings lit up beneath him—two yellow, two purple, and four black rings appeared. A Soul Douluo! The entire crowd was in an uproar.
"You injured my grandson and my little master. I must personally settle this score with you! And you insulted my Strength Clan by calling us lapdogs, bringing shame upon us. Today, no matter who tries to stop me, I won't let this go!"
As soon as he finished speaking, an immense pressure, as vast as the ocean, suddenly descended upon Ye Hao.
"Death Domain!" Ye Hao activated his Death Domain without hesitation.
"Clan Chief Tai Tan, am I wrong? You keep calling Tang San your little master—does that not mean Tang Hao is your great master? Your Strength Clan follows behind Tang San; does that not make you lapdogs?"
"Shut up!" Tai Tan roared in fury, increasing the pressure on Ye Hao.
"My Strength Clan was originally a subordinate clan of the Clear Sky Clan. Though we left, Tang Hao is still my master—my master for life! You injured my grandson and harmed my little master. I must settle this account with you!"
"Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul True Body!"
At these words, Ye Hao froze. A Soul Douluo activating his Martial Soul True Body meant his strength was nearly at the level of a Title Douluo!
"This Tai Tan is no pushover… Damn it, I have to go all out!"
Ye Hao's eyes shone with intense black light as he stood at the center of the battlefield. At the same time, the Death God's Heart on his hairpiece suddenly flew out.
It transformed into six mirrored surfaces that firmly trapped Tai Tan in place, six chains tightly locking him down.
"What... What is this?" Tai Tan's face was filled with shock. "Ye Hao, release me immediately!"
"Tai Tan, I respected you as a senior and didn't want to make an enemy of you. But you? You keep pushing me again and again!"
Ye Hao snorted coldly. "Did you really think I was made of clay?"
"You injured my grandson and my little master—I will not let this go!" Tai Tan still refused to back down, known for being fiercely protective of his own.
Ye Hao waved his hand, withdrawing the chains restraining Tai Tan.
There were too many spectators here, and it wasn't worth continuing this conflict in such a public setting.
"The All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament—what does it mean? I think you know better than I do. The competition values fairness, justice, and openness. Yes, I beat up your grandson and that person, but that's because they weren't strong enough! If they lack skill, they deserve to be beaten!" Ye Hao said passionately.
Even so, Tai Tan's expression remained grim.
"Ye Hao, the Grandmaster said you're eloquent and quick-witted. It seems he was right. I don't have many skills, but I won't just let this go. Do you dare make a bet with me?"
Ye Hao's face showed hesitation, and he sighed. "A defeated general—I have no interest in arguing with you. Leave now. If you continue, you will only bring more shame upon your Strength Clan."
Ye Hao had no interest in continuing the dispute with Tai Tan and turned to walk back inside.
But Tai Tan didn't see it that way. Watching Ye Hao leave, he felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation.
First, he had been restrained by Ye Hao, then released, and now he was being dismissed like an unwanted guest.
The surrounding whispers stung even more.
"A Soul Douluo bullying a Soul King? How shameless!"
"Ye Hao, today you must give me an explanation!"
Tai Tan's soul rings suddenly lit up again, and an immense pressure once more descended upon Ye Hao.
At that moment, Ye Hao stopped in his tracks, his body feeling as if it were falling apart, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
Slowly turning around, Ye Hao was thoroughly enraged.
"Tai Tan, I respected you as a senior, but don't push your luck!"
"You brat! If I don't give you a good beating today, I won't be able to rest easy. How else will I face my master in the future?" Tai Tan was unfazed and continued pressing forward.
"Tai Tan..." Ye Hao said in a low voice. "You've successfully angered me."
As he spoke, Ye Hao once again removed the Death God's Heart from his hairpiece.
Behind him, a shadowy figure in a black robe, wielding a scythe, slowly emerged, sending chills down the spines of the onlookers.
Terrified, they scattered in all directions—the oppressive atmosphere had surpassed their expectations.
The combined aura of Tai Tan's overwhelming strength and Ye Hao's fury turned the entire area into a scene of chaos.
"This..." At the sight of the shadow behind Ye Hao, Tai Tan suddenly had a bad premonition.
"Death God's Heart: Death's Descent."
Ye Hao merged with the shadowy Reaper behind him, wielding a scythe, his aura so powerful that Tai Tan broke into a cold sweat.
Yet, when he thought of his grandson and little master's injuries—and Ye Hao's earlier insults—Tai Tan's rage reignited.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Martial Soul True Body!"
Tai Tan's seventh soul ring glowed fiercely as he transformed into a massive gorilla, raising a fist and smashing it toward Ye Hao with force comparable to a Title Douluo.
At the same time, Ye Hao stopped the two figures beside him, Zhu Zhu and Zhu Er, from interfering. They were puzzled, but before they could react—
Ye Hao, now the embodiment of the Reaper, charged at Tai Tan with his scythe, striking with eerie black light.
Tai Tan, in his giant gorilla form, suddenly froze in place, then slowly dissolved into light particles.
"Tell me! Was it that useless Yu Xiaogang who sent you?" Ye Hao stepped forward and questioned.
At this moment, Tai Tan lay amidst the ruins, unable to believe what had just happened.
He never expected Ye Hao to possess such terrifying power.
Even after using his Martial Soul True Body, he hadn't been able to leave a single scratch on Ye Hao—while he himself had ended up in this miserable state.
"I came on my own. You injured my grandson and little master—I, Tai Tan, won't just let this go," he remained stubborn.
"So it really was Yu Xiaogang... You yourself admitted that your so-called Grandmaster said I was eloquent and quick-witted. That means you definitely have ties to that useless Grandmaster." Ye Hao analyzed.
"Seems like I was right." Seeing the shock on Tai Tan's face, Ye Hao instantly confirmed his suspicions.
Just earlier, someone was talking about destroying the Spirit Hall, and now Tai Tan was being manipulated into attacking him.
"Yu Xiaogang, just you wait," Ye Hao thought to himself, harboring a grudge.
Looking at the chaotic scene around him, Ye Hao sighed deeply.
"Tai Tan, from start to finish, you've been nothing but a pawn. What a pity. And as for your grandson and that so-called little master, I suggest you stay away from Tang San—otherwise, you'll be dragged down with him."
With that, Ye Hao turned and walked back inside without looking back.
"Ye Hao, just you wait! My master won't let you off so easily!" Tai Tan's voice echoed from outside.
Ye Hao took a deep breath. They say dealing with the king of hell is easier than dealing with his little devils—Tai Tan truly lived up to being Tang Hao's most loyal follower.
Now, Ye Hao had experienced it firsthand.
"Shrek Academy really is nothing but trouble... Damn it, how annoying!"