"What's the matter?"
Meng Shenji turned his head and looked at Tang San.
He had complex feelings about Tang San.
His talent was unquestionable, but Meng Shenji always felt like Tang San hid something dark inside, something that was hard to see.
Such a young age, yet with such deep thoughts—was this a good thing or a bad one?
He didn't know.
Now, seeing Tang San suddenly speak up and stop the proceedings, Meng Shenji had a bad feeling but couldn't ignore it in front of everyone, so he waited to see what Tang San had to say.
Li Yu, on the other hand, didn't show much emotion. She simply coldly watched Tang San.
As for the Shrek Seven Monsters, they weren't surprised at Tang San speaking up, as if they had discussed it beforehand.
"This guy, what is he trying to do?"
In the break room, Dugu Yan and her six teammates gathered together.
She really couldn't look up to Xue Beng.
"Is Li Yu really this strong, wanting to take on six people?"
Shi Mo and the others still couldn't believe what was happening in front of them.
After the tavern incident, they were all full of curiosity about Li Yu, eager to see what she looked like, but they never expected her to have such powerful combat strength.
But everything happening now was overturning their understanding.
"Shrek Seven Monsters are really strong, can Li Yu really do it?"
Ye Lingling looked at Li Yu on the stage, full of concern.
Yu Tianheng didn't dare to look too much. His eyes stayed fixed on Dugu Yan, seemingly indicating his stance.
On the stage.
Tang San stared at Li Yu. "According to the previous agreement, if we defeat you, we can join the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. But... if it weren't for your interference, this was already the predetermined outcome!
This battle shouldn't have even happened!
So, we are gambling with something we should have already obtained!"
"Is that so?"
Li Yu raised an eyebrow, not expecting Tang San to be so shameless.
If he hadn't spoken up, based on the words of Prince Xue Xing, would Heaven Dou Imperial Academy really continue to accept Shrek Academy members?
Probably not!
And if it wasn't for his interference, the one stopping this today would've been Dugu Bo!
At that time, would Tang San dare to utter a word?
Now, under the eyes of everyone, he was starting to act like a rogue, trying to take advantage of her?
Heh, does he really think he's already won?
In another break room.
Xue Beng frowned at the words. "How come the Shrek people are so shameless? If it weren't for Li Yu, they wouldn't even have the chance to step onto this Soul Arena!"
Prince Xue Xing kept a solemn face, but now that things had reached this stage, he didn't want to get involved anymore.
If anyone was going to lose face, let Li Yu handle it herself.
Thus, he remained silent.
As the referee, Meng Shenji also frowned. He knew the circumstances and understood how ridiculous Tang San's words were.
Someone gives you a chance, and instead of being grateful, you still try to bite back?
Even a wolf doesn't act so ungratefully!
Meng Shenji's opinion of Tang San sank further, but he didn't speak, wanting to see how Li Yu would respond.
Li Yu merely smiled, eager to see what trick Tang San was going to pull. "What do you want?"
"I think we should add a new condition to the bet?"
Tang San stared at Li Yu, seemingly eager for her response.
"Tell me," Li Yu said, intrigued.
"If you lose, you must tell me the secret of how you managed to absorb your soul rings beyond the normal limits!"
Tang San's eyes were full of excitement, revealing his true intentions.
Li Yu wasn't surprised that Tang San would say this.
He's so predictable; he'd definitely throw something like this out.
Hadn't he figured out that if it weren't for his appearance, Dugu Bo would've been the one stopping this?
Now, under the eyes of everyone, he was pulling a cheap trick, wanting to get something from her?
Heh, does he really think he's already won?
In the other break room, Xue Beng frowned, "Why are the Shrek people so shameless? Without Li Yu, they wouldn't even have the chance to step on this Soul Arena!"
Prince Xue Xing remained calm but was internally annoyed. At this stage, he wasn't going to get involved anymore.
If anyone had to lose face, let Li Yu do it herself.
Thus, he remained silent.
Meng Shenji was similarly displeased but didn't interrupt. He also wanted to see how Li Yu would react.
Li Yu was unfazed. She looked at Tang San with amusement and replied, "And if I win?"
Tang San, acting all confident, said, "If you win, we'll leave Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, and we'll never mention joining again!"
His right hand waved dramatically, feeling quite magnanimous.
"..."
Li Yu looked at Tang San speechlessly, then broke into a laugh.
She couldn't believe it. "So, if I lose, you'll not only join Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, but I'll also have to reveal the secret of my soul rings?"
"And if I win, you'll just leave and not bring up joining again?"
"Very fair!" Tang San's expression was serious, his eyes full of determination.
"Heh."
Li Yu took a moment to calm herself, then looked at Tang San mockingly, "You seem to have misunderstood something."
Tang San's face darkened, "What?"
"You joining Heaven Dou Imperial Academy is none of my business!" Li Yu eyes were cold. "I just don't like you and want to beat you up, understand? If you're too scared, get out of my way. Do you really think you're something special?"
At these words, the entire arena fell silent.
Originally, everyone had been intrigued by Tang San's mention of "absorbing soul rings beyond the normal limits."
What exactly did that mean?
But after hearing the bet, it seemed like it wasn't much. However, after hearing Li Yu words, they all felt Tang San's shamelessness.
The audience on the stands began to curse him loudly.
At the same time, with Li Yu retort, the crowd started to look at her with admiration.
She was tough!
In the break room, everyone was stunned.
"Yu Yu is this tough?"
"So cool!"
Shi Mo and the others were left speechless.
Dugu Yan eyes were shining with admiration.
Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing were also stunned.
The referee, Meng Shenji, also froze, finally acknowledging what Prince Xue Xing had said earlier—Shrek people's "character" was worth reconsidering.
Tang San's face turned black.
He knew the bet was unreasonable, but the secret behind how Li Yu absorbed her soul rings was worth his shamelessness.
He had hoped that Li Yu, full of confidence, would accept the bet, even knowing she would lose.
At that time, with everyone watching, she would have to honor the bet.
But now, seeing how Li Yu wasn't fooled, he realized she wasn't so easy to deal with.
With a deep breath, Tang San composed himself, as if nothing had happened.
"Alright, tell me, what do you want to bet?"
The atmosphere became tense again, as everyone awaited Li Yu response.
Li Yu eyes narrowed slightly. She then turned to Meng Shenji and asked, "Chief , what do you think my secret is worth?"
Meng Shenji didn't expect the question to come back to him. He was unsure of Li Yu intentions.
After thinking for a moment, he replied, "Priceless."
Such a soul ring pairing was a secret that concerned the entire Soul Master world! If it could be revealed, it would surely drive all soul masters mad!
Its value couldn't be measured by simple market prices.
"And what about the price of a spirit bone?"
Li Yu asked again.
Tang San's brow twitched.
Meng Shenji answered, "Also hard to measure by 'market price'!"
He paused, then added, "But definitely not as valuable as your secret."
"And what about an external spirit bone?"
Li Yu asked again.
Tang San clenched his fists, his veins bulging.
"An external spirit bone... might be slightly less valuable."
Meng Shenji's gaze grew even more puzzled.
He knew Tang San had an external spirit bone.
When Prince Xue Xing brought Li Yu and the others here, he had tested Tang San's potential. At that time, Tang San couldn't bear it and released his external spirit bone.
Unfortunately, he hadn't had the chance to examine its potential before Prince Xue Xing interrupted.
Now, hearing Li Yu question, he quickly understood her intentions.
However, Li Yu shouldn't have known about Tang San's external spirit bone—how did she know?
He was puzzled but didn't ask outright.
Instead, he thought that perhaps Li Yu didn't know about Tang San's external spirit bone and was simply telling him that if he wanted to bet, he needed to offer something as valuable as an external spirit bone.
Before he could finish his thoughts, Li Yu gaze fell on Tang San. "Did you hear? If you want to bet, at least offer something as valuable as an external spirit bone."
"San brother, don't do it!"
"Little San!"
The rest of the Shrek Seven Monsters looked at Tang San with shocked expressions, urging him not to go through with it.
Tang San's face was dark, and his eyes were fixed on Li Yu, seemingly deep in thought.
At this moment, Li Yu remained calm, as if she didn't know about Tang San's external spirit bone.
But in truth, she knew very well the value of the external spirit bone, as she herself possessed the [Extracting Fang] external spirit bone.
What Dugu Yan and the others hadn't noticed was that after encountering Xue Beng and the others, Li Yu had intentionally sped up their pace!
This caused what would have been the fusion of [Eight Spider Spears] with Tang San's external spirit bone to not happen.
As for why she knew about the external spirit bone bug…
Dugu Yan had detailed the Soto Great Soul Arena battle for her. Was it really that strange?
"Little San, what should we do now?"
In the break room, Flender looked anxious.
"This is ridiculous! If you don't want to bet, just say it! Why force this?"
Zhao Wujie was furious, then looked at Yu Xiaogang with suspicion, "Tang San, honestly, did you have a hand in Tang San's decision to make this bet?"
Flender, Zhao Wujie, and Qin Ming all turned to look at him.
They knew about Yu Xiaogang's theories and understood that after seeing Li Yu soul ring pairing, Yu Xiaogang must have been greatly impacted.
So it was very likely that Yu Xiaogang had secretly encouraged Tang San to make this bet.
Yu Xiaogang, hearing this, felt flustered but didn't show it. He calmly said, "Tang San has his own considerations. We should trust them, not fight among ourselves."
Flender, Zhao Wujie, and Qin Ming felt embarrassed and a little guilty for misunderstanding Yu Xiaogang.
But Yu Xiaogang's response didn't deny or confirm anything.
This, in itself, was an answer.
But the three of them trusted Yu Xiaogang so much that they didn't suspect anything further.
At this moment.
On the Soul Arena stage.
With everyone watching, Tang San finally made a move.
He reached to his waist and pulled out a strange-looking object.
He began to explain, "This is the Zhuge Divine Crossbow."
"Stop, I'm not interested in your junk."
Li Yu interrupted.
Tang San had the audacity to compare his so-called hidden weapon to an external spirit bone?
Can't he think for himself about how ridiculous that is?
Tang San, seeing his beloved Tang Sect hidden weapon dismissed as "junk," was enraged.
"You don't understand! My..."
"Okay, okay, fine, great, awesome!"
Li Yu clapped sarcastically, her eyes full of indifference. "But I'm not interested, can't you hear?"
After a pause, she added, "So, are we betting or not? If not, I'm leaving, don't waste my time!"
Tang San, swallowing his anger, finally forced a humiliated response, "Fine, external spirit bone. I'll bet with you!"
" brother san!"
"Little San, what are you doing?"
The rest of the Shrek Seven Monsters' faces changed, all of them urging Tang San not to go through with it.
The crowd in the stands was immediately abuzz.
"What? He really has an external spirit bone!"
"My God, what's his background? Not only does he have a spirit bone, but it's an external spirit bone!"
"He's willing to bet? What's so attractive about this Li Yu secret?"
...
Ignoring the noise around her.
Li Yu smiled slyly. "Alright, very good."
She hadn't planned to take Tang San's external spirit bone just yet, especially since Tang Hao was still standing there.
But now, he was practically handing it to her on a silver platter. To not take it now would be rude.
Plus, with so many witnesses and her current identity, could Tang San back out? Would he dare?
Meng Shenji, seeing this bet actually go through, felt both incredulous and worried.
If Li Yu lost, revealing the secret of her soul rings would indeed be a huge loss, but it wouldn't cost her life.
But if Tang San lost, he would have to give up his external spirit bone!
Although it was an external spirit bone, the impact wouldn't be as severe, but it still had the potential to cause death or a significant loss of soul power!
And, if Tang San truly lost, who would take it from him?
It would probably take Dugu Bo to ensure it happened!
But Li Yu chances of winning didn't seem too high!
Thinking about this, Meng Shenji couldn't help but glance at Dugu Yan, who seemed unworried, and his doubts about Li Yu strength deepened.
Was Li Yu cultivation really just Soul Sovereign?