At present, aside from Tang Xiao—nothing but a simp for the Blue Silver Emperor—no one in the Clear Sky Sect even knew who Tang San was. If they found out he was a half-soul-beast hybrid, their expressions would be anything but friendly.
Just as Yu Tianming was contemplating this, Tang San confidently declared again, "My father is the Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Hao. He just happened to offend Spirit Hall."
In the original story, Tang San revealed his second spirit, the Clear Sky Hammer, in public countless times. Once he arrived in Heaven Dou City, the only ones who didn't know his true identity were people from Spirit Hall. By the time he became a Soul Master, he openly used the Clear Sky Hammer in front of everyone.
'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' Now, facing the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Heaven Dou royal family—both hostile to Spirit Hall—Tang San proactively revealed his identity to gain support.
"I'm Xue Qinghe. I've admired the Clear Sky Douluo for a long time. I never imagined I'd meet his son here. You've achieved such strength at a young age—truly a tiger father begets no dog son," Xue Qinghe said, smiling warmly. Though her eyes flickered, she praised Tang San without hesitation.
Qian Xunji died young at Bibi Dong's hands, but Spirit Hall widely believed it was Tang Hao who beat the pope to death to protect a hundred-thousand-year soul beast. In other words, Tang San was the son of the man who killed Qian Renxue's father. This was basically him exposing himself voluntarily.
Yu Tianming frowned slightly. He'd figured it out—Tang San had caught wind of his identity and was trying to climb his way into the Heaven Dou royal circle.
With his ability to absorb life force to raise his soul power, the knowledge that his father was a Title Douluo, and a bunch of fawning soul masters praising him at Blue Tyrant Academy, Tang San had it good. Now he wanted to push further and gain the royal family's support.
But Yu Tianming didn't like that.
His eyes flickered, but he didn't say anything to put Tang San down. Instead, he looked over at Xiao Wu, who hadn't left yet after the Blue Tyrant battle team disbanded, and beckoned.
Xiao Wu saw Yu Tianming waving and shivered subconsciously. She'd originally planned to go over after Tang San left, but now that Yu Tianming was calling her, she had no choice but to lower her head and walk over reluctantly.
Yu Tianming crossed his arms and gave her a cold glance. "Did you bring my clothes? Don't tell me you forgot."
Feeling the soul power stir inside her body, Xiao Wu quickly came to her senses. She hurriedly pulled a neatly folded, luxurious garment from her bag and offered it with trembling hands. "Sir, your clothes are right here."
Tang San, still riding the high of his earlier glory, suddenly froze as he watched Xiao Wu's behavior.
'What's going on between Xiao Wu and Brother Tianming? Why is she so scared of him? Did something happen that I don't know about?'
"Remember to be more mindful next time," Yu Tianming said, casting her a sideways glance. Without another word, he tucked the clothes into his storage space and casually walked away with Xue Qinghe.
Because of the difference in strength and status, Tang San didn't press Yu Tianming. Instead, he turned to Xiao Wu, his eyes full of confusion. "Xiao Wu, you normally never talk to Brother Tianming. Why do you have his clothes?"
Xiao Wu's gaze flickered. She couldn't tell him the truth about what happened with Yu Tianming, or about her soul beast identity. So she just said quietly, "Yesterday I got Brother Tianming's clothes dirty, so I cleaned them and returned them."
The more Tang San looked at her, the more suspicious he felt. Normally Xiao Wu would be chattering nonstop by his side. Why was she so perfunctory now? And Yu Tianming had simply taken his clothes and left without saying a word.
Tang San's cautious nature made him overthink. And this was about Xiao Wu. In a flash, his mind conjured all kinds of scenarios. His eyes widened, and his tone became more and more agitated.
"I remember you never talked to Yu Tianming before. Why would you randomly get his clothes dirty? Xiao Wu, what are you hiding from me? Did Yu Tianming do something to you?"
Xiao Wu let out a quiet sigh.
'My soul beast identity has been exposed. I'm destined to never be with Tang San. With Yu Tianming's strength, telling Tang San won't change anything. On the contrary, the allure of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast could get him killed.'
'Besides, Tang Hao is a Title Douluo. I've been by Tang San's side for years. If Tang Hao hasn't figured out what I am, even I wouldn't believe it.'
Thinking this, Xiao Wu felt like a fish on the chopping block. With two Title Douluos watching her, she didn't think she had many years left to live. Grief welled up in her heart, and tears filled her eyes as she muttered, "Nothing happened between me and Brother Tianming. Don't overthink it, San-ge."
She turned and quickly walked away, wiping her tears as she went.
Tang San, though he had lived two lives, had never experienced normal human love. But even if he hadn't eaten pork, he'd seen pigs run.
Thinking about her evasive gaze, a chilling thought struck him.
'Isn't this how a cheating wife acts? The more she talks, the more mistakes she'll make, so she says as little as possible. Her guilty conscience makes her avoid eye contact. Could Xiao Wu have done something she shouldn't have... with Yu Tianming?'
Tang San stared at his palm in silence, then collapsed to the ground and muttered to himself, "No... It can't be. Xiao Wu wouldn't do that."
Since arriving at Blue Tyrant Academy, his strength had skyrocketed. He'd discovered his lineage, gained admiration and respect—this should have been a happy time. But Xiao Wu first got close to Tai Long, then became involved with Yu Tianming in some unclear way. She wasn't clinging to him like she used to.
His trust in her was cracking.
'Xiao Wu... why? What happened to the kind and innocent girl you used to be? Why are you always getting close to other men now?'
Thanks to his Purple Demon Eye, Tang San had excellent eyesight. From afar, he spotted Zhu Zhuqing hiding behind a tree, watching him with a hesitant gaze.
An idea struck him. Determined to find out the truth, he scrambled to his feet and rushed toward her.
Before Zhu Zhuqing could flee, Tang San used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to appear right in front of her. "Zhuqing, you live in the same dorm as Xiao Wu. Do you know anything about what happened between her and Yu Tianming? Just tell me—I won't tell anyone else."
His bloodshot eyes and unhinged tone made Zhu Zhuqing uneasy.
'Is Tang San... going to hurt me? He really is pitiful, but if Yu Tianming finds out I told him, I'll lose my protection and be dragged back to Star Luo Empire to die.'
She gave Tang San a long look but said nothing. She turned and began walking back toward the girls' dorm.
But then Yu Tianming's voice rang in her ears. "Zhuqing, just tell Tang San what you saw. With me here, he can't stir up any trouble."
Zhu Zhuqing's heart tightened.
'Is he watching us?'
She scanned the surroundings but saw no one.
Realizing escape was impossible, she gathered herself and slowly began, "That was indeed Yu Tianming's clothes. Yesterday, when I heard you and Tai Long were fighting, I went to call Xiao Wu. But we ran into Yu Tianming on the way. He told me to leave and took Xiao Wu away alone. I don't know where they went."
Her tone gradually became more pointed, with a hint of sympathy in her eyes. "When Xiao Wu came back, her body was covered in dirt, and her clothes at the chest were torn. She didn't say anything—just quietly washed Yu Tianming's clothes."
Tang San had still held onto a sliver of hope. But hearing this, his last bit of optimism crumbled.
He slowly dropped to his knees and muttered, "Xiao Wu... why? Why would you be with a scumbag like Yu Tianming? Did he force you? Were you afraid to tell me because I'd be in danger? Have you already accepted your fate?"
His voice got quieter and quieter until it was impossible to make out his words.
Zhu Zhuqing, watching him unravel, could only try to comfort him. "Maybe she wasn't forced. Tianming is handsome and strong—it's not strange if Xiao Wu fell for him."
She paused, then added inexplicably, "If Xiao Wu found happiness, shouldn't her older brother be happy for her?"
Her words pierced Tang San's heart like daggers. One sentence after another, they broke down the last walls of his sanity. His bloodshot eyes widened as he screamed, "I don't believe it! Xiao Wu is so pure—she must have been forced!"
Xiao Wu was his reverse scale—his trigger. Anything about her could make him lose all reason. And this time, he had long since thrown caution to the wind.
He jumped to his feet, unleashed Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, and charged in the direction Yu Tianming had left, running as fast as he could.
Zhu Zhuqing looked after him but didn't follow. She simply turned and headed back to the dorm, whispering, "What is love, that it drives people to surrender their lives?"
Meanwhile, Xue Qinghe looked at Yu Tianming with some curiosity. "That girl... who is she? Why does she have your clothes? She seemed quite close with Tang San."
Yu Tianming chuckled. "You're right. Xiao Wu and Tang San were already fond of each other. But I have leverage on Xiao Wu. I asked her to bring my clothes just to spite Tang San."
Xue Qinghe snorted and laughed, covering her mouth. "You've become a god, and yet you still indulge in this childish cruelty?"
Yu Tianming laughed along. "Gods are still people, just stronger. And you seemed to enjoy it too. Tang San will be here any second. Get ready for the show."
As he finished speaking, Tang San came stumbling and panting up behind them.
Before Tang San could say anything, Yu Tianming raised a hand. "I know what you're going to ask. Wait a moment—when Xiao Wu gets here, everything will be clear."
Yu Tianming was now effectively a rank 95 divine being. His electromagnetic sense covered half of the Douluo Continent, with Heaven Dou City at its core. Nothing escaped him. As soon as Tang San started running, he had already sent a telepathic message to Xiao Wu.
Just as Tang San was regaining his breath, Xiao Wu arrived in a flurry of motion. She gave Tang San a quick glance, then looked at Yu Tianming. "What's so urgent you had to call me like this?"
Yu Tianming raised a brow.
'These two really are a pair. Both so proud, so hard to control... but the harder they are to tame, the more fun they are to play with.'
He smiled meaningfully, walked up to Xiao Wu, bent down to meet her eyes, pointed at his cheek, and said softly, "Nothing big. Just give me a kiss and you can go."
To a hundred-thousand-year-old rabbit spirit like Xiao Wu, a kiss on the cheek was nothing. But with Tang San watching so intently, such a display of intimacy would surely crush him.
Xiao Wu glanced at Tang San, whose eyes were still calm—eerily so, like the stillness before a storm.
Yu Tianming's voice echoed in her mind.
"Xiao Wu, Soft-Boned Demon Rabbit of a hundred thousand years... you don't want your identity exposed, do you? Tang San's right there. You wouldn't want him to be dragged into danger, would you?"
(End of Chapter)
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