Several minutes earlier, Xu Sanshi and Dugu Yanran came to Shrek Academy's Food Festival, primarily to celebrate their dating anniversary.
While strolling the bustling food street and planning to dine where they had their first date, a rich aroma of grilled fish suddenly caught their attention.
Following the delicious scent, they soon found its source: a small grilled fish stall run by a blue-haired youth — none other than the original story's protagonist, Huo Yuhao.
At that moment, Huo Yuhao was carefully sprinkling salt on his freshly grilled fish, the enticing smell making Xu Sanshi and Dugu Yanran salivate.
Deciding to queue for grilled fish here first, they planned to eat it before heading to their original dining spot.
Why was Huo Yuhao selling grilled fish? Aside from the Tang Sect leader passing down his cooking skills, Huo Yuhao wanted to earn tuition and savings.
Shrek Academy's expenses were steep—tuition and dining costs were burdens few commoners could afford.
With his limited savings, Huo Yuhao might struggle to pay tuition next year.
Tang Ya had advised him to sell grilled fish at Shrek Academy, both to cover tuition and save on dinner expenses.
Since Tang Ya had helped secure the cooking materials and location, Huo Yuhao reserved a few grilled fish daily for Tang Ya and Beibei.
Fortunately, Huo Yuhao's cooking skill was excellent, quickly attracting many students—no worries about losses.
So leaving some fish for friends was no problem.
However, what should have been smooth sailing hit a snag on day one.
Because Huo Yuhao's grilled fish became immensely popular, the queue grew rapidly.
Among the crowd were Xu Sanshi and Dugu Yanran, eager to try the famed grilled fish.
But just as they reached the front, Huo Yuhao raised a sign: "Today's grilled fish is sold out. Please come back tomorrow."
Furious, Xu Sanshi shouted, "Sold out?! You still have a few fish in your hand!"
Huo Yuhao replied apologetically, "Those are for my dinner and some friends who helped me with the cooking gear."
Hearing this, Xu Sanshi sighed in resignation—he wasn't unreasonable, and the youth looked thin and tired, so reserving fish for himself and helpers was understandable.
At that moment, Dugu Yanran asked, "Can we pre-order a few grilled fish to pick up tomorrow?"
Her words triggered murmurs behind them; many others had queued but missed out, eager to avoid the hassle next day.
Huo Yuhao, however, suddenly froze upon seeing Dugu Yanran.
It wasn't his fault—he'd never met many girls before, let alone a beauty like Dugu Yanran.
She far surpassed even Tang Ya, who had invited him to join the Tang Sect.
Seeing Huo Yuhao stunned, Dugu Yanran, assuming he was contemplating her suggestion, continued, "I'm willing to pay extra for pre-ordering since storing grilled fish is work too."
Huo Yuhao quickly recovered and raised a hand apologetically.
"Sorry, I was distracted just now. Though I'd like to accept your kind offer, I'm still a freshman and want to focus mostly on training. Also, pre-orders may be unfair to other customers. So please come again tomorrow."
Dugu Yanran frowned slightly but nodded, "If you insist, then so be it. We'll see you tomorrow, Sanshi, our date isn't over yet."
"Alright, my lady wife, I'm coming!" Xu Sanshi promptly shook off his frustration and hurried toward his girlfriend.
But rushing, he accidentally bumped the grill, scattering sparks onto Huo Yuhao's clothes.
Suddenly, Huo Yuhao's robe caught fire.
Realizing his mistake, Xu Sanshi summoned his Xuanwu Martial Soul, conjuring abundant water elements to douse the flames.
Thankfully, Huo Yuhao's Soul Ice Attribute Martial Soul granted by Tianmeng Ice Silkworm saved him from injury.
Seeing Huo Yuhao unharmed, Xu Sanshi breathed a sigh of relief and raised his hands in a pleading gesture.
"I'm terribly sorry! It's all my fault!"
Huo Yuhao glanced at his scorched grilled fish, inwardly irritated but restrained himself. After all, this was his senior, and he was only a Level 15 Soul Master—no match in a dispute.
Xu Sanshi, seeing the ruined grill and grilled fish, pulled a small pouch from his storage soul tool and handed it to Huo Yuhao.
"Sorry for ruining your dinner and grill. Consider this compensation."
Huo Yuhao opened the pouch, discovering ten golden soul coins inside.
He had never held so much money in his life!
Since each grilled fish sold for five copper soul coins, ignoring costs, it would take selling 2,000 grilled fish to make one golden soul coin.
Ten golden soul coins meant 20,000 grilled fish!
Nobles were so casual with money? Or was this charity?
Feeling his pride wounded, Huo Yuhao coldly said, "Ten silver soul coins would be enough. That's too much gold. Please take some back."
Xu Sanshi firmly replied, "What I give is what I give. No take-backs. Here, junior, accept it."
Seeing Xu Sanshi's determination, Huo Yuhao had no choice but to accept the generous compensation.
Just as Xu Sanshi turned to leave with Dugu Yanran to continue their date, a sharp voice interrupted:
"Xu Sanshi! You bastard! Pay for my grilled fish!"
A girl dressed in pink suddenly appeared, launching several golden flying needles at Xu Sanshi.
The needles shot through the air like soaring dragons, aiming straight for him.
***
Xu Sanshi's gaze sharpened as a volley of flying needles surged toward him. Without hesitation, he unleashed his Martial Soul — the Xuanwu Shield, a massive, impenetrable barrier shaped like the ancient Black Tortoise. The sharp clangs of metal striking metal rang out in rapid succession.
Most of the lethal golden needles were blocked by Xu Sanshi's shield, crashing harmlessly to the ground. Yet, the swelling on his forearm revealed that one or two had slipped through, piercing his soul energy.
A searing pain radiated through Xu Sanshi's arm — a pain only the Dragon Whisker Needle technique from the Tang Sect could cause. Ordinary flying needles could never breach his soul force so easily.
Sure enough, standing before him was a young woman in flowing pink robes — Tang Ya, the current Sect Leader of the Tang Sect.
Xu Sanshi's eyes reddened with fury as he bellowed, "Tang Ya, you lunatic! What did I ever do to you?!"
His outrage was natural — who wouldn't be furious when attacked without cause, especially by such a cruel weapon?
"You ruined my Tang Sect disciple's stall, burned his clothes — and you say you didn't provoke me?!" Tang Ya's voice was sharp as she pointed at the charred grilled fish. "Not to mention the grilled fish I asked Yuhao to prepare! You destroyed it all! This grudge, I will settle!"
Xu Sanshi's memory flickered — Huo Yuhao had mentioned setting aside some grilled fish for a friend who helped him with props. That friend must be Tang Ya.
Though Xu Sanshi accepted some blame, that didn't mean he would endure her verbal abuse and attacks silently.
"I already compensated that junior disciple!" Xu Sanshi snapped, nodding toward the pouch in Huo Yuhao's hand. "Ask him yourself!"
Following his gaze, Tang Ya's eyes landed on the money pouch. After some haggling, she discovered ten shining Gold Soul Coins inside.
Yet Tang Ya was far from satisfied. Her demands grew, sharp and merciless: "Only ten Gold Soul Coins to brush off the entire Tang Sect? You must think that's reasonable!"
"Hey! Ten Gold Soul Coins is no small sum!" Xu Sanshi retorted. "That kid's grill and clothes combined don't even add up to one coin. Ten is more than enough."
"Enough?" Tang Ya sneered. "Have you paid Yuhao's mental damage fees? What about my ruined grilled fish?"
Tang Ya's claims spilled forth like a flood — endless, unreasonable compensation demands, like a street-side hustler trying to squeeze every coin out of Xu Sanshi.
Xu Sanshi's temper finally snapped. Though this mess was partly his fault, Tang Ya's behavior was downright bullying.
Just as Xu Sanshi prepared to strike, ignoring her gender, a cold voice sliced through the tension:
"You Tang Sect has truly fallen into ruin — stooping to petty extortion like cheap street hustlers. If your ancestor Tang San from ten thousand years ago saw you now, he'd weep bitter tears."
It was Dugu Yanran, who had remained silent until now. She could no longer watch her boyfriend be harassed by this unscrupulous woman.
Tang Ya's eyes flared with anger, silently shouting, "How dare you call me a hustler! I'm just protecting my own!"
But she dared not voice this — Dugu Yanran was different. Her family once had friendly ties with the Tang Sect, but bitter conflicts severed those bonds.
If Dugu Yanran exposed those ancient truths, Tang Ya's dream of restoring the Tang Sect would be shattered.
The feud traced back to the Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo, and Tang San — founder of the Tang Sect and Dugu Bo's sworn friend.
Long ago, Dugu Bo possessed a legendary Medicine Garden, the Ice-Fire Two-Polarity Eye, one of the Three Great Treasures. After Tang San cured the Dugu family's poison, Dugu Bo shared the garden with him.
But that garden became the root of their split.
Initially, they shared all the herbs freely. Once, Tang San harvested all the herbs, but as a friend, Dugu Bo did not protest.
Later, Tang San sought permission for Tang Sect disciples to gather herbs periodically. Dugu Bo agreed, uninterested in anything but the poison-curing herbs.
After Tang San ascended to godhood, however, the garden became an exclusive Tang Sect secret realm. Outsiders, even Dugu family members, were barred.
After Dugu Bo's death, the Dugu clan tried to harvest herbs but were driven off by Tang Sect disciples.
Dugu Bo's granddaughter, Dugu Yanran, confronted Tang San and demanded access.
Tang San coldly declared she wasn't Tang Sect, so she had no right.
Furious, Dugu Yanran argued it was their family's property. Tang San claimed it symbolized their friendship — a gift from Dugu Bo.
Though Dugu Yanran suspected lies, Tang San was a god. The world listened to power, not a minor clan.
Reluctantly, the Dugu clan became part of the Tang Sect.
Initially, this eased herb gathering. But when Tang San raised the criteria to only allow those who made major contributions, the Dugu clan worked hard but never gained entry.
Sometimes, others took credit for their deeds. The Haotian Sect, close to Tang San, received the honors instead.
Bitterly disappointed, the Dugu clan renounced the Tang Sect, destroyed their inherited techniques, and left — preferring to cure their poison alone than serve an unjust sect.
Since then, Tang Sect and Dugu clan became bitter rivals.
Thousands of years later, the hatred simmered, but they mostly avoided interference.
Still, between Tang Ya and Dugu Yanran, old wounds burned fiercely.
Tang Ya saw the Dugu clan as ungrateful traitors — their poison cured by Tang San's ancestor, yet they dared to betray the Tang Sect.
Dugu Yanran viewed the Tang Sect as hypocritical vampires, exploiting and discarding her clan, stealing their ancestral garden forever.
Whenever Tang Ya and Dugu Yanran met, bitter quarrels ignited, poisoning their relationship.
Now, seeing Tang Ya try to cheat her boyfriend with such shameless logic, Dugu Yanran's contempt reached unprecedented heights.
***
In the world of Douluo Dalu, beauty often stands as a quiet testament to strength and influence, yet sometimes it also becomes the battleground of pride and rivalry. Tang Ya and Dugu Yanran were both undeniable beauties—each among the top tier of maiden charm in their generation. Normally, the presence of two such stunning figures would be a feast for the eyes, even when tensions simmered between them. But no matter how sharp their opposition, it shouldn't have been so terrifying a scene.
Indeed, the crowd surrounding them found themselves silently captivated, torn between admiration and regret — it was a shame that such beauty was locked in conflict rather than harmony. But neither Tang Ya nor Dugu Yanran cared for the opinions of the onlookers; their quarrel pressed on relentlessly.
"Tang Ya, you're going too far! We've already compensated that junior disciple. Stop squeezing for more!" Dugu Yanran shouted fiercely.
Tang Ya scoffed, eyes filled with disdain. "Squeezing for more? This is just rightful compensation!"
"You're nothing but a worthless grassroots trash!"
"Poisonous snake woman!"
What began as a dispute over Huo Yuhao's losses quickly spiraled into a personal feud. The two women, like stubborn toddlers, volleyed childish insults at each other, not for reason but for wounded pride.
Amid their escalating quarrel, a calm voice cut through: "Enough. Both of you, stop this nonsense."
Both turned to see a gentle, refined young man stepping forward. This was Mu Beibei, the great-grandson of Mu En, and Tang Ya's boyfriend.
Dugu Yanran glanced at him and sneered, "What, you're here to fight for your Tang Sect's blue-haired spirit damage compensation too?"
Mu Beibei raised his hands in denial. "No, it's not about that. Xu Sanshi has already apologized and compensated Yuhao. If we, the Tang Sect, press further, it'll make us look petty."
Hearing this, Dugu Yanran nodded in agreement, thinking at last someone from Tang Sect spoke sense.
But Mu Beibei's next words brought tension back: "That said, you still destroyed my junior brother's stall. As the senior disciple of Tang Sect, I must defend my junior's dignity."
Xu Sanshi, who thought it was over, sneered, "What do you want? Your Tang Ya already stabbed me a few times with Dragon Whisker Needles — isn't that enough?"
"Not nearly!" Mu Beibei's tone turned serious. "This was my junior brother's first time selling grilled fish here. You smashed his stall — that's trampling on his dignity. A few Dragon Whisker Needles aren't enough to settle this."
"If you want us to stop pursuing this matter, then let's settle it in the Douluo Arena!"
Xu Sanshi growled, impatient, "Fine, let's fight in the arena. Let's see if you can break through my defense this time."
Just as the two prepared to head for the Douluo Arena, the previously quiet Dugu Yanran spoke up, "The Douluo Arena? Not a bad idea. But just the two of you fighting is a bit dull. After all, you two usually end in a draw."
"What's your plan, poisonous snake?" Tang Ya snapped at Dugu Yanran, hating the way she always contradicted her.
Ignoring the hostile glare, Dugu Yanran continued, "An old saying goes, husband and wife are one flesh — honor and disgrace shared alike. Though Sanshi and I are only engaged, we are essentially a couple."
"And you, Tang Ya, and Beibei are also a couple. So I propose a two-on-two Douluo battle: you and Beibei versus Sanshi and me."
The crowd, previously just watching, erupted in shock. Two-on-two battles were common in Shrek Academy, but a fight between two couples? That was another story entirely!
Beibei reluctantly agreed to Dugu Yanran's challenge.
Truth be told, Beibei wasn't optimistic about his chances. One-on-one with Xu Sanshi, he might stand a chance or at least draw. But with Dugu Yanran on the field, the odds tipped heavily toward Xu Sanshi's side.
Dugu Yanran and Xu Sanshi shared a deep bond through the Spirit Tower, and their families maintained a close relationship. Their combat synergy was exceptional — together their power far exceeded the simple sum of two fighters.
By contrast, Beibei's girlfriend, Tang Ya, was limited by her Heavenly Bluegrass Martial Soul and her modest talent. Even with Tang Sect's secret techniques, without using hidden weapons, her combat effectiveness was restricted.
So for Beibei and Tang Ya to win, outside help would be necessary.
Beibei glanced at Huo Yuhao, who understood his senior brother's plan. Though he felt a pang of guilt toward Xu Sanshi, this battle was for Tang Sect's honor — and they could not afford to lose.
At this moment, Xu Sanshi was approached by Xu Xingyu and her group, curious about the commotion.
They had been drawn by the quarrel between Dugu Yanran and Tang Ya, intending to wait until it cooled before investigating.
Upon seeing their superior Xu Xingyu, both Dugu Yanran and Xu Sanshi recounted the entire situation truthfully, with no detail spared.
After hearing everything, Xu Xingyu's expression darkened. Indeed, this was Xu Sanshi's fault. And if Huo Yuhao was dissatisfied with compensation, his demands were reasonable.
But Tang Ya's interference had complicated an already delicate matter.
Xu Xingyu sighed. "As expected from the Tang Sect — their style is always protective to the point of irrationality. But I suspect Tang Ya's real grievance is she never got to eat Huo Yuhao's grilled fish."
Others watching had similar thoughts, finding Tang Ya's actions excessive and unreasonable.
Among them, Wang Dong'er was deeply disappointed. Born in Haotian Sect, she had grown up admiring Tang Sect legends. If her clan had not submitted to the Spirit Tower, she might have sought to become a Tang Sect disciple herself.
But now, meeting the current Sect Leader only to see her act like a petty hustler?
It utterly shattered Wang Dong'er's illusions.
Xu Xingyu comforted her, "Every sect has its glorious past, but not all can sustain it. Some become blinded by their history, growing rigid and backward, unwilling to progress."
"So when judging, we must look not just at their past, but whether they can uphold that glory in the present."