Half an hour later, Xiao Tianyang returned to the rest area where Tang San and the others were waiting.
The moment he appeared, Ma Hongjun suddenly blurted out, "Tianyang, your aura feels off. Why do I sense a hint of sadness?"
Xiao Tianyang's expression darkened instantly, and he shot Ma Hongjun a glare. "Keep spouting nonsense, and I'll double your training when we get back!"
The threat immediately made Ma Hongjun shrink back, not daring to say another word.
Of course, he had no idea why his words had provoked such a reaction.
What Ma Hongjun didn't know was that Xiao Tianyang had, in fact, narrowly escaped the "sorrow of Dandan" just moments ago...
Fortunately, Qian Renxue had been merciful. She had only struck his inner thigh, and the force she used hadn't been too severe.
Otherwise, he might have needed help just to walk back.
Still, Xiao Tianyang couldn't shake off a strange feeling.
'Logically, before meeting me, Xiao Xue shouldn't have had any contact with other men. So why is her anti-harassment technique so swift, precise, and ruthless? Is this an innate talent?'
Tang San, oblivious to Xiao Tianyang's shifting expressions, approached and asked in a low voice, "Brother Tianyang, do you know anything about Edward?"
By now, they were all accustomed to Xiao Tianyang's mysterious disappearances.
Aside from Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, who occasionally inquired, the others had learned not to pry.
It wasn't that they weren't curious—at their age, such thoughts were natural.
But on one hand, they trusted him. On the other, they respected each other's secrets.
So Tang San simply asked outright—if Xiao Tianyang had been present, he would surely know.
"I know a bit, but hasn't the matter been resolved already?" Xiao Tianyang frowned slightly.
'Had something else happened while I was away?'
"The immediate issue is resolved, but a hidden danger remains," Yu Xiaogang interjected solemnly. "Several academies are jointly protesting, claiming Edward is too ruthless in battle. They're demanding his disqualification from the tournament!"
He knew Edward's true identity was Xiao Tianyang.
When Yu Xiaogang received the news, he had been furious.
He hadn't expected the Spirit Hall to let this slide—instead, it was the lower-ranked academies ganging up and pushing for action!
Their motives were obvious.
Edward was the biggest threat to them, and they wanted him out of the competition by any means necessary.
They knew even if they succeeded, they wouldn't gain anything—the championship was still beyond their reach.
But their mentality mirrored the Spirit Hall's, if not worse.
'If we can't win, we'll drag someone else down with us!'
This was why the normally composed Yu Xiaogang was seething.
These people were simply stirring trouble for the sake of it!
"Ah, no wonder the place was so lively earlier," Xiao Tianyang mused, then chuckled. "No wonder I saw Bishop Salas storming past with a face like thunder. This matter must have vexed him greatly, huh?"
Yu Xiaogang didn't understand why Xiao Tianyang seemed so unbothered, but he trusted the young man's judgment.
Seeing his calm, prepared demeanor, Yu Xiaogang relaxed slightly and explained, "At first, Bishop Salas's stance was ambiguous. I even suspected he was behind this scheme."
"But then he vehemently opposed the academies' demands, even reprimanding their team leaders. It left me baffled..."
At this point, Yu Xiaogang's eyes flickered with realization as he glanced at Xiao Tianyang.
'Could this be his doing?'
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
'It's Impossible. Without his teacher present, how could he possibly influence a Spirit Hall bishop like Salas to this extent?'
Unless Xiao Tianyang confessed, no one would ever guess the truth.
After all, only a select few knew of Qian Renxue's existence.
And Salas certainly wouldn't publicize matters involving the Spirit Hall's Elder Order.
That was likely the reason for his ashen expression.
Of course, what reassured Yu Xiaogang was that Qian Renxue had intervened on Xiao Tianyang's behalf.
Did that mean she was aligned with the Spirit Hall?
But no matter how he speculated, the truth would remain hidden unless Xiao Tianyang or Qian Renxue revealed it.
With fewer obstacles in their path, the Whitebeard team's subsequent opponents surrendered outright when facing Edward.
Thus, they advanced undefeated all the way to the finals.
However, what shocked Xiao Tianyang was Shrek Academy's first loss—not to Godwind Academy, but to Tianshui Academy!
This was far beyond his expectations.
And Tianshui Academy's hidden trump card had finally been revealed.
Xiao Tianyang had guessed wrong.
Their secret team member was a girl named Xue Wu.
What they displayed wasn't an ordinary Spirit Fusion Skill—it was a three-in-one Spirit Fusion Skill, akin to the combined power of Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong, and Flender!
This ultimate move had caught Shrek Academy completely off guard.
Even Tianshui Academy's own mentor in the stands had been stunned.
This proved one thing: Before the battle, Shui Bing'er and her teammates had never informed their mentor about the threefold fusion!
Now, sitting in the rest area, Xiao Tianyang felt a pang of frustration.
It wasn't the opponents' strength that troubled him—it was how drastically things had deviated from the original course.
'First a mutated martial soul, then spirit evolution, and now a three-in-one Spirit Fusion Skill… Why is the plot veering so far off track?'
If it were just Huo Wu, he'd understand—after all, he bore some responsibility for that.
But Huyan Li from the Elephant Armored Academy, Shui Bing'er from Tianshui Academy, and the others had no real connection to him, right?
Apart from a few exchanged words, their paths had barely crossed.
So why were the changes so extreme?
And not just any changes—these were power-ups, making the situation harder to predict.
He wasn't afraid of stronger opponents. If he dared challenge the Spirit Hall, how could he fear a few young prodigies?
But he couldn't tell if these deviations were due to his own influence or the nature of the Douluo Continent itself.
Of course, fear wasn't an option.
No matter the changes, he'd face them head-on.
Besides, ever since Miao Zhenshan's appearance, he'd stopped relying on the original plot.
This was a living Super Douluo!
If someone like him existed in the Douluo Continent's timeline, the butterfly effect would far surpass Xiao Tianyang's early interference.
And even if he wasn't intimidated by these shifts, why should Shui Bing'er and the others unsettle him?
He was just… mildly annoyed.
…
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