External Soul Bone!
Everyone's eyes widened as they turned toward Tang San.
Is this really something a three-ring Soul Ancestor can bring out?
The audience was buzzing with anticipation.
In the resting room, Yu Xiaogang and the others were burning with anxiety.
"No, absolutely not!"
Flender paced back and forth, his face full of worry. "Forcefully removing the soul bone could kill him. Even if he survives, his soul power will definitely take a huge hit!"
Yu Xiaogang didn't speak, but his expression was heavy with concern. Tang San was the disciple who could validate his name, and, being Tang Hao's son, if he was seriously hurt or killed because of this, Yu Xiaogang would be in deep trouble.
But this bet had been made in front of so many people. With the other party's identity, how could they back out now?
What to do?
Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but ask himself, holding the token Tang Hao had left him, feeling a bit lost.
"Damn it, this is too much. Li Yu must have come for Little San's external soul bone. She set up this whole trap on purpose!" Zhao Wuji gritted his teeth, red-faced with anger. "Why don't we reveal Little San's identity? That would stop them from making a move!"
Both Yu Xiaogang and the others went silent at his suggestion.
Revealing Tang San's identity might stop the other side from taking the soul bone, but it would also tarnish Tang Hao's reputation. In the end, they would still be the ones to suffer.
While Yu Xiaogang and the others hesitated, Tang San, lying like a worm on the ground, trembled upon hearing this.
He had already revealed his identity earlier, but Li Yu remained unmoved.
He knew all too well the consequences of having the soul bone forcibly removed, and he certainly didn't want that to happen!
"I haven't lost yet!" Tang San struggled to speak in a hoarse voice.
His voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet arena, it echoed loudly.
Everyone turned their attention to him, wondering why he was so stubborn and if he had something else up his sleeve.
Li Yu quietly watched him, not intervening, just observing. If Tang San wanted punishment, she was more than happy to oblige.
"Ugh~" Tang San let out a strange screech as his body twisted unnaturally.
But his limbs were still bound by the willow branches, and he couldn't stand.
Then, in a bizarre twist, spider legs shot out from his back!
In moments, eight spider legs hit the ground, lifting the bound Tang San. Although it looked disturbing, at least he wasn't squirming on the ground anymore.
"I haven't lost yet!" Tang San's eyes were bloodshot, glaring fiercely at Li Yu.
"This is… Tang San doesn't have a spider martial soul, does he?"
"Dual martial souls?"
"Wow, dual martial souls? No wonder he's so strong at such a young age!"
The crowd in the stands buzzed, confused, thinking these spider legs were another manifestation of Tang San's martial soul.
Li Yu narrowed her eyes, not looking at Meng Shenji but addressing him. "It seems Tang San doesn't intend to honor the previous bet. Since that's the case, I'll take it myself."
After a pause, she continued, "But, as a four-ring Soul Sect, if something happens, I won't be responsible! I ask Chief Meng to witness this."
Li Yu spoke calmly, but her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.
The reason? She had the upper hand here, but she needed everyone to witness what was about to happen. That way, if Tang Hao came looking for excuses to target her or Qian Renxue, she would have a solid defense.
Her strength had grown quickly, but there was still a massive gap between her and Tang Hao, and she couldn't afford to act recklessly. This was also why she hadn't killed Tang San outright.
Of course, keeping him alive to torment him more was also a good choice.
Upon hearing Li Yu's words, Meng Shenji's mouth twitched, but in the end, he didn't try to stop her.
Li Yu didn't need an answer from him; she was just going through the motions.
The next moment, she stepped forward toward Tang San, the willow branches clearing the path. Despite being just a four-ring Soul Sect, Li Yu radiated the aura of an overwhelming powerhouse.
"Sis, so cool!"
"So awesome!"
"Wow, she's amazing!"
The crowd in the stands erupted in praise.
As Li Yu drew closer, Tang San felt fear rising in his chest. But he couldn't accept having his external soul bone taken away, so he forced himself to glare at Li Yu, thinking that this might give him some strength.
"You want to die that badly, huh? I'll fulfill your wish!" Li Yu's cold voice rang out, and she released the willow branches binding Tang San.
Tang San's feet hit the ground, and everyone saw that his tendons had been severed.
They froze, realizing just how ruthless Li Yu was.
"You can't kill me!" Tang San's pupils constricted. He spoke again, "You don't dare kill me!"
Li Yu didn't respond. Instead, with a simple thought, the willow branches lifted him, and she slowly approached him.
Her hands extended outward. In her right hand, crimson flames ignited, and in her left, a sky-blue water sphere began to form.
The crowd looked on in confusion, and then began speculating.
"Water and fire, plus wood—could it be that Miss Li Yu controls three elements?"
"Wow, this is definitely a top-tier martial soul!"
"Exactly, a martial soul like this is probably just as powerful as those world-renowned ones!"
"I remember Senior Yu Tianheng's martial soul is the [Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus], I wonder what he thinks of this?"
The crowd buzzed with excitement. Meanwhile, in the resting room, Yu Tianheng also watched the scene unfold, his expression serious.
"Miss Li Yu's martial soul is probably on par with the [Blue Electric Tyrannosaurus]!" he said.
Shi Mo and the others stared in disbelief. Dugu Yan, however, smiled slightly. "This is just the beginning."
In the arena, Li Yu's hands, now outstretched, began to close. The blazing fire and chilling water merged together.
What the crowd didn't see was that inside her palms, the [Water Fire Element Cube] was undergoing fission and reorganization!
"You!" Tang San felt a terrifying sense of danger from Li Yu's hands.
At first, he thought Li Yu was being reckless, trying to combine two completely opposing elements. It seemed like a suicidal move.
But to his shock, the fusion was incredibly smooth!
So smooth, in fact, that it felt like Li Yu herself was made of both fire and water, as if neither element could harm the other!
This reminded him of the records in Tang Sect's secret manual. If he could find "Fiery Apricot Blossoms" and "Eight-Cornered Ice Grass" and consume them, he could cultivate a "Golden Body"—a body invulnerable to both fire and water!
Unfortunately, such opportunities were rare, and even if he encountered them, success was never guaranteed.
But now, he realized that the opportunity he had longed for, Li Yu had already obtained, and it was the one that should have been his.
"You crazy fool!" Tang San cursed in his mind.
At that moment, he saw the fiery red and sky-blue fire-water flower floating toward him.
He had no confidence that he could withstand this attack. If hit, he would either die or be gravely injured!
Desperately, he activated his [Eight Spider Spears] and quickly retreated, trying to dodge the fire-water flower.
Meng Shenji saw this and his expression shifted.
The power of the "fire-water flower" was equivalent to a full-force strike from a five-ring Soul King! If it landed on Tang San, he would be reduced to dust in an instant!
Meng Shenji didn't want that to happen at the Heaven Dou Empire Royal Academy, so he immediately prepared to intervene.
But just then, he felt a powerful spiritual force pressing down on him, preventing him from interfering.
Confused, he followed the sensation and saw a young figure standing in the stands, with another figure silently beside them. The figure gave him an overwhelming sense of oppression.
But their face was hidden by a hood, leaving their identity a mystery.
Still, considering their status, it wasn't surprising that such a powerful figure was protecting them.
However, when did such a powerful figure appear within the royal family?
Meng Shenji was puzzled but remained silent.
Facing this situation, he knew exactly how to protect himself.
He... saw nothing.