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Tang San having three of his fingers severed by Overlord Douluo was a moment of great satisfaction for many. However, some felt that it wasn't enough—Overlord Douluo should have just killed Tang San with a single strike!
But for someone like Li Luochen, who enjoyed the entertainment value of such events, this outcome was just right. Tang San's most skilled hidden weapon techniques relied heavily on his fingers for precision aiming, especially his index and middle fingers.
Now, even if Tang San could still launch high-end hidden weapons, their accuracy would be severely compromised. Crafting intricate mechanical hidden weapons would also become nearly impossible. After all, Tang San had always relied on his fully intact five fingers to throw hidden weapons since his previous life.
Decades of painstaking practice were now rendered useless. Imagining Tang San attempting to throw hidden weapons using only his thumb and ring finger was laughable.
It was hard to imagine how much of a blow this would be to Tang San. After all, not everyone could remain resilient despite physical disabilities—and let's not forget, his teacher wasn't exactly a paragon of resilience either. It would be interesting to see what kind of "entertainment" Tang San would provide in the future.
"The match is over! Tian Dou Imperial Team wins!"
Although the Tian Dou Imperial Team emerged victorious, they paid a heavy price. Auxiliary member Ru Si Yi had expended too much mental energy, and the other members sustained various injuries. Tang San, in particular, was in critical condition.
At this point, three teams had advanced to the finals: Shrek Academy, Spirit Hall Academy, and Tian Dou Royal Team.
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Nighttime, at the hotel of the Tian Dou Imperial Team
Tang San slowly regained consciousness, feeling excruciating pain throughout his body. As he struggled to sit up, he realized he could no longer feel three of his fingers.
Alarmed, Tang San quickly used his soul power to tear off the bandages on his hands. His right hand was missing its index and middle fingers, while his left hand was missing its index finger.
"AAAAHHHHH! My fingers! Damn Spirit Hall! Without my fingers, how can I use the Tang Sect's hidden weapons?!
How can I craft weapons to fight the Spirit Hall?! Damn Spirit Hall! You've obstructed my path and killed my father—you must all die!"
Tang San could do nothing but rage impotently. From the shadows, Li Luochen watched with great amusement. He had arrived early to enjoy Tang San's humiliation.
When Li Luochen arrived, Tang San was unconscious. Suddenly, an idea struck him—the 'Xuan Tian Record'! Did Tang San have a copy of it?
Li Luochen began rummaging through Tang San's "Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlight," and sure enough, he found it: 'Hidden Weapons Explained', 'Xuan Tian Record', 'Poison Scriptures of the Tang Sect', and detailed blueprints for Tang San's three strongest mechanical hidden weapons—the 'Buddha's Wrath Lotus', 'Rain of Pear Blossoms', and 'Peacock Plume'.
There were also designs for the 'Zhuge Crossbow' and the 'Mother-and-Child Soul-Seizing Pill'.
The 'Xuan Tian Record' contained the ultimate teachings of the Tang Sect: 'Xuan Tian Gong', 'Purple Extreme Demon Eyes, 'Jade Hand Technique', 'Crane Control Dragon Capture', and 'Ghost Shadow Perplexing Tracks'.
However, Tang San was cunning. The text wasn't written in the script of Douluo Continent but in an ancient script resembling traditional Chinese characters.
Li Luochen needed to study it carefully to translate Tang San's secrets. After skimming through the contents, he focused on 'Xuan Tian Gong', particularly whether it included information about the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.
Tang San did include some details, though the characters were difficult to decipher, the numbers were clear enough.
Since 'Xuan Tian Gong' could be simplified, it meant the rest of the content was complete. Li Luochen planned to disseminate 'Xuan Tian Gong' across the continent via the Spirit Hall, ensuring that Tang San would lose his advantage.
As for Li Luochen's self-created 'The Limitless Universe Technique', though it sounded impressive, it still had some flaws. Li Luochen intended to refine it further by incorporating elements from 'Xuan Tian Gong'.
Li Luochen's night had been highly productive. With a satisfied smirk, he teleported away. Tang San, now stripped of his core knowledge, was no longer of interest to him. Anything else Tang San possessed was irrelevant.
After Li Luochen left, Tang San raged for a while before calming down. He retrieved a brocade pouch from his "Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlight." This was a soul-guiding device capable of storing living creatures, given to him by Yu Xiaogang.
From the pouch, Tang San pulled out a large green "mushroom"?
"Sixth-rank Green Lingzhi—it's time to use it. Its medicinal properties should help heal my damaged meridians."
After regaining his composure, Tang San realized his body was riddled with injuries that required immediate treatment. When obtaining his fourth soul ring, he had been incredibly lucky to stumble upon a sixth-rank Green Lingzhi. While others might mistake it for a mere mushroom, Tang San's sharp eyes recognized its true value.
After plucking it, a thirty-thousand-year Earth Demon Spider emerged from the ground. Fortunately, Zhi Lin, a Soul Conqueror, drove it away, allowing Tang San to successfully claim this heavenly treasure.
After consuming the Green Lingzhi, Tang San's body first emitted a green glow, followed by a bluish-golden light. His internal and external injuries slowly began to heal, though his missing fingers did not regenerate.
Unfortunately, Tang San's injuries were far too severe. Years of intense training had already caused significant internal damage, which, though partially treated, still lingered. Now, combined with the backlash from the True Weapon Spirit Form and fusion skills, his condition was beyond what the Green Lingzhi could heal.
Moreover, Tang San had followed Yu Xiaogang's misguided theory of absorbing poison-type soul rings, which corrupted his Blue Silver Emperor bloodline and reduced his self-healing ability.
Though Tang San felt fine, his latent injuries remained, accumulating within his body, waiting for the proverbial straw to break the camel's back.
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The next day, in front of the Pope's Palace
The three teams stood beneath the Pope's Palace. At first glance, all three teams appeared to be in good condition. Aside from Ru Si Yi's pale complexion, the Tian Dou Imperial Team looked strong, with Tang San leading them, his face rosy and full of vitality.
The finals were imminent—they were just one step away from claiming the championship.
The bright sunlight illuminated the land, making the Pope's Palace gleam with golden brilliance, resembling a divine residence.
In front of the Pope's Palace, two rows of temple knights stretched from the palace gates down the mountain. Clad in silvery armor and wielding heavy swords, they added to the solemnity of the scene.
The eliminated teams had already departed and were not permitted to watch the final battle. Only the truly young and powerful were allowed to stand on the square before the Pope's Palace.
Early in the morning, the three teams that had advanced to the finals appeared silently before the Pope's Palace, waiting patiently. The teachers of the three academies were not allowed to stand on the square and could only wait from the sidelines.
Led by Ma Hongjun and Oscar, the Shrek Academy team appeared relaxed and unassuming, blending into the background without drawing attention.
The Spirit Hall Academy team, led by Xie Yue and Hu Liena, looked the most composed. Their eyes, however, shone with the light of faith—faith in the Spirit Hall and in the Pope.
Hu Liena, however, couldn't help but feel disheartened when she didn't see Li Luochen among the Shrek Academy teachers.
The square before the Pope's Palace was no smaller than the competition arenas used earlier. The square's surface was paved with special stone blocks, each emitting a faint, luminous glow.
Though not actual jade, these stones far surpassed ordinary rock in quality, showcasing the immense wealth of the Spirit Hall.
A group of twelve red-robed bishops, second only to the Platinum Cardinal, emerged from a side door of the Pope's Palace. They walked solemnly to the palace gates and split into two groups of six on either side.
The leader announced loudly, "His Holiness, the Pope, has arrived!"
"Long live! Long live! Long live!" The knights' voices echoed thunderously.
The massive palace doors slowly opened, revealing six emblems engraved on the doors gradually shifting out of alignment.
A breathtaking figure stepped out, clad head-to-toe in a resplendent golden gown, wearing a purple-gold crown, and holding a scepter. Bibi Dong, her expression solemn, emerged first from the Pope's Palace.
She exuded an ethereal presence, as if towering infinitely above all.
Behind her followed seven individuals. Six of them wore crimson robes, distinct from the solid red of the bishops. Their robes were adorned with intricate gold and silver patterns, and on their chests sparkled gemstones the size of an infant's fist, radiating opulence.
To ordinary people, these robes symbolized nobility, but to soul masters, they represented the highest honor. Only Title Douluos were permitted to wear such attire, clearly indicating the status of these six individuals.
Among them were familiar faces: two elders of the Spirit Hall, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, standing to Bibi Dong's left. Next to them were Ning Fengzhi, the master of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Sect, and Sword Douluo, the sect's guardian elder.
On the far right stood Wind Owl Douluo Flender , who had previously displayed a ten-thousand-year soul ring in the Tian Dou arena, and beside him was the newly appointed master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, Yu Luomian, the new Thunder Douluo.
These were all legendary figures, well-known to any knowledgeable soul master.
But the most jaw-dropping sight was the young man standing to Bibi Dong's right. He wore two-toned attire—a crimson elder's robe over a dark blue teaching uniform of Shrek Academy.
The young man was strikingly handsome, with long black hair tied into a ponytail that shimmered with nine gradient colors. His warm smile gave him an air of effortless charm.
This young man was none other than the leader of the Shrek Academy team—Li Luochen!
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