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"Beibei!" Tang Ya, seeing Beibei knocked out of the arena, rushed over in panic.
Upon noticing Beibei's charred, soot-covered body, her fury erupted. She glared at Yuwen Tuo and shouted, "You bastard! How dare you injure one of my Tang Sect members!"
As she spoke, Tang Ya raised her right hand, and a streak of golden light shot toward Yuwen Tuo like a bolt of lightning.
"It's Dragon Whisker Needles!" Yuwen Tuo prepared to block the attack.
But just then, an enormous golden cauldron descended from the sky, shielding Yuwen Tuo and deflecting all incoming projectiles.
"Hah!" Xiao Xiao leapt onto the cauldron with a single bound, positioning herself firmly in front of Yuwen Tuo. She glared at Tang Ya and snapped, "Hey, aren't you being a little unreasonable here? This was a fair duel! My Tuo Tuo didn't resort to any underhanded tactics—he won cleanly and squarely. Attacking him with hidden weapons right after the match is simply too much!"
"Tuo Tuo?" Yuwen Tuo broke into a cold sweat upon hearing this. Since when had he acquired such a nickname, and who on earth had come up with it?
Xiao Xiao, however, was no fool. By stepping forward to defend Yuwen Tuo now, she was not only protecting her own interests but also seizing the moment to publicly declare their close relationship.
Though Yuwen Tuo was undeniably handsome, he had always kept a low profile. With Wang Dong around, most female attention tended to gravitate toward him, leaving Xiao Xiao without much competition.
But today's events would change everything. The news that Yuwen Tuo—a mere one-ring soul master—had defeated Bei Bei, a three-ring Soul Elder renowned as the strongest attacker in the outer court and wielder of the fearsome Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, would undoubtedly spread throughout the academy and beyond.
There was no way Yuwen Tuo could remain inconspicuous after this. Xiao Xiao could already envision the influx of rivals she'd have to contend with tomorrow. Thus, it was imperative that she assert her closeness to Yuwen Tuo immediately. Hence, the affectionate nickname "Tuo Tuo" was born.
"You...!" Tang Ya pointed angrily at Xiao Xiao, ready to lash out further.
At that moment, Beibei struggled to his feet, gripping Tang Ya's arm to stop her. "Xiaoya, don't worry. I'm fine—it's just some superficial burns. Brother Yuwen even held back during the fight."
Despite his disheveled appearance, Beibei's injuries were relatively minor. His skin bore only slight scorch marks, and the blackened areas were merely soot. A quick application of burn ointment and a wash would set him right.
Yuwen Tuo understood the delicate balance of power dynamics. Though he intended to repay Shrek Academy for its six years of "kindness," now wasn't the time to escalate tensions by severely injuring Beibei. Doing so would serve no purpose other than inviting unnecessary trouble.
Beibei stepped forward and extended two small boxes toward Yuwen Tuo. "A bet is a bet. These two Profound Water Pills are yours now."
"Received!" Yuwen Tuo accepted the pills without hesitation. They were rightfully his, earned through legitimate victory; there was no need for false modesty.
"Yuwen Tuo wins!" The referee's announcement echoed through the arena, snapping everyone out of their stunned silence.
"What... That one-ring soul master actually won?"
"Yes, and what a spectacular win! No tricks or underhanded tactics—pure skill and strength."
"Damn it, there goes my money!"
The audience erupted into chaos. Some were shocked, others awestruck, and many lamented their lost bets.
Among them, Xiao Xiao was perhaps the happiest. Clinging to Yuwen Tuo's arm, she bounced excitedly. "This is great! You really did it, Yuwen Tuo! I've hit the jackpot this time!"
She had wagered six gold spirit coins, which multiplied a hundredfold. Even accounting for her usual frugality and training expenses, she wouldn't need to worry about finances for at least an entire semester.
Meanwhile, in the VIP box at the top of the stands, a green-robed elder remarked, "So that young man is Yuwen Tuo? His combat prowess is truly remarkable—even Beibei couldn't match him. Despite being suppressed by Xiaotao for six years, he still possesses such formidable abilities. Moreover, judging by his fighting style, it seems he has developed his own unique system akin to the Tang Sect's Mystic Heaven Record."
"Heh, it seems Xuanzi underestimated him once again!" another voice chuckled.
"Hmph, whatever. If Beibei hadn't exhausted so much soul power fighting Xu Sanshi earlier, and if Huo Yuhao hadn't passed out, this guy wouldn't have stood a chance!" Tang Ya pouted, unwilling to admit defeat.
Xiao Xiao might be thrilled, but she herself had suffered heavy losses.
Beibei gently tugged at Tang Ya's sleeve, shaking his head subtly to signal her to stop talking. He knew full well that as a three-ring Soul Elder, if he needed to rely on peak condition to defeat a one-ring opponent, it only proved his inferiority in actual combat ability. Furthermore, he hadn't used his full strength—not because he didn't want to, but because Yuwen Tuo had immobilized his acupoints at the start of the match, rendering him unable to do so. His loss was entirely due to his own carelessness and arrogance; how could he blame anyone else?
As for Huo Yuhao, the fact that he couldn't assist him without cheating shouldn't be a source of pride—it should be seen as a failure.
The only thing that truly pained Beibei was the loss of the two Profound Water Pills. Even for someone of his standing, they were valuable assets. After all, these pills were exclusive to the Xuanming Sect. While his family could procure them, it wouldn't come cheaply, nor as effortlessly as today.
Originally determined to avoid relying on his family, Beibei now saw no choice but to swallow his pride and ask his ancestors for assistance in obtaining another pill. Otherwise, Huo Yuhao's abysmally low innate soul power would remain a significant obstacle.
Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Yuwen Tuo calmly exited the dueling arena. His first destination was the gambling booth—after all, such a substantial sum of money couldn't simply be ignored.
To his surprise, the original bookmaker had been replaced by an elderly woman dressed in green robes.
Yuwen Tuo could sense that this elder was no ordinary person, but that was none of his concern. He was here solely for his winnings.
"Young man, challenging a three-ring Soul Elder while only possessing one ring yourself—and betting your entire fortune on your own victory—it seems you have immense confidence in your abilities," the old woman remarked.
"As a soul master, without confidence, how can one hope to reach the pinnacle?" Yuwen Tuo replied with a smile. "Honored elder, may I claim what is rightfully mine?"
The elder retrieved a gold spirit coin card from her robes and handed it to him. "Rest assured, the Lin Family conducts business with integrity. What belongs to you will never be withheld. Here you go—three million gold spirit coins."
"The Lin Family!" Yuwen Tuo inwardly mused. He already suspected who this elder was.
Lin Huiqun, one of the Elder Guardians of the Sea God Pavilion and a Super Douluo powerhouse. She was also the owner of the Treasure Pavilion in Shrek City, making her the wealthiest individual within Shrek Academy. Given her status, she likely wouldn't have appeared here unless she found him intriguing.
Lin Huiqun was known for her talent-seeking nature and skill in recruiting promising individuals. In the original storyline, she personally gifted Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong the Golden Light soul bone to strengthen their ties with Shrek Academy.
Unfortunately for her, Yuwen Tuo had no interest in her recruitment efforts.
Accepting the card, Yuwen Tuo gave a polite bow and said, "Thank you," before promptly turning away with Xiao Xiao in tow.
After all, those three million coins weren't a gift—they were winnings earned through his own daring gamble. There was no reason to feel indebted to her like Huo Yuhao had been.
Watching Yuwen Tuo's retreating figure, Lin Huiqun murmured softly, "This young man possesses a calm demeanor indeed. It remains to be seen how far you'll rise under Xiaotao's suppression..."