Douluo: Starting with an Engagement to Zhu Zhuqing

Chapter 198: Chapter 198: The End of the Preliminary Rounds



Chapter 198: The End of the Preliminary Rounds

On the arena floor, Tang San could feel the venom coursing through his body and was terrified. He quickly activated his Mysterious Heaven Technique to slow the poison's progression toward his vital organs, channeling his internal energy as his hands turned an icy, jade-like color, radiating cold.

He reached into the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges pouch at his waist, pulling out several silver needles, which he swiftly inserted into his acupoints. Frozen in place, like a statue, he concentrated deeply, and a moment later, spat out a mouthful of black blood.

Hiss—

The black blood sizzled as it splattered on the floor, rapidly corroding the stone and leaving a large hole. Seeing this, Tang San felt a mix of relief and fear, his back soaked in cold sweat at the thought of what a moment's delay would have cost him.

"If I'd been even a second slower, I'd be dead beyond rescue!"

Raising his head, he stared coldly at Dai Yao, his gaze filled with resentment and loathing.

"What a venomous heart—using poison in a face-to-face fight to sneak attack me. Does he intend to kill me?"

"What hatred does he have against me to go to such ruthless lengths?"

A flash of resolve gleamed in his eyes.

"Mysterious Heaven Record, Rule #3: Once you identify an opponent as an enemy, if he has chosen the path of death, do not show mercy—doing so will only cause trouble for yourself."

"This person… has indeed chosen the path of death!"

Dai Yao looked down at him indifferently. "Still not going to surrender?"

After a hard-fought battle, his clothes slightly disheveled but his aura unshaken, Dai Yao's commanding presence had stunned everyone.

Tang San glanced around, his heart sinking. With the purple mist now cleared, he saw his Shrek teammates on the ground beneath him, looking back at him with a mix of shame, respect, and resignation. Meanwhile, the seven members of the Oakland team surrounded him alongside Dai Yao, their spirit rings glowing brightly.

Tang San's spirit power was depleted, and his body was weakened by Dai Yao's venom, making him feel increasingly desperate. The difference in strength between them made victory feel impossible.

"Do you, Tang San, representing Shrek Academy, admit defeat?" the referee asked, approaching him.

For a moment, the air in the arena went silent, as if time had frozen, and every eye turned to Tang San, awaiting his answer.

Hearing this, Tang San looked up at the distant sun in the sky, feeling dazed. Though this was only a competition, he had the distinct sense that losing this match would mean losing something far greater.

The words "I surrender" were stuck in his throat, but after the referee asked once more, Tang San clenched his teeth, his forehead veins throbbing, as he finally nodded with all his strength.

The referee's voice rang out across the arena through the amplifying soul device: "Round 27 of the Preliminary Round, final match—Oakland wins! Shrek loses!"

Thunderous applause and deafening cheers erupted as every spectator rose to their feet, honoring both teams with their applause. In the VIP box, the most distinguished guests also nodded in respect, clapping their hands.

Emperor Xue Ye nodded approvingly, smiling. "This match was intense from start to finish, a display of wits and strategy. Truly, one of the most spectacular matches of the tournament."

Ning Fengzhi also smiled. "Congratulations, Your Majesty. So many outstanding talents have emerged within the Empire."

Emperor Xue Ye sighed. "Ah, Sect Master Ning, while the tournament has showcased many talents, the two brightest stars of all—Tang San and Dai Yao—are out of my reach. No matter how excellent the others are, I cannot savor it."

Ning Fengzhi agreed. "Indeed. Dai Yao and Tang San are the two most brilliant talents of this year's tournament. Tang San belongs to the Clear Sky Clan, and Dai Yao has already pledged his loyalty to the Spirit Hall. A pity, truly."

As Salas heard the announcement of Oakland's victory, he nodded with satisfaction, looking at Dai Yao with an expression of deep pride. Then his gaze shifted to Tang San, and the warm smile he had worn turned cold and sharp.

"A twin spirit, the second such existence on the continent, and a descendant of the rebel Clear Sky Clan. He must not be allowed to grow stronger," Salas thought. "Thanks to Dai Yao, Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer was forced out. If he had been allowed to keep hiding and growing stronger, the consequences would be unimaginable."

A steely glint appeared in Salas's eyes. "I must send this information to the Supreme Pontiff at once."

Meanwhile, in the contestant rest area, the eliminated teams applauded Oakland and Shrek in admiration, while the teams that had either advanced or still had a chance of advancing wore solemn expressions.

Oakland's overwhelming strength—and particularly Dai Yao's—left them with no hope of resistance. And Shrek's unexpected rise only heightened the fierce competition to come.

In Shrek's resting area, hearing the referee declare Shrek's defeat, Yu Xiaogang's face turned ashen, and his body slumped. Fortunately, Liu Erlong caught him, concern in her voice.

"Xiao Gang, are you alright?"

After a while, Yu Xiaogang rubbed his temples, his voice weak. "I'm fine."

Watching them, Flender could only shake his head in silence.

Seeing Yu Xiaogang recovering, Liu Erlong suddenly slammed her fist onto the table, startling everyone as she shouted, "That Dai Yao wasn't competing—he was out to kill! He used poison and left Xiao Wu in that state. I swear, I'll make him pay!"

She now saw Xiao Wu as her goddaughter and was devastated by her injuries, her anger flaring up as she thought of how Dai Yao had harmed her.

Flender quickly tried to calm her. "Erlong, try to stay calm. Yes, they're injured, but Oakland's headmaster is a Contra. Xiao Gang, please help me here."

Yu Xiaogang sighed. "Erlong, let it go. Their backing is too strong. Spirit Hall supports them, and they would never give us a second thought. If you attack Dai Yao, it'll be a death sentence."

"Our top priority now is to help our students recover and prepare for the advancement round."

Reluctantly, Liu Erlong clenched her fists before finally releasing them, her anger subsiding.

On the arena stage, Oakland's team members gathered together, celebrating their victory. Even the typically composed Feng Qianli struggled to contain his excitement.

Had Dai Yao not joined Oakland, he would have been the strongest member, capable of leading Oakland as a mainstay even against elite teams like the Royal Battle Team. Yet Oakland had always been a mid-tier team, lacking a true edge among the competitors.

But this year, with Dai Yao's strength and leadership, they had finally stepped into the spotlight, advancing undefeated in the preliminary rounds

 

On the tournament stage, Tang San felt the poison coursing through his body and was horrified. He immediately activated his Mysterious Heaven Technique to slow the spread of the venom toward his internal organs, circulating his inner energy as his hands turned a jade-like color, emitting a frosty aura. He reached into his Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges pouch, quickly inserting silver needles into his acupoints. After a few moments of stillness, he spat out a mouthful of black blood.

Hiss—

The black blood sizzled as it hit the ground, rapidly corroding the surface until it created a large hole. Realizing how close he'd been to death, Tang San broke into a cold sweat.

"If I had been any slower… not even a god could've saved me!" Raising his head, he looked coldly at Dai Yao, a flash of resentment in his eyes.

"This guy… to use poison in a straightforward battle, trying to end my life—what kind of grudge could he have against me?"

A steely look of determination flashed across his face as he thought of a saying from the Mysterious Heaven Record: "Once an opponent is determined to be an enemy, show no mercy if they tread the path of death. Otherwise, they will only bring trouble later."

At that moment, Dai Yao stood with his teammates, accepting their congratulations, but his attention was fixed on Tang San, who was being helped by his Shrek comrades. He frowned slightly, thinking, "The venom from the White Tiger Eight Wings couldn't kill you? It was supposed to be lethal…"

He had hoped the poison would end Tang San once and for all. In the original timeline, just a single scrape from the Eight Spider Lances had left Ma Hongjun on the brink of death. But even with all of that, Tang San had survived. As his soul power surged within, Dai Yao felt a sudden urge to use his second martial spirit to end Tang San for good, to eliminate any future threat he might pose.

Yet, after considering it for a moment, Dai Yao suppressed the idea. He recalled vaguely that Tang Hao had secretly protected Tang San during the competition, only revealing himself after Shrek Academy's victory at the Spirit City tournament. If he acted now, even if he managed to kill Tang San, Tang Hao would likely retaliate. Moreover, to attack Tang San openly in front of everyone would create a scandal, making him a target of widespread scorn.

After a long pause, Dai Yao sighed, unclenching his fists. His gaze softened from cold to indifferent as he looked at Tang San's back, thinking, "Tang San, today I'll let you live. But if I can defeat you now, you will never pose a true threat to me in the future."

As Dai Mubai helped him off the stage, Tang San sensed the icy gaze from behind but didn't turn around. He knew who was watching. Remembering the poison he'd coughed up, he felt a flash of foreboding but also a sense of strange familiarity.

"What kind of poison was that? Even the poisons in the Tang Sect manuals from my past life don't record anything like it. Could it be a unique toxin of the Douluo Continent?"

Then a realization dawned on him. "That was the venom of the Man-Faced Demon Spider! No wonder the wings on Dai Yao's back looked familiar—they resemble the spider's eight legs. And, since they carry the same poison, those wings must be an evolved form of the Man-Faced Demon Spider's external spirit bone!"

"If I get a chance to kill him, I could seize that external spirit bone. The spider's spirit bone would be the perfect complement to my third ring!"

Little did Tang San know, Dai Yao's spirit bone was already fully integrated, and killing him wouldn't produce a spirit bone drop.

Upon returning to the rest area, Tang San felt the exhaustion begin to fade, thanks to Ning Rongrong and Oscar's assistance. At that moment, Xiao Wu stirred and slowly woke up. Dai Yao had battered her with relentless lightning; if not for her invincible Golden Body, she might have been mortally wounded. As she came to, her ears rang with the sound of the crowd's cheers, and her returning awareness brought with it a deep sense of sadness.

Looking up at the triumphant Dai Yao on the stage, Xiao Wu felt a sorrow as intense as the day her mother died. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she muttered to herself. "It was just a competition. Winning or losing doesn't matter… but why does it feel so painful?"

Tang San gently steadied her. "Xiao Wu, don't get up just yet. Rest."

"Third Brother… we lost, didn't we?" Xiao Wu asked, disbelief in her voice.

Tang San clenched his fists, unable to look at her. "Yes… I'm sorry, Xiao Wu. I couldn't avenge you."

Her eyes softened, and she gave him a small smile. "Idiot. It's enough that you're here with me."

Tang San's chest tightened, filled with both gratitude and frustration. He hated himself for not being able to protect Xiao Wu. As she glanced back at the victorious Dai Yao, a wave of dread crept into her heart, sensing he would bring nothing but endless pain.

With the preliminary round now complete, the top five teams were about to receive their qualification certificates. Although the arena had suffered considerable damage during the fight between Tang San and Dai Yao, it was quickly restored thanks to earth-element soul masters prepared for such occasions.

The award ceremony was brief. Following the host's introduction, the top five teams stepped onto the stage to receive their prizes from the VIPs. There was no question about the top three rankings: Oakland, Godwind, and Blaze. However, the last two spots sparked debate. The teams of Shrek, Tianshui, and Thunder all held identical records of 27 matches and 23 wins each, with Thunder having lost to both Shrek and Tianshui.

The Thunder Academy's strength hadn't changed much compared to the original story, but their scores suffered significantly after Dai Yao's brutal attack, which had left many of their main members severely injured and unable to compete for a long time. Shrek and Tianshui took full advantage of Thunder's weakened state to defeat them.

After reviewing the matches, the referees declared Thunder eliminated despite their protests.

The final five teams to advance were: Oakland, Godwind, Blaze, Shrek, and Tianshui.

Seeing this familiar yet altered scene, Dai Yao couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia. To think that Thunder Academy would be eliminated, and Shrek would still advance.

As soon as he stepped onto the stage, Dai Yao felt countless gazes converging on him. The other four advancing teams looked at him with awe. His performance in the preliminary rounds had conquered the hearts of even the most talented competitors. Even the fiery-tempered Huo Wu held back her usual brashness; although Dai Yao had never truly defeated her head-on, she couldn't help but feel frustrated.

Scanning the faces around him, Dai Yao noticed that none of his former opponents dared to meet his gaze for long, each looking away after only a brief glance.

The ceremony then followed the same events as in the original story: the award of ten thousand gold spirit coins and Emperor Xue Ye's speech. However, to everyone's surprise, Emperor Xue Ye granted the captains and vice-captains of each team the title of Viscount, and the other members the rank of Baron, with real territories attached. The crowd was taken aback by this announcement.

Emperor Xue Ye then switched off the sound amplifying soul device, his gaze intense as he looked directly at Dai Yao and Tang San.

"Dai Yao, Tang San, I have a special offer for the two of you. If you pledge yourselves to the Heaven Dou Empire, I will grant you each the rank of Count along with real territories. Furthermore, you may each choose a spirit beast under thirty thousand years as you see fit."

Hearing this, the soul masters from the various teams looked on with envy. In both the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire, noble ranks were divided into five levels: Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, and Baron. A Count title with land was enough to make anyone envious. And the freedom to choose any spirit beast under thirty thousand years would make even the most seasoned soul masters green with envy.

All eyes now fell on Dai Yao and Tang San, awaiting their decision.

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