In a cave deep within a mountain range, Tang Hao had finally suppressed the soul power turbulence caused by Chen Xin. He exhaled a heavy breath, his expression complex, before letting out a cold snort.
"If it weren't for the severe injuries and lingering ailments I've suffered, mere sword energy wouldn't have been able to affect me at all."
As he spoke, Tang Hao's rugged face showed a hint of gloom. Yes, no matter how much he boasted, the fact remained that he was burdened with hidden injuries and had been forced to live like a rat in the shadows.
Jerry: "??? I feel attacked."
The events of that year had even led to the sealing of his clan. The once-great number one clan on the continent had vanished overnight.
Tang Hao's eyes flickered. Although he had recovered enough to unleash about 70-80% of his strength, he couldn't be sure when the hidden injuries in his body would flare up again.
'Can I still protect Xiao San and ensure he grows up safely?' Tang Hao wasn't entirely confident.
'Forget it. I'll go find Xiao San first and make sure no one bullies him. If the day comes when I can no longer protect him, I'll have to swallow my pride and seek help from my elder brother.'
Tang Hao's face showed a mix of pain and determination before he vanished into a shadowy blur.
At the small village where Shrek Academy was located, Tang Hao found the once half-village-sized academy completely empty. Confusion filled his eyes.
Where did my big son go???
——
Shen An stared at Dugu Bo in shock. What kind of nonsense was this?
"Senior Dugu, this isn't appropriate. Miss Dugu already has someone she loves, and their relationship is very strong," Shen An said helplessly.
Earlier that morning, when they arrived at Heaven Dou Academy, Zhu Zhuqing had warned him to behave. And now, the Poison Douluo was pulling this stunt.
Over the past few days, Shen An had come to understand Zhu Zhuqing's feelings. However, Zhu Zhuqing was still too young, barely thirteen years old. Regardless of her physical maturity, her age was a hard limit.
As someone with modern sensibilities, Shen An couldn't allow himself to act on such feelings. But until Zhu Zhuqing came of age, Shen An could remain chaste for her sake.
"That's true. What a pity. You saved my granddaughter's life. It would have been fitting for her to repay you with her hand in marriage," Dugu Bo said regretfully.
It wasn't that he was in a hurry to marry off his granddaughter. It was just that he had witnessed Shen An effortlessly defeat Dai Mubai with a single sword strike earlier. Dai Mubai was a level 40 Soul Ancestor!
Yet, Shen An had sent him flying with a casual swing. Not to mention Shen An's soul rings—one yellow and two purple, breaking the conventional limits.
In Dugu Bo's eyes, Shen An was destined to become a Titled Douluo. What many soul masters spent their entire lives striving for was merely Shen An's starting point.
Of course, Dugu Bo didn't know that Tom had "painted" Shen An's third soul ring. If he had discovered that Shen An's third soul ring was already at the ten-thousand-year level, Dugu Bo might have drugged Shen An and forced him into a relationship with his granddaughter.
After all, this was the Douluo Continent, where strength reigned supreme. Who wouldn't want a powerful and reliable partner for their descendants?
Seeing that Shen An had no interest in the matter, Dugu Bo didn't press further. He lived by his own whims, and his suggestion had been nothing more than a passing thought upon seeing Shen An's potential.
"So, you're the miraculous cat that saved my granddaughter," Dugu Bo said, looking at Tom with curiosity.
Tom immediately puffed out its chest, waving its paw as if to say it was no big deal.
Jerry, watching Tom's smug display, couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. It made a series of clicking sounds with its tongue, as if mocking Tom's self-importance.
Shen An couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. These two were always trying to one-up each other.
Dugu Bo was amazed by Tom and Jerry. In his decades of life, he had never seen such intelligent cats and mice. Even seventy or eighty-thousand-year soul beasts might not compare.
As for hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, Dugu Bo had never seen one, but he had heard their intelligence rivaled that of humans.
"Kid, this isn't the best place to talk. Come, you saved my granddaughter. I owe you a proper thank-you. Let's go drink."
"Wait, Senior, I need to wait for my friends."
"Don't worry. Heaven Dou Royal Academy is safe. Let's go. We won't stop until we're drunk."
Before Shen An could protest, Dugu Bo grabbed him and vanished. There was no resisting a Titled Douluo.
In the most luxurious restaurant in Heaven Dou City, a table was laden with delicacies. The room, large enough to seat twenty or thirty people, was occupied by only two humans, a cat, and a mouse.
Whether they could finish the food didn't matter. What mattered was the grandeur, a display of Dugu Bo's respect for Shen An.
"Come, Shen An, let's drink," Dugu Bo said, raising his glass without a hint of arrogance.
Shen An could only smile wryly and clink glasses with him. Although Shen An wasn't fond of alcohol, he couldn't refuse the enthusiasm of a Titled Douluo.
As the wine flowed, Dugu Bo casually asked, "Shen An, was it really your cat that cured my granddaughter, or did you use the cat as a cover to detoxify her yourself?"
"I have to admit, this cat is incredibly clever, but I find it hard to believe it could cure my granddaughter's innate poison."
At that moment, Jerry, hearing Dugu Bo praise Tom, viciously bit into the roasted meat in its paws. The jealousy was palpable. Hearing Tom being praised felt worse than being beaten itself.
As Dugu Bo spoke, he glanced at Tom, who was devouring the food on the table. Suddenly, he noticed that more than half the dishes had disappeared.
'That's odd. I ordered enough food for forty people, let alone four.' Dugu Bo thought he must be drunk and rubbed his eyes.
But then he saw the cat swallowing a roasted pig four or five times its size. Despite its tiny mouth, the pig slid down its throat effortlessly.
In an instant, the small cat's throat bulged, and it transformed into a chubby version of itself. Then, it reached into its throat and pulled out a complete pig skeleton.
Dugu Bo was speechless. Despite his vast experience, he had never seen anything like this.
"Burp—"
"I don't know how to detoxify. It really was Tom. Oh, and now there's Jerry. Jerry can probably do it too," Shen An said, hiccuping slightly.
"Tom? Jerry?"
"Oh, Tom's the cat, and Jerry's the little mouse."
Dugu Bo's mouth twitched as he forced a compliment. "Those names... are quite unique."
——
In the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, Xue Qinghe listened to Meng Shenji's complaints with a strange expression.
"So, Elder Meng, you're saying that Shrek Academy came to join us, but because they targeted a boy named Shen An, they provoked Dugu Bo. Then, Prince Xue Xing intervened and forced Shrek to leave Heaven Dou?"
Meng Shenji smiled bitterly. "Your Highness, that's exactly what happened."
Xue Qinghe's expression remained calm. "Alright, I understand. You can file a complaint against Xue Xing. As for Shrek Academy, there's no need to recruit them further."
"Your Highness, Tang San is an exceptional talent. I urge you to personally recruit him."
Xue Qinghe raised an eyebrow. "Elder Meng, I've been to Soto City. Their reputation isn't great. I think you've been misled."
"This..." Meng Shenji was at a loss for words.
After Meng Shenji left, Xue Qinghe suddenly laughed. Despite his male appearance, there was an inexplicable, captivating beauty to his smile.
"Shen An, how interesting. You managed to get the reclusive Poison Douluo to act on your behalf. I'm becoming more and more interested in recruiting you."