Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends.

On the arena, two teams were fiercely battling it out. The light of their soul rings flashed continuously, and the sounds of collisions, whooshing, and the cheers of the audience mingled together, creating an incredibly exciting atmosphere.

But Lin Wan only watched for a short while before losing interest and leaning back in her chair.

In his opinion, the level of play on the field was indeed rather average.

The two teams that fought each other had an average soul power of around level 35, with the highest-ranking soul master being only level 38.

The tactics were simple, but the coordination was clumsy, and the use of soul skills was lacking.

In his eyes, there were flaws everywhere. If he were to take the field, he wouldn't even need to use a few of his Five Soul Skills to end the battle in a short time.

This is the level of the qualifiers. The real powerhouses, such as their Heavenly Fighting Team One, or the top academies of the Star Luo Empire, are directly admitted or easily advance, and they don't waste too much energy in this early stage.

Snow White sat beside him, her posture elegant, her gaze fixed on the arena, seemingly very focused.

But Lin Wan could sense that her attention wasn't entirely on the match. Her fingers unconsciously and lightly traced the rim of her teacup, clearly indicating that she wasn't particularly invested in this level of competition.

Chapter 191 Ideas

"Feeling bored?" Lin Wan picked up her teacup, took a sip, and asked casually.

Snow White snapped out of her reverie, turned to look at him, and gently shook her head. "No. It's just... it feels a little different from what I imagined." She paused, then added, "It feels like their rhythm is much slower than in my usual training, and their coordination is also..."

She didn't say anything more, but her meaning was clear.

Lin Wan twitched the corners of her mouth, giving a slight smile. "That's how the qualifiers are, a mixed bag. The truly strong teams won't reveal too much of their strength here."

As they were talking, the match on the field came to a conclusion. A team that had a level 38 Power Attack-type Battle Soul Master managed to defeat their opponents with great difficulty, thanks to their superior individual strength. The members of the winning team hugged and cheered excitedly on the stage, while the defeated team hung their heads in dejection, many of them with injuries on their faces.

Enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted from the audience.

Lin Wan looked at the winning team, where the level 38 Soul Master was being surrounded by his teammates, a proud smile on his face. He suddenly felt a little bored.

These people are giving it their all for a single promotion spot, while people like him, Snow White, and Yu Tianqing have already reached a higher starting point and are looking down on everything.

The diversity of the world was so clearly revealed at this moment.

The matches continued one after another. There were overwhelming victories, as well as hard-fought battles with evenly matched opponents, and occasionally some upsets.

Lin Wan watched with a somewhat disinterested attitude; most of the matches seemed rough and inefficient to him.

He spent more time observing the characteristics of the martial souls and soul skills of those soul masters, storing them as data, rather than appreciating the competition itself.

As another match ended, Lin Wan stood up.

"Let's go," he said to Snow White.

Snow White nodded and stood up as well. She could tell that Lin Wan's patience had run out.

The two left the bustling Arena, escorted by officials.

The sunlight outside was a bit dazzling, shutting out the noise inside the venue.

"Back to the academy?" Snow White asked.

“Yes.” Lin Wan nodded.

"Okay." Snow White understood and asked no further questions.

The two parted ways at the street corner; one returned to the academy, while the other headed towards the palace.

……

In the familiar grove behind the work-study dormitory at Nottingham College.

Tang San withdrew his palms and stood up, his soul power gradually calming down, and the two soul rings under his feet—one yellow and one purple—also disappeared.

He felt the surging power within his body. His level 22 soul power was undoubtedly a qualitative leap compared to before, especially the improvement brought by the second ring of the millennium, which far surpassed that of ordinary soul masters.

But the joy brought by this power did not last long before it was replaced by an increasingly strong sense of stagnation.

Nottingham College is too small.

The training environment here, the knowledge available, the opponents to fight...

Everything seemed to have become invisible shackles, restricting his and his sister's steps forward.

This feeling becomes even more pronounced after acquiring their second soul ring. They need a wider world, stronger opponents, and richer resources to hone their skills.

This idea didn't just come to them today; it only became incredibly clear and urgent a few days ago after the dean of Nottingham College spoke with them personally.

The dean was a kind-looking middle-aged man, but his eyes revealed a shrewd calculation. He enthusiastically praised Tang San and Cinderella's talents, calling them the most outstanding geniuses in the history of Notting Academy.

Then, he tactfully suggested that Notting Academy, this small temple, could no longer accommodate these two great Buddhas. For their better development, the academy was willing to recommend them to the intermediate soul master academy in Soto City, or even directly recommend them to some high-level soul master academies for further study.

The dean rubbed his hands together, his face beaming with smiles: "With your talents, it would be such a waste for you to stay in Nottingham. Going to a larger academy will allow you to receive better training and access to higher-quality resources. This is a win-win situation for both you and the academy."

Tang San didn't immediately agree, saying he needed to consider it. The dean also expressed his understanding and told them to think it over carefully.

But Tang San knew very well that he was moved.

The dean's words merely ignited the thoughts that had already taken root in his heart.

Without the deep master-disciple bond with Yu Xiaogang found in the original story, Tang San's thinking is clear-headed and direct.

Go wherever you can get stronger faster.

Cinderella emerged from behind the tree, handing him a clean towel, her azure eyes asking, "Little San, are you still thinking about what the headmaster said?"

Tang San took the towel, wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead, nodded, and said in a low voice, "Sister, we can't stay here any longer. Notting Academy can't help us anymore. Staying here is just a waste of time."

Cinderella gave a soft "hmm," she felt the same way.

Her reputation system was yielding negligible benefits in Nottingham, as if she were stuck in a quagmire.

Going to more prosperous places and encountering more powerful Soul Masters is undoubtedly the best way to break out of the current predicament.

But Cinderella, who knew the storyline, clearly understood that Tang Hao would not agree with their ideas.

Tang San was unaware of these things, so Cinderella suggested, "Shall we go and tell Dad?"

Although Tang Hao's whereabouts were unpredictable, he would occasionally return secretly to check on their situation, leaving behind some gold soul coins or simple instructions.

Tang San pondered for a moment and said, "Wait until he comes next time."

Things happened faster than they expected. The very next evening, Tang Hao's familiar tall figure appeared outside their dormitory like a ghost.

On that quiet path again, Tang Hao looked at his children, who had grown noticeably taller and whose auras had become much more solid, and a subtle, complex emotion flickered in his turbid eyes.

“Daddy,” Cinderella called out sweetly.

Tang San got straight to the point: "My sister and I are preparing to leave Notting Academy and head to the Intermediate Soul Master Academy."

He succinctly stated the dean's proposal and his own decision, without any unnecessary embellishment or seeking opinions; it was more like a notification.

The air condensed instantly.

The oppressive aura emanating from Tang Hao, a mixture of the smell of alcohol and blood, suddenly became heavy.

He stared at Tang San, a hint of surprise flashing in his bloodshot eyes, which was then replaced by a fierce and resolute look.

"No!" Tang Hao's voice was hoarse, but it carried an undeniable determination, like a piece of cold iron hitting the ground.

Tang San was stunned.

He had anticipated that Tang Hao might ask for the reason or offer other suggestions, but he never expected such a straightforward, even arrogant, rejection.

Chapter 192 Anger

"Why?" Tang San's brows furrowed instantly. The goodwill he had felt, which had slightly increased because of the pill, plummeted to rock bottom, replaced by deep confusion and a hint of suppressed dissatisfaction.

“Nottingham Academy can no longer meet our training needs. What’s wrong with going to a better academy and getting more resources?”

Tang Hao's face was terribly gloomy.

why?

He certainly had his reasons: a deep-seated blood feud, the Spirit Hall's omnipresent spies, and the risk of being exposed to the spotlight too early...

How could he possibly speak of these things that had gnawed at him like venomous snakes for over a decade?

He didn't want these two children, especially the exceptionally talented Tang San, to be crushed by heavy hatred or brought to their deaths before they were fully developed.

Staying in Nottingham City, under the guise of Yu Xiaogang, the theoretical master, is the best cover for now.

Although Yu Xiaogang's strength was weak, his relationship with Bibi Dong and his identity as the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Clan could explain why Tang San and Cindy could have soul ring configurations that surpassed ordinary people without immediately attracting the attention of the Spirit Hall's higher-ups.

He couldn't express these painstaking efforts verbally.

"No reason." Tang Hao's voice was even lower, carrying a tired yet unyielding arrogance.

"I said no, and that means no."

This unjustified tyranny instantly ignited the rebellious spirit that Tang San had suppressed for so long.

In his past life, he was a genius of the Tang Clan. In this life, he has his own ideas and has never been forced to follow his path.

"You won't allow it?" Tang San sneered, a sharpness and stubbornness beyond his years appearing on his face.

"My legs are my own, and it's none of your business where I want to go!"

"presumptuous!"

Tang Hao roared, and an extremely terrifying pressure, like a solid mountain, descended with a thunderous crash, instantly overwhelming everyone present.

Even a slight glimpse of the pressure emanating from a Title Douluo is far beyond what a Great Soul Master can withstand.

Tang San felt the air around him freeze instantly, and immense pressure squeezed in from all directions, making it suddenly difficult for him to breathe. His bones made a faint sound of being unable to bear the weight, and he stumbled and almost fell to his knees.

He gritted his teeth and frantically chanted the Xuan Tian Gong, barely managing to keep his body from collapsing, but the veins on his forehead bulged and his face turned deathly pale in an instant.

The eyes that looked at Tang Hao were filled with shock, anger, and a sense of humiliation at being crushed by overwhelming power.

Is this Tang Hao's power? Is this how he calls a father treating his son?

"Without my permission."

Tang Hao approached step by step, his shadow completely obscuring Tang San, which was covered in icy cold.

"You can't go anywhere."

"father!"

Although Cinderella had already guessed that there would be a conflict, she was still taken aback by Tang Hao's actions.

Seeing Tang San struggling in pain, she felt a pang of sympathy and quickly stepped forward to block him.

She looked up at Tang Hao, her voice urgent and pleading: "Dad, please don't be angry! Xiao San just wants to become stronger, he doesn't mean anything else! We won't go, please let him go, okay?"

As she spoke, she quietly tugged at Tang San's sleeve, signaling him to stop resisting.

Feeling the slight tremor and worry emanating from Cinderella's fingertips, and seeing Tang Hao's icy gaze that left no room for negotiation, Tang San's anger and resentment surged like magma, but were forcibly suppressed in the face of that absolute power difference.

He stared intently at Tang Hao, his teeth grinding together, and finally, he squeezed out a single word from his throat: "Good."

Tang Hao looked at Cinderella, who was standing in front of Tang San, her face pale but still forcing a smile, and then at Tang San behind her, whose eyes were as cold as knives and who was stubborn and unyielding. He felt a mix of emotions.

He slowly withdrew his oppressive aura.

The stagnant air around him instantly began to move. Tang San felt lighter, took a few deep breaths, his chest heaving violently, and looked at Tang Hao with nothing but icy indifference.

"Stay at Nottingham Academy and follow Yu Xiaogang."

After uttering these words, Tang Hao didn't look at them again. He turned around, and his tall figure, just as he had come, silently blended into the deep night and disappeared.

After Tang Hao left, the edge of the woods fell silent.

The night wind rustled the leaves, but it couldn't dispel the heavy atmosphere that lingered between the two.

Tang San stood there, his body still slightly numb from the pressure he had just experienced, and the suppressed anger in his chest felt like it was about to explode.

His hands, hanging by his sides, were clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white from the force.

He didn't understand.

why?

Why did Tang Hao so forcefully prevent them from pursuing better development?

The small space of Nottingham Academy can clearly offer no help. Are they supposed to waste their time here until they are stuck at a bottleneck like Yu Xiaogang and never make any progress in their lives?

Just because he is stronger than me, does that give him the right to so arrogantly decide other people's life paths?

“The mistress…” Cinderella looked at him worriedly and called out softly.