Douro Continent

Chapter 338 The Soul-Chasing, Life-Taking Yama's Decree (Part 1)

Tang San had been diligently cultivating without ever stopping. This new cultivation method of sensing the wild Blue Silver Grass made him vaguely feel as if he had found the key to something. What exactly it was, he would have to wait and see after a period of cultivation to see the changes.

After hearing Tang San's explanation, the master smiled and said, "Alright, then you can go back first. Let them go. They've had a tough time these past few days of competition. Let them rest. Remember to change your clothes before you go out, and be careful on the road."

"Okay." Tang San smiled and agreed. The master's words brought him fatherly care and warmth. After bowing slightly to the master, he left quietly from the back without disturbing the others watching the match.

Everyone at Shrek Academy was engrossed in watching the match, and no one noticed Tang San's departure.

On the other side of the contestants' viewing platform, a pair of gloomy eyes were fixed on Tang San. When Tang San disappeared from the viewing platform, the gloomy gaze also disappeared.

After changing his clothes, Tang San quietly slipped out of the Heaven Dou Arena.

At this time, the area outside the Grand Arena was relatively quiet, except for some spectators who couldn't get tickets and some scalpers.

After leaving the Great Soul Arena, Tang San hurried towards Shrek Academy. At this moment, his mind was preoccupied with how to further enhance his strength and the mysteries of the Blue Silver Grass's transformations.

It was still morning, the sun was shining brightly, and the warm light felt comforting on his skin. Tang San loved basking in the sunlight, walking while contemplating his cultivation. His whole body felt relaxed, an indescribable comfort.

For some reason, Tang San felt that the journey today seemed a bit long. Although he was immersed in thinking about his distraction control skills, he felt that he should be almost at the academy by now.

Looking up, it seemed that the academy was still quite a distance away.

"Was I walking too slowly today?" Tang San frowned and quickened his pace again.

As Tang San walked, his pace suddenly slowed down. He vaguely sensed that something was wrong.

The sunlight was shining brightly on my body, but the warmth had vanished, replaced by a faint chill that seemed to creep in from all directions.

Tang San stopped, his slowed pace halting, and a wary glint appeared in his eyes. Nothing around him seemed to have changed; pedestrians continued to pass by. Shrek Academy wasn't far from here.

Am I just imagining things? Tang San looked back at the path he had just walked, his sharp gaze sweeping over the passersby, but he didn't find anything amiss. Everything seemed perfectly normal.

After calming himself down, Tang San lifted his foot again and walked forward, his Xuan Tian Gong unconsciously gathering.

He trusted his instincts implicitly, and these instincts had become exceptionally strong ever since he was tempered in the Yin-Yang Well. His keen intuition was amplifying the unease that had been creeping into Tang San's heart.

But his composure prevented him from quickening his pace, so he moved forward slowly, while spreading his senses as far as possible to search for any clues that might appear in his surroundings.

After walking for a while, Tang San suddenly stopped, his expression turning serious. Something was wrong. There was definitely something wrong.

Although his senses detected nothing wrong, Tang San was incredibly meticulous. From the first time he stopped until now, he had taken a total of 605 steps. Under normal circumstances, he should have already arrived at the gate of Shrek Academy.

But it seems we're still a short distance from the gates of Shrek Academy. A person's stride length might vary, but the difference wouldn't be this significant.

Although he didn't know why this was happening, Tang San immediately became alert. The Zhuge Crossbow was instantly in his grasp. Ignoring the passersby around him, he directly summoned his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.

A faint killing intent emanated from that chilling aura. It was a killing intent powerful enough to threaten life.

The surroundings suddenly became very quiet; the sounds that should have been on the street earlier had all vanished at the same time.

The scenery before my eyes seemed to be veiled by a thin gauze, and everything became unclear at this moment.

A faint figure gradually became clearer ten meters in front of Tang San.

"As expected of Shrek Academy's most outstanding disciple, your vigilance is indeed very strong. Unfortunately, it's too late for you to notice."

It was an old man in white robes, someone Tang San had seen more than once. He was Shi Nian, the level 72 Soul Saint whom Flander had warned him to be careful of, and the instructor leading the Canghui Academy team.

Upon seeing this person, Tang San's heart sank further. He gazed silently at Shi Nian and said, "So you're a teacher from Canghui Academy. May I ask what brings you here?"

Shi Nian smiled calmly and said, "I have nothing to offer, I just need you to disappear."

Tang San coldly replied, "For the Continental Elite Soul Master Academy Tournament?"

A cold glint appeared at the corner of Shi Nian's mouth. "I've been looking for an opportunity these past few days. Unfortunately, you've been with the other students from Shrek Academy, preventing me from making a move. But you've given me this opportunity today. What a pity, you're not a disciple of my Canghui Academy."

"You want to kill me?" Tang San's pupils contracted slightly.

Shi Nian snorted coldly, "It's all because you're too outstanding. Although Shrek Academy's team is strong, their true strength lies in you. As long as you disappear from this world, then our Canghui Academy will have a chance to advance to the next round."

Tang San sneered, "You think that killing me will allow your Canghui Academy to defeat our Shrek Academy?"

Shi Nian said calmly, "Killing one of you isn't enough, so I'll keep killing. I'll kill until I've killed enough. Perhaps, the next target, that student named Dai Mubai, would be more suitable?"

Tang San glanced at the hazy surroundings. "You're going to make your move here? Don't forget, this is a street. If you kill me, you can forget about having a place in the Soul Master world."

Shi Nian laughed, a laugh that made the wrinkles on his face look like they could trap a fly. His sinister eyes flashed with a cold light. "Since I've decided to act, I've already made thorough preparations. Do you expect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, with which you have close ties, to avenge you? Don't worry, I won't leave them any evidence. Look around, is this really still the street of Heaven Dou City?"

The hazy surroundings suddenly became clear, and Tang San was surprised to find himself standing in a desolate wilderness. Looking back, he could vaguely see the city walls of Tian Dou City. He immediately deduced that this must be a grove of trees outside the city.

Tang San reacted with incredible speed. The Zhuge Crossbow, already fully calibrated in his hand, clanged loudly the instant everything around him became clear. Sixteen sharp iron crossbow bolts, carrying formidable penetrating power, reached Shi Nian's chest in the blink of an eye.

With a flash of light and shadow, sixteen crossbow bolts disappeared in an instant.

However, Tang San's expression became even more unpleasant at this moment.

No blood. Yes, although the sixteen crossbow bolts had pierced Shi Nian's chest, not a single drop of blood flowed out. The bolts seemed to have vanished into thin air, without uttering a sound.

Shi Nian looked at the Zhuge Crossbow in Tang San's hand with some surprise. "What's that? It's a very powerful weapon. Is it a soul tool?"

Tang San did not answer, but simply looked at Shi Nian quietly.

Shi Nian smiled, this time with a relaxed expression. "Among your peers, you are undoubtedly strong. I haven't even seen a more outstanding young Soul Master. Unfortunately, the gap between you and me cannot be bridged by the word 'genius.' Your weapon is good, but unfortunately, everything you see now, the location you are in, is part of the remnant dream I created for you. Even the real scene I showed you just now was an illusion. In my remnant dream, I am the master of everything. Don't think that just because you're only level 40, even Soul Masters of my level cannot escape from my remnant dream."

Tang San's expression turned grim, and he returned the Zhuge Crossbow in his hand to his Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moon.

"Tang San, do you know what the greatest pleasure in my life is?" Shi Nian's smile suddenly became a little strange. If you had to describe it, perhaps the word "pervert" would be very fitting for his current state.

"What is it?" Tang San asked calmly.

Shi Nian smiled slightly and said, "The greatest pleasure in my life is watching my opponents go mad in my lingering dreams until they die. Soon I will see a young man hailed as a genius turn into this, and I can already feel my excitement."

"Are you determined to kill me? Is there absolutely no way to turn things around?" Tang San asked calmly.

Shi Nian's face suddenly turned ferocious. "Now that I've let you see me, do you think I'll let you go? Don't bother struggling; it's all meaningless to you now. This day next year will be your death anniversary. If people really have souls, then use your soul to watch how Canghui Academy fights its way out of the preliminaries and into the next round."

Tang San didn't speak again, but sat down cross-legged on the spot. The Blue Silver Grass naturally took shape and formed a slowly swirling defensive layer around his body.

(End of this chapter)