Chapter 38: The Stubborn Tang San

"Teacher, I... I'm fine."

Tang San didn't take the outstretched hand from his teacher. Instead, he struggled to get up from the ground slowly, clutching his aching chest. His face twisted in pain as he spoke resolutely, "I've said it before, this time, I won't lose!"

"Xiao San!" The Grandmaster frowned and reminded him as he saw Tang San still intending to fight Cheng Xiao. "Based on my analysis, his second soul skill should grant him the ability to turn invisible. With your current strength, you can't defeat him."

"No, teacher. If you allow me to use my hidden weapons, I'm sure I can win." A fleeting trace of killing intent flashed in Tang San's eyes. If his guess was correct, he had just been affected by some form of mental attack. Fortunately, while training his Purple Demon Eyes, his spiritual power had also increased.

Otherwise, under the influence of the attack, Cheng Xiao might have knocked him unconscious with a single punch. Luckily, Tang San regained his senses just a second before Cheng Xiao's punch landed, avoiding a blow that could have incapacitated him. After absorbing his second spirit ring, Tang San's physical strength had also significantly improved, allowing him to withstand the punch this time.

"But if you use your hidden weapons, then Cheng Xiao can also use his dual swords, which would lower your chances of winning even further," the Grandmaster said in a low voice.

"It doesn't matter, teacher. If you let me use my hidden weapons, I'm 80% confident I can defeat Cheng Xiao in an instant," Tang San said firmly.

Seeing this, the Grandmaster sighed helplessly. He then walked over to Dean Ma Nuo and conveyed Tang San's request to use hidden weapons in the duel.

"No, Xiaogang. Didn't we agree at the beginning that they would only compete using soul skills? Now you're suggesting they use weapons mid-fight. It's not just about whether I agree or not—do you think Cheng Xiao will agree?" Ma Nuo shook his head, firmly refusing.

"Ma Nuo, we're old friends. From my perspective, letting them use weapons in addition to soul skills isn't a bad thing. Do you really think soul masters can only rely on their martial souls in battle? Sometimes, they need to adapt and be flexible," the Grandmaster argued.

"Xiaogang, even though we're friends, I have to say this." Ma Nuo fixed his gaze on the Grandmaster's stiff expression and said slowly, "You were the one who initially suggested not using weapons outside of soul skills. Now that Tang San can't beat Cheng Xiao, you're proposing they use weapons in their fight. I really don't understand you."

"You..." The Grandmaster's face darkened. He hadn't expected his old friend to speak to him this way, but Ma Nuo wasn't wrong. It was indeed the Grandmaster who had made the initial suggestion, and now he was the one proposing the use of weapons.

Would the Grandmaster admit to his double standards? Of course not. As a renowned master of martial soul theory, he quickly thought of a defense.

The Grandmaster responded calmly, "Ma Nuo, battles between soul masters are ever-changing. You can't agree on a set of rules before fighting an enemy. The only rule in the world of soul masters has always been one thing: strength."

"If you still consider me a friend, trust me—letting the kids use weapons alongside their soul skills will help us identify weaknesses in their combat techniques. After all, you wouldn't want to see two genius soul masters die on their path to becoming stronger because they adhered strictly to soul master rules, would you?"

Hearing this, Ma Nuo began to waver. The Grandmaster's words held some truth. However, changing the rules now would be unfair to Cheng Xiao.

As if sensing Ma Nuo's hesitation, the Grandmaster turned to Cheng Xiao and said, "Cheng Xiao, Tang San has already lost in terms of soul skill combat, so I propose that you both use weapons to fully showcase your strengths. What do you think?"

"Sure, let Tang San use his weapons. I didn't bring any, so I won't be using one. It'll save me the trouble," Cheng Xiao replied indifferently, a hint of disdain curling at the corner of his mouth.

Seeing how lightly Cheng Xiao regarded him, Tang San clenched his fists, anger surging in his heart. He thought to himself, 'Cheng Xiao, I'll make sure you learn just how powerful the Tang Sect's hidden weapons are!'

Hearing that Cheng Xiao had agreed to the Grandmaster's proposal, Ma Nuo also breathed a sigh of relief. Since both parties had agreed, there wasn't much more for him, as the dean, to say.

However, what surprised him was that Cheng Xiao's second soul skill seemed to be some kind of stealth ability.

"Come on, Tang San. This time, I'll let you strike first." Shifting his gaze from the Grandmaster to Tang San, Cheng Xiao smiled slightly.

With two speed-enhancing skills—stealth and dash—Cheng Xiao didn't fear Tang San's hidden weapons at all. No matter how powerful they were, he thought, 'You still have to hit me for them to be effective, right?'

"Stop underestimating me!" Tang San suddenly raised his head, his eyes glowing with a deep purple light. The intensity of his gaze made Cheng Xiao feel as though Tang San truly intended to kill him.

In the next second, Tang San's hands swiftly brushed over the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges strapped to his waist, and in a flash, his hands lifted, releasing a barrage of hidden weapons.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A sharp whistling sound filled the air as Tang San's hands moved at lightning speed. In the blink of an eye, every hidden weapon in the Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges was emptied. Dozens of glinting projectiles shot towards Cheng Xiao, aimed at various parts of his body.

Cheng Xiao's eyes narrowed as he activated his shadow energy. Dark mist erupted from his body, creating invisible waves in the air. The black fog enveloped him, forming an impenetrable shield. The hidden weapons collided against it with a series of sharp clangs before falling harmlessly to the ground.

"What is that? Could it be a defensive soul bone skill?" Dean Ma Nuo exclaimed in surprise.

"No, it doesn't seem like it," the Grandmaster murmured with a frown, his eyes fixed intently on Cheng Xiao. Stroking his chin, he speculated, "I think it's one of his soul skills. I'm not sure if it's his first or second, but it's definitely not a soul bone skill."

"Soul bones are incredibly rare. How could an eight-year-old child have one?"

"How is this possible? My hidden weapons... they were all blocked?" Tang San's expression changed dramatically as he stared at the black mist surrounding Cheng Xiao. He hadn't expected his hidden weapons to be deflected so easily.

"The game's over, Tang San!" Cheng Xiao's figure blurred as he dashed toward Tang San. His clenched fist shot forward, but unlike earlier, this time Cheng Xiao infused his attack with shadow energy, determined not to hold back.

Vital Strike!

As Tang San raised his hands to defend himself, Cheng Xiao's body flickered, his shadow energy surging to its peak. With a roar, Cheng Xiao's punch came crashing down.

At the same moment, a flash of black light swept past Tang San's eyes.

Boom!

The air rippled from the force of the punch. A powerful shockwave struck Tang San, whose expression shifted dramatically. His raised arms barely had time to react—after all, Cheng Xiao's true final blow wasn't with his fists. It was in his legs!