Chapter 61: Relentless, Flander

Amidst the two of them, a man in black stood tall on a towering tree. His cloak—black and flowing—was eerily similar to the one Qin Feng had worn earlier.

"Feng Shao, come on, stop joking around. I'm already beaten to a pulp by you!" Zhao Wuji called out, his tone filled with grievance as he looked up at the figure in the black cloak.

The fight with Qin Feng had been exasperating. Despite having the strength to crush him at any moment, Qin Feng had slipped away like a loach, making Zhao Wuji feel more like the one being toyed with.

"No… that's not Feng Shao," Flander said, his expression suddenly turning serious. The figure above didn't have the same aura or physique as Qin Feng. This person was larger, exuding a mysterious and overwhelming pressure.

"Zhao Wuji, come with me," the man in black said, his voice cold and commanding. Before they could react, the shadow disappeared into the night.

Zhao Wuji and Flander exchanged glances before quickly chasing after the figure. They needed to know who this person was and what he wanted.

After a few short breaths, the shadow came to a stop near a fallen tree.

"I wonder what this senior wants from us?" Flander asked cautiously, now fully aware that the man before them was far stronger than both of them combined. This was definitely not Qin Feng.

While Qin Feng had remarkable soul rings and speed, he was still a Spirit Grandmaster. No matter how skilled he was, he could never project this kind of suffocating pressure.

"Me? I'm here to challenge the Immovable King," the man said with a playful edge to his voice. "I want to know what it's like to pummel someone who can't use their soul power."

Zhao Wuji's face drained of color. The man's voice was eerily calm, yet there was something terrifying about it.

Suddenly, a massive hammer appeared at the man's feet, and one by one, soul rings began to materialize around it—first purple, then black, and finally, a brilliant red.

"A Title Douluo… with a 100,000-year soul ring?!" Zhao Wuji's eyes widened in horror. He could barely breathe as he glanced helplessly at Flander, silently asking, What kind of investor did you invite?!

This was no ordinary opponent. Zhao Wuji had taken beatings before, but never from someone like this. The thought of facing a Title Douluo with a 100,000-year soul ring was enough to make his knees weak. He felt as if he were staring down the barrel of a gold coffin.

Flander swallowed hard before addressing the figure. "Under the crown of Haotian, has Zhao Wuji somehow offended you?"

The moment Flander saw the 100,000-year soul ring and the hammer, he knew who this man was—Tang Hao, Clear sky Douluo. The same man who had dared to challenge the Spirit Hall with nothing but his hammer.

Shrek Academy had never crossed paths with Tang Hao before, so why had he shown up now? And why was he looking for Zhao Wuji?

Could Zhao Wuji have unknowingly offended Tang Hao in the past? It seemed impossible. Zhao Wuji was just a Soul Sage, and Tang Hao had disappeared for years. There was no way their paths had ever crossed.

"Offended me? No, no. But after beating the young one, it's only right for the old one to step in, isn't it?" Tang Hao said with a chilling smile. "Enough talk. Immovable King, let's begin."

As the oppressive force bearing down on him grew, Zhao Wuji felt like he was suffocating. His mind raced to make sense of Tang Hao's words. Wait… beat the young one?

Could he mean Qin Feng? And Tang San? Tang Hao's surname was Tang, and Tang San had the same surname. Plus, one of the newcomers today wielded a hammer, while the other, Qin Feng, had displayed some terrifying power. Could they all be connected?

Before Zhao Wuji could ask more, Tang Hao's cold voice cut through the air again. "Flander, you wouldn't want to get involved, would you?"

Flander stiffened. Tang Hao's hammer could blow his head clean off in one strike. He quickly shook his head. "No, I'll stay out of this!"

"Good. Then keep quiet."

Although Tang Hao's voice was calm, it carried an undeniable authority, one that left no room for resistance.

Suddenly, a barrage of violent strikes erupted. The sheer force was like a landslide, crashing down with relentless power.

"Ahhh!" Zhao Wuji screamed as the ground beneath him shook. Trees in the forest began toppling one after another, with entire rows being uprooted as Tang Hao's attacks shattered the landscape.

Flander, flying above, sighed and shook his head as he watched the scene unfold. It suddenly made sense—both of the strongest new students were connected to Haotian Douluo. No wonder Feng Shao had also challenged Zhao Wuji today. His son was beaten, so naturally, Haotian Douluo would come seeking justice for him.

Feng Shao had only been quick, with relatively weak attack power, leaving Zhao Wuji with nothing more than superficial injuries. But this situation was different. Tang Hao was once a powerful presence within the Spirit Hall, and the tension in the air was palpable. Still, the man didn't seem to be acting out of sheer malice. It was more like a warning: These two are under my protection. Harm them, and I'll come for you in the same way.

The night was alive with the sounds of the forest—the birds scattered, fleeing into the night sky. Luckily, the confrontation took place far from the academy; otherwise, it would have woken up many people.

After what felt like an eternity, the noise finally died down.

The man in black stood before Zhao Wuji, whose face had swollen to the size of a pig's head. His eyes were blackened, his face streaked with blood, and his nose still oozed from the beating.

"Zhao Wuji, do you understand my message?" the man asked coldly, his voice cutting through the silence as he stood next to Zhao.

Despite his battered face, Zhao Wuji looked strangely excited. "Thank you, Your Majesty for the lesson," he replied sincerely, showing respect to the man who had just mercilessly beaten him.

At that moment, Flander arrived, just as the man in black whispered something to Zhao Wuji. Then, a voice echoed directly in Flander's mind, as if by magic.

Flander froze, his eyes wide, feeling like he had just been given a divine revelation.

"These are your compensations. The road ahead will be even harder for both of you," the man in black said calmly before vanishing into thin air with his next breath.

Zhao Wuji, still dazed, muttered through his busted lips, "Flander, you're really something. When Haotian Douluo told you to shut up, you didn't even dare to breathe. Good thing he wasn't hostile, or next year you'd be burning incense for me."

With two of his teeth missing, Zhao Wuji's words whistled a bit.

"You don't understand," Flander replied sharply. "Even if we combined our forces, ten of us wouldn't stand a chance against Haotian Douluo. And if I were dead, who would be left to bury you? You're dreaming if you think you'd get a proper incense burning. More likely, our bodies would be dragged off by wolves and eaten. Is that what you want?"

Flander looked at the scarred Zhao Wuji with a strange expression. He seemed like he wanted to laugh but couldn't quite manage it.

Zhao Wuji thought about it for a moment, then begrudgingly nodded. "You know, that kind of makes sense…"

"My words may be harsh, but they're true, right?" Flander pressed, his voice sounding like a word of a sage. .

Zhao Wuji, still in pain and feeling insulted, grumbled, "I don't care. You just lack any sense of righteousness!"

Back in the boys' dormitory...

Qin Feng sat beside Tang San's bed, watching his injured friend rest. Tang San was badly hurt, and Qin Feng, concerned, came over to check on him.