"Tang San, you currently lack the power to negotiate with me," Xu Ran said leisurely as he saw Tang San's dissatisfaction.
Xu Ran casually sipped his tea while watching Tang San's frustrated expression.
Is this the protagonist from the original story?
Without his protagonist's halo, Tang San was no different from an ordinary person.
In the original story, Tang San's growth was all due to cheating, just like Xu Ran.
As the saying goes, use the enemy's strategy against them.
The reason he could now get the better of Tang San was that Xu Ran's cheats were stronger than Tang San's.
"Fine, I agree. But I have one more condition," Tang San said coldly as he looked at Xu Ran.
"What condition?" Xu Ran raised an eyebrow, looking at Tang San.
"During the time I make the hidden weapon, you may not be intimate with Xiao Wu, do those kinds of things. Otherwise, I'd rather die than agree to your terms," Tang San said, grinding his teeth in anger at the thought of Xiao Wu still being in dire straits.
Xu Ran, more shameless than a love rival.
Forced to do Xu Ran's bidding, he was so aggrieved he could only make this request.
If it could spare Xiao Wu from even a bit of Xu Ran's torment, that would be enough for him.
"Hmm? Tang San, you're still hung up on Precious Xiao Wu? I have yet to settle the score with you regarding your deliberate attempt to acquire Precious Xiao Wu's Soul Ring and soul bone," Xu Ran said with a laugh, reaching out to pat Tang San's blood-stained cheek.
"Despicable! Don't think I don't know what really happened. Xiao Wu and I were tricked by you. She was deceived, and I couldn't clarify my identity at the time. Otherwise, how could Xiao Wu have been taken by you?" Tang San said angrily, seeing Xu Ran's smug expression.
That damned Xu Ran even dared to bring this up. If it weren't for Xu Ran, he would now be embracing Xiao Wu, living a shameless life of happiness. Xu Ran wronged him, and had the audacity to brazenly admit it?
"Tsk tsk. Tang San, I didn't expect you to have some brains. You've actually figured it out."
"But what does it matter? Your feelings for Xiao Wu were never that deep; otherwise, how could I have torn you apart? How could I have inserted myself between you?
"Now Xiao Wu is my woman, and she will bear my children in the future. It has nothing to do with you. I'm even considering naming our son Xu Wutong or Xu Wulin. The specifics... I haven't decided yet," Xu Ran said with a smile.
Tang San was still unaware of the play on words with Xu Wutong and Xu Wulin, but it didn't matter; Xu Ran had achieved his goal of humiliating Tang San.
"Xu Ran, I hate you!"
Tang San glared at Xu Ran, his fists clenched tight, his teeth biting down on his lip so hard that crimson blood flowed down.
Hearing Xu Ran admit he had used schemes to tear him away from Xiao Wu sent him into a complete rage, and as he watched Xu Ran's arrogance, Tang San's heartbeat quickened, and his blood surged with fury.
Power, power! Ah!
Xu Ran was sure of himself because he knew Tang San was no match for him, which is why he could insult him so!
Ah ah ah ah!
Indeed, just as he had thought, Xu Ran had used the fact that his father was a Titled Douluo to cause trouble, leading Xiao Wu to believe Tang San approached her for her Soul Ring and soul bone.
Despicable, utterly despicable!
However, there were some things he couldn't understand.
Why did Xiao Wu trust Xu Ran so much? Why did his own origin elicit such strong malice from Xiao Wu? Hah, there must be some misunderstandings he was unaware of.
"Tang San, if you help me make the hidden weapons well, I can tell you some secrets that you'd like to know. There are a lot of pieces of information that you'll find interesting. And during this time, even if I touch her, don't worry, I'll take protective measures." Xu Ran sneered evilly, his Life Attribute quickly healing Tang San's wounds.
"Untie him," Xu Ran ordered.
"Yes," the jailer hastened to untie Tang San. All of Xu Ran and Tang San's previous conversation had been blocked, not known to outsiders.
"You're a smart man; you should know what to do. Don't even think about trying to trick me with some trashy hidden weapons, I understand hidden weapons no less than you do," Xu Ran said, glancing at Tang San.
"Xu Ran, you just wait," Tang San said fiercely.
The hatred of having one's wife stolen was insurmountable, but his great enemy was right in front of him, and yet he was utterly powerless against him.
"Wait? Sure, I'll wait. But you'd better grow up fast. Otherwise, if Xiao Wu gets pregnant with my child, then everything will truly be beyond redemption," Xu Ran said, coming up to Tang San, whispering in his ear to taunt him.
He did indeed want Tang San to grow up quickly.
Otherwise, it would be really dull!
But Tang San lived up to being the protagonist of the original story; his "Cultivation Level" speed did not lag behind as he practiced day and night. Previously unnoticed, Xu Ran realized that Tang San's "Cultivation Level" had actually reached level thirty-five.
Knowing that Tang San had been tripped up by him before, even behind Ma Hongjun in "Cultivation Level," and now had caught up, it seemed that humiliation and adversity were indeed the strongest motivators of human potential.
What a pity, though, Xu Ran's strength was growing much faster than his, and even if Tang San tried his best to catch up, he could only look up to him.
"Xu Ran, just you wait, that day won't be far off."
Tang San's eyes were icy, filled with a resentful and poisonous look.
This beast Xu Ran, to say such things!
He would never let Xu Ran succeed. He had to treat an hour as ten hours, a day as ten days for his cultivation. One day, he would defeat the great demon Xu Ran, take Xiao Wu back, and reclaim all the honor that originally belonged to him.
"Good luck," Xu Ran said, giving Tang San a glance before turning and leaving the cell. Ning Rongrong, seeing Xu Ran, eagerly took his arm with a lively manner.
After Xu Ran left, the rage that Tang San had been suppressing in his chest could no longer be contained.
"Xu Ran, to humiliate me to such an extent, I swear I'm not human if I don't kill you!"
"If it weren't for you, I, with my Twin Martial Souls, would have been the world's most powerful genius, and those women by your side would also worship me and be my women!"
"All this honor should have been mine, mine!"
Tang San, angry, raised his fists, pounding them against the hard wall, his skin on his hands shredded and bleeding, blood splattering everywhere, but he felt no pain, his heart filled with rage, hatred, and helplessness towards Xu Ran.
"Another Soul Master with Twin Martial Souls? Control-class, direct-attack class, a configuration even more rational than hers. And this resentment, this hatred is so dense it's extreme. Very good, even more suitable than her. Still, I need to observe more, if only this malice could grow a bit denser," a sinister voice sounded, and a dark, evil presence entered Tang San's body.
Tang San was unaware, and Xu Ran hadn't noticed at all.