Chapter 177: The Grandmaster Is Just a Waste

"Why?" Sea God couldn't help but ask.

His overwhelmingly tempting offer had utterly failed to sway the human before him.

Ye Hao responded indifferently,

"First, I'm a lazy person. Having the Death God's inheritance is already enough. It's not that I look down on your inheritance—I just genuinely don't want it."

"Second, your divine artifact, the Sea God Trident, strongly suppresses my martial soul. Just based on that alone, I am unqualified to inherit your godhood."

Hearing this, the Death God laughed smugly.

"Did you hear that, Poseidon? Your plan fell through! How could my personally chosen heir be lacking? You'd better go find someone else! Kehahahaha!!!"

Sea God's face instantly darkened, his voice low and cold.

"In that case, leave the Evil Demon Orca King behind. I need it for my Sea God's Trials."

"That's not happening!" Death God refused outright.

"Sea God, it's just a 100,000-year-old sea soul beast. Why are you so petty? Is this how a god should act?"

"Don't forget, gods are not allowed to interfere in matters of Douluo Continent. You and I are merely fragments of divine will left in this world. If you insist, why don't we take this issue up with the Divine Realm Committee?"

Sea God snorted coldly.

"Fine. You win."

With that, his figure gradually dissipated into nothingness.

Seeing this, Death God chuckled sinisterly.

"Trying to outplay me? You picked the wrong opponent."

Then, he turned to Ye Hao.

"Heir, I'll be waiting for you in the Divine Realm. Xiao Hong, see you there as well."

With those words, Death God vanished—just like Sea God before him.

The once gloomy sky suddenly cleared, and the vast, boundless sea shimmered under the sunlight.

Only Ye Hao and Bo Saixi remained, standing mid-air.

The intense confrontation had left Bo Saixi deeply shaken. Yet, to her own surprise, she felt relieved when Ye Hao rejected the Sea God's offer.

"So, the Divine Realm, huh? No rush—I've got a hundred years. I'll take my time before replacing you," Ye Hao murmured.

With both gods now gone…

"Senior Bo Saixi, I should be heading back," Ye Hao clasped his hands in farewell.

Then, with a flicker of his figure, he streaked across the sky as a purple beam of light, swiftly disappearing over the horizon, heading back toward Douluo Continent.

Ye Hao needed to return quickly. With the Evil Demon Orca King now fully under his control, this trip had been perilous beyond expectation—who would have thought both the Sea God and Death God would show up?

But at least, he had achieved his goal.

Bo Saixi watched Ye Hao disappear, then sighed softly before turning and flying unhurriedly toward Sea God Island.

Meanwhile, deep underwater…

Inside a hidden cave, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King cautiously poked its head out.

Only after confirming that the powerhouses had all left did it finally swim out with a lingering sense of fear.

"I'd better lay low from now on," the Deep Sea Demon Whale King thought to itself.

With a flick of its massive body, it quickly swam toward the deepest abyss of the ocean.

Half a month later.

Within Heaven Dou City, elite teams from all over gathered.

Today marked the beginning of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament's knockout stage.

Unlike the lively preliminary rounds, the knockout stage had been moved from Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena to the Royal Hunting Grounds outside the city.

Fifteen teams would participate—five from the Heaven Dou Division and ten from various kingdoms and duchies.

These were the elite of the elite.

The matches followed a one-on-one elimination format—each team of seven fought until one side was completely defeated.

Meanwhile, in Qian Renxue's residence, Zhu Zhu and Zhu Er lounged idly.

In stark contrast, Qian Renxue was restless, pacing back and forth.

"It's been a whole month! Why hasn't that brat come back yet?" she muttered anxiously.

From Heaven Dou City to the ocean, the journey was long and treacherous. Even with flight, it would take considerable time.

At that moment, Zhu Er spoke casually.

"Master is back."

The words had barely left her mouth when Ye Hao burst through the doors, panting heavily.

He plopped down onto the floor, utterly exhausted.

"Ugh… I'm dead tired. That trip was brutal."

Before he could even catch his breath, Qian Renxue rushed forward and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"You little brat! A whole month without a single message! Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

The sudden hug caught Ye Hao completely off guard.

Feeling the warmth pressed against his cheek, he momentarily lost all sense of direction, drowning in the tenderness.

Realizing this, Qian Renxue quickly pushed him away.

Flushing slightly, she snapped, "If you try anything funny again, I'll really get mad!"

Ye Hao chuckled sheepishly.

"Sorry, Sis. Didn't mean to worry you. Did anything happen while I was gone?"

Zhu Zhu spoke up.

"Yes—Tang Hao went to Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."

"Tang Hao?" Ye Hao raised an eyebrow.

"What for?"

Qian Renxue shot him an annoyed look.

"Obviously because of your warning to Tang Yuehua!"

"I had people investigate. After meeting with his sister, Tang Hao decided to seek help from his elder brother, Tang Xiao, the current Clan Master of Clear Sky Clan."

"Tang Xiao?" Ye Hao mused.

"Howling Sky Douluo, Tang Xiao—the elder brother of Tang Hao and Tang Yuehua.

It seems Tang Hao has been planning ahead for a while."

"But why visit Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan? Was he trying to gather reinforcements?"

Ye Hao immediately connected the dots.

"You're exactly right," Qian Renxue confirmed.

"My spies in Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan reported that Tang Hao met with Ning Fengzhi, hoping that if Tang San were ever in danger, the clan would step in to help."

"Let me guess—Ning Fengzhi refused?" Ye Hao said without hesitation.

Qian Renxue raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?"

Ye Hao smirked. "Just a guess."

He shut the door behind him and sat down in the pavilion, speaking calmly.

"Ning Fengzhi is a crafty old fox. He only acts in his own best interest.

Sure, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and Clear Sky Clan are part of the so-called 'Upper Three Clans', and they always claim to share a common bond…

Hah. What a joke."

"If that were true, then why didn't they intervene when the Spirit Hall forced the Clear Sky Clan into exile?

Why did they just stand by and watch as Tang Hao was banished from his own clan?"

Qian Renxue narrowed her eyes. "But what if Ning Fengzhi does help Tang Hao?"

Ye Hao replied with certainty, "He won't."

"Why?" Qian Renxue Asked.

"In the end, it's all about self-interest," Ye Hao replied casually.

"The Spirit Hall holds immense power. Just in terms of Titled Douluo, they have far more than the so-called Upper Three Clans combined.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? They have only one Rank 95 elder, hardly a real force to reckon with.

As for Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Ning Fengzhi may currently align himself with the Tian Dou Empire, but isn't that just for his own benefit?"

Ye Hao continued,

"If he were to oppose the Spirit Hall's plan to eliminate Tang San, it would mean outright war against them. And let's be real—Ning Fengzhi is too much of an old fox to take on such a thankless risk."

"Besides, I gave his daughter an Exotic Treasure, the Beautiful Silk Tulip, which helped her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda evolve into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Just for that reason alone, Ning Fengzhi wouldn't dare to act against us."

Ye Hao's voice was filled with confidence.

"Otherwise, he'd be digging his own grave. Once the tournament ends, I suspect that the Spirit Hall's first target for destruction will be him."

"Speaking of which, the Clear Sky Clan, which has remained in seclusion, has grown significantly over the years. Those five elders who once belonged to the clan? They're now all Titled Douluo. And adding Tang Hao, who was expelled, that makes seven in total."

"Seven Titled Douluo in one clan?" Qian Renxue frowned.

"The Clear Sky Clan has regained its strength. If they were to reopen their gates, their influence in the soul master world could become our biggest threat."

Ye Hao nodded in agreement.

"The Clear Sky Clan is a poisonous tumor that must be removed. Once the tournament is over, we'll take our time to deal with it properly."

Then he smirked.

"By the way, Sis, your dear teacher sure is a guy who never acts without personal gain. Tang Hao humbled himself and went to beg him personally, yet Ning Fengzhi still refused."

Qian Renxue chuckled, resting her chin on her palm.

"When I first heard the news, I actually thought Ning Fengzhi would help him. I didn't expect him to refuse outright."

"The so-called 'Upper Three Clans' claiming to be a united front? Hah. When disaster strikes, they all fend for themselves.

They only band together when faced with a common threat, but the moment that danger passes, it's every man for himself again."

"If Ning Fengzhi had agreed to Tang Hao's request, I guarantee you Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would already be on the path to destruction."

"You're absolutely right, Sis."

Ye Hao then reached up and removed the Death God's Heart from his hair, letting his locks fall freely over his shoulders.

He tossed the Death God's Heart God into the air.

"The Spirit Hall's target is Tang San. Even if I don't act, my mother will. So I'll just sit back and watch.

If she fails, then once the tournament ends, the trap will close in on him."

The Death God's Heart slowly unfolded, revealing its six mirror-like surfaces.

A dazzling purple light pillar descended from the sky.

From within the beam of light, Xiao Hong emerged, stretching lazily.

"Man, that was exhausting. Longest trip ever."

She glanced at Zhu Zhu and smirked.

"Zhu Zhu, you know what to do!"

Immediately, Zhu Zhu dashed over and started massaging her shoulders, moving with practiced efficiency.

A true, lifelong tool.

Meanwhile, Qian Renxue turned to Ye Hao, curiosity in her eyes.

"Little brother, did you succeed in capturing the Evil Demon Orca King?"

Ye Hao had left specifically for that reason, yet the beast itself was nowhere to be seen.

"Relax," Ye Hao chuckled.

"It's already here."

"Xie Hu, come out."

A deep, rumbling voice echoed from the purple light pillar.

Then, a towering figure over two meters tall stepped out.

His body was packed with bulging muscles, with jet-black scales covering key areas. He wore a tight black battle outfit, and his long sea-blue hair flowed freely down his back.

Most striking of all—his four blood-red eyes, which radiated an intense, savage aura.

The moment he appeared, the entire courtyard was instantly flooded with a heavy scent of blood.

In response, Snake Spear Douluo and Bloodthorn Douluo immediately emerged from the shadows, stepping protectively in front of Ye Hao and Qian Renxue.

They studied the newcomer with cautious eyes.

"Just how many beings has this monster slaughtered to have such overwhelming bloodlust?"

These two Titled Douluo, who had waded through rivers of corpses in their own time, still felt a chill facing him.

But it was understandable.

The life of a soul beast was a constant battle for survival. They had to evade hunters, while also fighting their own kind for dominance. Their cultivation process was nothing short of brutal.

And the Evil Demon Orcas were among the deadliest hunters of the ocean.

This man standing before them was their king.

After undergoing the Death God's Heart's baptism, the Evil Demon Orca King had fully transformed into a human, gaining the ability to walk on land.

Typically, sea soul beasts couldn't maintain a human form for long on land. Take the Demon Spirit Great White Shark King from Sea God Island—also a 100,000-year-old sea beast. It could transform into a human, but only for an hour before its body weakened and it perished.

Yet Xie Hu had no such limitations.

At that moment, he couldn't help but feel grateful.

"Good thing I made the right choice early on… Otherwise, I might've ended up like the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, nearly swallowed alive by that sneaky Xiao Hong…"

Now, he was completely subservient, with no thoughts of rebellion.

Ye Hao gestured toward him.

"Allow me to introduce—Xie Hu, the Evil Demon Orca King.

Thanks to the Death God's Heart, he has now taken human form."

"You already know Xiao Hong. These two are Zhu Zhu and Zhu Er…"

Ye Hao went on to explain everyone's identities.

Hearing this, Xie Hu's thoughts took a strange turn.

"Wait a second… Zhu Zhu and Zhu Er were also 100,000-year-old soul beasts?

Does my new master… have some kind of strange fetish?"

Ye Hao: "..."

"Control your bloodlust."

Hearing Ye Hao's command, Xie Hu nodded.

Immediately, a thick red mist surged out from his body before rapidly dissipating.

In an instant, the heavy scent of blood vanished from the courtyard.

"Get to know Zhu Zhu and Zhu Er—you'll be working together from now on," Ye Hao instructed.

Xie Hu nodded and stepped aside to join them.

Only when he left did Snake Spear Douluo and Bloodthorn Douluo finally relax.

They had felt overwhelmed just by standing near Xie Hu.

Even as Titled Douluo, they weren't his match.

Qian Renxue exhaled deeply, patting her chest.

"That was terrifying. Xie Hu feels even deadlier than Zhu Zhu and Zhu Er.

One is the Death Spider Emperor, the other the Soul-Devouring Spider Emperor… yet why does the Evil Demon Orca King's aura feel even stronger?"

Ye Hao chuckled.

"The Evil Demon Orcas are bloodthirsty by nature.

They have almost no natural enemies in the ocean.

And Xie Hu isn't just any Evil Demon Orca—he's their king."

"Anyway, Sis… has the knockout stage started yet?"

"You're Still Talking?!"

Qian Renxue was momentarily stunned, then grabbed Ye Hao and dragged him toward the door.

"You have no right to complain! You only just got back, and the teams for the knockout stage have long since headed to the Royal Hunting Grounds outside the city! As the Crown Prince, I have to be present. If I weren't waiting for you, I'd already be there!"

Qian Renxue quickly transformed back into Xue Qinghe, and the two of them boarded a carriage.

With a crack of the whip, the Spirit Hall disciple driving the carriage set off, heading straight for the Royal Hunting Grounds.

Inside the carriage, Ye Hao spoke up.

"Qian—No, I mean, Brother Xue, has there been any news from Spirit Hall?"

Xue Qinghe pulled back the bamboo curtain, gazing out the window before speaking softly,

"She sent word—Ju Douluo and Ghost Douluo have been ordered to eliminate Tang San on his way to Spirit Hall."

As expected, Ye Hao's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Ju Douluo and Ghost Douluo will not succeed," Ye Hao remarked as he popped a candied fruit into his mouth.

"Leaving aside Tang Hao, there's now also Tang Xiao. Those two brothers were once known as the Clear Sky Twin Stars.

Even though Ju Douluo and Ghost Douluo have been Rank 95 for years, they are still no match for the Clear Sky Twins."

At this, Xue Qinghe suggested,

"Then why not just send Zhu Zhu and the others? I refuse to believe that even with a sheer numbers advantage, we can't kill a mere Tang San."

Ye Hao shook his head.

"If Zhu Zhu is exposed, my identity will be compromised.

Zhu Er has already shown herself in front of Tang San before. If we send her now, it's basically publicly declaring that I'm with Spirit Hall.

Right now, only a few people know my true identity. The only reason they haven't publicly revealed it is fear of retaliation."

"After all, the Upper Three Clans only care about themselves and their clan's interests.

Spirit Hall's power has grown too much over the years. If we sent just a few Titled Douluo, we could easily wipe out a clan like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family."

Qian Renxue nodded thoughtfully.

Ye Hao then smirked.

"For example, if I sent Xie Hu to attack one of the Upper Three Clans, let's say the weakest one—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—I bet that by sunrise, the entire clan would be bathed in blood."

Meanwhile, at Qian Renxue's residence…

Upon sensing Ye Hao's thoughts, Xie Hu's eyes lit up.

The idea of a slaughter was very appealing.

Thanks to their bond through the Death God's Heart, Ye Hao's fleeting thought had immediately reached Xie Hu's mind.

Just as he was about to set out, Ye Hao suddenly barked, "Stop! It was just an EXAMPLE! An EXAMPLE!"

Royal Hunting Grounds, Outside Heaven Dou City

One after another, teams arrived at the Royal Hunting Grounds, the site of the knockout stage.

A heavily guarded area, the grounds were protected by the Royal Knight Corps—even a fly would have trouble getting in.

To ensure the tournament proceeded smoothly, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family had stationed their most elite knights here, providing maximum security.

During the knockout stage, all participants were required to stay in designated tents.

Fighting outside the matches was strictly forbidden—anyone caught breaking the rules would be disqualified.

At this stage, no one would be stupid enough to risk elimination.

-----

Seated inside the large tent were Grandmaster, Flender, Liu Erlong, and Qin Ming, with the Shrek Seven Devils sitting around them in a circle.

Grandmaster cleared his throat and spoke with gravity,

"The upcoming knockout matches are critical for us. Everyone, do your best.

This stage follows a one-on-one elimination format—each side sends out seven fighters, and once all seven are defeated, the match ends.

The first matches start tomorrow. Any thoughts?"

Dai Mubai raised his hand.

"Grandmaster, we understand the rules. I just have one question—when do we fight Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Second Team?"

Hearing this, the Shrek team's eyes lit up.

To them, Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Second Team was their biggest rival.

They had never forgotten the humiliation of their previous defeat.

Grandmaster glanced at the match schedule.

"Our final match will be against Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Second Team.

I understand your eagerness for revenge, because…"

I want revenge too!

That was Grandmaster's true thought.

If not for Ye Hao's interference, how could he have been captured by Spirit Hall and brutally tortured to the brink of death?

That experience was the deepest scar of his life.

It had changed him completely.

This time, when he went to Spirit Hall, he would personally report Salas to Bibi Dong.

Salas must face punishment.

Otherwise, Grandmaster would never have peace.

His nightmares haunted him, and his hatred only grew stronger.

His mentality had completely shifted.

Even Flender, his old friend, sometimes wondered—"Is this still the Yu Xiaogang I know?"

Flender clapped his hands to lighten the mood.

"Alright, everyone, go get some rest. Grandmaster and I have things to discuss."

The group greeted each other and left, leaving only Flender and Grandmaster in the tent.

"Xiaogang, are you okay?"

Flender asked with concern, his voice filled with brotherly care.

Grandmaster was startled at first but quickly shook his head.

"I'm fine. What could be wrong with me?"

"Honestly, I'm more worried about Xiao San… I'm debating whether or not to tell him the truth about Ye Hao being Ye Ritian."

"But after thinking about it… I won't."

"I know Xiao San too well. If he finds out, he'll immediately go after Ye Hao."

Flender sighed.

"Are you really so sure?"

"Of course I am."

One month ago, Tang Hao had returned from Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and went straight to Shrek Academy.

His first stop? Grandmaster.

As Tang San's guardian and teacher, Grandmaster was the most qualified person to know the truth.

So when Tang Hao revealed that Ye Hao was Ye Ritian, Grandmaster had been utterly stunned.

He froze on the spot.

He had never imagined that the true enemy who humiliated Tang San had been by their side all along.

His first reaction had been pure rage.

But then he calmed down—because at this point, what power did Shrek Academy have to seek revenge?

Let alone fight Ye Hao, who was backed by Spirit Hall?

"Sigh…"

Tears welled up in Grandmaster's eyes.

His voice was filled with self-loathing.

"I'm a failure. I couldn't even protect my own student.

Xiao San lost his external soul bone and was utterly humiliated by Ye Hao.

I'm nothing but a useless, pathetic excuse for a teacher."

Grandmaster sank into deep guilt and self-reproach.

Flender patted his shoulder.

"The past is the past, Xiaogang.

Ye Hao will pay for this."

Grandmaster's bloodshot eyes burned with rage and vengeance.

"Spirit Hall… I will stop at nothing to destroy you!"