The memory of the finals of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament surfaced vividly.
With Jun Wuhen and Chu Yue absent—He had been the hidden ace of Spirit Hall.
Hu Liena and Xue Yue performed brilliantly. Yan co-ordinated with them with efficiency
Lin Yuan's footsteps did not slow.
'That Tang San must be cheating somehow.'
His gaze darkened slightly.
'He fought against Hu Liena and Xue Yue's fusion alone.'
He replayed the scene in his mind with cold precision. The martial soul fusion had been flawless.
Hu Liena's charm illusion intertwined with Xue Yue's—mental interference layered over battlefield control.
Their synchronization was near perfect. They had even been trained personally, by Jiang Mo.
And Jiang Mo…Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed faintly.
'That guy Jiang Mo is a freak of nature.'
He let out a quiet breath.
'If I wasn't certain he's not a reincarnator… and didn't know the plot of Douluo Dalu… I would have thought he's the true protagonist of this world.'
The System responded calmly.
Ding!
[ System: That is because you underestimate the protagonist of Douluo Dalu too much. ]
Lin Yuan frowned slightly.
'Isn't Douluo Dalu supposed to be a relatively low-tier fantasy world?'
[ System: No matter which world, reaching its peak signifies extraordinary talent, cunning, and luck. ]
A brief pause.
Ding!
[ System: And I agree. As a native, Jiang Mo's growth is abnormal.]
Lin Yuan gave a faint hum of acknowledgment.
'The most important thing,' he continued inwardly, 'is that when I interfered, it should have been a guaranteed win.'
He remembered that moment clearly.
He had calculated the timing.
Hu Liena and Xue Yue pinned Tang San's movement.
His strike was supposed to be precise.
The match should have ended there.
'But that dumb rabbit jumped in.'
His voice carried faint irritation.
'If she hadn't interfered, Tang San would have been down.'
His jaw tightened.
'After that… there was no "after that."'
He exhaled slowly.
'That guy fought like a rabid dog.'
Ding!
The System answered flatly.
[ System: Asura God provided him with energy. ]
Lin Yuan's steps paused for half a heartbeat. He finally spoke again.
'I don't understand.....Why does the Asura God support him so much?'
Lin Yuan's gaze remained distant as he continued walking beneath the oppressive sky.
'And on top of that…' he continued inwardly, voice steady but cold, 'while I finally cornered Tang San after exhausting almost every contingency I prepared… I noticed it a little late.'
'Bear Douluo and Sacred Dragon Douluo were not fully focused on the match.'
Their eyes. On the arena itself was covetous.
Only then had Lin Yuan connected the dots.
'Xiao Wu…She had used a masking herb to conceal her soul beast aura… even from Titled Douluo.'
Ding!
[ System: A masking herb had fallen from her sleeve at that time ]
Immediately after that he had no time.Because— A massive hammer descended from the audience.
It smashed downward with overwhelming force.
Sacred Dragon Douluo was struck first, then Bear Douluo followed.
The impact alone shattered stone platforms.
The Clear Sky Hammer, was carried by Tang Hao.
Before the System could even initiate emergency override to protect him—
A shadow had appeared who protected the Spirit Hall team from the dangerous shockwaves
Chrysanthemum Douluo, whose aura unfolded like blooming chrysanthemums in the void.
The System had informed him quietly at that time
[ System: Yue Guan current cultivation—Level 98. ]
Even Tang Hao's expression had shifted slightly in caution after feeling that aura
Yue Guan stood between the collapsing arena and the Spirit Hall team. Petals of soul power intercepted shockwaves.
Lin Yuan had believed— That Bibi Dong would appear next. That together with Yue Guan and other Titled Douluos—They would suppress Tang Hao.
But she never appeared.
He never knew that Bibi Dong remained in her chamber still reeling with the shock she had received—upon gazing into Qian Renxue's eyes.
Understanding past and present, herself and the truths she had buried in her heart.
He did not know that Qian Daoliu was in semi-seclusion within Douluo Hall—burying Qian Xunji.
The pillar of Spirit Hall's older generation momentarily withdrawn. Golden Crocodile Douluo, Azure Luan Douluo, Mighty Lion Douluo, Glowing Feather Douluo, Ghost Douluo—
Were away on a mission to eliminate the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan swiftly and decisively.
On that very day—Through coincidence layered upon coincidence—Spirit City was at its weakest. And Tang Hao had chosen that exact moment.
Lin Yuan did not know any of this.
From his perspective—it should have been simple .
However contrary to all his expectations that day, Tang Hao stormed into the heart of Spirit City, wrecked havoc, destroyed the stadium, injured Titled Douluos, rescued Tang San and Xiao Wu and escaped.
Lin Yuan could not understand till now, how the events that came into being.
His steps eventually brought him to the gates of Spirit Hall Academy.
Black banners hung along white marble pillars.
He entered quietly.Students stood in mourning clothes as silence dominated the courtyard.
At the front—Jiang Mo stood upright, back straight, expression firm.
His body however told a different story, as bandages wrapped around his arms and his torso, even around his neck.
Lin Yuan's gaze shifted forward.
Two portraits. Jun Wuhen and Chu Yue.
Placed before wooden coffins draped in flowers laid carefully.
Incense smoke rising in thin spirals.
His fingers curled slowly into fists.
"Life is fragile…" he whispered.
---
(Author notes: This chapter signified that people grow and I did not want to waste side chapters on the tournament events, so I gave all information in one chapter. )