Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San

Chapter 295: Coveting the Array Disc

When they emerged from the tunnel, the thrill of the previous day's victory was absent. The suppression they felt at the beginning of the match had indeed left the entire team feeling both stunned and fearful. The opponents who could appear in the Great Beast Fighting Arena's team battles were indeed extraordinary!

The Bloodthirsty Demon Ape appeared before them again, silently leading them back to their quarters. Just one more victory, and they would regain their freedom, no longer forced to stay in the arena while awaiting the call to battle. Moreover, after three matches, participation would no longer be compulsory. They could return to compete whenever they wished, and their team's record would be maintained.

In fact, only by winning three consecutive battles could they truly enjoy their earnings.

The Bloodthirsty Demon Ape did not leave immediately after escorting them back to their resting area.

"There's something I want to ask you," it said.

"What is it?" Tang San asked.

"Would you sell that array disc of yours?" the Bloodthirsty Demon Ape inquired.

"N—" Du Bai blurted out, about to refuse, but Tang San interrupted him with a gesture.

"What are you offering?" Tang San asked.

"Information about your next opponents," the Bloodthirsty Demon Ape replied.

Tang San immediately laughed and responded, “Is that all? If that is all, we will not be taking up the offer.”

A cruel smile crept across the Bloodthirsty Demon Ape's lips. "You must understand, even the best things are only useful if you're alive to use them. You won’t be able to use your array disk if you are dead."

Tang San said coolly, "According to the rules of the Great Beast Fighting Arena, information about the match cannot be revealed in advance. You're breaking the rules."

The Bloodthirsty Demon Ape shook its head. "Not really. If both parties agree, we can reveal the information to both sides simultaneously. That wouldn't be breaking the rules."

Tang San asked, "Then what's in it for us?"

The Bloodthirsty Demon Ape replied, "The arrangement. We decide what kind of opponents you will face."

The meaning was clear: if Tang San and his team didn't agree to hand over the array disc, their next opponents would likely be terrifying. After all, the third match was the last compulsory battle.

"You can hand it over after the third match," the Bloodthirsty Demon Ape offered. It was clear what that meant. If they agreed, their opponents would be weaker, and that could even ensure their victory in the third match.

Tang San replied indifferently, "We can hand over the disc, but our condition is that we win all ten matches and gain noble status."

"That's impossible," the Bloodthirsty Demon Ape said without hesitation. "We can't do something that severely violates the rules. Once you win six matches in a row, your following matches will be overseen by the higher-ups. Your opponents will also be teams that have won more than six matches. No one can ensure your victory."

Tang San said, "Then there's no point in further discussion. We can't hand it over. If we can survive and ultimately win, what price do you think this array disc could fetch?"

A glint flashed in the Bloodthirsty Demon Ape's eyes. "You had better not regret this."

Tang San replied, "There's no question of regret. Even if we lose the third match and die here, we will destroy the array disc before we die. Trust me when I tell you we can do that. So you'd better not try anything. If we live, there's still a chance for you to get the array disc. If we die, we’ll first make sure you can’t."[1]

Hearing this, the Bloodthirsty Demon Ape snorted coldly and turned away, evidently not expecting this young human to be so difficult to deal with.

"Will they target us?" Wu Bingji asked quietly.

Tang San explained, "They already did. The abilities of the three Aetherhorn Deer Demons affected us significantly, but their tactics were flawed. If they used the Spiritual Storm instead of Elemental Stripping to suppress us continuously, it would’ve been difficult for us to activate the array disk, so it would’ve been tough to win. That means they didn't know about our array disc. It seems the management of the arena dare not easily break the rules of the Great Beast Fighting Arena. The targeting is probably because they discriminate against us humans and they wanted to see the effects of our array disc. We must have been marked from the first match."

"Being targeted isn't good!" Wu Bingji said worriedly.

Tang San smiled slightly. "No worries. As long as we keep winning, none of this will be a problem. Senior brother, before the third match, let's develop a new tactic that can adapt to any change."

"Hmm?" Wu Bingji paused, looking puzzled at him.

"You'll see soon. Let's stay in the same room tonight and practice it," Tang San said.

As soon as he spoke, Du Bai, who was standing beside them, said with a look of grievance, "Little Tang, don't you need me anymore? Are you going to abandon me just like that?"

Tang San ignored him and walked out with Wu Bingji, leaving Du Bai feeling deserted.

Gu Li looked at Du Bai with a strange expression and asked curiously, "You don't actually have feelings for him, do you?"

Du Bai glared at him contemptuously before replying, "You don't understand. Being with Little Tang always makes me feel secure; even my cultivation speed increases. Where else would you find such a good brother? Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself."

"Whatever..." Gu Li did not continue the conversation.

Tang San hadn't considered whether they would be targeted in the third match. It did not matter to him even if they were truly targeted. As the saying goes, if an army comes, send a general to stop it; if a flood comes, build an earthen dam[2]

As long as there wasn't a god-level fighter among the opponents, he was confident he could handle it with his current abilities.

The bloodline power absorbed from the three Aetherhorn Deer Demons aided his cultivation of the Discerning Eye of Heaven, enhancing his sensitivity to elements. This was quite remarkable. The Rainbow Deer Demon Emperor had reached such a level of cultivation through a strong sensitivity to elements. Witnessing the abilities of these Aetherhorn Deer Demons today had certainly impacted Tang San’s way of thinking.

Could he, once a God King, not achieve what the Rainbow Deer Demon Emperor had done? But perhaps it would require the bloodline of more, higher-orderAetherhorn Deer Demons. Of course, the best scenario would be to obtain the essence blood of the Rainbow Deer Demon Emperor. Currently, its whereabouts were unknown.

The victory in the second match had finally earned the Shrek Squad a name in the Great Beast Fighting Arena. Defeating the Bloodbath Squad in three minutes, using the array disc, headshots—these had all become topics of avid discussion among the spectating demons.

When Guan Longjiang returned to the Redemption Society Academy, his face was somewhat pale. He had also purchased a ticket to watch the match today, having missed the first.

When he saw from the stands that Wu Bingji and Tang San were restrained, unable to use their elemental abilities, his heart leaped to his throat. But then, witnessing their comeback, seeing Wu Bingji execute each formidable opponent with headshots left him inexplicably shocked. He had to reassess himself—perhaps this disciple of his had indeed surpassed him in combat ability. Since Tang San's arrival at the academy, Wu Bingji's strength had improved by leaps and bounds, and he was already taking up the mantle among the younger generation.

After three matches, the Shrek Squad could choose whether to continue competing and when to resume. He needed to have a serious talk with them about not continuing. The noble status really wasn’t that important. They had already proven themselves in the team battles, and their capabilities could be immensely beneficial to the Redemption Society in the future.

Having made up his mind, Guan Longjiang decided to speak with Zhang Haoxuan. Naturally, he would need to convince the mayor first. Otherwise, Tang San wouldn't listen to him.

To Guan Longjiang's frustration, when he arrived at Zhang Haoxuan's residence, the mayor was not there, and nobody knew where he had gone. But considering that Zhang Haoxuan was on the verge of breaking through to the god level, Guan Longjiang was left without recourse.

1. The original here is 玉石俱焚, literally “jade and stone will burn together.” In other words, mutual destruction, or taking a loss to ensure the other party also suffers a loss. ☜

2. The original is 兵来将挡，水来土掩, a Chinese idiom that means to respond to different situations with appropriate measures. ☜