The moon hung high in the sky, a pale silver disc awash in a sea of faint stars. Its light spilled like melted glass across the quiet grounds of Nuoding Academy, bathing the campus in a gentle, dreamlike glow. Fireflies danced lazily in the breeze, their faint glimmers weaving among the leaves like wandering spirits.
In the stillness of this silver night, a lone figure moved with quiet determination in the courtyard. His small frame flowed through a series of rigorous training forms, each motion deliberate, each breath drawn with fierce resolve. Sweat dripped from his brow in heavy beads, darkening the stone beneath him.
Finally, the boy collapsed into a sitting position, gasping for air as his chest rose and fell in deep heaves. The moonlight caught the shimmer of sweat on his skin, making him appear like a figure carved from living crystal.
"I will surpass you, Qian Yu," he whispered between clenched teeth, eyes fierce beneath his damp bangs. "One day—I will defeat you. No matter what it takes."
This was Tang San—once defeated, now reborn on purpose.
Since losing to Qian Yu, Tang San had thrown himself into his training with a quiet obsession. Not out of pride, nor revenge, but from a simple, burning need to become stronger. To rise above his limits, and one day stand taller than the boy who now haunted the edge of his dreams.
Perched atop the branches of a tree nearby, cloaked in the shadows, a figure stood watching in silence.
The tall man's gaze softened as it fell upon the boy below. His voice, though hushed and nearly lost to the wind, carried the weight of sorrow and foresight. "Little San… so that boy, Qian Yu, has become your inner demon."
His hand clenched around the rough bark of the branch.
"He's just a child, and yet… I can feel it. If he's allowed to grow, he will become the greatest threat to us both."
With a troubled heart and a shake of his head, the man—Tang Hao, once known as the mighty Clear Sky Douluo—vanished back into the night, a shadow leaving behind a father's burden.
Elsewhere, far from the dormitories, a different kind of silence reigned.
On the secluded cliffs behind Nuoding Academy, Qian Yu sat in quiet meditation. Moonlight filtered through the canopy above him, painting the mossy ground in soft streaks of silver. His breathing was steady, his body a conduit for the powerful soul energy coursing through him. It pulsed like a tide, surging inward, being shaped, refined.
He was stabilizing his power, preparing himself for the next step in his journey: the hunt for his second spirit ring.
But this time, the Soul Hunting Forest would not be his destination.
That place had already yielded him a ten-thousand-year soul beast, its power now woven into his bones. To seek a second ring of lesser quality would be a step backward. No—this time, his path led to the Star Dou Great Forest, vast and wild, where legends roamed under ancient trees.
As he sharpened his focus, a ripple in the air broke his concentration. A presence—powerful, undeniable—washed over him like a sudden gust of wind before a storm.
His eyes snapped open.
Before him stood a man cloaked in a plain, grey robe. Disheveled black hair draped over broad shoulders. His face, weathered and lined, bore the look of one who had lived through too much loss and too many battles.
Though Qian Yu could not sense any soul power emanating from him, his instincts screamed in warning.
The man removed his cloak, revealing himself fully beneath the silver light.
It was Tang Hao.
"It's been a long time, Qian Yu," he said, his tone calm, though every syllable carried weight.
Qian Yu rose slowly, brushing dust from his robes, eyes narrowing just slightly.
"Well, if it isn't the blacksmith uncle from Saint Soul Village," he said coolly. "Come to check in on Tang San, have you?"
His voice was neutral, composed. He gave no sign that he knew exactly who stood before him.
Tang Hao didn't play games.
"Who are you, really?" he asked, skipping any pretense. His gaze bore into Qian Yu's.
The boy tilted his head, a quiet smile tugging at his lips. "That depends. Who do you think I am?"
"You're no ordinary child," Tang Hao said. "Your spirit isn't some strange variation of a Begonia. It's the Ghostly Nether Begonia—one of legends. The very same wielded by the founder of Spirit Hall himself, the Nether Douluo."
"You inherited the spirit of Spirit Hall's ancestor," he continued, voice tightening. "And you joined them willingly. So tell me—what is your connection to Spirit Hall?"
Qian Yu let the silence hang between them for a beat before answering.
"I'm six years old," he said with a shrug. "How deep of a connection could I possibly have?"
His tone darkened just a touch. "But hypothetically—if I did… What would you do? Kill me?"
The ghost of a smirk danced on his lips.
Tang Hao's brows furrowed.
"Your mind… it's far older than your body suggests," he muttered.
Qian Yu chuckled. "Finally, some honesty. Fine. I won't pretend anymore."
"You're right. My spirit is the Ghostly Nether Begonia. And yes, I am connected to Spirit Hall. But tell me, Clear Sky Douluo—shouldn't you also come clean? Or do you prefer to keep hiding in plain sight?"
The revelation struck like a thunderclap.
"You… you know who I am?" Tang Hao's voice dropped, alarmed.
Qian Yu's smile never wavered. "And if I do? Will you silence me for it?"
The older man's expression hardened, shadows gathering in his eyes.
"I hadn't planned on killing you," he admitted. "But now… you've given me reason. I owe Spirit Hall a blood debt. And you stand in the way of my son's growth. So yes… I'll strike you down if I must."
Spirit power surged from him like a sudden wildfire.
Qian Yu didn't flinch.
"You want to know what you look like to me?" he asked quietly.
Tang Hao paused. "What?"
"A mad dog," Qian Yu said, voice flat. "One that bites anyone it sees, without reason or restraint. I beat your son, and now you want to tear me apart because of your grudge with Spirit Hall. But tell me, old man—what if you fail?"
Tang Hao's breath caught.
"What if you can't kill me?" Qian Yu continued. "What then? You think your son will be safe from what comes next?"
He took a step forward, eyes calm, words like ice.
"You'll be hunted. And your son—he'll die long before he ever grows strong enough to fight back. You can't protect him forever, Tang Hao."
For a moment, the mighty Douluo faltered.
He knew the boy was right. He couldn't watch over Tang San every hour of every day. He had his own ghosts to chase.
Qian Yu watched the doubt creep into the man's expression, and pressed his advantage.
"So let's play a game," he said gently, almost like a teacher guiding a student.
Tang Hao narrowed his eyes. "…What kind of game?"
"A gamble," Qian Yu said, voice low and sure. "Bet your son's life against mine. Try to kill me, if you think you can. But if I escape, if I survive… then know this: Tang San will not."
Silence.
Tang Hao's hands tightened at his sides, knuckles whitening.
And Qian Yu? He simply stood there, smiling faintly beneath the moonlight. Calm. Unafraid.
Like a boy who had already walked through fire.
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