Should he maintain his noble image… or fight for the chance to claim an external spirit bone?
Tang San hesitated.
"Oh? You're hesitating," Diyi Hong teased, "Looks like your faith in your teacher isn't as unshakable as you thought."
Tang San said nothing.
Deep down, he knew Diyi Hong had a point.
But…
He couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.
So he dodged the issue—
"External spirit bones are extremely rare," Tang San said slowly. "So when my teacher claimed that they must be matched with specific spirit rings, it was likely just a theoretical assumption."
"And anyway, that theory was never published in the 'Ten Core Martial Spirit Competencies.'"
"So it's not exactly set in stone."
"It doesn't directly reflect his true theoretical capability."
Diyi Hong chuckled.
You're trying to turn a yes-or-no question… into a talk-no-jutsu?
That's a protagonist's move. What's a so-called 'righteous' character like you doing stealing the main character's move?
[「God of Emotion」: Classic Double Standard Tang San—wants both ways, huh!]
[「God of Emotion」: Host, bring down the hammer! I can't stand this guy!]
[User「God of Emotion」has gifted:「God-given Spirit Ring」×1]
[「Pheonix God」: Host, I've had enough—You must say it out loud! Yu Xiaogang is a poser! A fraud! A plagiarist!]
[User「Pheonix God」has gifted:「God-given Spirit Ring」×1]
Look at that.
The audience was fired up—and ready to shower the host with gifts.
Time to press harder.
"This won't do."
Diyi Hong wagged a finger—
"You want to be the good student who won't admit his teacher's a fraud…"
"And at the same time, try to win the external spirit bone to change your fate?"
"There's no such thing as a free lunch."
"If you won't admit it, I'll take it as you forfeiting the competition."
—He denied your attempt at persuasion and slapped you with a giant rhetorical slap!
Diyi Hong held the Eight Spider Lances and walked toward Meng Yiran.
Tang San panicked on the spot!
If not for being too weak, he would've tried to snatch it!
Seeing Diyi Hong getting closer and closer to Meng Yiran—
Tang San gritted his teeth.
—Fine! It's the truth anyway. So what if I admit it?!
"You're right! This one's on Xiaogang!"
Tang San turned abruptly to Flender—who had just opened his mouth.
Perfect timing. Perfect delivery.
"Everyone makes mistakes. It's no big deal," Flender said sternly. "There's just not enough research on external spirit bones. Xiaogang shouldn't have made such an absolute claim. On this theory, yes, he was wrong."
Tang San let out a breath.
That's why he's the dean—always dependable when it counts!
And as Yu Xiaogang's best friend, Flender had the authority to say this.
Perfect save!
Tang San looked at Diyi Hong with a smile—Satisfied now?
But Diyi Hong just grinned.
The chat definitely wasn't going to be satisfied with just that.
[User「God of Speed」has gifted:「God-given Spirit Ring」×5]
[「God of Speed」: Dean Flender meant well, but that's not what I came to see! Host, make Tang San say it!]
[User「God of Emotion」has gifted:「God-given Spirit Ring」×5]
[「God of Emotion」: Host! I want Tang San to personally say 'Yu Xiaogang is a fraud!' Just wanna see him squirm!]
[User「God of Speed」has gifted:「Speed Consciousness」×1]
[「God of Speed」: That old guy's meddling too much—get him outta the way and let Tang San talk!]
The audience was completely riled up now.
Diyi Hong couldn't help but burst out laughing—his joy was contagious.
What's gotten into him?
Tang San felt a chill—
Something's off here…
"Dean Flender," Diyi Hong said with a grin. "What you say doesn't count. I want to hear it from Tang San himself."
Flender frowned and was about to speak…
"And please," Diyi Hong grinned wider, "Don't ruin my fun. This external spirit bone is mine. Make me unhappy, and this deal's off."
Flender shut up instantly.
This little devil clearly had it out for Tang San today.
—Or maybe… for Yu Xiaogang?
He couldn't help but worry.
Yu Xiaogang was supposed to join the academy soon as a teacher.
Was this not handing himself over on a silver platter?
What a headache!
Tang San heard Diyi Hong's tone and knew—there was no dodging it today.
He took a deep breath and blurted out—
"Fine. I admit, when it comes to the under-researched topic of external spirit bones, my teacher is indeed a bit of a fraud!"
Still trying to get around it, huh.
Diyi Hong glanced at the chat.
[「Pheonix God」: Tang San's so slippery! It's still not satisfying…]
[「God of Speed」: The host tried his best—guess this'll have to do for now.]
[「Nine-Colored Goddess」: The real fun's yet to come. Fine.]
[「God of Emotion」: NO! He's trying to weasel his way out! He must clearly say 'Yu Xiaogang is a fraud!' Not for Xiaogang—for Tang San's misery!]
[User「God of Emotion」has gifted:「Emotion Consciousness」×10]
Indeed, setting up conflict was the key to profits.
Diyi Hong wagged a finger at Tang San.
"So much nonsense."
"Come on, repeat after me—"
"Yu—Xiao—Gang—is—a—fraud—"
The syllables were drawn out, each one like a foot stomping on Tang San's pride and grinding it into the dirt.
Just had to force him to slap his own teacher's face?
The others remained silent.
After all, Diyi Hong wasn't wrong—the theory was flawed.
And Tang San brought this on himself, picking a fight and provoking Diyi Hong.
He had no one else to blame.
Most importantly—
The external spirit bone was Diyi Hong's to begin with. His rules.
Don't like it? Go find your own.
Most of them didn't even have a single spirit bone, much less an external one.
"Diyi… do you have a grudge against my teacher?" Tang San asked.
"Never even met him," Diyi Hong shrugged. "But I've heard enough stories— I don't like the guy."
Tang San's eyes lit up—he'd found an opening.
"Then it's all just rumors, right? You can't take them seriously," he said, trying to lead the conversation. "My teacher's a good person. He's nothing like what the rumors say."
Diyi Hong seemed to waver, nodding thoughtfully.
But Tang San felt off—that worked… too easily?
Suddenly, Diyi Hong looked toward Flender—who instantly felt the malice.
Oh yeah.
He felt it right.
Diyi Hong had an idea.
But without Yu Xiaogang here, messing with Flender and Tang San wasn't as satisfying.
He better to wait till they got back to Shrek Academy.
He turned back to Tang San.
"Whether your teacher is good or bad has nothing to do with me."
"One last chance. Repeat what I said."
"If I count down to zero and you haven't done it—this external spirit bone is off the table."
"10!"
Tang San muttered to himself—Knew it. No way Diyi Hong was going to be that easy to convince.
"7!"
Huh?
Did he… skip numbers?
"3!"
Yup. He was absolutely skipping numbers!
Tang San panicked.
What should he do!?
Meng Shu and Chao Tianxiang watched from the side, feeling a rare moment of sympathy.
They knew that pressure too well.
That kind of suffocating tension could make anyone miscalculate…
"1!"
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