Chapter 152: The Ghostly Yu Xiaogang, Part One
Watching Flender and Zhao Wuji slaughtering prisoners without mercy inside the prison, Luo Ling smirked disdainfully.
He wasn't surprised by their brutality. As a wanted criminal of the Spirit Hall, Zhao Wuji was hardly a good person—killing a few convicts meant nothing to him.
As for Flender, that so-called member of the "Golden Iron Triangle," he was little more than a mercenary or adventurer with a bit of fame. Killing and robbing were as natural to them as breathing.
Besides, anyone who could charge a ten-gold-soul-coin admission fee, refuse refunds, and still manage to gather a group of shady friends to establish Shrek Academy clearly wasn't innocent.
Under the banner of "training monsters," they were nothing more than fraudsters and profiteers.
Luo Ling had always looked down on Shrek Academy. In the original story, Shrek's so-called success came not from the teachers but from the students they deceived into joining.
With the talent of the Shrek Seven Devils, they would have been geniuses anywhere. In fact, if they had joined another academy with better resources, they would likely surpass their current achievements.
But Flender didn't think that way—he believed Shrek made them who they were.
Inside the prison, screams echoed one after another. Flender and Zhao Wuji were enjoying their massacre, unaware that a silent specter drifted right beside them.
Corpses were stuffed into their soul tools as Luo Ling floated to the upper levels of the prison, where Yu Xiaogang stood not far from the exit, seemingly on lookout.
In his hand was a spherical device given to him by Tang San before they arrived. He could throw it to produce a loud explosion accompanied by thick, sleep-inducing smoke.
If someone approached, the noise would warn Flender and Zhao Wuji, and the smoke would help them escape unnoticed.
Yu Xiaogang's plan was indeed meticulous.
Staring anxiously at the quiet entrance, Yu Xiaogang glanced down at his pocket watch. It had been nearly half an hour since his companions went inside.
He grew more uneasy—the longer they stayed, the greater the risk of discovery. The prison's lack of guards was suspicious enough, and once the afternoon matches ended, soldiers would surely return, making escape almost impossible.
As anxiety gnawed at him, Yu Xiaogang suddenly felt his body lighten—as if gravity had vanished.
Then, his limbs stopped obeying him. His body moved on its own toward the glass window of a nearby shop.
Reflected in the glass was his own face—not the worried and nervous expression he expected, but a faint, twisted smile.
For an instant, Yu Xiaogang felt like he had fallen into an icy abyss.
The reflection in the glass examined him from head to toe, touched his face, and spoke: "What a filthy body."
The next moment, terror consumed Yu Xiaogang. Darkness swallowed his consciousness, and he lost all sensation.
Luo Ling had successfully seized control of Yu Xiaogang's spiritual thread, leaving behind a trace of awareness only to terrify him.
Guiding Yu Xiaogang's body into a nearby alley, Luo Ling retrieved the soul tool containing a prisoner's body.
It was a small brooch—barely the size of a fingernail.
He quietly fastened it into a hidden layer of Yu Xiaogang's coat, nearly impossible to find without close inspection.
After finishing that, Luo Ling directed Yu Xiaogang's body into the prison.
Inside an empty storage room, he pulled a notebook with Yu Xiaogang's handwriting from his soul tool and hid it inside a dusty water tank in the corner.
Gazing at the notebook, Luo Ling smiled faintly.
Although the journal didn't include Yu Xiaogang's name, it contained plenty of research notes on Tang San's Blue Silver Grass—especially its various spirit skills.
The first, second, and third spirit abilities were all documented, though Tang San's name was omitted.
Luo Ling had deliberately chosen a book without direct identifiers to delay suspicion after the jailbreak.
Just as he finished, footsteps echoed from the lower levels.
It seemed Flender and Zhao Wuji had completed their bloody work.
Yu Xiaogang removed a protective mask from his soul tool and tossed the spherical bomb.
…
Meanwhile, at the Great Spirit Arena of Heaven Dou City, the match between Heaven Dou Royal Academy and Blazing Academy had officially begun.
Both teams entered the field.
Everyone was eager to see how Luo Ling would dazzle them this time.
But there was no sign of Luo Ling among the Heaven Dou Royal Academy lineup. Instead, Dugu Yan and Shi Mo were taking the stage.
In the VIP stands, Emperor Xue Ye and Ning Fengzhi both froze for a moment.
Huyan Zhen, sitting beside them, asked curiously, "Where's that Luo Ling boy you've been talking about?"
"Your Majesty," Ning Fengzhi turned toward Emperor Xue Ye, "is Luo Ling not participating in this match?"
Emperor Xue Ye looked slightly embarrassed. Even he wasn't fully certain of the academy's arrangements, but after recalling his earlier decision, he nodded.
"He shouldn't be playing today. Since we merged Team One and Team Two, I allowed Team One to choose up to two members to join each match freely. This time, it's Poison Douluo's granddaughter and another member from the main team," Emperor Xue Ye explained calmly.
Ning Fengzhi chuckled. "That makes sense. Luo Ling is a Soul King, an overwhelming force for any academy in this tournament. If he fights every match, the others from the second team wouldn't gain any real experience."
"Relying constantly on a powerhouse only hinders their growth."
With that, Ning Fengzhi's expression turned wise and satisfied, while Emperor Xue Ye merely twitched his lips but said nothing.
Onstage, Fire Dance from the Blazing Academy frowned upon seeing Heaven Dou's lineup. "Isn't Luo Ling fighting today?" she asked, puzzled.
Dugu Yan shot her a cold glance. "To deal with you, there's no need for Xiao Ling to make a move."
Fire Dance's expression darkened instantly. As a fire-attribute spirit master, she was naturally hot-tempered. "Are you looking down on me?" she shouted angrily.
"I simply don't put you in my eyes," Dugu Yan replied, eyes narrowing sharply.
She had every right to say so. With the help of the immortal herbs, her spirit power had already reached level forty-eight—stronger than Yu Tianheng, who had only reached level forty-six through the blood ritual.
Fire Dance, on the other hand, was merely level forty-one. The gap between them was enormous.
"You…" Fire Dance sputtered, about to retort, but Fire Wu Shuang stopped her with a hand.
Even so, she continued glaring at Dugu Yan and spat out, "So what if you're stronger? Our Blazing Battle Team isn't some pampered academy team like yours!"
"Is that so? Then show me how your Blazing Team is any different," Dugu Yan snorted coldly, releasing her Martial Spirit.
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Bankai10