Douluo Continent 5: The Rebirth of Tang San

Chapter 540: The Golden Lion King Gulan sat dumbfounded on the ground, not even bothering to retrieve its Eye of the Thunder God. The expression on its face was priceless. In this battle, it had not only lost the match but also lost its very will to compete. Looking at its blood-soaked opponent, it felt genuine fear welling up from within. At that moment, it didn’t even feel shame. It was simply pure fear. Big Cat had won””won this crucial match and become the first competitor in the Round of 16 to advance to the quarterfinals. Though it had paid a heavy price for this victory, it had suffered severe injuries during the group stage as well, yet in the very next match, it had played the underdog to the hilt and defeated its opponent once again. So who dared say it wouldn’t appear in the semifinals? Who dared say it wasn’t powerful? “Roar””” Big Cat let out a furious roar to the heavens, directing its fury toward the Lion Demon and Tiger Demon clans in the VIP section. Though the roar caused more blood to gush from its wounds, it paid no heed. In that moment, it felt as though all the pent-up frustration accumulated over the years had been completely expelled from its heart. That exhilarating sensation made its entire being feel clear and unburdened from within. To it, the injuries on its body were of no consequence; this sense of clarity had clearly elevated it to another level. The first match of the Round of 16 was already this brutal. Both sides were left battered and bruised. The winner, to the surprise of all competitors, was a Lion-Tiger Clan fighter with no prior reputation. This was undoubtedly a massive upset, but there was no doubt that, from this moment on, Big Cat had truly placed the Lion-Tiger Clan on the historical stage of the two fairy clans. For this match had been personally witnessed by the Emperor. The arena was cleared, and both fighters stepped down from the stage. As Big Cat stepped off the stage, the effects of the God of Slaughter Realm began to fade, and an intense sense of weakness, accompanied by excruciating pain, began to overwhelm him. Tang San was already waiting for him at the exit, but Tang San wasn’t the only one there. There was also a burly man with long, golden hair. As Big Cat was helped off the stage by staff, Tang San turned to the blond giant beside him and said, “Chieftain, are you satisfied with the choice I made for your clan?” The man standing beside him was none other than the Chieftain of the Golden Lion Clan, the Golden Race of the Lion Demons. This Golden Lion King had arrived here as the competition was drawing to a close, accompanied by the same individual who had conducted the Godslayer Sword auction at the Zuting Grand Auction earlier. The moment the Golden Lion in charge of the auction saw the Asura waiting here, his suspicions were confirmed. "The Golden Lion Clan’s leader has arrived here as the competition nears its conclusion, accompanied by the individual who previously conducted the Zuting auction at the Godslayer Sword auction event." "I’m not sure, but I’ve heard that the app is quite popular and has a lot of users." "Regarding the matter at hand, please provide a detailed explanation." In fact, after returning to Zuting, Tang San had already contacted this individual. Previously, when participating in the auction, it had promised to bring a powerful individual capable of succeeding Godslayer Sword to the Golden Lion Clan within seven days. In this Zuting Elite Tournament, is it qualified to succeed Godslayer Sword? What better way to verify this than through the Zuting Elite Tournament? Therefore, the Golden Lion Clan has actually been observing all along””watching Big Cat’s matches one after another. It was only when they saw Big Cat continuously defeating formidable opponents and steadily advancing step by step that they truly took notice. Although Big Cat belongs to the Lion-Tiger Clan, so what? They share the same Lion-Demon bloodline! What began as rejection of Big Cat’s Lion-Tiger heritage gradually transformed into acceptance as victory after victory unfolded. Once Big Cat successfully advanced to the round of sixteen, the Golden Lion King had already confirmed its succession to Godslayer Sword. Yet the Lion-Tiger Clan’s identity still gave the Golden Lion Clan cause for concern. After all, this also involved the Tiger Demon Clan. If they decided to fully support Big Cat, it would mean acknowledging the Lion-Tiger Clan””even aiding them and allowing their admission. The Lion Demon Clan is different from the Tiger Demon Clan; the latter still has the presence of the all-powerful Great White Tiger Demon Emperor. They simply cannot afford another failure; otherwise, the Lion Demon Clan would truly face decline. However, in today’s battle, when Big Cat””dressed as a beggar””defeated Gu Lan through his own formidable strength and combat experience, the Golden Lion King hesitated no longer. He finally arrived at the exit; having chosen to acknowledge them, he must now demonstrate sufficient sincerity. The Golden Lion King nodded to Tang San. “Our clan will reward you handsomely.” He then turned to Big Cat, his expression solemn yet tinged with complexity. Big Cat, meanwhile, was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. It had personally experienced the indifference of the Lion Demon Clan and the Tiger Demon Clan toward their own Lion-Tiger Clan””clans that had watched them gradually descend into the abyss of extinction, treating them merely as cursed beings, without a shred of sympathy or pity. Yet at the same time, it felt an immense sense of pride””it had, through its own strength, compelled the foremost figure of the Lion Demon Clan to stand before it and express his acknowledgment. Overwhelmed by these conflicting emotions, Big Cat was momentarily speechless. It was Tang San who stepped in to smooth things over: “Big Cat is badly injured. We should treat it first, so as not to delay the rest of the competition.” “Mm-hmm.” Gong Di nodded and gestured to the Golden Lion beside him. The Golden Lion in charge of the auction handed a porcelain vial to Big Cat. “This is our clan’s sacred healing elixir, the Golden Pill. Take it, and your injuries will heal rapidly.” Big Cat looked at it but did not reach out to take it. Its gaze was defiant, and amidst the pervasive scent of blood, even the Demon King””whose cultivation was clearly superior to its own””could not help but feel a deep, instinctive shudder. Tang San stepped forward to take the pill and said apologetically to Gong Wudi, “Clan Leader, I’ll take it back to the rest area to begin treatment immediately to prevent the injuries from worsening.” He wouldn’t be competing until the third match of the day, so there was still time. It certainly wouldn’t end anytime soon. “Mm-hmm.” Gong Wudi nodded. Only then did Tang San help Big Cat to his feet and head toward the rest area. He still had matches ahead of him and couldn’t take Big Cat away just yet. Moreover, Big Cat’s injuries needed immediate attention””that Gu Lan, with his formidable gear, was no easy opponent. He had left quite a few wounds on Big Cat. Back in the rest area, Tang San helped the nearly unconscious Big Cat sit down. First, he used the Xuantian Technique to seal the blood vessels at the sites of the more severe wounds to prevent excessive blood loss, and only then did he take out the medicine bottle. He opened the vial, which contained only a single pill. Yet Tang San’s face lit up with joy””the fact that there was only one proved just how precious this elixir was. The pill gleamed golden; its appearance alone was quite impressive. Tang San took it out and slipped it into Big Cat’s mouth. Big Cat did not refuse the pill. Although deep down it harbored hostility toward both the Lion Demon Clan and the Tiger Demon Clan, it also knew that to truly help the Lion-Tiger Clan grow, it needed this powerful boost. “Thank you.” After swallowing the pill, Big Cat’s vital energy visibly thickened, and its aura recovered slightly. “No need to thank me,” he chuckled. “Get some rest. By the next match, I doubt you’ll be stepping onto the stage empty-handed.” Today, Gong Wudi, the clan leader of the Golden Lion Clan, had stepped forward and personally acknowledged Big Cat’s abilities. This meant that Big Cat would be qualified to inherit Godslayer Sword. With the Divine Artifact in hand, Big Cat would undoubtedly be even more formidable. Big Cat raised his right hand with some effort and tapped his left chest lightly, conveying that he had nothing more to say””it was all in his heart. Then he closed his eyes and used his bloodline energy to activate the medicine’s healing properties.