Chapter 375: Tang San Rises, Fallen Angel, and the Backup Plan
"Welcome, Marquis Lan Hao!"
All the soldiers kneeled on one knee, shouting in unison to congratulate him.
Tang San looked around at the soldiers bowing their heads in loyalty, feeling a strange sensation swell within him. With a single word, he now had the power to decide their fates.
"So, this is what power feels like," he thought to himself.
The Second Elder looked at Emperor Xue Ye's lifeless body, feeling a mixture of sorrow and excitement. A powerful emperor had been laid low by the schemes of Wuhun Hall, yet, through their influence, the Clear Sky Clan had now found firm ground within the Heaven Dou Empire, setting them back on the path to rise again.
The thunderous cheers of the soldiers snapped him from his thoughts. His gaze fell on Tang San, filled with a complicated mix of respect and recognition.
After today, Tang San would become one of the most influential figures on the continent, perhaps even eclipsing the Clear Sky Clan.
"Before I left, the clan master told me that extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Since we chose Tang San as the future clan master, we should now entrust him with some of the clan's power. If it weren't for Tang San's contributions in this coup, we would certainly have lost."
Drawing a deep breath, he leaned toward Tang San and whispered in his ear,
"Xiao San, the situation is secure, and the Clear Sky Clan will follow your orders. It's time for you to issue your commands."
Tang San paused, surprised. Was the Second Elder really entrusting him with the clan's power so easily? But he soon understood the reasoning.
At that moment, the gates of the palace were breached.
Tang Sect disciples streamed into the palace, while the Wuhun Hall spirit masters, seeing their defeat was inevitable, scattered and fled. A massive Holy Dragon, bathed in radiant light, descended, radiating an aura of intense divinity. Even the Clear Sky Clan elders felt a hint of pressure from its presence.
This Holy Light Dragon, the very embodiment of light, was one of the most powerful beast martial souls in existence. Even the Clear Sky Hammer felt somewhat threatened by its aura.
The Holy Dragon landed beside Tang San—it was none other than the Golden Iron Triangle. The surrounding Heaven Dou soldiers quickly raised their guard, eyeing the radiant creature warily.
Tang San raised a hand and said,
"Don't worry; they're on our side."
With his words, the soldiers' vigilance turned into respect. Seeing this, Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong were astonished. Yu Xiaogang asked in confusion,
"Xiao San, what happened?"
Tang San sighed, stepping aside to reveal Emperor Xue Ye's body. He explained gravely,
"Teacher, as you can see, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe was a Wuhun Hall agent, and everything that happened today was part of their plot. Both Prince Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing were assassinated by them. Before passing, Emperor Xue Ye named me Marquis Lan Hao and Regent of the Empire, betrothed Princess Xue Ke to me, and declared her as his heir."
The Golden Iron Triangle was shocked. They hadn't expected that in a single day, their student would become Heaven Dou Empire's regent and the future Empress's consort.
Yu Xiaogang looked at Emperor Xue Ye's body with a mix of sorrow and anger. Reflecting on how Xue Qinghe had hidden his true identity for years, he felt a lingering fear despite Wuhun Hall's defeat.
"What a cunning Wuhun Hall. They managed to place their own agent as the empire's crown prince without arousing suspicion. If not for your timely discovery, Heaven Dou would have fallen into their hands."
Then, turning to the Second Elder of the Clear Sky Clan, he said,
"I presume you are one of the Clear Sky Clan elders?"
The Second Elder nodded.
In the sky, the Fifth Elder descended slowly. He had intended to aid the Third and Fourth Elders, but the developments below had caught his attention. The Seventh Elder also approached, his severe injuries already making him feel weak.
Noticing the Fifth and Seventh Elders gathering, Tang San directed his gaze toward the Third and Fourth Elders, who were still locked in battle with Serpent Spear Douluo and Porcupine Douluo. Narrowing his eyes, he immediately issued orders.
"Teacher, Dean Flender, Aunt Erlong, take a group of Tang Sect disciples and go to Princess Xue Ke's chambers to protect her. Wuhun Hall may try to assassinate her."
"Second Elder, Fifth Elder, go to the Wuhun Temple in Heaven Dou City and lock it down. Injured as they are, the Shura Tyrant and Qian Renxue will likely attempt to escape there. If they dare enter the Wuhun Temple, you can capture them."
"Captain of the Guards, heed my command!"
"At your service, Your Grace!"
The Captain of the Guards, a Contra-ranked spirit master and head of the palace guards, responded respectfully.
Though Tang San had his doubts about whether the Captain might be connected to Wuhun Hall, the man's recent actions had seemed trustworthy. With a stern tone, he continued,
"Seal off all city gates in Heaven Dou. No one may enter or leave. The Shura Tyrant and Qian Renxue, finding the Wuhun Temple inaccessible, will likely attempt to escape the city. Capture anyone suspicious on sight—better safe than sorry!"
The Shura Tyrant and Qian Renxue were Tang San's greatest threats, even more so than Serpent Spear and Porcupine Douluo in the sky. This was why he hadn't sent the Second and Fifth Elders to help against them.
The Fifth and Seventh Elders exchanged a glance, then looked to the Second Elder for confirmation, as if to ask whether they should heed Tang San's commands.
The Second Elder's response made his intentions clear as he bowed slightly and said,
"At the orders of the young master!"
The Fifth and Seventh Elders were momentarily taken aback, then quickly followed suit.
"At the orders of the young master!"
With that, the Second and Fifth Elders shot into the sky, heading toward the Wuhun Temple, while the Captain of the Guards led eight squads to secure the eight gates of Heaven Dou City. Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang nodded to Tang San before leaving with Flender and Liu Erlong, transforming into the Holy Light Dragon as they flew toward Princess Xue Ke's quarters.
Once everyone had departed, Tang San gazed somberly at Emperor Xue Ye's body and instructed,
"Prepare His Majesty's body for burial."
Servants, trembling and fearful from the recent battle, reappeared. After bowing respectfully to Tang San, they began to gather Emperor Xue Ye's remains according to royal protocol.
Then, turning to the Seventh Elder, Tang San said,
"Seventh Elder, please rest and recover."
"This is no time to rest. We must take advantage of Qian Renxue's injuries to eliminate her here in Heaven Dou. She must not be allowed to escape," the Seventh Elder said, clutching his severed arm with a grim expression.
Tang San glanced toward the distant silhouette of the Shura Tyrant, his gaze cold and calculating.
"Don't worry, Seventh Elder. Once I complete the ceremony for my title of Marquis Lan Hao, I'll personally lead the pursuit of those two. I will ensure they don't escape."
Hearing this, the Seventh Elder remembered how Tang San had lured Xue Qinghe into exposing his identity. Reassured, he chuckled,
"If it's you, I can rest easy."
Any lingering prejudice he'd held against Tang Hao and his son dissipated with Tang San's actions today. The entire Clear Sky Clan was beginning to rally behind Tang San.
…
Within Heaven Dou City, chaos reigned.
In a single day, the city's usual peace and prosperity had vanished, replaced by madness and confusion. The palace battle had driven most citizens into hiding, leaving the streets deserted. Opportunistic criminals looted stores, and sounds of breaking glass, sinister laughter, and citizens' anguished cries echoed throughout the empty streets.
Dai Yao and Qian Renxue, both cloaked in black robes, moved swiftly through the city. Dai Yao had long since discarded his mask.
Dai Yao carefully supported Qian Renxue, still disguised as Xue Qinghe, as they navigated through the streets, staying vigilant against soldiers quelling the rebellion and the brazen criminals taking advantage of the chaos.
Feeling Qian Renxue's turbulent soul power and observing her severe injuries, Dai Yao glanced at her, noticing her attempts to keep up, and asked in a low tone,
"Are you alright?"
Qian Renxue gritted her teeth, saying, "I'm fine. This was my mistake, and I owe you an apology. I underestimated Tang San…cough, cough…" She broke into another fit of coughing, clutching her mouth as blood seeped between her fingers.
Dai Yao glanced around to ensure no one was paying attention to them and then said,
"Try not to talk. It'll worsen your injuries. I'll get you to the Wuhun Temple right away. They'll treat you and help you get out of the city."
Qian Renxue forced a weak smile, replying, "Thank you… One more thing. There's something I need to ask you, and I need you to answer honestly."
"Go ahead."
Dai Yao said quietly, "Where exactly is the Sea God's Heart located?"
Her gaze immediately sharpened, her eyes fixed intently on Dai Yao. He had asked about the Sea God's Heart before, but bringing it up now, in the midst of such danger, made it clear that this treasure held a particular significance for him.
She didn't understand what the Sea God's Heart meant to Dai Yao, but she knew the moment he discovered its location, he'd risk his life to retrieve it. With the imperial palace in Tang San's control, any attempt to retrieve it would be a near-certain death sentence.
After a pause, she asked coolly,
"Why do you want to know?"
Dai Yao took a deep breath, unsure how to explain. With the Heaven Dou Palace Coup just over, the chaos provided the perfect cover for him to slip into the treasury and retrieve the Sea God's Heart using his teleportation. But he couldn't share this reasoning with her, especially given her recent attitude toward him. He decided it wasn't worth explaining.
"Nothing special. I just need to know where it's kept," he replied, his voice flat.
Qian Renxue narrowed her eyes, feeling that Dai Yao was leveraging his help to demand an answer. She glared at him and asked icily,
"Are you threatening me?"
Already irritated by her attitude, Dai Yao's patience wore thin. She owed him her life, yet she still looked at him with such disdain. He didn't bother to explain.
"Think of it however you want."
Qian Renxue snorted, then spoke after a brief silence.
"I'll make a deal with you. Once I'm safely out of the Heaven Dou Empire, I'll tell you where it is."
"You!" Dai Yao glared at her. By the time she was safely out of the empire, days could have passed, and Tang San might have already secured the Sea God's Heart. By then, it'd be far too late.
Smirking, Qian Renxue said,
"There's no point in trying to intimidate me. Until I'm safe, I'm not telling you anything."
Dai Yao felt his heart sink. He knew she was serious. In the original storyline, Qian Renxue was unyielding. Forcing her to reveal what she didn't want to share was futile.
Frustrated, he thought about his options. For now, he could only help her reach the Wuhun Temple and then attempt to infiltrate the palace treasury on his own. However, if he failed to retrieve the Sea God's Heart, Tang San would likely reinforce the vault's security, making future attempts even more perilous.
"Fine, I'll take you to the Wuhun Temple first," he agreed reluctantly.
Qian Renxue's smile lacked triumph. Her intention was also to protect Dai Yao since her departure from the empire meant safety not only for herself but for him as well. She winced as her injuries flared up, coughing in pain.
Dai Yao cast a glance her way and quickened their pace toward the Wuhun Temple.
Dodging soldiers on patrol, they finally reached the vicinity of the Wuhun Temple. The building still stood tall and imposing, but the perimeter was surrounded by rows of Tang Sect disciples. In the sky, the Second and Fifth Elders of the Clear Sky Clan hovered vigilantly, monitoring the area. The Wuhun Temple's spirit masters watched from within, paralyzed by the oppressive presence of two Title Douluos above them.
Seeing the two Clear Sky Clan elders, Dai Yao quickly lowered his head, pulling Qian Renxue into hiding behind a nearby building.
"Damn it! They've already surrounded the Wuhun Temple. They're determined not to give us any way out!" Dai Yao cursed under his breath.
Qian Renxue was in unbearable pain but managed to keep silent, knowing she couldn't draw attention. Feeling herself losing focus, she bit her lip, using the sharp pain to stay alert.
Reflecting on the day's events and the stark reversal of fortune, she couldn't help but whisper bitterly,
"A single defeat cost me everything."
"You're right. Tang San is our Wuhun Hall's greatest threat. With the Second and Fifth Elders here instead of pursuing Serpent Spear and Porcupine, Tang San has made it clear that he's determined to kill us. If I'm not mistaken, Heaven Dou City is sealed off—no one can leave."
"With the empire's reins now in his hands, Tang San will hunt us down, sparing no effort to root us out. In other words, we're as good as dead."
"Even if Wuhun Hall attempts to cross the length of Heaven Dou's vast borders to send help, it won't be easy. By the time they get here, we'll likely be nothing but skeletons in a grave."
Seeing Qian Renxue, still in Xue Qinghe's form, laugh bitterly, Dai Yao fell silent. In the original story, though Qian Renxue was defeated by Tang San, his limited power prevented a full pursuit, allowing her to return to Wuhun Hall. This time, however, perhaps due to his own interference, she now found herself trapped with little hope of escape.
"If this is because of me, then I'll help you escape from Heaven Dou," he thought, feeling a pang of sympathy as he remembered her tragic fate in the original story.
Qian Renxue had grown up without the warmth of family, relying solely on her grandfather. And in the end, her grandfather sacrificed his life for her. She ascended to godhood, but only after losing everything.
Perhaps it was her lack of love that drove her obsessive need to defeat Tang San—the only person who had ever defeated her, leaving an indelible mark. In the end, she still failed, and the "fallen angel" ultimately reconciled with Bibi Dong, but only after Bibi Dong had become a corpse.
Qian Renxue's life had been nothing but tragedy.
Her current predicament wasn't Dai Yao's fault, but out of sympathy—and out of caution regarding the hidden spirit beast forces within Wuhun Hall—he resolved to help her. Clear Sky Clan's sudden emergence was no coincidence!
If he managed to escape while Qian Renxue fell into the hands of the Clear Sky Clan, Qian Daoliu would undoubtedly come to resent him.
Then, having made enemies of both the High Priest and the Supreme Pontiff, his future in Wuhun Hall would be bleak.
Looking at Qian Renxue's face, twisted in pain, Dai Yao asked,
"Do you remember the backup plan I created for escaping Heaven Dou Empire if things went south?"
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