Inside the damp cave, Tang Hao stared at the handwriting on the wall, his rage reaching an uncontrollable peak.
How could the people of Spirit Hall have found this place? He had personally scrubbed away every trace, and this cave was so incredibly well-hidden—it was simply inconceivable! Sensing the mixture of fear and anger radiating from Ah Yin, Tang Hao felt a violent urge to charge straight into Spirit Hall and crush the intruder on the spot.
"Pfft!"
Driven by extreme agitation, Tang Hao suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. He staggered, wiping the crimson from the corner of his mouth.
From the emotions Ah Yin conveyed, Tang Hao realized that the Blue Silver Empress Right Leg Bone had also been taken. It was originally intended for Tang San. Now, it was gone. Tang Hao suppressed an infinite well of fury; he couldn't go to Spirit Hall to vent his rage now, as he still needed to stay and guide Tang San.
Since Tang San had already added soul rings to the Clear Sky Hammer, that Martial Soul needed to be utilized properly—otherwise, it would be a waste. Originally, Tang Hao planned to give the soul bone to Tang San now to lay an even more solid foundation before sending him to that place for tempered training.
Ah Yin's vines wrapped around Tang Hao's arm, sending waves of concerned emotions.
Tang Hao gently stroked the gold-veined leaves of Ah Yin, his gaze softening. "Rest assured, Spirit Hall will eventually pay back everything they owe us."
"Ah Yin, do not worry about my body. I won't die just yet... I must personally raise Xiao San to greatness..."
After an unknown amount of time, Tang Hao cleaned the handwriting and bloodstains off the wall and comforted Ah Yin for a while before returning to the spring. He didn't want to place too much pressure on Tang San yet, so he had no intention of telling him any of this.
As for Tang San, he was already consumed by worry. Seeing Tang Hao emerge looking even paler, he desperately wanted to know what had happened. However, Tang Hao remained tight-lipped, saying only, "You have reached Rank 50. I will take you to obtain your fifth soul ring."
Tang San couldn't sway Tang Hao, so he had to set aside his doubts and worries, following his father to obtain his fifth ring.
Meanwhile, at Spirit Hall, Gu Xuan had led the members of the Imperial Team back to the lounge. After a day of rest, they would return to the Heaven Dou Empire.
Shortly after arriving, Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin visited. The rooms were filled with members of the Imperial and Seven Treasure teams, celebrating their championship victory—a victory for the Heaven Dou Empire.
At the arrival of Ning Fengzhi and the Sword Douluo, the team leader Qin Ming became very stiff. He stood up and said, "Greetings, Clan Leader Ning, Your Excellency Sword Douluo."
Ning Fengzhi smiled and waved him down. "Teacher Qin, there is no need for such formality. You are Xiao Xuan's teacher; you can consider us peers."
Qin Ming was delighted inwardly, but replied humbly, "Qin Ming would not dare to overstep. Furthermore, my guidance to Xiao Xuan has been virtually non-existent. In fact, I have benefited from his fortune to achieve my current breakthrough."
Ning Fengzhi smiled warmly. "Teacher Qin, do not belittle yourself. Your talent is excellent. If you have sufficient resources in the future, reaching the Titled Douluo realm is not a problem. You are more than qualified to teach Xiao Xuan."
Qin Ming was overjoyed. To receive such affirmation from Ning Fengzhi was a rare opportunity.
Gu Xuan seized the moment. "Exactly, Teacher Qin! You are only thirty-six and already nearing Rank 70. Breaking through to Titled Douluo is just a matter of time. Why don't you return with us to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan? With the clan's resources, you are guaranteed to reach the Titled Douluo realm within twenty years."
Qin Ming was tempted. Born a commoner, he had lacked cultivation resources since childhood; his current achievements were due entirely to his own hard work. If he'd had a major power supporting him, his fifth soul ring wouldn't have been merely a thousand-year rank. Had it been a ten-thousand-year ring, he might already be a Soul Saint.
He felt some hesitation about leaving the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, especially since the three senior education officers had helped him obtain his sixth ring. But Gu Xuan wasn't worried. In the original story, Qin Ming left the academy to follow Shrek when Prince Xue Xing caused trouble, proving his sense of belonging to the Imperial Academy wasn't that strong.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan offered a bright future and the path to becoming a Titled Douluo. Under Gu Xuan's persuasion, Qin Ming eventually agreed to join. He would resign upon returning to the academy and then head to the clan.
Ning Fengzhi was no longer the conservative leader from the original books; with a monster like Gu Xuan and the geniuses of the Seven Treasure Academy, the clan was destined to be more than just one of the 'Upper Three Sects.' He was already paving the way for the future.
After a brief chat with the elders, Gu Xuan returned to his room to meditate. He held a handful of medicinal pills—highly potent recovery items refined from the high-grade herbs found in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. With these, his month-long recovery period for his "origin essence" would be significantly shortened.
In the Elder Hall, Second Worship Golden Crocodile Douluo was whispering into the ear of the Grand Worship, Qian Daoliu. Qian Renxue, standing below, couldn't hear a word they were saying.
As one of the three Peerless Douluos in the world, Qian Daoliu had naturally observed the battle in secret. He highly approved of Gu Xuan's strength. In his mind, if anyone on this continent was a match for Qian Renxue, it could only be Gu Xuan. In fact, at the same rank, Qian Renxue was far inferior—Gu Xuan had defeated a Rank 74 version of her while only at Rank 56!
Of course, Qian Daoliu believed Qian Renxue would pull ahead in the future as the inheritor of the Angel God. As long as she accepted the god's trials, she would leave Gu Xuan in the dust. He only paid attention to Gu Xuan because Qian Renxue had developed feelings for him. To him, no matter how gifted, if one didn't reach that level, they would eventually turn to dust.
As for becoming a god? No god had appeared on the Douluo Continent for ten thousand years. Even a genius like Tang Chen had vanished. Regarding divine inheritance, the Qian family held an absolute advantage.
Now that Golden Crocodile had told him about the wager, Qian Daoliu's interest was piqued. If Qian Renxue could be accompanied by such a genius in the future, it was a result he was willing to see. He wasn't worried about her losing the Three-Year Promise; after this defeat, she would likely practice with a life-or-death intensity without any prodding.
(End of Chapter)
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