Three days had passed since Ning Rongrong began absorbing Zi Ji's soul ring. At this moment, she sat cross-legged in a secret room, a nine-colored pagoda shining brilliantly before her. Nine soul rings—two yellow, two purple, two black, and three red—circled her body. Her soul power level had actually reached a terrifying Rank 94.
Zi Ji's true form was a Hell Demon Dragon with a cultivation of nearly three hundred thousand years. After her complete sacrifice, her energy and soul bone had brought Ning Rongrong a massive boost. In addition to reaching Rank 94, Ning Rongrong's physical constitution had been terrifyingly enhanced; a torso bone of nearly three-hundred-thousand-year rank brought far too many benefits.
The moment Ning Rongrong slowly opened her eyes, her entire aura erupted, and the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda before her burst into radiant light. As she gradually calmed her breathing, the soul rings faded, and the pagoda was withdrawn. Her eyes were full of excitement and joy, and she couldn't help but want to find someone to share this happiness with.
However, when she left the secret room to look for Gu Xuan, she was told that he had entered secluded cultivation three days ago. She had to suppress her excitement and enjoy the scenery of the Lake of Life alone while waiting for him to emerge.
Unlike the tranquility within the Star Dou Great Forest, the Clear Sky Clan had been reduced to ruins. The five elders of the Clear Sky Clan were dead, leaving behind several soul bones which the quick-handed Gu Rong immediately collected. With the five Titled Douluo elders dead, the two thousand-plus Soul Masters of the clan were also mostly dead or injured. Only about a hundred people remained who could still stand.
Most of these survivors were Soul Saints over forty years old. Under Bibi Dong's indiscriminate attacks and the combined bombardment of dozens of Titled Douluos, those with high cultivation who stood at the front died first, while the weaker ones perished before they could even resist. Only these Soul Saints and a few Soul Emperors in the middle tier managed to barely survive. The Clear Sky Clan now existed in name only.
Although the Clan Head Tang Xiao was a Rank 97 Super Douluo, he had completely ignored his own exhaustion during the great battle and was now at the end of his tether. Even if he survived, he likely didn't have much time left to live.
As Tang Xiao stopped his frantic venting, the various Titled Douluos were shocked to find that Bibi Dong, who should have been turned to dust by their terrifying attacks, was eerily beginning to recover.
Ning Fengzhi approached the spot where Bibi Dong had fallen. It occurred to him that a powerhouse of her level couldn't possibly lack soul bones. Yet, no soul bones had dropped where she died; instead, countless fine purple light streams were gathering as if she were regenerating.
Ning Fengzhi made a prompt decision and shouted to Gu Rong, "Uncle Gu, Bibi Dong must possess some secret technique for resurrection. This is likely the effect of that hundred-thousand-year soul skill she used at the end. Seal this area. If she can revive, she won't be at full strength. We will take her back to the Empire and leave her for His Majesty to deal with."
Ning Fengzhi knew that Bibi Dong was not just the former Pope of Spirit Hall and the successor of the Rakshasa God; she had another special identity as the mother of Gu Xuan's seventh wife, Qian Renxue. Since Bibi Dong had not died under the siege, Ning Fengzhi felt it was best to let Gu Xuan decide her fate. Qian Renxue was at a critical stage of inheriting the Angel Godhood and might even achieve godhood before Gu Xuan. Since Bibi Dong was her mother, her life or death should be Gu Xuan's decision.
Gu Rong nodded. Having returned to human form, he waved his hand, and a terrifying spatial force surged, completely isolating the area. Tang Xiao, who had been standing right where Bibi Dong was reviving, was teleported aside before he could react.
This move by Gu Rong amazed the likes of Glowing Feather Douluo. As Titled Douluos, they had a shallow understanding of spatial power, but Gu Rong's execution was startling. One could only say he truly was a master of spatial force. His titles of "Most Eccentric" and "Strongest Defense" were certainly not unearned.
Ning Fengzhi turned to the increasingly withered Tang Xiao. Standing five meters away, he said softly, "Clan Head Tang, this battle is something I did not wish to see, but things have come to this, and words are useless. If the Clear Sky Clan is willing to submit to the Empire, the Empire can help you rebuild."
Hearing this, Tang Xiao looked up at him, his eyes filled with an indistinguishable mix of hatred and regret. After a long silence, Tang Xiao glanced at the remaining hundred-odd disciples and seemed to deflate like a punctured ball. He said hoarsely, "Then... I shall trouble Clan Head Ning..."
With that, Tang Xiao's body fell backward as if his soul had left him, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
"Clan Head!" Several Clear Sky Soul Saints rushed to him, crying out in grief.
Ning Fengzhi looked at the others and said indifferently, "Considering that the Clear Sky Clan was used and controlled by Bibi Dong, your resistance was forced. Now that the rebel has been subdued and Clan Head Tang Xiao has contributed to her capture, the Clear Sky Clan shall atone through service. To help rebuild your home, the Empire will allocate three million gold coins and ten thousand stones of supplies and grain..."
Listening to Ning Fengzhi, the survivors didn't know whether to loathe or thank the Sun Moon Empire. Their hatred for Bibi Dong had reached an extreme, but they had nowhere to vent it.
What no one realized was that they had missed something—something that felt present but couldn't be grasped.
The army had regrouped. Due to Bibi Dong's final explosion, the Sun Moon Empire's five thousand Soul Masters had suffered nearly a thousand casualties, a significant loss. Fortunately, Ning Fengzhi was thorough; everyone who participated in the suppression was rewarded, and those who sacrificed their lives were given posthumous honors.
Zuo Yi and Ghost Leopard returned, reporting that no one had escaped the perimeter. They had searched for nearly a hundred miles and hadn't let even a bird pass.
Ning Fengzhi was puzzled by this answer. Ever since the Sword and Bone Douluos had killed Tang Hao, Tang San, the genius with twin martial souls, had been missing. Ning Fengzhi had assumed he had returned to the Clear Sky Clan, but there was no sign of him here. The boy seemed to have vanished. Ning Fengzhi had even dispatched the Zodiac Hall to search the Empire, but found no clues. 'Could Tang San be dead?'
It wasn't that Ning Fengzhi valued Tang San, but he was a twin martial soul user and a rising genius from the Continental Elite Soul Master Tournament. Leaving such a person alive would surely be a thorn in their side later. More importantly, Ning Fengzhi wanted to know the origin of Tang San's hidden weapons.
During the conquest of the Star Luo Empire, a large number of powerful hidden weapons from the Tang Sect had appeared. If the Heaven Dou imperial army hadn't been led by Titled Douluos, they might have suffered greatly. Ning Fengzhi had learned from Lou Gao that after crafting the necessary weapons for him, Lou Gao returned to Gengxin City but was later invited to Star Luo by Dai Mubai's people. The lure used to move Lou Gao, who was already the exclusive master smith of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, was Tang San's hidden weapons. Items like the Torrential Pear Blossom Needle and Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus were not yet forged, but their power was foreseeable.
However, when Gu Xuan took Star Luo, there was no sign of Tang San. Lou Gao, focused entirely on forging, knew nothing else. Now that Tang San was still missing, Ning Fengzhi was very curious.
Since they were at the Clear Sky Clan, Ning Fengzhi found the only surviving Soul Douluo to question him. Although heavily injured, the Soul Douluo's life was not in danger. Facing Ning Fengzhi's pressure, he answered honestly. Through this, Ning Fengzhi understood why Tang San was missing.
This Soul Douluo was high-ranking and knew that when Bibi Dong arrived, she brought three people: her disciple Hu Liena, the sole survivor of the Star Luo royals, Dai Mubai, and Tang San. Recently, Bibi Dong went to sea to hunt soul rings and took the three with her, but they didn't return with her. Tang Xiao had even questioned her about it, as Tang San was a vital tool for their future against the Sun Moon Empire. Bibi Dong's explanation was simple: Tang San and Hu Liena had gone for training. She didn't say where. It was also possible that the Soul Douluo simply wasn't told the location. They would have to wait for Tang Xiao to wake up to ask further.
Just as Ning Fengzhi finished his questions, Bibi Dong, imprisoned by Gu Rong, truly revived. To everyone's surprise, she revived completely naked. Fortunately, Gu Rong was quick to act, instantly throwing up a blurred spatial barrier to block the view. While she deserved death, she was still a woman, and they weren't that perverse.
However, since those present were all Titled Douluos, they had all seen her naked form in that split second. Some even thought to themselves, "As expected of a woman who was once Pope, such a figure, such beauty..." But no one looked twice; they were men of standing, after all.
Ning Fengzhi, unaware of the "scenery" he had missed, came to the spatial barrier and said coldly, "Bibi Dong, your crimes are many. Now that you have been subdued, I hope you do not offer any further resistance, or you won't live to face His Majesty's judgment."
Ignoring whether she listened, Ning Fengzhi asked Gu Rong, "Uncle Gu, is there any problem keeping her imprisoned?"
Gu Rong nodded, "She has revived, but her vitality is withered. Trapped in my spatial prison with no way to recover soul power, even if she has heaven-defying abilities, she is currently just a lamb for the slaughter."
Ning Fengzhi nodded and began issuing orders for the army to return, declaring the end of the campaign. Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong did not return with the main force but stayed at the Clear Sky Clan to wait for Tang Xiao to wake up.
Three days later, after treatment, Tang Xiao slowly woke up. He had calmed down, but the bloodshot lines in his eyes told everyone how heavy his heart was. The Clear Sky Clan, which should have flourished under his leadership, was now ruined. The hundred survivors were the only foundation left, but the clan's prestige was gone.
Ning Fengzhi comforted Tang Xiao for a while. Tang Xiao didn't have much goodwill toward him, but he didn't feel hatred either. After all, Ning Fengzhi could have wiped them out, but chose to preserve their lineage at the last moment. Moreover, the battle started because the five elders controlled by Bibi Dong attacked first. All his hatred was now directed at Bibi Dong.
Ning Fengzhi's primary goal in staying was to learn Tang San's whereabouts. Facing the inquiry, Tang Xiao's eyes flickered briefly before he shook his head and closed his eyes. "I don't know. Bibi Dong returned alone and said Xiao San, Hu Liena, and Dai Mubai went out for training. I had my doubts at the time, but now it seems Xiao San may have met with misfortune..."
Seeing he could get nothing more from Tang Xiao, Ning Fengzhi eventually left with the Sword and Bone Douluos. On the road, Gu Rong snorted, "Tang Xiao clearly doesn't want to reveal Tang San's whereabouts. It seems Xuan'er's mercy isn't valued by everyone."
Ning Fengzhi smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Uncle Gu, let it go. Tang San may have twin martial souls, but with Xuan'er's current strength, he can't cause any more waves. Besides, we still have Rongrong and that girl Xue'er."
Gu Rong didn't mention it again, but Chen Xin sighed, "It's a pity about the manufacturing methods for those weapons the boy had."
Ning Fengzhi shook his head as well, "A pity indeed, but don't dwell on it. The Soul Tool concept Xuan'er proposed is very advanced. The future may belong to the era of combining Soul Tools with Soul Masters. Tang San's weapons are good, but they fall short compared to the Soul Tools Xuan'er described. Since we can't find him, let's set it aside. The priority now is how to handle Bibi Dong."
Saying this, Ning Fengzhi looked toward the Star Dou Great Forest, "I wonder if Xuan'er has returned yet."
In private, Gu Xuan was still a grandson and son to them; only in public would they call him Your Majesty. They maintained their old ways of address in private, though as the eternal Emperor of the Douluo Continent, his dignity was inviolable.
...
Meanwhile, Tang San and Hu Liena, whom Ning Fengzhi believed were out training, were actually in the Slaughter City. After returning from hunting soul rings, they had both received the descent of the Asura God King's trials, which overjoyed them. Once hunted like rats, they had now been chosen by a God? This was the opportunity given by the heavens!
Thus, after getting their rings, they couldn't wait to head to Slaughter City to begin the Asura God trials. Dai Mubai, filled with hatred after his family and nation were destroyed, began his own journey of slaughter. Since Tang San and Hu Liena had obtained godhood inheritances—the key being their journey through the Hell Road to obtain the Death God Domain—Dai Mubai wanted to replicate their path.
However, their path might not lead to success; it might be a road of no return...
(End of Chapter)
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