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*****
A hundred miles away from the hidden sect of the Clear Sky Clan, an aura of death lingered in the air. Tang San, his face twisted with grief, arrived at a secluded forest.
"Father, Aunt, Uncle… Father, Aunt, Uncle… Spirit Hall…"
Along the way, Tang San kept murmuring these names. His loved ones—his strict father, his gentle uncle, his kind aunt—had all been slaughtered by Spirit Hall. The Clear Sky Clan had also been annihilated. In this world, Tang San was now utterly alone.
After fleeing for a hundred miles, Tang San finally found a hidden spot to rest. As he sat down, he suddenly remembered the brocade pouch his uncle Tang Xiao had given him, meant to be opened when all hope was lost.
Tang San retrieved the pouch from his Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges. Inside was a tightly rolled scroll. Unfurling it revealed a letter.
---
"Little San,
By the time you read this letter, the Clear Sky Clan may already have been destroyed. Your uncle may have died in battle. After this incident, Spirit Hall and our Clear Sky Clan have become sworn enemies. If Spirit Hall finds out you're still alive, they will stop at nothing to hunt you down.
There is only one place in this world that might shelter you: Sea God Island. It lies deep within the endless ocean. To reach it, you must first go to Vast Sea City and take a ship from there.
The High Priestess of Sea God Island is an old friend of your great-grandfather. She is a level-99 Titled Douluo, a supreme force of the sea, and the only one capable of stopping Spirit Hall's pursuit.
Sea Spirit Masters are not inclined toward violence. You must remain calm while you're there.
Before heading to Sea God Island, however, there's another place you must go—the City of Slaughter. It is a true hell on earth, yet also a place that hones one's combat instincts. Your great-grandfather, Hao-di, as well as Spirit Hall's Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, all emerged from that place. Hao-di's Killing God Domain was also a reward from surviving the City of Slaughter.
You must never enter before reaching level 50 and awakening the Blue Silver Emperor.
Of course, all of this assumes you seek revenge against Spirit Hall.
If one day you feel incapable of resisting them, then go and settle down on Sea God Island. Live out your days in peace.
Since I first heard news of you years ago, I have been keeping an eye on you. You are a rare and gifted child. No matter which path you choose, I will support you. Live well, pass on the Clear Sky Hammer. That alone would make me happy.
Forever loving you,
Your Uncle, Tang Xiao."
---
"Uncle… Uncle… I will have my revenge. I will avenge you. I will make every last member of Spirit Hall pay with their lives—for you, for my father, for my aunt!"
Tang San cried out madly, then got up and continued heading in the direction of Holy Spirit Village. He was going to see his mother—though she was a plant, she was still his mother.
---
Heaven Dou Empire, Imperial Palace
The highest-ranking members of the Heaven Dou Royal Family had gathered in a grand palace hall. Their faces were filled with grave concern.
It was terrifying—far too terrifying. The world's number one sect, the Clear Sky Clan, had been obliterated overnight. The entire mountain they occupied had become a dead land. Even the flowers, trees, and grasses on the mountain had vanished without a trace. It was an unimaginable horror.
The Clear Sky Clan had once reigned above even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect at its peak. When the Sword and Bone Douluo were still alive, the Heaven Dou royal family had treated that sect with utmost respect, offering countless benefits in hopes of forging an alliance.
Yet now, Spirit Hall had completely wiped out the Clear Sky Clan in a single night, without making a sound. This made the Heaven Dou Empire deeply fear Spirit Hall's true strength.
Crown Prince Xue Luochuan stepped forward and spoke solemnly, "Father, according to reliable sources, the Star Luo Empire is rapidly expanding its military, conducting intense training drills, and has increased its domestic taxes by a full thirty percent."
His tone grew even heavier. "What's worse, the Star Luo Empire appears to have struck some sort of deal with Spirit Hall. They are strongly promoting the construction of angel statues within their borders and have relaxed regulations on Spirit Hall's branch halls across the country. I suspect that in a few years, the Star Luo Empire may join forces with Spirit Hall and launch an assault against us."
As soon as those words were spoken, the atmosphere inside the palace grew stifling. No one dared to even breathe, and even Emperor Xue Ye's eyes were filled with fear. Star Luo Empire joining forces with Spirit Hall—were they trying to steamroll the Heaven Dou Empire into the ground?
"Luochuan, what should we do?" Emperor Xue Ye asked. His capabilities were average at best—adequate for holding the line, but expanding territory was a death wish. He was only suited to rule in peaceful times.
Xue Luochuan pondered for a moment before responding, "Father, I believe the most pressing matter is to see whether we can draw Spirit Hall to our side. Even if we can't, we should at least aim to keep them neutral.
Aside from that, the Star Luo Empire's military strength already surpasses our Heaven Dou Empire. We must ally ourselves with anyone who can be swayed—such as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Now that Sword Douluo is dead and Bone Douluo is crippled, I suggest that our royal family form a marriage alliance with them."
At that last sentence, Emperor Xue Ye's eyes lit up. A marriage alliance—yes, that was the way forward. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect no longer had any Titled Douluo-level strength. Bone Douluo had lost limbs, and even among Spirit Douluo, his combat power was now below average. Given this, what right did the sect have to maintain such high status within the empire? It was only fair they paid a price.
"Luochuan, you're not so young anymore. It's time for you to marry. As crown prince, the only suitable match is the heir of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. That little girl Rongrong is quite lovely—more than worthy of being your wife. Prepare some gifts. I'll personally accompany you to propose the marriage."
Emperor Xue Ye smiled broadly. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might lack top-tier combat strength now, but they still had four thousand spirit master disciples—a formidable force in its own right. More importantly, the sect was wealthy. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's spirit could appraise treasures. How could they not contribute financially toward the war effort?
---
Endless Ocean
Qian Renhan was drifting across the sea, hunting soul beasts. His current cultivation had reached level 98. He possessed two 100,000-year spirit bones and one external spirit bone. In terms of strength, he had nothing to fear from Qian Daoliu.
The Star Dou Great Forest was crawling with ferocious beasts. Di Tian and Bear Lord were both top-tier forces. Ten Thousand Demon King and Zi Ji also couldn't be underestimated. And let's not forget the continent's number one support-type spirit beast, Bi Ji. If surrounded by all of them, one could only scream, "Shura God, save me!"
In the Extreme North, soul beasts shared a strong kinship. Snow Empress could leverage the entire region's power to suppress Di Tian—even without using his Dragon God Claw. When Snow Empress and Ice Empress joined forces, their combined strength was terrifying. Hunting soul beasts there might not warrant crying out to the Shura God, but you'd still end up fleeing covered in wounds.
Only the ocean was different. Sea soul beasts all had their own territories. Even the 100,000-year ones lived independently, and conflicts among them were rare. There was essentially no risk.
With his current strength, Qian Renhan had chosen the Evil Demon Killer Whale King as the third spirit ring for his Shura Sword. The Evil Demon Orca Tribe was brutally aggressive whether fed or starved. Whether it was their spirit ring or the potent blood essence in their bodies, killing one of them would provide exceptional nourishment for the Shura Sword.
Holding a map in hand, Qian Renhan searched day and night. Finally, he sensed a massive soul power fluctuation and an intense aura of bloodlust not far ahead. The very color of the ocean in that area was deeper than the waters around it.
(End of Chapter)