Chapter 311: Encountering Tang San Again, Keeping Up the Charade
"Who's there?"
Inside the tent, the three of them tensed and immediately rushed outside. Reaching the perimeter of the camp, they saw a lone figure dressed in light blue, encircled by four Spirit Hall spirit masters.
Seeing this figure, Dai Yao exhaled slightly, an almost imperceptible smirk tugging at his lips as he quietly stepped back behind the group.
The upcoming event—the soul sacrifice—would be his only way to acquire Xiao Wu's spirit ring, but this had to appear as an inevitable occurrence. He couldn't afford to be directly involved in Tang San's attempt to join the Spirit Hall team. If he intervened now, it could leave a trail that would unravel his plans later. As small as the risk was, it was one he couldn't take.
Everything he had was tied to Spirit Hall. If his covert moves disrupted Bibi Dong's intentions regarding the spirit beasts, he'd have no place left here. Besides, he was curious about how Tang San, without Hu Liena's intervention, would manage to gain the trust of Spirit Hall's team. How could a disciple of the Clear Sky Clan infiltrate Spirit Hall's ranks, especially here in the perilous Star Dou Forest?
And yet, for Xiao Wu's sacrifice to occur, Tang San had to be present. Unless things became truly desperate, Dai Yao had no intention of vouching for Tang San.
"Come on, Tang San," he thought. "With all your cleverness in the original story, you should be able to pull this off. If not, well, maybe you don't deserve that 'God King Tang' title after all."
Dai Yao watched the scene unfold from behind the trees, his gaze lingering on Tang San.
"Who are you?" Tang San demanded, scanning his surroundings with a cold glint in his eyes. His heart raced as he started to question whether sneaking into Spirit Hall's team had been the wrong choice.
Four high-ranking Soul Saints stood around him, sealing off every route of escape. If he couldn't succeed in joining their ranks, he knew that death was his only remaining path.
"Clear Sky Clan, are you?" one of the Soul Saints remarked, eyeing Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer with a shocked expression. Instantly, the four summoned their own spirits, and twenty-eight soul rings lit up, radiating a suffocating aura.
Seeing that he was about to be attacked, Tang San felt a spike of fear, but his time at the Moon Pavilion had taught him to control his emotions. Ignoring the hostility around him, he remained calm and took a measured breath before speaking.
"Oh? So, the sight of the Clear Sky Hammer alone is enough to incite you to kill?" Tang San's tone was mild. "I'm just a lone traveler in the Star Dou Forest, trying to hunt for a spirit beast. Since when is that a crime?"
The Spirit Hall members paused, sensing something unusual in his tone. One of them, sounding skeptical, spoke up. "Well, your clan, the Clear Sky Clan, is our enemy. It wasn't long ago that your people emerged from seclusion, causing a sensation across the land. So, now that you've entered the Star Dou Forest, why should we let you leave?"
A flash of surprise crossed Tang San's face, and he feigned shock, gasping, "The Clear Sky Clan came out of seclusion?"
The others glanced at each other in bewilderment, unsure whether to believe him. It was at that moment that Hu Liena approached, her arrival causing the Soul Saints to fall silent.
She observed Tang San with a measured gaze before finally asking, "You didn't know that the Clear Sky Clan resurfaced?"
"No, I had no idea," Tang San replied sincerely, his expression so open and genuine that it was hard not to believe him—a skill he'd perfected at the Moon Pavilion.
"Although I possess the Clear Sky Hammer spirit, I am not a member of the clan. Twenty years ago, when the Clear Sky Clan went into hiding, my father was abandoned by them, forced to wander with me from place to place. Then, a few years back, he passed away, and I've been on my own ever since."
Tang San's voice dropped, almost pained as he continued, "My father taught me that my spirit was a source of misfortune, that I should always hide it from others. But your hostility left me no choice but to reveal it today."
His sincerity seemed to resonate with those around him.
Hu Liena's eyes flashed with thought, but she didn't respond directly. Instead, she asked, "How can you prove you're not a Clear Sky Clan disciple?"
Tang San hesitated, clearly conflicted, before finally sighing, "It's difficult to prove a negative. I'm here alone, without any backup. If I were really with the Clear Sky Clan, wouldn't I have companions with me?"
The others were struck silent. He made a fair point. However, Clear Sky or not, his possession of the Clear Sky Hammer made him a marked target.
Hu Liena smiled slightly and asked, "What's your name?"
"Tang Yin," he answered without hesitation.
"You make some fair points, Tang Yin," she said, still smiling. "But earning our trust isn't that easy. Dai Yao…"
She turned to look at Dai Yao, her eyes sparkling as she said, "I remember that when you were at the Clear Sky Clan, you fought against all of their young disciples. Can you tell if this man was among them?"
Dai Yao stepped forward from the shadows, casting a scrutinizing gaze over Tang San. Tang San stiffened, struggling to hold back the surge of hatred that nearly broke through his calm facade. Years of training kept his expression neutral, but his heart pounded with tension as he met Dai Yao's stare.
Feigning contemplation, Dai Yao circled around Tang San, inspecting him as if trying to recall something, even letting out a few disapproving clicks with his tongue.
Each sound made Tang San's heart thud harder. He had not anticipated running into Dai Yao here. If Dai Yao exposed him, his only option would be to fight to the death.
Sweat began to bead on his brow as he waited for Dai Yao's decision, feeling as though each second stretched into an eternity.
Dai Yao finally stopped, studying Tang San's face with a bemused expression. The second awakening of the Blue Silver Emperor had given Tang San a strikingly different appearance—an appearance that had won over the likes of Qian Renxue and Hu Liena in the original story.
Here before him was not "Tang San" but "Tang Yin," and a mischievous idea took root in Dai Yao's mind. He'd toy with him a bit.
After a long, tense moment, Dai Yao gave his verdict.
"I fought every single one of the Clear Sky Clan's younger disciples, and I can confidently say, I've never seen this one before. Besides," he added with a smirk, "this guy is a bit too handsome to fit in with that lot of scruffy brutes."
Tang San felt a weight lift from his chest, but no sooner had he begun to relax than Dai Yao continued.
"However…" Dai Yao's voice trailed off, and Tang San's pulse sped up again.
Dai Yao's smirk deepened as he looked at Tang San, sending an uncomfortable shiver down his spine. "However," Dai Yao said slowly, "I remember that when I fought Tang San in the past, he wore a mask. Who's to say that the person beneath that mask isn't you?"
Tang San's heart dropped, his mind reeling. That Dai Yao was able to even accidentally land on such an accurate suspicion made him seethe with hatred. Now more than ever, he knew Dai Yao was someone he had to defeat. But in his current situation, any rash action would be suicide.
"Impossible!" Yan scoffed, dismissing Dai Yao's suggestion with a loud laugh. "Tang San was as plain-looking as they come—he couldn't possibly be this guy."
Hu Liena and Xie Yue nodded in agreement, and Hu Liena chuckled, saying, "Dai Yao, you're being overly cautious. Tang Yin can't be Tang San."
Tang San felt a wave of relief and glanced sideways at Dai Yao, hoping he wouldn't drop any more "guesses."
Dai Yao shrugged, throwing up his hands. "Fine. Maybe I'm just overthinking things," he said, feigning resignation.
Hu Liena turned her cold gaze back to Tang San. "Tang Yin, the Clear Sky Clan and Spirit Hall are sworn enemies. Tell me, why should I give you a chance to live?"
"I'm not part of the Clear Sky Clan!" Tang San protested, desperately.
"Whether you're truly one of them or not, the fact remains—holding the Clear Sky Hammer means everyone will assume you are."
Silence fell. Hu Liena's gaze held steady, and a cold, tense atmosphere enveloped the group. The Soul Saints surrounding Tang San readied themselves, waiting for Hu Liena's signal to tear him apart.
Tang San's nerves were on edge, twisting his insides like a rollercoaster, but he forced himself to remain calm, even as a small part of him feared that Hu Liena might indeed decide to kill him on the spot.
After a long pause, Hu Liena's expression softened into a smile, breaking the tense atmosphere. "Still, I might be able to give you a chance to live. If you agree to my conditions, I won't just spare you; I'll even help you gain a spirit ring."
She paused, letting her offer sink in, then added, "Complete this task for us, and you'll earn a respected place within Spirit Hall. What do you say?"
Tang San forced a bitter smile, masking his relief. "Do I really have a choice? Tell me your conditions; I'll agree."
Hu Liena explained, "The Clear Sky Clan is our primary enemy, but after two decades of seclusion, they've become impenetrably unified. Not even a needle could slip through their defenses."
"But you're different. As someone outside the Clear Sky Clan, you'd have no trouble infiltrating it as an agent for us, feeding us information on their internal workings."
"You want me to betray the Clear Sky Clan?" Tang San asked, pretending to catch on.
"You're not their disciple now, so there's no betrayal involved. So? Do you accept?" Hu Liena's tone was light, but her gaze was unyielding, regal—a glimpse of Bibi Dong's majesty as she held all the cards. Seeing her resolve, the others around her couldn't help but lower their heads in respect.
Tang San had already decided to accept. This was "Tang Yin" agreeing, after all; it had nothing to do with Tang San. Once he found Xiao Wu, he'd discard this identity without hesitation.
Feigning hesitation, he glanced around at the Soul Saints eying him warily, before letting out a reluctant laugh. "Do I have a choice? I accept. Besides, the Clear Sky Clan has a debt to pay—when they abandoned my father and me, they left him to die. The Clear Sky Clan bears a lot of responsibility for his death!"
He raised his voice, eyes blazing with righteous fury, earning sympathetic glances from some of the surrounding spirit masters. Dai Yao, watching, couldn't help but admire Tang San's performance—truly an Oscar-worthy act!
Clapping a friendly arm around Tang San's shoulders, Dai Yao grinned as he looked into Tang San's barely restrained expression of fury. "Don't worry, brother. You'll get through this. The Clear Sky Clan disciples are all bark and no bite. The strongest one, a certain Tang San, even lost to me!"
"Stick with us in Spirit Hall," he continued, "and you'll get your revenge in no time!"
Tang San fought to keep his rage in check, every word from Dai Yao grating on his nerves like nails on a chalkboard. He managed a forced smile, replying through clenched teeth, "Thank you for the encouragement…"
Dai Yao gave his shoulder a friendly pat, playing his part as the ever-helpful ally. "No problem—what are friends for?"
Watching Dai Yao play the role of the supportive friend to Tang San, Hu Liena's satisfaction grew. "It seems Dai Yao understood my intention and is making Tang Yin feel welcome," she thought with a small smile.
"Alright, everyone, it's getting late. We should all rest—tomorrow is bound to bring us a difficult battle," Hu Liena advised, and with that, they all returned to their central tent.
In the shadows beyond the firelight, Chrysanthemum Douluo turned to Ghost Douluo, his gaze fixed on Tang San as he murmured into the empty night air. "Old Ghost, do you think we can trust this Tang Yin?"
A shadowy figure materialized beside him, Ghost Douluo's eerie, raspy voice filling the silence. "So far, his story holds up. Once we return to Spirit Hall, we can investigate further."
Relieved that Ghost Douluo shared his concerns, Chrysanthemum Douluo glanced over at Hu Liena, who was now leading the group with impressive poise. "Nana's becoming quite the strategist, more and more like the Supreme Pontiff herself," he observed approvingly. "Inserting Tang Yin into the Clear Sky Clan is a smart move. But we'll need to find his weak spot in case he decides to double-cross us."
Ghost Douluo chuckled darkly. "Leave that to me. Controlling people is my specialty."
Back in the tent, they reorganized their sleeping arrangements. Hu Liena lay on the far right, next to Dai Yao, with Tang San in the middle, flanked by Xie Yue and Yan on the left.
Lying beside Dai Yao, Tang San felt every nerve in his body on edge. His most hated enemy was mere inches away, and yet he couldn't afford to act. He closed his eyes, pretending to sleep, though his mind drifted to thoughts of Xiao Wu.
"Xiao Wu, after all these years, I'll finally see you again. I promise—I won't let these people harm you!" he vowed silently.
Knowing that Tang San lay beside him, Dai Yao couldn't help but feel amused, secretly relishing the tension of having Tang San so close, seething with unspoken hatred while forced to play the part of an ally.
He too lay with his eyes closed, though he remained alert, wary of the chance that Tang San might let his anger get the better of him. Even with his Qinglian protection, an attack at such close range would be dangerous.
"Oh, I can't wait for tomorrow to come," Dai Yao thought with a smirk.
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