Only a few days remained before the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's ceremony.
Various powers had begun their journeys; most were already en route.
Tang Xiao and Tang Chen walked side by side.
Compared to Tang Chen's steady poise, the one-armed Tang Xiao walked with a shaky, precarious feel.
"Grandfather, I don't understand." Tang Xiao had endured for a long time on the way; as they drew closer to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he finally couldn't hold back, gnashing his teeth.
"Why are we coming? Without the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's Ning Rongrong, Brother Hao wouldn't have been captured by Spirit Hall."
"With such a relation to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, why are we still attending the ceremony?"
Thinking of Tang Hao suffering in Spirit Hall's prison, Tang Xiao felt his heart being cut like a knife.
This was a blood relative—who wouldn't be heartbroken?
It wasn't something money could solve.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's actions had directly torn apart the upper three sects' shared branches pretense; it was all a bullshit fig leaf.
"Xiao'er, you are the Haotian Sect's sect master; when facing matters, you must remain calm, plan, and then act—not be impulsive." Tang Chen glanced at the indignant Tang Xiao and spoke earnestly.
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's mover wasn't Ning Fengzhi, nor the Sword and Bone two Douluo, nor even the other Title Douluo."
"The mover was just Ning Rongrong, whose age is similar to Little San's; and when she acted, she wasn't yet the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's young sect master."
"From some angles, she doesn't represent the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan."
"Old ancestor, this is pure sophistry."
"Yes." Tang Chen smiled bitterly.
"We have no choice; your severed arm, and your sister Tang Yuehua's matter—only the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan can solve them."
"For these two things, we must bow our heads."
"Moreover, Xue Qinghe and Qian Renxue's relation—Ning Fengzhi is Xue Qinghe's teacher. Ning Rongrong's action reason barely passes."
"Throughout, she never heavy-handed Brother Hao; all the heavy injuries came from Tang Hao's attacks being rebounded back."
"She was executing the Angel God's will; the upper three sects were one of the original Spirit Hall founders."
"In the Haotian Sect's ancient records, this segment exists."
"By emotion and by reason, there's no way on justice to accuse the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan of being wrong."
Tang Hao's goal was to kill Qian Renxue, but the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan stopped it.
Seeing that Tang Xiao was still unable to release his grudge, Tang Chen sighed: "Xiao'er, there's no need to offend the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan; us killing Qian Renxue right in front of Ning Fengzhi was itself somewhat inconsiderate."
That battle had been live-broadcast continent-wide.
Qian Renxue, on the tournament arena, had publicly stated her relation with Xue Qinghe.
If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had not acted to save Qian Renxue, it would have been hard for them to explain later to their disciple, the Heaven Dou Emperor.
As for the first Angel God saying that Xue Qinghe was suspected to be fake and had stolen the Heaven Dou Empire...
Who knew about such a matter?
Anyway, with his Limit Douluo strength, he had seen no issue with Xue Qinghe.
Moreover, that Angel God had been slain by the later Angel God's sword.
It was revealed that the first Angel God was fake, controlled by Bo Saixi behind the Sea God.
After that event, Bo Saixi had begun contacting the Sea God, but until she left, there had been no response.
Bo Saixi had worried that leaving Sea God Island for too long would cause an accident.
Like if the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King discovered an anomaly and directly came to Sea God Island.
So, after failing to handle Qian Renxue, Bo Saixi had brought her people back to Sea God Island, leaving one Title Douluo as a contact.
Now, in this situation, the Haotian Sect had lost 5 Title Douluo before and after the tournament.
This was damn ridiculous.
The Slaughter City event had lost 1 Title Douluo, basically confirmed to have been slain by Ning Rongrong.
In the Star Dou Great Forest, they had lost two Title Douluo, who were still Haotian Sect elders.
Then, in the clash with Spirit Hall, they had lost Yang Wudi—this comparable Title Douluo—and his own grandson Tang Hao.
Even with the Haotian Sect's many Title Douluo, they couldn't withstand such losses!
Was Tang Hao savable? Truthfully, Tang Chen had no confidence.
The later Angel God had announced Qian Renxue's divine exam: kill the Haotian Sect's Tang Hao.
The upcoming public trial was perhaps fake; the real Tang Hao might long be gone.
Thinking of this, Tang Chen let out a long sigh: "Xiao'er, what do you think of that Ning Rongrong?"
"I don't know."
Tang Xiao was silent for a long time, really unsure how to evaluate her.
"Very strong!" Tang Chen sighed. "Truthfully, I clashed with her."
"Clashed?" Tang Xiao was stunned.
"Yes, in Slaughter City." Tang Chen nodded. "The one who invaded Slaughter City and seized the Blood Red Nine-Headed Bat King's White Queen should be Ning Rongrong."
"This... impossible!" Tang Xiao stopped, his whole person stunned.
The White Queen's terror—he knew it from the elders.
That was a being who, with one person's force, had gone against nearly the whole Haotian Sect's Title forces, slain one Title Douluo, and safely left—a terrifying existence.
Ning Rongrong was strong, but from her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, it was mostly defense, recovery, and rebound skills.
Even in her battle with Qian Renxue, she hadn't reached the White Queen's level!
"You shouldn't think of her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda as similar to Yu Xiaogang's variant Blue Lightning Tyrant Pig?" Tang Chen counterasked.
"Uh, similar?"
Tang Xiao was somewhat unable to follow Tang Chen's thinking.
"Correct—it's a rare external martial soul, and it has what even the god-level Six-Winged Angel lacks: extremely high IQ."
"That pagoda spirit indeed..." Tang Xiao judged based on the known info, then fell silent.
"The difference is perhaps that one is innate full soul power, while the other is innate half-level soul power!" Tang Chen sighed again.
Judging from all aspects, Ning Rongrong's Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had similarities with Yu Xiaogang's variant martial soul.
It had IQ, and it seemed it could eat.
That black-haired girl...
One look, and she was not ordinary.
"But is she really the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul?" Tang Xiao doubted.
Years ago, this nightmare-called girl had truly blocked Qian Daoliu's offense and, with absolute advantage, seized the Angel Holy Sword.
This scene, Tang Xiao had seen with his own eyes.
"The so-called martial soul, from some angles, is also one's own strength." Tang Chen said.
"Martial soul possession?" Tang Xiao was shocked; could they fuse and unleash a special state like a martial soul fusion skill? So absurd?
"Who knows!" Tang Chen shook his head. "Like how we're unclear about twin-born martial souls' cultivation; perhaps the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has more understanding on martial souls!"
After all, from Spirit Hall's founding, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had researched martial souls; their history was deep and long.
"Do you know about the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's True Dragon Nine Crowns?" Tang Chen sighed.
"Don't underestimate that sect; that True Dragon Nine Crowns truly lets Yu Yuanzhen unleash Limit Douluo strength, even possibly not weaker than me."
Tang Chen fell slightly silent, giving time for Tang Xiao to think.
A moment later, he continued: "Do you know why the seven great sects' lower four rotate, but the upper three always cycle at the top?"
"That's the sects' heritage; no matter the wind, rain, or sun, or how seas change into fields, they have absolute trump cards."
"This trip to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, I plan to fully understand their ideas."
"We and Spirit Hall must go to war; and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan... if Spirit Hall has ambitions to whale-swallow the world, we are not necessarily enemies."
"So, Xiao'er, some matters require far-sighted vision."
"Not becoming a god ultimately makes one an ant."
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan wants just a steady fishing platform!"