The Next Day
As soon as Tang Yin arrived at the docks near the Purple Pearl Pirate ship, Xiao Bai latched onto the edge of his robe.
Tilting her head up, she made an irresistibly cute face. "Tang Yin… can't I come with you? I promise I'll be a good girl. Please?"
Tang Yin shook his head firmly. "If anyone from Spirit Hall or the top three clans discovered your identity, they'd chase you to the ends of the world. Be good and return to Sea God Island. Even without the Evil Spirit Orca, your clan still needs you."
"Fine… but Master mustn't forget Xiao Bai," she murmured reluctantly. She clearly didn't want to part with him, yet she knew he was right.
As her shoulders drooped, something warm brushed her forehead—Tang Yin had leaned in and placed a soft kiss there.
"Don't look so down," he murmured, fingers threading gently through her silver hair. "How could I ever forget you? Xiao Bai… wait for me."
Then he stepped onto the Purple Pearl Pirate ship, his lovers following closely behind, each offering a quiet farewell to Xiao Bai.
"See you, Xiao Bai… take care. We'll be back," the girls said softly, hugging her tightly—everyone except Zi Zhenzhu, who simply gave a small nod.
Zi Zhenzhu had joined the voyage as well. Having reached level 80 a year ago, she still refrained from hunting her soul rings, exactly as Tang Yin had instructed.
On the way back to the mainland, Tang Yin glanced at her voluptuous figure and asked, "Isn't there any suitable beast for your Sea Serpent Emperor Martial Soul nearby?"
Zhenzhu shook her head with a hint of regret. "The ocean has plenty of powerful beasts, but none with ice or poison attributes."
Tang Yin raised a brow, genuinely surprised. With how vast the ocean was, he expected plenty of options for her eighth soul ring.
"Then it looks like we'll need to head to the Far North first," he said thoughtfully, tapping his chin. "Only after that will we move on to the Star Dou Forest."
He was now at level 88 and a half. At most, four more months and he would break through to level 90. His plan was simple: obtain his ninth soul ring before returning to Sea God Island, so he wouldn't have to make another long trip back and forth.
---
Ten Days Later
"The ocean is only exciting at the beginning. The rest of the trip was sooo boring," Ning Rongrong complained, and the others nodded in agreement, lounging lazily on the deck.
Thankfully, Tang Yin had prepared plenty of indoor games, easing their boredom, and much of the remaining time was spent on cultivation.
Meanwhile, Yuehua, Erlong, Yiran, Huo Wu, Xiao Mei, Ye Lingling, and Dugu Yan were a completely different story. Tang Yin kept them entertained throughout the journey, and the hours slipped by almost unnoticed.
He hadn't taken the final step with half of the girls back on Sea God Island because there hadn't been many suitable opportunities. But now, he wasn't planning to delay—he even had his sights on the Priestess.
Bai Chenxian and Xiao Bai stood on tiptoe as Hanhai Port's coastline came into view. "Wooo—finally, we're back!" they shouted excitedly.
Tang Yin was jolted by their squeals.
The girls quickly straightened, brimming with anticipation, ready to dash off the ship and devour anything that wasn't seafood. Just the mention of seafood would have been enough to make them gag.
They bounced down the plank, laughing and chattering, eager to feel the sand beneath their feet. Once they landed, they seemed to realize something.
They were traveling on the Purple Pearl Pirate ship, renowned for its inhuman reputation—so fearsome that half the port had shut down their stalls and fled at the sight of it.
Tang Yin shook his head in mild exasperation and led them to an open restaurant nearby, generously paying for a celebratory feast and letting the girls indulge in anything that wasn't seafood.
There was no time for a proper vacation, though—he wasn't sure when the Spirit Hall hunt would begin.
---
That night, Erlong felt a strange premonition as she stepped out onto the terrace, the cool night breeze brushing her face. Someone was already there—it was Tang Yin.
He, too, felt restless, unsure how to reveal the Spirit Hall's ambitions and the imminent destruction her clan might face.
Lost in thought, he suddenly felt a pair of soft hands wrap around him, two gentle curves pressing against his back. He didn't need to look—it was Erlong.
"What are you doing out here alone? You seem to be distracted lately," she whispered, warm breath brushing his ear.
Tang Yin turned, about to shrug, but his wits told him this was the perfect moment to reveal the doomed fate of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
He wouldn't intervene directly—after all, they hadn't treated Erlong kindly—but he couldn't withhold the truth from her. She deserved the chance to make her own choice.
Erlong had already reached Level 92 after absorbing her God-given soul ring. With subsequent rewards boosting her soul level, she was now at Level 94.
Taking a deep breath, Tang Yin asked, "Erlong… if I told you your clan was on the brink of destruction, would you believe me?"
She froze, then slowly nodded.
"Yes," she whispered, voice trembling slightly. "But… who's going to attack the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?" she asked.
"The Spirit Hall. Of course—who else has that kind of power?" Tang Yin replied, surprised at how calmly she accepted the truth.
"So… what are you planning to do? After the way they treated you, I wouldn't lift a finger to save them. But if you want to go, I won't stop you," he said, voice tight with reluctance.
She didn't blame him—he was her only family. She was grateful he'd shared this information.
Liu Erlong stood dazed, thoughts swirling. Though the clan was no longer her home, blood ties and duty still bound her.
"I may resent my father and the clan, but I'm not heartless. I can't just stand by and watch them be wiped out. I'll do my best… and if it ends in disaster, at least I'll know I tried," she said, voice steady and resolute.
"Huh…" Tang Yin sighed. He could crush Spirit Hall with his strength, but that would also complicate things for Hu Liena and Renxue. He wasn't going to take sides.
"Although I won't help you save your clan, I can help you get stronger," he said, producing two fire-attribute Soul Bones—relics from Huo Wu's fifth and sixth soul beasts.
She stared at him, then kissed him tenderly. He responded, deep and passionate. Only after a lingering moment did their lips part.
"Thanks… you even broke your promise about distributing these Soul Bones only at level 96," she said, visibly moved.
"If you're stronger, I'll worry less," he shrugged. The rule was meant for others; her situation was a bit extraordinary.
Erlong nodded, giving him a soft smile before absorbing the soul bones on the spot. Her clan's fate depended on her strength.
By dawn, she had fully absorbed the bones. Her soul power surged, stabilizing at ninety-five and a half level. With her current soul ring configuration and the added boost from the soul bones, her combat strength approached that of a Hyper Douluo.
If she absorbed the remaining three slots of soul bones, she would almost certainly reach level 97. Completing the Sea God's remaining trials would cement her as an Ultimate Douluo.
Tang Yin felt a quiet relief. It was time for her to face hardship on her own—a flower grown in a greenhouse cannot bear the storm.
"Go," he said softly. "I'll be waiting for you back home, Erlong."
Erlong hugged and kissed him once more, then turned and set off. "Tell everyone farewell. I'll regroup with you after everything is settled."
In Tang Yin's eyes, Liu Erlong now carried the bearing of a true powerhouse. His own spirit felt lighter, as if something inside him had finally been freed.
"So… this is will…" he murmured. He no longer felt restrained by attachment. Only now, after letting go of Erlong, did he sense that invisible weight lift.
Ever since sensing Xiao Wu might be in danger, especially with Tang Hao nearby, he'd carried a subtle fear—timidness born from attachment.
Now Liu Erlong had awakened her own will, fully stepping into her power and becoming a true Titled Douluo in spirit, not just in rank.
Raw strength alone doesn't define a truly strong person—mentality, willpower, and spirit are just as important. In that sense, it's almost like Conqueror's Haki in the One Piece world.
Tang Yin watched silently as Erlong's shadow disappeared on the horizon. Morning had arrived, yet he returned to the lodging and sank into a deep sleep.
By afternoon, the girls noticed neither Tang Yin nor Erlong had appeared and decided to check on him. What they found: Tang Yin in deep slumber, Erlong nowhere in sight.
"Is he a pig? The sun's shining right on your backside, and you're still asleep like this!" Rongrong grumbled.
Xiao Wu nudged him awake, eyes sharp. "Where's Erlong? We haven't seen her at all today," she asked, others leaning in.
"Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan," he said plainly. Yawning, he stretched and flashed a calm, confident smile. "Now, let's depart for the Far North expedition as well."
Xiao Wu wasn't satisfied. "Did you say something to Sister Dragon? Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone back to that stinky clan."
"She's gone for personal reasons. She'll return after she's done. Now get ready, Bunny. We're leaving soon," he said, choosing not to explain further. It wouldn't do any good.
Though not fully satisfied, the group could do nothing but wait. Yet Tang Yin seemed… different today. A quiet confidence shone in his expression, a strength that hadn't been there before.
Afterwards, the group hired a carriage to the Far North. The journey was long, slowed by poor transportation and underdeveloped roads.
---
A Month Later
They returned once more to the freezing expanses of the Far North. Tang Yin, with Shui Bing'er, Dugu Yan, and Zi Zhenzhu, ventured into the icy wasteland, while the rest stayed behind—the extreme cold was too harsh.
Tang Yin held Dugu Yan in one hand, Zhenzhu in the other, gliding effortlessly with his Eight Spider Wings. Beside him, Bing'er soared gracefully with her Ice Phoenix Martial Soul.
"There are only common soul beasts in this region," Tang Yin observed, scanning the frozen terrain, "and only Ice Jade Scorpions are truly special. We'll have to go deeper."
As they advanced, the harsh silence was broken by low, rumbling bellows and sharp croaks.
"WHooo—!"
"Rrrrr… Rrrrr—!"
A Behemoth Ice Devil Titan was under siege, cornered by a pair of Red-Eyed Ice Toads. Despite the Titan's immense power, the toads' potent poison—and the advantage of their age—was allowing them to hold their own against the high-level beast.
"Isn't this supposed to be Meng Hongchen's Martial Soul? Well… I suppose we're really lucky today. Two of the rarest soul beasts have shown up. I guess all we can do is accept it—gratefully," Tang Yin grinned.