Under the moonlight, in a snowy night, Dai Tianfeng, Yu Yuanzhen, and Emperor Xue Ye secretly gathered in private.
Although Tang San's scandal had implicated many factions beyond just these three, too many people meant too many mouths. When it came to secrets, the fewer who knew, the better.
"I truly didn't expect something this absurd to happen. Are we really going to go that far with Tang San?" Emperor Xue Ye asked.
"What do you think?" Dai Tianfeng replied. "Xue Ye, if you were Tang San, and your lover bore you a son, only for that son to awaken his martial soul and turn out to be another man's child, what would you do?"
"I would want to tear those adulterers to pieces, just to vent the hatred in my heart," Xue Ye answered without hesitation.
"That's exactly the point," Dai Tianfeng said coldly. "If even you think this way, how much more so for Tang San—someone destined to become a god? Once he ascends, he'll never let us off!"
A trace of viciousness flickered in Yu Yuanzhen's eyes as he said, "Rather than wait for him to become a god and settle accounts with us, it's better to strike first. A divine trial candidate, before he becomes a god, is still just an ant before us Title Douluo." With that, Yu Yuanzhen drew his sword.
Dai Tianfeng sneered. "Since there's no room for compromise, then let's nail that green hat firmly on Tang San's head and make him a laughingstock for all eternity." He too drew his sword.
"But if Tang San is gone, how are we supposed to deal with Spirit Hall and the Spark Academy faction?" Emperor Xue Ye pressed.
"We bypass the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and the Clear Sky Sect," Dai Tianfeng said. "Take Tang San, Tang Hao, and Yu Xiaogang's heads. Once it's done, the other two clans won't be able to say much. The alliance will still stand, and with our combined power, we can face Spirit Hall and Spark Academy head-on!"
Emperor Xue Ye nodded, then unsheathed his sword as well.
Three men. Three factions. Three swords crossed together to form a new secret alliance.
—
At the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan residence
Chen Xin exclaimed in shock, "Three children with three different fathers—this is unheard of!"
Gu Rong said playfully, "If I remember right, Tang San and Xiao Wu had four more children. Coward, do you think maybe those four aren't his either?"
"If that's true, then Tang San is simply—" Chen Xin trailed off.
Ning Fengzhi asked, "Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, if something like this has happened, what do you think Tang San will do once he becomes a god?"
Gu Rong said, "Clan leader, what's there to ask? If it were me, I'd definitely wipe out everyone who humiliated me."
Ning Fengzhi nodded. "Exactly. Tang San will thirst for revenge, and that's precisely what I fear."
Chen Xin said, "Clan leader, anyone in this situation would bide their time and then take revenge. That's human nature. Besides, you only participated in the awakening ceremony. Aside from Tang San's children and Xiao Wu's friends, none of this involves our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. What are you so worried about?"
"I worry for Tang San's safety," Ning Fengzhi said gravely.
"Tang San's safety?" Gu Rong repeated thoughtfully.
"Yes. We can foresee his thirst for revenge—but do you think the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Star Luo Empire can't see it too?" Ning Fengzhi explained. "If you were Yu Yuanzhen or Dai Tianfeng, what would you do?"
Hearing this, both Gu Rong and Chen Xin fell silent. At last, Gu Rong said, "Strike him down before he becomes a god. Eradicate him at the root."
Ning Fengzhi drew in a deep breath. "Exactly what I fear. I suspect they've already begun forming secret ties."
Chen Xin asked, "So, Clan Leader, what should our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan do? Mediate between them? Or choose a side?"
"Unless Tang San acknowledges the matter and grants these factions assurances of safety after he becomes a god… but do you think that's possible?" Ning Fengzhi asked.
"Impossible!" Gu Rong said immediately. "No man alive could swallow that humiliation."
"So Tang San will inevitably seek revenge. And to prevent it, Dai Tianfeng and Yu Yuanzhen will certainly strike first. This conflict is bound to erupt, isn't it?" Chen Xin asked.
Ning Fengzhi nodded. "Xiao Wu truly is a witch—she's shattered the unity of our alliance."
"Then Clan Leader, which side will you stand with?" Gu Rong asked.
"With Tang San!" Ning Fengzhi declared. "Our true enemies are Spirit Hall and Spark Academy. Spirit Hall already has gods of its own.
Without a god, we're nothing but meat on their chopping block. But Tang San has the potential to ascend. If we lend him a hand at his darkest hour, I believe he'll remember our kindness and repay our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan once he becomes a god."
It was a painful decision. This meant turning against the Star Luo and Heaven Dou Empires. If both empires defected to Spirit Hall, then the entire continent would fall under Spirit Hall's control.
But Ning Fengzhi believed that as long as Tang San could ascend, order would be restored. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan might even rise further.
Chen Xin and Gu Rong nodded. But Gu Rong voiced another worry: "Clan leader, Dai Tianfeng and Zhu Tiancai's martial fusion can reach the power of a Super Douluo. Meanwhile, Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Xiaomen are both Super Douluo as well, and Yu Xiaomen has the Golden Sacred Dragon martial soul. We alone can't hold them off."
"That's why we must win over the Body Sect. As long as they side with us, we can stabilize the situation," Ning Fengzhi said. "Uncle Bone, I'll leave this to you."
Gu Rong nodded, then tore through space and departed.
Not long after, within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, space shattered open. Gu Rong and Huo Qiqiang emerged from a spatial tunnel. With a wave of Huo Qiqiang's hand, the tunnel closed.
"Clan Leader Huo, your methods are truly impressive," Ning Fengzhi flattered.
"You praise me too much," Huo Qiqiang replied. "So, why did you summon me here for a secret meeting?"
Ning Fengzhi laid out his earlier worries. At the end, he said, "Clan Leader Huo, Tang San is our only hope to resist Spirit Hall and Spark Academy—to restore order to the continent. We must lend him our strength. This is an opportunity to offer timely aid to one who would become a god."
Huo Qiqiang nodded. "You make a fair point. But still—I don't think things have gone that far yet. What if, by chance, the god forgives his lover, accepts her child, pardons his unfaithful wife's accomplice, and forgives all the factions that humiliated him?"
"That—that's impossible! No man could endure such shame," Ning Fengzhi said, stunned.
"To become a god is to transcend ordinary men," Huo Qiqiang said slowly. "What if this is simply a trial from the Asura God for Tang San?"
Ning Fengzhi, Gu Rong, and Chen Xin still couldn't believe it.
"How about we just wait and see," Huo Qiqiang suggested, "let's watch what Tang San does tomorrow and then make plans. Anyway, with the two of our forces keeping an eye on things, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan won't dare act rashly for now."
"…Fine," Ning Fengzhi replied doubtfully.
The next morning, Tang San convened a great alliance assembly, gathering all the factions together.
Though the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Star Luo Empire, and Heaven Dou Empire had already conspired in secret, they hadn't yet reached the point of open confrontation. For now, they were still willing to show Tang San some respect.
Beside Xiao Wu stood seven children. Tang Wubai, Tang Wuheng, and Tang Wule stood near Tang San and Xiao Wu, while Tang Wuka, Tang Wubeng, Tang Wujun, and Tang Wutian were each held in the arms of Tang Hao or Xiao Wu.
After yesterday's shocking Martial Soul awakenings, everyone couldn't help but scrutinize these young children—along with the "male best friends" that Xiao Wu had invited to sit in the VIP seats.
When Emperor Xue Ye saw Tang Wubeng and then glanced at his own son, Xue Beng, his expression immediately became strange.
Some people shifted their gaze between Tang Wujun and Ma Hongjun. The fiery red Mohican-style hair was simply too obvious.
Others looked toward Tang Wuka and then at Oscar—their facial features were practically identical.
Finally, everyone reached a terrifying conclusion: Tang San's four younger sons likely weren't his biological children at all—and might not even share the same father.
If that were true…
The men present all turned their eyes toward Xiao Wu, who leaned tenderly against Tang San's side. What they felt was no longer suspicion, but awe.
Seven children, seven fathers. To place a green hat on the head of the future God—that was ruthless. This Xiao Wu was no ordinary woman.
Ah, but wait—they almost forgot. Xiao Wu wasn't human at all, she was a soul beast.
…But were soul beasts this wild?!
"Ahem." Tang San coughed lightly, stepping forward. "Thank you all for coming today. The reason I, Tang San, summoned everyone here is not for anything else but to explain the unusual Martial Soul awakenings of Wubai, Wuheng, and Wule. For this, I have invited professional Martial Soul theorists."
With that, Tang San clapped his hands. From the aisle, ten renowned Martial Soul theory masters entered, forming a lecture group.
Everyone stared in confusion. Why had Tang San brought them? Soon, they would find out.
These ten theory masters presented a unified argument: when two people perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, residual Martial Soul energy remains within their bodies. If the woman later marries someone other than her fusion partner, the residual energy could affect her offspring, causing the children's Martial Souls to mutate.
From every conceivable angle—360 degrees plus—they hammered home a single point: those three children were Tang San's own flesh and blood. The reason their Martial Souls had awakened so strangely was simply due to the residual energy Xiao Wu retained from past Martial Soul fusions, which led to mutations.
The entire audience froze. Could such a thing really happen?
Once the ten theorists concluded, Tang San stood, bowed, and said, "Thank you, gentlemen."
Then he addressed the assembly solemnly:
"Everyone, I married Xiao Wu under my father's witness. Since then, she has always lived by my side and my father's. She has never interacted with any other man. Though Wubai, Wuheng, and Wule did not awaken my Martial Soul, I firmly believe they are my sons. This is supported by theory and fact, and must not be questioned!"
"Xiao Wu is the wife I love for all my life. Wuheng, Wule, and Wubai are the sons I cherish. As husband and father, I, Tang San, will not tolerate any rumors spreading that question their bloodline. If I ever hear such slander, I will never forgive it."
The moment his words fell, the hall fell into dead silence.
Then suddenly, someone began clapping. Applause rippled through the assembly.
After this, Tang San casually drew out a scroll. Seeing this, the applause quickly died again, and all eyes turned toward him to see what he would do next.
Tang San unfurled the scroll and declared:
"I, Tang San, swear in the name of the God of Shura—"
As soon as the words left his lips, the divine mark on his forehead lit up. At the same time, the once-clear sky was instantly swallowed by blood-red storm clouds. Above, a single eye opened, gazing down upon Tang San.
An invisible divine pressure blanketed the land.
"Th-this… could it be a God?" Yu Yuanzhen exclaimed in shock.
Many of the Title Douluo present were among the peak existences of the continent. Yet at this moment, under the oppressive might transmitted from above, they felt no different from ants.
Tang San paused, staring into the eye of Shura above. He now understood: his oath would be witnessed by the God of Shura himself. But for the sake of becoming a God, he could not hesitate.
"First—I swear in the name of the God of Shura: I will never plot against or harm Xiao Wu's children, present or future. Even after ascending to godhood, this oath shall remain. Should I break it, may I fall from divinity!"
"Second—I swear in the name of the God of Shura: I love Xiao Wu. To love her is to love all that is hers—her friends, her family, even her male best friends. Even after ascending to godhood, this oath shall remain. Should I break it, may I fall from divinity!"
"Third—I swear in the name of the God of Shura: I grant Xiao Wu freedom, never to restrain her. I forgive her male best friends, and even their families and factions…"
"Fourth—"
"Fifth—"
With each vow Tang San recited, the divine mark of Shura upon his forehead shone brighter.
What… what was this?!
Just yesterday, the old conservative powers had already burned their CPUs over the "three children, three fathers" fiasco. But now, this scene completely shattered their worldview.
A peerless prodigy with the potential to become a God—actually swearing, in the name of a God, to accept children not his own, to forgive an unfaithful wife, and to pardon the likes of Dai, Yu, Xue, and Bu, who had cuckolded him…
What was this, if not God's Forgiveness?
For some reason, everyone felt that the colors around Tang San dimmed—except for green. Green shone the brightest, dazzling and unmatched.
"He… he actually forgave them." Gu Rong said in shock.
Ning Fengzhi too muttered in disbelief: "As expected of a man about to become a God. Such magnanimity puts us all to shame."
Then suddenly, Ning Fengzhi realized something. He sound-transmitted to Dai Tianfeng, Emperor Xue Ye, Yu Yuanzhen, and the Feng clan patriarch:
"Gentlemen, does this explanation of Tang San's satisfy you?"
Dai Tianfeng, Yu Yuanzhen, and Xue Ye opened their mouths but could not reply.
It seemed… they had already been forgiven by Tang San. So what need was there for rebellion anymore?
Could it be… Tang San had some peculiar fetish—one that liked wearing that bright green crown?