"Humph!" At this moment, Tang Hu snorted coldly and took a step forward. Instantly, the imposing aura of a Soul Emperor surged forth like a tidal wave. With a loud bang, the Clear Sky Hammer smashed heavily onto the ground, sending several nearby Soul Masters flying with overwhelming force.
This was a Soul Emperor—one who wielded the Clear Sky Hammer Spirit and ranked among the top experts of the Clear Sky Sect. Even other Soul Emperors of the same level would pale in comparison, let alone ordinary Soul Masters.
Tang Hu's display immediately sobered up many Soul Masters who had been eager to charge forward. Their expressions changed drastically, yet their greed for the Godhood Ascension Ladder remained unshaken. They formed layers of encirclement around the Clear Sky Sect members from a distance, still hoping to enter the ladder and seize its opportunities.
Without needing Tang San to say a word, Tang Hu and Tang Long stepped forward together, their Soul Emperor auras rolling like thunder. Anyone daring to charge would first have to pass the barrier of these two—the Dragon and Tiger of the Clear Sky Sect!
"The Godhood Ascension Ladder—this is what the Sacred Dragon Sect's leader spoke of! They said anyone who enters and passes its trials will gain heaven-defying opportunities!"
More and more Soul Masters rushed out from the entrance. Upon seeing the magnificent gates of the Golden Jade Garden, they were utterly awestruck. Whether they belonged to a sect, were rogue cultivators, or even students from the Spirit Academy, all couldn't help but covet the Godhood Ascension Ladder, their eyes burning with greed.
Even if Tang San hadn't been present, he could easily guess how the Sacred Dragon Sect had exaggerated the ruins of the Holy Spirit Sect. By his estimation, the vast majority of the hundreds gathered here wouldn't even be able to defeat the weakest Soul Saint Metal Man.
In other words, most of them had no chance of ever becoming Soul Saints.
Yet, the Sacred Dragon Sect's misleading claims had planted a preconceived notion in their minds—that the Godhood Ascension Ladder surely held treasures. Treasures from an ancient super sect! How could anyone not covet such a thing?
But with the Dragon and Tiger of the Clear Sky Sect blocking the way, their Soul Emperor auras surging like tidal waves, disciples from every sect couldn't help but gasp in fear. Even fellow Soul Emperors didn't dare rashly step forward. To oppose the Clear Sky Sect was to court death.
At this moment, a group of Soul Emperor experts from the Sacred Dragon Sect also arrived from the entrance, led by the same three old-timers who had been defeated earlier by Tang Long and Tang Hu.
"Tang San! The ancient legacy belongs to no one—only the virtuous may claim it. To monopolize it is to defy the will of the world!" declared Feng Liang, the Sacred Dragon Sect elder, his voice booming like a great bell as he spoke with imposing dignity.
"That's right! This place isn't your Clear Sky Sect's private property. What right do you have to hoard all the treasures?" a Soul Master in the crowd shouted provocatively.
"Exactly! Ancient treasures belong to all who witness them. Trying to keep them for yourselves? Not a chance! Even if you're the Clear Sky Sect, you'll face the wrath of all!" Countless voices joined in agreement. Initially, everyone had been wary of Tang San and the others due to their status as members of the Clear Sky Sect. But as more people gathered, especially with the Sacred Dragon Sect leading the charge, the crowd's emotions quickly grew fervent.
Tang San cast a cold glare at the Sacred Dragon Sect members. Unable to defeat them directly, the sect had deliberately revealed the Holy Spirit Sect's entrance to everyone. Now, they stood on moral high ground, using the crowd's pressure to force Tang San and his group into submission.
Initially, Tang San and his group naturally planned to bring this Godhood Ascension Ladder under the jurisdiction of their Clear Sky Sect, allowing every disciple of the sect to challenge it and take away all the rewards left behind by the Holy Spirit Sect.
At that moment, Tang Long approached Tang San and whispered in his ear, "Third cousin, this might be hard to stop. There are not only members of the Sacred Dragon Sect here, but I also spotted a few from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Many are students from Spirit Academy too. If we kill them all, it could spark a major conflict."
Tang San used Soul Power Voice Transmission to reply, "Letting them in doesn't matter. I've already obtained the most valuable item. The only thing left is the Bone Seed, and I believe there's a good chance it still exists."
!?
Hearing this, Tang Long was stunned. Both he and Tang Hu had chosen the highest difficulty—the Titled Douluo level—challenging ancient metal warriors who had ultimately reached the Titled Douluo rank in their time.
Victory was assured, of course. Modern Soul Masters possessed Soul Skills that had undergone countless evolutions and refinements. Fighting ancient warriors of the same rank was as easy as pie.
An ordinary Soul Master might struggle, but the Clear Sky Sect's Clear Sky Hammer Spirit possessed God-level inheritance. Those ancient Soul Masters of the same rank lacked Inherited Spirit Abilities, making them no match.
What Tang Long couldn't understand was that Tang San, at most, had also challenged the Titled Douluo level. How could he claim to have obtained the most valuable item?
Tang San observed the Soul Masters coveting the Godhood Ascension Ladder, his eyes narrowing with calm composure. "Sharing this opportunity with you isn't entirely out of the question," he said.
Hearing Tang San's apparent concession, the gathered Soul Masters perked up. One quickly asked, "What are your conditions?"
"Conditions? Not exactly," Tang San replied coolly. "But I despise being morally coerced. So, while all of you may enter the Godhood Ascension Ladder for trials, those from the Sacred Dragon Sect are excluded."
!?
"You—Tang San, you—!" Feng Liang's expression twisted. He had intended to push Tang San into the spotlight, but Tang San had no regard for morality and instead ostracized him!
At Tang San's words, the previously indignant Soul Masters stepped back, subtly encircling the Sacred Dragon Sect members.
"You! This entrance was our Sacred Dragon Sect's latest discovery! We selflessly shared it with you, and now you betray us?!" Feng Liang trembled with rage as he glared at the traitors.
"Don't trust Tang San! He's sowing discord to divide and conquer us!"
Tang San produced the Clear Sky Sect's Young Sect Master token and declared, "I, Tang San, swear in the name of the Clear Sky Sect: if you expel these Sacred Dragon Sect members, our sect will share this treasure with all Soul Masters under heaven!"
In an instant, hundreds of Soul Masters turned predatory gazes toward the Sacred Dragon Sect. On one side stood the formidable Tang Long, Tang Hu, and the Clear Sky Sect disciples. On the other were the Sacred Dragon Sect's three elderly, weak, or injured Soul Emperors and a handful of Soul Masters with only two or three spirit rings. The easier target was obvious.
And when forced to choose between offending the Clear Sky Sect or the Sacred Dragon Sect, no one would pick the former.
With a thunderous crash, someone launched a surprise attack. Seeing this, other Soul Masters hidden in the crowd joined in, unleashing a barrage of indiscriminate Soul Skills upon the Sacred Dragon Sect members.
"Third Cousin, your plan to sow discord is brilliant."
Tang San shook his head and said, "These Sacred Dragon Sect ants are nothing. The fact that they haven't revealed their failure to cultivate the Spirit Bone means they haven't given up yet. We need to move faster. With so many Soul Masters coming in to search for treasures now, if some lucky one finds the Bone Seed first, it would be troublesome."
"Having these people waste time at the Godhood Ascension Ladder at least buys us more time to search."
(End of Chapter)