"Duke Lin, you know Xiao San is my second brother's son."
Tang Yuehua, having regained her senses, activated her innate domain – Noble Ring.
The gentle and natural domain power allowed her to recover some of her composure and clarity. She spoke to Lin Rong in a tone that was half persuasion, half threat:
"Xiao San has the Clear Sky Sect backing him. Don't you think you're going too far by pressuring him like this?"
"Besides, every grievance has its perpetrator, and every debt has its owner. Xiao San was merely standing up for his subordinate; it's his duty as Sect Master."
"Now that Bai He is dead, and you've taught Xiao San a lesson, why not let it go? It would be for the best for your Lin Clan, as well as for our Clear Sky Sect."
It was clear Tang Yuehua had regained some of her sanity, but not much.
Her constant mention of the Clear Sky Sect made Niu Gao's old face darken like coal.
"Is that so?" Lin Rong feigned understanding and mocked, "So the Tang Sect is a subordinate sect of the Clear Sky Sect! My apologies, my apologies!"
"However, I heard that the Tang Sect is an independent and autonomous sect?"
"Madam Yue, are you trying to trick me?"
Tang Yuehua, who hadn't regained much of her sanity to begin with, was flustered by Lin Rong's words and revealed her true thoughts:
"Yes, that's right."
"My second brother, my eldest brother, and I, the three siblings, only have Xiao San as our descendant."
"No matter what, Xiao San is the sole heir to the position of Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect."
"Therefore, Xiao San is not only the Sect Master of the Tang Sect but also the future Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect."
"When the master is strong and the subordinate is weak, the Tang Sect was destined to be a vassal of the Clear Sky Sect from the day it was founded."
"Even if the Clear Sky Sect is in seclusion, my second brother and eldest brother are both Titled Douluo."
"And on your side, even with Dugu Bo, you can only barely match us."
"One is the weakest Titled Douluo, and the other is a Titled Douluo who only broke through a few years ago. How can you compare them to my elder brothers?"
"Xiao San is the apple of our three siblings' eyes. If you dare to harm him, aren't you afraid my two brothers will come looking for revenge?"
"Madam Yue." Lin Rong maintained his unfazed expression and retorted, "I don't need to tell you; you should know the severe consequences of publicly assassinating an imperial hereditary duke."
"If nothing else, your Moon Xuan will definitely have to close down."
"The Clear Sky Sect is in seclusion and cannot emerge. If you lose Moon Xuan, your only source of income, will the former number one sect in the world be reduced to begging on the streets?"
"Ah, no, the Clear Sky Sect doesn't even dare to leave the mountain. Even if they wanted to beg on the streets, they couldn't. They can only gnaw on tree bark in the deep mountains."
"Moreover, your eldest brother, Tang Xiao, as the current Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect, cannot leave the mountain as long as the Clear Sky Sect remains in seclusion."
"As for your second brother..."
"Tang Hao is indeed an unparalleled genius, but before his battle with Pope Qian Xunji back then, his Soul Power cultivation was known to be that of a Soul Douluo."
"After that battle, news spread that Tang Hao had broken through to become a Titled Douluo."
"A newly promoted Titled Douluo severely wounded and nearly killed the long-established Pope of the Spirit Hall, not only earning him the title of the youngest Titled Douluo on the continent but also forging his fearsome reputation."
"But this is just the surface information. If one scrutinizes it, any person with a brain can figure it out."
"Facing Qian Xunji, whose Soul Power cultivation was at least level ninety-five and who possessed the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, even if Tang Hao, who had just broken through to become a Titled Douluo, managed to severely wound and defeat him, how could he himself have managed to retreat unscathed?"
"Therefore, the true situation of that battle should be that Tang Hao and Qian Xunji fought to a mutual destruction."
"Pope Qian Xunji died from his severe injuries, and even if Tang Hao didn't die, how could he have been in good condition?"
Lin Rong's well-reasoned analysis left Tang Yuehua speechless.
As a direct disciple of the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Yuehua understood better than anyone how pedantic the elders in the sect were.
Lin Rong was right about one thing: as the current Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect, her eldest brother would not be allowed out of seclusion by those pedantic elders until the Clear Sky Sect announced its return to the world.
As for Tang Hao being severely injured, Tang Yuehua had never considered it before.
Because in Tang Yuehua's heart, her second brother possessed such peerless talent; among his peers, no one could withstand even a single move from him.
After the news spread that Tang Hao had become a Titled Douluo and severely wounded Pope Qian Xunji, Tang Yuehua's fervent adoration for her second brother since childhood had never allowed her to consider that while her second brother was severely wounding Qian Xunji, he would also be gravely injured by him.
However, similarly, Tang Yuehua's remaining sanity made her realize something.
Since Lin Rong was willing to explain so much to her, it indicated that he didn't intend to kill Xiao San. After all, injuring someone was different from killing them.
When both sides were on equal footing, the former often led to de-escalation and resolution.
But the latter was an irreconcilable enmity.
After figuring this out, Tang Yuehua finally felt a bit more at peace and stable. She asked in a calm tone, "Duke Lin, what exactly do you want us to do to make you let this matter go?"
"Very simple." Seeing Tang Yuehua's willingness to back down, Lin Rong frankly stated what he desired:
"The Clear Sky Sect's forbidden secret skill: one of the Divine Skill Great Sumeru Hammer Profound Meanings, Exploding Ring!"
"Impossible!" Tang Yuehua exclaimed subconsciously, then realized the current situation was beyond her control and she shouldn't speak so boldly.
Tang Yuehua then composed herself and tried to explain in a calm tone:
"Duke Lin, you just said yourself that this is our Clear Sky Sect's forbidden secret skill, passed down from sect leader to sect leader. How could I, a woman who hasn't awakened the Clear Sky Hammer, possibly obtain it?"
"So, please choose another condition!"
"Is that so?" As he spoke, Lin Rong reached out and grabbed the unconscious Tang San, suspending him in mid-air.
"Then I apologize. Madam Yue, perhaps your good second brother will come seek revenge from me instead!"
Tang San, suspended in mid-air, drifted to the spot where Bai He had previously stood.
There, a large pool of deadly poison had accumulated on the ground, hissing as it corroded the floor.
"Wait a moment!"
Seeing this, Tang Yuehua quickly shouted:
"Release Xiao San, and I'll agree to your condition."
"My brother knows Exploding Ring. I'll lie and say Xiao San wanted to learn the profound meaning of Great Sumeru Hammer in advance, and I'll get the profound meaning of Exploding Ring from him."
"Heh heh!" Lin Rong pulled Tang San back and extracted another drop of essence from Snow Swan Kiss.
"I naturally trust Madam Yue's word, but I don't trust the aunt of the Tang Sect's leader."
"To ensure this matter proceeds smoothly, I need to keep a backup plan to feel at ease."
Pure life force transformed into a faint, pale green glow, enveloping the drop of Snow Swan Kiss essence.
Then, Lin Rong flicked his finger, sending it into Tang San's slightly parted lips.
"Here, your sect leader, returned to you!"
Lin Rong waved his large hand, tossing Tang San to Titan.
Watching Tang Yuehua and Titan's panicked expressions, Lin Rong calmly explained:
"Don't worry, that drop of essence is wrapped in my life force."
"As long as that layer of life force remains unbroken, the medicinal effect of the liquid inside will not activate."
"However, that layer of life force can only last for seven days. After seven days, it will dissipate on its own."
"Within seven days, if Madam Yue gives me the profound meaning of Exploding Ring from the Great Sumeru Hammer, I will extract the drop of liquid from Tang San's body."
"Time waits for no one, Madam Yue. It would be best to set off immediately."
"After all, the travel time alone will take quite a while."
"One last friendly reminder: the layer of life force I applied can only remain intact upon contact with energy of the same origin."
"If you try to break it, and the life force comes into contact with any energy other than mine, it will disappear instantly."
"At that point, the herbal juice will immediately spread throughout Tang San's entire body. You know the consequences."
"Therefore, I strongly advise you not to touch it carelessly, or you will bear the consequences."
These words caused Titan's Soul Power, which had entered Tang San's body, to pause. With reservations in his heart, he dared not act rashly.
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