The mountain gate of the Clear Sky Sect stood hidden deep within a range in the Heaven Dou Empire.
Though the sect had sealed itself off from the world, the nearby branches of Spirit Hall still bore the duty of keeping watch.
Yet they had simply sat there, watching as the Clear Sky Sect grew stronger.
Bibi Dong's fury burned cold. But deep down she knew—it wasn't just negligence from the branch halls. The fault was hers.
She had never placed the Clear Sky Sect in her eyes.
She was a twin-spirit wielder, the Pope of Spirit Hall, her gaze always cast from above.
How could a declining sect threaten her?
Her true hatred had always been reserved for Qian Xunji and for the Qian clan.
For years, all she had worked for was consolidating Spirit Hall's power and binding its people firmly under her control.
The Clear Sky Sect had never been her priority.
But now, the rumors spreading across the continent told of the Clear Sky Sect's hidden strength.
Seven Titled Douluo. And among them—Tang Hao.
If those seven suddenly emerged and struck without warning, even the Elder Hall of Spirit Hall might crumble in a single night.
Ghost Douluo's voice was cautious as he stepped forward.
"The Spirit Hunting Forests can only be entered with Spirit Hall's writ. The Clear Sky Sect has never received such permission. Yet their younger generations have kept obtaining spirit rings. They must have received covert aid from both the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires.
"As for the great beast domains, the Sunset Forest and the Star Dou Great Forest—Spirit Hall cannot monitor them entirely."
"Go."
Bibi Dong's voice was flat, cold, and edged with killing intent.
"Kill. Surrounding the Clear Sky Sect's mountains, slaughter the Heaven Dou Empire's garrisons in their hunting forests.
"In Star Luo as well—slay some of their guards for me.
"You two—station yourselves by the Clear Sky gates. Anyone who comes out, kill. Anyone who tries to go in, kill!
"They declared seclusion. Since they cannot enforce it themselves, I will enforce it for them.
"As for me…the nine remaining Elders of the Hall shall march with me. Eleven Titled Douluo at my side.
"I want to see if the Clear Sky Sect dares endure in silence… or if they will rise in vengeance.
Thirty years east, thirty years west—let us see what remains of their years!"
Her tone was mocking. Each word kill struck like a hammer. Six times she uttered it. Six commands of slaughter.
And her decree was nothing less than a grand show of force!
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo exchanged a glance, blood boiling.
The Pope was domineering beyond measure.
Her strength was unfathomable. Her relentless governance and personal charisma had forged Spirit Hall into an unstoppable giant, unified as never before.
And now—she would not disappoint them.
The continent was ablaze with rumors, tales of the Clear Sky Sect preparing their great return:
Thirty years east, thirty years west.
Seven Titled Douluo, the common soul masters said, truly befitted the name of the world's foremost sect.
Once hounded into sealing their gates, now emerging eleven years later to seek revenge.
If Spirit Hall made no move now, the world would think they were doomed to be swept aside.
But they had underestimated the storm that one small rumor could unleash.
Dugu Feng had underestimated it too.
The "shocking headlines" and "sensational stories" of his former world—the flowery little essays designed only to draw eyes—
Now, appearing for the first time on Douluo Continent, they had become the currency of every tavern, every noble hall, every idle soul master's gossip.
To know the latest "explosive tale" was to hold the key into every circle of chatter.
The ripple effect was vast.
The rumor had shifted the very currents of the continent.
Spirit Hall now knew the Clear Sky Sect's ambition and hidden strength in advance.
And Bibi Dong…Bibi Dong chose to act, to strike, to display Spirit Hall's might to the world.
Meanwhile, the one who had lit this fire, Dugu Feng, remained quietly in Heaven Dou City.
He cultivated steadily, reaching his twelfth year of life.
His spirit power rose two more ranks, stepping into level thirty-four.
His days of cultivation were calm, yet every drop of progress was earned with sweat and relentless persistence.
His inner Pearl's energy had climbed to ninety-four, just six more points before its next evolution.
The Dugu family, too, had gained new strength.
Old Scorpion had broken through to Soul Sage, giving the clan another pillar.
With his father Dugu Bo and the others, they now boasted four Soul Sages in total.
And Dugu Shuo himself was still secluded in the ancestral hall. His breakthrough to Soul Douluo was imminent.
As for Dugu Feng—he was ready at last to enact a plan he had prepared for over half a year.
The Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone.
Tang San would leave the Junior Academy after graduation, bound for Shrek Academy.
And across the continent, all academies shared the same graduation schedule.
The time was coming.
Once Tang San left Nuoding City and journeyed toward Soto City—that would be the perfect moment to act.
Arrangements complete, Dugu Feng left Heaven Dou with Old Scorpion at his side.
Two Emerald Dragon Snakes soared into the skies, carrying them swiftly toward Nuoding.
"Master, your talent is one thing but even your two Emerald Serpents are this strong?" Old Scorpion's eyes gleamed with envy.
"This is the fortune I gained in the City of Slaughter," Dugu Feng said lightly, long hair streaming in the wind. "They have awakened their Dragon Snake bloodline."
At nearly eight thousand years of cultivation, their speed in flight rivaled any winged soul master.
As they flew, their bodies shimmered faintly, length flattening until they were barely longer than Dugu Feng's boots.
Unless one looked closely, it would seem that he and Old Scorpion themselves were flying unaided through the sky.
Their speed was astonishing. Within two days, they reached a city closest to Nuoding.
Dugu Feng had already confirmed and reconfirmed the timeline:
Nuoding Junior Academy's graduation.
Shrek Academy's enrollment.
Tang San and Xiao Wu would take several days to journey from Nuoding to Soto.
Tang San would arrive at Soto just one day before Shrek's enrollment.
It was Tang San's first time leaving home and accompanied by Xiao Wu, the 100,000-year soul beast.
Tang Hao would shadow them, without question!
So Dugu Feng only needed to wait until Tang San had already left Nuoding, until Tang Hao had followed them away from the city.
Then, he could act safely.
For now, he and Old Scorpion avoided entering the city. Instead, they camped in a nearby forest.
Old Scorpion went out to gather news.
Two days later, he returned.
"Master, our people have confirmed it. Tang San and Xiao Wu have left the city."
Old Scorpion's tone was steady. Though he had helped prepare for months, he still had no idea what Dugu Feng's true goal was.
Only that they had quietly planted several shops and agents in Nuoding months earlier, solely to confirm this very moment.
None of those agents were soul masters of note. Just minor nobles and low-level cultivators—
Exactly the kind of people Tang Hao would never notice.
"Good."
A faint smile curved Dugu Feng's lips.
But he did not move. Not yet.
Patience.
Only when Tang San reached Soto, when Tang Hao had left Nuoding far behind, would it be time to strike.
Dugu Feng would never gamble recklessly with his own life.
Three more days passed.
Then, at last, Dugu Feng set out through the wilds, threading his way into a deep mountain forest.
Every ridge, every valley of Nuoding's Fasno Province—
He had long since engraved it all into his mind.