"Reporting to the Sect Master, Dai Mubai is dead." A few days later, inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, a disciple made his report.
"Hmm, you may leave."
In a small town, Flender, Qin Ming, and Ma Hongjun sat at a stall, listening to the surrounding chatter with disbelief.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has been exterminated?"
"Teacher, maybe we shouldn't go anymore?" Ma Hongjun's face was pale, his legs trembling.
Flender gritted his teeth. "No matter what, we still need to try."
"About the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan… should we go inform them?" Qin Ming asked in a low voice.
"Better not to add to their troubles." Flender sighed.
Qin Ming nodded silently.
After finishing their meal, they tidied up briefly and continued on their way.
As the new year passed, rumors began to spread. The closer they got to Heaven Dou City, the more shocking the news became.
By the time they entered Heaven Dou City, the three were silent.
"Let's first gather some news in the city. We'll head to Yunhai Academy tomorrow morning." Flender finally said.
Qin Ming and Ma Hongjun nodded.
One night passed without incident. The next morning, in the back mountain of Yunhai Academy, Meng Shenshou jogged out of the forest, eyes full of surprise.
Since the buildings had been constructed, how long had it been? Yet the surrounding plants had already grown so lush?
He even sensed soul power fluctuations from some of the plants. Without doubt, that was a characteristic only soul beasts should have.
"Uncle Shou, what's the matter?" Yang Yunhai's voice came.
"Flender has arrived. He's kneeling outside the academy with Ma Hongjun, saying he wants to see you, most likely to beg you to heal him." Meng Shenshou replied.
"That Ma Hongjun looked pale and frail, his condition seems extremely severe."
"Since he was once the headmaster of the academy, directly driving them away wouldn't look good, so I came to ask for your and the headmaster's opinion."
"Dai Mubai didn't come?" Yang Yunhai suddenly asked.
Meng Shenshou froze, then shook his head. "No sign of Dai Mubai nearby."
"If I'm not mistaken, Dai Mubai is already dead, that's why Flender rushed to bring Ma Hongjun to me." Yang Yunhai's face was calm. "Uncle Shou, go tell him Ma Hongjun's illness stems from his martial soul defect. I cannot cure it."
"As for training-related damage, it's already too late. The only option left is for him to abandon cultivation and focus on recuperation."
'Trying to guilt-trip me? That's wishful thinking!'
"Alright." Meng Shenshou nodded and left.
Soon after, at the academy gates, Meng Shenshou relayed Yang Yunhai's exact words.
Ma Hongjun's face instantly turned deathly pale. Flender's eyes dimmed, then he nodded, stood up, and pulled Ma Hongjun away.
He knew well: a man ruthless enough to wipe out the entire Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would never be merciful. To keep pestering would only invite death.
Now, the only option truly was for Ma Hongjun to give up cultivation.
Though his path as a soul master had ended, at least he could live on.
'If only they had known earlier, things wouldn't have come to this.' Watching their departing figures, Meng Shenshou shook his head and left.
Back in the tournament, Ma Hongjun had ogled, gossiped, and struck without mercy. How could that ever be considered a friend?
Even if it were him, he wouldn't have saved him either.
You reap what you sow, and Flender hadn't taught him properly. Offending the wrong people—who could they blame now?
—
In Fasno Province, a small town.
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is destroyed? How could this be?" A veiled woman walking past a tavern froze.
"Poison Douluo, Yang Yunhai, you're both so cruel… so cruel!" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stumbled away.
Not long after, she rushed into a forest cabin.
"Xiaogang…" She threw herself onto Yu Xiaogang's lap, sobbing uncontrollably.
"What happened?" Yu Xiaogang set down his book, frowning.
"They're dead, all dead… The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was destroyed by Poison Douluo… wuu…" Liu Erlong wept bitterly.
"How could this be?" Yu Xiaogang's face turned ashen, his head spinning as he fainted on the spot.
"Xiaogang! Xiaogang!" Liu Erlong cried out in panic.
Hours later, under nightfall, Yu Xiaogang finally woke up on the wooden bed, his gaze lifeless.
Looking at the red-eyed, tear-stained Liu Erlong beside him, his heart ached in despair.
They had no power for revenge. Neither he nor his descendants could do it.
Rely on outsiders? But who?
Tang San. His mind flashed instantly.
Yes, he still had his disciple, Tang San!
'Tang San already bears blood feuds with Yang Yunhai and the others. Once he grows strong, he'll surely avenge us. Poison Douluo, Yang Yunhai, I'll wait to hear of your deaths!'
He clenched his teeth, hatred filling his heart.
"But I cannot sit idle now." He reached out and nudged Liu Erlong's shoulder.
She jerked awake, immediately looking at him. "Xiaogang, are you alright?"
"Erlong, tomorrow morning, go see Flender. Have him keep an eye on the outside world. If there's any news of Tang San, he must inform me at once." Yu Xiaogang said gravely. "Tang San is now our only hope for revenge."
"Alright." Liu Erlong nodded firmly.
—
That same night, in the East Palace of Heaven Dou Imperial Palace, inside Qian Renxue's chambers.
"Ugh!" She suddenly gagged, leaning over her desk in nausea.
"Seems luck is on your side." A playful laugh echoed in her ears.
"Who's there?!" Qian Renxue's expression changed drastically as she stood in alarm.
The next moment, her vision spun. She collapsed onto the desk, her consciousness dragged into a golden space.
"Who are you?" She frowned, startled to see before her a woman identical to herself, except dressed in black, with white hair and a sinister aura. The woman smiled faintly.
"Who am I?" Qian Muxue arched a brow, snapping her fingers.
"Ah!" Qian Renxue's mind exploded with countless memories flooding in, as if she had lived them herself.
"My little Xue'er, now you know who I am, don't you?" Qian Muxue smiled.
Qian Renxue's face flushed with rage. "You actually used my body to do such things!"
"Unforgivable!" She charged forward in anger.
But Qian Muxue evaded gracefully, brushing her hand against Qian Renxue's abdomen.
"Isn't this the result you desired?" Qian Muxue smirked. "I am you. What I did was only to follow your heart's deepest wish, to free you from social chains and help you fulfill what you truly wanted."
"Now, you carry his child. With his nature, he will treat you as a treasure. Don't worry, little Xue'er—with your beauty, and now his child, love will come with time. He will fall deeply for you."
"A perfect union, isn't it?"
"I don't need it!" Qian Renxue shouted, shame and fury burning, yet Qian Muxue only chuckled and whispered by her ear:
"My little Xue'er, why deny your heart? These past days, even in your dreams, you've called his name again and again."
"For instance, last night—you called him 52 times. And the dream was… quite indecent."
"Shut up!" Qian Renxue's face flushed scarlet. She swung her elbow, but Qian Muxue pulled back gracefully, sighing with feigned pity.
"Ah, so unwilling? Then perhaps I should take control and… remove the child?"
Qian Renxue froze, instinctively stepping back.
"My little Xue'er, can I call you a hypocrite?" Qian Muxue teased.
Qian Renxue coldly snorted. "It's only for its value. The Qian Clan needs heirs. As for you, I will one day cut you out of me. My body is mine alone. You are nothing but an accident that never should have existed."
"You're ruthless, little Xue'er." Qian Muxue clutched her chest dramatically, feigning pain. "Once, when you were lonely, I was your only companion. And now you want to throw me away for a man?"
Qian Renxue ignored her, scanning for a way out.
"This is your spiritual sea," Qian Muxue's voice echoed. "Just will yourself out, and you'll return. But remember—you will need me again. Escaping me won't be so easy."
Qian Renxue opened her eyes back in her room, sitting up abruptly. Her hand instinctively touched her abdomen, eyes flickering with conflict.
—
The next day, she summoned Snake Lance Douluo and ordered a guard to train as her stand-in. "From now on, you'll gradually replace me as Xue Qinghe."
"As you command, Young Master."
Snake Lance Douluo asked carefully, "Young Master, do you plan to return to Spirit Hall soon?"
"Yes, but not now. After my coronation," Qian Renxue replied calmly. "For now, this is only preparation."
Snake Lance Douluo nodded and fell silent.
—
Days later, in Suotuo City, south district.
"Erlong, what brings you here?" Flender welcomed her warmly.
"Old Flender, I'm sure you've heard of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's destruction." Liu Erlong's face was grim.
"Yes." Flender sighed and nodded.
"Old Flender, I want you to keep an ear out for any news of Tang San," Liu Erlong said.
Flender was shocked. "Erlong, Tang San has already been declared a Fallen Soul Master, wanted across the continent. I know you and Xiaogang want revenge, but if you're seen with Tang San, you'll be implicated!"
"But isn't he the only one left who could avenge us?" Liu Erlong countered.
Flender fell silent. True, Yu Yuanzhen had struck first, and retaliation wasn't uncalled for—just brutally done. But was Tang San, a branded criminal, really worth relying on?
After some thought, he said solemnly, "Erlong, I can only promise to tell you if I hear anything. Beyond that, I can't help. You know I have to think of more than just myself."
"That's enough. Thank you, Old Flender." Liu Erlong forced a smile. "I should return now. Xiaogang still needs me."
"Alright." Flender nodded and saw her off.
After she left, the others gathered.
"What did Aunt Erlong want?" Oscar asked.
"Must be about Yu Xiaogang," Zhao Wuji snorted. "Flender, haven't we suffered enough because of him? Your cultivation crippled, Mubai dead, Fatty broken—wasn't all that because of him?"
"And you still help him?"
Flender sighed. "She only asked me to relay any news of Tang San, nothing more."
"You're crazy!" Zhao Wuji glared. "Tang San is wanted! If you're caught passing messages, we'll all be dragged down!"
Oscar nodded gravely. "And if Tang San shows up, the Empire's spies may already be watching."
Ma Hongjun's voice trembled. "Maybe they're watching even now…"
Flender paled. A chilling realization struck him: he, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong might be nothing more than bait, left alive intentionally to lure Tang San.
And when Tang San came—so would their doom.
He turned to Qin Ming urgently. "Qin Ming, chase after Erlong and tell her. For her and Xiaogang's sake, they must not take risks anymore."
"That's wise," Zhao Wuji nodded.
Qin Ming sprinted off, soon catching Liu Erlong near the village edge.
"Erlong, please wait!" he called.
She turned, puzzled. "Qin Ming, what is it?"
His tone was grave as he relayed Flender's fears. "Please, for your sake and Master's, think carefully."
Liu Erlong's face turned pale. If they really were under surveillance, she and Xiaogang would never have noticed. She nodded silently and hurried away.
"Ah…" Qin Ming sighed, then returned.
Rustle.
Two dark shadows darted silently through the trees, following Liu Erlong's trail.
—
Days later, in the East Palace of Heaven Dou Palace.
"Reporting, Young Master. Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong's whereabouts have been traced." Snake Lance Douluo handed over a letter.
Qian Renxue read it, then said coldly, "If Tang San or Tang Hao appear, report immediately."
"As you command." Snake Lance Douluo bowed and left.
'So what if they've realized? Once exposed, there's no escaping.' Qian Renxue sneered, tossing the letter into the brazier.
She plucked a date from the platter, placing it delicately into her mouth.
(End of Chapter)
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