Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
For every 5 Patreon memberships I receive, I'll release 15 chapters all at once. Your support means a lot to me.
******
Just as Tang Ren was about to leave, he suddenly noticed someone behind the village chief and said, "You, lift your head up."
Hearing Tang Ren's words, the crowd didn't know who he was referring to, so they all lifted their heads and looked toward the burly middle-aged man.
Tang Ren carefully sized up the woman behind the village chief. The girl had just begun to mature; her slightly grimy cheeks could not hide her delicate nose, and her slightly reddened eyes were a pair of watery, large eyes.
"Not bad, you come back to the sect with this old man," Tang Ren said noncommittally.
The girl perceived Tang Ren's predatory gaze, which felt as if it were stripping her bare. Terrified, she immediately hugged her father's waist, her nose stinging as tears surged uncontrollably, and she began to sob.
"Papa!! I don't want to!! I don't want to go to the Clear Sky School!!"
Hearing his daughter's painful cries, the veins on the Fuzu village chief's temples bulged as he pleaded:
"Lord!! Yueyue is still so young!!! Can we wait until she is a bit older before letting her return to the sect?"
The hundreds of Fuzu villagers, watching the girl's cries and the chief's pleas, couldn't help but recall the rumors about the Clear Sky School.
Was the meaning of their existence simply to be bullied at will by the Clear Sky School? But the man before them was an Elder of the Clear Sky School; they could only swallow their rage, not daring to make a single sound.
"Get lost!! My decision is final, no one can argue. This chicken is for you—consider it the bride price."
Tang Ren swung an old hen at the village chief's face. The massive force instantly knocked the chief backward.
The hen gave a few squawks and went silent. The village chief's face began to bleed profusely, and with a groan, he fainted.
"Papa!! Papa!!" The girl hugged her father and began to wail.
"Come with me!!"
Tang Ren approached the girl step by step, each footfall seemingly treading on the girl's rapidly beating heart.
Just as Tang Ren's rough, large hand grabbed the girl's thin arm, a loud voice rang out from the distance.
"Old Thief!!! Die!!!"
The hair on the back of Tang Ren's neck stood up, as if countless cold needles were about to pierce his back.
Glancing back through the corner of his eye, he saw only a speck of blood-red starlight.
Clang!!
The black spear and black hammer struck with a massive spark. Tang Ren looked at the person before him, a familiar figure from over ten years ago surfacing in his mind, and said in disbelief:
"Yang Wudi!!?"
Yang Wudi did not respond. Instead, he continued to erupt with spirit power. After knocking Tang Ren back, he shielded the village chief's family behind him.
"As expected of a dog of the Clear Sky School, committing such filthy acts!!"
"Good, good, good!!! A house slave of the Clear Sky School has actually learned to bite his master!!!! Today, I will let you know why the Clear Sky Hammer is the world's number one tool spirit, and not that bullshit 'number one attack power in all of Douluo,' the Soul-Breaking Spear!!" Tang Ren roared hysterically.
He simply could not believe that the house slave of the past now dared to oppose him.
"You bunch of cowards who bully the weak and fear the strong, you dare call my 'Breaking Clan' house slaves??!" Yang Wudi met Tang Ren's gaze without fear.
At this moment, seeing Yang Wudi appear, the Fuzu villagers felt fear rather than joy.
The clan head of the Breaking Clan could not save Fuzu Village. Even if he defeated Tang Ren this time, once the Clear Sky School came down the mountain to settle accounts with them, they would be finished!
Just as the villagers were feeling uneasy, Douluo warriors and members of the Breaking Clan, Power Clan, and Speed Clan began to appear in the distance one after another.
Seeing this array, Tang Ren thought to himself that things were looking bad.
Could it be that Spirit Hall was leading the former vassals of the Clear Sky School to attack them?
A moment later, Ye Lan's appearance drew countless eyes.
His imperial aura vaguely cast Ye Lan as the center of the world.
"Ye Lan, Holy Son of Spirit Hall?? What are you doing? Is your Spirit Hall going to break its promise and attack the Clear Sky School?" Tang Ren questioned.
Ye Lan didn't even look Tang Ren in the eye. Instead, he scanned the other villagers and said, "Protect these villagers first and provide them with some food."
Ye Lan's appearance was like a dawn, illuminating all the Fuzu villagers.
This included the girl who was about to be abducted by Tang Ren. Wiping her tears, she mustered her courage and said boldly:
"Big Brother!! Who are you? Can you save my father?"
Ye Lan smiled slightly. "We are the 'Holy Hall' of Spirit Hall. We have come to liberate everyone from the terrifying rule of the Clear Sky School. As for your father, that is simple."
A spirit light flashed in Ye Lan's palm, and a jade-green mist drifted toward the bleeding village chief lying on the ground.
In a short while, the village chief's breathing shifted from ragged to steady.
"In a moment, your father will wake up. You all eat some food first."
"Mm!! Thank you, Big Brother!!" The girl and her family supported the patriarch, then followed the main group of Fuzu villagers to move aside.
Tang Ren's face changed colors repeatedly, but he didn't dare move recklessly. This was because he had already sensed the aura of two Title Douluos.
Once he made any move, he would likely be suppressed immediately by those two Title Douluos.
Now, he could only hope that Spirit Hall's oath not to infringe upon the Clear Sky School remained valid.
"My Lord, this man tried to forcibly seize a commoner girl. How should we handle it?" Yang Wudi asked respectfully.
"Good, good, good!! To think the former dog-servants of the Clear Sky School have defected to Spirit Hall. No wonder you have the guts to bite your master!!" Tang Ren looked at the members of the three clans behind Ye Lan with a twisted face.
Yang Wudi did not speak; he was waiting for his Lord's command.
Thinking of the suffering endured over the years, Bai He cursed, "You dog, you have the nerve to mention the past? Who was it that betrayed our four clans and ran away alone?! Your Clear Sky School is nothing but stray dogs; what face do you have to bark here!"
Tai Shan also cursed, "The so-called number one sect in the world actually commits petty theft and bullies commoners. It's a good thing the 'Titan Clan' is dead, otherwise, I would be ashamed to death for the Power Clan having ever been loyal to you!"
"You... YOU!!! You house slaves, I will kill you house slaves!!!" In his fury, black spirit energy erupted from Tang Ren. Eight rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—emerged from beneath his feet.
The moment the seventh spirit ring lit up, the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand instantly became the size of a water vat.
"Wudi, kill him," Ye Lan said flatly.
"Yes!! Wudi obeys!!" Yang Wudi also erupted with his full strength, the black spear in his hand bursting with shocking black flames.
Just then, a voice rang in Yang Wudi's mind: Do you wish to link life?
Sensing Ye Lan's gaze, Yang Wudi decisively agreed to the link.
In an instant, Yang Wudi felt his life force surge three-fold.
At this time, Yang Wudi sensed his life was linked with Bai He and Tai Shan.
Just then, a golden spirit light flashed before Yang Wudi.
"Eh, isn't that the spirit skill My Lord used?" Bai He exclaimed in surprise.
Yang Wudi had never witnessed Ye Lan's full explosive speed, but at this moment, he felt like a fish in water.
Previously, when he sprinted, the air felt as if it were solidifying, but now the air not only failed to hinder him but accelerated his movements.
On the other side, Tang Ren was unaware of Yang Wudi's internal changes. He aimed his target at the most prominent and dazzling person at the front—Ye Lan.
Just as Tang Ren lunged a few steps to lock onto Ye Lan, Yang Wudi had already sprinted over!!
Like a streak of black flame, he instantly submerged Tang Ren.
Seeing Yang Wudi already in front of him, Tang Ren's pupils shrank.
Fast!!
Simply too fast!!
Is this really not a Title Douluo?
The 150% speed bonus from "Flash" directly caused a qualitative change in Yang Wudi's strength!!
In the past, Yang Wudi could thrust out spear blossoms; now, what he thrust out was not a spear blossom, but a rain of spears!!!
After Tang Ren hurriedly blocked a few thrusts, the rain of spears broke through his defenses like raindrops, piercing blood-flowers all over his body.
In the blink of an eye, Tang Ren's black robes were soaked into blood-stained garments.
Because the time was so short, Tang Ren barely felt any pain before his body was flooded with adrenaline.
Tang Ren knew that if he continued to wear himself down against the high-speed Yang Wudi, it wouldn't be long before he bled to death.
Thus, Tang Ren endured the dizziness as his eighth spirit ring flashed with black light, and he roared:
"Thousand-Jun Force!!"
"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes: Break!"
The Clear Sky Hammer in Tang Ren's hand shone with black spirit light. The already vat-sized hammer doubled in size again, smashing directly toward Yang Wudi.
The massive wind pressure locked onto Yang Wudi. After activating "Flash," his speed was immensely enhanced, and he could have avoided this attack.
But bearing the title of "the number one attack spirit in Douluo," Yang Wudi's pride made him choose a head-on clash!
"I am Invincible!!"
Utilizing the speed from "Flash," before the Clear Sky Hammer hit Yang Wudi, a black shadow passed through Tang Ren's burly body, instantly piercing through his abdomen.
The abdomen and the dantian were pierced through instantly. The massive Clear Sky Hammer lost its spirit power support and vanished.
Tang Ren looked down and could see the scenery through the hole in his stomach.
He looked up in disbelief at Yang Wudi's arrogant, world-scorning gaze.
He hadn't expected that he would truly be killed by his former servant.
Just as Tang Ren was on the brink of death, a mist of life instantly submerged him.
Tang Ren felt a mixture of numbness and itching. He looked in shock toward the Holy Son Ye Lan in the distance, wondering in his heart: What does he mean? Why save me? Does Spirit Hall not dare to kill people from the Clear Sky School?
The others were equally confused as they looked at Ye Lan. Was Ye Lan going to spare this dog's life?
In the distance, the Fuzu villagers had already begun to cheer after seeing Spirit Hall's total victory.
Although they didn't understand why the beast wasn't killed, defeating Tang Ren was enough to make them ecstatic.
Just then, Fuzu Village heard even more exciting news.
"Wondering why I saved your life? Heh, you're thinking too highly of yourself!"
"Folk of Fuzu Village, listen well. Tang Ren's dantian is destroyed; now he is just a piece of trash who cannot use a spirit. Those of you who want revenge, take it now. If you choose to spare him, I will give him a swift end!!"
The Fuzu village chief, thinking of his father being killed by the Clear Sky Elder, thinking of the countless grievances Fuzu Village suffered over the years, and thinking of the countless women abducted, roared in a fury: "Brothers, follow me and kill that dog!!"
Under the bloody leadership of the village chief, dozens of villagers grabbed their farming tools—hoes, sickles, clubs, and so on—and instantly surrounded the heavily injured Tang Ren.
In a short while, with every hoe and kick, they beat Tang Ren as he cursed frantically.
"You lowly commoners!!!"
"How dare you!!!"
"Don't let me get back to the Clear Sky School!!!"
"Stop hitting me!!"
"Spare me!!"
"I was wrong!!"
Due to Tang Ren's Spirit Douluo physical constitution, he held on for over ten minutes before finally dying completely.
After he died, the Fuzu villagers still weren't satisfied and threw Tang Ren's body directly into a latrine pit.
"Lord, thank you!!!" The village chief led his family to kneel and kowtow directly to Ye Lan.
"No need for thanks, get up quickly!!" Ye Lan used Blue Silver Grass to help them up.
"Lord, how long will you stay here?? The Clear Sky School... can they still come out?" the chief asked hesitantly.
Ye Lan knew the villagers' doubts. After all, the Clear Sky School feared no power except Spirit Hall.
Furthermore, for these villagers, it would be far too easy for the Clear Sky School to retaliate against them.
"Chief, put your mind at ease! The Clear Sky School will never come out of those mountains in this lifetime!!"
"Presumably you've seen the Douluo warrior groups stationed hundreds of meters away. For the next few days, these groups will be stationed near your village. Your villages can also become supply points for Spirit Hall; we will purchase food and supplies from you at market prices," Ye Lan explained.
"Thank you, Lord!!! We can never repay your kindness in this lifetime."
"It's just that due to this year's drought, the harvest in the fields has not been good, so the livestock haven't been eating well either. Combined with the Clear Sky School's predatory demands for tribute, the villages under their rule are extremely low on resources. I'm afraid we cannot provide enough supplies for the lords!" the chief said painfully.
"Rest assured regarding this matter. It won't be long before Spirit Hall allocates resources to help these villages rebuild."
"Furthermore, Spirit Masters naturally have Spirit Master methods."
A jade-green domain flashed from Ye Lan's body; the Nature Domain instantly covered the farmlands near the village.
Following this, Ye Lan began to immerse himself within "Plant Consciousness," communicating with the consciousness of the grains, vegetables, and fruits.
He granted these plants the permission for rapid growth, subsequently transforming the Blue Silver Grass within his body into a mist of life that spread toward the nearby crops.
In a short while, everyone discovered to their amazement that the fruits and vegetables, the tomatoes and peppers in front of the houses, and the rice fields in the distant farmlands were growing at a blistering pace.
Ten minutes later, the grayish-brown soil was instantly blanketed by golden stalks of wheat.
Near the clay-colored houses, fruit trees sprouted conspicuous fruits, and vegetables stood lush and green...
"No matter how many times I see it, My Lord's ability is simply too exaggerated!!" Yang Wudi said in shock.
The nearby Douluo Warriors looked at the fruit on the trees and began to salivate. In such a remote place, they could usually only eat wild berries; opportunities to eat actual fruit were rare.
At this moment, the look in their eyes as they watched Ye Lan became even more reverent.
In the hearts of countless people, Ye Lan currently resembled a deity.
As for the villagers of Fuzu Village, they had already begun to worship Ye Lan; to them, he was the "God of Harvest" who had bestowed them with food.
---
"Sect Master!! Sect Master!! Terrible news!! After my father went down the mountain, he never returned. According to information passed on by outer disciples, my father used his Spirit. I'm afraid Spirit Hall has attacked!!" A young man dressed in the attire of a third-generation disciple rushed frantically into the main hall of the Clear Sky School.
"Tang Hu, what is this frantic behavior!! Where is your poise as a disciple of the World's Number One Sect!!" Tang Xiao reprimanded.
In Tang Xiao's view, under Tang San's leadership, the Clear Sky School would surely become a God-level sect in the future, ruling over the entire Douluo Continent.
"Yes, yes, yes!! But what about my father?" Tang Hu asked anxiously.
Looking at the current third-generation head disciple, Tang Hu, Tang Xiao grew increasingly dissatisfied. He was a notch below Tang Long and far incomparable to Tang San.
Tang Ren??
What was he doing going down the mountain for no reason? I just announced that no disciple is permitted to leave the Clear Sky School.
This useless father and son truly infuriate me.
Although a Spirit Douluo Elder wasn't critically important in Tang Xiao's heart, the fact that Tang Ren hadn't returned after using his Spirit meant that something had indeed gone wrong with Spirit Hall.
"Enough!! Go notify the second and third-generation disciples. I will call several Titled Elders. We shall go down the mountain together to see the situation outside the sect and negotiate with Spirit Hall. We'll see if they can open a gap to let disciples out to purchase supplies. These past few days, the coarse grain has indeed been difficult to swallow."
"Yes!! Sect Master is wise!!" Tang Hu immediately bowed.
A short while later, Tang Xiao led nearly a hundred Spirit Masters in a grand procession toward the foot of the sect's mountain.
Leading the group, besides the Rank 95 Tang Xiao, were the Rank 94 Second Elder and several other elders—the Third, Fourth, and Fifth—all below Rank 94.
As the hundred members of the Clear Sky School walked out and were just about to step off the mountain's base, they heard a sharp shout:
"Tang Xiao, you old dog! The area ahead is not Clear Sky School territory. Dare to take a single step!!"
As the Sect Master of the World's Number One Sect, when had Tang Xiao ever been treated like this? A surge of blood rushed to his head, instantly turning his dark face flush.
He immediately locked onto the burly old man who had cursed at him. Upon closer inspection: Bai He?
"You dog-servant, how dare you!!" Tang Xiao let out a roar, accompanied by the powerful pressure of a Super Douluo that swept toward Bai He.
"Hmph!!"
An azure spirit pressure instantly crushed the black pressure and surged entirely toward Tang Xiao.
The azure pressure hit Tang Xiao squarely; he let out a muffled groan, the blood within his body churning violently.
"Sect Master, are you alright!!" Tang Hu asked anxiously.
Tang Xiao reached out a hand to signal he was fine, then watched as an azure figure descended instantly from the sky.
After seeing clearly who had arrived, Tang Xiao squeezed the flesh of his palm tightly and said in a low voice:
"Your Excellency Qing Luan, I wonder what business brings you to my Clear Sky School? Is it that you intend to violate Spirit Hall's promise and attack us?"
Qing Luan shrugged, indicating he wasn't the one in charge.
The Clear Sky School crowd followed Qing Luan Douluo's gaze and looked toward the blonde youth standing in the center.
"Tang Xiao, is this place the Clear Sky School? As for you all, take one more step forward, and you'll be overstepping the boundary," Ye Lan said calmly.
Looking at the composed Ye Lan, Tang Xiao sensed a feeling of disregard coming from him. He couldn't believe this was the attitude a Spirit Master who wasn't even a Spirit Saint had toward him.
"Holy Son of Spirit Hall, is your Spirit Hall not pushing things too far!!? Where is our Clear Sky School Elder, Tang Ren??" Tang Xiao asked, suppressing his rage.
"Tang Ren?? Hahaha! That old beast? He's probably in a manure pit right now," Yang Wudi laughed loudly, feeling incredibly vindicated.
Upon hearing of his father's whereabouts, Tang Hu lost his strength and instantly collapsed to his knees.
Thinking of the filthy manure pit, Tang Hu covered his mouth and began to retch.
"Sect Master!!! These Spirit Hall birdmen clearly don't treat us like humans. Why don't we just kill them and flee to the Star Luo Empire? The world is vast; any place can be home!" the Second Elder of the Clear Sky School sent via spirit transmission.
"What do you know? As long as our Clear Sky School gets through this, we will stand above everyone. At that time, who will be able to restrain us!!" Tang Xiao immediately replied via transmission.
He then looked toward Ye Lan and said:
"Tang Ren leaving the Clear Sky School as an Elder was his own doing. But why does Spirit Hall prevent our disciples from leaving to obtain supplies?"
"By acting this way and preventing us from getting resources, aren't you just trying to force us into a rebellion?"
"Then Spirit Hall's promise of non-aggression is nothing more than self-deception!!"
"Sect Master!! My father... he..." Tang Hu wiped his mouth and looked at Tang Xiao in disbelief.
"Shut up!!" Tang Xiao roared.
"..." Tang Hu instantly lost his nerve.
"You are right. Spirit Hall did indeed promise not to attack the Clear Sky School."
"If it weren't for High Priest Qian's promise, given the heinous crimes your Clear Sky School has committed, my Spirit Hall would have leveled you long ago!!" Ye Lan stated.
"The 'Heaven Dou Rebellion' wasn't done by the Clear Sky School. What heinous crimes have we committed?" Tang Xiao said.
At this moment, several Clear Sky School elders felt incredibly guilty and looked at Tang Xiao with strange expressions.
They kept transmitting: "Sect Master, didn't you say Yuehua would keep the secret? Was the 'Heaven Dou Rebellion' discovered by Spirit Hall to be our doing?"
"It's nothing of the sort!! Sister Yuehua died heroically to protect the sect's secrets. I hope I never hear any more doubts regarding Yuehua again!!"
Looking at the Clear Sky School's "guilty conscience" behavior, Ye Lan found it somewhat laughable. He then said:
"When did I ever say the 'Heaven Dou Rebellion' was your doing?!"
"Just based on your oppression of countless spiritless villagers, you have committed crimes worthy of ten thousand deaths."
"The Douluo Warriors have already finished the tally. There are dozens of villages at the foot of the Clear Sky mountains. These villages once held nearly a hundred thousand people; in the past twenty years, you executioners have whittled that down to the current thirty thousand!!"
"The slaughter you've caused is something the 'Heaven Dou Rebellion' cannot even compare to!!"
"They are merely lowly commoners. My Clear Sky School will just pay some money as compensation!!" Tang Hu said dismissively.
Tang Xiao, the elders, and the dozens of disciples nearby did not contradict Tang Hu. In their eyes, what was precious about these commoners?
Even if these commoners all died out, they could just abduct more people from elsewhere. The Douluo Continent lacked many things, but "lowly commoners" were not one of them.
Not satisfied after speaking, Tang Hu leaned his face forward, patted his own cheek, and laughed:
"Come hit me then!!"
"Come hit me!!"
"This is Clear Sky School territory. Come hit me!"
"You don't dare, do you?!"
"If you dare to move, you'll be violating Spirit Hall's oath!!"
"Then your Spirit Hall is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites who break their word!!!"
"Hahahahahaha!!!"
Led by Tang Hu's mockery, the Clear Sky School disciples began to liven up, feeling that their head disciple was right.
These hypocrites, for the sake of a so-called oath, would not step one millimeter onto Clear Sky School land.
(End of Chapter)