While the Marquis of the North was passing his days favoring and loving his dear wives and lovers within the opulent, frost-warded walls of Crimson Zenith City, a vastly different reality was unfolding thousands of miles away.
Far beyond the borders of the mainland, isolated amidst the endless, crashing waves of the vast ocean, the sacred grounds of Sea God Island served as a grueling crucible. The air here was heavy with the scent of salt and ancient mysteries. At the very heart of the island loomed the towering peak of Sea God Mountain, a massive geological formation that housed the legendary, thousand-step marble staircase.
For the past many months, Tang San and his comrades from the Star Luo Empire had subjected themselves to an agonizing, bone-crushing regimen. They had thrown their physical bodies and their spiritual seas against the suffocating, gelatinous golden pressure of the Sea God's Light day after day. Muscles tore and healed, meridians stretched to their breaking points, and willpower was forged in the fires of relentless exhaustion.
Today, the culmination of their agonizing efforts had finally arrived.
Near the lower sections of the grand staircase, the members of their diverse group were scattered across the marble steps, their chests heaving, their garments soaked in sweat and faint traces of blood. Dai Mubai rested heavily on his hands and knees, his blonde hair plastered to his forehead. Several steps below him, his older brother, Dai Weisi, lay flat on his back, gasping for air as if he had been submerged underwater for an hour. Yu Tianheng, Yu Tianxin, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and the various other noble descendants were similarly incapacitated, having just barely managed to push past the specific, designated steps required to clear their respective trials.
High above them all, standing near the midpoint of the towering mountain, Tang San remained upright. His breathing was remarkably steady, though his deep purple eyes betrayed a profound, bone-deep fatigue. Unlike the others who had struggled to cross mere dozens of steps to fulfill their quotas, Tang San had been tasked with an agonizing, seemingly insurmountable burden. He had just successfully placed his boot upon the five hundredth step.
The moment his foot secured its hold on the marble, the overwhelming, crushing golden pressure that had tormented them for nearly a year vanished entirely.
The sudden release of tension was staggering. A brilliant, soothing pillar of golden light descended from the heavens, fracturing into multiple, distinct beams that struck the exhausted youths on the staircase.
A majestic, genderless voice echoed directly within the depths of their spiritual seas, carrying the undeniable weight of divine authority.
[First Trial Passed. Reward: Spirit Power increased by one level.]
The voice resonated within the minds of Yu Tianxin, Ma Hongjun, and the other scions who bore the purple brand upon their foreheads. Instantly, a warm, surging current of pure energy flooded their depleted meridians. The fatigue vanished, replaced by a sudden, exhilarating expansion of their internal reservoirs.
[First Trial Passed. Reward: Age of all Spirit Rings increased by five hundred years.]
This distinct pronouncement echoed within the minds of Dai Mubai, Dai Weisi, Yu Tianheng, and Oscar, whose foreheads bore the deep black brand indicating a higher tier of difficulty. As the golden light washed over them, their summoned spirit rings materialized involuntarily. A visible, stunning transformation occurred. The faint, yellowish hues of their oldest, foundational rings deepened, taking on a richer, more vibrant luster as centuries of conceptual cultivation age were forcefully infused into the energy constructs.
High up on the five hundredth step, Tang San stood bathed in his own distinct pillar of golden light. He waited for the familiar surge of spirit power or the visible enhancement of his own dark rings.
Instead, the majestic voice echoed within his mind with a different message.
[First Trial Passed. Reward: Sea God's Affinity increased by 5%. Total Affinity: 5%.]
Tang San blinked, a rare expression of genuine confusion crossing his features. The golden light faded, leaving him standing alone on the staircase. He looked down at his hands, summoning his spirit power. His rank had not increased, nor had the visual quality of his spirit rings altered in the slightest.
'Affinity?' Tang San thought, his brow furrowing as he descended the stairs with light, effortless bounds. 'What tangible benefit does a mere percentage of affinity provide? It did not bolster my raw spirit power, nor did it enhance my ring age.'
However, as he reached the base of the mountain and gathered with his celebrating comrades, Tang San let the confusion settle into the back of his mind. He reasoned that since he bore the golden trident brand, indicating his status as the primary inheritor, this affinity must be a foundational requirement for eventually claiming the divine throne itself.
He didn't think too much about it, primarily because he was currently marveling at the immense, structural changes within his own physical vessel. Because he had endured the staggering pressure of crossing over five hundred steps before his trial concluded, the grueling process had greatly integrated and strengthened his physique. His muscles possessed a terrifying, coiled density, and he noticed that his control over his internal spirit power had been significantly, sharply refined.
Tang San looked at his friends, observing the vibrant auras radiating from Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun. He didn't show any disdain or look down on their rewards. In fact, he felt it was truly shocking and miraculous for a divine entity to directly increase the spirit power of a cultivator by an entire level, or to forcefully increase the ages of all spirit rings across several individuals so effortlessly. It spoke volumes of the sheer, terrifying capabilities of a true God.
"Do not celebrate too loudly," a calm, melodic voice interrupted their chatter.
Bo Saixi, the High Priestess of Sea God Island, glided across the pristine white sand, her long, ocean-blue hair catching the sea breeze. She stopped a few paces away, her deep blue eyes surveying the exhausted group.
"The Sea God's Light was merely the forging of your endurance," Bo Saixi explained, gesturing gracefully toward the sprawling, turbulent body of water that encircled the inner sanctum of the mountain. "Your second trial begins now. It is designated as the Breakthrough: Ring Sea Blockade."
The group turned their attention to the vast, circular sea. The water churned violently, dark shapes darting beneath the surface with terrifying speed.
"You must cross over this sea to reach the opposite shore," Bo Saixi continued, her tone holding a grave warning. "You may attempt to cross it together as a coordinated group, or you may try your luck one by one. However, the Ring Sea is not empty. It is currently filled with hundreds, if not thousands, of formidable Sea Spirit Beasts. They are the Demon Spirit Great White Sharks."
As if on cue, the surface of the water broke violently. A massive, terrifying shark breached the surface, its sleek, grey-white body glistening in the sun. It possessed a chilling, streamlined lethality, its jaws lined with rows of razor-sharp, serrated teeth. It slammed back into the water, sending a massive spray of foam into the air.
"The one who leads them is Xiao Bai," Bo Saixi stated, pointing toward the largest shadow circling near the center of the blockade. "She is a hundred-thousand-year-old Spirit Beast, the undisputed Demon Spirit Great White Shark King. Furthermore, she previously served as the personal mount of the Sea God himself. You are forbidden from causing lethal harm to these sacred beasts during your crossing, and they will use every ounce of their aquatic mastery to prevent you from reaching the shore."
The daunting reality of the second trial settled heavily over the group.
For the next several weeks, the shores of the Ring Sea became a theater of repeated, miserable failure.
The group, consisting of Tang San, Dai Mubai, Dai Weisi, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, Yu Tianheng, and Yu Tianxin, threw themselves against the blockade time and time again. And every single time, they were violently, unceremoniously tossed back onto the white sand, bruised, battered, and coughing up seawater.
The primary cause of their failure was not a lack of individual strength, but a deep, festering lack of cohesion.
"You moved too early again, Mubai!" Dai Weisi roared, spitting sand from his mouth as he glared at his younger brother. "Your White Tiger Meteor Shower disrupted the surface tension I was using to maintain my footing! If you had just waited for my signal, we could have bypassed the vanguard!"
"Waiting for your signal is what got us surrounded in the first place!" Dai Mubai snarled back, his fists clenching as his dual-pupiled eyes flared with anger. "You hesitate! You always try to play the cautious commander, but against a hundred-thousand-year-old beast, hesitation is death!"
A few paces away, a similar, bitter argument was unfolding between the heirs of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
"Your lightning spread was entirely reckless, Tianxin," Yu Tianheng snapped, wringing out his soaked tunic. "You discharged your electrical field into the water without directing the current. You ended up shocking Oscar and breaking his flight sausages, sending him crashing directly into a shark's jaws!"
"I was trying to clear a path because you were too busy defending yourself to launch an offensive!" Yu Tianxin retorted, crossing his arms stubbornly. "If my lightning doesn't scatter, the sharks just swim around it. You need to adapt to my strikes, Tianheng, not complain when the water gets rough."
The deep-seated, generational differences between Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi, combined with the bitter, prideful rivalry between Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin, poisoned their tactical formations. They bickered, they insulted each other's decisions, and they constantly vied for unearned leadership during the chaotic crossings.
Tang San stood near the edge of the water, his purple eyes dark and furious. He had watched this pathetic display of fragile egos ruin their attempts for nearly a month. His patience, already thinned by his burning desire to return to the mainland and exact vengeance upon Zhang Tian, finally evaporated.
He turned around, his aura suddenly shifting. The temperature on the beach plummeted as the dense, suffocating white mist of his Death God Domain flared outward, washing over the arguing princes and heirs.
The bickering stopped instantly. Dai Mubai and the others shivered, turning to face Tang San. The youth's eyes held a cold, terrifying detachment that they had never seen directed at them before.
"You are acting like spoiled, undisciplined children," Tang San spoke, his voice dangerously low, cutting through the sound of the crashing waves.
He walked slowly toward the center of the group, his gaze sweeping over the Dai brothers and the Yu cousins. "We are not here to settle your petty family dramas. We are not here to determine who gets to sit on a throne, or who is the favored son in their sect. We are here to grow stronger and become capable of slaughtering the monsters waiting for us on the mainland."
Tang San stopped in front of Dai Weisi, his purple eyes boring into the older prince. "Your hesitation costs us precious seconds. Your arrogance blinds you to the movements of your own brother. And you, Mubai," Tang San shifted his gaze, "your reckless aggression shatters our defensive lines because you refuse to coordinate with a man you despise."
He turned to the lightning wielders. "And your electrical discharges are a chaotic liability. If you cannot focus your currents into a single, cohesive strike, you are useless to me in that water."
Tang San took a deep breath, letting the chilling aura of his domain intensify until the sand beneath his boots began to frost over.
"I will give you all one final, simple ultimatum," Tang San stated coldly, devoid of any camaraderie or warmth. "If you dare to fight against each other in that sea again... if you prioritize insulting your rival over focusing entirely on crossing this trial... the sharks will not be your greatest concern. I will personally cripple the man who breaks formation. If you sabotage my path to the Sea God's legacy, I will be the first one to kill you."
The threat hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. Tang San was not bluffing. The sheer, predatory intent radiating from him made it abundantly clear that he viewed their survival as secondary to his own ascension.
This chilling confrontation caused a drastic, immediate psychological shift within the group. Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi exchanged a long, tense look, silently agreeing to bury their hatred for the duration of the trial. Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin nodded stiffly to one another, realizing that their pride was a luxury they could no longer afford.
They did not dare to fight against each other in petty squabbles anymore. The insults and curses vanished, replaced by a grim, focused determination. They began to genuinely, methodically work together, combining their spirit abilities to create synchronized defensive perimeters and localized offensive breaches.
It took them another grueling month of coordinated, high-stakes aquatic combat to finally conquer the blockade. Working as a single, cohesive unit, they managed to blind the sensory organs of the Great White Sharks with targeted lightning, while the brothers utilized their raw physical strength to physically repel the massive beasts, allowing Tang San to navigate the chaotic waters and guide them to the opposite shore.
As they dragged themselves onto the rocky beach, coughing and laughing in sheer, exhausted relief, the golden light descended from the heavens once more.
The majestic voice echoed within their spiritual seas, distributing the rewards for their grueling trial.
[Second Trial Passed. Reward: Spirit Power increased by one level.]
The voice resonated within the minds of the purple-branded youths. Yu Tianxin felt a massive surge of energy expand his meridians, his cultivation officially reaching Level 63. Beside him, Ma Hongjun let out a loud, joyous cheer as his fiery spirit power broke through a major bottleneck, advancing his cultivation from Level 59 to Level 60. The fat youth was now officially a quasi-Spirit Emperor, possessing the raw power but lacking the requisite spirit ring to stabilize the rank.
[Second Trial Passed. Reward: Age of all Spirit Rings increased by five hundred years.]
For Dai Mubai, Dai Weisi, Yu Tianheng, and Oscar, the rewards were visually spectacular. As the golden light washed over their bodies, their summoned spirit rings pulsed wildly. A stunning, dramatic evolution occurred before their very eyes. The pale yellow hues of their first and second spirit rings deepened rapidly, the color shifting and condensing until they radiated a solid, vibrant purple light.
Now, the foundational rings of Yu Tianheng, Dai Mubai, Dai Weisi, and Oscar were all Thousand-Year-Old Purple Spirit Rings, entirely erasing the weak, hundred-year limitations from their arsenals.
Tang San stood apart from the group, waiting for his own judgment.
[Second Trial Passed. Reward: Sea God's Affinity increased by 5%. Total Affinity: 10%.]
Tang San closed his eyes as the golden light touched his forehead. This time, the reward was not accompanied by confusion. As his total affinity reached ten percent, a profound, esoteric sensation bloomed within his consciousness.
He could subtly, intrinsically feel the vast, rolling power of the ocean surrounding the island. The crashing waves, the deep currents, the immense, crushing pressure of the abyss—it all felt strangely familiar, as if he were listening to a distant heartbeat. He felt an undeniable intuition that if he continued to steadily build this affinity, he would eventually possess the chance to actively control this boundless oceanic power.
This realization made him incredibly excited. He realized exactly how unimaginably great the authority of a God like the Sea God truly was compared to the meager, terrestrial struggles of a mortal Spirit Master.
'I must become the Sea God as quickly as possible,' Tang San thought, his fists clenching as a dark, vengeful fire burned in his purple eyes. 'Once I wield the oceans, I will return to the mainland. I will drown Crimson Zenith City, and I will tear Zhang Tian apart piece by piece.'
However, amidst the celebrations of their newfound strength, a practical dilemma quickly presented itself.
"Boss," Ma Hongjun called out, walking over to Dai Mubai and Tang San, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "I reached level 60. I need my sixth spirit ring to actually use this new power. But... how am I supposed to get one out here?"
It was a glaring logistical issue. They couldn't simply dive into the middle of the ocean and hope to find a highly compatible, flame-attribute aquatic beast. Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire Phoenix required a very specific, terrestrial fire-type spirit beast to ensure a stable evolution.
If the fat youth had acquired the prestigious Black Level Trials, he could have effortlessly received a God-Bestowed Spirit Ring directly from the heavens, bypassing the need to hunt entirely. But unfortunately, he had only received the Purple Level Trials. Thus, he had to physically hunt a Spirit Beast for his Sixth Spirit Ring.
And for this specific task, he had to be taken all the way back to the mainland.
The group convened with the elders near the base of the mountain to discuss the problem.
Tang Xiao, the mighty Sect Leader of the Clear Sky Sect, stood alongside his brother, Tang Hao. The two veterans had just finished a brutal, highly educational sparring session with the Sea God Seven Pillars. They were drenched in sweat, but their auras were razor-sharp, having spent the last few months constantly refining their combat techniques against the fluid, unpredictable aquatic styles of the island's protectors.
"I will take the boy," Tang Xiao volunteered, his deep voice carrying a tone of rugged authority. He wiped a towel across his scarred neck. "I can carry him back to the mainland. The journey will take several days of continuous flight, but I can manage the sustained exertion."
"Are you certain, Brother?" Tang Hao asked, leaning heavily on his massive, dark hammer. "The mainland is dangerous territory now."
"It is necessary," Tang Chen interjected, stepping out from the shade of a nearby palm tree. The Limit Douluo looked thoughtfully at his eldest grandson. "Taking Ma Hongjun back to hunt a flame attribute beast in the Star Dou Great Forest solves the immediate problem. But more importantly, it provides us with a crucial opportunity."
Tang Chen's dark eyes narrowed. "We have been entirely isolated on this island for months. We are blind to the shifting tides of the continent. Tang Xiao, during this trip, you must act as our eyes and ears. I need you to gather extensive, detailed information about what has been going on over the mainland. We need to know if the Spirit Hall, the Heaven Dou Empire, the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect, or specifically that Zhang Tian's territory in the Frostfall Province has taken any aggressive, coordinated action against the Star Luo Empire or the remnants of our Clear Sky Sect."
Bo Saixi, standing quietly beside Tang Chen, offered a supportive nod. "It is a prudent course of action. Knowledge is a weapon we currently lack. Securing an appropriate Spirit Beast for the youth is important, but understanding the enemy's movements is vital for us as we will be fighting against them in the near future."
With the consensus reached, preparations were made swiftly.
A few days later, Tang Xiao stood on the sandy shores of the island, grabbing a firm hold of Ma Hongjun by the scruff of his tunic. With a massive surge of spirit power, the Super Douluo launched himself into the sky, tearing through the clouds and beginning the long, arduous journey across the vast ocean.
The flight took several grueling days. Tang Xiao pushed his cultivation to the limit, relying on brief, intermittent rests on barren, rocky atolls to regain his breath before continuing the relentless pace.
When the familiar, sprawling coastline of the mainland finally appeared on the horizon, Tang Xiao did not alter his trajectory to head straight for the dense canopy of the Star Dou Great Forest. Instead, he angled his flight path directly toward the heavily fortified capital of the south.
He first went to Star Luo City.
He needed to have a direct, face-to-face talk with Emperor Dai Tianxiong and Empress Zhu Leihua to ask them if anything of critical, strategic importance had happened during the last few months of their isolation.
As they landed in a quiet, secluded alleyway near the bustling merchant district of the capital, Tang Xiao released his grip on the fat youth.
"Listen closely, boy," Tang Xiao instructed, his tone gruff and dismissive. "You are not coming inside the royal hall. The political discussions there are not meant for your ears."
He tossed a heavy pouch of gold coins into Ma Hongjun's chest. "Take this. Go find a reputable inn, or better yet, go directly to the brothel district. Deal with your Evil Fire issue. I will come find you when my meeting with the Emperor and Empress is concluded, and then we will head to the forest."
Ma Hongjun caught the pouch, a wide, deeply relieved grin spreading across his chubby face. He had been fervently planning to do exactly that anyway. During the grueling months of the First Trial, while suffering under the intense, purifying pressure of the Sea God's Light, his volatile Evil Fire had been greatly suppressed, its erratic urges almost entirely eliminated by the divine aura.
But during the prolonged, frustrating month of the second trial, fighting in the chaotic Ring Sea without any of the Sea God's Light bathing his meridians, his Evil Fire had accumulated quite a bit. The dark, unnatural lust was burning uncomfortably in his veins. He desperately needed to release the pent-up tension through rough, extended sex with women. And he knew full well that only the experienced, financially motivated women working in a high-end brothel would willingly endure the aggressive, fiery stamina of a fatso like him in exchange for a heavy purse of gold.
"Thanks, Senior Tang!" Ma Hongjun cheered, turning on his heel and practically sprinting down the street toward the red-lantern district, his priorities crystal clear.
Tang Xiao shook his head, pulling his dark cloak tighter around his broad shoulders as he headed toward the towering, heavily guarded gates of the Imperial Palace.
He easily bypassed the bureaucratic delays by flashing a high-ranking token of the Clear Sky Sect, granting him immediate access to the inner sanctum.
Within the grand, imposing throne room of the Star Luo Empire, Emperor Dai Tianxiong sat upon his gilded seat, looking remarkably robust and energetic. Beside him sat Empress Zhu Leihua, her demeanor carrying a sharp, calculating grace.
"Sect Leader Tang Xiao," Emperor Dai Tianxiong greeted enthusiastically, standing up to welcome the Super Douluo. "It is a rare honor to see you return from the oceanic sanctuary so soon. Please, tell us, how fares the expedition?"
Tang Xiao offered a respectful bow before launching into a detailed, positive report. He planned to tell the Emperor and Empress about the remarkable, rapid progress of their sons on Sea God Island.
"The trials are unimaginably grueling, Your Majesty, but they are yielding miraculous results," Tang Xiao reported, his deep voice echoing in the cavernous hall. "I am pleased to inform you that Crown Prince Dai Weisi has successfully cleared his early trials. He is currently standing at the formidable level 72 Spirit Power, officially securing his rank as a Spirit Saint. He grows stronger by the day."
The Emperor's chest swelled with immense, paternal pride. "Excellent. The royal bloodline thrives under pressure."
"And what of the Third Prince?" Empress Zhu Leihua asked, her dark eyes sharp and inquisitive.
"Dai Mubai is also excelling," Tang Xiao assured her smoothly. "He currently sits at level 68 Spirit Power, holding the rank of a high-tier Spirit Emperor. Based on his fierce aptitude and the rewards he has already reaped, I estimate he will only need a few more months of dedicated training at the island to safely reach the Spirit Saint rank himself."
"This is wonderful news," Emperor Dai Tianxiong laughed, clapping his hands together. "The future of our empire is being forged into an unbreakable blade. But tell me, Sect Leader, what brings you back to our shores so soon? Surely you did not fly across the sea merely to deliver a progress report."
"I came to secure a spirit ring for one of the youths, Your Majesty," Tang Xiao explained, his expression turning serious. "But more importantly, my grandfather tasked me with gathering intelligence. We have been entirely blind to the movements of the continent. Tell me, what has transpired during our absence? Have the Spirit Hall, the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile Sect, or that monster in the Frostfall Province taken any aggressive action against our borders?"
Emperor Dai Tianxiong's joyous demeanor sobered slightly, shifting into a look of complex, highly opportunistic political maneuvering.
"You have missed quite a theatrical upheaval in the north, Tang Xiao," the Emperor revealed, leaning forward in his throne. "A few months ago, a massive, unprecedented political earthquake shook the capital of our rivals. The old, stubborn Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Ye, abruptly abdicated the throne."
Tang Xiao's eyes widened in genuine shock. "Abdicated? Without a succession war?"
"Without a single sword drawn in the streets," the Emperor confirmed, a hint of grudging respect in his voice. "It was his eldest son, the Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, who smoothly became the reigning Emperor. And since the very moment the crown touched his head, they have initiated a terrifying, bloody purge."
Empress Zhu Leihua chimed in, her voice cool and analytical. "The new Emperor, acting in seemingly flawless, lockstep coordination with that Zhang Tian from the Frostfall Province, set a very strong, uncompromising set of policies. They deployed elite task forces and slaughtered so many established, ancient Noble Families that nearly one-third of the Noble Houses within the entire Heaven Dou Empire have been eradicated entirely."
Tang Xiao felt a cold chill run down his spine. The sheer, logistical nightmare of wiping out a third of a nation's nobility in a few months was staggering. "They slaughtered them all?"
"Mostly the corrupt ones, or those who harbored private armies," the Emperor clarified, a gleeful, highly opportunistic smile spreading across his face. "They spared the young children, allowing them to nominally inherit the empty names of their ruined Noble Houses without retaining any shred of actual political or martial power, ensuring they remain entirely dependent on the Imperial Family or Zhang Tian's provincial support."
The Emperor laughed, a rich, booming sound. "But naturally, many of the terrified, surviving nobles managed to flee before the executioners arrived. They crossed the borders and came begging to the Star Luo Empire for sanctuary. I welcomed them with open arms. We seized their smuggled wealth and integrated their remaining experts into our ranks, strengthening the Star Luo Empire's foundation slightly without lifting a finger."
"It was a massive, chaotic window of vulnerability," the Emperor sighed, shaking his head with a look of profound, bitter regret. "It is a terrible pity that you and the formidable elders of the Clear Sky Sect did not return a few months earlier. If you had been here, we could have easily, decisively used that golden opportunity to join hands with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the other allied sects to launch a massive, coordinated strike at the weakened Heaven Dou Empire's borders. Their standing army and their top-tier experts were entirely busy dealing with the internal rioting of the Noble Families. We could have carved off a massive chunk of their territory."
Tang Xiao frowned, understanding the missed tactical opportunity. "And now?"
"Now, the window is firmly shut," Empress Zhu Leihua stated flatly. "During these intervening months, the Heaven Dou Empire has entirely, ruthlessly settled the matter. The new Emperor Xue Qinghe played a very clever hand. He took the vast, hoarded wealth seized from the slaughtered nobles and provided incredibly great bits of high-quality cultivation resources directly to the military factions, rewarding the old, loyal generals and the standing army. Many of those seasoned commanders have advanced their cultivation significantly, thus massively strengthening their border foundations."
The Emperor nodded in grim agreement. "And moreover... because the regime specifically targeted and slaughtered mostly corrupt, universally despised Noble Houses, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family now enjoys a terrifying, fanatical level of prestige among the commoners. The position of the Imperial Family, even in their traditionally rebellious subsidiary kingdoms and duchies, is incredibly stable. The people revere them as saviors. To defeat the Heaven Dou Empire now, we must prepare for a truly great, grinding war of attrition."
Tang Xiao listened to this detailed, sobering information in silence. He only nodded slowly as he processed the vast, shifting geopolitical landscape. He felt a sharp pang of regret for missing the chance to strike a blow against Zhang Tian's allies.
Yet, beneath the regret, a profound sense of relief washed over the Super Douluo. He was deeply, immensely relieved to hear that during this chaotic time of purges and military consolidation, nothing bad or aggressive had happened to his own recovering clan. The borders of the Clear Sky Sect's dukedom remained untouched. They were safe, for now.
~~
A/N: Check out my other novels [Villain: Manipulating The Heroines Into Hating The Protagonist] and [Harem Master: Seduction System].
Also, check out 20 Chapters Ahead for this fanfic on my P.atreon. [Check Out Art Of Characters On My Patreon. It's Free To View btw.]
Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/c/evildragon04