The defenses of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could absolutely be described as strict. The linked soul guidance defensive system enveloping the entire sect, combined with the numerous visible and hidden sentries everywhere, meant that even a Titled Douluo-level powerhouse would pay a tremendous price if they tried to force their way in.
This was the foundation accumulated by a top-tier soul master sect passed down for tens of thousands of years.
The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might not match the Body Sect or the Haotian Sect in peak combat power, but in terms of wealth, it stood alone among all sects on the continent. It also placed far greater emphasis on the development of soul guidance devices.
Xu Zihuang and Ning Tian encountered no obstacles along the way. However, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect covered a truly vast area. Crossing through the interconnected clusters of buildings within the sect took them nearly half an hour.
Of course, this was because they proceeded at a leisurely pace and did not rush.
Unlike Shrek City, Tiandou City, located in the mid-northern part of the continent, had very distinct four seasons.
It was now deep autumn, and the mountains surrounding the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect castle were covered entirely in withered yellow. The autumn wind sighed mournfully, rustling the falling golden-red leaves like a rain of red drifting through the mountains.
Xu Zihuang wore a well-fitted purple-gold luxurious robe and stood side by side with Ning Tian on the rugged mountain path. Every intricate detail of the patterns on the robe was perfect, further accentuating his transcendent aura.
Since he was very young, people had specially arranged his clothing for him, so he never paid much attention to such things.
Later, after he and Ning Tian confirmed their relationship, these matters were personally handled by Ning Tian. This outfit was the one she had specially chosen for him.
Doing these things for the person she loved actually brought Ning Tian great joy.
Not only that, upon learning that Xu Zihuang's storage soul guidance device had been shattered, Ning Tian gave him a starlight sapphire storage ring that matched the one she herself wore.
Today, Ning Tian was dressed in a platinum long skirt paired with brown leather short boots, a simple yet elegant combination. She affectionately linked her arm with Xu Zihuang's. Every smile and every frown was filled with attachment.
On this quiet mountain path, moved by the surrounding scenery, Ning Tian stopped in her tracks and gently lifted her smooth, fair chin toward Xu Zihuang.
"Tianhuang—"
She instinctively longed to create more beautiful memories with Yu Tianhuang.
Xu Zihuang understood her intent and lowered his head, drawing closer to her face.
After a long while, Ning Tian nestled contentedly in his embrace, her breathing slightly hurried, half-coquettish and half-reproachful.
"We've delayed a bit too long. Next, let's use the martial soul's ability to get there directly." Xu Zihuang smiled and softly reminded her. His eyes instantly turned a brilliant gold, and immediately afterward, a massive golden pupil phantom enveloped their bodies.
This was the first time Ning Tian personally experienced the innate ability of Yu Tianhuang's Golden Pupil martial soul true body. Her eyes held curiosity and anticipation, yet there was no trace of panic. This naturally stemmed from her trust in Yu Tianhuang.
Heaven Dou Empire capital, Tiandou City.
Tiandou City had been the imperial capital of the Heaven Dou Empire in ancient times and boasted a long history. In terms of scale and prosperity, it even surpassed Shrek City.
Tang Ya walked firmly along the bustling street. After nearly ten years, she had finally returned to this city that held countless beautiful memories and profound pain for her.
The smile that once graced her pretty face was gone; her eyes contained only endless ice.
Tiandou City was where she was born and where she grew up. But ten years ago, a sect that held no reputation in the soul master world had taken everything from her.
After declining for several thousand years, the Tang Sect finally collapsed and ceased to exist. And her father and mother…
At this thought, crystalline tears slid from the corners of Tang Ya's eyes. She silently clenched her small fists.
Now, she finally possessed the strength for revenge. Only she herself knew the hardships she had endured along this path.
Beibei noticed that Tang Ya's emotions were off and softly comforted her.
"Little Ya, if Uncle and Auntie are watching from the heavens, they surely wouldn't want to see you so heartbroken. Once this grudge is settled, we will work together to restore the Tang Sect to its former glory. That would be the best comfort for Uncle and Auntie."
"Mm." Because of the intense emotional turmoil within her, Tang Ya's voice carried a thick nasal tone. Seeing Beibei's worried expression, she paused for a moment before suddenly breaking into a tearful smile.
"Beibei, you're not thinking I'm going to do something foolish, are you? Don't worry, I understand what you mean. There is a head to every injustice and a debtor to every debt. Back then, it was Tie Li and his son who launched a night raid on our Tang Sect. I won't implicate others because of them."
Beibei held Tang Ya's jade hand and revealed a relieved smile. Tang Ya had ultimately not lost her original kindness. That was precisely what had attracted him to her back then—her genuine, heartfelt goodness.
Not everyone could refrain from lashing out at others when facing a blood feud rooted in their very bloodline.
While Tang Ya and Beibei were talking, far ahead, a gate appeared in their line of sight.
Returning to the familiar old place, Tang Ya's body trembled slightly.
The gate tower stood three zhang tall and six zhang wide. One-zhang-high walls extended thirty meters outward on either side of the gate tower. The vermilion paint on the walls was especially striking, giving off a heavy, solemn feeling. Gray tiles covered the top of the walls, neatly and densely arranged.
On the massive plaque atop the gate tower, three large characters were engraved in gilded relief: Iron Blood Sect.
On either side of the gate tower stood vertical plaques. The left one read "Iron Blood and Loyal Heart," and the right one read "Proud Bones Endure Forever."
Once upon a time, the plaques here had borne only two characters: Tang Sect.
This was the former site of the Tang Sect, Tang Ya's home. Although due to the Tang Sect's decline, this was not the original location from ten thousand years ago when it had been hailed as the number one sect in the world, it still carried more than three thousand years of the Tang Sect's history.
But now, it had been occupied by the Iron Blood Sect like a dove taking over a magpie's nest, what an utter humiliation!
Tang Ya could no longer suppress the hatred in her heart. She abruptly raised her right hand.
Accompanied by the rise of two yellow, two purple, and one black, five soul rings, three strands of crystalline blue-gold, Blue Silver Emperor shot skyward from beside her, instantly shattering those three plaques into pieces.
Two disciples stood guard on either side of the Iron Blood Sect's entrance. Though they were soul masters, they had only a dozen or so levels of soul power and were not even Great Soul Masters. How could they possibly react to Tang Ya's attack?
Fortunately, her attack was not directed at them.
Only when the fragments of the three plaques drifted down did the two Iron Blood Sect disciples finally react. But upon seeing the five soul rings slowly pulsing around Tang Ya, both of them revealed expressions of terror.
"Five-ring Soul King?!"
Reaching the Soul King rank with five rings was the basic requirement to enter Shrek Academy's inner court for study. Yet across the entire continent, a five-ring Soul King already represented quite formidable strength. Whether joining the army or any faction, one could enjoy extremely generous treatment.
Moreover, the soul rings Tang Ya possessed were of the optimal configuration.
"Tie Li, get out of here! Back then, for the sake of seizing our Tang Sect's foundation, you didn't hesitate to murder my parents. Today, I will make you pay with blood for blood!" Tang Ya shouted sharply and charged straight into what had once been the Tang Sect's front courtyard. Beibei, fearing any unexpected developments, followed closely behind.
How could the two guarding disciples dare to block her? They retreated in fright.
The huge commotion Tang Ya had caused at the gate had already alerted everyone inside the Iron Blood Sect. A large number of Iron Blood Sect disciples rushed out.
Although the Iron Blood Sect was just an unknown minor sect, it still had nearly two hundred disciples. The Tie Li, whom Tang Ya mentioned, was the sect master of the Iron Blood Sect, a Soul Emperor-level powerhouse. He now stood at the very front of the crowd of Iron Blood Sect disciples.
Tie Li appeared quite old, with an extremely burly build and small eyes glinting with ferocity.
Noticing the five optimally configured soul rings around Tang Ya, his pupils contracted. When he clearly saw her face, his expression instantly turned extremely grim; he had obviously recognized her identity.
"It's you?!"
Tie Li could never have imagined that the little girl who had narrowly escaped back then would, in just ten short years, cultivate to the level of a five-ring Soul King.
She absolutely could not be allowed to leave here alive!
Tie Li narrowed his eyes slightly, weighing the pros and cons in his mind.
Now that Tang Ya had come charging in on her own, they would be justified in acting against her; even Shrek Academy would have nothing to say.
Tie Li's only concern at the moment was the young man behind Tang Ya, Beibei. If Beibei were also a Soul King from Shrek Academy, things would become troublesome.
The two Iron Blood Sect elders beside Tie Li also showed changing expressions.
Equally ugly was the face of Tie Li's only son, Tie Tang. As the young master of the Iron Blood Sect and already in his thirties, he possessed only a four-ring Soul Ancestor cultivation. Moreover, his soul ring configuration was pitiful: one white, two yellow, one purple.
Seeing Tang Ya's powerful cultivation and optimal soul ring configuration, he instantly felt unbalanced.
"Go to hell!"
But Tang Ya gave Tie Li and the others no time to react further. With a grief-stricken scream, the purple third soul ring around her suddenly shone brightly.
Without any warning, four cages, each formed by sixteen strands of Blue Silver Emperor, condensed into being, ruthlessly imprisoning Tie Li, Tie Tang, father and son, as well as the two Iron Blood Sect elders.
Blue Silver Emperor's third soul skill, Blue Silver Cage!
After her martial soul evolved from ordinary Blue Silver Grass into Blue Silver Emperor, Tang Ya's soul skills had undergone positive changes as well. The Blue Silver Cage, which originally could only target a single individual, could now achieve group control. And it was instantaneous.
Sensing the threat, Tie Li and the other three instinctively released their martial souls almost at the same time.
Tie Li was a six-ring Soul Emperor. Merely by completing martial soul possession, his height surged to two and a half meters. His body became extremely robust, and his arms grew exceptionally thick and powerful.
His martial soul was called Iron Arm Bear, a very ordinary bear-type martial soul.
Moreover, his soul ring configuration was only one white, two yellow, and three purple. He didn't even possess a single ten-thousand-year soul ring. This also meant that Soul Emperor was Tie Li's limit; he could never break through to become a seven-ring Soul Saint.
After Tang Ya's martial soul evolved into Blue Silver Emperor, her soul power cultivation had likewise received a massive boost. The gap between her and Tie Li was not particularly large.
Yet in terms of martial soul quality, Blue Silver Emperor and Iron Arm Bear were worlds apart.
Facing the tough Blue Silver Cages, even Tie Li, with his Soul Emperor cultivation, could not break free immediately. The two Soul King elders and the four-ring Soul Ancestor Tie Tang naturally fared even worse.
Countless crimson-red light spots followed one after another, the scorching heat distorting the surrounding space.
It was precisely the skill from Tang Ya's right arm soul bone, Thorn Rain, a ten-thousand-year soul bone technique.
Tie Li and the two Soul King elders could still hold out for the moment, but Tie Tang, a mere four-ring Soul Ancestor, could not avoid being pierced through countless times by the Thorn Rain even when desperately urging his defensive soul skill.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Tie Li watched helplessly as his only son fell before him, yet he could do nothing.
His eyes nearly bloodshot, he roared madly, "Bastard! You… you killed my son?!"
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
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