Chapter 276: Goodbye Asura
At this moment, Yang Xiong couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. The assessment was finally over, and it had gone even more smoothly than he had imagined.
During his one-month stay in the City of Slaughter, Yang Xiong hadn't been idle. Ever since he had captured the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King with the Vast Sea Universe Shield, the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King had become his prisoner.
Under the suppression of the Vast Sea Universe Shield, the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King had no strength to resist, basically allowing Yang Xiong to do as he pleased.
Although this exotic beast possessed human-like thoughts and ambitions, at its core, it was still just a talking wild beast.
With Yang Xiong threatening its life, the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King revealed everything it knew. With that, the independent Asura divine consciousness no longer seemed so terrifying.
Once the Asura divine consciousness was slain, the entire altar seemed to change rapidly. The dark aura disappeared without a trace, replaced by an endless sea of blood-red light.
Yang Xiong only felt a wave of dizziness, as if he had already left the altar and found himself in an extremely grand hall.
In the center of the hall, a huge blood-red figure stood. It was the Asura God.
Yang Xiong quickly bowed and said, "I pay my respects to Lord Asura God."
A rare expression of admiration appeared on the Asura God's face. "Yang Xiong, your assessment was faster and smoother than I expected. I didn't think that within just a few months, you would already complete two of the tests. You should know that Tang Chen got stuck at this second test."
"Moreover, the assessment clearly displayed your wisdom and courage. Normally, when mortals face gods, even if they have the strength to fight, the overwhelming pressure would break them. Yet you managed to resist a god with the body of a mortal. That is truly impressive."
Yang Xiong quickly replied, "All of this is thanks to your arrangements, Lord Asura God. Without the Asura Demon Sword, I wouldn't have been able to slay the Asura God's divine consciousness."
The Asura God said, "This was all your opportunity. Tang Chen had the Asura Demon Sword back then, but unfortunately, he hesitated when facing the Asura God. His arrogance ended up being his downfall. I hope you learn from his mistake."
"With your current strength, you have already grasped the Asura Demon Sword and even understood the Asura Judgment."
"What you need now isn't an increase in strength but rather making decisions. The Asura Demon Sword will guide you through the next test."
"Remember, your choices will affect the lives and deaths of billions of people and will alter the structure of the entire world. This responsibility is yours to bear, as well as the choice you must make as a future enforcer of the divine realm."
The Asura God then slightly nodded at Yang Xiong, and a blood-red light instantly entered Yang Xiong's mind. He vaguely saw a huge divine figure, holding a blood-red longsword.
This divine figure seemed to be using a basic, common sword technique, each move seemingly capable of destroying the heavens and the earth, as if bringing death and slaughter without any sign of life.
After several moves, the ninth sword struck.
The divine figure faced a gigantic dragon, a creature capable of destroying the world. The dragon was thousands of feet long and emitted shimmering light, its mere grasp enough to annihilate the world.
Yet, the divine figure, holding the blood-red longsword, struck just once. Immediately, the heavens and earth changed color, and the dragon was cleaved in two by a single sword.
Even though Yang Xiong had seen much in his life, he was still shaken by the sight, feeling the overwhelming power of the divine figure. A single strike from this being could destroy him.
By the time Yang Xiong came back to his senses, he was drenched in cold sweat. He felt as though the murderous intent from each sword strike was coursing through his body. Just brushing against it would be enough to reduce him to ashes.
Yang Xiong realized that he had returned to the altar, where the Asura Demon Sword quietly lay in his hand.
He couldn't help but shake his head. After returning to the City of Slaughter and making a few arrangements, he left the city once more.
From what he had seen in his mind, the techniques were likely those mastered by the Asura God himself. Unfortunately, with his current strength, he could barely understand the first move. The rest of the techniques were probably far beyond his reach.
These techniques appeared incredibly powerful. Since obtaining the Asura Demon Sword, Yang Xiong felt an innate connection to them. He quickly grasped their meaning, and perhaps in the future, he could use these techniques to further enhance his power.
The Asura God had demonstrated seven moves in total. Though there were few moves, each one was earth-shattering, showing the strength of a divine being and the application of Asura power.
...
Since Tang Chen returned to the Haotian Sect with Tang Xiao and Tang Hao, the entire sect was filled with joy, especially the five elders, who saw Tang Chen as the cornerstone of their future.
However, when Tang Chen saw the five elders' faces, they seemed to be filled with worry.
"Second Elder, our Haotian Sect has been passed down for countless years. Tell me, what is the core mission of our Haotian Sect?"
The Second Elder stood before Tang Chen, acting as a younger generation.
"Reporting to the old sect master, Haotian Sect is the number one sect in the world. The Haotian Hammer is the number one weapon in the world, and our martial souls should never be oppressed by anyone."
Tang Chen nodded. "You all know that Haotian Sect is the number one sect in the world, but what about Tang Hao's incident? When facing the Spirit Hall, even though we were at a disadvantage, why did we retreat? If I allow such things to continue, how can Haotian Sect maintain its honor?"
The Second Elder quickly spoke up, "Old Sect Master, the situation back then was extremely tense. If we hadn't withdrawn, the sect would have been destroyed. Moreover, it was Tang Hao who caused all the trouble."
Tang Chen instantly became enraged. "Second Elder, do you know what you're saying? Haotian Sect's prestige was built by countless generations. Have we ever faced danger before? Have we ever been oppressed by the Spirit Hall?"
"Yet, for thousands of years, has anyone ever backed down from the Spirit Hall? If we keep retreating just to preserve our strength, what right do we have to call ourselves the number one sect?"
"That retreat not only robbed Haotian Sect of its title as the number one sect, but it also broke your backs. Do you think Haotian Sect can ever return to its former glory?"
The crowd felt an overwhelming pressure, even the Title Douluo were struggling to breathe under Tang Chen's gaze.
The Second Elder trembled slightly. "Old Sect Master, it was Tang Hao who provoked the Spirit Hall. He killed the Spirit Hall's Pope, Qian Xun Ji. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been at odds with the Spirit Hall."
Tang Chen's face turned red with fury. "Do you still not understand? The Spirit Hall's ambition is obvious. They just wanted an excuse to attack Haotian Sect."
"Back then, Tang Hao just wanted to protect his wife and child. Was that wrong? Should he have let his family be killed by the Spirit Hall? Anyone who thinks like that is not worthy to be part of Haotian Sect."
...
After Tang Chen's scolding, the five elders were left with pale faces, feeling humiliated. They wished they could disappear into the ground.
After some discussions, Tang Hao officially returned to Haotian Sect, and everyone swore to avenge the blood debt of the past.
Once everything was settled, Tang Chen, Tang Xiao, and Tang Hao entered a secret chamber within Haotian Sect.
At this point, Tang Chen was no longer as domineering as before. Instead, a sense of dejection appeared on his face.
Tang Hao and Tang Xiao quickly asked, "Grandfather, what's wrong?"
Tang Chen shook his head. "My body can't last much longer. I won't be able to protect Haotian Sect anymore. Hao'er, how long do you think my grandson Tang San will take to return?"
Tang Hao shook his head. "Grandfather, there's still no news of Little San. But according to what Yang Xiong said, Little San should return to the continent in the next few months."
Tang Chen nodded. "I hope Little San returns soon. My time is running out. I must hurry to cultivate him, or Haotian Sect will face Qian Daoliu and the inheritors of the Angel God's power. That might truly be the end of Haotian Sect."
Tang Xiao quickly said, "Grandfather, don't overwork yourself. I'll take care of everything outside. You need to focus on your health."
Tang Chen sighed. "During all those years in the City of Slaughter, I've already damaged my foundation. My strength will never return to its peak. I need to plan ahead for Haotian Sect's future."
Tang Xiao seemed to have thought of something. "Grandfather, do you think Yang Xiong might one day be able to challenge Qian Daoliu? He could perhaps bring us a turning point."
Tang Chen's expression grew serious. "Xiao'er, Yang Xiong is no ordinary person. Although he's only at level 90, his martial soul and soul rings are extraordinary. If given ten more years, he might be able to challenge Qian Daoliu."
"Unfortunately, he is not one of us in Haotian Sect, and ten years is too long. He might not survive until the war ends. From the current situation, the Spirit Hall Empire is likely to crush the other two empires and drag us into one of the largest wars in soul master history."
"Moreover, after fifty years, I should meet with my old friend. Otherwise, others might really think of Haotian Sect as a toothless tiger."
Tang Xiao was deeply concerned. "Grandfather, if you meet Qian Daoliu now in your current condition, will he notice your injuries? Will he take action against Haotian Sect in advance?"
Tang Chen snorted coldly. "I know Qian Daoliu well. He's just too stubborn. If it weren't for his arrogance, he wouldn't have lost to me all those years ago."
"He prides himself on being the servant of the Angel God, but in reality, he's just a poor imitation. If he weren't so focused on his pride, he wouldn't have ended up at the bottom among the three extreme Douluos."
(END CHAPTER)
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