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"Little Wen, even though your reasoning is sound, those two soul bones are, after all, the heirloom treasures passed down through generations of Clear Sky Douluos. You must remain vigilant against the Clear Sky Sect," Ning Fengzhi cautioned, his voice laced with genuine concern.
"Hmph, Little Wen is absolutely right," the Poison Douluo snorted coldly. "The Clear Sky Sect cast Tang Hao out themselves, effectively throwing those soul bones away with him. What's the issue with Little Wen killing him and claiming the bones? They were fair game."
Those were two of the most exquisite soul bones in existence, ranked among the very best on the entire continent.
It was common knowledge that absorbing soul bones was not a unconditional process. Once a Spirit Master absorbed a certain number of bones, the different energies within them would inevitably come into contact. If the auras of these bones were incompatible, violent internal conflicts would erupt. Because of this, gathering a full set of six harmonious soul bones was a feat considered nearly impossible—as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
To successfully integrate a full set, one needed not only an incredibly powerful physical constitution but also one or two "Supreme Grade" soul bones to act as anchors, suppressing the chaotic energies of the others.
The two heirloom bones of the Clear Sky Sect served exactly this purpose. With their immense power and domineering nature, they had firmly suppressed the other four soul bones within Tang Hao's body, allowing him to safely complete a full set of six.
Tang Hao's explosive power was undeniable. When he had first broken through to the Title Douluo rank, he had managed to severely wound the team led by Chi Xunji primarily because he possessed a full set of soul bones. They provided him with the peerless physical foundation required to unleash the Great Sumeru Hammer in its most devastating state without tearing his own body apart.
By killing Tang Hao and taking those two specific bones, Su Wen had ensured that the future generations of the Clear Sky Sect would likely never again produce a master capable of absorbing six soul bones. The legendary "Nine Rings Exploding as One" technique of the Great Sumeru Hammer would become a relic of the past; very few could survive exploding nine rings without the skeletal reinforcement those heirloom bones provided.
"Don't worry, Uncle Ning. I know exactly what I'm doing," Su Wen replied, appearing entirely unfazed.
If the Clear Sky Sect dared to show their faces now, Spirit Hall would likely be the first to hunt them down. A 100,000-year soul bone was a prize too great to ignore. Was it on Tang San, or was it hidden within the sect's secret mountain fortress?
Spirit Hall would never give up on such a lead. Given Bibi Dong's bottomless ambition, she could use this rumor as a perfect pretext to dig up old grudges. By bringing Tang Hao's past crimes back into the light, she could justify launching another "devastating" strike against the Clear Sky Sect.
No one knew the 100,000-year soul bone was actually in Su Wen's possession. Even Tang Hao, in his final moments, only knew that the bone was missing. And since the only man who knew the bone had been lost was now dead, he couldn't exactly clarify the situation.
Therefore, whether Tang San and the Clear Sky Sect liked it or not, they were forced to shoulder this heavy, golden scapegoat.
Ning Fengzhi, of course, understood these deeper political implications. He was simply still holding onto the old sentiment that the "Upper Three Sects" should stand together, and he didn't wish to see the situation spiral further out of control. However, upon second thought, the title of Clear Sky Douluo had already been nailed to a pillar of eternal shame. The situation had already spiraled as far as it possibly could.
The Upper Three Sects had originally united to oppose Spirit Hall. But now, with the establishment of the Grand Academy, a new dynamic was forming. While the Academy currently cooperated with Spirit Hall, over time, these two super-factions would inevitably enter a state of total confrontation. With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect standing firmly with the Academy, there was no longer any need to cling to the outdated banner of the Upper Three Sects.
"Little Wen, have you decided on your sixth spirit ring yet?" the Sword Douluo asked, his interest shifting to the more practical matter of strength.
"Grandpa Sword, I've had it planned for a long time," Su Wen said with a confident smile.
The reason he had requested the presence of two Title Douluos and Ning Fengzhi for this excursion was specifically to hunt down a legendary beast: the Dark Devilgod Tiger.
Outside Spirit City.
The members of the Shrek team looked grim. They watched the groups of people "incidentally" passing by them on the road, their hearts heavy with tension. Among these passing Spirit Masters, they sensed at least four Spirit Saints. And those were just the ones out in the open; countless others were likely watching from the shadows, their eyes fixed on Tang San in hopes of catching a glimpse of the rumored 100,000-year soul bone.
"Everyone, do not push your luck," Flender snorted coldly. He stepped forward, his martial soul possessing his body as seven spirit rings rose sequentially around him. "We at Shrek do not seek trouble, but we are certainly not afraid of it!"
Liu Erlong followed suit, summoning her martial soul. Her seven rings radiated intense spirit power, signaling her readiness for a violent outburst at a moment's notice.
"It seems we haven't roamed the continent for quite some time," Yu Xiaogang added with a cold huff, taking his position to complete their formation. "The Spirit Master world has apparently forgotten the prestige of the Golden Iron Triangle."
The three did not immediately activate their Spirit Fusion Ability, but the mere threat of it was enough to give the onlookers pause. The Golden Iron Triangle's "Trinity Spirit Fusion" was a unique phenomenon on the continent, and its power-boosting capabilities were legendary. They had carved out a fearsome reputation in their youth, and they were undoubtedly even more formidable now.
"If you aren't at the Title Douluo rank, don't bother us," Yu Xiaogang snapped.
"Third Brother... do you really not have that soul bone?" Oscar whispered tentatively as they walked.
Tang San's expression was a mask of helpless frustration. "I really don't. My father never mentioned a single word about my mother, let alone a soul bone." He felt utterly wronged, trapped in a lie he couldn't disprove.
"Then your father must have given the bone to the Clear Sky Sect," Dai Mubai suggested. "I've heard stories of the incident years ago. The sect suffered catastrophic losses, yet they only expelled your father without any further punishment. They probably kept the 100,000-year bone as compensation."
People viewed the world through the lens of their own experiences. To a prince like Dai Mubai, being expelled from a sect seemed like a minor slap on the wrist. But Tang San understood the profound weight of such a rejection.
Despite that, he remained silent. Perhaps Father's feelings for the Clear Sky Sect were as deep as mine are for the Tang Sect... but the Sect's feelings for Father might be a different story altogether, Tang San thought bitterly. He found himself leaning toward Dai Mubai's theory.
Under the intimidation of the Golden Iron Triangle, the four Spirit Saints eventually moved off as if nothing had happened. The Shrek group continued their march with heavy steps.
"Mubai, there was no need for all of you to stay with us this time," Yu Xiaogang said. "Their target is clearly Little San."
Dai Mubai shook his head. If he had defeated Dai Weisi during the tournament, he might have graduated and returned to the Star Luo Empire immediately. But since he and Zhu Zhuqing still needed to cultivate and wait for the next tournament, Shrek Academy was their only safe harbor. Besides, the dangers of the road back to Star Luo City were likely just as great as the dangers they faced here.
"Fine," Flender said firmly. "Then no matter what happens today, the three of us will see you all safely back to Heaven Dou City." The Golden Iron Triangle had survived worse hunts in their younger days. "Let's move!"
The Pope's Palace.
"Well? Have you figured it out yet?" Bibi Dong asked, her face devoid of emotion.
A full month had passed since the end of the tournament. The Spirit Hall research team had been working tirelessly to deconstruct the details and principles of the internal power circulation routes Su Wen had left behind, but they had yet to produce any meaningful results.
The scholar standing before her was drenched in cold sweat. "Your Majesty... the routes left by Su Wen are not inherently complex in their basic form; they follow a logical, step-by-step progression. As one's mastery over internal power grows, more meridians can be opened to circulate spirit power."
He paused, swallowing hard. "However, the internal structural cycles are interlinked with terrifying precision. According to our research, there are over thirty distinct cycles designed solely for the purpose of 'Spirit Gathering.' Out of these thirty, only ten are simple gathering loops; the other twenty are emergent routes formed by the overlapping paths of other functional cycles. It is... a masterpiece of efficiency."
Bibi Dong frowned. She didn't doubt the competence of her researchers, but she hadn't expected a technique developed by Su Wen to be this sophisticated. Su Wen had only been practicing for ten years. At this moment, she had to admit that the boy's talent for spirit power circulation was unparalleled.
"Her vision... was not poor after all," Bibi Dong murmured to herself.
She waved her hand, dismissing the scholar, and turned her gaze toward Yue Guan, the Chrysanthemum Douluo. "What is the latest news from the Clear Sky Sect?"
(End of Chapter)