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The beautiful woman rushed to Tang Hao, completely disregarding Tang San who was beside them. Her slender hands tightly gripped Tang Hao's shoulders. Her eyes, like autumn waters, instantly welled up with tears, and her voice trembled uncontrollably: "Second Brother… is it really you? How did you…"
Hearing the address "Second Brother," Tang San was stunned.
Tang Hao sighed softly, a self-mocking expression Tang San had never seen before appearing on his face: "It's me. Yuehua. You don't recognize me, do you?"
Tang Yuehua's crimson lips trembled, and then she suddenly threw herself into Tang Hao's embrace. This usually elegant and dignified noblewoman was now crying like a child. Her arms tightly encircled Tang Hao's waist, as if she wanted to melt into his very bones and blood. Her heart-wrenching sobs silenced the entire Moon Pavilion.
The Moon Pavilion was silent, everyone stunned by the scene. Tang San was even more rooted to the spot—he had never seen such a gentle side of his father. Tang Hao's large hands, accustomed to wielding a hammer, were now gently patting the beautiful woman's back, and the tenderness in his eyes made Tang San almost not recognize his stern father.
After an unknown amount of time, Tang Yuehua's sobs gradually subsided. She slowly raised her head, gazing deeply at Tang Hao's weathered face, then turned her gaze to Tang San: "This is… your and her child?"
Tang Hao nodded in silence. Tang Yuehua wiped away her tears and, with trembling hands, gently caressed Tang San's cheek. Tang San did not dodge, allowing this aunt, whom he was meeting for the first time, to touch him.
"Greetings, Aunt," Tang San said respectfully.
Tang Yuehua broke into a smile through her tears, responding softly. At this moment, what flickered in her eyes was kinship and longing that spanned two decades.
Tang Yuehua suddenly turned, her beautiful eyes glaring angrily at Tang Hao: "Twenty years! It took you a full twenty years to remember me, your sister?" Without another word, she pulled Tang San's wrist. "Come upstairs with me!"
She walked quickly, pulling Tang San upstairs. Tang Hao looked at his sister's retreating figure and shook his head helplessly. But upon closer inspection, one would notice a relaxed expression, unseen for many years, on this tough man's brow.
Upon reaching the staircase, Tang Yuehua suddenly stopped, turning her head to coldly sweep her gaze over the manager, Olde: "What happened today never happened. You are responsible for handling the aftermath." Her voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable authority.
Olde hastily bowed: "As you command, Madam." Fine beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead.
Tang Yuehua's palm was warm and soft. Being led by her like this, Tang San felt as if he had vaguely returned to his dream childhood. The three of them walked all the way to the top floor of the Moon Pavilion. Along the way, Tang Yuehua wiped away her tears and softly asked: "Child, what is your name?"
"Tang San."
The name made Tang Yuehua's body stiffen slightly. She turned to look at Tang Hao, her eyes full of heartache: "Brother, how did you become like this?"
Tang Hao rarely showed a hint of a smile: "Silly girl, when did you become so fond of crying? This isn't the Yuehua I remember."
"It's all because of you!" Tang Yuehua's eyes reddened again. "So many years without a single word…"
Tang Hao silently walked and sat beside Tang San, whispering: "Big Brother… Is he well?"
Tang Yuehua's expression dimmed: "You know Big Brother's temperament. The last time I went home, I accidentally saw him lost in thought, staring at our childhood portraits, not even noticing me approach."
Tang San felt his father's body suddenly tense. "I have let the Sect down," Tang Hao's voice was hoarse.
"What's the use of saying that now?" Tang Yuehua took a deep breath. "This time, I won't let you go no matter what. Big Brother… he has been waiting for you to come home."
Tang Hao's lips twisted into a bitter curve: "Go back? I have long been expelled from the Sect. What face do I have to go back?" He raised his head, his gaze firm. "Yuehua, although I am ashamed of the Sect, I never regret my choice back then."
He paused, then continued: "I came here with a request."
Tang Yuehua swallowed her words of persuasion and said seriously: "Second Brother, between family, there's no need for requests."
"For Little San's cultivation, I plan to send him to Slaughter City," Tang Hao's voice was low. "Now, I only lack a head Spirit Bone, and I wish to ask for your help." He looked directly at his sister. "This Spirit Bone won't be taken for free—Little San is my explanation to the Sect."
Tang Yuehua nodded without hesitation: "I will immediately send a message to Big Brother." She suddenly changed the subject, a stubborn light in her eyes. "But there's a condition—you must stay in Moon Pavilion until the Spirit Bone arrives."
Tang Hao hesitated, then finally let out a soft sigh: "…Alright." This man, who had always been stubborn, now had to yield to family affection.
Tang Yuehua pushed the door open decisively and left, clearly in a hurry to arrange the message.
After his aunt's footsteps faded, Tang San softly asked: "Father, Slaughter City… what kind of place is it?"
Tang Hao's gaze deepened, and he answered briefly: "You'll know when you go." But when he looked at his son, a rare flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes, and his tone unconsciously softened: "You can move around Heaven Dou City these few days, but don't leave the city. Once the Spirit Bone is absorbed, we will set off immediately."
A hint of joy flashed in Tang San's eyes—although he could guess from the name that Slaughter City was definitely not a good place, this just gave him an opportunity to prepare Hidden Weapons materials. He respectfully replied: "Yes, Father."
Deep within the Star Dou Great Forest, ancient trees reached to the sky.
She Long looked around and sighed: "These past years, high-level Spirit Beasts have become increasingly rare."
Ci Xue nodded in agreement: "Indeed."
Suddenly, She Long turned to Feng Xiao, a mischievous glint in his eyes: "Kid, how about we speed things up a bit?"
Before Feng Xiao could speak, he felt a sudden tightening around his waist, and a strong sense of weightlessness instantly enveloped him. Three figures, like ghosts, moved through the forest with a few leaps and bounds, disappearing into the vast forest in the blink of an eye.
Under the guidance of the two Titled Douluo, the search efficiency indeed improved significantly. However, Feng Xiao's luck seemed to be poor—the Spirit Beasts encountered along the way were either far older than needed or too young.
After traveling rapidly for a while, She Long gently put Feng Xiao down, his rough hand patting his shoulder: "It seems your luck isn't too good, kid." He surveyed the deep jungle around them. "But this is common in the Star Dou Great Forest."
Feng Xiao frowned slightly, about to ask a question, when Ci Xue already explained: "The age distribution of Spirit Beasts shows a polarization. In reality, the number of high-level Spirit Beasts above 70,000 years hasn't significantly decreased; we sensed quite a few just now." He pointed towards the depths of the forest. "Spirit Beasts of 70,000, 80,000, and 90,000 years are usually only considered by Titled Douluo for their ninth spirit ring and Spirit Douluo for their eighth spirit ring, and the difficulty of hunting them is astonishing."
She Long picked up the conversation: "However, Spirit Beasts in the 10,000 to 60,000-year range are becoming increasingly rare due to the surge in Spirit Master numbers." He looked at Feng Xiao meaningfully. "Spirit Master cultivation has two watersheds: Spirit Elder is not worth mentioning, unable to even obtain a 10,000-year spirit ring; while Spirit Saint is the end for most people. To break through the limits of one's talent, one needs…"
"Spirit Bone," Feng Xiao's eyes flashed with brilliance as he spoke the answer.
She Long nodded approvingly: "Exactly. In the Spirit Master's world now—even if many people don't lack spirit rings, in order to break through their cultivation, they still participate in hunting groups, trying to obtain Spirit Bones. So now, Spirit Beasts below 10,000 years are abundant because they can be raised, but those above 10,000 years are rapidly decreasing due to overhunting." He condensed a wisp of spirit power at his fingertip, sketching a pyramid-shaped distribution map in the air.
"Interestingly, there are relatively more high-level Spirit Beasts approaching 100,000 years," Ci Xue added, pointing a finger at the top of the pyramid. "Because the demand is simply too low. Who among those who can cultivate to Titled Douluo isn't a genius? " He sneered, "For them, ordinary Spirit Bones, if their attributes don't match, become a burden instead."
She Long looked at Feng Xiao meaningfully: "So, the more top-tier the powerhouse, the pickier they are about Spirit Bones. After all… a compatible Spirit Bone, with suitable skill synergy, is worth a whole body of mediocre items."
Feng Xiao nodded in deep agreement. Indeed, even for Titled Douluo like She Long and Ci Xue, dealing with Spirit Beasts approaching the 100,000-year level would require significant effort. As for true 100,000-year Spirit Beasts? They were even more terrifying existences—even a powerful individual like Bibi Dong would need to mobilize the entire Spirit Hall's strength to have the confidence to hunt one.
For ordinary Spirit Masters, encountering Spirit Beasts of this level left them with no choice but to desperately flee.
The three walked and talked, swiftly moving through the towering ancient trees. The mist permeating the forest refracted colorful halos in the sunlight. Suddenly, She Long's sharp gaze narrowed, and he raised a hand to signal a halt. Thirty feet ahead, a mass of mist swirling with dark purple starlight was slowly condensing.
A fox-shaped creature appeared in their line of sight, its body sleek, its fur like flowing shadows or shifting stardust, shimmering with faint, ethereal light. Its eyes were the most peculiar, like two multifaceted crystals constantly changing images and refracting light.
"Kid, you're in luck," She Long narrowed his elongated eyes, his voice low and playful, as if enjoying a show about to begin.
Feng Xiao frowned slightly, his gaze shifting between the two. His understanding of Spirit Beasts was still shallow, and this Spirit fox, with its silvery-grey body and six swaying tails, was clearly no ordinary creature.
"A Six-tailed Thousand-Faced Spirit Fox…" Ci Xue's hoarse voice sounded beside him. He leaned slightly forward, his tone carrying a rare solemnity. "You should understand what the number of tails signifies."
Feng Xiao's heart trembled. A Spirit Beast's cultivation often manifested in certain characteristics—and the number of tails on a fox-type Spirit Beast was the most intuitive symbol.
"Its ability is 'Clone,'" Ci Xue continued, a meaningful curve to his lips. "This ability is what most Tool Spirit Masters… dream of obtaining."
"Tool Spirit Clone?!" Feng Xiao's pupils contracted, his breath almost stopping—if this were true, then the value of this Spirit Beast would likely far exceed his imagination.
Before he finished speaking, a sudden change occurred!
Seven identical phantoms suddenly burst out from the mist, each like an elegant large feline, covered in flowing dark purple fur, with multifaceted crystals embedded in their foreheads refracting dazzling light and shadow. The most bizarre were their eyes—like two constantly shifting prisms, each blink giving the illusion of spatial distortion.
"Seventh Spirit Ability: Snake Lance True Body!"
"Sixth Spirit Ability: Blood Poison Frenzy!"
The two Titled Douluo instantly unleashed their full power. She Long's Spirit True Body transformed into a hundred-meter giant python, its green scales shimmering as it crushed three clones into fragments; Ci Xue's released virulent spirit power stained the entire misty forest crimson, corroding the other four illusions. However, the shattered clones instantly transformed into mist upon landing and reformed, returning to their original state in a blink of an eye.
She Long frowned, his Snake Lance buzzing in his hand. He noticed that each time a clone was shattered, the Thousand-Faced Spirit Fox's main body crystal would flicker slightly. "These clones have an energy connection with the main body."
Ci Xue wiped sweat from his forehead: "My blood poison can corrode physical entities, but its effect on these energy bodies is limited."
Just as the battle reached a stalemate, Feng Xiao suddenly sat cross-legged, his "Fuxi" guqin resting on his lap. His slender fingers gently caressed the strings, and a clear, ethereal harmonic rippled outwards. This sound wave, seemingly gentle, suddenly triggered an unusual resonance when it touched a certain patch of mist to the northeast.
"Found it!" Feng Xiao's eyes blazed with brilliance. "Seniors, thirty-five steps northeast."
Upon hearing this, She Long instantly erupted, his fifth spirit ring radiating dazzling blood-red light: "Fifth Spirit Ability: Thunderous Shattering Kill!" A condensed Snake Lance pierced through the air, accurately penetrating the ground. Along with the crisp sound of shattering crystal, the six illusions simultaneously froze. The true Thousand-Faced Spirit Fox instantly dodged, but its fur was still injured. Perhaps it hadn't expected these humans to find its true body so quickly.
"So that's it," She Long looked at Feng Xiao, suddenly enlightened. "Although its clones can perfectly mimic its form, the energy fluctuations cannot be perfectly identical."
"Attack!"
A cold light flashed in She Long's eyes, and he exchanged a sharp glance with Ci Xue. Before Feng Xiao could react, the ground beneath him suddenly gave way, and the familiar sensation of weightlessness surged through his entire body—it was that strange shifting technique again!
"Kid, find its true body for us!"
She Long's voice exploded in his ear. Before his words faded, he had already swept out like a ghost, his black robe billowing as chilling spirit power tore a sharp trajectory through the air.
Amidst the howling wind, Feng Xiao only managed to tightly shield "Fuxi" to his chest. His fingertips rapidly swept across the guqin strings, and a clear, trembling note suddenly exploded—"Seniors, watch out behind you!"
His voice was almost drowned out by the whooshing sound, transforming into a warning at the critical moment.
Feng Xiao's sound wave targeting was precise to the point of being almost cruel, rendering the Thousand-Faced Spirit Fox's illusionary clones, which it relied on for survival, utterly useless. Under the thunderous crushing of She Long's Snake Lance and the insidious pursuit of Ci Xue's poisonous stings, this cunning Spirit Beast was finally forced to reveal its true form—its elegant dark purple fur was already covered in wounds, and the core crystal on its chest was shattered like a spiderweb, its reflected light becoming fragmented.
Just as the Thousand-Faced Spirit Fox desperately held its ground against She Long, Feng Xiao's slender fingers suddenly swept across the "Fuxi" guqin strings. All seven strings vibrated simultaneously, emitting not clear musical notes, but seven extremely condensed sound blades. These sound blades wove into a net in the air, and the final strike, like a meteor piercing the moon, accurately penetrated the Spirit fox's glabella. Accompanied by a crisp shattering sound, the iridescent multifaceted crystal instantly turned to dust.
The moment the profound black spirit ring ascended, the entire misty forest seemed to have a layer of illusory veil lifted. The distorted light and shadow, the false reflections, peeled away like fading ancient paintings, revealing the forest's true appearance. Long-awaited sunlight streamed through the now clear gaps between the leaves, casting dappled light and shadow throughout the forest.
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