Chapter 111: 111 Fought Back
Chapter 111: 111. Fought Back
Zhou Ting knew nothing of the Tang Sect's resolution or Tang San's intentions; he was merely worried about the village and wanted to move his family away... Although she had only visited twice, Xiao Wu still had a deep impression of Saint Spirit Village. After all, the homes of the two humans she was closest to... were both here.
Stroking a thick, thousand-year-old tree by the roadside, Xiao Wu felt a momentary wave of emotion. Her heart stirred, and the illusory rabbit ears atop her head twitched as she suddenly cried out in alarm.
"Something's wrong, I can't hear any sound from the village!"
Zhou Ting was stunned for a moment before he understood what Xiao Wu meant; she was saying she couldn't hear any sounds of human activity in the village.
"Did something happen?"
Tens of thousands of Jade Emperor Bees, each the size of a needle tip, flew high into the sky and headed toward Saint Spirit Village.
With the continuous development of his Spirit Ability, Zhou Ting's mastery over '3D Projection Technology' had become increasingly proficient, and he could now display it on the palm of his hand.
With a pull of his hands, an illusory village immediately expanded. The perspective descended, and the wooden texture of the walls, the rusted locks, the clothes drying in the courtyards... everything was clearly visible, down to the smallest detail!
What made Zhou Ting breathe a sigh of relief was that there were... no signs of fighting in Saint Spirit Village.
"What a miraculous scouting technique!"
Xiao Wu's eyes instantly sparkled, but in the next moment... she looked at Zhou Ting with a strange, playful expression.
"You're so skilled at it, you don't use this move to peep on people often, do you?"
How pretentious!
To think... she's acting cute!
The hair all over Zhou Ting's body stood on end, and he gritted his teeth, holding back with great effort.
If the timing wasn't wrong, he would have definitely given this Little Rabbit's butt a good swelling today!
His gaze shifted to his own home; the front door was open, and the house was empty.
"Whew!"
Zhou Ting blew gently at the illusory table in front of him, and instantly, countless specks of light flew up.
"Brother, what's this?"
Xue'er looked curious, reaching out her hand to try and catch the specks of light, but they always managed to slip away from her chubby little hands.
"Such thick dust! My mother was always very diligent. I won't say the house was spotless, but it was always clean. This... hasn't been tidied for at least ten to fifteen days!"
Zhu Zhuqing curiously observed everything in the village, occasionally mimicking Zhou Ting's movements to zoom in and out of the '3D projection.' After a moment, she added,
"Nothing is missing from the villagers' homes; grain, clothing, and bedding are mostly still there. They must have left in a great hurry!"
It seemed there were no clues left in the village.
"Disperse!"
The Jade Emperor Bees immediately searched the surroundings, focusing specifically on the... Tang Sect Academy by the stream.
A scene of ruins met them. The brand-new academy was gone, replaced only by broken wood chips, debris, and corpses... The stone tablet with the words 'Tang Sect' written on it had disappeared without a trace.
"A tragic battle took place here!"
Seeing it with his own eyes was different after all; it was clearer, more direct, and felt even more... tragic.
Xiao Wu picked up a crossbow bolt from the ground, her eyes looking a bit off.
"Is this Little San's Hidden Weapon? Impossible, Little San wouldn't do this!"
She didn't believe he would kill people in Saint Spirit Village.
The ground was covered in scrap metal, and many items glowed with strange, multicolored lights, making Zhou Ting's scalp tingle.
He grabbed Xiao Wu's arm as she tried to go forward and search; he was certain that something bad would happen if they kept looking.
"Don't hold me back, there might still be survivors!"
Zhou Ting tightened his grip.
"Most of these Hidden Weapons are poisonous! Also... I don't think Tang San's Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges could hold this many Hidden Weapons! And look at that rock—that circular indentation in the middle—what kind of weapon do you think smashed that out?"
Xiao Wu calmed down. After observing for a moment, she suddenly realized.
"A hammer!"
"Mhm, it's the Clear Sky Hammer. Tang San and his father must have come!"
Hearing that Tang Hao was there, Xiao Wu felt a bit more at ease.
After all, the Clear Sky Douluo... was one of the continent's top combat powers. With him around, Tang San should be very safe.
Zhou Ting continued to fiddle with the map in his hand, suddenly moving toward the back door of the Tang Sect Academy.
"Let's go, follow their tracks!"
Footprints, scattered poisoned Hidden Weapons, triggered mechanisms, traps... the path ahead was this difficult!
"The Tang Sect is truly ruthless!"
"Tang San and Tang Hao are even more ruthless; they dared to force their way through so many mechanisms, and they actually made it through."
Poisoned Hidden Weapons were everywhere; by the end... there was nowhere to step!
Forget it, let's take to the sky.
Soul Passing Worms aren't afraid of poison, but Zhou Ting didn't want to suffer.
One hour later.
The four of them finally arrived at the foot of a large mountain, a place Zhou Ting had never been before.
This mountain was too far from Saint Spirit Village, and the villagers had never come here... In the sky above, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed. Tang Hao held a sky-propping giant hammer, standing proudly amidst the lightning, unafraid even when facing hundreds or thousands of Martial Artists.
"How dare you hunt down my son! Today, I shall destroy your Tang Sect!"
Tang San stood on the familiar cliff. He said nothing, but his eyes were filled with myriad emotions.
Back then, he had jumped from here to prove his resolve with death!
Reincarnated for thirteen years, he had long since given up any thought of returning to the Tang Sect, but who would have thought... that today he would stand here once again.
Only this time, he was no longer alone.
Furthermore, he had fought his way back.
Past and present, the same person, yet a different state of mind.
The Grand Elder stood at the front, facing the battle-crazed Tang Hao with a face full of helplessness and pain.
Suddenly, he looked at Tang San, whose appearance was still ordinary, his eyes infinitely complex.
"Tang San, must it really come to this?"
Tang San was expressionless, his tone extremely calm.
"I will call you Grand Elder one last time, and thank you for staying your hand all those years ago. But my grievances with the Tang Sect were already completely settled with that jump..."
"You... shouldn't have harmed my Master, and you certainly shouldn't have harmed my family. I cannot allow a threat like the Tang Sect to exist!"
The Grand Elder was speechless. He pointed at the two dejected Elders—the only two remaining—with a bitter expression.
"Of the Ten Great Elders, only three of us are left. Do you think... the Tang Sect can even continue, or still have the ability to threaten you?"
Tang San remained silent; Tang Hao, surrounded by lightning, spoke with an incredibly cold voice.
"Only the dead are truly safe!"
"Kill!"
The giant hammer smashed down. The people of the Tang Sect tried to flee, only to discover in horror that their feet, hands, heads... even their entire bodies were unable to move!
They could only watch helplessly as the mountain-like hammer smashed down. At this moment, the once-proud Tang Sect Disciples no longer had any light in their eyes!
"Clear Sky Douluo... is truly ruthless!"
Seeing this scene through the eyes of the Jade Emperor Bees, Zhou Ting felt a lingering fear, glad that he had never offended Tang Hao to his face.
Otherwise, if this hammer came down, Zhou Ting probably wouldn't even have a speck left, and wouldn't even be able to fake death!
Zhou Ting reached out and covered Xue'er's big eyes in his arms; it wasn't good for children to see such things.
But Xue'er didn't think so; her chubby little hands tried to pull away the large hand in front of her, wanting to see.
Zhou Ting remained firm, and Xue'er's interest didn't wane, but she couldn't pull his hand away at all.
However, the little fellow seemed to treat this as a game, playing with great delight.Chapter 112: 112 The Trump Card One is Unwilling to Use
Chapter 112: 112. The Trump Card One is Unwilling to Use
"Found it!"
Zhou Ting was excited, and the "3D projection" immediately dissipated, shutting down directly.
His Heart-Nature was not steady enough; he still needed to train.
The Jade Emperor Bees had never given up searching. There, Zhou Ting saw it: on the back of the mountain, the villagers of Saint Spirit Village were using a cave as a temporary camp.
"Let's go!"
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing did not hesitate and followed immediately.
Meanwhile, the "movie" transmitted from the mountain peak's Void Realm continued to play in front of Zhou Ting.
Tang San did not stop his father. That hammer strike landed solidly, smashing into the midst of nearly a thousand Tang Sect Disciples.
This single strike alone killed over a hundred people, with countless others injured!
And this was even with the three Elders desperately trying to rescue them.
Wails of grief filled the air, and corpses littered the ground. These were all young talents related by blood, yet they suffered such a disaster today. The future of the Tang Sect was worrying!
Seeing the tragic scene around him, a flash of pain crossed the Grand Elder's eyes. He took a deep breath and made a decision that went against his ancestors!
"Tang San, you forced my hand!"
It was a yellow whistle, made of neither metal, wood, nor jade, yet it had the texture of jade, as if it had been handled by countless people for a long time, forming a layer of patina.
Or, more accurately... a layer of oil film.
The Grand Elder held the whistle, his eyes showing some resistance, but soon, amidst the sounds of painful groans, he made up his mind. He resolutely brought it to his lips, puffing out his cheeks.
"?!"
No sound!
Was the whistle broken?
Certainly not. The Grand Elder regarded it as his trump card; how could it be broken?
"Boom!"
Behind Tang San and Tang Hao, across the cliff, a stone pillar like a heavenly pillar had already broken into two. At the top of the pillar, a Bronze Furnace held by numerous chains was blown straight into the sky.
"What is this?"
The upper half of the stone pillar smashed toward the Tang father and son, like Sun Wukong swinging the Golden Cudgel, with a terrifying momentum!
This sudden turn of events even attracted Zhou Ting, who was in a hurry to see his family, making him stop in his tracks.
"Little San!"
Xiao Wu immediately turned around; she wanted to save Tang San!
Although Tang San's handling of Zhou Ting's matters made her feel a bit uncomfortable.
However, she could feel that Little San was sincere toward her, his younger sister, and truly treated her well.
Tang San... was her brother!
This time, Zhou Ting still held her back.
"Don't worry, the Clear Sky Douluo isn't that simple!"
Just as he finished speaking, countless cracks suddenly appeared on the surface of that hundred-zhang-long stone pillar, spreading rapidly from points to planes.
Suddenly, the stone pillar completely shattered, and countless gravel pieces shot out in all directions like bullets.
Tang San was protected by Tang Hao and only suffered some superficial injuries. As for the Tang Sect Disciples... only the three Elders remained, protecting thirty or forty Inner Sect Disciples. On the ground, blood flowed like a river!
Looked at this way, the three Elders' methods seemed stronger than Tang Hao's.
In fact, it wasn't so. The three Elders were further away and used the terrain to their advantage to save these thirty or forty elites, though each was injured.
"Retreat!"
Tang Hao stared intently at the figure that suddenly appeared on the edge of the cliff, having no time to worry about the Tang Sect crowd. Tang San hesitated for a moment but then chased after them alone.
"Clang!"
The Bronze Furnace landed right on the remaining half of the stone pillar, steady as can be!
On the edge of the cliff, a person suddenly appeared. His hair was disheveled, and his entire body, including his hair, was covered in clumps of hardened dust, making him a complete mud man whose true face was no longer visible.
This person who suddenly appeared was even more slovenly than Tang Hao, who usually disregarded his own image.
"Kill!"
The mud man spoke only one word, and a surging Killing Intent shot straight into the clouds. At this moment, the clouds changed color, and the sun hid itself away.
Tang Hao's gaze became incredibly solemn. The pressure the mud man brought him could be compared to his battle with... Qian Xunji years ago.
However, back then he was only level ninety, facing the Spirit Hall's three Titled Douluo and over a dozen Spirit Douluo with a Spirit Douluo Realm; the pressure was slightly less than it was now.
Now, he was already a Titled Douluo, yet the mud man's cultivation was still above his.
At the very least, he was at the Super Douluo level, or perhaps even a Limit Douluo!
Little San had said that the Tang Sect had declined, and the strongest Elder's Realm was only at the level fifty Spirit King level. Relying on martial arts and Hidden Weapons, they could exert the strength of a level sixty Spirit Emperor.
But in this Tang Sect... how could there be a monster like the one before him?
This... is called declined?
But the mental state of the mud man before him was indeed not quite right!
Tang Hao did not dare to underestimate him, bracing himself for a full-power... hammer strike!
"Vajra Indestructible!"
The mud man gave a low roar, and almost all the mud on his body's surface flew off, leaving him glowing golden all over.
Facing the giant hammer, he neither dodged nor avoided, puffing out his bony chest.
"Clang!"
Behind the mud man, a section of the cliff broke and fell, with no echo for a long time.
But the mud man himself... didn't retreat a single step, steady as Mount Tai, with endless Killing Intent still in his eyes.
"What a strong opponent!"
From the massive recoil, Tang Hao's hands trembled slightly!
"But, only an opponent like this is interesting!"
His blood boiled, and Tang Hao felt his long-dormant fighting spirit... being stimulated again, thoroughly stimulated.
This time, it wasn't just his hands; his entire body was trembling.
This wasn't a loss of control; it was excitement, expectation, and desire!
He gripped the hammer with both hands again, raising it high and drawing in countless bolts of lightning.
"Great Sumeru Hammer!"
Absorbing the power of lightning, the Clear Sky Hammer grew large again, like a massive mountain, with unparalleled majesty.
The Clear Sky Hammer truly deserved its reputation as the strongest Tool Spirit on the Douluo Continent, representing the ultimate power!
The mud man watched Tang Hao execute his ultimate move, his eyes filled only with Killing Intent; cowardice, surprise, shock, and other emotions were non-existent.
He beckoned with his right hand... "Whoosh!"
On the still-standing half of the stone pillar, the massive Bronze Furnace rose from the ground and shot directly into the mud man's hand.
From nearly a hundred zhang away, the mud man could actually pull a Bronze Furnace weighing several thousand catties from a distance. This ability was truly shocking!
As the meteor fell from the sky, the mud man looked up, his eyes shining brightly, and he shouted in a low voice.
"Shakyamuni Throws the Elephant!"
With a heavy throw, the Bronze Furnace soared into the sky.
"Boom!"
"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle..." there should be the static sound of a disconnected channel here.
The massive shockwave from the collision actually shook many thousand-year Jade Emperor Bees to death, with only a few stunned survivors.
"Quick, send some more! It's getting exciting!"
Xiao Wu patted Zhou Ting's shoulder vigorously, her face full of lingering interest.
With such a fierce father, she was no longer worried about Tang San's safety.
Zhou Ting glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, whose large eyes were also full of expectation; she wanted to see too.
In fact, even without Xiao Wu's urging, Zhou Ting had already been sending more "troops."
He wanted to see too, especially the mud man's Vajra Indestructible move; he was dying for it!
In an instant, the signal was reconnected.
Cracks actually appeared on the Douluo Continent's number one Tool Spirit, the Clear Sky Hammer. Tang Hao's face was pale, but his eyes held a spark that could start a prairie fire!
"Good, very good! It's been over ten years... I haven't fought for too long, and even my Great Sumeru Hammer has become a bit rusty!"
His whole body shook!
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!
Tang Hao looked at the outermost red hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, a flash of tenderness in his eyes for a moment, then he looked at the mud man with a serious expression.
"You are a respectable opponent. I'm going to use my full strength!"
The mud man did not react, seemingly giving his silent consent.
"Slaughter God Domain!"
"Great Sumeru Hammer... Ring Explosion!"
"Swoosh!"
One spirit ring shattered, merging into the Clear Sky Hammer, then the second, the third... The opponent was too powerful. Tang Hao exploded six spirit rings in one breath, standing proudly in the sky like a Divinity!
The mud man finally looked up and had a different reaction; a rare look of contemplation appeared in his eyes!Chapter 113: 113. Experts of the Otherworld
Chapter 113: 113. Experts of the Otherworld
Amidst the bronze fragments scattered everywhere, the mud man's emerald-green eyes suddenly flared with extreme excitement—the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent!
His skeletal right hand clenched the air, and a vast devouring force erupted. Bronze fragments swirled toward him, followed by... blood. It was the blood of hundreds of Tang Sect Disciples, whether from the ground, the corpses, or even those on the verge of death... The bronze fragments were dyed red by the blood as they gathered, compressed, and took shape... Finally, a blood-colored long blade appeared in the mud man's hand. The blade's Evil Qi surged straight into the heavens, even dyeing the black clouds in the sky red!
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
At this moment, the eyes of both men were incredibly solemn as an epoch-making battle began... While watching the battle, Zhou Ting and his group had already arrived at the location of the cave.
"Grandpa!"
Old Jack sat on a rock basking in the sun. He was old; his body was still fine, but his heart... was old, and there was no cure for that!
What Old Jack enjoyed most every day was looking around the village and minding other people's "business." Then, he would spend more time basking in the sun with a few other toothless old fellows.
Now, having crossed mountains and rivers to get here, basking in the sun was the only thing he had left to do.
"Tinger, why have you come?"
"I saw the village was empty, so I came looking for you!"
After exchanging pleasantries with the other villagers for a while, Zhou Ting walked aside with Old Jack again.
"This is?"
Old Jack looked at the small projection on Zhou Ting's palm with a face full of wonder, sighing in his heart: It really is good to be a Spirit Master!
Zhou Ting pulled his hands apart, and the image immediately enlarged.
"It's Tang Hao."
Tang Hao was currently displaying great Divine Might, standing proudly in the sky like a Heavenly God.
Yet Old Jack didn't seem surprised; instead, his tone was quite flat.
"Grandpa, you knew about Tang Hao's strength?"
"I knew. It was Tang Hao who saved us!"
Saved?
Saved from whose hands?
Zhou Ting asked in confusion.
"Was it the Tang Sect?"
Old Jack nodded solemnly.
"Yes. Over ten days ago, the Dean of Tang Sect Academy suddenly came to our door, saying the academy was holding a celebration and invited all the villagers to join the festivities. But..."
"After everyone arrived, they realized something was wrong. There wasn't a single sign of celebration in the academy; the atmosphere was exceptionally heavy."
"Before anyone could react, they surrounded all the villagers."
A bitter smile appeared on Old Jack's face.
"Although the people of the Tang Sect aren't Spirit Masters, they all master a special power called Internal Energy..."
"Internal Energy?"
Xiao Wu felt those two words were incredibly familiar, as if she had heard someone mention them a long time ago.
At this moment, Old Jack became very excited.
"Yes, can you imagine how miraculous the Internal Skill Mind-Cultivation Techniques are?"
"Internal Energy... that is what they call it. Here, that is spirit power! As long as the age and Physique are suitable, one can Cultivate an Internal Skill Mind-Cultivation Technique to produce spirit power from nothing!"
"If children under the age of seven Cultivate it, that would be Innate spirit power—that is Spirit Master Aptitude!"
Old Jack's eyes were filled with excitement and anticipation.
"This is an epoch-making discovery, an opportunity that can change the fates of countless people across the continent!"
Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu looked at each other, their eyes filled with wonder.
The next moment, Old Jack looked at Zhou Ting apologetically.
"When you returned back then, the reason we hid it was because the Tang Sect had a rule: any information related to the Tang Sect must not be leaked, or else, death without mercy!"
"Moreover, I had my own selfish motives; I didn't want the children in the village to miss out on this great opportunity."
"I can understand."
Zhou Ting's expression was calm; he didn't mind this.
"Grandpa, how did you all get here from so far away?"
"The Tang Sect has a strange carriage, uh, called a Mechanical Carriage. It can move on its own. We were all locked in the carriage and brought here; it took three or four days."
Mechanisms... good stuff!
Actually, what Zhou Ting truly looked down upon was those people's tendency to hoard their knowledge, and... the fact that most people studied Mechanism Arts with the sole purpose of killing, wasting technology that could benefit the World for nothing!
Old Jack looked up toward the mountain peak, his eyes showing a hint of dread.
"They brought us to the mountain peak, wanting to drive us all into that illusory portal. Just then, Tang Hao and Tang San caught up."
"Both sides fought! No one had time for us!"
"It's hard to leave one's homeland; we didn't want to leave Saint Spirit Village and wanted to escape back, but we were discovered by the Tang Sect people. They said..."
At this point, Old Jack's face turned ugly; he still had lingering fears.
"...They shouted loudly: 'The secrets of the Tang Sect must never be leaked!' Then they started killing without hesitation. Sanwa, Sini..."
"They... were such good children, and they just died like that. Fortunately, Tang Hao noticed us and stepped in to stop them in time, allowing us to escape here. Otherwise, everyone from Saint Spirit Village would be dead!"
Speaking of this, Old Jack felt quite regretful.
"Even though I knew that letting the children enter Tang Sect Academy was like dealing with a tiger, I didn't expect them to be so ruthless as to not even spare five or six-year-old children!"
After hearing the story, everyone fell silent.
A moment later, Zhu Zhuqing, who didn't like Tang San's style, couldn't help but sigh.
"To think they would actually save people..."
Xiao Wu was a bit unhappy; that was her brother!
"By the way, what is Little San doing?"
Xiao Wu immediately got to work, fiddling around for a while, but she couldn't find any sign of Tang San!
"How come there's only Tang Hao's?"
Zhou Ting shook his head helplessly.
"It is a cross-World connection, after all. If the Jade Emperor Bee gets too far away, it will collapse on its own!"
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly pointed at a small dot in the woods and said,
"Look, he's back!"
Xiao Wu immediately zoomed in. She saw Tang San's figure moving like a ghost, running toward the edge of the cliff at high speed.
Xiao Wu felt something was wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
"This?"
Suddenly, another person emerged behind Tang San; it was an old man with white hair and a youthful face.
Though his hair was snowy white, his complexion was ruddy, like a youth's.
The old man took only a small step but crossed dozens or even a hundred meters. It didn't look like a pursuit at all, but rather like a casual stroll in the spring—relaxed, effortless, and overflowing with Immortal Qi!
"Dad, let's go!"
At the edge of the cliff, the Tang father and son were in a very bad state, their lips as crimson as blood.
No, that was a layer of fresh blood—both father and son had suffered internal injuries!
Unexpectedly, the mud man and the old man did not join forces; instead, they were wary of each other, eventually forming... a three-way standoff!
Tang Hao was currently a bit dazed, truly dazed.
He had seen and experienced great storms before.
But today's events still shocked him.
He had originally thought he was just wiping out a declined small Sect, even if it was from another World.
After all, his son had said their cultivation wasn't high!
But as soon as he arrived in the otherworld, everything changed. First, a crazed mud man appeared, forcing him to use his final life-risking move, leaving his Physical Body on the verge of collapse.
Fine, before the mud man was even dealt with, his precious son had led back an "invisible" enemy!
This old man with white hair and a youthful face felt very contradictory in his perception, existing somewhere between being there and not being there, as if... he was one with heaven and earth!
This was yet another peerless powerhouse!
The otherworld... is not simple at all!Chapter 114: 114 Destroying the Gate
Chapter 114: 114. Destroying the Gate
"Little San, you go first!"
Tang Hao snatched the cloth bag from his waist and stuffed it into Tang San's arms.
"Take good care of your mother!"
"Father..."
Tang San's eyes turned red; he understood his father's decision. He was staying behind to cover the retreat and win a chance for him to escape.
At this moment, Tang San felt immense regret.
"If only I had known, I shouldn't have come in. If only I had known, I shouldn't have pursued them..."
As long as he hadn't pursued them, the old man wouldn't have acted.
The old man had said that his appearance was only to ensure that his old friend's Sect Legacy would not be cut off.
As long as Tang San didn't drive them to extinction, he wouldn't have intervened.
But Tang San, to eliminate all future trouble, wanted to pull them up by the roots; he couldn't allow that!
But in this World, there is no "if only I had known," and certainly no medicine for regret.
Tang San stood there in a daze, unable to move his feet.
With a forceful shove from Tang Hao, Tang San's body fell down the cliff like a meteor.
"No!"
A Rank 42 Spirit Ancestor had no power to resist Tang Hao's push.
He couldn't even change his trajectory in mid-air. Tang San quickly disappeared into the thick fog!
"No!"
On an unnamed mountain peak in the Douluo Continent, Tang San tumbled out of a Void Portal. A jade-like hand suddenly appeared behind him, stopping him!
Tang San's face was filled with pain as his purple eyes looked back... It was an unfamiliar face, but those soulful, moving eyes... Tang San recognized the girl's identity instantly.
"Xiao Wu... sister!"
"Little San, don't let your father's painstaking efforts go to waste! Besides, he's still fine right now!"
Tang San didn't answer, looking behind Xiao Wu at Zhu Zhuqing, whom he had met once, and Zhou Ting, who was holding a little girl!
And... Tang San's eyes widened. He scrambled to his feet, staring unblinkingly at his father in the other World.
Zhou Ting said nothing and did nothing, letting him watch.
Xiao Wu glanced at the distraught Tang San, gently tugged on Zhou Ting's right sleeve, her expression troubled, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Tang San and him... there was a grudge!
But now she was powerless; only Zhou Ting... Zhou Ting knew what she wanted to say, but... Zhou Ting had always been a man who clearly distinguished between kindness and grudges. He nodded slightly and returned a look: "Let's wait and see!"
Their small interaction didn't attract anyone else's attention; everyone was focused on the confrontation in the other World.
In the other World, the situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable for Tang Hao.
Great Sumeru Hammer... Ring Explosion. Once unleashed, it could exert terrifying combat power like a Divinity, but how could a Mortal body contain divine force!
This was a forbidden technique performed at the cost of self-mutilation; before harming the enemy, it harms oneself! If things go wrong, it might even... kill the user first!
"Kill!"
The mud man suddenly erupted, actually slashing towards the old man who had arrived later. At this moment, they completely ignored Tang Hao—whether this was lucky or tragic was hard to say!
Upon the blood-colored long saber, boundless Killing Intent, Killing Intent, blood qi... chaotic auras gathered together, finally condensing into a black Saber Qi—a literal... forty-meter-long blade!
"Avici Hell!"
The great saber swung down slowly—or perhaps extremely fast... it was contradictory yet reasonable. Tang Hao felt as if he had been hit by a Body-Fixing Spell!
As the great saber fell, the trees within a hundred meters turned green then yellow, yellow then green, experiencing hundreds of springs and autumns in an instant, or rather... hundreds of cycles of life and death Reincarnation!
Just like Avici Hell, which in the Buddhist Universe view is the lowest of the eighteen levels of Hell.
It is also the most painful and darkest level of Hell; those who fall into it can never be reborn, dying and being born a hundred million times a day, with a sentence lasting tens of billions of years.
There is never a moment of release!
Tang Hao relied on the "divine force" gained from the Ring Explosion to barely maintain his clarity of mind and his own existence.
On the other side, the old man was in a completely different state from Tang Hao.
He seemed to have completely given up resistance, allowing the power of Avici Hell to wash over him. Suddenly like dust, then an embryo, an infant, a child, a youth... from old to nothingness, and from nothingness to old, in an instant, he experienced hundreds of cycles of Reincarnation!
The only thing that remained unchanged was the indifferent smile at the corner of his mouth!
Nothing mattered!
The old man glanced lightly at the demonic saber descending upon him; at this moment, he was a three or four-year-old child, extending a fair, tender index finger.
*Clang!*
*Boom!*
The demonic saber instantly disintegrated and exploded. Boundless Devilish Qi surged out, causing trees to snap, the ground to shake, and the surface of the cliff to be overturned.
Tang Hao finally couldn't hold on any longer; he was knocked off the cliff and fell unconscious.
"It's good to be young!"
After the old man spoke, he returned to his original form, still that elderly man with white hair and a youthful face.
"Old Devil Head, you didn't hesitate to imprison yourself for a hundred years, yet you are still trapped by your obsession. Is it worth it?"
"Kill!"
The only response to the old man was the mud man's blood-colored long saber; the mud man seemed to have no sanity left!
The old man didn't care, first glancing at the slowly falling Tang Hao.
Then, he looked up into the air, his lips moving slightly.
On the Douluo Continent, Zhou Ting's expression changed abruptly.
"Little fellow, peeping is not a good habit!"
These words... actually rang directly in Zhou Ting's mind!
This old man... was terrifyingly strong, like a god or a demon!
With just a single look, all of Zhou Ting's thousands of Jade Emperor Bees in the other World were annihilated. The monitors were broken, so naturally, the images could no longer be seen.
However... in the next moment, Tang Hao was supported as he slowly flew out of the Void Portal.
Tang San was quick and caught his father immediately, then looked at Zhou Ting with a complex expression.
"Thank you!"
"No need for thanks. I'm just repaying the kindness for your rescue of Saint Spirit Village!"
"It's not the same..."
After Tang San spoke, he sat cross-legged on the spot, and the vast Internal Energy of the Mysterious Heaven Skill poured into Tang Hao's body as if it cost nothing.
Suddenly, Tang San's brows furrowed tightly, a hint of despair appearing on his face. Only then did he realize how severely his father was injured.
From head to toe, inside and out, he was riddled with wounds; not a single part was intact. His father was now barely holding on, relying entirely on his profound spirit power.
Suddenly... on the other side of the Void Portal, a giant palm appeared, accompanied by a soft sigh.
"To both Worlds, this is a bane!"
"Crack!"
The void shattered like a broken mirror, with silvery-white shards scattering and annihilating.
Suddenly, Zhou Ting felt the Black Pagoda Martial Soul in his Sea of Consciousness... becoming restless.
"Could it be..."
Zhou Ting immediately released the Black Pagoda Martial Soul. Following instinct... all nine levels of the Black Pagoda opened their gates, and the "shards" that had not yet dissipated were all swallowed by the Black Pagoda.
Zhou Ting suddenly realized: the Black Pagoda could form habitats suitable for different Spirit Beasts, which inherently meant it possessed Spatial Properties!
A minute later, all the anomalies disappeared. Xiao Wu curiously reached out to touch where the Void Portal had been, but nothing happened.
"Truly incredible, to break this... Void Portal with a single palm!"
Although Xiao Wu didn't know how sturdy the Void Portal was, she knew that a gateway connecting two Worlds was definitely not something a Titled Douluo could destroy.
After all, she had witnessed the power of a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beast, and it absolutely could not do this!
"The experts of the other World... are too strong, almost godlike!"Chapter 115 – Saving Tang Hao
Chapter 115 – Saving Tang Hao
When the Mysterious Heaven Skill's Internal Energy entered Tang Hao's body, it had no effect at all. His body seemed to have fallen into some strange self-protective state; outside forces could barely make a dent.
Tang San's eyes snapped open; he looked at Zhou Ting, almost pleading.
"Zhou… Ting, could you give me a bottle of royal jelly? Whatever you want in return, I'll agree!"
Such humble words actually came from Tang San's mouth—how rare!
Pity it wasn't a woman saying them.
Zhou Ting felt wonderfully smug. He said nothing, merely lifted a single drop of royal jelly and let it fall into Tang Hao's mouth.
A treasure capable of Breaking Limit—just like that!
"Only that much!" Tang San began to protest, but Xiao Wu tugged him back, shaking her head to keep him quiet.
The instant that drop touched Tang Hao's tongue, the fragile balance inside him shattered. His battered body surged with vast vitality, jolting every cell awake.
Tang San noticed the change first, his eyes going wide.
"What is this? Such potent medicine!"
He had seen royal jelly on Xiao Wu before, and it had never looked like this liquid.
Amazed, he probed Tang Hao's condition while circulating Mysterious Heaven Skill beside him to aid the healing.
Xiao Wu glanced at Zhou Ting, gratitude shining in her eyes—though she never voiced a thank-you.
"I wonder how much Little San's father can recover?"
In truth, Zhou Ting had kept constant watch on Tang Hao; Meditation training was never wasted.
"His situation… is not optimistic."
"Ah, how can that be?"
Xiao Wu was stunned. She had personally felt the Breaking Limit effect of royal jelly; it had dragged her back from death's door. Tang Hao's injuries couldn't be much worse than hers had been… could they?
"It's only a thousand-year drop," Zhou Ting said quietly. "Making his wounds improve at all is already its limit. Unless we find the king of Immortal Herbs, or… a god intervenes."
Though Tang San was busy healing his father, he heard every word.
He offered no rebuttal—because the facts were plain.
His father's wounds were of the body, of the mind, and of the Origin. Ordinary cures treated only symptoms, buying time.
And even that poorly.
That single mysterious drop Zhou Ting fed Tang Hao was already a supreme treasure: it had stabilized the injuries and, more importantly, stemmed the leaking of his Origin.
It bought them time to search for a true cure.
Tang San's thoughts turned grim—even the king of Immortal Herbs, Yearning Heartbroken Red, might not fully heal him.
The damage this time was simply too great.
Only… only a god's direct intervention could suffice.
At that moment, Tang San's resolve to ascend to godhood hardened like steel.
"Still, I must obtain Yearning Heartbroken Red first! With Father's love for Mother, he will surely pluck it!"
Two hours later, when they returned to Saint Spirit Village, everyone felt as though lifetimes had passed.
Gold and silver nests can't match one's own humble kennel.
Let alone living in a mountain cave!
The villagers cheered and danced, faces bright with the most honest joy. Even Zhou Ting caught the mood, his heart light. A thought sprouted: since the Tang Sect matter was settled—why move at all?
Each villager dashed home. Houses once dismissed as old and dim now looked fresh, radiant.
"There's no place like home!"
Tang San carried Tang Hao on his back, careful, somber, each step toward the house he had left six years ago. His lone figure looked desolate.
Xiao Wu couldn't bear it. She glanced at Zhou Ting, eyes two-parts timid, three-parts questioning.
Zhou Ting understood and gave a silent nod.
At once she hurried after Tang San to help.
Back at last, and family safe—Mother Zhou was overjoyed for a while.
But soon she couldn't stand the dirt and dust, ordering Father Zhou and her two children to clean, while Zhu Zhuqing volunteered to pitch in.
In the courtyard sat the household's only two idle souls—one whom Mother Zhou couldn't command, and one without the habit!
Zhou Ting thought for a moment, then cautioned,
"Grandpa, tell the villagers not to enter Tang Sect Academy or the area behind it for now. Scattered Hidden Weapons lie everywhere, most of them venomous—fatal."
Old Jack rolled his eyes.
"You think I need telling? All these years as village chief for nothing?"
He had already noticed it on the flight back and intended the same.
Yet his own grandson looked down on him.
If it had been his son saying it, he'd have broken his legs—did the old man carry a walking stick for show?
Zhou Ting gave an embarrassed laugh.
"I'll use my Spirit Abilities to clear the surroundings these two days, but I can't promise perfection. If anyone must go there later, they must be careful."
"Understood."
Old Jack answered gravely; lives were at stake.
After a while, guessing the villagers had calmed, he stood and patted his grandson's shoulder.
"I'll gather everyone. You… just rest."
Rest he did.
Zhou Ting was the boss—employer of tens of thousands. Why dirty his own hands?
When there was work, the workers did it!
Thus, save for his fourth Spirit Ability, he deployed the first three: Jade Emperor Bee, Soul Passing Worm, Soft Bones Demon Rabbit.
Over the Tang Sect Academy ruins countless "employees" toiled while the boss lounged in a deck-chair, sipping honeyed juice under the sun.
A stream murmured nearby; the mind was tranquil.
Add a few bikini beauties and it would be perfect.
Mm—Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, Qian Renxue, Bibi Dong… "Hiss, stop. Still too young; needs a few more years of raising."
Clink-clank…
Not the sound of battle, but the fruit of honest labor.
In under half an hour a two-metre hill of metal rose beside him.
"The Tang Sect… really was rich. How much steel did they burn through?"
"So many Hidden Weapons—what to do with them?"
"Forget it—just melt them."
Exactly what Zhou Ting did.
He possessed no Tang Sect mechanisms, no Hidden Weapon techniques—he couldn't fire them.
And they were poisonous!
Recycling wasn't worth the risk.
With a thought, a nine-storey black tower appeared.
Ninth level—open!
The hill of weapons vanished inside, most dropping straight into magma.
Be they hair-slicing daggers or venomous darts, the molten rock reduced all to ash.
Zhou Ting paid the weapons little mind; he cared more about the tower's changes.
After absorbing the Void Realm fragment the tower looked unchanged, yet something in its essence had shifted—he felt it, though he couldn't name it.Chapter 116 – The Reason
Chapter 116 – 116. The Reason
"Why did you save Tang San's father?"
Zhou Ting raised an eyebrow. That sounded suspiciously like calling him the sort of villain who'd watch someone die rather than lift a finger.
Still… she did have an eye for people.
"He saved my family, after all."
Zhu Zhuqing nodded, but the answer didn't quite convince her.
"Twice."
Zhou Ting blinked, then realized she meant he had intervened twice.
The first time he'd caught the unconscious Tang Hao and brought him safely back to Douluo Continent.
The second time he'd given Tang Hao a drop of royal jelly… Breaking Limit.
Tang San had asked only for ordinary royal jelly; Zhou Ting had plenty in stock—thousand-year, even hundred-year. Handing over any bottle would have sufficed, and Tang San could have said nothing.
Zhou Ting straightened, gazing at the lovely girl already worrying about him, and felt his mood brighten.
"Guess."
As he spoke he reached out, inviting her to join him.
Zhu Zhuqing lay naturally atop the warm boulder and murmured languidly,
"It's because of Xiao Wu, isn't it?!"
"So this is… a woman's intuition?"
"So it really is!"
Zhu Zhuqing's body tensed; she closed her eyes.
Zhou Ting noticed her reaction and smiled.
"Actually… not only that."
Her lashes fluttered, but she neither opened her eyes nor spoke.
Zhou Ting decided to stop teasing. Smiling, he said,
"I saved Tang Hao because I knew that even if I acted, he'd never recover. The Clear Sky Douluo's strength is ruined; from now on he poses no threat to me, and…"
Zhu Zhuqing finally opened her eyes, a hint of amusement in them.
"Besides, if I hadn't given it to Tang San, who knows what he might have done?"
"I don't want anyone close to me getting hurt."
Zhu Zhuqing tilted her head, joy almost spilling from her eyes: he worries about my safety—and about Xiao Wu.
Zhou Ting meant every word; he dared not imagine how reckless a man with nothing left to lose could become.
Had Tang Hao really died, Tang San would likely have blamed everyone—Tang Sect, the mud man, the old man who appeared last, Zhou Ting, the Zhou family, even Saint Spirit Village.
And of those, only the last three were easy targets.
Against an ordinary enemy Zhou Ting wouldn't care, but this was Tang San, the walking cheat.
The consequences would be terrifying.
For peace of mind he had to waste that single drop.
Certainly not because seeing Tang San bow his head had put him in an excellent mood.
"Clink-clank…"
Salvage continued; the surface rubble of Tang Sect was mostly cleared, next came digging three feet into the ground.
The brook was Saint Spirit Village's lifeline—used for farming, washing, even drinking.
The water source could not be contaminated.
Fine for now while the sky was clear, but once it rained, toxins could seep into the stream.
Blacksmith shop.
"In… out…"
On the bed Tang Hao's breathing had steadied; his life was saved. Yet Tang San, gazing at his father's frail frame, felt grief overwhelm him.
Just as Zhou Ting predicted, the World's Clear Sky Douluo was gone forever.
From now on the World held only an ordinary man, frail and sickly, gasping after two steps.
This time Tang Hao had truly fallen to the dust.
Last time, when Ah Yin sacrificed herself, his power had soared; unable to bear the blow, he had fallen—spiritually.
He had barely pulled himself together when suddenly he lost everything again, now worse off than an ordinary man.
Tang San regretted—truly regretted.
He sat by the bed, eyes red and misty.
"Plop."
A tear fell; it was Tang San's first cry in two lifetimes.
Xiao Wu watched silently, resting a hand on his shoulder, saying nothing.
After a moment Tang San wiped his tears and pulled himself together.
"Xiao Wu, I'm fine."
Having vented, Tang San finally noticed something else; he studied the unfamiliar face before him.
"Xiao Wu, your face…?"
Xiao Wu pulled over a chair, locked eyes with him, and said quietly,
"You already know who I am, don't you?!"
"Yes. Dad told me… and I saw."
"Saw what?"
"Purple Demon Eye."
In truth Tang San had seen it earlier; it wasn't suspicion—Purple Demon Eye was simply still active.
Thus at a glance he saw a cute rabbit, one reason he could be certain of Xiao Wu's identity.
Exposed, Xiao Wu gave a wry smile.
"I thought Titled Douluo could no longer sense the Spirit Beast aura on me."
Eyes sharper than a Titled Douluo's perception—Tang San couldn't help feeling proud.
"My Purple Demon Eye has reached the third Realm—Mustard Seed; it can see the true form of the Soul…"
For some reason Tang San's expression turned odd as he added,
"Well, most people's."
Xiao Wu didn't mind; once she reached level sixty-one the transformation would be complete and no one could see through her.
Except gods—no, except Tang San.
Suddenly she thought of another freak… Zhou Ting.
She wondered when he had seen her true identity.
Perhaps she could ask.
As for fleeing back to Star Dou Great Forest—impossible.
Staying beside Zhou Ting meant abundant resources and exclusive royal jelly… Breaking Limit, i.e., no Bottleneck.
For that alone she had to stay with him.
"Xiao Wu, you haven't told me your story."
Recovered, Xiao Wu recounted how she, Da Ming and Er Ming had gone to the Immortal Herb Garden and how Zhou Ting saved her.
Certain details, of course… weren't important.
"…Little San, didn't you notice anything odd about Dai Mubai and the others?"
She'd hit the sore spot; Tang San's mouth twitched.
"Ahem, I told you, I can't see through everyone—some people are beyond me."
"So you can't see through Dai Mubai and them?!!"
Tang San nodded, sweating; admitting inadequacy before a cute little sister was mortifying.
He had to salvage the situation.
"Actually, not just them—Tang Chen Old Ancestor, and…"
He hesitated, unsure whether to continue.
"And who?"
"And… Zhou Ting, and the little girl named Xue'er in his arms."
Xiao Wu wasn't slow; she quickly grasped his logic.
She jumped up and shouted,
"Impossible!"
"Absolutely impossible—Zhou Ting is… definitely not a monster!"
Her tone was adamant.
Bitter.
From mouth to heart.
Tang San felt dejected—his home… had been stolen.
"I didn't say he was."
Realizing she'd overreacted, Xiao Wu blushed and ran out in embarrassment.
"Little San, you must be hungry—I'll cook for you."
Tang San lowered his head, face shifting between light and shadow, whispering soundlessly,
"Even if you helped me, I won't let you have my sister. Never."
Suddenly he sniffed; a wisp of white smoke drifted in, and his face changed dramatically.
"I remember… Xiao Wu has never cooked before!!!"
"Not good!"
Tang San dashed out—before the house caught fire.Chapter 117 – A Restless Night
Chapter 117 – A Restless Night
"You—?!"
Tang San swallowed his words, his face a knot of feelings. The white moonlight of his heart now sported a layer of coal-black on her cheeks and hands—an absolute "beauty" fresh out of a mine.
Xiao Wu hovered beside the stove, at a loss… but as a Spirit Master her reflexes were sharp; letting the house burn down was never on the table.
Tang San looked at her with solemn concern, voice soft and gentle.
"Xiao Wu, from now on… leave the rough work to me."
Warmth blossomed in Xiao Wu's chest—until she caught the slight twist of Tang San's face. In a flash she realized: this wasn't care, it was disgust!
But… she really had wanted to help!
She'd just… never done this sort of thing before.
"A-hem, Xiao Wu, we're almost out of water."
Sending her away—were they already drifting apart?
She pouted, turned, and shuffled reluctantly outside.
Tang San wiped the sweat from his brow and curiously lifted the lid… "That's some… thick water, and what's floating on top—"
Rice husks?
His expression crumbled even further.
"This rice… wasn't washed or rinsed, was it?"
One foot already across the threshold, Xiao Wu glanced back, puzzled.
"Rice… needs washing? And what's 'rinsing'?"
That blank, adorable look—was she serious?!
No rinsing—were they eating porridge or sand?
At that instant, Tang San's fantasy of a "good wife and loving mother" named Xiao Wu collapsed completely.
He didn't want to pursue the topic.
"Never mind. You're covered in soot—go wash up."
"Ah!"
She took one look at her charcoal-black hands and dashed off in a puff of smoke.
Without Xiao Wu's "help," Tang San finished a pot of porridge in half an hour.
Perhaps drawn by the aroma—or simply rested enough—Tang Hao woke.
"Dad, you're awake?!"
Tang San was overjoyed.
Tang Hao was his only family, one of the dearest ties he had in this World.
"Mm."
Once the joy ebbed, Tang San vowed with utmost gravity.
"Dad, don't worry—I'll find a way to restore you!"
Did Tang Hao know his own state?
Of course he did.
He had even foreseen it before using the Great Sumeru Hammer's Ring Explosion—no, he'd expected worse: death… yet he could accept that.
To keep his life, his mobility, to see his son and wife—he was already grateful, content.
"Little San, don't fret. I'm fine; as things stand… this is already good."
Such unexpected open-mindedness!
Yet Tang San's guilt only grew: if not for him, Dad wouldn't be like this. He would find a cure!
"Dad, let's have some porridge."
Seeing the spoon at his lips, Tang Hao firmly shook his head.
"Your old man isn't so injured he can't rise. Help me up—let's eat at the table."
Only then did Tang San realize: of course—his proud father would never allow himself to be fed like an invalid.
Without a word, Tang San moved to help.
He embraced Tang Hao's gaunt frame—so light it felt like bones alone remained.
Tang San's eyes reddened again, but he forced himself not to look, not to think; he couldn't let Tang Hao see.
Surely, Tang Hao wanted that even less.
Instead of carrying or piggy-backing him, Tang San simply supported him and slowly walked to the hall table… Night.
Bang… bang-bang!"
Jolted from a sweet dream, Zhou Ting was in no good mood.
"Who is it?"
"Me."
A deep male voice.
It was Tang San.
What did he want at this hour?
Lighting the lamp, Zhou Ting let him in.
"So late—something urgent?"
"Mm."
Tang San nodded, his manner oddly… awkward.
In truth, Tang San could bend or stand tall. When he'd first returned to the Clear Sky Sect and couldn't beat the Elders, he'd played the meek grandson.
Once confident he could match them, he'd struck back hard—declared his father innocent and fought the Elders into submission… very modern thinking.
Weak—lie low; strong—hold your head high!
A wise man doesn't fight when the odds are against him!
See? The Old Ancestor had long since handed down the perfect excuse!
"About today—thank you for your help; I'm deeply grateful…"
He paused, as though steeling himself.
"I have several self-created Spirit Abilities—Cultivation Techniques much like meditation: Mysterious Heaven Skill…"
"Eye Technique: Purple Demon Eye…"
"Footwork: Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track…"
"Hidden Weapon method: Mysterious Jade Hand…"
He detailed every art he possessed, then concluded.
"Pick whichever you like."
The words carried the air of a gift, an alms.
Zhou Ting felt irritated, but benefits were benefits; he thought carefully instead of refusing outright.
Among Tang San's Martial Skills, the core treasures were clearly Mysterious Heaven Skill and Purple Demon Eye.
Yet the more Zhou Ting considered, the more he realized—he didn't actually need them.
He Cultivated the universal meditation, a Fusion of spirit power and mental force training.
True, it emphasized mental force over physique, leaving the body's development far inferior to Mysterious Heaven Skill.
But for Zhou Ting, it was enough.
As for Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Mysterious Jade Hand and the like—
Zhou Ting knew that once his mental force was strong enough he could achieve the same without those Martial Skills—and even surpass them.
So… moments later, he expressionlessly showed Tang San out.
Bang… bang-bang."
"What night is this?"
Resigned, Zhou Ting rose again and opened the door.
"Xiao Wu… why are you here so late?"
Sure enough, Xiao Wu stood outside.
"I need you for something."
Without waiting, she strode in, bold and careless, showing no awareness of walking into a "wolf's den."
Just as Zhou Ting reached to close the door, a creak sounded from across the hall; a sleep-wear beauty stepped out, staring straight at him.
Zhou Ting simply beckoned her over to chat.
Then… beneath the dim lamp, one man and two girls sat eyeing each other in awkward silence.
Xiao Wu narrowed her eyes at Zhu Zhuqing, gaze sharp: I've business with this guy—why aren't you asleep?
Zhu Zhuqing met her stare, unflinching: I've business too!
…Soon the two girls were locked in a silent duel, forgetting Zhou Ting even existed.
And Zhou Ting… actually started to doze off.
Something wasn't right!
Wasn't the saying that a lone man and woman under one roof would lead to wild thoughtsChapter 118: Sea Spirit Masters Landing
Chapter 118: 118. Sea Spirit Masters Landing
"Crack..."
"Ouch, my neck..."
Zhou Ting gritted his teeth and slowly massaged it, feeling a wave of pain in his heart.
He had been propping up his chin and fell asleep without realizing it, and then his head slipped down.
Slowly turning his body, he saw the two beautiful girls still staring intensely at each other, their eyes... in constant communication!
"Cough, cough, if you two keep staring like this, I'm going to sleep first!"
"No way!"
The two girls turned their heads at the same time and spoke in unison.
"What great chemistry!"
As soon as he said this, things turned sour; the two of them snorted coldly at the same time and continued their standoff, neither willing to back down.
Zhou Ting had a massive headache: it was already this difficult with just two, if he found a few more... *hiss*!
A shiver ran down his spine.
Returning to reality, Zhou Ting was truly sleepy.
It couldn't go on like this.
"Xiao Wu, you speak first!"
"Why should I speak first!"
Zhou Ting rubbed his forehead with a bitter smile and spoke softly.
"Then Zhuqing, you speak first!"
Xiao Wu had a face full of indignation.
"Why should she speak first!"
Zhou Ting: "???!!!!"
This was never-ending!
After waiting for a full second, Zhou Ting simply stopped talking, stood up... and started taking off his clothes!
"Ah, rogue! What are you doing?"
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing immediately looked away.
Zhou Ting felt helpless in his heart: was this necessary? It was just taking off some clothes. At Star Lake, you two have seen it countless times!
Speaking of which, he was the one losing out!
"Ah!"
Yawning, Zhou Ting lay down on the bed, covered himself with the blanket, closed his eyes, and completely flattened out!
"If you... have... something to say, say it. If not... then come back... tomorrow..."
Xiao Wu was naturally unwilling and directly pulled over a chair to sit by the bed.
"Little San just left, taking his father back to the Clear Sky Sect!"
This late, and still in such a hurry to go back?!!
Zhou Ting opened his eyes, all sleepiness gone.
"That's not right. Considering Tang San's father's physical condition, leaving after resting for a while would be the best choice. What's going on?"
Xiao Wu had a serious expression.
"We had better leave quickly too!"
Hearing this... Zhou Ting was truly unable to sleep now.
"Reason!"
"Little San's father said that ever since the Tang Sect launched successive assassinations against Little San, the Tang Sect has gradually entered the view of the continent's high-level circles. No matter how firm the will of the Tang Sect Disciples, they can't keep the information secret. Someone will come to Saint Spirit Village to investigate sooner or later..."
Now Zhou Ting understood everything. With Tang Hao's current state, he wouldn't dare stay in this place of trouble!
Zhou Ting... didn't dare stay either!
After all, in the eyes of others, he was already a dead man!
If Spirit Hall found out... "No, we're leaving too. Leave Saint Spirit Village immediately!"
With a spring, Zhou Ting had already put on his clothes and walked out.
"You guys pack the luggage and take Xue'er with you. I'll go give a few instructions!"
"Bang... bang bang!"
"Who?"
"Mother, it's me..."
Zhou Ting quickly gave a few instructions, mainly messages for Old Jack, asking him to erase the traces of his return.
Times have changed; the current Saint Spirit Village is about to be at the center of the storm and can't be relocated casually, or it will cause even more trouble.
In the sky, Zhou Ting held the drowsy Xue'er in his arms, shielding her from the cold wind, his eyes showing a moment of confusion.
Looking at the two beautiful girls, Zhou Ting knew they should both have bright futures; there was really no need for them to walk down a dark path with him.
"I still have some things to do, you guys..."
Xiao Wu was so shrewd that she immediately became unhappy.
"I want to go too."
Zhou Ting looked at Zhu Zhuqing, but helplessly found that this girl's eyes were very firm, as if saying: I want to go too!
"I plan to go to Spirit City to see what Qian Daoliu is actually up to. It's very dangerous!"
"No way, I'm going!"
Zhou Ting: Truly... a happy trouble!
Zhou Ting wanted to go to Spirit City because of this Advanced Soul Master Tournament; it... was held at a somewhat inappropriate time.
It was clearly a critical moment when the continent's two great powers were vying for supremacy, yet Spirit Hall still continued with this competition.
If one said Qian Daoliu had no conspiracy, Zhou Ting would be the first to disbelieve it.
As an enemy, he couldn't take down Qian Daoliu, but surely he could sabotage Qian Daoliu's plans.
Anyway, Zhou Ting didn't consider himself a gentleman; as a petty man, revenge naturally happens from morning till night!
Unable to persuade Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, Zhou Ting gave up. If they want to follow, let them; they just had to be more careful in their actions.
They flew for half the night, and then... the four of them slept until the sun was high in the sky before waking up.
They slept comfortably, but little did they know the entire continent had already boiled over!
The root cause was that the Sea Spirit Masters had come ashore!
The Sea Spirit Masters of Sea God Island officially landed on the continent and officially announced: From ancient times to the present, the ocean has always been the territory of Sea God Island. Now, Sea God Island rules the seas. All land Spirit Masters going to sea must report in advance and obtain a Transit Pass issued by Sea God Island! Those without a pass will be executed without mercy!
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Clear Sky Sect, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, Heaven Dou, Star Luo... powers big and small were frantically gathering all information about Sea God Island at the same time.
At this time, an event that shocked the world surfaced.
Many years ago, Spirit Hall dispatched two thousand Spirit Masters to Sea God Island, intending to incorporate the Spirit Masters there for their own use and officially occupy the ocean.
But the result was... these two thousand Spirit Masters were almost all wiped out. It was only because Qian Daoliu led the Angel Legion to rescue them that a few dozen people returned.
The heaviest price was that two of Spirit Hall's Titled Douluo remained there forever.
The strength of Sea God Island... was truly terrifying!
At the same time, the characteristics of Sea Spirit Masters also appeared before everyone.
As long as they are on the ocean, Sea Spirit Masters completely crush land Spirit Masters of the same rank. Although they rely on environmental power, Sea Spirit Masters are truly invincible at sea!
Although land Spirit Masters seemed to have never cared about the ocean, now that the ocean was truly occupied, they still felt... unsettled.
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Ning Fengzhi put down the intelligence report in his hand, his eyes melancholy.
"Sea Spirit Masters, Sea God Island, things are getting more and more interesting."
While saying it was interesting, Ning Fengzhi truly couldn't feel happy in his heart.
"Rongrong is the hope of the Sect, but she needs time to grow. Now it seems time... is not on the side of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School!"
Sword Douluo was expressionless, as if he didn't care at all about the appearance of Sea God Island.
"No, Rongrong still has time. As long as us two old fellows are still around, she will have plenty of time to grow."
"That's right, with me and Old Man Sword here!"
Gu Rong nodded; he meant the same thing.
Ning Fengzhi had a solemn expression.
"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, Rongrong is the hope of the Sect. When it truly comes to a critical moment, she must be protected, even if it means sacrificing everything, including the Sect and including me!"
"Feng Zhi..."
Ning Fengzhi was very resolute.
"No need to say more. The Sect and I have reached our end; only Rongrong can open up a new future..."
At the entrance of the main hall, Ning Rongrong was visibly moved, and the iceberg in her heart began to melt. She rubbed her itchy eyes, turned around, and walked back with red eyes, with a determination she had never felt before: I must Cultivate!Chapter 119: 119 Different Worries
Chapter 119: 119. Different Worries
Chen Xin's ears twitched; the sound of footsteps had already faded into the distance, and he suddenly felt a bit dejected.
"Rongrong is gone."
Gu Rong spoke with some reluctance.
"Feng Zhi, Rongrong is very smart. She'll definitely realize later... that we said those things specifically for her to hear."
"With Rongrong's temperament, I'm afraid she'll resent us even more once she knows!"
Ning Fengzhi knew this all too well, but he had no better way.
Ever since the news of Zhou Ting's death reached her, Rongrong had never truly been happy again.
Her heart seemed to be encased in a thick iceberg; anyone who approached would only be hurt by the chill, unable to truly get close to her.
Ning Fengzhi comforted his two uncles.
"No matter. We spoke from the heart. One day, Rongrong will understand our painstaking efforts!"
In truth, those words just now were indeed spoken specifically for Ning Rongrong to hear, but it wasn't considered intentional deception, because those were the true feelings from the bottom of the three men's hearts!
"Let's not talk about that!"
Ning Fengzhi handed the intelligence report in his hand to Chen Xin, his eyes full of expectation.
"Uncle Jian, besides this report... how much more do you know about Sea Spirit Masters and Sea God Island?"
It couldn't be helped; although he was the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, his cultivation level limited him, just as it had limited the Sect Masters and disciples of previous generations!
The Sword Douluo glanced at the overly simple report and shook his head helplessly.
"I haven't set foot in the ocean in my entire life! However, I remember my father once saying something..."
Sword Douluo's father... Chen Jianjun, was a standout among Titled Douluo, with a spirit power Rank as high as 98. Combined with his Seven Kill Sword Spirit, he could be said to be one of the top powerhouses on the continent at that time.
Unfortunately, when he challenged the Spirit Hall's High Priest Qian Daoliu, he was defeated and killed!
"...In order to seek a Breakthrough, my father once traveled everywhere, and the great ocean was one of his goals."
"I heard him say that the Spirit Abilities of Sea Spirit Masters are all related to the ocean. In the sea, they have a natural enhancement, and their power is at least one major Realm stronger than that of land Spirit Masters."
Ning Fengzhi rested both hands on his cane, his brow appearing even more worried.
"One major Realm... no wonder Spirit Hall returned in defeat!"
Chen Xin was also quite amazed by this; otherwise, he wouldn't have remembered it so clearly. He continued his narration.
"Not only that, some Spirit Abilities of Sea Spirit Masters can even harness the power of the ocean, triggering special effects like tsunamis. They are absolute standouts among area-of-effect skills; taking on a thousand alone is possible!"
Ning Fengzhi suddenly felt a bit fortunate.
"Fortunately... it's only in the ocean!"
Gu Rong's expression was different from the other two, very natural; or rather, he didn't care too much about Sea Spirit Masters.
Indeed, having mastered a sliver of the Profound Truth of space, if he couldn't win, couldn't he still escape?
"That's right. As long as we don't go to their home field, on land, their Spirit Ability power is average, and without the ocean's enhancement, I'm afraid many of their Spirit Abilities would be useless!"
"Old Gu is right."
Chen Xin nodded in agreement.
"Actually, legends of Sea God Island have always existed. There are even rumors that the High Priest of Sea God Island, Bo Saixi, fought matches against Tang Chen and Qian Daoliu respectively, and as a result... she won them all!"
"What?!!"
This time, even Gu Rong was shocked.
Chen Xin smiled with satisfaction.
"The most important thing is... Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen never denied it! In order to Breakthrough, and also to see the Sea God Temple with his own eyes, my father once specifically went to search for this 'Invincible of the Ocean,' the strongest person in the World. Unfortunately... he couldn't find Sea God Island and missed the chance to meet her!"
A trace of regret suddenly appeared on Chen Xin's face. If his father had been able to find Sea God Island back then, would the outcome have been different?
Then again, maybe he would have died even more miserably!
It was impossible to be certain.
Ning Fengzhi stood up and paced slowly, as if talking to himself.
"Sea Spirit Masters hold such a huge advantage in the ocean... It seems land Spirit Masters can only abide by the rules of Sea God Island!"
"Smart people just think too much."
Gu Rong didn't have this worry, taking things as they came.
Chen Xin glanced at Gu Rong and began to counsel Ning Fengzhi.
"Feng Zhi, don't think too much either. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has almost never set foot in the ocean and has no grievances with Sea God Island. Just maintain a calm mind."
"Uncle Jian is right."
Ning Fengzhi agreed verbally, but in his heart, he thought: If only it were really that simple!
As the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, one of the Upper Three Sects, Ning Fengzhi had many things to worry about, and his troubles weren't limited to just these one or two matters.
For example, his disciple who hadn't shown his face for over half a month; moreover, while the Heaven Dou Empire seemed peaceful, there seemed to be some subtle changes happening that he couldn't see through.
Another example was the upcoming finals of the Advanced Soul Master Tournament. Did Spirit Hall have some conspiracy? Should he let Rongrong participate? Should the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School go to watch... In short, Ning Fengzhi felt like his brain was about to run out of capacity.
On the other side, Zhou Ting, who was publicly recognized by society as dead, didn't have so many worries. Right now, he had only one goal... revenge!
Zhou Ting was no gentleman; naturally, it was impossible for him to endure for ten years before taking revenge.
Well, he had a bit of a short fuse; he really couldn't do it.
"...By the way, Little San went to find you last night. Which Self-created Spirit Ability did you choose?"
Xiao Wu knew Tang San's thoughts; it was nothing more than wanting to repay the debt of gratitude with a Self-created Spirit Ability.
He was so impatient because he absolutely didn't want to feel naturally inferior when facing Zhou Ting in the future.
Thinking about these two guys who couldn't stand the sight of each other, Xiao Wu felt extremely helpless in her heart.
Zhou Ting leaned against the carriage wall, playing with Xue'er while looking at the scenery outside the window.
"I told him that I saved them because their father and son had saved the villagers!"
Xiao Wu's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You didn't take it?!"
Zhou Ting nodded and asked back with a light smile.
"What, very surprised?"
Xiao Wu leaned in close to Zhou Ting, looking him up and down, left and right, clicking her tongue in wonder.
"I never would have thought! You didn't even want the benefits delivered right to your hand. This isn't your style!"
Her curious gaze was as if she were looking at some rare artifact.
It made Zhou Ting very uncomfortable, but it didn't stop him from proudly vindicating himself.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm a decent person, pure of heart. My nickname is: Honest and Reliable Young Master, Stainless and Beautiful Youth!"
*Gag*..."
Xiao Wu made a face as if she were about to vomit, feeling utterly speechless: This person is truly too shameless!
"You guy, can you not be so narcissistic! Also, which blind person gave you that nickname?"
Zhou Ting glanced at her with disdain, then looked down at Xue'er and asked.
"Xue'er, don't you agree?"
Xue'er happily licked a butterfly-shaped sugar man and answered every question.
"Yes, everything Brother says is right!"
Xiao Wu was speechless. She pulled the little one into her arms and pressed her forehead firmly against the girl's own.
"You little thing, you agree to whatever he says. You really are responsive to every plea. Sooner or later, you'll be sold by him and still be counting the money for him!"
Xue'er understood this sentence and retorted with a serious face.
"Brother would never sell Xue'er!"
"Haha..." x2
This time, even Zhu Zhuqing, who was watching the show from the side, couldn't help but laugh out loud.
And then... laughter x3!
A World where only Xiao Wu got hurt was achieved!Chapter 120: 120 Grandmaster
Chapter 120: 120. Grandmaster
"You really didn't ask for anything!"
This was the first time Xiao Wu doubted Zhou Ting's morality: Could it be... he's actually a good person?
But the next moment, she remembered the scenes of being so infuriated by him that she wanted to die when she was injured and couldn't move, instantly dispelling that thought.
Thinking of this, she gave Zhou Ting a fierce kick, her eyes nearly spitting fire.
"This hateful guy has absolutely nothing to do with being a good person!"
Zhou Ting didn't care; her strength wasn't great anyway, so it didn't hurt.
He snatched back the little one struggling in Xiao Wu's arms, set her aside, and let her play by herself.
"Actually, the Dao of Cultivation leads to the same destination through different paths. No matter how miraculous a Spirit Ability is, once our cultivation reaches a certain level, we can naturally achieve the same effects. There's no need to spend too much time on them."
Yes, there was no need.
Why hadn't self-created Spirit Abilities flourished on the Douluo Continent?
It wasn't just because of Aptitude.
More importantly... it wasn't worth it!
Except for a few Geniuses who could learn instantly, understand immediately, and master quickly, most ordinary people would spend a significant amount of time learning a profound Self-created Spirit Ability.
With that time, it would be better to exercise the body more, develop one's own Spirit Abilities further, or Cultivate spirit power for a bit longer to strive for a higher Realm sooner.
This was the most cost-effective choice.
The same applied to average Geniuses; creating a Spirit Ability from scratch and practicing it were both time-consuming endeavors.
Cost-effectiveness was everything!
As for the various powerful self-created Spirit Abilities on the continent, such as the Clear Sky Sect's Clear Sky Nine Absolutes, Great Sumeru Hammer, and Disorderly Splitting Wind, or the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart that allowed multitasking with seven thoughts, these divine techniques were almost all created by Sect experts when their cultivation had stagnated.
Well, more accurately... they were Family Bloodline Legacies!
So, that was the value of a Sect's Legacy.
Geniuses from ordinary backgrounds couldn't obtain these profound Spirit Abilities and had to forge their own paths!
That made it even less worthwhile!
However, Tang San was different, possessing a whole array of self-created Spirit Abilities—but then again, who could blame him when he had the foundation of a past life?
As for Zhou Ting, obtaining a Universal Meditation Method from the Old Man was already enough for him to benefit endlessly.
Although it was universal, it was by no means simple.
The last Epiphany had allowed Zhou Ting to gain insight into some of the mysteries of life force, thereby saving his life.
Zhou Ting had a premonition that this meditation method would bring him even more benefits!
With some time left before the finals, the four of them were in no rush. They bought a carriage and traveled leisurely, spending their days Cultivating as usual and then eating, drinking, and having fun—after all, it didn't cost much!
In short, as long as it didn't involve Spirit Masters, prices weren't expensive at all!
Clear Sky Sect.
It was cold on the mountain, but the room was very warm; even wearing thin summer clothes would make one sweat.
Yet Tang San still carefully tucked in the corners of Tang Hao's quilt, afraid he might catch a cold.
Tang Hao was too weak now; his body couldn't handle strong tonics, and he couldn't take most supplements.
More seriously, his body was like a funnel; no matter how good the nutrition he took in, he could neither digest nor absorb it.
Tang Yuehua gently stroked that thin, sallow face; she could no longer see any of his former high spirits, and he looked even worse than during his previous state of decadence.
Her haggard second brother made Tang Yuehua heartbroken; tears slowly fell from the corners of her eyes as she said with a sob.
"Second Brother, how did you end up like this?"
Tang San's eyes turned red, filled with self-reproach.
"It's all my fault!"
Tang Xiao patted his nephew's shoulder.
"Don't blame yourself; it will get better!"
Tang Yuehua cried for a while, then brought warm water and a towel to wash Tang Hao's body.
Standing outside the house, for the first time, Tang San felt the mountain wind was... so cold!
"Little San, are you still going to participate in the Advanced Soul Master Tournament?"
"Uncle, what about the Yearning Heartbroken Red?"
Tang Xiao appeared quite helpless.
"The Yearning Heartbroken Red completely vanished along with the disappearance of the previous Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong. The Sect can't find any trace of it!"
Tang San fell silent.
Just then.
"Little San, I know where the Yearning Heartbroken Red is!"
Tang San turned around, his heart filled with excitement.
"Teacher!"
His teacher, Yu Xiaogang, was one of the three people on the Douluo Continent with whom he had the deepest bond, even
blood relatives like Tang Xiao and Tang Yuehua had to take a back seat.
Tang San excitedly grabbed Yu Xiaogang's hand and asked with a trembling voice.
"Teacher, how do you know the whereabouts of the Yearning Heartbroken Red?"
Yu Xiaogang nodded to Tang Xiao with a smile, then affectionately stroked his disciple's head, just like in the past.
His eyes were somewhat glazed as he murmured.
"As your teacher, I have seen it with my own eyes and even tried to pick it, but unfortunately, I couldn't!"
The Yearning Heartbroken Red was in the hands of the missing former Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong; how could it be related to his teacher?
Tang San was truly shocked.
"Teacher, why haven't I heard you mention this before?"
Yu Xiaogang felt a bit melancholy, as if he had returned to that day, to that failure.
"Don't be in a hurry, let me tell you everything! Just after you and your father left, Dong... Bibi Dong came to find me."
By now, Tang San had calmed down quite a bit. Hearing this, his imagination immediately ran wild, and his gaze toward Yu Xiaogang became suggestive.
How could Yu Xiaogang not notice his disciple's strange look? He immediately broke into a bitter smile.
"When we were young, Bibi Dong and I were... good friends."
"That day, she gave me a chance, but unfortunately, my mind was cluttered, and I didn't succeed."
Tang San no longer had the heart to gossip about his teacher's romantic issues and immediately followed up.
"Then Teacher, do you know where Bibi Dong is now?"
Yu Xiaogang shook his head.
"I don't know, but I know she definitely won't miss the Advanced Soul Master Tournament!"
Without any hesitation, Tang San said decisively.
"Fine, I'll participate in the tournament!"
Yu Xiaogang nodded with a smile.
Then, his expression changed, becoming incredibly serious.
"Also, Little San, you must be on guard against those eleven people, including Dai Mubai and Xue Beng!"
Tang San was startled and immediately recalled his conversation with Xiao Wu.
At this moment, Tang Xiao couldn't sit still.
One must know that the Clear Sky Sect had formed an alliance with Dai Mubai.
"Is Grandmaster referring to... the rumors that they are monsters?"
Yu Xiaogang shook his head with a serious expression.
"It's not a rumor. That day, after Bibi Dong left, Dai Mubai appeared. He seized me and took me to the Star Dou Great Forest, wanting to turn me into a monster too. Fortunately... Bibi Dong followed us, and after a great battle, she rescued me!"
"Fortunately, that was the case, otherwise I would have become a monster too!"
"It was during that battle that Dai Mubai was forced to use his full strength and reveal his true form, turning into... a Humanoid Silkworm!"
"After driving Dai Mubai away, I asked her what she planned to do next. She said she was going to Spirit City!
Now that the whereabouts of the Yearning Heartbroken Red were known, Tang San was very happy.
"Teacher, actually, I can see it!"
Yu Xiaogang's expression shifted as he exclaimed.
"It's because of your Purple Demon Eye, right!"
Tang San said with a look of pride, "Yes, Teacher. When I look at them, it's like seeing a mass of mist!"
At the same time, he thought of Zhou Ting, whose entire being was a void, and that Xue'er... thinking of this, he added somewhat sheepishly.
"Although not everyone I can't see through is a monster, I will pay attention to these people."
Only then did Yu Xiaogang feel relieved.
"Little San, you're tired too; take a rest for a couple of days. Flender and the others have left, so you'll need to spend some time coordinating with your new teammates before you can go to the tournament."
"Ah, they left? Why?"
Yu Xiaogang explained the reason for Flender and the others' departure, and Tang San expressed his understanding.
He had to understand anyway; they had already been gone for a long time.