Elsewhere, deep within the mountains where clouds obscured all,
Wang Dong flew steadily toward the mountain peak. Around her, more than a dozen figures clad in gray leather armor appeared—they were the guards secretly assigned to protect her.
Naturally, she was extremely familiar with her "home." She headed straight for the main peak, where two figures were already waiting.
The figure on the left was a burly middle-aged man with a powerfully built physique. His short hair stood like steel needles, and his rugged face looked as though it had been carved with knives and axes. His eyes were brownish-yellow, faintly glimmering with golden light. Even his loose gray robe could not conceal his bulging muscles.
The figure on the right was also a middle-aged man, dressed in a white fitted outfit. His long blue hair draped over his broad shoulders, and his eyes were also blue. Though they seemed plain at first glance, they carried an indescribable depth.
The current Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect—Niu Tian, Rank 99 Limit Douluo.
The second Sect Master—Tai Tan, Rank 98 Super Douluo.
"Big Daddy! Second Daddy!"
Wang Dong waved at them and quickly flew over.
"Heh, Dong'er's back? Come, let Second Daddy hug you!" Tai Tan spread his arms wide, but Wang Dong didn't go to him. Instead, she ran straight toward Niu Tian.
"Second Daddy, your beard is too prickly! When will you clean it up like Big Daddy?" she muttered.
Her words instantly dampened Tai Tan's mood. The little girl didn't cling to him anymore.
Niu Tian, on the other hand, gently rubbed her head with a doting smile. "Dong'er, you're back. How was your trip to Shrek? Weren't you always clamoring to go take a look? What do you think?"
At the mention of Shrek, Wang Dong immediately thought of that handsome figure. Though they had only just parted, it already felt like a long time had passed.
"Overall, I'm very satisfied. Oh, right, Big Daddy—I've reached Rank 30. I can obtain my third Spirit Ring now. You've already prepared it, right?"
Niu Tian was slightly surprised. His little princess had always been rather lax in cultivation. Her talent was outstanding, but she lacked diligence. Yet in less than a year at Shrek, she had gone from Rank 21 to Rank 30?
He carefully examined her and found her Spirit Power to be extremely solid. Clearly, she hadn't just broken through—she had stabilized at Rank 30 for some time already.
Niu Tian glanced at Tai Tan, who immediately understood. Turning to the surrounding Clear Sky Sect members, he said, "You've all done well. Next semester, I'll still need your efforts. Once Dong'er graduates from Shrek, you may come to me to receive your rewards."
"Yes! Thank you, Second Sect Master!"
The disciples were overjoyed. These two sect masters had remained in the Clear Sky Sect for an extremely long time—according to records, over a thousand years. Though they would occasionally disappear, they always returned.
Many in the sect had already guessed their origins—likely connected to Ancestor Tang San from ten thousand years ago. That was reassuring. It meant Tang San still watched over them, and the Clear Sky Sect would never fall.
Tai Tan waved his hand. "You may leave."
"Yes!"
After the disciples departed, Niu Tian, Tai Tan, and Wang Dong entered Clear Sky Castle.
After a moment of thought, Niu Tian spoke, "Dong'er…"
Wang Dong pouted. "Big Daddy, it's just the three of us here. You know my real name—just call me Xiao Qi. Wang Dong and Tang Dong are just aliases."
Niu Tian smiled warmly. "Alright, Xiao Qi. Did you encounter any opportunities at Shrek? Your Spirit Power has increased quite a bit."
Xiao Qi giggled. "I got a Spirit Ascension Pill, and… and I also gained a very, very good friend. He and I have a Martial Soul fusion skill."
Niu Tian and Tai Tan both frowned slightly. They had a rough idea, though something didn't quite match.
Originally, Tang San had intended to completely seal Xiao Qi's memories, but in the end, he hadn't gone that far. Her memories of the Divine Realm were sealed, and an additional, even more intricate seal had been placed on her.
This seal caused no harm, but it prevented her from revealing anything related to the Divine Realm. Any such topic would leave her unable to speak.
Niu Tian recalled Tang San once mentioning that the favored child of destiny on the Douluo Continent would have close interactions with Xiao Qi.
Could it be that she had already met him?
After a brief silence, Niu Tian asked, "Xiao Qi, your Martial Souls are the Radiant Goddess Butterfly and the Clear Sky Hammer. Who could possibly form a Martial Soul fusion skill with you?"
Xiao Qi hesitated, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. "H-he's called Su Yunlin, from the Night Duke's Estate in Heaven Dou City. His Martial Soul is the Dark Night Sovereign Moth. We have a one-hundred-percent fusion compatibility. We can cultivate together by overlapping our hands, and our speed is very fast… that's how I reached my current level."
Niu Tian frowned. "The Night Duke's Estate… the Su family? That doesn't seem right."
Xiao Qi blinked in confusion. "What doesn't seem right?"
Niu Tian shook his head. "Nothing. Go get some rest. Later, I'll have your Second Daddy find a suitable third Spirit Ring for you. Rest tonight, and we'll obtain it tomorrow."
Xiao Qi nodded. "Okay! Oh, right, Big Daddy—do you know where my grandfather is?"
Niu Tian paused. "You mean 'Haotian'? He came back to the sect recently. Right now, he's living in seclusion with your grandmother—likely still within the Heavenly Soul Empire. I'll have someone contact him. Why are you looking for him?"
Xiao Qi steadied her resolve. She wanted to help Su Yunlin—she wanted to learn forging.
"I want to learn forging from Grandpa!"
Tai Tan was stunned. "Forging? What do you want to learn that for?"
"I don't care, I don't care! I want to learn! If you don't let me, I'll cry!" Xiao Qi said, acting spoiled.
Neither Niu Tian nor Tai Tan could withstand that tactic. In the end, they relented. Xiao Qi happily skipped away.
Only Niu Tian and Tai Tan remained in Clear Sky Castle. The two exchanged a glance.
Tai Tan spoke first. "Big Brother, has Xiao Qi been snatched away by some brat?"
Niu Tian nodded. "I think so. Heaven Dou City… the Night Duke's Estate—it's quite close to us. But I remember Tang San mentioning that the chosen child of destiny of this era comes from the Star Luo Empire, a descendant of the Dai family—someone destined to revive the Tang Sect."
Tai Tan snorted coldly. "Child of destiny? Sounds like nonsense. Someone favored by the plane would excel in every aspect—especially with women. I won't let Xiao Qi get entangled with someone like that.
"If she gets her heart broken by such a person, I don't care if he's the chosen one—I'll smash his bones!"
Niu Tian patted Tai Tan's shoulder. "Let's not interfere unnecessarily. Go fetch the soul beast we previously selected for Xiao Qi and bring it back to the sect. While you're at it, take a trip to Heaven Dou City and see what kind of person this Su Yunlin is."
Tai Tan suddenly had an idea. "Why not just ask Tang San? He'd definitely know who Xiao Qi is close to."
"Good point. I'll ask."
Niu Tian closed his eyes, connecting with Tang San's divine sense within his spiritual sea.
A moment later, he opened his eyes, his expression strange.
"Well? What did he say?" Tai Tan asked.
Niu Tian took a deep breath. "Tang San didn't say—or rather, he couldn't."
Tai Tan was shocked. "He's a Law Enforcer of the Divine Realm, one of the Five Great Supreme Gods—the Asura God! What could possibly make him unable to speak? In the entire Divine Realm, only the two God Kings could restrict him. Wait… don't tell me it's—"
"Very likely," Niu Tian said quietly. "Use your divine sense to observe. Just watch—don't make a move."