The two siblings talked for a long time, though no one knew exactly what was said.
All that was known was that when Tang Hao left Yue Xuan, he no longer showed the hesitation he had before. Even his clothes and appearance were tidied up.
Though years of hardship still made him seem somewhat despondent, he had at least shed the awkwardness that previously made him unwelcome in formal establishments due to his disheveled appearance.
As for Tang Yuehua, after seeing Tang Hao off, she immediately sent a secret message to the Clear Sky Clan through the private channel she shared with Tang Xiao.
She could hardly wait to share the news with her eldest brother. After more than ten years, there was finally a word from their second brother. Surely, her elder brother would be just as happy, right?
But as for sending the news directly to the clan, she dared not take that risk.
With the clan in seclusion for so long, the Clear Sky Clan was in an awkward phase—where the older generation was gradually fading while the younger generation had yet to fully rise. Some of the elders in the clan were also rekindling old grudges, hoping to permanently pin the blame for past events on Tang Hao.
And now, with the Soul Master Tournament producing so many talented individuals…
Tang Yuehua massaged her temples in frustration. Based on the information she had gathered, this year's Soul Master Tournament produced an unprecedented number of geniuses, both in terms of quality and quantity. Yet, at such a critical moment, the Clear Sky Clan was...
It was important to note that she had been holding back this information and had not yet reported it to the clan.
She hoped that once her elder brother received her message, he would come quickly. With Tang San's exceptional talent, combined with the secret method Tang Hao had mentioned, and with Spirit Hall's attention diverted elsewhere, perhaps this could be the opportunity for the Clear Sky Clan to re-emerge.
Thinking back to what Tang Hao had said earlier, Tang Yuehua's thoughts drifted to her nephew, Tang San, whom she had never met. Her eyes flickered with emotion. Though it wasn't yet the right time to meet him directly, she had cultivated many connections over the years in Heaven Dou City.
Using her influence among the nobility and leveraging the power of the Heaven Dou Empire to probe Spirit Hall's reactions—it didn't seem like a bad idea. What if it worked?
However, she still needed to wait for her elder brother. Without the backing of the Clear Sky Clan, she and Tang Hao alone…
Brother, you must come, Tang Yuehua thought. Never before had she missed Tang Xiao as much as she did now.
...
At the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's residence within Heaven Dou City:
Due to the Soul Master Tournament, Ning Fengzhi had been spending more time here than at the clan's main residence.
Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo had just returned from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, where they had visited Ning Rongrong and taken the opportunity to deliver some gifts (supplements) to her teammates.
Recalling the information he had confirmed with Ning Rongrong once more, Ning Fengzhi turned to look at Chen Xin.
"Sword Uncle, do you think what the Holy Son mentioned earlier, about being able to fix the flaw of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul—is it credible?"
Sword Douluo paused for a moment, carefully recalling the situation at the time.
"I can't guarantee its credibility, but I can confirm that when he spoke to me about it, he was very confident."
Hearing Sword Douluo's response, Ning Fengzhi nodded.
Although he had appeared to believe everything Han Li said while they were sitting in the stands, in truth, he hadn't believed a word of it.
As the head of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, he had to consider things more thoroughly.
Based on his judgment, Zhu Zhuqing's talent was average at best. Even if she fit Han Li's aesthetic preferences and her background was somewhat sensitive, her rapid increase in strength was still too abnormal—even if Spirit Hall had shown some interest in her.
Even if, as Han Li claimed, she had encountered some rare heavenly treasures and had been lucky enough to boost her strength so dramatically…
Wait!
Ning Fengzhi suddenly thought of something. He sharply turned his head to the side, asking urgently, "Sword Uncle, when Tang San first revealed his fourth soul ring—a 10,000-year ring—what was the reaction from Spirit Hall? No, specifically, what was Salas's reaction?"
After sorting through everything, he finally sensed that something was off. Han Li's presence had completely shifted his focus onto him, causing him to overlook Salas.
Moreover, even if Spirit Hall had been interested in building ties with the Heaven Dou Empire, their attitude seemed strange. They hadn't shown the slightest hostility towards Tang San.
Ning Fengzhi wasn't familiar with Han Li, so he could assume that Han Li had exceptional self-control and mastery over his emotions. But Salas? Salas was not known for restraint. After years of opposition, Ning Fengzhi knew Salas's temperament well.
Sword Douluo furrowed his brow. Though Salas had been right beside him, he hadn't paid much attention at the time, so he had to think carefully.
After a while, he spoke with some uncertainty: "I can't recall clearly, but it seems he didn't have any particular reaction. Even if he did, it wasn't very obvious."
"That's strange, Fengzhi."
Sword Douluo now understood why Ning Fengzhi was concerned.
They knew Tang San's true identity, and even then, when Tang San revealed his 10,000-year soul ring, they felt an urge to eliminate him. How, then, could Spirit Hall remain indifferent?
Spirit Hall had always been the leading authority on the martial soul, soul rings, and soul beasts. They should have been particularly invested in such matters and would never ignore such a development for the sake of political alliances.
It was critical to understand that, in terms of power dynamics, the Heaven Dou Empire needed Spirit Hall's support, not the other way around.
To put it bluntly, even if Spirit Hall had directly demanded Tang San from Emperor Xue Ye, it would have been considered reasonable. Even if Xue Ye was unwilling, he would have had no choice but to comply and wouldn't have dared jeopardize the relationship afterward.
But this time, not only did Spirit Hall's Holy Son and Platinum Bishop completely ignore the situation, but they didn't even make the most basic attempt to recruit Tang San. It was all too strange.
Ning Fengzhi's face darkened. There was only one explanation for this: Spirit Hall wasn't impressed by Tang San's 10,000-year fourth ring. Or rather, they had already mastered the method and weren't surprised by it.
This also meant that the rumors linking Spirit Hall Academy's team to 10,000-year fourth rings—rumors that had come from Wuhun City along with the Soul Master Tournament news—were likely true.
What about the Holy Son and the others? Do they all have the same soul ring configuration?
So far, none of them have shown their strength or revealed their soul ring configurations. If Zhu Zhuqing is the weakest—no, there's no need to assume. Based on Han Li's attitude alone, he's stronger than Zhu Zhuqing.
Could he be a 15-year-old Soul Emperor?
As for the possibility of him being a Soul Sage or higher, Ning Fengzhi didn't dare to consider it. A 15-year-old Soul Sage was already beyond his imagination.
Due to Han Li's age and the fact that soul masters can conceal their auras, it's challenging to gauge his level, especially for tool soul masters. Given Han Li's status and the Spirit Hall's foundation, it wouldn't be surprising if he had methods or soul bones to hide his aura.
Thus, Ning Fengzhi hadn't focused much on Han Li's cultivation level until now. In his conventional thinking, geniuses of their caliber wouldn't warrant serious attention until they were at least 30 years old.
But now, he felt unsettled.
The Spirit Hall was already powerful, and in recent years, it had kept a low profile. If they truly had mastered a method like this, then in a few decades, the entire power structure could change.
Even if this method didn't allow everyone to obtain 10,000-year soul rings early on, it could still raise the upper limit of spirit rings. And once the upper limit increased, those who otherwise couldn't break through to the next level would now have a chance to do so.
Given the Spirit Hall's vast base of soul masters, even if only one in a hundred benefited, the resulting increase in strength would be more than other factions could handle.
Moreover, this method would widen the gap in top-tier combat power over time. The delicate balance of power they were barely maintaining now would be broken.
This won't do. People need to understand this. Ning Fengzhi suddenly stood up.
"Fengzhi, what's wrong? Where are you going?"
Sword Douluo looked at Ning Fengzhi, who seemed agitated and unwell. He glanced at the night outside, feeling confused.
Yes, where could he go? Ning Fengzhi froze in place. Who could he talk to?
Setting aside whether anyone would believe him, the key question was: who could he even talk to?
The Emperor?
The Heaven Dou Empire didn't even have a single Titled Douluo. They relied on the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and Spirit Hall to compete with the Star Luo Empire. What would be the point of telling them?
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?
They were even weaker than the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. It was hard enough for them to maintain their neutral stance.
Or should he approach the Star Luo Empire, or perhaps the Clear Sky Clan, which had sealed itself off from the world?
The Clear Sky Clan had once been their strongest ally against the Spirit Hall and the most powerful force. Even now, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's overall strength couldn't match the Clear Sky Clan. But where were they now?
Since the Clear Sky Clan closed its doors, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had become the leader by default.
Even if Ning Fengzhi could unite all the various forces, what could they do?
Force the Spirit Hall to hand over the method? Or start a war with them? If that were the case, they might as well directly rob Tang Hao and his son—it would be more practical.
Ning Fengzhi stood there in a daze for a long time before sitting back down.
He recalculated the disparity in power between the sides, reflecting on the years spent dealing with Bibi Dong and his precautions against the Spirit Hall. His heart was filled with bitterness. It turned out they had never really stood a chance!
The supposed upper hand they thought they held was merely an illusion crafted by the Spirit Hall.
"I lost my composure, Sword Uncle."
Ning Fengzhi solemnly cupped his hands toward Chen Xin.
Sword Douluo shook his head and waved it off, not minding. To be honest, he still didn't fully understand what was going on.
But he wasn't in a hurry. He knew that Ning Fengzhi would explain it to him later.
In the quiet hall, Ning Fengzhi's fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, his expression shifting continuously as he sank into deep thought.
After a long while, Ning Fengzhi seemed to make a decision. He looked at Chen Xin.
"Sword Uncle, what do you think about letting Rongrong interact with Han Li?"
"What?"
Sword Douluo seemed surprised by his words, staring at him with wide eyes.
Seeing his instinctive reaction, Ning Fengzhi sighed inwardly. The consequences of years of decisions had left deep marks. Sword Uncle's attitude likely represented the majority within the clan.
Perhaps it was time to reconsider their relationship with the Spirit Hall.
Chen Xin would be the first and greatest obstacle Ning Fengzhi would have to face.
Because, unlike others, Sword Douluo had something unresolved with the Grand Worship of the Spirit Hall—his father's death.
Though everyone understood the reasons behind it and knew it wasn't right to blame anyone, from Chen Xin's perspective, it was undoubtedly a painful matter.