Tang San's question was not surprising.
Although Tang Hao hadn't appeared in person, he had recently passed a message through Yu Xiaogang, giving Tang San a clear path to follow.
It could be summarized in one sentence: Its already decided that once the Heaven Dou competition concluded, and Tang San was no longer under strict surveillance, Tang Hao would appear and take him to hunt for soul rings, fully transitioning his focus to cultivating the Clear Sky Hammer.
It's important to note that the last time Tang San, Dai Mubai, and Tai Long went hunting for soul rings, they narrowly avoided being monitored, thanks to Tai Tan's involvement and the fact that his grandson was part of the group.
For Tang Hao to take Tang San to acquire four or even five soul rings at once, it would take at least ten days to half a month. This could only happen after the competition ended, and with Tang San's identity revealed, the Heaven Dou Empire would likely allow them to leave.
When his martial soul was being rejected, Tang San had indeed considered giving up on cultivating the Blue Silver Grass and focusing solely on the Clear Sky Hammer. However, after his bones were replaced and the rejection disappeared, Tang San rekindled hope for the Blue Silver Grass.
He did not oppose his father's decision, but compared to Tang Hao's single-minded focus, Tang San hoped to excel at both.
He always remembered what Yu Xiaogang had told him back at Nuoding Academy: once his Blue Silver Grass martial soul reached a higher level, even attaining a title, then adding soul rings later would be even better.
After all, cultivating dual martial souls wasn't unprecedented. There were even successful examples in the current era, with the most well-known being Bibi Dong, the Pope of the Spirit Hall.
Although Tang San wanted to take revenge on Zhu Zhuqing and rise to become the most outstanding figure in this year's Soul Master Tournament, his greatest motivation for entering the tournament had always been to find his father.
He had been on a quest to reunite with his father on the Douluo Continent for eight or nine years, and now he was nearing the finale. He was no longer the boy he once was. At the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, he had learned much and uncovered many secrets. He now knew about the conflict between the Clear Sky Sect and the Spirit Hall.
As a result, the tournament results held much less appeal to him now.
As for revenge, he wasn't in a hurry. He could wait. The saying goes, "A gentleman takes revenge, even if it takes ten years."
His talent was destined to place him among the top tier, and any temporary advantage others might have meant little.
When Zhu Zhuqing's talent eventually reached its limits, and Tang San caught up or surpassed her, he would show her what true cruelty was. The same would go for the Spirit Hall behind her.
By then, with his dual martial souls and the secret techniques of the Tang Sect, he would show the world who was truly invincible.
"The Tang Sect is unrivaled in the world," Tang San silently recited to himself, as he cast a glance at Yu Xiaogang, whose expression had grown somewhat complicated.
When Tang San asked that question, Yu Xiaogang had already fallen into a moment of reminiscing—it was the lost youth of his past.
Dual martial souls could indeed be cultivated simultaneously, and Bibi Dong had already proven that.
Back when Yu Xiaogang first accepted Tang San as his disciple, he used this as a motivational goal. But after guessing and confirming Tang San's background, Yu Xiaogang hadn't seriously considered it anymore.
He was stubborn, but he wasn't foolish. While others had a small chance of succeeding, Tang San's chances, given his identity, were almost zero.
At the time, Yu Xiaogang had commented casually, more to encourage Tang San. His actual thinking aligned more with Tang Hao's: first, cultivate the Blue Silver Grass to a certain level, then switch to the Clear Sky Hammer. Once Tang San reached the Soul King level, he could take his time refining it and ensure that his second martial soul would achieve peak power with all black soul rings. This would allow him to dominate the continent without slowing his cultivation.
Yet, at this moment, Tang San had raised the question again, leaving Yu Xiaogang unsure of how to respond.
Over time, Yu Xiaogang had come to understand that Tang Hao knew about his past in Wuhun City. But the details of Yu Xiaogang's relationship with Bibi Dong remained a secret, known by few.
After the tension with Tang Hao, Yu Xiaogang realized that Tang Hao was not a good person.
Yu Xiaogang's relationship with Bibi Dong, though still somewhat secret, might even serve as a life-saving card in the future. In the worst-case scenario, he could flee to Wuhun City. Surely, Tang Hao wouldn't dare storm Wuhun City, right?
But...
Looking at Tang San, who was respectfully kneeling before him with an earnest gaze, Yu Xiaogang felt his resolve waver.
Tang San noticed Yu Xiaogang's hesitation. Feeling a flicker of excitement, he knelt without hesitation.
"Please, teacher, guide me."
Thud, thud, thud.
Before Yu Xiaogang could react, the sound of three loud kowtows echoed. When Tang San raised his head, a red mark on his forehead clearly showed his sincerity.
"Xiao San, why go to such lengths?"
Yu Xiaogang's eyes welled up with tears. In this lifetime, it was from this disciple that he had received the most respect.
He forcefully pulled Tang San up and pressed him back into the stone chair. Looking into his sincere eyes, Yu Xiaogang smiled bitterly and said:
"It's not that I don't want to tell you, but I don't know. I only know that the Pope solved this problem, but I don't know how she succeeded. I have some guesses, but this isn't something to be taken lightly—it could be fatal."
Seeing the dimming light in Tang San's eyes and his look of disappointment, Yu Xiaogang sighed deeply and continued:
"I do have some connections with the Pope, and I can try to ask her for you, but don't get your hopes up too high."
Without Tang Hao's permission, Yu Xiaogang didn't dare reveal Tang San's true identity, so he could only answer vaguely.
Tang San, however, was overjoyed. He knew very well that Yu Xiaogang was aware of his identity and his feud with Spirit Hall, yet even under such circumstances, Yu Xiaogang was willing to help.
Tang San couldn't help but reassess the relationship between his teacher and the Pope—it seemed stronger than he had thought.
"Teacher, thank you."
Tang San's gratitude was heartfelt.
He truly hadn't expected that he held such a significant place in Yu Xiaogang's heart. Perhaps later, he should mention this to his father, suggesting that Yu Xiaogang be treated a bit better. As for the death sentence he had previously considered for Yu Xiaogang, perhaps it could be delayed and reconsidered.
"It's nothing, as long as you remember your teacher's kindness," Yu Xiaogang sighed. He admitted to himself that he had acted impulsively. Xiao San's kowtowing was not just a gesture of respect—it felt like a demand for his life.
But since he had already spoken, he couldn't take his words back.
"Of course, I remember. When I became your disciple, I said it then: 'Once a teacher, forever a father.' Your kindness, I will never forget," Tang San said, attempting to stand up again, but Yu Xiaogang pressed him back down. If things didn't work out and Tang Hao found out, Yu Xiaogang would have to face the consequences—this situation could not be taken lightly.
Yu Xiaogang's heart was full of bitterness, but on the surface, he maintained a calm demeanor. He looked at Tang San and said, "As for the upcoming competitions, you need to assess the situations yourself. Remember, don't be reckless. If something can't be done, give it up. Above all, don't get hurt."
"I'll head off now to prepare. If everything goes smoothly, we'll meet again in Wuhun City."
He had already made up his mind: he would go to Wuhun City ahead of time.
He had to see Bibi Dong. What if it succeeded? And even if it didn't, given their past relationship, Bibi Dong wouldn't kill him—at most, he'd face some ridicule.
If, by the time the Heaven Dou Team arrived, he hadn't achieved his goal, he would play it by ear: either stay in Wuhun City or return to his family.
For large-scale competitions like this, even though the Thunderclap Academy had already been eliminated, Yu Yuanzhen, as the patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, would still attend. Yu Xiaogang's reputation had improved significantly, and for the sake of his survival, returning to the clan wasn't out of the question.
When the time came, he could also offer the clan the secret bone-replacement method—let's see who would dare look down on him then.
At worst, he would never emerge again, Yu Xiaogang thought to himself, gritting his teeth and steeling his resolve.
The torment he had endured over the past six months while following Tang Hao had completely broken this fifty-something-year-old theoretical master. The frequent beatings and scoldings were truly unbearable.
Although he felt somewhat guilty toward Tang San, he had no other choice. Xiao San respected him so much—surely, he would understand, right?
Tang San knew that Yu Xiaogang would need to return and seek Tang Hao's approval, so he didn't stop him. Instead, he respectfully said, "Teacher, take care. I'll await your good news."
"Alright."
Yu Xiaogang patted his shoulder, as if trying to encourage himself, then turned and left.
Tang San watched as his teacher disappeared. With a wave of his hand, he channeled his soul power to dissipate the swelling on his forehead. His eyes sparkled with determination once again—things were moving in the right direction.
...
Meanwhile, Han Li had no idea what was happening with Tang San and his group. He was at home, opening a delivery from Gengxin City that had been sent through the trade association.
Lou Gao was indeed quite skilled. With blueprints and ample resources, he hadn't completed the first batch of products yet, but he had made a few samples to send for Han Li's approval.
Since some of the items were disposable, Han Li didn't test them all. Instead, he selected a few that had backups to try out.
The Godly Zhuge Crossbow was the first one. This was his first time handling the finished product, so naturally, he was curious. After testing it, he casually tossed it to the others.
It was only effective against unsuspecting, unguarded Soul Masters. If this thing could kill a god, he'd charge right into the Divine Realm and take down the Asura God himself.
His lips twitched as he glanced to the side, where Dugu Yan was playing with the Godly Zhuge Crossbow. She and the others were trying to get Zhu Zhuqing to catch the arrows with her bare hands.
The Peacock Plume, however, wasn't bad. It came equipped with various attachments, including bone-piercing needles, thunderfire needles, and armor-piercing needles. In a close-range sneak attack, it could break through the defenses of a Soul Sage.
But unless it hit the head, it would only cause minor injuries. If the user wasn't powerful enough, they could be countered and instantly killed. It was less effective than Han Li's casual hand wave. While it had some value, its high cost made it impractical, and the complex craftsmanship meant mass production was unlikely, given the current level of forging on the continent.
After inspecting a few more items, Han Li sent word through the trade association to inform Lou Gao that he was satisfied and reminded him to take care of his health.
Once everyone had finished playing, Han Li packed everything away. The items were in place, and his plan was fully prepared. Now, all that was left was for the players to take the stage. He hoped they wouldn't disappoint him.
By his calculations, this was also the time when the Divine Realm should start paying attention. They would surely be pleased with the unfolding drama.
Han Li's gaze shifted toward the direction of the Star Dou Forest. With Qian Daoliu's help, that side wouldn't be a problem for now.
As long as things hadn't reached a dead end, they wouldn't show up openly. Once the Divine Realm's attention moved elsewhere, it would be time for him to have a proper talk with them.