Fierce Debate and Conflict

The Seventh Elder's eyes widened even more, and his mouth opened as he tried to retort.

For a moment, he didn't know how to refute it, and his face turned bright red.

The Second Elder waved his hand to ease his embarrassment, then continued, "What do you think of the Spirit Hall's domineering attitude?"

Tang San's tone softened slightly, but remained firm.

"The Soul Master World has always been a dog-eat-dog world, and that has never changed from ancient times to the present. I think you elders should know this better than I do. The Spirit Hall is powerful, so it can do whatever it wants. The Clear Sky Sect is the same. When it was powerful, wasn't it also all-powerful? It probably did its fair share of bullying the weak, didn't it?"

The expressions on the faces of the five elders all changed.

These words were so blunt that they left them somewhat embarrassed.

Under Tang Chen's leadership, the Clear Sky Sect reached its peak and indeed ran rampant across the continent.

Tang San didn't care what they thought. He continued, "I don't have any particular opinion about the Spirit Hall. They're like other Soul Master forces; they have good people and bad people; they have respectable opponents and despicable villains. I won't generalize just because they're from the Spirit Hall, nor will I hate all members of the Spirit Hall because of my mother's revenge."

The Seventh Elder's body jolted violently, and his face flushed crimson.

"You... you... shouldn't you avenge those clansmen who died because of you and your father?"

Tang San's gaze fell on the Seventh Elder, his tone earnest and sincere.

"It is my father, Tang Hao, who is implicated in this matter, and he has already made his stance clear. I do not wish to interfere with his decision. My father should bear his own debts; please do not drag me into this! Do you expect me to repay your debts for generations to come?"

The Seventh Elder opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.

Tang San raised his hand, interrupting him.

"Seventh Elder, I completely understand your anger and hatred at the hands of the Spirit Hall for your son's death. I just want to say that hatred is mutual. You hate the Spirit Hall, and the people of the Spirit Hall hate the Clear Sky Sect. When will this cycle of revenge end?"

"I'm not blaming you, nor am I trying to excuse the Spirit Hall. But what I'm trying to say is, quite a few people have died at the hands of the Clear Sky Sect, haven't they?"

The atmosphere inside the hall plummeted to freezing point.

Tang San continued, "If you have the ability, you are free to seek revenge, to kill the people from the Spirit Hall, and to seek justice for your son. That is your right and your choice. I will not stop you, nor do I have the right to stop you. But,"

His voice rose a few octaves, his gaze unwavering.

"Please don't force others to do the same as you. Everyone has their own path and their own choices. If I were strong enough to take revenge, perhaps I would. But what I do is my own business. I won't interfere with others, nor do I want others to interfere with me."

The Seventh Elder's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his facial muscles twitched, and his eyes were blazing with fury.

"Arrogant!"

The Seventh Elder's voice echoed like thunder throughout the hall.

"You junior, how dare you be so insolent in front of me! Even your father wouldn't dare speak to me like that!"

Tang San stood still, his gaze calmly meeting the Seventh Elder's angry stare.

"Seventh Elder, I am not being arrogant, I am just stating the facts."

Tang San's voice remained calm. "I've weathered countless storms; why would I be afraid of you?"

"If you think I'm wrong, you're welcome to refute me. But please don't act like you're superior just because you're older. I'm not a disciple of the Clear Sky Sect yet, and I'm not bound by its rules. I'm here to pay respects to my grandfather because of my uncle. If it weren't for my uncle, I wouldn't even want to come to the Clear Sky Sect."

These words made the atmosphere in the hall even more tense.

The Seventh Elder's breathing became rapid, his chest heaving violently, and the anger in his eyes almost burned onto Tang San.

The expressions of the other four elders also darkened.

The Fifth Elder took a step forward, glaring angrily, his voice low and menacing. "Tang San, what do you mean by that? Are you looking down on my Clear Sky Sect?"

Tang San shook his head, his tone sincere.

"Fifth Elder, I did not mean to look down on the Clear Sky Sect. The Clear Sky Sect is the number one sect in the world, with immense strength and a long history. How could I possibly look down on it?"

He paused, then continued, "I just don't want to be told what to do. I don't need anyone telling me what I have to do."

The second elder raised his hand, stopping the other elders from making trouble.

His gaze fell on Tang San, and he slowly spoke, "Tang San, we understand what you mean. You have your own path to walk, and we won't force you. But you must understand that, whether you want to admit it or not, the blood of the Clear Sky Sect flows in your veins. No one can change that."

Tang San nodded and bowed slightly.

"The Second Elder is right, I admit that. That's why I came, but not to claim ancestry. I won't force you to welcome me."

Tang Xiao and Tang Hao stood to the side, watching Tang San with complicated expressions. Seeing that he faced the five elders without fear or arrogance, they didn't know how to interject.

Although Tang Xiao also wanted Tang San to acknowledge his ancestors and inherit their mantle, he was also aware of Tang San's personality and knew that the more he forced him, the more counterproductive it would be.

The Seventh Elder's face turned ashen, and the anger in his eyes burned ever brighter.

"Hmph, what a bastard, born of a father but raised without one, he doesn't know any manners. He thinks he's invincible just because he won the championship. He's still far from being a true master."

Upon hearing the Seventh Elder's words, Tang Xiao and Tang Hao's expressions changed simultaneously, showing their dissatisfaction with his insulting remarks.

Tang San's expression also darkened.

His gaze gradually turned cold, piercing straight at the Seventh Elder.

"Seventh Elder, I only agreed to explain my thoughts to you here because I respect you as my elder. Otherwise, why would I waste my breath on you? Please take back what you just said!"

A hint of embarrassment flashed in the Seventh Elder's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by anger.

What if I don't?

The Seventh Elder raised his chin slightly, his eyes full of disdain.

Tang San said calmly, "I wouldn't dare say I'm invincible, but I'm confident I can defeat you. This junior is not very talented, but I would like to ask Seventh Elder for a few pointers."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

The Seventh Elder didn't get angry; instead, he laughed, his laughter full of sarcasm and disdain.

"You ignorant brat! Who do you think you are? You think you can look down on everyone just because you have a little talent? When I was cultivating, your father wasn't even born yet!"

Tang San was not angered by him; only the weak would care about such words.

"Seventh Elder, the length of time one has cultivated does not equate to strength. If you have the courage, we can have a match."

The Seventh Elder was so angry that he trembled all over, his facial muscles twitched, and his eyes were filled with rage that seemed about to burst out.

"Good! Good! Good!"

The Seventh Elder said "good" three times in a row.

"Today I'll teach you a lesson, you arrogant brat! I'll show you what it means to be outmatched and have your own strengths!"

Tang Xiao raised his hand, about to speak to stop him, when the Seventh Elder turned to him, his voice cold and hard.

"Sect Master, don't stop me. This brat is too arrogant. If we don't teach him a lesson, what will become of him?"

Tang Xiao glanced at Tang San and saw that he looked confident and showed no fear whatsoever.

He sighed and said helplessly, "Then you should stop here."

The Seventh Elder snorted and strode to the center of the square outside the main hall, stopping in an open space.

Tang San followed.

The two stood ten meters apart.