The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's current old sect leader, Ning Daocheng, chuckled. "The Clear Sky Sect has had a run of rotten luck. First, its former sect leader, Tang Chen, failed to become a god and was trapped in the God Examination Ground. Then the Haotian Twins, who represented the sect's future, turned on each other over a woman. What a laughingstock."
Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, its Sect Protecting Douluo, Mad Rhinoceros Douluo and Brute Bull Douluo, were nearing the ends of their lives. Fortunately, Ning Daocheng's son Ning Fengzhi had proved capable. He had befriended Gu Rong, a Soul Douluo, and Chen Xin, the Soul Douluo who had inherited the Seven Kill Sword, and brought them into the sect as Consecrated. Both were destined to become Titled Douluo and reach the rank of Super Douluo. By the time Fengzhi inherited the sect, he would surely usher in an era even more glorious than the present. The Clear Sky Sect would fall while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect rose. How could Ning Daocheng not be pleased? In the future, the title of Number One Sect Under Heaven might well belong to his sect.
But when Ning Fengzhi received the news, his brows knitted. He stepped forward and said, "Father, this may not be good for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. The only one that truly benefits is Spirit Hall."
"Oh? Go on," Ning Daocheng said.
"During the era of the Martial Soul Hall Twin Peaks, Tang Chen's presence as a Limit Douluo allowed the Clear Sky Sect to lead the Upper Three Sects in the Shared-Fate Alliance. By standing together, they could hold Spirit Hall in check. But now Tang Chen is trapped in the God Examination Ground, and the Haotian Twins have turned on each other, losing one of their own. Spirit Hall has suffered no such loss. The balance of power is about to break. The Clear Sky Sect's loss is a loss for all the Upper Three Sects, and Spirit Hall will only grow more brazen."
At Ning Fengzhi's analysis, everyone who had been gloating fell silent, their brows drawn tight.
"That is a problem." Ning Daocheng looked troubled. His son had always been clever and perceptive, full of ideas even as a child, so he asked, "What do you think we should do?"
"Father." Ning Fengzhi smiled faintly. "We should do everything we can to help the Clear Sky Sect find Tang Hao. If necessary, we can mediate between them. As long as the Clear Sky Sect remains stable and Tang Hao becomes a Super Douluo, the Upper Three Sects can stand together and keep the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect safe."
"Very well. Do as you say."
At the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Yuanzhen burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Let them tear each other apart!" He did not share Ning Fengzhi's concerns.
The two assault-focused sects among the Upper Three Sects had long traded the lead, until Tang Chen appeared and changed everything. He reached the Limit Douluo rank, created the Clear Sky Secret Method, and lifted the Clear Sky Sect to heights it had never known.
After Tang Chen left, the Haotian Twins filled the void he had left behind, and the sect seemed to flourish.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, by contrast, had declined with each generation.
Yu Yuanzhen had hoped Yu Xiaogang would awaken extraordinary talent and restore the clan's former glory. Instead, he had awakened a pig. If the child born to his concubine had not given him an unexpected glimmer of hope, Yu Yuanzhen could hardly imagine what would become of the clan's next generation.
Now that a rival had run into trouble, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was naturally delighted.
"Brother, even so, there's still a gap between us and the Clear Sky Sect," Yu Luomian reminded him. "You're only a Level 93 Titled Douluo, while Tang Chen has reached Level 95. And even if Tang Xiao is crippled, Tang Hao remains one of the Haotian Twins."
Yu Yuanzhen's relaxed brow furrowed. At last, he sighed. "Never mind. I can only hope Xiao Gang and Xiao Men make something of themselves in the future."
An elder nearby grumbled inwardly: Why bring up that good-for-nothing? He's drained so many of the sect's resources and held back Yu Yuanzhen's cultivation besides.
If Yu Yuanzhen had not spent these years using Power Transmission to help him cultivate, he would already be a Level 94 Titled Douluo, advancing toward Level 95. Tang Hao's actions had shaken the entire Douluo Continent and stirred every faction. But where was he?
That day, after ambushing Tang Xiao and abducting Ah Yin, Tang Hao had not dared return to the sect. Instead, he had taken Ah Yin into the mountains, built a small cabin, and begun living in seclusion.
Tang Hao sat outside the wooden cabin and looked toward the Clear Sky Sect. He knew the sect had put out a bounty for information on him.
The sect had learned that he had harmed his own brother.
After what happened, Tang Hao felt some guilt toward Tang Xiao, but he had no regrets.
"Tang Xiao, I'll never give Ah Yin up to you. When Little San becomes a god, I'll make sure he heals your damaged spine."
Ah Yin's hate-filled voice came from inside the cabin.
"Tang Hao, stop pretending you care. You're worse than a beast. You crippled your elder brother and stole his wife. Do you think an apology can wash away your sins?"
Tang Hao had brought Ah Yin here, but because he loved her deep down, he had only sealed her Soul Power and confined her, allowing her limited freedom. Beyond that, he had done nothing more extreme.
"Ah Yin, why can't you love me? Am I really inferior to Tang Xiao in every way?" Tang Hao asked sorrowfully.
"In my eyes, you aren't worth a single hair on his head," Ah Yin said coldly.
Anguish and fury tore through Tang Hao. He had been reborn, but why had it happened so early? And what spell had his brother cast on her to make her so devoted to him? In her previous life, the man she had loved was Tang Hao. Why—
"Ah Yin, can't you at least try to love me? I'm the man you were with in both your previous life and this one."
"You're ridiculous. Leaving aside whether a previous life even exists, I wouldn't have been blind enough to fall for someone like you."
Her words cut Tang Hao even deeper. Still, he did not want to force her. He clung to the hope that Ah Yin might one day love him, and unless he had no other choice, he did not want to take that step.
He did not want to become Qian Xunji.
With memories of his previous life, Tang Hao knew many things. After Spirit Hall's fall, its sordid dealings had become common gossip among the various factions. They were hardly secrets anymore.
To keep Bibi Dong in Spirit Hall, Qian Xunji had forced himself on her, and Qian Renxue was born as a result. Bibi Dong had hated him for it all her life. She still hated him even after his death.
Her hatred had been so intense it was almost tangible, enough to make anyone shudder. Back then, Tang Hao had been glad that he and Ah Yin were a loving couple. They could never end up like Bibi Dong and Qian Xunji.
But rebirth had changed far more than he had expected. Tang Hao wanted Tang San, that divinely favored son of extraordinary talent, but he also wanted to win back Ah Yin's love. Their family should have lived together in love and harmony, ruling over the destinies of everyone on the Douluo Continent.
He did not want his Ah Yin to hate him the way Bibi Dong hated Qian Xunji.
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