Who is Strong, Who is Weak

After suffering this defeat, Spirit Hall had not been crippled, but its reputation was in tatters. The loss of nearly two thousand soul masters and two Titled Douluo was only survivable because it was Spirit Hall—any other faction would have faced total ruin.

The number of Titled Douluo on the continent was limited. Altogether, the Seven Great Sects had only three: two from the Clear Sky Sect and one from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Most of the remaining Titled Douluo belonged to Spirit Hall.

Despite the heavy losses, the Soul Master Exchange Meet was not canceled. Instead, it proceeded as scheduled.

Before heading to Heaven Dou City, he first made a trip to Sunset Forest to check on the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Although he was currently the only one who knew of that place, there was always the possibility of something happening. Who knew whether some butterfly effect might cause an unexpected incident?

Fortunately, nothing had happened. No one else had discovered the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and the Li Fire wall he had set up remained, showing no sign of going out.

There were still several days before departure. With nothing else to do, he simply cultivated at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for two days, planning to head to Heaven Dou City on the day of departure.

That cultivation session lasted four days.

On the day of departure.

At the plaza before the Imperial Palace in Heaven Dou City.

The convoy bound for Spirit City had already assembled. Many soul masters had gathered here, including members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Four Clans affiliated with the Clear Sky Sect. However, none of them were particularly strong, mostly Soul Ancestors and Spirit Kings.

After all, the Sect Masters of the Four Clans were already nearing the Soul Douluo level and did not meet the required rank.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was also somewhat lacking in promising successors. Its current generation had no particularly outstanding disciples; even the Sect Master's son had undergone a Martial Soul Mutation. The Elephant Armor Sect had sent people as well.

As the only sect among the Lower Four Sects located within the Heaven Dou Empire, he naturally departed with the group.

Besides these sects, soul masters from several advanced Soul Master Academies also traveled with the convoy. Even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had sent people. As an auxiliary-type sect, they would not participate in this Soul Master Exchange Meet, but that did not prevent them from going to observe.

The Clear Sky Sect had only Tang Xiao and Tang Hao, along with Tang Yuehua. She sat inside the carriage, occasionally poking her head out to look around. Yet every time, she failed to see that familiar figure, leaving her somewhat disappointed.

As the Heaven Dou Empire's envoy, Xue Ye was growing anxious as well.

"Has he arrived yet?" he asked a general beside him.

The general shook his head. "Reporting to His Highness the Crown Prince, not yet."

Xue Ye said nothing. He merely paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. Everyone was puzzled—who exactly were they waiting for?

The crowd murmured among themselves, all wondering who had yet to arrive.

Those who were supposed to come had basically all arrived: the Royal Academy, the various advanced Soul Master Academies, and the different sects. There should not have been anyone else. As for independent soul masters, they had set out long ago, and some had already reached Spirit City.

Inside the carriage, Tang Yuehua held a book on musical theory and flipped through its pages, but her mind was entirely elsewhere.

Seeing this, Tang Hao, who stood outside with his arms crossed as he leaned against the carriage, could not help but curl his lip.

"Yuehua, isn't this a bit much?"

"He hasn't even come, and you already miss him this much. If he did come, wouldn't you fly right out of the carriage?"

Tang Yuehua rolled her eyes at him and withdrew her gaze.

Tang Hao shook his head.

"You used to cling to your Second Brother the most. Now your soul has been hooked away by someone else."

"Enough." Tang Xiao walked over.

"That Di Hong probably isn't coming."

"That shouldn't be the case. He's on the list. Could he have gone straight to Spirit City?" Tang Hao sounded uncertain, since he had never even met Di Hong.

"He wouldn't." Tang Yuehua's tone was calm, yet filled with confidence.

"He will definitely come."

Though they had known each other only briefly, she was certain that Di Hong would come.

Sure enough, the moment she finished speaking, the sound of hoofbeats rang out.

Everyone looked over to see Di Hong riding toward them.

The moment he arrived, Xue Ye and Tang Yuehua both smiled.

Pulling his horse to a stop, Di Hong dismounted and came before Xue Ye, clasping his hands in salute.

"My apologies, Your Highness. Something delayed me on the way, so I arrived late."

Xue Ye smiled and patted his shoulder.

"It's fine. It's good that you're here."

His tone remained gentle, with no hint of blame.

To be honest, he had been worried that Di Hong would not come. He intended to use this Soul Master Exchange Meet to utterly defeat Second Prince Xue Yu—defeat him so thoroughly that he could never rise again.

Di Hong's arrival drew countless gazes. Those who knew him were curious, and those who did not know him were equally curious.

After all, they had waited so long for just one person. What kind of standing did this Di Hong have that even the Crown Prince had waited for him?

Tang Hao looked him over and curled his lip.

"What's so special? He looks so skinny and weak, and a little too delicate."

"Yuehua, when did your taste become this bad?"

"He's nowhere near as good as your Second Brother."

"Look at your Second Brother—so manly, so handsome."

"Looking at that little body of his, I feel like I could send him flying a hundred meters with one swing of my hammer."

Tang Yuehua immediately became displeased. Just as she was about to retort, Tang Xiao spoke up.

"Second Brother, don't underestimate him."

"His Soul Power Level is even higher than yours."

"He's already level sixty-nine, almost a Soul Saint."

During the past few days of cultivation at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Di Hong's Soul Power Level had risen by another level, reaching sixty-nine. Otherwise, he would not have arrived so late.

Tang Hao was somewhat astonished. "He's the same age as Yuehua, fourteen, right? He's almost a Soul Saint at fourteen? How did he do that?"

He was already twenty-two this year, and he had only recently broken through to the Soul Emperor rank, reaching level sixty-one. That was the result of his tireless efforts day and night, yet Di Hong was nearly a Soul Saint at just fourteen.

You really never knew how vast the world was until you went out and saw it.

He had already been hailed as the Clear Sky Sect's greatest genius, yet he had never expected that there would always be someone greater beyond.

His eldest brother was already thirty-seven and was only a Soul Saint-level Soul Master. Of course, Tang Xiao had already reached level seventy, but because he was going to participate in the Soul Master Exchange Meet, he had not gone to obtain his seventh Spirit Ring.

"Big Brother, if I fought him, who do you think would be stronger?"

"I don't know." Tang Xiao shook his head. After all, Di Hong was a genius with Innate Full Soul Power, and at such a young age, he had already reached level sixty-nine. His talent could only be described as terrifying.

If he continued cultivating at this pace, he would likely become a Titled Douluo by his thirties at the latest.

Tang Hao looked at Tang Yuehua again.

"Yuehua, who do you think is stronger, me or him?"

"I don't know, but I think he might be stronger. After all, his Soul Power is eight levels higher than yours, and the quality of his Martial Soul is no worse than the Clear Sky Hammer's. It may even surpass the Clear Sky Hammer."

Thinking back to the Sacred Aura she had felt back then, she could still remember it vividly.

"So what? I, Tang Hao, am no worse than him. It's not like I've never fought someone eight Soul Power levels above me. Isn't Spirit Hall's Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul also higher in quality than the Clear Sky Hammer? Yet Qian Daoliu still couldn't do anything to Grandfather."

Back in the sect, he often sparred with Tang Xiao, who was nine levels above him. So he did not believe he was inferior to Di Hong.