Dugu Bo Has Courted Death, Tang Hao Returns to the Sect!

Tang San's heart-rending cry echoed through the silent room.

Every word seemed to have been forcibly torn from the depths of his chest.

His trembling hands reached out,

wanting to pull Xiao Wu into his embrace.

Yet those hands shook violently beyond his control.

Was his grief too overwhelming,

or was he afraid...

Memories surged like a tide, scene after scene flashing before his eyes.

"My name is Xiao Wu, the Wu from dancing."

The girl's crisp voice seemed to still linger by his ear.

"Would you be willing to be my brother?"

The sunlight that day had been so warm it made one want to cry.

"If anyone ever tries to hurt you, they'll have to step over my corpse first!"

The oath he had once made now became a sharp blade that pierced his own heart.

Warm tears fell onto Xiao Wu's snowy white fur, quickly spreading into dark wet patches.

Cold...

Bone-piercing cold...

It spread from her body, which was gradually losing its warmth, chilling him to the depths of his heart.

Beside him, Dai Mubai suddenly turned away, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He could not bear to watch this heartbreaking scene any longer.

This time,

Yu Xiaogang never reached out.

He knew

that no one could comfort Tang San anymore.

After a moment of silence,

Tang San's voice was low and terrifyingly cold.

"Who... killed Xiao Wu..."

Tang San's eyes were bloodshot.

That was killing intent.

"It was Dugu Bo."

"I originally took my father, Sword Grandpa, and Bone Grandpa with me to find Dugu Bo."

"But in the end, we were still a step too late..."

"By the time we reached Dugu Bo's residence... Xiao Wu had already fallen victim to his poison..."

"Not only that, my father, Sword Grandpa, and Bone Grandpa were all severely injured by Dugu Bo."

Ning Rongrong lowered her head, tears welling in her eyes as well.

Upon hearing Ning Rongrong's words,

Yu Xiaogang and Flender both revealed looks of utter shock.

As though he had misheard, Yu Xiaogang asked in disbelief,

"Rongrong, what did you say?"

"Dugu Bo injured Sect Master Ning, as well as Your Excellencies Chen Xin and Gu Rong?"

"How is that possible?!"

"Could Dugu Bo have had other helpers?"

Ning Rongrong shook her head and said in a low voice,

"No, he had no helpers. Dugu Bo defeated my father and the others all by himself."

"His Soul Power seems to have broken through to Level 96, and after taking Xiao Wu's soul bone and soul ring, his strength surged dramatically."

"Even more terrifyingly, he has a gourd-shaped weapon that can directly draw out a Soul Master's source Soul Power."

The sheer amount of information in those words nearly brought Yu Xiaogang's thoughts to a halt.

Dugu Bo had absorbed the soul ring of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?

That strange gourd could actually extract a Soul Master's source?

This completely defied every Soul Master theory he knew!

Seeing Yu Xiaogang's shocked expression, Ning Rongrong added softly,

"My father suspects that Dugu Bo may have obtained the inheritance of a Deity."

"Deity Inheritance... so that's it!"

Yu Xiaogang jolted and muttered to himself.

"Only a Deity could freely raise the age of soul rings. That gourd weapon must be a legendary divine artifact!"

"I never thought the legends of Deities on the continent... were actually real."

At that thought, the chill in his heart deepened.

To make an enemy of a future Deity?

That was undoubtedly courting death.

He absolutely could not let Tang San seek revenge against Dugu Bo!

But Tang San had seen through Yu Xiaogang's thoughts and said heavily,

"Teacher, there's no need to persuade me."

"After learning of Xiao Wu's death, I can no longer live in peace."

"If I cannot avenge Xiao Wu, then am I, Tang San, even worthy of being called human?"

"Even if he is a Deity, so what?"

"He killed Xiao Wu, so he must pay with his life..."

Every word Tang San spoke was forceful and resolute.

Seeing that Tang San remained so stubborn, Yu Xiaogang sternly rebuked him,

"Fine!"

"Even if you, Tang San, aren't afraid of death, think carefully about your parents!"

"There are many things you still don't know, because you are not yet strong enough to know them."

"Teacher can only tell you one thing."

"Your father needs your help."

"Only by cultivating properly can you help him!"

"Likewise, if you want to take revenge on Dugu Bo, you must cultivate diligently, gain a Deity's recognition, inherit a Deity Inheritance, and become a Deity yourself!"

"Do you understand?"

Upon hearing Yu Xiaogang's words, doubts rose in Tang San's heart once more.

My father?

When Teacher tried to scare Dugu Bo away, he seemed to mention my father too.

Wasn't my father just a blacksmith from a remote village?

Could it be...

Yu Xiaogang's words finally helped Tang San regain his composure.

That was right,

he still had many things left undone.

At the very least, he had to finish all of them before he could go be with Xiao Wu in peace.

Tang San gently stroked Xiao Wu's fur, his eyes filled with tenderness.

"Xiao Wu, I'm sorry. You'll have to wait for me."

"But I'll come be with you as soon as I can."

"Dugu Bo... you'd better live until the moment I kill you..."

Deep within a dense forest, a burly figure in black robes strode swiftly through the trees.

Suddenly,

a massive hammer crashed down onto the ground!

The earth trembled, and shattered stones flew everywhere.

Tang Hao halted, suddenly threw back his hood, and stared fixedly at the familiar Clear Sky Hammer.

"This is the Clear Sky... Hammer?"

A figure slowly emerged from behind the hammer. It was the Seventh Elder, Tang Lie.

Tang Hao's expression darkened, his voice hoarse.

"Seventh Elder, regarding what happened back then, I, Tang Hao, wronged the sect."

"But there are things I must do now. Please... do not stop me."

"Once I am finished, I will naturally return to the sect to accept punishment."

Tang Lie looked at his bedraggled state, emotions churning in his eyes before finally turning into an angry rebuke.

"A dignified Clear Sky Douluo reduced to such a sorry state—you have utterly disgraced the sect!"

He habitually berated him first, then clenched his fists and turned away unwillingly.

"Tang Hao... come back."

Tang Hao had thought the Seventh Elder had come to fight him, but those sudden words left him utterly bewildered.

Come... back?

Come back where?

Seeing Tang Hao remain silent for so long, Tang Lie hurriedly said,

"If you refuse to return to the Clear Sky Sect, that's on you. Don't say I, Old Tang Seven, never invited you back."

Those words instantly made Tang Hao's eyes fill with tears.

"Return to the Clear Sky Sect?"

"You mean... the Clear Sky Sect is willing to accept me again?"

Tang Hao was overwhelmed with emotion, tears of joy streaming down his face.

"Mm."

"The Great Elder has returned."

"He was the one who asked you to return to the Clear Sky Sect."

Tang Lie said indifferently.

"Grand... Grandfather has returned?"

Tang Hao asked.

Tang Lie nodded and replied flatly,

"That's right."

"Our Clear Sky Sect has also announced its return to the world."

"Though the Great Elder has permitted your return, this old man will never forget what happened back then."

"You indirectly caused my son's death. That is an indisputable fact."

At this point,

Tang Lie paused, then continued in an even voice,

"From now on, kill a few more people from Spirit Hall to honor my son's spirit in heaven."

"Otherwise, this Clear Sky Hammer of mine will land on your face first."

After leaving those words behind,

Tang Lie leaped away.