The Power Behind the Soul Arena

A month after Tang San disappeared from Suotuo City, the Star Crown Sect's spies at the Soto Grand Soul Arena still hadn't seen him and reported the news back to the sect.

Along with this news, a secret letter also arrived at the Star Crown Sect regarding Shrek's announcement of its closure and the disappearance of Dean Flender, along with the teachers and students.

"Tang San suddenly disappeared. Did he go to Sea God Island or Slaughter City?"

As Xu Mingxi sat cross-legged under the Starry Tree, the calm in her heart was disturbed by the intelligence sent by the Sect Master leader.

Now, Tang San's supporters have been mostly eliminated, leaving only the Slaughter City, the inheritance site of the Asura God, and Sea God Island, the inheritance site of the Poseidon.

Because of the two Deity who liked to spy on the lower realms, Xu Mingxi never set foot in these two places, and therefore did not know what the situation inside was like.

However, the Slaughter City is extremely chaotic and not a suitable place for Tang San, whose body has not yet fully developed.

According to Xu Mingxi's guess, Tang San should have been taken to Sea God Island, and may have already begun to undergo the test unique to the successor of the Poseidon.

The difference in strength meant that even if he knew the plot in advance, he didn't have any particularly good way to stop Tang San from going to those two places.

"Don't rush, there's still time. Tang San's desire to ascend to godhood cannot be achieved simply by forcibly increasing his Soul Power God Trial."

The God Trial can be considered the biggest cheat code in the Douluo Continent. Whether it's Soul Power Level, Soul Ring age, or even Soul Bone, Soul Master can obtain everything they need from it.

However, the inheritance of a godhood cannot be achieved through cheating. Otherwise, the Asura God wouldn't need to find Tang San; he could have simply passed the godhood to Tang Chen.

Tang San, who stayed on Sea God Island, was no match for his great-grandfather Tang Chen. He would eventually go to the Slaughter City to train, and then use the Spirit Hall as a stepping stone to grow stronger.

At this stage, Xu Mingxi can only console himself with this thought: the weak can only be forced to endure the enormous changes brought about by the stronger at will.

With his eyes closed, Xu Mingxi re-entered a meditative state. Cultivate, cultivate, and once you become powerful, you can kill whoever you want, including Tang San's biggest backer in the lower realm, Bo Saixi.

"Perhaps, we will need to reach a cooperation agreement with the Spirit Hall at that time."

A sigh echoed Starry Tree, then gradually faded into silence.

Only the Starry Divine Tree, which had already grown into a sapling, swayed its branches, absorbing the Starlight from the sky, seemingly born with spirituality and wisdom.

While Xu Mingxi was in seclusion, the Star Crown Sect was not idle either, with the middle-aged and young geniuses seizing the time to cultivate.

Meanwhile, the older generation of Soul Master began to travel in groups to various Soul Beast Forest, searching for traces of Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, especially large Soul Beast gathering places other than the Star Dou Great Forest.

They can even be found overseas, piloting the Swordfish, and very few Sea Soul Beast can threaten them.

However, if you walk by the river often enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet. Without Titled Douluo present, some casualties are unavoidable when encountering Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.

However, these older generation members of the Star Crown Sect did not back down; they were fighting for their descendants and for their sect.

Given the current development of the Star Crown Sect, once they know the location, hunting down Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast would be an easy task.

Within the sect, the younger generation alone needs several 100,000 Year Soul Rings, and the more Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, the better.

Unbeknownst to the Soul Master on the mainland, the Star Crown Sect had already quietly located many Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts. Once a genius within the sect had a need, they could immediately set off to hunt them down.

However, anything done will inevitably leave a trace. Even if the Star Crown Sect disguised its large-scale operation, it could not hide it from certain forces with eyes all over the continent.

On the Douluo Continent, there exists such a powerful force, composed of seven large Soul Master families, who help each other and stand apart from the world.

They're only in it for the money; the Great Soul Arena is their most famous business.

These seven Soul Master families do not easily interfere in the conflicts between the major forces on the continent, but no one dares to provoke them, and no one knows how much power they are hiding in private.

Now, the patriarchs of the Seven Great Families scattered throughout the Douluo Continent have gathered at the Chen Family Main Residence in the northwest of the Heaven Dou Empire.

"Old Chen, what exactly is the Star Crown Sect trying to do by searching everywhere for clues about Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?"

"That goes without saying. What else can you do with Soul Beast? It's either for Soul Ring or Soul Bone."

"Soest, will you die if you don't go against me?"

"Who told you to be so stupid?"

The other clan leaders watched helplessly as the two old men started arguing again.

The ancestral lands of the Suo Family and Mu Family are both located in the central region of the Heaven Dou Empire. The two families often have friction in business and development, and the two men have fiery tempers, so it is common for them to quarrel.

"Alright, alright, the situation on the mainland is complicated now, and we may not be able to remain unaffected. Let's stop stirring things up and listen to what Old Chen has to say."

Finally, an old woman sitting at the back stepped forward to smooth things over. This was Du Xing, the head of the Du Family, whose main business was intelligence work. They were the first to discover the situation at the Star Crown Sect.

Everyone's attention was drawn to the white-bearded old man at the head of the group. The Chen Family was the core of their group and the most powerful family.

"Mr. Chen, please say something. Should we keep things as they are, or should we make some changes?"

The Seven Great Families have deep ties with both the Spirit Hall and the Two Great Empires.

In particular, the Two Great Empires, most of their industries had long been integrated into it, and any turmoil was something they did not want to see.

The white-bearded old man remained silent for a long time. This matter concerned the fate of the Seven Great Families, and he could not make a decision easily.

"Everyone, let's vote by raising our hands. However, I have something to tell you: the Spirit Hall has increased the 'protection fee' they are demanding from us by 40% this time."

"What!"

"They are robbing us."

"That's impossible. The original 'protection fee' already takes up 30% of our profits. If he increases it by another 40%, there really won't be much left for us to use."

The Seven Great Families were able to expand their businesses to their current extent thanks in no small part to the support of the Spirit Hall, and naturally, they also had to contribute a portion of their profits to the Spirit Hall.

But now, with their own strength, they are already capable of protecting their heritage. It's a bit excessive for the Spirit Hall to want so many Gold Soul Coin and resources.

The white-bearded old man glanced at the clan leaders on both sides, each with a different expression, but his face remained expressionless.

"Alright, let's vote now on whether we should keep things as they are or make changes."

As always, the minority submits to the majority; once a decision is made, there's no going back.