The True Reason for Tang Sect's Decline

"Mm-hmm, the Tang Sect!"

Tang Ya nodded, her beautiful face filled with hope.

Anyone capable of joining Shrek Academy through their own strength and avoiding expulsion by Zhou Yi could not possibly be mediocre. You could tell that with your ass.

Of course, the most important reason was that the Tang Sect was simply in such terrible shape that even trash disciples like Huo Yuhao needed the Sect Master to personally recruit them.

"May I ask, Sister, what benefits would I receive if I joined your Tang Sect?"

Faced with Tang Ya's invitation, Li Changsheng merely smiled calmly and asked, "Also, you just said that you are the Tang Sect's Sect Master. Can I take that to mean the Tang Sect is in very poor condition now? After all, I've never seen—or even heard of—a sect master personally going out to recruit people."

"To be honest with you, the Tang Sect is indeed extremely desolate now."

Tang Ya sighed softly, looking utterly helpless and powerless. "But I can guarantee that as long as you join the Tang Sect, we can provide both Hidden Weapons and Cultivation Methods!"

"The Tang Sect? The sect personally founded by Sea God Tang San ten thousand years ago!"

After a brief sigh, Li Changsheng pointed out, "Yet it fell into decline because of the emergence of Soul Tools."

At those words, both Tang Ya and Beibei fell silent, unsure how to respond.

As the current Sect Master and Senior Disciple Brother of the Tang Sect, they understood its current circumstances all too well.

Although the Tang Sect had once been the number one sect on Douluo Continent, the passage of time and the changes of history had caused its strength and influence to plummet.

If not for Tang San's name, it would probably have vanished into the long river of Soul Master World history long ago.

"Actually, you don't need to be so sad."

While eating grilled fish, Li Changsheng explained, "The Tang Sect's decline was inevitable. Even without the previous great war, the Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons had never been able to match Soul Tools from the very beginning."

"You're talking nonsense! Our Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons are incredibly powerful! For example, Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus, which can wipe out a group of Soul Sage experts, and Guanyin's Tears, which once pierced a god's heart!"

Tang Ya retorted.

"That's right. Little brother, perhaps you don't understand the Tang Sect at its peak. The Tang Sect's strength was actually quite formidable," Beibei said.

"That may be true, but can you make Hidden Weapons of that level now?"

Li Changsheng chuckled and shook his head. "You can't use the glory of your past peak to fool current Soul Masters into joining, can you? The times have changed. If you still view the world through the lens of the past, I can guarantee that the Tang Sect will never rise again, even if Shrek Academy fully supports it from behind the scenes. After all, if you were free or commoner Soul Masters, would you choose to join a sect with no visible future, whose Sect Master is only a Soul Elder? Of course, I have no issue or ill will toward you. I'm merely stating reality. As for what you think, that has nothing to do with me."

Ten thousand years ago, when Soul Tools had not yet become so powerful, the Tang Sect truly deserved to be called the number one sect on Douluo Continent. Its founder was Tang San, the Sea God and Asura God, a being with two gods in one. But ever since Sun Moon Continent collided with Douluo Continent, allowing Soul Tool technology to spread across the three nations of the original Douluo Continent, the Tang Sect's decline had become inevitable. After all, the problem was obvious just from looking at the Tang Sect's leaders.

Logically speaking, a sect's leader should be the most capable person, or someone like those in Spirit Hall, with an exceptionally powerful bloodline and Martial Soul. But honestly, if your Martial Soul was Blue Silver Grass, no one would be willing to join.

"Then how do you think the Tang Sect should change?"

Tang Ya lowered her head, not knowing how she could revitalize the Tang Sect. Beibei, however, was unwilling to let go of any opportunity and hurriedly asked.

As the great-grandson of a level ninety-nine Peerless Douluo, neither his vision nor his reaction speed could be compared to those of his peers.

"Senior, aren't you thinking too highly of me? Shouldn't suggestions and ideas on this level be sought from Shrek Academy's higher-ups?" Li Changsheng smiled, clearly having no desire to get involved in this matter.

The only reason he had offered a small reminder was because he could not bear to watch. Tang Ya was not Tang San, after all. At the very least, she genuinely had the will and worked very hard.

"That's right, Beibei, Xiaoya. Don't make things difficult for my Changsheng. How could a child like him possibly get involved in something like this?"

After Li Changsheng finished speaking, Jiang Nannan also came to his aid. "If it works and helps the Tang Sect get back on track, that would be good for everyone. But what if good intentions end up causing harm?"

"Sigh, you have a point. I was too anxious."

Hearing this, Beibei sighed softly, his handsome face filled with helplessness and unwillingness.

Tang Ya was not only his teacher in name, but also the woman he loved. That was why he, the great-grandson of a Peerless Douluo, had joined the Tang Sect.

After dinner, everyone returned, leaving only Li Changsheng and Jiang Nannan to wander aimlessly by Sea God Lake.

"Changsheng, I always feel that you have a way to help the Tang Sect through this crisis."

Jiang Nannan looked ahead, her incomparably gentle face calm as she spoke softly.

"What, Sister Nannan? Do you want me to help the Tang Sect?" Li Changsheng turned to look at the girl beside him.

"Not at all."

Jiang Nannan shook her head. "I would never force you to do anything. I'm simply a little curious. Otherwise, I wouldn't have spoken up for you while we were eating grilled fish."

"Sister Nannan, do you know why the Tang Sect declined so quickly?" Li Changsheng frowned slightly. After a moment of silence, he asked.

"I don't know. I really never looked into or investigated that."

In the past, she had never imagined that she would come to know Tang Ya and Beibei of the Tang Sect, much less that Tang Ya was the Tang Sect's current Sect Master.

"Because there are problems with both their inheritance system and the way they conduct themselves."

Li Changsheng explained, "Only by changing those two things can the Tang Sect possibly rise again. But the problem is, without a leader surnamed Tang and a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master, would this sect truly still be the Tang Sect of old?"

"You should know that besides Soul Tools being able to crush Hidden Weapons, the most important reason for the Tang Sect's decline is the leader's strength and talent. After all, Tang San's Martial Soul was not Blue Silver Grass, but the Blue Silver Emperor."

"So let me ask you again: if you were someone else, would you choose to join a sect led by a Soul Master with low Soul Power and a terrible Martial Soul?"