The Wind Rises · Spirit Hall's Attention

For these three days, he had not merely been waiting for information.

During the day, he wandered through the city's major trading markets and places where soul masters gathered, wearing different outfits and slightly concealing his aura.

He even made contact with local underground information dealers through some discreet channels.

He had no choice. He was too handsome, and without disguising himself a little, he would surely attract unnecessary trouble.

He continued asking around about medicinal herbs.

He also made a point of gathering the latest developments regarding the Continent's High-Level Soul Master Elite Competition.

As well as the movements of the various forces across the continent.

During this time, the Purple Star Earl Manor did not dare cause trouble again.

Once, when Lan Aotian happened to pass by a shop under the earl's manor.

The manager inside spotted him from afar and immediately bowed his head, his attitude so respectful that it was almost fearful.

The incident at the tavern that day had clearly spread throughout the upper circles of Häagen-Dazs City.

An existence suspected to be a high-level Soul Saint or even stronger.

That alone was enough to make any local gang leader in this border city hold his breath in fear.

However, just as Lan Aotian was preparing to leave Häagen-Dazs City and head in the direction closer to Heaven Dou City, where it would be more convenient to obtain information about the competition and access high-level resources.

A piece of news that had only just arrived from the north and had not yet fully spread caught his attention.

The information came from several soul master caravans that had just returned from trading in the north. In the tavern, they lowered their voices and discussed it with astonishment.

"...Have you heard? The competition over in Heaven Dou City is over!"

"Xue Ye, the Great Emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, rewarded the members of the fifteen teams that performed outstandingly."

"Some received the title of viscount, while others received the title of baron."

"I'm so envious. They've all become nobles and can finally escape the fate of those at the bottom!"

"The most important thing is that Tang San revealed his second martial soul, and it was confirmed to be the Clear Sky Hammer! All the various forces are making major moves!"

"Everyone suspects that Tang San is Tang Hao's son!"

"Because among all the members of the Clear Sky Sect living outside, only Tang Hao is known to be out there!"

"Tang Hao? He's the ruthless man who hammered the previous Pope of Spirit Hall, Qian Xunji, to death several years ago!"

"He was even recognized by Spirit Hall as the youngest Title Douluo!"

"Tsk, tsk. There's really going to be a good show now."

The tavern filled with gasps, followed by even more excited whispers.

Lan Aotian sat in a corner, lightly tapping his fingers against the table.

It was not surprising that Tang San and the others had been granted noble titles.

The Clear Sky Hammer had reappeared, and Tang San's identity had been exposed. Who would be the most provoked?

Without a doubt, Spirit Hall.

Back then, Spirit Hall had been the main force in hunting Tang Hao and Ah Yin and forcing Ah Yin to sacrifice herself.

Now, not only was Tang Hao's son still alive, but he was also exceptionally talented and had displayed his brilliance before the entire continent. This was tantamount to provoking and slapping Spirit Hall's authority in the face.

Given Spirit Hall's temperament, it would never let the matter rest.

As for Bibi Dong, she was really only putting on an act.

That woman hates Spirit Hall the most.

She would love nothing more than to destroy it.

Most importantly, outsiders did not know the truth.

They all believed that Tang Hao had killed Qian Xunji.

But as a Transmigrator, he knew the truth.

The person who had killed Qian Xunji was Bibi Dong.

More importantly...

Lan Aotian's eyes narrowed slightly as he recalled another fragmentary piece of information he had gathered over the past few days.

Spirit Hall seemed to have secretly intensified its efforts to search for some special aura or abnormality related to life and vegetation. The scope was not limited to human cities but even included remote villages and the edges of forests.

At the time, he had not completely connected this information to himself.

He had merely assumed that Spirit Hall was conducting a routine search for possibly existing transformed soul beasts or other rare treasures.

But now, with Tang San's identity exposed and the Clear Sky Hammer reappearing, the old matter concerning Ah Yin would inevitably be brought up again.

And nearly during that same period, large numbers of Blue Silver Grass had mysteriously disappeared throughout Holy Soul Village and the surrounding regions.

Although Spirit Hall had sent people to investigate after Old Jack reported it, they had found nothing.

They had merely treated it as some inexplicable natural phenomenon.

But the incident itself had most likely already been recorded.

For a massive force that ruled the soul master world across the continent and possessed an extremely developed Intelligence Network.

It was not impossible for them to connect the seemingly unrelated matters of "the son of the Clear Sky Douluo appearing" and "the large-scale disappearance of Blue Silver Grass."

Especially since Ah Yin's true form was the Blue Silver Emperor!

"The vanished Blue Silver Grass... the son of Tang Hao, who has reappeared..."

"What will those people from Spirit Hall think?"

"Even the biggest fool would connect the two."

"How could this be such a coincidence?"

"Perfect. Let them take the blame for this in my place."

"Consider it a little interest for killing my clan's Old Emperor."

"You'll have plenty more to suffer later!"

Lan Aotian's fingertips stopped, and a cold curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He had never expected that, through a Fortuitous Chance, things would backfire in such a perfect way.

Spirit Hall would definitely suspect that this was something Tang Hao had done to revive Ah Yin!

They would suspect that, in order to revive Ah Yin or for his son's Blue Silver Grass martial soul, Tang Hao had used some unknown Secret Technique requiring a vast quantity of Blue Silver Grass as a sacrifice or medium, resulting in its disappearance!

Although this speculation was a hundred thousand miles from the truth, it was logically consistent and perfectly aligned with Spirit Hall's fear and understanding of Tang Hao.

A ruthless man crazy enough to make a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast sacrifice itself, who had concealed his identity for years solely to raise his son, could do anything earth-shattering without seeming strange.

"Interesting," Lan Aotian muttered.

If Spirit Hall focused its attention on the possibility that "Tang Hao might be acting to revive Ah Yin."

Then, in the short term, this would instead serve as cover for him, the true New Emperor and the mastermind behind the disappearance of the Blue Silver Grass.

Spirit Hall would expend a great deal of effort searching for Tang Hao's whereabouts and investigating ancient secrets related to Ah Yin and the Blue Silver Grass.

It might even strengthen its surveillance and control of Tang San in an attempt to find clues.

Although they would not dare act recklessly in public during the competition out of consideration for their reputation.

This would nevertheless buy him more time to develop in secret.

But it also meant risk.

Once Spirit Hall followed this trail and investigated more deeply.

There was no guarantee that it would not discover some unreasonable details.

Or, once they ultimately confirmed that Tang Hao did not seem to have taken such action, their suspicions might turn toward other possibilities.

For example, could there be another unknown powerhouse or abnormality related to the Blue Silver Grass?

"I have to speed up." A sense of urgency rose in Lan Aotian's heart.

Gathering the materials for the Transformation Pill, increasing his own strength and that of his clan, and making preparations for the future would all require time.

Before Spirit Hall's attention could possibly turn toward him, he had to accumulate enough capital.

Although he could now mobilize the power of nine Two-Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings and did not fear most people on the continent.

If the Super Douluo from the Worship Hall, or even Qian Daoliu, that Limit Douluo, came out, he definitely would not be able to defeat them.

Although the other side would also find it difficult to truly kill him, the feeling of being wounded and presumed dead would certainly not be pleasant.

After all, his vitality was extraordinarily vigorous, and he could use the Blue Silver Forest to revive himself.

Thus, even if a god appeared, it would still be impossible to kill him in the true sense.

At worst, he could return to the Palm-Size Small World and lie low while developing his strength.

Then he would find an opportunity to return and take revenge.