Under Qian Xunji's gaze, Sea Dragon Douluo spoke slowly. "First, Tang Chen... may really have found some kind of opening to the divine path. He could be hidden away somewhere right now, cultivating in seclusion and striving for that elusive realm of godhood."
At this first possibility, Qian Xunji showed neither surprise nor doubt. Instead, he nodded in deep agreement.
A complicated look crossed his handsome face as he said gravely,
"If anyone else had said this, I might have scoffed. Gods... are simply too far removed from the Soul Masters of Douluo Continent. So far, in fact, that they have long since become legends. Even among ancient powers like my Spirit Hall and your Sea God Island, both of which possess clear guidance from divine inheritances, how many gods have truly been born over the long ages before Ye Qing appeared?"
He paused and gazed into the distance, as if looking across time itself and seeing the figure who had once made the entire continent tremble with his own power.
"But Tang Chen... is different."
A rare note of admiration entered Qian Xunji's voice, though behind it lay an even deeper wariness.
"He had no god to guide him, no broad road paved by those who came before, and no vast backing from a powerful force like the one behind you and me. He relied on nothing but his own despairingly extraordinary talent, taking one step at a time until he forced his way to the peak of the ninety-ninth rank, becoming a Peerless Douluo! He even created secret arts of his own, such as the Great Sumeru Hammer and Ring Detonation—techniques of peerless power, worthy of being called divine skills!"
"In talent and genius alone, I fear... even my father, Qian Daoliu, and your island's Grand Pontiff, Bo Saixi, fall short of him."
At that, Qian Xunji turned his gaze back to Sea Dragon Douluo and said with certainty,
"So I believe your guess. A man like him has a heart higher than the heavens and ambitions that reach the sky. Once he reached the peak of the mortal world, the only thing that could have drawn him away—enough for him to abandon his sect and vanish without a trace—was probably the legendary... path to godhood. With his talent and character, if an opportunity truly exists in this world, he may well be one of the people most likely to seize it."
After all, the Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul was inherently inferior in quality to the Six-Winged Angel.
And yet Tang Chen had managed to win by half a move even with a Martial Soul of lesser quality than his opponent's.
That level of talent and strength truly made him the greatest man on Douluo Continent.
That was why, while Tang Chen was around, the Clear Sky Sect had been the undisputed number-one sect under heaven.
Sea Dragon Douluo gave a slight nod, agreeing with Qian Xunji's analysis.
Then he continued, his voice still calm.
"As for the second possibility... that's even simpler. I believe someone as wise as you, Your Holiness, must have already guessed it."
Qian Xunji's eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp glint flashing deep in his pupils.
He fell silent for a moment, as if weighing the possibility. Then, slowly and in a voice almost too soft to hear, he gave voice to the suspicion many shared but none dared to state outright.
"You mean... he may have met with disaster while pursuing greater strength, or failed in his attempt to break through the divine barrier, and... perished somewhere unknown?"
It was a bold and grave guess.
The death of a Peerless Douluo of the ninety-ninth rank could shake the balance of power across the entire continent.
Had the circumstances not been so unusual today, and had it not been Sea Dragon Douluo himself who raised the matter, Qian Xunji would never have voiced such a possibility so readily.
Sea Dragon Douluo nodded, acknowledging that Qian Xunji had understood him correctly.
He edged a little closer and continued in a deliberately lowered voice, one only the two of them could hear.
"And that... is one reason my God Child, Ye Qing, insisted on refusing every condition the Clear Sky Sect offered. It's why he ordered me to come here today and demand Tang Hao and Tang Xiao's arms."
Qian Xunji's heart gave a sudden leap, and his gaze snapped to Sea Dragon Douluo's face.
Sea Dragon Douluo spoke even more softly, yet each word was clear.
"He... wants to use this chance to put pressure on the Clear Sky Sect and see whether their last trump card, Tang Chen—their Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle—is still alive."
"If Tang Chen is alive, then when he hears that his sect is in danger and his descendants have been humiliated, his old temper should drive him to show himself, no matter what. Whether it ends in battle or peace, at least we'll learn whether he's alive and where he is, and we'll know where we stand."
"If Tang Chen is dead... then today will serve to establish Sea God Island's authority and clear away some obstacles in advance, in case things change in the future."
"Boom—!"
Sea Dragon Douluo's words exploded in Qian Xunji's mind like a thunderclap!
His composure vanished in an instant, and his pupils contracted slightly with utter shock.
When he looked at Sea Dragon Douluo again, his eyes were filled with disbelief.
So that was it!
So that was it!
Earlier, he had thought Sea Dragon Douluo was being overly forceful today, even refusing to leave any room for compromise, as if revenge and the recovery of their treasure weren't the only motives.
Now he finally understood. Hidden behind it all was such a deep calculation and test!
And the one who had orchestrated everything was a six-year-old child—Ye Qing!
Using the combined pressure of Spirit Hall and Sea God Island, he had dangled Tang Hao and Tang Xiao's arms as bait, forcing Tang Chen—who might be lurking in the shadows—to show himself or confirming his death. That would clear away the greatest uncertainty in Sea God Island's future plans on the mainland...
That kind of cunning, that boldness, that grasp of the situation and of people's hearts... How could he be a six-year-old child?
He was craftier than an old fox who had spent decades steeped in schemes!
Even Qian Xunji's breathing quickened a little.
At last, he fully understood why the Angel God and the Sea God had made such astonishing, even shamelessly reckless moves to compete for Ye Qing!
Their chosen heir not only possessed the powerful Seraphim Martial Soul, but also had a cultivation talent so exceptional that even the gods coveted it.
Even more terrifying was the wisdom and cunning far beyond his years!
He was a perfect candidate for an heir, combining heaven-defying talent with demonic intelligence!
If he were the Sea God or the Angel God, faced with an heir like this, Qian Xunji would spare no effort—and might even resort to unorthodox methods—to bind him firmly to his cause!
"It seems... Sea God Island really did strike gold this time..."
Qian Xunji murmured, his voice fraught with conflicting emotions.
There was shock, sudden understanding, and a trace of barely restrained fervor.
A future god of such astounding talent, if closely bound to Spirit Hall, would bring benefits beyond measure!
No!
The marriage alliance with Sea God Island had to be accelerated!
There was no more time to wait!
If another power—or some ill-intentioned woman—used repulsive means to snatch him away first, would he and Spirit Hall be left with nowhere to turn and nothing to do but weep?
Just as Qian Xunji's heart surged and his mind raced with plans to secure the marriage alliance with Sea God Island as quickly as possible, the battle ahead quietly began to shift.