As the one-month deadline Spirit Hall had given the Clear Sky Sect drew ever closer, all factions across the continent fell quiet. The entire Spirit Master World was frighteningly silent, with every power secretly watching the confrontation between the foremost of the Upper Three Sects, the number one sect under heaven, and Spirit Hall.
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Ning Fengzhi sat in a carved wooden chair and sighed. "A storm is coming. Ten Title Douluo, not even counting Qian Daoliu and Qian Xunji. Even if my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Martial Soul can support the Title Douluo of the Upper Three Sects, effectively turning one Title Douluo into two, we would only have ten Title Douluo even with Tang Hao included."
Bone Douluo said, "Fengzhi, the Clear Sky Sect has contacted and gathered every affiliated clan they could reach. Do they truly intend to fight Spirit Hall to the death?"
"Unless Tang Chen, the old sect master of the Clear Sky Sect who has been missing for years and was once renowned alongside Qian Daoliu, returns, a head-on clash will only lead to the Clear Sky Sect's destruction."
Subjectively, Ning Fengzhi absolutely did not want the Clear Sky Sect destroyed unless Tang Chen returned. The Upper Three Sects were barely able to keep Spirit Hall in check by standing together. If the Clear Sky Sect was wiped out, and the strongest of the Upper Three Sects was removed, then the remaining Upper Three Sects would be nothing more than a joke before Spirit Hall. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would only be able to act according to Spirit Hall's wishes.
"Let's go take a look. If the old sect master of the Clear Sky Sect does not appear, then Tang Hao can only state that he has nothing to do with that hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor and that he also wishes to eliminate it, shifting the conflict between Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect from a racial conflict to a dispute over treasure."
Moonlight Pavilion, music classroom.
Tang Yuehua was teaching the students of Moonlight Pavilion as usual, as though the turmoil and conflicts outside had nothing to do with her.
Before her, every student wore a silver robe or silver dress, with a harp placed before them.
Tang Yuehua sat properly on her low stool. Her slender hands began to play softly, and elegant, pure notes, crystalline as pearls and jade and clear as morning dew, flowed from the exquisite golden harp.
The piece ended.
Tang Yuehua slowly rose to her feet, every movement natural and flawless. "All right, students. Practice carefully according to your music books."
The noble students looked at the music books on their laps and began to play. Soon, all manner of notes rang through the music classroom. Tang Yuehua walked among the students, offering occasional guidance.
Just then, a burst of noisy footsteps sounded. They were so loud that even the various notes ringing through the classroom could not block them out through the doors.
Bang!
The doors were pushed open, and more than a dozen fully armed knights carrying spears entered, Soul Power fluctuations radiating from their bodies.
The noble students were startled, their faces filled with confusion over what was happening.
Tang Yuehua's expression instantly turned cold. She recognized the knights' attire. They were Palace Guard Knights of the Spirit Temple, and it was said that every one of them was a Soul King-level Soul Master.
The Palace Guard Knights formed two lines. Between them, an elderly man walked in. He wore a clean, neat robe and had a thin, tall frame. His eyes were somewhat clouded, and he looked half-asleep.
Had ordinary people encountered this old man on the street, they might have thought him malnourished and listless. Yet quite a few knowledgeable noble students stood up in fright upon seeing him, because he wore a Five-Point Platinum Crown.
The Five-Point Platinum Crown was the symbol of a Platinum Bishop of Spirit Hall. In Heaven Dou City, only one person wore such a crown: Salas, the master of the Heaven Dou City Spirit Temple. His status was second only to Xue Ye, and he stood on the same level as the masters of the Upper Three Sects.
Salas's sleepy gaze fell upon Tang Yuehua as he said flatly, "You are the Moonlight Pavilion master, Madam Yue?"
Tang Yuehua said coldly, "Spirit Hall, you are not welcome here. Leave."
Salas raised a hand and pointed. "A member of the Clear Sky Sect, a traitor to humanity. Take her."
Two Palace Guard Knights immediately moved, seizing Tang Yuehua by the arms. Though she was a level-nine Soul Master, she had always lived a pampered life and had never undergone much training. Moreover, she was already over thirty. How could she possibly be a match for Palace Guard Knights? Her struggles were useless, and her elegant image as Madam Yue was gone.
Tang Yuehua shouted coldly, "Salas, do you know who I am? Behind me is not only the Clear Sky Sect. My network among the nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire is extensive. Even without relying on the Clear Sky Sect, I can contact the nobles of the Heaven Dou Empire and have you put to death."
The noble students were all shocked. They had thought Madam Yue was one of Xue Ye's consorts, never expecting her to be from the Clear Sky Sect.
Salas sneered. "You ignorant fool. Do you truly think that becoming the master of Moonlight Pavilion and building such an extensive network among the nobles was all your own effort and achievement? If those nobles had not regarded the Clear Sky Sect behind you, you would have long since become their courtesan."
"Take her away."
Salas waved his hand.
After Tang Yuehua was bound and imprisoned in the Spirit Temple, Salas gathered nearly all the Soul Masters of the Spirit Temple and headed for the Clear Sky Sect, preparing to receive the arrival of Spirit Hall's main force.
As Salas traveled toward the Clear Sky Sect, the confusion in his eyes deepened. Logically, he should have encountered Spirit Hall's Soul Master troops along the way. As the master of the Heaven Dou City Spirit Temple, observing the Upper Three Sects was his duty. This naturally included the terrain around the Upper Three Sects and the best routes of attack... He had to report all of it to Spirit Hall's Title Douluo elders, after which the elders would command the Soul Master troops in their assault on the Clear Sky Sect.
Why had he not seen a single member of Spirit Hall along the way? Could Spirit Hall have sent only Title Douluo experts to crush the Clear Sky Sect? If so, there would be far too many survivors who slipped through the net. The Spirit Temple's Soul Masters alone could never finish cleansing them all.
Sunset Forest, Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.
The hot spring was not large, yet it was divided into two halves. Within the oval pool, milky white and crimson waters split it down the middle, clearly distinct and never encroaching upon each other, always remaining on their own side.
Around the pool, through the dense red-and-white mist, countless rare flowers and herbs grew in a thick expanse: Infernal Delicate Apricot, Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass, Lovesick Heartbreak Red, Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum, Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, Eight-Petal Golden Orchid, Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, Aromatic Silk Beauty, Aromatic Silk Beauty...
Five people stood upon the soil of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well: Qian Daoliu, Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, Bibi Zhu, and Qian Renxue.
Salas was both right and wrong. Spirit Hall had indeed sent only Title Douluo, but they could crush the Clear Sky Sect without even fighting, subduing the enemy without battle.
They could even make the Clear Sky Sect's affiliated clans turn around and stab the Tang family in the back, achieving the highest level of warfare: you destroy yourself.
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