At the entrance to the Clear Sky Mountain Range, the collapsed stone statues had been cleared away, and the shattered gates of the Clear Sky Sect had been restored. The plaque bearing the three words "Clear Sky Sect" hung above them.
Early in the morning, just as the sun rose, the dense vegetation was still covered in morning mist. The cool air gave people an exceptionally refreshing feeling, yet upon closer sensing, that coolness carried a bone-piercing chill.
Looking closely, at the mountain gate stood the Attack Clan, the Clear Sky Sect's sharpest spear; the Defense Clan, its sturdiest shield; and the Strength Clan, its most loyal servants. The three clan leaders—Yang Wudi, Niu Gao, and Tai Tan—led their respective clans in guarding the entrance, their bright, dangerous gazes fixed on the Spirit Temple Soul Masters led by Salas.
Salas's thin body stood as straight as a spear. He had changed into fitted battle attire, while the five-pointed ceremonial crown on his head had been put away in his Storage Soul Tool. Though his expression remained calm, doubt lingered in his heart. There was still no sign of the Spirit Hall Soul Master army. It seemed Spirit Hall truly intended to dispatch the Title Douluo Elders to flatten the Clear Sky Sect.
A sorrowful sigh sounded from the Clear Sky Sect. Yang Wudi spoke, "Old White Bird, are you afraid?"
Bai He replied, "Afraid? Of course I am not afraid. As part of the Clear Sky Sect, how could I retreat when the sect faces annihilation?"
"Well said, Old White Bird! Our Four Single-Attribute Clans have served the Clear Sky Sect for generations. With the sect in trouble, we must never retreat. Trust the Clan Master and the Elders. The fact that they have not come to the mountain gate means they must have a way to resolve this battle."
Tai Tan laughed loudly. A solution or not, even if the Clear Sky Sect was doomed to be destroyed by Spirit Hall, he would not retreat. He believed his master, Tang Hao, would never stand by and watch the Clear Sky Sect perish. To die alongside Tang Hao would be the honor of a servant like him.
At that moment, four figures appeared in midair, drawing everyone's attention. No Soul Rings flashed beneath their feet, which meant that among the four was a Title Douluo carrying the others through the air.
Salas watched the four approaching figures, his eyes narrowing slightly. He was very familiar with three of them and had dealt with them many times: Sword Douluo Chen Xin, Bone Douluo Gu Rong, and Ning Fengzhi.
The fourth figure was a spirited young man in a brilliant golden robe. His long black hair was simply secured with a hairpin. Though Salas did not recognize him, he quickly guessed his true identity: Yu Yuanzhen, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan Master.
"Clan Master Ning, Clan Master Yu, you have both come?"
Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and Yu Yuanzhen landed before the Clear Sky Sect's gates.
Salas snorted coldly. "Clan Master Ning, Clan Master Yu, are you planning to interfere in the conflict between Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect?"
Ning Fengzhi smiled gently, his voice refined and mild. "Bishop Salas, you cannot represent all of Spirit Hall."
"The Upper Three Sects are bound together. Spirit Hall is the continent's strongest Soul Master force, while the Clear Sky Sect is the number one sect under heaven. Fengzhi truly does not wish for the two sides to go to war over a minor misunderstanding and plunge the Spirit Master World into chaos."
Salas said coldly, "A misunderstanding? What misunderstanding remains? Tang Hao joined with a transformed soul beast and fathered an ominous offspring. He killed many Spirit Hall Soul Masters, as well as a Title Douluo Elder, for the sake of that transformed soul beast. How can Spirit Hall not eliminate such a traitor to humanity?"
"You old bastard, who are you calling a traitor to humanity?!"
Hearing Salas insult Tang Hao, Tai Tan's eyes immediately widened like bronze bells, turning bloodshot as he prepared to rush forward and kill Salas.
"Old Ape, don't be impulsive. The Upper Three Sects are no match for Spirit Hall. Do not escalate the conflict and give them more reason to act."
Bone Douluo instantly flashed before Tai Tan, restraining him as he transmitted his voice directly into Tai Tan's ear.
Under normal circumstances, if someone insulted Tang Hao, Tai Tan would not give face even to Bone Douluo's intervention. But this concerned Tang Hao's life. He believed that as long as Tang Hao was given time, he would one day reach Tang Chen's level and eventually hammer Spirit Hall flat. Thinking of Tang Hao's glorious future, Tai Tan chose to endure.
At this moment, Sword Douluo transmitted his voice to Ning Fengzhi. Ning Fengzhi looked toward the Clear Sky Sect's gates, where there were only a few elderly and frail members of the Tang family, along with some young Tang family men. The Clan Master and Elders remained nowhere to be seen, and Sword Douluo's spiritual power had not detected them either. Ning Fengzhi's brows furrowed slightly.
Logically speaking, today was the deadline of the one-month period Spirit Hall had given them. Spirit Hall's Title Douluo could arrive at any moment, and the Clan Master and Elders should have been at the mountain gate. Whether they could win or not, they still had to defend the Clear Sky Sect's dignity. But where had they gone?
Ning Fengzhi had no intention of entering to look for anyone. He and Yu Yuanzhen had come after agreeing to persuade Tang Hao to turn the conflict into a struggle over treasure. Tang Hao was also supposed to kill that hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor.
After witnessing Spirit Hall's strength, which surpassed that of the Upper Three Sects, they truly did not wish to clash with Spirit Hall.
Could it be...
A trace of anticipation arose in Ning Fengzhi's heart. He hoped the Clear Sky Sect had found Tang Chen, and that when the Spirit Hall Soul Masters arrived and pressed them aggressively, Tang Chen would lead the Clear Sky Sect's Clan Master and Elders out in great strides, overwhelmingly domineering as he crushed Spirit Hall with his pressure and fiercely slapped Spirit Hall across the face.
That would explain why the Clan Master and Elders were still so far from the Clear Sky Sect's gates.
Just then, five figures arrived in the sky. Ning Fengzhi was slightly stunned, muttering inwardly, Why are there only five?
"Qian Daoliu."
At his side, Sword Douluo's mutter reached his ears. Sword Douluo's expression had become incomparably grave.
Upon hearing that name, Ning Fengzhi immediately understood. He stared at the middle-aged man with golden hair. The man was remarkably handsome and bore a sixty to seventy percent resemblance to Qian Xunji.
"This is troublesome. Qian Daoliu has come. Unless the Clear Sky Sect has found Tang Chen, this matter likely cannot end peacefully if they refuse to hand over Tang Hao."
When Salas saw the five figures, his body, already straight as a spear, became even straighter, as though his spine would snap if he exerted any more force. His heart was filled with excitement and boundless honor. "Salas, Platinum Bishop of the Spirit Temple, pays respects to the Grand Pontiff, Holy Maiden, Young Master, Elder Chrysanthemum, and Ghost Elder."
Salas and the Spirit Temple Soul Masters hurriedly bowed in greeting.
Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, Yu Yuanzhen, and the large number of Clear Sky Sect disciples at the entrance all unconsciously tensed. An immense pressure weighed upon their hearts.
That golden-haired figure was clearly just standing there, releasing no aura at all, appearing no different from an ordinary person. Yet in their eyes, he seemed infinitely towering, as though he could crush them to death with a casual wave of his hand.
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