After the Clear Sky Sect was destroyed, more than half a month passed. During that time, Spirit Hall had been consolidating and absorbing the gains from annexing the Clear Sky Sect, allocating land for the Single Attribute Three Clans to build new residences, arranging their placements, and constructing Moonlight Pavilion.
After so much time, Qian Xunji sensed that the Death Spider Emperor had already surpassed him in strength. She truly treated Qian Renxue well. Moreover, as a soul beast, the Death Spider Emperor devoted most of her life to cultivation aside from her three daily meals, which also motivated Qian Renxue to cultivate harder.
Qian Xunji gradually chose to temporarily forget Bibi Zhu's true identity and assist Qian Daoliu's plan, whether for Qian Renxue's sake or Spirit Hall's.
Inside a secluded cultivation chamber of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
A tall, one-armed middle-aged man sat cross-legged. He wore a leather trench coat, and the sleeve on his left side hung empty. Before him stood a refined, amiable young man in white robes. The young man controlled a seven-tiered Glazed Pagoda radiating seven-colored light above the middle-aged man's head, treating his condition.
The middle-aged man and the young man were Tang Xiao, who had narrowly escaped death from the Clear Sky Sect, and Ning Fengzhi.
Sword Douluo stood quietly beside Ning Fengzhi, watching.
Tang Xiao had barely escaped Chrysanthemum Douluo and the Breaking Clan's pursuit, as well as the Speed Clan's hunt. His Soul Power had been severely depleted, and he sensed that if this continued, he would be poisoned to death by Dugu Bo's Jade Phosphor Serpent venom. In a fleeting instant, he exhausted his last strength to reach the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, placing his hopes on them saving him.
The facts proved that Tang Xiao's judgment had been correct. The Upper Three Sects being bound by mutual ties had originally been proposed by Ning Fengzhi. When Ning Fengzhi learned that Tang Xiao had suffered grave injuries and was afflicted by potent poison, he joined forces with Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo to purge the poison and treat his wounds, finally dragging Tang Xiao back from death's door.
The dense seven-colored light gradually dimmed. Ning Fengzhi withdrew his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul and let out a breath.
"Brother Tang Xiao, your external injuries have basically healed, but your heart and body have been corroded by the poison for too long. Your organs have all suffered damage. Fengzhi is powerless to treat those injuries."
Listening to Ning Fengzhi, Tang Xiao realized that his organs had all been damaged, his left arm was destroyed, and his blood and vital energy had been injured. He would likely be limited to rank 89 Soul Douluo, unable to break through to Title Douluo. Even if he relied on the Soul Bone Tang Zhen had left behind to become a Title Douluo, he would only be an ordinary one. His talent had been completely destroyed by Spirit Hall!
Thinking of this, and of the Clear Sky Sect's destruction, of the elders who had self-destructed to cover his escape, Tang Xiao clenched his fists tightly. His eyes were bloodshot, and tears welled in his fierce gaze.
After a long while, Tang Xiao composed himself, rose to his feet, and cupped his hands. "Thank you, Sect Master Ning, and Senior Bone Douluo, for your meticulous care during this time."
"Brother Tang Xiao, what exactly happened? Has the Clear Sky Sect been destroyed?"
Ning Fengzhi finally voiced the suspicion that had arisen in his mind the moment he saw Tang Xiao, one he had never asked about until now.
Tang Xiao did not answer. He turned around and clenched his fists tightly, his fingertips digging into the flesh of his palms from the excessive force. He gave no answer, but his actions had already confirmed Ning Fengzhi's suspicion.
"How could this be? How many people did Spirit Hall deploy for only you to escape? If you had not come to our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, I would still have remained completely unaware that the Clear Sky Sect had been destroyed."
Ning Fengzhi felt a chill run through him. He was certain that the Clear Sky Sect's hidden location had geographical advantages even better than those of the Clear Sky Mountain Range, and they should have dug numerous escape routes as well. Yet Tang Xiao was the only one who had escaped. Just how much strength had Spirit Hall been concealing?
Tang Xiao finally spoke, his tone nearly heart-wrenching and filled with boundless fury. "It was that pair of despicable, shameless, faithless, filthy father and son—Qian Daoliu and Qian Xunji!"
"Qian Xunji stole my sister and enraged my father to death! All the Clear Sky Sect's disciples had gathered, focusing on my father's funeral and the selection of the Clear Sky Sect's new sect master. Dugu Bo secretly infiltrated the Clear Sky Sect's hidden grounds and released poisonous mist."
"By the time we discovered the poisonous mist, it had already completely enveloped the Clear Sky Sect. Only seven sect elders and I escaped. As for the other disciples, they likely all died to Dugu Bo's snake venom."
"In the end, the sect elders all died at Spirit Hall's hands while covering my retreat."
As he spoke those final words, Tang Xiao lowered his head. Two streams of tears rolled down and fell onto the floor.
Ning Fengzhi sucked in a cold breath, his expression incomparably grim. "Spirit Hall... what ruthless methods. I never expected Dugu Bo to join Spirit Hall."
Ning Fengzhi was certain that Qian Daoliu had to be the mastermind behind the Clear Sky Sect's destruction. Qian Xunji? He did not believe Qian Xunji possessed such wisdom.
Tang Xiao drew a deep breath and said, "The Clear Sky Sect is gone, and my talent has been greatly damaged. Unless Grandfather returns after becoming a god at rank 100, even if Brother Hao reaches rank 99 Title Douluo, he likely still won't be a match for Spirit Hall's dozen or so Title Douluo."
After thinking for a moment, Ning Fengzhi said, "Senior Tang Chen has been absent from the Clear Sky Sect for over twenty years, with no trace of him anywhere on the continent. Even with something this significant happening, Senior Tang Chen did not appear. Brother Tang Xiao, Fengzhi does not wish to dampen your spirits, but rationally speaking, the possibility of Senior Tang Chen returning after becoming a god should be very small."
Sword Douluo also spoke. "Fengzhi is right. My father was defeated by Qian Daoliu. Before he died, my father told me that Qian Daoliu had also spent decades striving toward rank 100. Since they are both attempting a breakthrough, Qian Daoliu could temporarily come to the Clear Sky Sect. If Senior Tang Chen heard the news, he should have been able to spare at least some time to come out as well. Yet Senior Tang Chen remains nowhere to be found."
Hearing Sword Douluo's words, Tang Xiao suddenly remembered that his grandfather had called Qian Daoliu a coward, saying Qian Daoliu did not dare risk his life to charge toward rank 100 and become a god. Tang Xiao's heart sank to the bottom. Could it be that his grandfather had truly perished while attempting to reach rank 100 and become a Deity?
Ning Fengzhi sighed. "Brother Tang Xiao, stay in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect from now on. Even if Tang Hao truly cultivates to rank 99 and rebuilds the Clear Sky Sect, Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect now share an undying feud. Spirit Hall likely will not sit idly by and watch the Clear Sky Sect be rebuilt. They will certainly dispatch great forces to erase Tang Hao."
"Unless Senior Tang Chen returns and joins Tang Hao in deterring Spirit Hall, or another existence as powerful as Senior Tang Chen is willing to help the Clear Sky Sect, the Clear Sky Sect has no hope of rebuilding."
After learning that Spirit Hall had recruited Dugu Bo and that Dugu Bo had slaughtered all the Clear Sky Sect's disciples, Ning Fengzhi no longer dared openly aid the Clear Sky Sect. If Spirit Hall sent Dugu Bo to unleash a wave of poison upon the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as well, the Ning family did not possess powerful battle Martial Souls like the Clear Sky Sect. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might truly be finished.
Suddenly, Tang Xiao's eyes lit up, and he abruptly said, "There is! There is a senior who stands on the same level as Grandfather and Qian Daoliu! She is also Grandfather's friend!"
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