A vast, lavishly luxurious mansion stood in the northwest corner of the imperial city of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Its main gate soared over ten meters high, radiating an imposing aura. Two enormous stone statues stood symmetrically before it.
The statues depicted a Soul Beast with bulging muscles all over its body, resembling a giant ape. Its ferocious appearance seemed to radiate endless brute strength.
This was the estate of the Slave Clan, once one of the four single-attribute clans under the Clear Sky Sect.
The stone statues, which looked just like gorillas, were none other than the Giant Strength Ape, the Martial Soul passed down through generations of the Strength Clan!
If one considered only the strongest fighters, the Slave Clan perhaps couldn't compare to the colossal Upper Three Sects, which possessed Titled Douluo.
But across the entire Douluo Continent, these servants were by no means ordinary. Even compared to the sects of the Lower Four Sects, the Slave Clan was in no way inferior, thanks to the formidable strength of their Martial Soul.
What's more, Tai Tan, the current clan leader, was a genuine high-ranking Soul Douluo!
That status would have been exceedingly prestigious anywhere else.
Unfortunately, he had hitched himself to the wrong master. As a result, even now, with his hair gone white, he still hadn't taken that final step to become a Titled Douluo.
Today, however, the Slave Clan welcomed their true master and their revered patriarch!
When Jiang Li appeared at the gate with Tang San and Xiao Wu, he paid no heed whatsoever to so-called etiquette.
The Soul Power of a Soul Douluo erupted from within him, his voice carrying across the area. "Tai Tan, get out here and face me!"
Jiang Li: A mere bunch of servants expect me to be nice to them?
Tang San: A mere bunch of servants, and they still haven't come out to welcome my great master? Could they be courting death?
Xiao Wu: Eww~ A bunch of brutes. Sister Xiao Wu doesn't like them!
Tai Tan had been happily forging iron inside the estate when he heard someone outside shouting so arrogantly at the gate. His temper shot higher and higher!
The Strength Clan might have fallen on hard times and no longer be what they were when they followed the Clear Sky Sect, but that didn't mean just any Tom, Dick, or Harry could show up and provoke them!
"How dare you!"
The phantom of a Giant Strength Ape flickered behind him, while eight standard Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and four black—circled beneath his feet.
At the same time, the Strength Clan disciples sprang into action. Whoever dared to run their mouth outside the estate today would pay a terrible price!
Before long, Jiang Li and the others were surrounded by the Strength Clan disciples pouring out of the estate. The disciples automatically parted to either side, and a tall, white-haired old man strode out between them, his eyes bloodshot and his breath heaving like an ox.
"Brat, who gave you the nerve to bark at the gates of the Strength Clan..."
Before coming out, Tai Tan had been full of himself. But when he saw Jiang Li and the others, he hadn't even finished his scolding before his voice died down.
There was no other reason: the two blue-haired men before him gave him a familiar feeling he hadn't experienced in years.
Moreover, the faint aura emanating from Jiang Li clearly belonged to a Soul Douluo!
Back when he served his master, he had once watched his master's wife from afar. This life force, so similar in origin, and that familiar appearance—could it be...
"Brat, my father is talking to you. Why aren't you answering? You're practically—"
The one who spoke was Tai Tan's beloved son, Tai Nuo, known in Heaven Dou City as the God of Strength.
But before he could finish speaking, Tai Tan smacked him flying with a backhand.
"Sir, I'm truly sorry. This old man failed to raise his son properly. May I ask..."
Tai Tan hesitated. He desperately wanted to know whether the visitors were connected to his master or his master's wife, but there were some things he couldn't ask outright. Doing so would be terribly disrespectful to his master.
After being knocked flying and crashing heavily to the ground, Tai Nuo was completely dazed.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What happened?
A barely perceptible smile tugged at Jiang Li's lips. "Tai Tan, are you sure you want to talk about this here?"
The old man suddenly understood. He hurriedly and respectfully ushered Jiang Li and the others into the estate.
Only after all three had entered did Tai Tan follow behind them, head bowed and eyes lowered.
The other members of the Strength Clan saw their leader behaving this way. They were just as puzzled, but no one dared to ask.
Hadn't they seen their young clan leader get knocked flying by their own clan leader for no apparent reason?
They proceeded all the way to the Strength Clan's Council Hall. Tang San respectfully let his master take the seat of honor, while he and Xiao Wu stood respectfully on either side of Jiang Li.
Once Tai Tan entered, he stood respectfully below them, like a student about to be scolded by his teacher.
The other members of the Strength Clan stood obediently behind him as well.
Though they were even more puzzled by Jiang Li seated in the place of honor, they understood that from this moment on, the Strength Clan's world might be about to change.
"Tai Tan, can you absolutely trust the members of your clan?"
Jiang Li asked first. Tai Tan nodded, indicating that there was no need to worry about that.
But then he realized: if things really were as he suspected, and the young man was his young master and had awakened the Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul, then it truly was best not to let too many people know.
"Tai Nuo, stay. Everyone else, leave for now."
Jiang Li nodded with satisfaction. A servant who understood his master's wishes so well was truly endearing.
Tang San wore the same smile. With servants this attuned to their master's intentions, turning the Strength Clan into the Tang Sect would be twice as easy.
Soon, only Jiang Li, Tang San, Xiao Wu, Tai Tan, and Tai Nuo remained in the enormous room.
At Jiang Li's meaningful glance, Tang San stepped forward and opened his left hand.
A small, pitch-black hammer slowly appeared in his palm.
"Th-this is... the Clear Sky Hammer!"
Tai Tan cried out, trembling all over with excitement!
"Child, your father is..."
"Tang Hao."
Tai Tan immediately fell to his knees, his face beaming with excitement.
Seeing his beloved son standing there like an idiot, not knowing what to do, he was thoroughly displeased.
What was wrong with that brat? Had he forgotten even the most basic respect for rank?
A surge of Soul Power erupted from him, forcing Tai Nuo to his knees.
Tai Tan's excited voice rang through the room:
"This old servant, Tai Tan, and my worthless son, Tai Nuo, pay our respects to the young master!"
The whole dramatic scene left Tang San utterly at a loss.
Before they came, Jiang Li had told him that the Strength Clan would be extremely loyal to him, but he had never imagined they would take loyalty this far.
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