During the Qingming Festival, rain fell in torrents, and travelers on the road felt their souls on the verge of leaving their bodies.
Zhao Linchuan, Yan Lingji, and Bibi Dong arrived through the misty rain at a remote village called Big Willow Village.
Because Bibi Dong needed to go into seclusion to break through her bottleneck, the three rented a small farmhouse courtyard and settled there temporarily.
During the time Zhao Linchuan and the others stayed in Big Willow Village, something called a "newspaper" had already spread across nearly a tenth of Douluo Continent, pushed forward with all of Qian Xunji's might like an invisible web silently unfurling.
From bustling Heaven Dou City to remote frontier towns, from the mansions of high-ranking nobles to teahouses frequented by ordinary folk, those sheets covered in black ink were spreading at an astonishing pace.
For the first time, people discovered they could learn the major events of the world without even stepping outside.
Surprisingly, neither of the Two Great Empires made the slightest effort to stop it.
In fact, because newspapers could efficiently convey government orders and provide insight into public sentiment, both sides went so far as to cooperate with Spirit Hall's efforts—a rare occurrence indeed.
After all, rather than let rumors spread by word of mouth and become more distorted with every retelling, it was better to set things down in black and white.
They couldn't refuse such "convenience."
And the common folk welcomed the "newspapers" with open arms. One Copper Soul Coin was barely the price of a bowl of plain tea, yet it could buy you all the major and minor news from across the world. Why wouldn't you?
Then, perhaps hoping to grab attention and stir up a sensation, some unknown "little genius" published a piece of wild history in the newspaper.
As soon as it came out, the article was like a pebble tossed into a still lake, setting off towering waves.
Its contents were enough to leave people dumbfounded:
It claimed that the current "Clear Sky Twin Stars" were not actually the sons of Clear Sky Sect's current leader, Tang Zhen, but the biological children of the previous sect master, Tang Chen.
And Tang Zhen and his brothers weren't Tang Chen's descendants either. They were the offspring of Tang Chen's younger brother.
The article even went so far as to list quite a few "pieces of evidence."
For instance, why had Tang Chen passed the title of "Clear Sky Douluo" down a generation to Tang Hao instead of giving it to his own son, Tang Zhen?
Why were Tang Zhen and his brothers only average in cultivation talent, while the "Clear Sky Twin Stars" brothers possessed astonishing gifts?
Was there some unspeakable secret behind all this?
The subject immediately attracted widespread attention and debate across the entire continent.
From street corners to teahouses, people talked about nothing else.
Some slapped the table in approval, saying the article was well-reasoned and backed by evidence.
Others scoffed, saying it was all fabricated and an attempt to sully the innocent.
Most simply enjoyed watching the commotion unfold.
Some bold storytellers even smelled a business opportunity.
They quickly spun a sensational tale called "Tang Chen Knocks on His Daughter-in-Law's Door at Night" and began performing it in teahouses and taverns across the major cities.
The story was told so vividly, so lifelike, it was as if the storytellers had witnessed it themselves. The guests were utterly enthralled, and silver coins poured in like water.
For a time, the storytellers made a fortune, while their fellow performers watched with envy and rushed to follow their example.
And so, all sorts of "Clear Sky Sect secrets" sprang up like mushrooms after the rain, each more outrageous and scandalous than the last.
Clear Sky Sect was furious. As the foremost of the Upper Three Sects and the greatest sect under heaven, when had they ever suffered such humiliation?
Tang Zhen personally went to the Two Great Empires, demanding that they crack down on the storytellers spreading "rumors" and punish the newspaper that had published the article.
On the surface, the Two Great Empires were all smiles and readily agreed. Behind the scenes, however, they merely put on a show: thunder without rain, a perfunctory effort that went nowhere.
After all, Clear Sky Sect's influence was now so great that it kept both empires awake at night.
The Two Great Empires were only too happy that Spirit Hall was willing to strike at them. Why would they pass up such a golden opportunity?
Besides, it wasn't as if the rumors were completely unfounded.
What if they were actually true?
And so, the storytellers continued holding forth in the teahouses, and the newspapers' gossip columns remained as lively as ever. Clear Sky Sect's fury was like a fist striking cotton—there was nothing for it to land on.
For a time, the entire Clear Sky Sect fell prey to "bloodshot eyes and gasping like oxen"—the Tang family's very own stress syndrome.
Tang Hao, especially, was young and hot-blooded. He flew into a rage and vowed to smash Spirit Hall and make the rumor-mongers pay.
Tang Zhen was more composed, but the look on his face was dark enough to drip water, more than enough to show how furious he was.
That day, the sky was high and clear. At last, the spring rain that had fallen for days came to an end.
Sunlight spilled through gaps in the clouds, warming the earth.
The air was fragrant with soil and grass, and the leaves, washed clean by the rain, shone a brilliant green.
In the farmhouse courtyard, Zhao Linchuan and Yan Lingji sat gathered around the stone mill.
Several newspapers Zhao Linchuan had brought back that morning from a nearby city were spread across the mill.
"Heh-heh-heh..."
Yan Lingji couldn't help giggling. Pointing at the article about Clear Sky Sect, she laughed until tears welled in her eyes.
"Who on earth wrote this article?"
"Isn't this like slapping Clear Sky Sect in the face with a shoe in front of the whole world?"
She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, took a moment to catch her breath, then continued:
"If Tang Zhen doesn't find a way to prove his blood relationship with the 'Clear Sky Twin Stars,' I'm afraid he'll never be able to hold his head up again."
"Most people wouldn't have the nerve to make things up about Clear Sky Sect."
Zhao Linchuan was equally amused. Leaning back in his chair, he held a cup of hot tea, a teasing smile playing on his lips.
"I'd say there's a good chance Qian Xunji is behind it."
"The storytellers too. He arranged the whole thing himself."
"What are you two laughing about?"
Bibi Dong came out of the room, her cheeks flushed.
She was wearing a pale blue-green dress, her hair simply tied back. She looked especially fresh and bright.
She walked over to them and curiously leaned in to look at the newspapers spread across the stone mill.
"Hm? What's this?"
"This is a newspaper." Zhao Linchuan handed her the copy in his hand and pointed to the article that had caused such a stir. "Read it and you'll see what we're laughing about."
"Let your Holy Maiden have a look..." Bibi Dong took the newspaper and studied it carefully.
Her eyes moved over the lines. First she frowned slightly, then the corners of her mouth began to lift. Finally, she let out a sharp "Pfft!" and couldn't hold back her laughter.
"Ha-ha-ha!"
She doubled over laughing, one hand braced against the stone mill and the other slapping her thigh, tears nearly spilling from her eyes.
"Which 'historian' came up with this wild history?"
"They've even given it a beginning and an end. It sounds just like the real thing."
"Maybe it is the real thing," Zhao Linchuan said with a grin. "You have no idea how wildly this story is spreading out there."
"They've even made up a tale called 'Tang Chen Knocks on His Daughter-in-Law's Door at Night.' Those storytellers are all performing it with such flair, making a bigger fuss than they do at New Year."
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