Undercurrents

Heaven Dou City, a certain noble mansion.

Several noble ladies gathered together, sipping tea while watching the Sky Screen, their expressions vivid and varied.

A middle-aged woman dressed in luxurious attire set down her teacup and gave a light cough. "These Dreamy Sweetheart Handcuffs... they sound quite interesting."

Another, younger lady covered her mouth and chuckled. "Sister, don't tell me you want to try them?"

The middle-aged woman glared at her. "Don't talk nonsense! I'm just curious, merely curious!"

The younger lady gave a sly grin, leaned in closer, and lowered her voice. "Sister, stop pretending. Between us sisters, what is there that can't be said? That Passion-Burning Whip, the Dreamy Sweetheart Handcuffs—who wouldn't want them? It's double the pleasure, after all!"

The middle-aged woman's face flushed slightly, and she remained silent.

An elderly lady nearby, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up, her voice raspy. "You girls, you just lack experience. What is double the pleasure? The pleasure Brother Cao experiences is something you couldn't even imagine."

The ladies all turned their heads in unison to look at her.

The old lady set down her teacup and said indifferently, "Just think about it: those girls' divine skills—Dragon King Tyrant Body, Infinite Stamina; Thousand-Lady Hundred-Change, changing the body at will; Moon Reflecting Thousand Waves, probing the thoughts in one's heart; plus the Passion-Burning Whip and the Dreamy Sweetheart Handcuffs... with a setup like that, is it merely double the pleasure? That is infinite pleasure!"

The ladies were left dumbfounded.

The old lady stood up, brushed off her skirt, and walked toward the door.

Upon reaching the threshold, she suddenly stopped and, without looking back, said, "If I were fifty years younger, I would also go to Ye Family Fortress."

With that, she drifted away, leaving a room full of ladies staring at one another.

The news of Bo Saixi making the list stirred ripples across the continent.

Unlike the common factions that only watched for the spectacle, those truly standing at the pinnacle of the continent saw far more than the superficial "double the pleasure."

Clear Sky Sect.

Tang Xiao gazed at the figure on the Sky Screen that was gradually fading, remaining silent for a long time.

Before the Sky Screen descended.

The High Priestess of Sea God Island, a ninety-nine-level Limit Douluo, invincible on the ocean.

She was an existence on par with his grandfather Tang Chen and Spirit Hall's Qian Daoliu; one of the three people standing at the peak of human spirit masters.

Yet, even such a remarkable woman could only rank third.

"If even an existence like Bo Saixi can only rank third," Tang Xiao murmured, his voice filled with emotion, "I wonder what kind of peerless grace the top two possess."

The Great Elder also wore a solemn expression. "Sect Master, the further we go on this Combat Power Ranking, the stronger the individuals on it become. Bo Saixi is already a Tier 1 God, so those top two..."

Beyond a Tier 1 God, there were God Kings. Could it be that the top two had already reached the level of God Kings?

Tang Xiao was silent for a moment before suddenly changing the subject. "Brother Hao sent a letter."

The Great Elder raised an eyebrow. "Tang Hao? What did he say?"

"He said he has obtained a god's inheritance and that as long as he passes the divine trials, he can become a god," Tang Xiao said softly, though a hint of worry laced his tone.

The hall fell silent instantly.

The Great Elder was quiet for a moment before speaking slowly. "Sect Master, I fear this is a curse, not a blessing."

Tang Xiao turned to look at him.

The Great Elder continued, "Tang Hao and Brother Cao have a feud as deep as the sea. His wife Ah Yin and his sister Yuehua were both... given his temperament, if he becomes a god, he will certainly seek revenge on Brother Cao. But how could an ordinary god be a match for Brother Cao?"

He paused, a flicker of anxiety in his eyes. "If this ends up implicating our Clear Sky Sect..."

Tang Xiao closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He knew, of course; he understood Tang Hao's temperament better than anyone.

Stubborn, obstinate, and set in his ways—once he made up his mind, not even nine oxen could pull him back.

If he truly became a god, he would definitely go after Brother Cao.

And on Brother Cao's side, with Yuehua and Ah Yin there, if it truly came to that point, who would the Clear Sky Sect side with?

"The Great Elder's words are not without reason." Tang Xiao opened his eyes, filled with helplessness. "Sigh, I cannot stop this. You all know Brother Hao's temperament; I cannot persuade him."

"If it truly reaches the point of no return, we can only let Yuehua intervene."

The Great Elder nodded, though his heart was a complex mix of emotions.

The dignified Clear Sky Sect, once the number one sect on the continent, now had to rely on a woman to preserve itself.

This feeling was hard to swallow.

Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Ning Fengzhi sat in the main seat, holding a teacup, his brows slightly furrowed.

Beside him, Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong sat on either side, and the expressions of all three were far from pleasant.

"The continent has been a bit strange lately." Ning Fengzhi set down his teacup and spoke slowly. "It seems a large number of gods in the God Realm are descending with divine trials. According to reliable information, Xue Ye, Dai Tianfeng, Jiang Luyuan... even that Bu Le, have all gained the favor of gods and are currently undergoing divine trials."

Chen Xin frowned. "These people all have grudges against Brother Cao's side. Xue Ye's empress was snatched away, Dai Tianfeng's empress was also snatched, Jiang Luyuan's wife and daughter both followed Brother Cao, and Bu Le was even crippled by Bai Chenxiang..."

"Is the God Realm trying to stir up conflict?"

Gu Rong stroked his beard and said in a deep voice, "It is highly likely. If they cannot win in a direct confrontation, they will dismantle him from within. The God Realm intends to use others to do their dirty work."

Ning Fengzhi nodded, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "However, this also indirectly proves that Brother Cao's side is no weaker than the God Realm, which is why the God Realm can only strike back in such a manner."

He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the golden light still flowing across the Sky Screen, remaining silent for a moment.

"Continue to provide strong support to Rongrong." He turned around and looked at Chen Xin. "Allocate another million gold coins to her. Ye Family Fortress is currently expanding and needs the funds. Rongrong is the eldest young lady of our Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect; we cannot let others look down on her."

Chen Xin nodded. "Understood, Sect Master."

Ning Fengzhi thought for a moment longer and added, "Also, do not offend those factions that have received God Trials. Xue Ye, Dai Tianfeng, Jiang Luyuan... they are all victims harboring resentment. There is no need for us to court trouble; it is best to wait and see how things develop."

The God Realm had bestowed God Trials, and those disgruntled individuals, having gained power, would certainly seek revenge against Brother Cao.

Who would the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect support?

Naturally, they would support Rongrong. As for the others, they could not concern themselves with so much.

Spirit Hall, Pope Palace.

Bibi Dong stood before the window, gazing at the Sky Screen in silence.

Behind her, Qian Renxue and the Rakshasa God sat on either side.

"The God Realm has descended with a multitude of God Trials." The Rakshasa God spoke first, her tone laced with mockery. "Xue Ye, Dai Tianfeng, Jiang Luyuan, Bu Le... they all hold grudges against Brother Cao. The Asura God truly intends to use others to do his dirty work."

Qian Renxue frowned slightly. "Even if these people become gods, they couldn't possibly be Brother Cao's match, could they?"

A complex light flashed in the Rakshasa God's eyes. "Since the Asura God dares to do this, he must have his reasons. Perhaps he still has a backup plan."

Bibi Dong turned around and looked at her. "And what about you? You are also a deity of the God Realm. If the God Realm and Brother Cao go to war, who will you help?"

The Rakshasa God was silent for a moment, then smiled. "Who will I help? Naturally, Brother Cao. If I end up on the list in the future, the God Realm will not let me off."