"You've been very attentive to Xiao San. I believe you can keep the pope in check."
"As for Zhou Tong, you don't need to worry. He can't even resolve the crisis with his own Martial Soul, so he'll never amount to anything."
"Leave him alive as a whetstone for Xiao San."
"With Xiao San's talent, he'll definitely be able to trample Zhou Tong underfoot one day."
At the mention of Zhou Tong, a trace of disdain tugged at Tang Hao's lips.
He believed that his son had inherited the Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul and was destined to become a Titled Douluo. Zhou Tong would be lucky to reach Soul King rank, and he wouldn't be able to strut around for much longer.
Keeping him around for his son to use as a trial would let him serve his greatest purpose.
Otherwise, if Xiao San couldn't even defeat this man, he'd never amount to anything. Getting revenge for Tang Hao would be nothing but a pipe dream.
"Don't worry. Xiao San is my hope for putting Martial Soul Theory into practice. I'll do everything in my power to protect him."
"If Bibi Dong dares to lay a hand on Xiao San, I'll give it everything I've got to destroy Spirit Hall!"
At those words, Tang Hao's cheerful expression froze, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
Yu Xiaogang had been perfectly fine just a moment ago. How had he suddenly started spouting such idiotic nonsense?
He couldn't be allowed to pull a stunt like that.
Yu Xiaogang, you need to know your place.
You're a level 29 Soul Grandmaster. Stop acting like a Titled Douluo and meddling in the affairs of colossal powers like Spirit Hall and the Empire.
Tang Hao was a Titled Douluo, and even he couldn't beat Spirit Hall. How could Yu Xiaogang, a mere level 29 Soul Grandmaster, even entertain the idea?
Was it that arrogant, overconfident nature he'd developed from being pampered since childhood?
Tang Hao was even a little worried that Yu Xiaogang might blurt out Xiao San's secret in a moment of impulse.
He hurriedly said, "Xiao San is still young and hasn't grown up yet. Be careful, Xiaogang. Don't reveal his connection to me. Just say he's an ordinary Soul Master you found in a village."
"Whatever you do, don't reveal Xiao San's background."
"Xiaogang, do you understand?"
Yu Xiaogang had nearly given Tang Hao a heart attack. He hurried to warn him not to do anything rash.
Yu Xiaogang nodded, seeming to understand. "Don't worry. I won't say anything."
Only then did Tang Hao breathe a sigh of relief, his mind at ease.
After that, he discussed a few precautions with Yu Xiaogang, then left.
Yu Xiaogang gazed at the empty study, a trace of disdain on his face.
"Zhou Tong, Xiao San has Twin Martial Souls. His future achievements will definitely surpass yours."
"Losing to you now is only because he hasn't unlocked his potential."
"You only have one Martial Soul, after all. Xiao San's Second Martial Soul is the Clear Sky Hammer, the greatest tool-type Martial Soul under heaven. You're destined to be Xiao San's stepping stone."
Zhou Tong had dared to make him impotent. One day, Yu Xiaogang would repay him tenfold, a hundredfold.
With Xiao San's talent and background, as long as he grew up without a hitch, he was destined to become a Titled Douluo.
That was the confidence behind Yu Xiaogang's plans for revenge.
Thinking of Tang San wielding both Blue Silver Grass and the Clear Sky Hammer in the future, with nine Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings on his body, Yu Xiaogang couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from rising.
Xiao San, make me proud.
Let your master raise you into a Titled Douluo.
Then we'll finally be able to hold our heads high.
"Whether my theories earn the recognition of the entire continent rests on you."
Yu Xiaogang wiped the anger from his face, left the dormitory, and saw Xiao San looking somewhat dejected.
A month had passed, and he still hadn't emerged from the gloom.
Because he'd lost his match against Zhou Tong, Xiao Wu resented him, and his classmates looked down on him.
The fact that he'd used Hidden Weapons to launch a sneak attack was not only against the rules, but also downright despicable. It had earned him the contempt of many classmates.
And he, a dignified bearer of Twin Martial Souls and a Tang Sect disciple with more than twenty years of life experience, had actually lost to a child.
Tang San felt terribly frustrated.
"Xiao San, you don't need to be upset. Your strength lies in the future—in your Twin Martial Souls."
"Twin Martial Souls?"
Tang San was stunned.
"That's right. Twin Martial Souls are far stronger than a single Martial Soul."
"Blue Silver Grass is just a stopgap. Your focus in the future should be the Clear Sky Hammer."
"That is, once you've attached nine Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings to the Clear Sky Hammer, you'll be the most powerful Soul Master in history."
"Winning or losing now doesn't matter. You're destined to become a Titled Douluo. Zhou Tong won't even be able to see your back."
At those words, Tang San nodded solemnly.
That made sense.
Tang San couldn't beat him now only because Blue Silver Grass was useless. Once he started cultivating the Clear Sky Hammer, Zhou Tong would surely become a defeated foe.
At that thought, Tang San's heart immediately warmed.
Sooner or later, Zhou Tong would become Tang San's stepping stone. He'd dared to steal his Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges—he deserved to die.
At last, the appointed day arrived.
The team led by Pope Bibi Dong arrived at the Spirit Hall Branch in Nuoding City.
Zhou Tong discovered that the day before Bibi Dong arrived, Tang San had been spirited away by Tang Hao to another city.
He knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Over the past few days, he'd pored over every map of the area around Nuoding City and finally found the location of Holy Soul Village.
He'd even spotted several valleys on the map that might be where Tang Hao had hidden Ah Yin's Soul Bone.
After all, terrain that distinctive wasn't common. It was easy enough to find.
If he searched carefully, he should be able to find it.
Still, Zhou Tong felt there was something suspicious about Tang Hao and Ah Yin's love.
What normal person would lock their seriously injured wife in a lightless prison, preventing her from recovering?
Words could deceive, but actions couldn't.
Tang Hao boasted about how much he loved Ah Yin, but that one act had exposed everything.
He only loved Ah Yin's Soul Bone and bloodline.
In Tang Hao's hands, Ah Yin was just a tool—a Soul Beast he could use, then drain dry.
After all, if you truly loved someone, you'd want Ah Yin to recover as quickly as possible after being injured. You wouldn't lock the Blue Silver Emperor in a sunless cave, where she couldn't bask in the light and heal.
Tang Hao's actions showed that he was keeping Ah Yin under guard like a prisoner, afraid she'd discover the truth once she recovered her strength.
Not long after, Zhou Tong set off on his search for the valley, carrying some gear.
After half a day of travel, he reached Holy Soul Village and finally found one of its valleys.
After feeling his way around and confirming that this was the valley where Ah Yin and the hundred-thousand-year Soul Bone were hidden, he went straight through the waterfall and into the cave.
The cave was dark and damp. Not a sliver of sunlight could reach inside.
Looking at this lightless prison, Zhou Tong wanted to ask the Blue Silver Emperor, Ah Yin, to her face:
Was abandoning the Blue Silver Grass Clan really for the sake of this so-called love?
Was the end of her love with Tang Hao really sacrifice, bone extraction, the loss of her bloodline, being drained dry, and finally becoming a puppet of the Tang family?
Zhou Tong couldn't understand the world of people blinded by love.
No wonder this was a continent of lovesick fools. Not a single Soul Beast on Douluo Continent had a normal brain.
They had power, but no sense, and people used love as an excuse to drain them dry.
With intelligence like theirs, losing to humans and nearly going extinct was only what they deserved!
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