Epilogue

Not to mention how those factions intended to maneuver amid the surging undercurrents of the era.

At this moment, Spirit Hall's army had only just left the Clear Sky Sect's grounds—no, the former site—when they ran head-on into a team of Soul Masters.

The team's leader wore the robes of a Spirit Hall Platinum Bishop. He was Salas, the Soul Douluo who normally guarded Spirit Hall's Heaven Dou Sacred Hall.

Because the Clear Sky Sect was relatively close to the Heaven Dou Empire, Salas had already led a team of Spirit Hall Soul Masters over to provide support before Spirit Hall marched on the Clear Sky Sect.

However, Bibi Dong had not brought him along at the time. Instead, she had him remain outside the Clear Sky Sect as a precaution. If the operation went poorly and a full-scale battle broke out at any moment, he could block the way outside and kill every Hammer Man he saw.

Now that the operation had ended perfectly and everything had been settled, Salas had spent most of the day idling outside. Though he could not help feeling somewhat frustrated, he still came over to bid Bibi Dong farewell before preparing to lead his men straight back to Heaven Dou City.

Just as Salas and his group turned to leave, Bibi Dong seemed to suddenly recall something and called Salas back.

"Bishop Salas, aren't you still short-handed over at the Heaven Dou City Spirit Hall Temple? Take the Strength Clan with you for now."

"Ah?"

Salas froze.

Bibi Dong said no more. She immediately waved her hand, having Spirit Hall's army spread apart and allowing the entire Strength Clan to come before the army.

"Three Soul Sages, along with some Soul Emperors and Soul Kings, plus one Soul Ancestor with decent potential. The rest are all Soul Masters with Mighty Ape martial souls that can barely reach the threshold of top-tier martial souls."

"These several hundred people should be enough to greatly strengthen your Spirit Hall Temple, right?"

"Enough, absolutely enough!"

By then, Salas had come to his senses, his face lighting up with delight.

Soon afterward, a Red Bishop appointed by Bibi Dong entered the Strength Clan and explained several matters to them. Before long, the new clan head, Tainuo, led his clansmen out of Spirit Hall's army and took their place behind Salas.

After a brief discussion, Salas bid Bibi Dong farewell once more before leading the Strength Clan away.

This would undoubtedly cause another stir in Heaven Dou City, but that was a matter for later.

As Bibi Dong watched the Strength Clan depart, she issued orders for the army to continue marching while quietly mulling things over.

Originally, in the plan Wang Zhao had discussed with her that night, the Breaking Clan and Defense Clan each specialized in their own fields and complemented one another. They might even bring other surprises to Spirit Hall, so they had to be brought under their control as an important foundation for the future.

As for the Strength Clan, they might be too loyal to the Clear Sky Sect. It would have been better to wipe them out entirely; Spirit Hall had no shortage of Mighty Apes.

Now that the Strength Clan had unexpectedly been subdued, Bibi Dong had not had any particularly good plans for them anyway. Since Salas happened to be short-handed, she simply sent them out with him.

Once they reached Spirit City, the Speed Clan's situation would be more or less the same, since no one had expected they could subdue the Speed Clan either.

However, the Speed Clan did not need to be entirely dispatched elsewhere like the Strength Clan. At the very least, their direct line could remain in Spirit City for training.

It could also be considered an answer to Bai He's request before he left...

Thinking this far, Bibi Dong suddenly recalled the only somewhat strange thing Wang Zhao had said that night—

"Sister Dong'er, I heard that among the Four Single-Attribute Clans, the Speed Clan is the poorest. The Clear Sky Sect was unable to help much in that regard, while the Breaking Clan provided them with considerable assistance."

"Therefore, whenever the Breaking Clan needs special and rare medicinal ingredients for refining medicine, the Speed Clan helps search for them. They may have kept some for themselves within the clan."

"As it happens, I'm rather interested in the world's rare treasures and exotic herbs. If Spirit Hall ends up destroying the Speed Clan, Sister Dong'er, please let me take a look at the supplies seized from them."

"Why don't you just speak with the Breaking Clan afterward?"

Bibi Dong had asked in confusion.

Wang Zhao had merely answered vaguely:

"By then, the Breaking Clan may be one of our own. With my half-baked knowledge of herbs, I'd better not go causing them trouble."

"As for discussing it, we can wait until later."

"..."

Thus, while seated in her carriage during the march, Bibi Dong spread open her right hand, revealing a deep-blue gemstone in her palm.

It was the Storage Soul Tool Bai He had handed over before leaving.

A woman's intuition...

Bibi Dong could sense that Wang Zhao had not merely mentioned it in passing that night. It seemed he had deliberately brought up the Speed Clan's possessions.

But no matter how clever Wang Zhao was, he could not possibly know exactly what priceless treasures the Speed Clan possessed, could he?

Could it be a coincidence?

Bibi Dong could not figure it out. In the end, she thought to herself:

Forget it. Let that boy do whatever he wants...

I've been his teacher for over a year now, yet I've never properly given him any meaningful gift. Once we return to Spirit City, I'll simply give him this Soul Tool and everything inside it.

Spirit City.

"Take care, old sir~"

In the courtyard, Wang Zhao watched the golden light vanish into the distance and smiled faintly.

By now, Bibi Dong should be returning in triumph with the army...

With that thought, Wang Zhao walked over to the stone table and sat down, picking up his fruit juice and draining it in one gulp.

The events of recent days flashed past his eyes in an instant. It all had to begin with Qian Daoliu's sudden visit that day—

"Young friend, shall we have a chat?"

That day, Wang Zhao had been seeing Bibi Dong off as she led the army out on campaign when a strange uncle suddenly appeared beside him... no, a strange grandpa.

"Grandpa, who are you?"

At the time, Wang Zhao's face had been filled with innocent naivety.

Yet Qian Daoliu quickly exposed him without mercy.

Wang Zhao might have been able to fool Bibi Dong, that "youngster" in his eyes, but trying to fool an old monster like him? What a joke.

After being exposed, Wang Zhao did not panic, because he had been prepared for it. He had also formed some guesses about Qian Daoliu, whose identity he believed had not been revealed. Thus, he casually unveiled his "true" side—

Precocious and perceptive, feigning maturity, with a faint trace of pride that was difficult to conceal.

It suited the persona of a child prodigy.

After that, Qian Daoliu did not press further. Instead, he chatted with Wang Zhao as though humoring a child, occasionally smiling and agreeing with him.

Wang Zhao did not mind. Before long, he "enthusiastically" pulled this stranger he had just met, Qian Daoliu, into playing one of his usual "games"—Go.

Of course, this Go did not have a proper board with nineteen lines running each way and 361 intersections.

It was merely a rough model of a Go board, drawn with a few casual horizontal and vertical lines and an approximate border.

Why did he do this?

For no particular reason.

It was simply that, while spending time with Qian Renxue, Wang Zhao had always been prepared for the possibility that Qian Daoliu might suddenly come looking for him one day.

He had also kept thinking about how he should face Qian Daoliu when that time came.

In the end, his decision was...

Friendliness, and acting as usual.