Elder Ling thoroughly filtered the Spiritual Power that had lost the Sea God's control, using it to help Tang Li expand his Spirit Sea.
Even the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, a Soul Beast, could do this. For Elder Ling, the Plane Will, it was child's play.
In a few swift moves, he turned Tang San's means of control into a genuine gift.
"Heh, heh, heh! Tang San, so this day has come for you too. Weren't your schemes supposed to account for everything? Just wait. This time, I'll make sure you lose everything you've staked! Heh, heh, heh!"
When Tang San discovered he had lost both his daughter and his forces, and that ten thousand years of scheming had only woven another man's wedding clothes, the look on his face would be priceless!
At the thought, Elder Ling couldn't help letting out a villainous laugh.
It was a pity he probably wouldn't live to see it. But when the time came, he could ask young Tang Li to record it and burn the recording as an offering to him. Then he could die without regrets!
Meanwhile, Tang Li was studying the Mysterious Heaven Skill Tang San had "given" him. This was the original version, with the Miraculous Meridians still intact, not the abridged version the Tang Sect had now. Tang San had used it countless times to defeat opponents above his level.
In the original story Tang Li had read, no technique on the Douluo Plane surpassed the Mysterious Heaven Skill. Tang San himself had called it an authentic Taoist Method. The Soul Power it cultivated was inexhaustible and immensely robust, and reaching its ninth level could even produce the vision of Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown.
To Tang Li, it was certainly far more advanced than the Meditation Method of unknown origin in his father's study. Unfortunately, Tang San had placed a restriction in the imprint. Although it had been refined away now, passing the skill to Tang Wulin would give the game away.
He would have to wait for Tang San to teach Tang Wulin himself.
At that thought, the corners of Tang Li's mouth lifted. Little Wulin, this opportunity is too much for you to handle just yet. I'll test the waters for you first.
After today's chance encounter, Tang Li's Spiritual Power had surged. He estimated it had at least reached the peak of the Spirit Origin Realm.
With the help of Spiritual Power that had grown far stronger, Tang Li soon abandoned his old Meditation Method and began cultivating the Mysterious Heaven Skill instead.
As he felt Soul Power flow through the deeply hidden meridians within him, comfort spread through his entire body.
Once Elder Ling confirmed that Tang San's methods would leave no lingering effects, he drifted out of Tang Li's Spirit Sea.
The mere thought of returning to face that brute, who kept trying to seize his authority, made Elder Ling's balls ache.
But seeing Tang San suffer a setback today had put him in a rare good mood...
Within a small world awash with color, Elder Ling's true body watched Tang Li cultivate in Hongshan District of Aolai City, satisfaction plain in his eyes.
"The little fellow is wary indeed. But that's good. With a temperament like that, he can grow quickly. I can't hold on much longer!"
Sensing the immense, domineering black power invading the colorful little world, Elder Ling frowned. His expression returned to stillness. He pressed his palms together, then slowly parted them, revealing a Chaotic Residual Flame composed of countless colors. It shielded the world around him.
The black power battered the colorful little world that represented the Plane Core. Elder Ling used the Fire of Chaos to protect the crucial Qi Luck and Death Authority, holding the black power at bay.
"Old fool! Hand over the Universe Core Fragment, and I may yet spare your life!"
A roar rang out. Then a huge dark-gold hammer hurtled toward the colorful little world, carrying what seemed to be the weight of an entire world.
Elder Ling paid the impact no mind. As long as the Abyss Plane's encroachment on Douluo grew no worse, they would remain locked in this stalemate.
But he knew Sea God Tang San had surely made arrangements to draw the Abyssal Sage King into encroaching further on the Douluo Plane. Fortunately, Elder Ling had already found outside help.
"In your dreams! I'd sooner destroy it than hand it over to you!"
Elder Ling growled. The Chaotic Residual Flame in his hands blazed with even more brilliant colors, keeping every attack firmly outside.
If Tang Li had been there, he would have recognized the remnant flame in Elder Ling's hands as having the same source as the wisp Elder Ling had just given him. It was the "Universe Core Fragment" the hammer-wielding invader had spoken of!
Back in the room, Tang Li remained immersed in the feeling of growing stronger through cultivation. He failed to notice that something was terribly wrong with his older sister—
Tang Wulin's body, half a head taller than those of her peers, twisted on the bed. Her skin had turned faintly red, and wisps of steam rose from her. Her body temperature was clearly too high!
At the same time, her flushed skin gradually became translucent. The meridians beneath it flickered into view, and blood could be faintly seen flowing through them. It was moving at least three times faster than normal, with a faint golden light coursing through her vessels as well!
The golden marking between her brows appeared again. It was not a Golden Trident, but a golden dragon pattern that radiated ferocity and savage rage.
The golden pattern spread like a net from her forehead until it covered Wulin's entire body, then slowly faded. After this happened three times, Tang Wulin's bones suddenly began to crackle.
Sweat poured from her overheated body like rain, soon soaking her clothes and the bedsheets.
After the strange phenomenon repeated several more times, it finally ceased. Everything fell still. Her temperature and skin returned to normal, and the golden pattern vanished without a trace, as though it had never existed.
Yet none of it disturbed Tang Wulin. The little girl slept more deeply than ever.
In her dream, she found herself on a vast grassland filled with Blue Silver Grass. Dreamlike points of blue-gold light floated around her. Wherever she went, the surrounding Blue Silver Grass bowed its stems like guards paying homage to a princess.
Then an imperious dragon's roar sounded from the sky. It brimmed with murderous intent and savage fury, as though it held a grudge against the entire world.
Tang Wulin looked up curiously. The sky was not blue. A dense layer of gold covered it, threaded with flowing scarlet patterns like blood that made it look all the more sinister.
As she tried to find the source of the roar, a gigantic golden figure descended like a comet, bringing wrath that would destroy everything. The beautiful blue-gold world crumbled into burnt dust and ash.
Tang Wulin could only stand there and watch, unable to do a thing. Fierce gold-red light swept across heaven and earth. Her vision grew ever blurrier, and even straining with all her might, she saw only a huge golden dragon claw swinging toward her!
The claw was as vast as a mountain. Hideous and domineering, it smashed everything around it with brute force capable of destroying all things—including her...
"Ah—" Tang Wulin cried out and sat bolt upright. Only then did she realize she was covered in sticky sweat and felt unbearably uncomfortable.
"Was that... a nightmare?"
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