Seven Treasure and Blue Lightning, No More!

The Heaven Dou Empire's imperial palace.

Xue Ye, Thunder Douluo, Ning Fengzhi, and the others had gathered to discuss a matter of grave importance.

Every Soul Master knew Spirit Hall's ambitions.

Now that Bai Ye had appeared with support abilities that defied belief, anyone could guess what Spirit Hall would do next.

And they had failed to kill him.

Neither Thunder Douluo nor Xue Ye had witnessed Bai Ye's astonishing abilities firsthand, but both now believed everything Ning Fengzhi had told them.

Besides, they had already committed themselves. Whether they liked it or not, they had to stand together.

They had tried to kill the Spirit Hall Holy Son and failed. None of their sects could withstand Spirit Hall's wrath alone.

After all, Spirit Hall had forced even the Clear Sky Sect, once the strongest sect in the world, into hiding.

As they spoke, news arrived that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had been destroyed. Spirit Hall itself had spread the word.

Ning Fengzhi went pale. In an instant, he seemed to age decades.

He had braced himself for this, yet the blow was still more than he could bear.

Spirit Hall had shown no mercy.

"Spirit Hall, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will never forgive you!" Ning Fengzhi's eyes were bloodshot. At the same time, he was grateful for the decision he had made before leaving.

If he had not sent Sword Douluo and Ning Rongrong away, the consequences would have been even harder to bear.

Xue Ye and Thunder Douluo looked grim as well.

Thunder Douluo most of all. The fates of the Clear Sky Sect and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect were warnings enough. As head of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he had already attacked the Spirit Hall Holy Son. Why would Spirit Hall spare his clan?

Panic seized him. Ignoring his injuries and the discussion, he moved to leave and make arrangements.

He was the clan's only Titled Douluo. If Spirit Hall attacked while he was away, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan would surely meet the same end as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Thunder Douluo left without another word.

Xue Ye and Ning Fengzhi understood and did not stop him. Their discussion had already reached a conclusion.

They would join forces with the Clear Sky Sect and Star Luo Empire to fight Spirit Hall, launching a war before Bai Ye could grow stronger.

As for a justification?

With death closing in, who cared?

To show his sincerity, Xue Ye immediately set out for the Star Luo Empire.

Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo would first visit the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect alone could not persuade the Clear Sky Sect to emerge from hiding.

After all, neither he nor the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had helped the Clear Sky Sect back then.

The Upper Three Sects stood together?

Ha!

They called themselves brothers when they needed help, then pretended not to hear when anyone called back.

It would be difficult, but they had to try. Without the Clear Sky Sect, resisting Spirit Hall would be all but impossible.

Their movements could not escape Xue Qinghe's notice. As crown prince, he had been in the council hall moments ago.

Once he knew, Spirit Hall knew.

The Papal Hall.

Bibi Dong received word from Xue Qinghe. Ning Fengzhi and the others' plans did not concern her. To her, they were a rabble offering her a chance to wipe them all out at once.

"If they want war, they can have it." Bibi Dong's expression remained calm. "It's time to establish the Spirit Hall Empire."

Bibi Dong instructed Xue Qinghe to begin his operation and told him that failure would not matter.

Just then, Poison Douluo arrived.

He told Bibi Dong of Bai Ye's plan, and she gave it her full support. She immediately sent Poison Douluo back to protect Bai Ye alongside Chrysanthemum-Ghost Douluo, informing him of Ning Fengzhi and the others' movements as well.

"Your Holiness, can the three of us..." Poison Douluo's face was grave.

Ning Fengzhi and the others had failed once already. Even if they did not bring everyone next time, their Titled Douluo would surely all come.

If they faced only the wounded Sword Douluo, Bone Douluo, and Thunder Douluo, he was confident that, with Bai Ye's support, he, Yue Guan, and Gui Mei could gain the upper hand and keep Bai Ye safe.

But if the Clear Sky Sect's Titled Douluo joined in, the situation would turn dangerous.

"Don't worry. The Clear Sky Sect won't send anyone," Bibi Dong said evenly.

She had devoured the previous pope, Qian Xunji, but without Tang Hao's attack, she would never have had the chance. Qian Daoliu had become a father late in life. How could he let the Clear Sky Sect off?

Only his agreement with Tang Chen held him back: until he defeated Tang Chen, he would not enter the place where the Clear Sky Sect had withdrawn. Otherwise, he would have wiped out the entire sect years ago.

If the Clear Sky Sect emerged—or secretly sent people out—Qian Daoliu would act.

Besides, would the Clear Sky Sect wager its survival on Qian Daoliu keeping that agreement?

If they won, all would be well. If they lost, every last one of them would die.

They could not afford that gamble. Ning Fengzhi and the others had almost no hope of achieving their goal.

After making arrangements for his clan, Thunder Douluo Yu Yuanzhen accompanied Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo to the Clear Sky Sect.

The sect had withdrawn from the world, but that did not mean they did not know where to find it.

The Clear Sky Sect gave them a cold reception. Their claims were startling enough, however, that they were eventually brought into its council hall.

Ning Fengzhi came straight to the point.

"Sect Master Tang, what brings us here concerns the balance of power across the entire continent."

"Spirit Hall has recently named a Holy Son..."

Ning Fengzhi soon finished his account, but Tang Xiao and the others did not believe him.

"I might believe in a twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor. But four Soul Rings—two purple and two black? I don't believe it." The Seventh Elder sneered. He thought Ning Fengzhi was lying to drag the Clear Sky Sect into the conflict.

They did want to return to the world, but not like this.

"The Seventh Elder is right. That alone is outrageous, yet you also claim..."

"Everything Sect Master Ning said is true." Thunder Douluo stepped forward, his right arm gone. "Why else would we come together? I lost this arm in that battle."

"And I lost my left leg," Bone Douluo said, stepping forward as well.

His martial soul was a bone dragon with formidable defenses. Even so, he had lost a leg.

The council hall fell silent. Everyone in the Clear Sky Sect weighed the truth of their words.

"I'm afraid I can't agree," Tang Xiao said with a sigh, breaking the silence.

Ning Fengzhi, Yu Yuanzhen, and Bone Douluo looked stricken. Even after all they had said, he still refused.

Did he mean to wait until Spirit Hall picked them off one by one?

"It isn't that I doubt you. The Clear Sky Sect simply cannot emerge yet." Tang Xiao explained the matter between Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen.

"That's how things stand. As long as we remain on this mountain, Spirit Hall won't attack us. But if we descend..."

Tang Xiao left the sentence unfinished. Ning Fengzhi and the others understood. Their frustration gave way to despair.

A level ninety-nine Titled Douluo was fearsome enough on his own. With an enhancement, his strength would be more terrifying still.

Without the Clear Sky Sect, their forces were already too weak. If Qian Daoliu also entered the fight...

They might as well wait to die.

Ning Fengzhi and the others went ashen. None could see a way out.

If they went to war with Spirit Hall, how could Qian Daoliu, its former chief adjudicating elder, stand aside?

But if they did nothing and let Bai Ye grow stronger, they would meet a grim end anyway.

Under the crushing pressure, the faces of Ning Fengzhi, Yu Yuanzhen, and Bone Douluo twisted.

Only then did the elders believe Ning Fengzhi. That did not mean they sympathized. They had never forgotten what had happened years ago.

Without their ancestor's protection, they would not still be alive.

"No! We can't just sit here and wait to die!" Ning Fengzhi's expression turned frantic. "We can't wage war against Spirit Hall, but if we kill Bai Ye, we may yet survive. Only..."

He turned to Tang Xiao.

Tang Xiao understood at once. "Very well. If you kill him, you can come here to the Clear Sky Sect."

"Sect Master Tang, I have one more request. I want to send my daughter here." Ning Fengzhi was already making arrangements for her in case he died. They had only three Titled Douluo, all missing limbs. Killing Bai Ye with such a force would be no easy task.

At that moment, the Seventh Elder spoke. "Sect Master Ning, Clan Head Yu, you could simply join the Clear Sky Sect."

Ning Fengzhi and the others' expressions changed at once.

They wanted to swallow up their sect and clan!

Yet it was a path open to them. However reluctant they were, it might be their best choice.

But what would become of the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire?

The elders watched them struggle with the decision, unhurried smiles on their faces.

Refuse to join?

Then they could wait for Spirit Hall to kill them.

In the end, the two leaders decided to join the Clear Sky Sect.

They had one condition.

Bai Ye had to die.

If he lived, the Clear Sky Sect's future would be bleak too.

Tang Xiao and the others understood. They immediately began planning an operation they named the Saint-Hunting Operation.

They would not rush it.

Now that they had committed, they had to strike fast and hard, with no room for error. Sword-Bone Douluo and Thunder Douluo would all take part.

The Clear Sky Sect would send every one of its Titled Douluo as well.

They set the date for after the three injured Douluo had recovered.

After the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan disappeared, Spirit Hall announced that the seven great sects would be chosen anew in a year.

"I didn't expect them to join the Clear Sky Sect."

Bai Ye was surprised by the news, but not discouraged.

Revenge could wait.

Because of Qian Daoliu, he could not attack the Clear Sky Sect for now. Once Bibi Dong's influence or his own surpassed Qian Daoliu's, however, Qian Daoliu would no longer be able to stop them.

After all, they would also be avenging Qian Daoliu's son.

So Bai Ye focused on growing stronger.

Three months later, he reached level fifty.

"Tell my teacher the operation can begin."

Shrek Academy.

News spread that Bai Ye had reached level fifty.

"Young Master Ye, you're incredible." Zhu Zhuqing smiled, her cat ears twitching.

Lately, Zhu Zhuqing had pulled out every stop to get close to Bai Ye. She had even used Martial Soul Possession to turn herself into a catgirl.

The first time she transformed, Dai Mubai stared in a daze. Ma Hongjun and Oscar openly drooled.

Zhu Zhuqing was still young, but her figure had developed well, and the catgirl look added a charm of its own.

Even Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, master and disciple, had blushed at the sight of her.

"Mm." Bai Ye nodded slightly, his expression calm.

It was not that he felt nothing. He had to hold himself back for the sake of the hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring.

If Xiao Wu stopped loving him, how could she sacrifice herself for him?

He would not make that mistake.

Influenced by Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu had also become a bunny girl. Bai Ye behaved like a gentleman toward Zhu Zhuqing, and he did the same toward Xiao Wu.

Still, after spending so much time together, some physical contact was inevitable.

"Teacher, how does he level up so fast?" Tang San looked at Yu Xiaogang with wounded, watery eyes.

Yu Xiaogang was at a loss too, but then a possibility occurred to him.

"Xiao San, don't be discouraged. Remember what I told you about the Angel Martial Soul?" Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San and spoke softly enough that only he could hear.

"I remember. The Angel Martial Soul starts with twenty levels of Innate Soul Power, and after obtaining its first..." Tang San's eyes widened. "Teacher, you mean?"

"Exactly what you're thinking." Yu Xiaogang nodded. Master and disciple were now convinced that Bai Ye's martial soul was on the same level as the Angel Martial Soul. That was why he cultivated so quickly.

Level twenty at six. Level fifty at twelve.

Thirty levels in six years. Five levels a year.

"So he only cultivates quickly because of what he was born with. It's nothing remarkable," Yu Xiaogang said.

But his words had the opposite effect.

Tang San now knew why he had possessed Innate Full Soul Power.

If it was because of the Clear Sky Hammer, then everyone in the Clear Sky Sect should have Innate Full Soul Power, or close to it. But could that really be true?

If it were, how could Spirit Hall have driven the Clear Sky Sect into hiding?

His Innate Full Soul Power came from the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

Bai Ye, on the other hand, had been born with twenty levels of Soul Power because of his martial soul.

So true geniuses really do exist.

Even with my Twin Martial Souls, can I defeat him someday?

And even if I do, what would it prove? He's only a support Soul Master.

Tang San was lost. His faith in himself was on the verge of shattering.

Yu Xiaogang's expression changed sharply. Forgetting everyone else, he grabbed Tang San and pulled him away.

"Xiao Ye, do you want us to help you hunt a Soul Beast tomorrow?" Flender and Zhao Wuji approached Bai Ye with smiles.

"No need, Headmaster." Bai Ye smiled as he declined. Flender and Zhao Wuji did not press him; they had only come to offer.

"Xiao Wu, I'm going to hunt a Soul Beast tomorrow. Stay at the academy and train with everyone." Bai Ye gave her rabbit ears a gentle squeeze.

Xiao Wu blushed. "No. I want to go with you."

Bai Ye was delighted, but he feigned confusion. "I thought you didn't like seeing Soul Beasts hunted?"

Xiao Wu lowered her head. "It's okay."

"All right, then," Bai Ye said.

The next day, Poison Douluo appeared to protect Tang San and Xiao Wu as he took them to Sunset Forest.

They avoided Star Dou Forest, of course, because the Titan Giant Ape and the Sky Azure Bull Python were unpredictable.

If they went to Star Dou Forest, they would have to send Titled Douluo to hold those two back, taking on considerable risk.

Going to another forest meant they wouldn't have to.

They wouldn't need to fight Chrysanthemum Douluo, Poison Douluo, and Ghost Douluo. They only had to put on a show.

But Bai Ye had barely left when a man with only one arm and one leg arrived at Shrek Academy.

It was Tang Hao.