The Three Great Clans

"Sixth Elder, your own sect doesn't seem to agree with you."

"The sect master and the others really have gone into seclusion. It was arranged in a hurry, so not many people know."

Qian Xunji was about to continue when two coughs interrupted him.

He turned and saw Bibi Dong looking at him.

Bibi Dong had been waiting impatiently beside him. She had wanted to take revenge on the Clear Sky Sect for some time, but she had held back from speaking first to maintain her dignity as Pope. Now Qian Xunji showed no sign of stopping.

"Sixth Elder! In light of your help in punishing Tang Hao's accomplices, I'll give you one last chance! Where are Tang Zhong and the others?"

Overwhelming pressure surged toward the Sixth Elder.

"Your Holiness, they truly are in seclusion!"

The Sixth Elder had already made up his mind to hold them off even if it killed him. If the sect master and the others reached the reserve territory, his death would be worth it!

"Hmph!" Bibi Dong gave a soft snort.

The next moment, an arm was thrown in front of her.

What was this?

Then a vast crowd of flying-type soul masters appeared above the Clear Sky Sect. At their head, several soul masters with formidable auras walked through the air.

Sect Master Tang Zhong stood among them, his face filled with despair.

Every one of the flying-type soul masters held several Clear Sky Sect disciples captive.

Even Tang Xiao and the Seventh Elder were in the grip of a silver-haired youth whose hair fell to his shoulders. He looked seventeen or eighteen, and they dangled from his hands like dead dogs.

A trace of childish, careless amusement lingered on the youth's face.

Bibi Dong waved a hand, and the soul masters behind her threw down the Clear Sky Sect disciples they held.

Tang Xiao and the Seventh Elder landed right beside the Sixth Elder's feet.

"Seventh Brother! Xiao!"

The Sixth Elder's eyes bulged with rage.

Tang Zhong flew over to the Sixth Elder, his face dark.

Yue Guan flew to Bibi Dong and bowed.

"Your Holiness, we apprehended 424 Clear Sky Sect suspects attempting to flee justice, including Sect Master Tang Zhong, six elders, and Tang Hao's elder brother, Tang Xiao."

"Tang Xiao and Seventh Elder Tang Lie tried to resist. We were forced to fight back, severing one arm from each of them before subduing them."

"We also removed this sixty-thousand-year soul bone from Tang Xiao's arm."

"Among their party, we found other soul bones they were carrying: one thirty-thousand-year soul bone and six thousand-year soul bones. Please inspect them, Your Holiness."

"Mm. Well done."

Bibi Dong glanced at them and nodded, then turned to the Sixth Elder.

"Sixth Elder, how do you explain this?"

"Well..." The Sixth Elder's face darkened, and he had no answer. At first, he might have fought Spirit Hall to the death. After all, those left behind were only the Clear Sky Sect's elderly, weak, and sick, along with servants from its subordinate clans.

But now Spirit Hall held the entire Clear Sky Sect in its grasp. If they fought, the whole sect might be wiped out.

Tang Zhong took a deep breath, then bowed stiffly to Bibi Dong.

"Your Holiness, the Sixth Elder truly knew nothing of our plan to relocate the sect."

"Fine. I'll take your word for it. Relocating the Clear Sky Sect is your internal affair, and Spirit Hall should not interfere. But you knew Spirit Hall was about to hold the sect accountable. Why relocate now? Isn't that fleeing justice?"

"Didn't the Papal Decree I issued state that no one was to leave the Clear Sky Sect before Spirit Hall called you to account?"

"Yes, Your Holiness. It did."

Cold sweat streamed down Tang Zhong's face. It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to resist. On the way to the reserve territory, when they first encountered this group from Spirit Hall, he had sensed the Soul Power of at least five Titled Douluo among them, including several who felt like Super Douluo.

Xiao, who had reached level 91, and the Seventh Elder had ignored his orders and charged in. A crocodile tail had sent Xiao flying back in an instant and cost him an arm. The Seventh Elder had suffered the same fate.

Other Clear Sky Sect disciples who tried to resist had been killed outright.

So Tang Zhong had no choice but to return obediently with Spirit Hall's people.

He could only hope Spirit Hall would not dare outrage the entire world by suddenly destroying the world's foremost sect.

After all, Spirit Hall did not completely dominate the world. The two great empires, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan could all keep it in check.

As long as they lived, there was hope. Once Hao grew stronger, or his father returned, there would still be hope.

"Then why did you flee with your sect in the middle of the night? Isn't that fleeing justice?"

"Please forgive us, Your Holiness. The Clear Sky Sect truly cannot afford such compensation, so we had no choice but to relocate and withdraw from the world."

"You mean Spirit Hall's demands were unreasonable, so you ran without even trying to negotiate?"

"I wouldn't dare say that. I sent the Sixth Elder to discuss compensation with Your Holiness. He has full authority to handle it."

"Enough excuses. You tried to flee justice. That is a fact!"

"You sheltered the fugitive Tang Hao! You fled justice and abandoned your clansmen! You showed disrespect to Spirit Hall and put the lives of people across the continent at risk!"

"Such conduct is disloyal, unfilial, cruel, and dishonorable!"

Tang Zhong gritted his teeth but said nothing.

The countless people who had just been thrown down erupted in anger.

"Sect Master! Let's fight them!"

"We'll take them down with us!"

"Ancestor Tang Chen won't let them get away with this!"

"How dare you defy Spirit Hall's enforcement of the law!"

"Any Clear Sky clansmen or members of the subordinate clans who mean to do right and refuse to shield Tang Hao—act now! Seize them!"

Some of the Clear Sky clansmen who had been abandoned wavered. Others were tempted.

They had already been cast aside. The Clear Sky Sect had betrayed them first. Did they still owe it any loyalty?

Besides, their low strength and poor talent had always earned them contempt within the sect.

For all the Clear Sky Sect's talk of protecting its own and standing united, its members were mostly thickheaded brutes. Strength ruled within the sect, and bullying was common.

They had only been a little better off than members of the subordinate clans.

Even so, they hesitated to act. The sect master was still right there, and they couldn't beat those talented disciples anyway!

The members of the three great clans hesitated too. They couldn't beat the Clear Sky Sect, and Tang Zhong was a level-95 Titled Douluo. Even weakened by illness, he was not someone they could afford to provoke.

Just then, Yang Wudi, who was still watching, heard a voice.

"Yang Wudi, if you lead the capture of the Clear Sky clansmen who were just brought back and take the lead in joining Spirit Hall, I'll give you Aromatic Silk Beauty and guarantee your clansmen's safety."

Yang Wudi started. Who was sending him this message? Shocked and bewildered, he looked up at the people from Spirit Hall. The Eighth Worshipper, Yang Tian, winked at him.

He stared hard at Qian Xunji, searching for an answer, wanting to know whether the offer was real. All the while, he wrestled with himself.

"What are you waiting for? I swear in the name of the angels: this is the Breaking Clan's last chance! Take the lead and seize them now!"

At last, Yang Wudi gritted his teeth.

"Breaking Clan, heed my order! Seize every Clear Sky Sect member who just tried to flee justice! Kill anyone who disobeys!"

"Old Goat! What are you saying?!"

"Old Goat! Have you forgotten our old ties?!"

Niu Gao stared at Yang Wudi in shock.

"My ties with the Clear Sky Sect are severed!"