The Tang Sect Tang San Had Just Ruined! Had They Misunderstood Their Ancestor's Path?!

Tang Qi strode toward the Mandala Snake, which was bound and suspended in midair.

With every step he took, a wooden stair formed from Blue Silver Grass appeared beneath his foot. The steps rose one after another like a tower climbing into the heavens, extending toward the snake.

By the time Tang Ya recovered from her shock, Tang Qi stood in midair with his hands behind his back, staring the Mandala Snake in the eyes.

Seeing him come right up to it for such a "tender" gaze, the Mandala Snake flew into a rage. It opened its jaws wide and spat a cloud of pink poison mist.

"Look out!" Tang Ya cried.

But the next moment, she froze. Her beautiful eyes widened, disbelief written all over her face.

Tang Qi did not dodge the oncoming mist. Instead, he inhaled deeply, then smacked his lips.

"Sweet."

Bei Bei sat on his knees, staring slack-jawed at the impossible sight. The corners of his mouth twitched. "Is this guy... really human?"

The Mandala Snake, meanwhile, looked ready to cry. Its entire body trembled.

"What a pity."

Tang Qi shook his head and sighed. "Poison at your level isn't enough to poison me."

The Mandala Snake's paltry venom was crushed like a roadside worm by the vast vitality within his body.

"You sprayed Uncle Qi with sweet breath, and Uncle Qi liked that. But Uncle Qi didn't like the way you breathed in his face."

Tang Qi paused, raised one finger toward the sky, and said gravely, "Those two things cancel out, so I'll send you to meet the Sea God. He can teach you what humility means!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Qi raised his left hand high.

A small, pitch-black hammer appeared out of thin air and swelled in the wind.

Dark-red markings of the Asura God intertwined with purple-black markings of destruction across its head, radiating a terrifying aura that silenced all things.

"The Clear Sky Hammer! He has Twin Martial Souls?!" Bei Bei's pupils contracted, and he cried out.

Blue Silver Grass and the Clear Sky Hammer.

Tang Ya's dull eyes suddenly widened.

She jerked her head up and stared at the Clear Sky Hammer in Tang Qi's left hand, her breathing quickening.

Weren't those exactly the same as their ancestor's?

Blue Silver Grass. The Clear Sky Hammer.

"Perfect. I'll test my Clear Sky Nine Absolutes on you."

Tang Qi hefted the hammer and gave the Mandala Snake, now limp with terror, an exceedingly "merciful" smile. "Don't worry. I'll be gentle."

"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes: Penetration Character Art!"

Tang Qi gave a low shout, braced his stance, and gripped the hammer handle in his left hand. Gathering all his strength into one point, he was about to drive it forward.

"Sorry... wait!"

A woman's urgent voice rang out.

Tang Qi stopped and forcibly held back his attack. Frowning, he turned toward Tang Ya. "What is it?"

Tang Ya stammered, "Um... could you leave this Soul Beast to me? I just reached level thirty, and I need a third Soul Ring..."

Afraid he would refuse, she clasped her hands together and looked at him pleadingly. "Please, please?"

Tang Qi was the one left stunned.

That couldn't be right.

He looked Tang Ya up and down, then asked, "You're from the Tang Sect, aren't you? Your Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, too. Why would you want to absorb this Mandala Snake?"

"How did you know I'm from the Tang Sect?" Tang Ya's eyes lit up. She leaned closer like a curious little cat.

Tang Qi glanced at the Hidden Weapons scattered across the ground and smiled faintly. "Who besides the Tang Sect still fiddles with this junk? As for how I knew you're a Blue Silver Grass Soul Master..."

He paused, his gaze settling meaningfully on Tang Ya. "You should be able to feel it yourself."

A blush crossed Tang Ya's face. The restlessness she had suppressed surged up again.

What's with this strange urge to submit? He is pretty handsome, and his Martial Soul suits the Tang Sect so well. Maybe...

Ahhh—!

Tang Ya, what on earth are you thinking?!

The more she thought about it, the more excited she became. The corners of her mouth rose beyond her control, and the look she gave Tang Qi gradually turned lovestruck.

Hehe... the Tang Sect will rise! The Tang Sect will rise again!

"Hey! What are you grinning about?"

The way she stared at him made Tang Qi's skin crawl. He frowned.

Tang Ya snapped back to herself and instinctively wiped the corner of her mouth.

She cautiously looked up at Tang Qi, met his scrutinizing gaze, and flushed bright red. Lowering her head shyly, she murmured, "N-nothing..."

Beside them, Bei Bei watched in silence, his feelings churning.

He had never seen Tang Ya act like this.

Please, no! Xiaoya getting shy around someone else? Don't let that happen!

Why is Tang Ya acting so silly?!

"You still haven't answered my question."

"Question?"

Tang Ya tilted her head blankly, then caught on. "Oh! You mean why I chose this Mandala Snake for my third Soul Ring? It's a tradition passed down from our Tang Sect ancestor!"

Tradition?

If Tang Qi had been confused before, he was even more baffled now.

In the original story, Tang San had followed a poison-based path to godhood. He could understand Tang Sect disciples imitating him by absorbing Mandala Snakes and Man Faced Demon Spiders.

But the Tang San of this world had clearly followed the orthodox Blue Silver path of life. Why wasn't the Tang Sect following that?

Poison and life were opposites to some extent. Even if the Tang Sect wanted to blaze a different trail, surely it would not stray this far?

And if they wanted to use poison, couldn't they absorb poison-type plant Soul Rings?

Had Haji San done this on purpose?!

When he remained silent, Tang Ya waved a hand in front of his face. "What's wrong?"

Tang Qi shook his head. "Nothing. I'm just wondering why your Tang Sect pairs its Soul Rings this way."

Tang Ya smiled, a hint of pride on her face. "You wouldn't know this. When our ancestor ascended to the Divine Realm, he didn't leave us a method for cultivating Blue Silver Grass. The poison-based path we use now was taught to the Tang Sect by Yu Xiaogang, the Master of the God himself!"

Gangzi?!

He's teaching people now?

"There are no useless Martial Souls, only useless Soul Masters." He managed to insult himself twice in one sentence.

And lucky Tang Sect, getting taught by Gangzi!

Tang Qi kept his expression composed and feigned a keen interest in the Tang Sect.

"And then?"

Delighted to have found a kindred spirit, Tang Ya launched into an eager explanation.

By the time Tang Ya finished, Tang Qi finally understood how the Tang Sect had managed to take the wrong path despite having Tang San as an example.

Back then, Tang San had been in a hurry to revive his loved ones. He had ascended to the Divine Realm so hastily that he left the Tang Sect no systematic inheritance.

Out of reverence for their ancestor, later generations of the Tang Sect had always chosen Blue Silver Grass Soul Masters as sect leaders.

But without their ancestor's orthodox teachings, what were they supposed to do? Cultivate like other plant-type Soul Masters?

That was when Yu Xiaogang, the Master of the God—the great Teacher Gangzi—made his dazzling entrance!

He had always resented Tang San for not adopting his Ten Core Competencies of Martial Soul. At last, he had found a chance to show off.

The other powers knew perfectly well what Yu Xiaogang was worth. But they feared the Tang Sect becoming a second Spirit Hall even more, so they were happy to watch him blunder. Some even quietly encouraged him.

After all, even with Tang San ascended to the Divine Realm, the Tang Sect still had the "Eight" Shrek Monsters to hold the fort, not to mention its endless Hidden Weapons. What power could stand against it?

A half-dead Tang Sect was the best kind of Tang Sect!

After Spirit Hall's fall, all manner of obscure Reclusive Sects emerged as well, flocking to pay tribute to the Tang Sect, the continent's "new father."

Strange secret arts appeared one after another. Yu Xiaogang cared nothing for whether they violated human ethics. Using the Tang Sect's vast resources and consuming countless rare treasures, he finally forced one disciple's cultivation all the way to Titled Douluo.

From then on, everyone in the Tang Sect believed wholeheartedly in Yu Xiaogang's "poison-based path." Even ten thousand years later, with the sect on the brink of extinction, they still treated it as sacred doctrine.