An understated yet luxurious carriage stopped at the rear gate of a secluded courtyard.
A woman wrapped tightly in a white cloak was helped out of the carriage by a trusted attendant, her steps somewhat unsteady.
She instructed the attendant to wait there, surveyed her surroundings, and entered the courtyard alone.
Inside the room, two men with extraordinary soul power auras sat in chairs. When they saw her enter and close the door, they hurried to their feet to question her.
"Little sister, what exactly happened?"
"You sent word that runic forging had emerged. We had only just dispatched people when you sent another message telling us to recall the disciples. What happened?"
The cloak came off, revealing Tang Yuehua's elegant, beautiful face. Her eyes were red and swollen, her voice somewhat hoarse, as though she had been crying for days on end.
The speaker was Tang Xiao. The moment Tang Yuehua saw him, she could no longer suppress the grief in her heart. She threw herself against him, wrapped her arms around him, and buried her head as she sobbed.
When she had been at her most lost, when life had been hardest, that man would take her into his arms without being asked, dream up ways to cheer her up, and stroke her head as he comforted her: "Stones from another mountain can polish jade."
But now, that man was gone.
At that thought, Tang Yuehua's grief became unbearable. Her hoarse sobs turned into wails, her shoulders shaking violently.
Tang Xiao glanced back at First Elder Tang Ming. Holding Tang Yuehua, he dared not move.
One was a rank ninety-five Titled Douluo, the other a rank ninety-three Titled Douluo. Though they had weathered countless storms, they were helpless at that moment, left to wait in bewilderment until she had vented her grief.
After a long while, Tang Yuehua's sobs softened, and her trembling shoulders gradually stilled.
She raised her head, her face like pear blossoms drenched in rain, still interrupted by occasional sobs.
Forcing herself to steady her emotions, she uttered a few words in a trembling, hoarse voice.
"Brother Hao is dead..."
"What?!"
Both Tang Xiao and Tang Ming found it impossible to believe. They wondered whether they had misheard her.
"...He died in Gengxin City. Brother Hao's... Brother Hao's corpse is still hanging in the square outside the Blacksmith Association!"
Tang Xiao seized her shoulders with both hands and asked again. His grip hurt Tang Yuehua, but she nodded and repeated herself. The heavy grief she had just managed to calm crept back across her face.
Tang Xiao froze, his hands falling away as though all strength had left them.
"Who could have killed him?!"
Tang Ming's voice rose as he voiced the question.
Though Tang Hao had been expelled from the Clear Sky Sect, he was the Clear Sky Douluo-the Clear Sky Douluo of this generation.
Back then, Qian Daoliu had hunted Tang Hao for months without managing to kill him. Who could have done it?
"Lou Gao?"
Tang Xiao recalled that somewhat hazy face, then quickly shook his head, rejecting the thought.
He believed Lou Gao could have created runic forging, but when they had left Gengxin City, Lou Gao had only been a Soul Emperor. No matter how hard he had cultivated over the years, he could not possibly have been Tang Hao's match.
Could it be... that the Blacksmith Association had another expert guarding it?
Someone capable of killing the Clear Sky Douluo... a Limit Douluo?
"...I don't know. No details of that battle have emerged. All we know is that it was someone within the Blacksmith Association."
Tang Xiao's heart jolted, his expression shifting uncertainly.
So it was true... Gengxin City had an expert. Recalling the disciples had been the right decision.
But was Brother Hao truly dead, just like that?
"Eldest brother, could you send someone to steal Brother Hao's body back...?"
A glimmer of hope shone in Tang Yuehua's red, swollen eyes. She looked up at Tang Xiao, her voice trembling.
Tang Xiao turned his head aside, unable to meet her eyes. Anguish showed on his face as he gritted his teeth and shook his head.
"We can't... If even Brother Hao couldn't escape, sending people there would only send them to their deaths, no matter how many we sent..."
Deep down, of course he wanted to avenge Tang Hao. But he was the sect master. He could not lead his disciples to their deaths.
A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, a complete set of soul bones, the ability to unleash the Great Sumeru Hammer's ultimate technique and detonate all nine rings without dying-yet even Tang Hao had failed to escape.
The Clear Sky Sect now had only four Titled Douluos and two Soul Douluos with hopes of breaking through to that realm. It did not have a single Peak Douluo.
What could they possibly use to reclaim his remains and soul bones?
Never mind revenge-even entering the city was a distant dream.
Tang Yuehua's face turned ashen. She closed her eyes and said no more.
"Alas, little sister, Grandfather has been missing for years, and we don't know whether he's alive or dead. But Gengxin City has a Limit Douluo guarding it. Rashly leaving the mountains to go there would be no different from throwing our disciples' lives away. For now, we can only continue lying low and gathering our strength."
"I understand..."
Tang Yuehua lowered her head. Under Tang Xiao's and Tang Ming's conflicted gazes, she walked away with unsteady steps, utterly lost.
Brother Hao was dead. The sect had been her only hope, yet even that last hope could not help her.
Who else could she turn to?
Half a month later, at the Blacksmith Association.
"With Senior Xiong Jun accompanying you, I don't need to worry. Still, when you're traveling, you must be very careful. Take these, just in case."
After handing Lou Xu the Elder Token issued by Spirit Hall and a treasured ring-shaped Storage Soul Tool, Lou Gao returned inside to continue his research with Si Long and the others.
Lou Xu slipped on the ring and glanced at the token.
Its front bore engravings of six martial souls: the Seven Treasure Glazed Tower, the Seven Kill Sword, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, the Clear Sky Hammer, the Star Crown, and the Six-Winged Angel. On the back was a golden pen-the old man's Sacred Forging Pen martial soul.
Spirit Hall's Elder Token, also called the Six Sovereigns Token, was personally bestowed by the Pope. Only the sect masters of the Upper Three Sects, or elders and enshrined of Spirit Hall who had made significant contributions, were worthy of possessing one.
After Tang Hao's death, people from Spirit Hall had come twice.
The first group had apparently been led by two Titled Douluos.
One had a soft, feminine face, while the other looked withered and gaunt. Lou Xu had been too far away to see them clearly.
Their arrival happened to coincide with the completion of repairs to the square outside the Blacksmith Association.
To thank Xiong Jun for his help, the old man had named it Dark Gold Square. He had carved a likeness of a dark gold terrorclaw bear into the paving stones and even asked Xiong Jun to leave his claw prints.
Xiong Jun had been all smiles at first. But when he turned and saw those two Titled Douluos, who had clearly come to make trouble, his face abruptly darkened. He unleashed his full aura and shot them a fierce glare.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo turned around and left.
The second visit had been a few days ago.
Spirit Hall's Platinum Bishop in the Star Luo Empire had come with the master of the Gengxin City Spirit Hall Branch to personally deliver the Elder Token. He said their Great Enshrined was grateful for Lou Gao's concern for the world and had therefore appointed the old man an honorary elder for life. The occasion had been quite grand.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo served Bibi Dong, yet the token had come from the Great Enshrined, Qian Daoliu.
It seemed that the Qian Family still held the highest authority in the current Spirit Hall, which remained a pure Soul Master organization that had not strayed from its original purpose.
Thus, Lou Xu had not mentioned the first visit. Given Spirit Hall's widespread reputation, the old man had accepted the Elder Token without much thought.
Lou Xu put the Elder Token away, boarded the carriage with Xiong Jun and Xiao Wu, and left Gengxin City.
Before departing, Lou Xu raised his eyes toward the Cross, his gaze deep and unfathomable.
He took out the map Siyu had given him and drew a circle around Fasinuo Province.
Only after studying the route did Lou Xu take out pen and paper and continue compiling the manuals for third- and fourth-tier runic forging using the old man's research materials.
Since breaking through to rank twenty-seven a while ago, his soul power growth had slowed. He was traveling this time partly because he had been invited to the Heaven Dou Empire to discuss business, and partly because he hoped to bring back some life energy.
Beside him, Xiao Wu was engrossed in a Beginner Rune Manual. Xiong Jun rested with his eyes closed. The carriage was very quiet.
The carriage rolled leisurely onward, heading north.
Spirit Hall, the Pope's Palace.
"Your Holiness, that boy has left Gengxin City. He took that Limit-level expert with him."
A soft, feminine voice rang through the empty hall.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo bowed with their hands clasped, reporting to the figure seated on the throne.
Bibi Dong's exquisite face was shrouded in gloom. She struck the floor with her scepter and spoke in a low voice.
"Have the branches along their route keep watching them. Report their movements to me immediately."
"Your Holiness, Gengxin City is defenseless now. Should we make a move and deal with Lou Gao...?"
"No. Just do your jobs."
Bibi Dong practically forced those words through clenched teeth.
Lou Gao did not matter. Runic forging did not matter either. What mattered was that martial soul awakening certificate, which had been handed over to Qian Daoliu without her knowing a thing about it.
If Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo had not visited the Gengxin City Spirit Hall Branch, she would still have been kept in the dark about that child's God-Given Soul Power.
She dismissed the two, rose, and went to the window.
Her fingers clenched around her scepter until it creaked, the strained sound drifting through the deserted hall.
Looking toward the distant mountain where the Worship Hall stood, Bibi Dong gritted her teeth. The intense hatred in her eyes seemed ready to drown her pupils.
That old bastard!!!
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