Yu Xiaogang Was Still Useful!

Smack!

Tang Hao's slap sent Tang San flying. He spun twice in midair before crashing heavily to the ground.

Half his face felt numb, his mind reeled, and white swam before his eyes.

After lying on the ground for a while, Tang San finally cupped his face, swollen like a pig's head, and looked at Tang Hao with an aggrieved expression.

"Dad, what are you doing?"

Tang Hao snorted coldly.

"What am I doing? Do you realize you nearly ruined my plans?"

"Your plans?"

Tang Hao grunted in affirmation.

"Yu Xiaogang can't die yet. I want to kill him too, but he has a lover, and that lover knows the secret of twin martial souls.

"So we have to keep him alive. Once we've coaxed the secret of twin martial souls out of him, it won't be too late to kill him!"

At Tang Hao's words, Tang San's resentment vanished like smoke, and delight spread across his face.

"To think he actually knows the secret of twin martial souls."

"Yes. Carry on as usual from now on. At the very least, other people need to see you as a good student who respects his teacher and honors his teachings."

Tang San nodded. He understood Tang Hao's plan now, though every fiber of his being resisted it.

But to be able to use his twin martial souls properly, he had no choice but to go along with it for now.

"I understand, Dad. Don't worry!"

"Good."

Once Tang Hao was certain Tang San wouldn't lay a hand on Yu Xiaogang, he turned and left Blue Tyrant Academy.

Rubbing his swollen face, Tang San looked down at Yu Xiaogang, sprawled on the ground like a dead dog. He spat, then kicked him straight in the crotch.

"You useless trash. Keeping a lover, are you? That's for getting me hurt."

Still unconscious, Yu Xiaogang was enjoying a beautiful dream in which he became the world's foremost Grandmaster of theory.

Suddenly, excruciating pain shot through his groin. His entire face crumpled as he clutched himself and screamed.

"Aaaah!!!"

A bloodcurdling shriek burst from his mouth. Yu Xiaogang, who had been unconscious just moments before, immediately opened his eyes wide and sprang to his feet.

Tang San hadn't expected Yu Xiaogang to wake up and hurriedly put on a concerned expression.

"Teacher! Teacher, what's wrong?"

Hearing that familiar voice, Yu Xiaogang turned and saw the pig-faced Tang San. Confusion appeared on his face.

"Who are you? How dare you touch this Grandmaster?"

At those words, Tang San almost punched Yu Xiaogang to death.

Forcing down his murderous intent, Tang San once again put on a concerned expression.

"Teacher, it's me! I'm Little Three!"

Only then did Yu Xiaogang realize that the person before him was Tang San. He was about to speak when another burst of piercing agony shot through his groin as the numbness wore off.

Yu Xiaogang's face turned green. Clutching his crotch, he collapsed onto the ground and groaned.

"Ow... Little Three, do you know who ambushed me?"

Hearing Yu Xiaogang's question, Tang San shook his head in apparent confusion.

"I came to the back hill to cultivate. As soon as I got close, I saw you lying on the ground, Teacher.

"Then someone slapped me.

"I passed out on the spot. After that, your screams woke me up."

Yu Xiaogang looked at Tang San's swollen face and believed most of his story. Leaning on Tang San, he shakily got to his feet.

"Little Three, where are we? Hurry and take me to a healing-type Soul Master."

Tang San supported Yu Xiaogang and headed toward Blue Tyrant Academy.

"We're at Blue Tyrant Academy. I..."

Meanwhile, amid a mountain range outside Heaven Dou City, magnificent glazed-tile buildings stood nestled among the peaks.

Inside an enormous building shaped like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Ning Fengzhi and his two companions emerged from Gu Rong's spatial portal.

"Grandpa Sword!"

Seeing Sword Douluo standing in the sect's main hall, Ning Rongrong beamed and rushed toward him in delight.

At the sight of Ning Rongrong, a rare, faint smile appeared on Chen Xin's usually stern face.

Chen Xin opened his arms and gathered Ning Rongrong into his embrace, his voice gentle.

"Ah, Rongrong. Did you miss Grandpa Sword?"

Ning Rongrong nodded.

"Yes! Rongrong missed you so much."

"Haha, did you now?"

Watching them, Ning Fengzhi spoke with a helpless smile.

"All right, Rongrong. Look how old you are, yet you're still acting like a little girl.

"You've suffered so much out there. Hurry along and get some rest."

Hearing Ning Fengzhi's words, Ning Rongrong stuck her tongue out at him.

"Bleh, bleh, bleh! Bad Daddy."

At that, Chen Xin gently patted Ning Rongrong's back.

"All right, Rongrong. Fengzhi is right. You've suffered so much out there. Now that you're home, you should get some proper rest.

"Tomorrow, Grandpa Sword will take you to Seven Treasure City for some fun."

"Really? Thank you, Grandpa Sword!"

Ning Rongrong spoke happily, then skipped out of the hall.

Once Ning Rongrong had left, Chen Xin turned to Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong, his expression grave.

"Fengzhi, Old Bones, what happened?"

Ning Fengzhi walked over to the sect master's chair and sat down, gesturing to Chen Xin and Gu Rong.

"Uncle Gu, Uncle Jian, take a seat first. We'll talk it over."

After both men had sat down, Ning Fengzhi recounted the day's events to Chen Xin.

"What? That Sunday is actually a Titled Douluo?"

Chen Xin rose in shock, his voice rising involuntarily.

When he and Ning Fengzhi had gone to see Sunday before, they hadn't detected any fluctuations of soul power from him at all.

That was why he had instinctively assumed Sunday was an ordinary person.

"To think he concealed himself so thoroughly. A true master!"

Gu Rong nodded.

"He's more than just a Titled Douluo. He defeated Tang Hao with ease without even using a soul skill."

"Tang Hao? That Tang Hao from the Clear Sky Sect? Wouldn't that make him at least a Super Douluo?

"How terrifying. A peerless powerhouse like that slipped into Heaven Dou City without a sound.

"Fengzhi, could those hidden families be planning to emerge from seclusion, so they sent a supreme elder out to test the waters?"

Chen Xin voiced his suspicion. An unfamiliar martial soul, a powerhouse with no recorded history-the only explanation he could think of was a hidden family.

Ning Fengzhi nodded.

"Uncle Jian's reasoning isn't without merit. In recent years, the Clear Sky Sect has gone into seclusion, Blue Lightning has declined, and Spirit Hall's dominance has become increasingly apparent.

"An age of great contention is approaching, and all manner of opportunities will rise to the surface. They may no longer be able to hold themselves back."

Ning Fengzhi sighed. He actually hoped Sunday wasn't from one of those families. Seclusion, after all, did not mean weakness.

What family or sect that had endured for hundreds or thousands of years could possibly be weak?

Take the Clear Sky Sect, for example. Before entering seclusion, it had been the foremost sect. Would seclusion make it weaker? Given time to develop, it would only grow stronger.

"The continent may be facing a tremendous upheaval! I wonder whether the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can weather the storm."

Gu Rong waved a hand.

"What's the point of talking about such useless things? Let's talk about Tang Hao and Rongrong instead!"

Chen Xin frowned.

"Rongrong? What happened to Rongrong?"

At Chen Xin's question, Gu Rong described Ning Rongrong's reaction when she saw them, then explained how Tang Hao had tried to kill everyone with a single surprise attack.

Bang!

After hearing all of this, razor-sharp sword energy erupted from Chen Xin.

It slashed cracks into the hall's pillars, while tables and chairs were swept into a chaotic jumble.

"Those damned bastards! They dared to bully Rongrong? I'll go cleave them apart!"

As he spoke, a four-foot longsword appeared in Chen Xin's hand.