Hearing Qian Renxue's words, Snake Lance and Pufferfish hurriedly dropped to their knees, cold sweat pouring down their backs as they hastened to speak.
"We pledge our lives to the Qian Family and Spirit Hall! We harbor no disloyalty!"
Qian Renxue looked at the two of them, snorted coldly, and swept out of the Pavilion with a flick of her sleeves.
Only after Qian Renxue had left did Snake Lance and Pufferfish rise from the ground.
"The young mistress..."
"Enough, Snake Lance. Mind your own duties and stop asking questions."
Pufferfish shook his head and turned to leave. Snake Lance froze for a moment, then followed him.
Sunday had barely taken two steps out of the Crown Prince's Manor when a strange look crossed his face. He sensed an extremely well-concealed presence slipping into Heaven Dou City.
"Tang Hao's back?"
Within a single breath, Sunday arrived at the mountain behind Shrek Academy and looked down at the two figures below.
"Dad, you're back."
Seeing Tang Hao return after so many days away, Tang San beamed with excitement and stepped forward to hug him.
Tang Hao sidestepped Tang San's embrace without any change in expression and handed him a bundle.
"Take a look. Are these what you wanted?"
Tang San took the bundle and opened it, revealing several long, translucent red ginseng roots.
"These... they're all Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng! No, they only look similar. Could they be cultivated substitutes? The quality is good, but they're far too young."
As he spoke, Tang San rummaged through the bundle and found a jade box at the bottom.
"What's this?"
Tang San opened the jade box curiously, and an unusual fragrance immediately spread through the surroundings.
Inside lay a blood-red, translucent ginseng root. The raised patterns on its surface formed the image of an enormous five-clawed dragon soaring through the air.
"A mature Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng!"
Tang San was beside himself with excitement at the sight. The bundle fell straight from his hands, scattering ginseng roots all over the ground.
Seeing how excited Tang San was, Tang Hao stepped forward and took the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng.
"This one's useful?"
Tang Hao felt a surge of excitement himself. His efforts hadn't been wasted after all, nor had he snatched it from Bai He's hands for nothing.
Tang San nodded.
"Yes, Dad. This is a mature Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng. It's enough to repair the damage I've suffered."
Although it was only a five-thousand-year-old Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, it was naturally an eighth-grade herb. With its powerful restorative effects, healing the damage to a mere Soul Elder's martial soul would be child's play.
"It's a shame it isn't a ten-thousand-year-old Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng. Otherwise, I might have been able to reach Soul King directly with it."
Though Tang San felt a pang of regret, he was satisfied. Even a five-thousand-year-old Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng had absurdly potent medicinal effects. He might not have been able to withstand a ten-thousand-year-old one.
Seeing that the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng would help, Tang Hao hurriedly urged him on.
"If it's useful, take it right away and heal the damage to your martial soul!"
Tang San nodded and sat cross-legged, placing the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng before his chest. He began circulating the Mysterious Heaven Skill, refining it bit by bit.
The medicinal potency of Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng was formidable, outstanding even among immortal herbs.
If he swallowed it outright, even Tang San's constitution might not save him from bursting apart. He could only use the Mysterious Heaven Skill to guide its energy and absorb it little by little.
Standing atop a tree, Sunday quietly watched the two below.
"Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng. That's Tang Hao for you. To think they'd stumble into obtaining this herb ahead of time.
"But... with the two clans easiest to win over lost in one stroke, can Tang San still establish his Tang Sect?"
Sunday paid no mind to the enormous increase in strength Tang San would gain after consuming the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng.
No matter how powerful he became, one slap would still settle things. Did he think he was Qlipoth?
Besides, this was Bibi Dong's headache, not his.
Without lingering any longer, Sunday turned and left.
After a night of absorption, Tang San underwent an earth-shaking transformation.
His once-ordinary face had grown somewhat more handsome, and he had become noticeably taller. A sharp light gleamed in his crimson eyes.
A mighty aura surged outward. He had unmistakably reached level 40.
Tang Hao was astonished by Tang San's transformation. His son hadn't looked like him to begin with, and now the resemblance was even fainter.
"Excellent! Level 40, and at only thirteen! Even I never managed that. That's my son!"
Tang Hao patted Tang San's shoulder with a gratified expression. With such a gifted son, his chances of returning to the Clear Sky Sect would increase greatly.
Feeling the changes within himself, Tang San was also brimming with excitement.
"Yes, Dad. With the help of the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, I'm absolutely confident I can reach Soul King by the tournament."
Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng was no ordinary immortal herb. Its powerful medicinal energy was enough to push him to the Soul King realm.
"Good! Focus on your cultivation. Once you reach Soul King, I'll take you somewhere."
Naturally delighted by Tang San's words, Tang Hao patted his shoulder and prepared to find somewhere to drink. Traveling back and forth over the past few days had exhausted him.
"Wait, Dad. Something happened in Heaven Dou City."
Seeing that Tang Hao was about to leave, Tang San hurriedly called out to stop him.
Hearing this, Tang Hao turned back and looked at him with a frown.
"What happened?"
"The Strength Clan was wiped out."
Tang Hao's eyes instantly widened at those words.
"What?"
He had never imagined that the Strength Clan would be annihilated so soon after he left.
He wasn't grieving or angry over the Strength Clan's fate. He was afraid. He had exposed his identity earlier at Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
If the people hunting him had wiped out the Strength Clan, it meant that he and Tang San were no longer safe.
At that thought, Tang Hao asked in an urgent tone.
"What exactly happened?"
Seeing Tang Hao's anxiety, Tang San assumed he was grieving Tai Tan's death. After all, Tai Tan had been so loyal. He offered words of comfort.
"Dad, don't be sad. An unfamiliar Titled Douluo attacked them. That Titled Douluo first took advantage of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's weakened defenses to attack it.
"Then, while fleeing into Heaven Dou City, he was discovered by Senior Tai Tan. In the end, he ruthlessly wiped out the Strength Clan.
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and His Excellency Sunday, the Heaven Dou Empire's Imperial Offering, have both publicly verified this account. Even Spirit Hall investigated and confirmed it."
Only after hearing Tang San's explanation did Tang Hao let out a long breath of relief. He had nearly been scared to death.
These days, even hearing Spirit Hall's name frightened him. After all, he had killed plenty of its people over the years. He truly feared they would send a whole host of Titled Douluo to surround and kill him.
"So that's what happened. As long as everything's fine. As long as everything's fine."
The wariness faded from Tang Hao's eyes, and he once again looked like a vagrant.
"Dad, don't be sad. Senior Tai Tan... at least he died a worthy death. Oh, and his grandson Tai Long is still alive. He's at the academy now."
At Tang San's words, Tang Hao curled his lip in inward disdain. Was I worried about Tai Tan? I was worried about my own life.
Tai Tan? If he's dead, he's dead. He was nothing more than a slave outside the family, someone I could discard whenever I pleased.
For the Clear Sky Sect, the greatest sect under heaven, finding slaves was easy. One word, and people would line up in droves.
Tai Tan hadn't even died protecting my son. He should count himself lucky I hadn't held him to account.
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