The Tang Sect was a legendary sect on the Douluo Continent. Almost everyone knew its name.
It had stood on the continent for ten thousand years, and its first sect master, Tang San, was a supreme being who had broken through his limits and ascended to godhood ten thousand years ago.
Yet as the times changed and Soul Tools continued to develop, the Tang Sect had fallen into decline.
Huo Yuhao had always taken a keen interest in the Tang Sect.
In his previous life, he had also heard a little about the mysterious Bashu Tang Sect in martial arts novels.
Mechanisms, poison... The identically named sects in two different worlds shared the same signature arts, convincing Huo Yuhao that the connection between these worlds was anything but simple.
When Tang Ya had made her move earlier, Huo Yuhao had noticed something. What she threw should have been a Hidden Weapon.
But Huo Yuhao had disliked the Tang Sect even in his previous life.
Leaving aside the fact that the Tang Sect was only a second-rate power, far inferior to the likes of Wudang and Shaolin, he disliked its signature arts.
Using Hidden Weapons and administering poison were hardly the ways of an upright gentleman.
Although Huo Yuhao agreed to some extent with using any means necessary to achieve one's goals, he still found it hard to accept openly making such dishonorable methods a sect's signature arts.
Still, Tang Sect disciples should at least have had some limits. Its reputation was mixed, unlike its fellow poison users in the Xingxiu Sect, whom everyone cried out to beat down.
Bei Bei pondered for a long time, but still could not recall a sect called the Dragon Tiger Sect ever appearing on the continent.
He asked, "Little Brother Huo, where exactly did this Dragon Tiger Sect come from? Who is its current sect master?"
Huo Yuhao replied, "To tell you the truth, our Dragon Tiger Sect's previous master, Wang Xiaohu, perished together with his enemy, Huo Yun Evil God, a few years ago. Both went to the Yellow Springs, and we have had no new sect master since."
The other party had no way to verify it anyway, so he could say whatever he wanted.
Bei Bei continued, "I can tell you're from the Star Luo Empire, Little Brother Huo, yet you dare to wear White Tiger Attire. May I ask what connection the Dragon Tiger Sect has with the White Tiger Duke's line?"
The White Tiger Duke?
How did that fellow Dai Hao get dragged into this?
Huo Yuhao lowered his head to look at the White Tiger on his clothes, and realization dawned.
Well, I'd confessed without even being questioned.
Nevertheless, he answered smoothly.
"You could say our Dragon Tiger Sect was very closely connected to the White Tiger line. Quite a few of our members were soldiers serving under the White Tiger Duke."
"Unfortunately, in a battle not long ago, most of our members died on the battlefield. Fewer than four or five disciples remain now. You could say the sect exists in name only."
"I'm the orphan of one of those fallen soldiers. The White Tiger Duke took pity on me and gave me a special admission slot at Shrek Academy, sending me there to study. From now on, there will be no Dragon Tiger Sect in this world."
The mere mention of the White Tiger Duke made Huo Yuhao feel sick, but he managed to endure it and finish speaking.
His talent for spinning nonsense was truly exceptional. Though his story still had flaws, it was broadly consistent, and he had arranged a new identity for himself in just a few sentences.
There was no Dragon Tiger Sect in this world anyway, so the dead could hardly rise to contradict him.
When she heard that the Dragon Tiger Sect had disbanded, Tang Ya's eyes lit up, and she once again entertained the idea of recruiting Huo Yuhao.
"I see. Since you're about to become a new student at Shrek Academy, Little Brother Huo, that makes us your seniors."
"Would you like to join our Tang Sect?"
Huo Yuhao did not answer directly. Instead, he asked, "I've heard that although the Tang Sect was once the continent's greatest sect, it fell into decline long ago."
Tang Ya's eyes reddened. "Yes, you're right. Our Tang Sect's circumstances are much like your Dragon Tiger Sect's now. Our foundation was seized, and only Bei Bei and I remain. But I'm the Tang Sect's current master, and I'll do everything I can to restore its glory!"
Though her eyes held some sorrow, her tone was utterly resolute.
"That's right." Bei Bei nodded just as firmly. "Little Brother Huo, the Tang Sect has a cultivation art particularly suited to your Demon Eyes martial soul. Would you be interested?"
Huo Yuhao shook his head and declined. "I appreciate your kindness, but I'll pass. I don't like being bound by rules, and besides..."
Bei Bei was not surprised. He could sense that Huo Yuhao was exceptional, so it was only natural for him to refuse the olive branch offered by their declining sect.
Tang Ya, however, looked unwilling to accept it and sighed softly. "As expected, the Tang Sect has nothing left worth joining for."
Her heart ached. She had lost count of how many times her invitations had been rejected. Was she really destined to become the Tang Sect's final sect master?
Huo Yuhao continued calmly, "I don't like the Tang Sect either. I've long known something of its rise and fall. In my view, its decline was entirely of its own making, caused by its arrogance and refusal to move forward."
Both Tang Ya and Bei Bei froze.
Then anger rose from Tang Ya, and her voice turned cold. "Though our Tang Sect has declined, as its master, I will never allow you to belittle it like this!"
"Belittle it? Was anything I said untrue?" Huo Yuhao remained expressionless, utterly unafraid of Tang Ya's anger as he met her gaze. "You know it perfectly well yourself, don't you?"
"Let me ask you, what is the foundation of the Tang Sect?"
"Its Hidden Weapons, correct?"
Tang Ya's anger subsided a little, and she nodded in acknowledgment.
Bei Bei remained silent as well. His intuition told him that Tang Ya could not win an argument against Huo Yuhao.
"Then here's the question. Compared with today's Soul Tools, what advantages do you think Tang Sect Hidden Weapons have? Power, or something else?" Huo Yuhao asked.
Tang Ya's heart sank.
That question struck her weak spot at once, leaving her unable to answer directly.
She tried to argue, "Although Soul Tools surpass our Tang Sect Hidden Weapons in power and range, but... but in terms of precision and ingenious design, Tang Sect Hidden Weapons are definitely superior!"
After hearing her answer, Huo Yuhao fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Do you really understand Soul Tools?"
He tilted his head slightly, looking up at the night sky, where a bright moon hung.
"Four thousand years ago, the Sun Moon Continent collided with the Douluo Continent, bringing with it the upheaval caused by Soul Tools."
"Your Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons have a history of ten thousand years, but what they looked like ten thousand years ago is what they still look like today."
"As for Soul Tools, the models from four thousand years ago have long since been replaced by several generations."
"Constantly revolutionizing oneself is what drives progress. Those who cling to their old ways and fail to adapt to the times will only be abandoned by them."
"Soul Engineers saw this clearly. You, however, let rigid, outdated mechanical tricks blind your eyes, still clinging to the arrogance of the continent's greatest sect. So you..."
"Deserved to lose!"
"I believe that, given time, they'll be able to send Soul Tools to the moon."
For certain reasons, Huo Yuhao had already learned how to make and use Soul Tools, and he had met quite a few Soul Engineers.
The concentration they showed when studying Soul Tools reminded him of scientists. They could forget food and sleep just to improve a single detail.
Huo Yuhao's words exploded in Tang Ya's ears like thunder. For a long time, she could not recover, only muttering, "This... this..."
Bei Bei sighed and gently stroked Tang Ya's head. "I've told Xiaoya this many times already. There are sound reasons in every respect why Soul Tools are more widely accepted. If our Tang Sect wants to develop, we absolutely cannot cling to our old ways. We must learn from the strengths of Soul Tools."
"Little Brother Huo, you're not a member of the Tang Sect, yet you can see the problem so clearly. You're truly remarkable."
Huo Yuhao joked, "Of course~ What era are we living in, still using traditional Hidden Weapons?"
Tang Ya suddenly spoke. "No, I'll do everything I can to restore the Tang Sect's glory! We were once the continent's greatest sect!"
Huo Yuhao shook his head. "Everyone has their moment at the peak. Don't mistake a moment for eternity!"
"Old, backward things being swept aside by new, advanced things..."
"That's the law of the world!"
"No! I won't give up!" Tang Ya said firmly once again. "I'll definitely do it!"
"Then I wish you success!" Huo Yuhao stretched lazily. "If a few words from me were enough to make you quit, there'd be no point making such grand declarations."
Make the Tang Sect great again?
That wouldn't be easy!
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, but felt that something was wrong.
There seemed to be a hint of... sweetness in the air?