The Sky Screen had barely announced the news.
Both worlds across space and time erupted!
"The Clear Sky Sect? Eighth place is actually the Clear Sky Sect!"
"But Spirit Hall devastated them back then, and they've sealed their mountain and lived in seclusion for twelve years. They still made the ranking?!"
"Of course they did! They used to lead the Upper Three Sects! They produced Tang Chen and the Clear Sky Twin Stars!"
"Exactly! Tang Chen was a Level 99 Peerless Douluo who towered over an entire era, and Tang Hao even hammered Spirit Hall's former Pope, Qian Xunji, to death!"
"That may be true... but if Tang Chen and Tang Hao were still around, how could the Clear Sky Sect end up in the bottom three? They'd at least be in the top three, wouldn't they?!"
All sorts of discussions swept through both worlds.
It was true not only in the Anime World, but in the Manga World as well.
Although Ye Han had conquered the Clear Sky Sect, the sect had not announced its official return to the world.
Nor had he helped them make any major changes. He had merely promised to keep them safe.
The Anime World.
The Clear Sky Sect, atop the main peak of the snowy mountains.
Tang Xiao stood on the viewing terrace before the great hall.
The five elders stood in a line to his left and right.
As they saw the ranking on the Sky Screen, all of them froze in disbelief.
"E-eighth place?!!"
The most hot-tempered of them, Seventh Elder Tang Lie, instantly exploded:
"How is that possible? Our Clear Sky Sect may have suffered devastating losses and withdrawn back then, but in recent years, we've broken through to Titled Douluo one after another! Our overall combat strength is greater than ever!"
"And with our uncle Tang Chen, whose whereabouts are unknown, how could we possibly rank only eighth?!"
The other elders could not accept it either and cursed repeatedly.
They had originally thought the Clear Sky Sect would rank in the top five at the very least.
They had even harbored the hope that, if their uncle Tang Chen was still alive, they might contend for the top three!
But now they were third from the bottom, leaving everyone dumbfounded!
Could the old man really have passed away?!
The moment that thought surfaced, the atmosphere plunged to rock bottom.
The Clear Sky Sect's former golden age had rested entirely on their uncle alone towering over an entire generation.
If their uncle had fallen, what were they supposed to do? How could they stand against Spirit Hall?!
"Elders, pull yourselves together!"
Tang Xiao was equally dejected, but as the sect master, he could not lose his composure!
"Making this ranking proves that our Clear Sky Sect's foundations remain intact and that we still have potential. That in itself is a good thing!"
"Set aside our placement for now. As long as we win the comparison against the other world and receive the Sky Screen's reward, our sect's strength can advance another step!"
"Even if Grandfather really is gone, we can still forge the glory of the Clear Sky Sect anew!!!"
His words rang with conviction, sweeping away the gloom in everyone's hearts.
The First Elder was already dead.
The oldest and most senior person present was the Second Elder. He was the first to nod and said gravely:
"Tang Xiao is right! Our Clear Sky Sect's legacy spans centuries. How can we let a single ranking throw our minds into disarray?!"
The hot-tempered Seventh Elder Tang Xiao immediately followed:
"Exactly! Who cares where we rank? Let's win the comparison first!"
"With our strength, could we possibly lose to the Clear Sky Sect in the other world?!"
The elders rallied their spirits.
They all looked up at the sky, waiting for the comparison to follow.
At the same time.
Spirit City, the Papal Palace.
"The Clear Sky Sect?!"
Bibi Dong's gaze sharpened, her voice carrying a measure of surprise and suspicion:
"Back then, I personally laid the plans and joined forces with the Worship Hall to devastate the Clear Sky Sect, forcing them to seal their mountain and withdraw from the world, huddling in the snowy mountains to cling to their last breaths! How could they possibly rank eighth on this potential ranking?!"
"Could it be... that old bastard Tang Chen really is still alive?!"
At her sides.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged a glance, each seeing the shock in the other's eyes.
"Your Holiness, perhaps... the Clear Sky Sect has concealed its brilliance and bided its time all these years, making further progress?!"
Bibi Dong scoffed, her voice full of disdain:
"Impossible! All these years, I've had people keep them under strict surveillance!"
"The only person going in and out has been Tang Yuehua, a woman too weak to truss a chicken. They simply don't have enough resources within the sect to develop!"
It was not that she underestimated the Clear Sky Sect. Rather, she knew its circumstances all too well.
Back then, Tang Chen's whereabouts had been unknown, and the entire Clear Sky Sect had possessed only five Titled Douluo!
The old sect master, one of those Titled Douluo, had been angered to death by Tang Hao!
The First Elder, one of those Titled Douluo, had been surrounded and killed by Spirit Hall!
The Sixth Elder, one of those Titled Douluo, had been surrounded and killed by Spirit Hall!
Tang Hao, one of those Titled Douluo, had been expelled from the Clear Sky Sect!
That left just one final Titled Douluo: Tang Xiao, the current master of the Clear Sky Sect!
The remaining elders had been no higher than Soul Douluo, and only a few hundred disciples had remained.
With those meager assets, they deserved eighth place?!
There was only one possibility. Tang Chen was not dead!!
Bibi Dong's brows knitted tightly, yet an inexplicable unease grew in her heart.
"But..."
Something occurred to Gui Mei, and he could not help wanting to speak.
Could Tang Yuehua have brought resources into the Clear Sky Sect?!
Although she was a frail woman too weak to truss a chicken, she was on good terms with the Heaven Dou Empire!
However, before he could voice it, he was interrupted.
"Keep watching!"
Bibi Dong said coldly:
"I want to see just what qualifies this declining Clear Sky Sect to make the ranking and take eighth place!!"
Elsewhere.
Spirit City, the Worship Hall.
"The Clear Sky Sect... actually made the ranking?!"
Golden Crocodile and the other worshippers were all shocked at the sight:
"Back then, our Spirit Hall devastated their sect. Nearly all their Titled Douluo perished, dealing them a crippling blow!"
"Only Tang Xiao, a single Titled Douluo, was left leading a band of remnants into hiding in the snowy mountains. With foundations like that, they still made the ranking?!"
In his view, the current Clear Sky Sect had long since lost the might befitting the leader of the Upper Three Sects. It could not possibly make the ranking!
Unless...
"Could Tang Chen still be alive?!"
Azure Luan could not help voicing his suspicion.
Qian Jun, Jiang Mo, and the other worshippers echoed him.
Without Tang Chen, what qualified the current Clear Sky Sect to make the ranking?!
"Let's keep watching..."
Qian Daoliu slowly shook his head, his eyes full of uncertainty:
"Presumably, the Sky Screen will answer every question in our hearts!"
More than anyone, he wanted to know whether Tang Chen was still alive in this world!
Meanwhile.
Suotuo City, Shrek Academy.
"What?!!"
Yu Xiaogang stared at the Sky Screen and instantly froze in place.
It was as if someone had smashed a club down on his head. His mind buzzed.
Impossible...
This was impossible!!
Just moments earlier, he had declared with absolute certainty.
The Clear Sky Sect could never rank eighth, third from the bottom!
Yet a moment later, the Sky Screen had announced the exact opposite of his prediction?!
"N-no!"
Yu Xiaogang abruptly snapped out of it and shouted in flustered fury:
"A bogus ranking! Rigged! This is absolutely rigged by someone behind the scenes!!"
"Whatever this Grandmaster says, it insists on doing the opposite! It's clearly targeting this Grandmaster!"
Everyone present was stunned, momentarily at a loss for words.
"Oh~"
Watching his frantic state, Ning Rongrong could not have felt more satisfied:
"What, just because the result doesn't match 'Grandmaster' Yu's prediction, it's a bogus ranking and a bogus Sky Screen again?"
"You're just a fake 'Grandmaster' who copied his theories from who knows where. The supreme Sky Screen would target you?"
"Yu Great Shit, are you worthy?!"
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