"What kind of analogy is that?" Tang Yuehua was speechless at his twisted logic.
"That's what I mean." Xuan Ming's eyes turned incredibly serious. He stared intently at her and said, word by word, "I won't let go again. Everything I want, I will hold firmly in my hands. Even if... I have to resort to any means necessary."
Tang Yuehua's heart skipped a beat. Looking into Xuan Ming's deep, possessive eyes, she felt a mixture of sweetness and helplessness. She deliberately teased, "Then... what if I die? You can't possibly hold onto a dead person, can you?"
"Dead?" Upon hearing this, Xuan Ming showed no embarrassment whatsoever. Instead, he smiled. "Death is a small matter. I have all the time in the world, eternal time. I can slowly search for your reincarnation. No matter which world you are in, no matter what you have become, I will bring you back."
He leaned closer, his tone laced with a mischievous smirk. "If you want to experience what it's like to be raised by me from a baby, you're welcome to try. I've been pretty bored lately."
"..."
Tang Yuehua was utterly speechless.
Although she knew exactly what kind of person Xuan Ming was, this brat was too lazy to even pretend anymore!
Xuan Ming looked at her amused and exasperated expression, shrugged, and said, "I've already reached the pinnacle. I no longer need to suppress my desires. Even if I do as I please, who can stop me? Who dares to stop me?"
Tang Yuehua shook her head helplessly, but didn't refute anything further.
She knew he was telling the truth.
However, she was not yet used to her new, powerful body.
Moreover, she suddenly thought of a more practical and troublesome problem.
Surrounding Xuan Ming... that whole bunch of beautiful women are no pushovers!
The thought of that scene sent chills down her spine.
Xuan Ming seemed to see through her thoughts and comforted her, "Don't worry, Bibi Dong will handle it, and Gu Yuena will handle it too."
Upon hearing this, Tang Yuehua rolled her eyes and retorted, "So, you're implying these two are the empresses? Then what am I? The new concubine?"
"I don't know." Xuan Ming's answer was simple and blunt. "However, if you want, I can give you their positions. Of course... provided you can beat them."
He analyzed with great interest. "Although Gu Yuena is the Dragon God, she has not yet fully mastered that supreme power and needs time to gradually achieve it. As for Bibi Dong, she is God King who possesses both divine and divine powers, and with the God King Origin Divine Power that I previously bestowed upon her, their current strength is actually comparable."
"Of course, after some time, once Gu Yuena has fully digested the Dragon God's Power, Bibi Dong will no longer be her match."
Tang Yuehua was dumbfounded. "Your harem... is it really a chaotic free-for-all? Whoever has the biggest fist calls the shots?"
"More or less." Xuan Ming nodded. "Status is earned through strength. That's how it is for me, and it's how it is for them. It's fair and just."
Tang Yuehua felt utterly exhausted. She rubbed her forehead and said weakly, "Then am I, who just became a god and has no fighting power whatsoever, going to be bullied like a servant by them?"
"No." Xuan Ming shook his head and said seriously, "As long as you don't compete, you can watch the show from the sidelines, just like Ah Rou and the others."
" Ah Rou?" Tang Yuehua's expression instantly turned strange.
That woman, a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in human form... did that too?
Xuan Ming seemed unwilling to dwell on this topic and immediately changed the subject. "Let's not talk about this anymore. Tell me, how have you been these past few years?"
Seeing this, Tang Yuehua knew there was no point in pressing the matter further, so she could only sigh and stop asking. She gathered her thoughts and slowly began to recount the changes that had occurred over the past ten years.
"Ever since that massacre of millions of soldiers... the entire continent has been completely changed."
"The people of both empires are in a state of panic. From the royal family to ordinary nobles, no one dares to oppose the Spirit Hall Empire anymore."
"After all, no one can muster the slightest thought of resistance to such a calamity of divine punishment. You have not only proven to the world that you have that power, but you have also shown through your actions that you don't mind doing it a few more times. Who would dare to defy the will of such a deity?"
"After that, Bibi Dong's iron-fisted policies caused several more years of panic in both empires. Fortunately, not long after, she seemed to have gone into seclusion. The Spirit Hall Empire was then taken over by the Angel God Qian Renxue, and many places became much more tolerant, and everyone's lives gradually settled down."
"But just a few years ago, Bibi Dong returned to power." Tang Yuehua's face showed a hint of lingering fear. "She launched another large-scale purge. Although it wasn't as bloody as before, it still instilled fear in everyone. Even now, everyone in Heaven Dou City still lives in fear."
"Especially the old nobles, they were all living in fear, afraid that at any moment another purge would strike and their heads would roll."
"The common people... are the same. Although life is better than before, the fear hanging over their heads has never dissipated."
Chapter 480 Haotian's Recent Situation
After listening to Tang Yuehua's overview of the situation on the mainland over the past ten years, Xuan Ming nodded and asked, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Upon hearing this, Tang Yuehua stiffened slightly. She raised her head, looking at the man who had already reached the pinnacle of the world, a hint of struggle flashing in her eyes.
She knew that Xuan Ming had no goodwill towards the Clear Sky Sect.
The "divine punishment" that shook the entire continent back then, although it quelled the war, also severely damaged the Clear Sky Sect, almost wiping it out.
She shouldn't have brought up those old stories with Xuan Ming, and she certainly shouldn't have pleaded for those who had once stood against him.
However, blood is thicker than water.
" Xuan Ming..." Tang Yuehua hesitated for a moment, then finally mustered her courage and spoke softly, "I want to... ask you for a favor."
"About the Clear Sky Sect?" Xuan Ming asked.
Tang Yuehua nodded and sighed, "Yes. I know. Back then, the Clear Sky Sect acted recklessly and stood against the times. After the re-election of the Seven Great Sects, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had no choice but to side with the Spirit Hall in order to protect itself, and even became the vanguard in destroying the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. From that time on, the Clear Sky Sect became the last remnant of the old era."
"In the years that followed, the Spirit Hall Empire was established, its iron hooves trampling across the continent. The Clear Sky Sect was forced to re-emerge, joining forces with the Heaven Dou Empire in a final attempt to put up a resistance. But..."
She glanced at Xuan Ming and said with a wry smile, "No one expected you to unleash such a divine punishment. That strike not only destroyed the allied forces of the two great empires, but also wiped out most of the elite disciples of the Clear Sky Sect."
Xuan Ming remained calm, not denying it. "That's the fastest way to end the war. If we don't do that, the war will last for decades, and even more people will die."
"I understand, I didn't mean to blame you," Tang Yuehua hurriedly explained, her tone then becoming low. "After the Heaven Dou Imperial Family announced their surrender and voluntarily merged into the Spirit Hall Empire, under Qian Renxue's manipulation, although the royal family lost power, they at least retained their dignity and honor, and could still live as nobles."
"However, the Clear Sky Sect was not so lucky."
At this point, Tang Yuehua's fingers unconsciously gripped Xuan Ming's sleeve, a hint of fear and sorrow showing in her eyes.
" The Clear Sky Sect was a symbol of resolute resistance against the Spirit Hall Empire, the toughest nut to crack in that old era. When the tide turned against them, everyone turned against them. After the Heaven Dou Empire gave up resistance, countless people who had once been loyal to the Clear Sky Sect or wanted to curry favor with the new elites of the Spirit Hall Empire turned their guns on the remnants of the Clear Sky Sect, launching a frenzied campaign of encirclement and suppression."
Xuan Ming frowned slightly, asking with some confusion, "With the Clear Sky Sect's foundation, even if most of its elite forces were lost in the divine punishment, the remaining power shouldn't be underestimated, right? Can those sycophantic villains really push them to the brink?"
"It wasn't that bad at first," Tang Yuehua shook her head and said helplessly, "If it were just those opportunists, my eldest and second brothers could naturally handle it. But... not everyone in the Spirit Hall Empire is like Qian Renxue, willing to adopt a policy of appeasement."
" Qian Renxue may not care about the remnants of the Clear Sky Sect, thinking they can't cause any real trouble. However, the elders and retainers of the Spirit Hall Empire will not think that way."
Xuan Ming raised an eyebrow. "You mean... those old guys from the Spirit Hall?"
"Especially Elders Yue Guan and Gui Mei," Tang Yuehua said.
"Back then, Second Tang Hao severely injured these two. They held onto that grudge for life. Later, they received a reward from Bibi Dong, and their strength increased by leaps and bounds, both breaking through to the Level 98 Peak Douluo realm."
" Level 98..." Xuan Ming chuckled, "With this level of strength, plus their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, they could probably put up a fight even against Level 99 Peerless Douluo."
"That's right." Tang Yuehua nodded bitterly, "For the Clear Sky Sect, which was already severely weakened, these two were a nightmare. They led the elite forces of the Spirit Hall Empire and relentlessly pursued the Clear Sky Sect. That battle was extremely fierce. The few remaining elders of the Clear Sky Sect had to sacrifice themselves to cover the retreat of their disciples..."
Ten years ago, seeing that all was lost, the eldest Tang Xiao and the second Tang Hao, in order to preserve the last bloodline of the sect, had no choice but to lead the remaining disciples and leave Douluo Continent to seek refuge overseas.
A hint of surprise flashed in Xuan Ming's eyes. "Overseas? Where did they go?"
Tang Yuehua's expression also became somewhat unnatural. " Sea God Island. Sea God Bo Saixi, out of... out of respect for my grandfather Tang Chen, ultimately took them in."
Xuan Ming nodded, signaling her to continue, "And then?"
"Originally, this matter should have ended here." Tang Yuehua's tone became somewhat strange. " The Clear Sky Sect is recuperating on Sea God Island, and the continent has entered an era of unification, with everyone keeping to themselves."
"But... the problem is, there's one extra person in the team."
Xuan Ming asked, "Who?"
" Yu Xiaogang." Tang Yuehua's expression became extremely complicated, containing both disgust and a trace of pity.
"With the Heaven Dou faction surrendering, he, as a representative of the pro-war faction, naturally met a bad end. Second Brother, out of consideration for Tang San's teacher, rescued him during their escape."
"But this very decision destroyed the last vestiges of peace for the Clear Sky Sect."
"Upon arriving at Sea God Island, Yu Xiaogang not only failed to feel like a dependent, but also continued to act like a grand advisor. He made outrageous remarks on the island, criticizing Sea God Bo Saixi being content with his isolated position."
He mentioned the old grudge from decades ago when the Spirit Hall attacked Sea God Island, and then listed the atrocities committed by the Spirit Hall Empire on the Douluo Continent. He claimed that as a god of justice, the Sea God should not turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people on the continent, and should lead the Soul Master of Sea God Island to counterattack the continent and destroy the Spirit Hall Empire.
Xuan Ming almost burst out laughing, "This guy... did he get his brain slammed in a door? He's on someone else's turf, trying to tell them how to behave? Or is he trying to tell the Sea God how to behave?"
"Who says otherwise?" Tang Yuehua smiled wryly. "Although Senior Bo Saixi took them in out of respect for my grandfather, she is, after all, the Sea God. How could she possibly lead her people to fight against the invincible Spirit Hall Empire just because of a few inflammatory words from Yu Xiaogang?"
"The result was predictable. Yu Xiaogang's remarks enraged the guardians of the Sea God's Seven Sacred Pillars. Although Senior Bo Saixi didn't kill him, she could no longer tolerate such a person remaining on the island. Thus, Yu Xiaogang was expelled."
"And Tang San..." Tang Yuehua paused, "That child survived your divine punishment back then. After all, he possesses Twin Martial Souls and is exceptionally talented. After arriving at Sea God Island, he was appointed as the young sect master of the Clear Sky Sect, and is also the sect's future hope."
"However, he was too sentimental. Seeing his teacher being expelled, he couldn't stay on the island alone and resolutely chose to leave with Yu Xiaogang."
Xuan Ming shook his head and commented, "Foolish. But that's in line with his character. And then what? Where can they go after leaving Sea God Island?"
"They could only drift at sea," Tang Yuehua continued, "But it was during this drifting that they met someone. Someone you would never expect."
Xuan Ming asked in confusion, "Who?"
" Liu Erlong."
"Huh?" Xuan Ming was truly dumbfounded this time.
" Liu Erlong? Didn't I send her to the Sun Moon Continent Sun Moon Continent start a new life? She should be doing well there, right? How come she's at sea?"
Chapter 481 The Death of Yu Xiaogang
Tang Yuehua couldn't help but smile at Xuan Ming's astonished expression, but then her face became somewhat unnatural.
"That's the problem. You did indeed give Liu Erlong the best arrangements. On the Sun Moon Continent, she was practically pampered by the Sun Moon Imperial Family. Because she was sent there by the gods, the Sun Moon Imperial Family treated her with the utmost respect, not only giving her an extremely high status but also appointing her as the Grand Administrator of the Sun Moon Empire's Maritime Trade."
At that time, Liu Erlong had just completed the first batch of maritime trade transactions with the Spirit Hall Empire and was leading the royal fleet of the Sun Moon Empire back to the Sun Moon Continent. On the vast sea, by some strange twist of fate, she encountered Yu Xiaogang and Tang San's group, who had been expelled from Sea God Island and were sailing in a dilapidated ship in a sorry state.
Xuan Ming's lips twitched. "This... what kind of karmic entanglement is this? The world is so big, the sea is so wide, how could we meet like this?"
"Yes, that's fate," Tang Yuehua sighed. " Liu Erlong originally didn't want to talk to Yu Xiaogang. You sent her away so she could sever ties with the past. She's doing well on the Sun Moon Continent and has slowly moved on. But... when she saw the man she once loved so deeply, now so destitute, and all those old friends..."
"In the end, she softened. She thought, since there was no place for them on the Douluo Continent, Spirit Hall Empire couldn't tolerate them, why not take them to the Sun Moon Continent? It's far from trouble there, and perhaps they can start over."
"Therefore, she used her authority as the trade steward to bring all the several hundred people from the Clear Sky Sect onto the Sun Moon Empire's ship."
Upon hearing this, Xuan Ming's brows gradually relaxed, and he nodded thoughtfully. "If that's all there is to it, it's not a bad ending. Although the Sun Moon Continent has advanced Soul Guidance Technology, it's actually inferior to the Douluo Continent in terms of high-end Soul Master combat power. Although the Clear Sky Sect is crippled, its foundation is still intact, and Tang Xiao and Tang Hao are both top-tier experts. If they go there and behave themselves, becoming wealthy gentlemen, or find jobs in the Sun Moon Empire, they should be able to live a very comfortable life."
"Yes, that was Liu Erlong's original intention as well." A trace of regret flashed in Tang Yuehua's eyes. "Moreover, things were indeed developing in a positive direction at the beginning."
"After arriving in the Sun Moon Empire, Tang San, thanks to his past teacher-student relationship with Xu Hong, the imperial advisor of the Sun Moon Empire, from his time in Heaven Dou City, quickly established himself at the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Guidance Institute based on his talent."
Xu Hong greatly admired Tang San's talent. Under his matchmaking, Tang San even became engaged to one of Xu Hong's granddaughters. The girl idolized Tang San, and the two had a very good relationship. At that time, everyone thought that Tang San was finally about to start a new life, marry, have children, settle down in a foreign land, and completely leave behind the grudges of the past.
Xuan Ming listened and couldn't help but sigh.
Tang San, who carried a deep-seated hatred and spent his entire life fighting, almost ended up living a peaceful life with a wife, children, and a warm bed.
Fate really does love to play tricks.
"But..." Xuan Ming keenly caught the turning point in the story, "If that's the case, why are you pleading for them now? Something must have happened, right? And I bet it's related to Yu Xiaogang."
Tang Yuehua closed her eyes bitterly and nodded. "You guessed right. It was Yu Xiaogang who destroyed all of this."
"He... is still restless?"
"It's more than just restlessness." Tang Yuehua's tone carried a hint of suppressed anger. "He's simply insane. Seeing Tang San thriving in the Sun Moon Empire, about to settle down and start a family, Yu Xiaogang not only doesn't feel happy for his disciple, but instead thinks Tang San is trespassing."
"In Yu Xiaogang's view, since the Sun Moon Empire had trade relations with the Spirit Hall Empire, it was an ally of the Spirit Hall Empire. Tang San joined the Royal Soul Guidance Academy to serve an ally of the Spirit Hall Empire. He couldn't accept that."
"Moreover, I don't know if he's lost his mind, but he actually secretly encouraged Tang San to use his status as Xu Hong Hong's grandson- Tang San to get close to the high-ranking members of the Sun Moon Empire's royal family. He wanted Tang San to persuade the Sun Moon Empire Sun Moon Emperor to lend them troops so they could use the Sun Moon Empire's powerful soul-guided fleet to launch a counterattack on the Douluo Continent and seek revenge against the Spirit Hall Empire!"
Xuan Ming was stunned, and after a long while, he finally uttered two words: "... Talent."
"Does Yu Xiaogang think everyone in the world is as stupid as him?"
" The Sun Moon Empire and the Spirit Hall Empire are currently in a honeymoon period, with frequent trade and deeply intertwined interests. Would the Sun Moon Emperor be insane to offend a powerful empire with gods for the sake of a few exiled Soul Master?"
"Yes, any normal person would know that's impossible," Tang Yuehua said helplessly. " Tang San certainly knew that too. That's why he rejected Yu Xiaogang's suggestion. He told Yu Xiaogang that since experiencing that divine punishment, he had grown weary of killing and only wanted to live peacefully in the Sun Moon Empire, protecting his current lover."
"But these words completely enraged Yu Xiaogang. He cursed Tang San as an unfilial descendant, forgetting the hatred of the Clear Sky Sect's massacre and the deep-seated hatred of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. He even... even wanted to bypass Tang San and go to see the Sun Moon Emperor himself to offer his so-called counterattack plan."
"And the result?" Xuan Ming asked.
"As a result, the matter quickly reached the ears of Grand Preceptor Xu Hong," Tang Yuehua sighed. "But how could he tolerate such a time bomb remaining in the Sun Moon Empire, damaging relations between the two countries? Especially since this was happening right under his nose."
Xu Hong was furious. Although he admired Tang San, since national interests were involved, he immediately ordered Tang San to be confined and forced to reflect on his actions. As for the culprit, Yu Xiaogang ...
" Xu Hong directly ordered the imprisonment of Yu Xiaogang and all the other survivors of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan who had joined the commotion. Furthermore, to eliminate any future trouble, a few days later, Xu Hong secretly ordered... Yu Xiaogang's execution."
A brief, deathly silence fell over the room.
Xuan Ming shook his head, his tone devoid of any sympathy. "He brought this upon himself. He was given a way out, but he refused to take it, insisting on heading straight for his death. This Yu Xiaogang will only die because of his mouth and his ridiculous pride."
"Yes..." Tang Yuehua said softly, "But he is, after all, Tang San's teacher, a father figure to him."