Flash Step Spreads Through the Clear Sky Sect
Tang Xiao returned to the Clear Sky Sect alone.
The current sect master, Tang Wei, who was also his father, frowned when he saw that only one person had returned. "Ah Xiao, where's your brother? Didn't he come back?"
Tang Yuehua looked worried as well.
Because of a mutation in her Martial Soul, Tang Yuehua would never be able to reach rank 10 and become a true Soul Master, so she wasn't qualified to leave the sect and train alongside her two older brothers.
Tang Xiao felt a little unnerved as he recalled Tang Hao being carried on the shoulder of a woman built like a bear.
If he told them what had happened to his younger brother, the family would probably fall apart.
He collected his thoughts and said, "Second Brother met a young lady. Something happened to her family, and it may take him some time to resolve the problem before he can return."
Instead of getting angry, Tang Wei was delighted. "Ah Hao has found someone he likes? She isn't an ordinary woman, I hope? Let me make this clear: if she is, she can only marry into the Clear Sky Sect as a concubine."
An ordinary woman?
Probably not. At least, Tang Xiao had never seen an ordinary woman whose arms were thicker than his thighs.
"Father, that woman has outstanding talent and an excellent foundation. She's unlike any ordinary person!"
She didn't even look human.
Tang Wei laughed when he heard that. "My son really is capable! Ah Xiao, you need to put some effort in too, or I'll have no choice but to find someone and make a marriage proposal for you."
At the mention of marriage, Tang Xiao hurriedly changed the subject. "Father, let's put Second Brother aside for now. We made a major discovery on this trip!"
Tang Wei sat up straight. "Tell me everything at once. What did you discover?"
Two days later, at the Clear Sky Sect's training grounds.
Tang Wei looked at his eldest son. "Ah Xiao, are you sure this movement technique can let you move in an instant once you've mastered it? I've never heard of such a technique."
Tang Xiao wiped away his sweat. "I'm sure, Father. That day, Second Brother and I both used Clear Sky True Body and locked onto that man, but then he used this 'Flash Step' and vanished in an instant!"
"But... why does it feel a bit like ordinary calisthenics to me?"
"You must be joking, Father. If it were really calisthenics, why would Second Brother and I have kept practicing it?!"
Tang Wei exclaimed in delight, "Could it be that you've already mastered it?!"
Tang Xiao shook his head. "Not yet, but I'm close! Father, you should practice with me. As the saying goes, among all martial arts under heaven, nothing is too tough to break, but speed alone is unbreakable. A movement technique can play a decisive role in battle!"
Tang Wei thought that made sense. Spirit Hall was at the height of its power, and there was no telling when the balance might be broken. Having another skill was always a good thing.
Surely his own son wouldn't lead him into a trap?
And so the atmosphere in the Clear Sky Sect gradually changed. From morning to night, the sounds of Flash Step practice rose and fell throughout the sect.
This left Spirit Hall's spies utterly bewildered.
Gui Mei listened to his subordinates' report. "You're saying everyone in the Clear Sky Sect is practicing a movement technique called 'Flash Step'?"
"That's right. I saw it with my own eyes."
"All right, you're dismissed."
Gui Mei and Yue Guan exchanged a look.
Gui Mei asked, "Yue Guan, what do you make of this? I've never heard of such a movement technique."
Yue Guan shrugged. "We'll report it to His Holiness as it is. We're only responsible for gathering intelligence. Still, perhaps we ought to study this Flash Step carefully. If it really is the Clear Sky Sect's secret weapon, we'll need to watch out for it."
Qian Xunji was just as baffled as the two elders. Even after consulting Spirit Hall's records spanning ten thousand years, he couldn't recall any such movement technique appearing in history.
His expression grew grave. "We must investigate this thoroughly. The Clear Sky Sect is already a major threat. If it has a secret technique on top of that, it could spell trouble for Spirit Hall!"
"As you command!"
"By the way, have you found anything in the Star Dou Forest?"
"Your Holiness, our people did find traces of Tang Hao. He doesn't seem to have returned to the Clear Sky Sect, but there's a bear with him."
"A bear? Tang Hao has a pet?"
"It isn't a pet. According to the spies, Tang Hao and the bear are close, rather like a couple."
Qian Xunji was at a loss. Were the Tangs really so defiant of the heavens that they could even make a move on a bear?
"Never mind. Keep watching him, and report the slightest stir immediately!"
"As you command!"
Half a month later.
In Suotuo City, Qian Renxue had learned to make some basic pills, though only at a simple level.
Although her Soul Power was much higher than that of others her age, it fell short when it came to pill refinement. She could only make two batches of Soul Condensing Pills a day.
Still, with Jiang Nian's guidance and the Black Demon Cauldron's help, the pills were of passable quality.
Pang Dun received the first batch of pills and began using the Pang Family's connections to sell them. As soon as the pills appeared, they caused quite a stir.
Jiang Nian looked at the still relatively peaceful Suotuo City and understood that it was only a matter of time before Spirit Hall learned of the matter.
Although he didn't want Qian Renxue to be caught in a difficult choice, that day would come eventually.
"Oh well, I'll take it one step at a time." Jiang Nian had never been one to fret over gains and losses.
During this time, Qian Renxue's Soul Power had also reached rank 18, so it was time to set out for the Sunset Forest.
The Pang Family was bound to draw fire upon itself, and Jiang Nian would also provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the Pang Family's Martial Soul as agreed. As for whether the Pang Family survived the flames and continued cooperating with him, or was burned to death by the fire it had drawn, Jiang Nian wouldn't concern himself with that.
Without the means to match their greed, cooperating with them would only bring endless trouble.
Seven days later, Qian Renxue gave Pang Dun fourteen batches of Soul Condensing Pills she had refined.
Jiang Nian then took his two disciples and set out for the Sunset Forest.
It was raining on the day they left, and Ah Yin didn't dare show any more melancholy.
If she grew melancholy again, she thought the rain might not be as melancholy as she was. If she had to run after the carriage again, she would go mad.
Inside the carriage, Qian Renxue asked, "Teacher, is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well really as full of opportunities and fortuitous encounters as you said?"
Jiang Nian smiled. "When have I ever lied to you?"
Ah Yin asked as well, "Teacher, is that place really well suited to my cultivation?"
Jiang Nian's smile vanished. "Endure two cycles of my Heavenly Flames first, then we'll talk!"
Ah Yin muttered under her breath, "Pah! Playing favorites..."
Jiang Nian said irritably, "If only you really knew how to cook! You've practiced for so long, and all you've learned to make is a hodgepodge stew. I really must owe you!"
Knowing she was in the wrong, Ah Yin grumbled and closed her eyes to cultivate.
Not long after Jiang Nian and his party left, Pang Dun received a letter from Spirit City.
The letter contained only three words: Soul Condensing Pill.
The Pang Family members panicked at once and all looked at Pang Dun. "Family Head, what do we do now?"
"I told you Spirit Hall would definitely come after us over this!"
"Why don't we hand over the pills and give up that Titled Douluo? He's just one Titled Douluo. How could he possibly stand against Spirit Hall?"
"That's right! He's left Suotuo City anyway. We can report to Spirit Hall ahead of time and have its people come here to set an ambush. We might even get something out of it!"
Pang Dun said nothing, watching the whispering Pang Family members with an indifferent gaze.
More than half of the Pang Family members supported giving Jiang Nian up, while some waited to see where Pang Dun stood. A small number firmly insisted that they couldn't betray Jiang Nian.
At last, once the factions had divided themselves, Pang Dun stood up and walked toward the door.
Those people didn't understand. "Family Head, say something! Even if you don't agree, we'll report him to Spirit Hall. The Pang Family can't go down with you!"
Pang Dun said nothing. He quietly shut the door, then said in a low voice, "Do it!"
In an instant, several Soul Grandmasters rushed out of hiding. Every Pang Family member who wanted to give Jiang Nian up was killed, not one of them spared.
The remaining Pang Family members were terrified.
Pang Dun slowly turned around. "Remember, the Pang Family has only this one chance to rise! Anyone who isn't absolutely loyal to His Holiness dies!"
The remaining people trembled and hurriedly said, "We obey your orders, Family Head!"
Pang Dun's own hands were trembling as well. He had a feeling that as long as the Pang Family could hold on, even if only until His Holiness returned, it could weather this crisis.
Then the Pang Family's future would be a smooth road!
Even now, the nine-colored Soul Ring Jiang Nian had displayed remained fresh in his memory.
According to his research into Soul Rings, the stranger the color, the faster the killing.
A nine-colored Soul Ring was unheard of, and Jiang Nian could even produce pills that overturned the accepted wisdom of the Douluo Continent. Such a Titled Douluo was worth betting everything on!