Chapter 232: Aftermath of the Battle
Following the conclusion of the battle at Tianxing Academy, word of Yang Potian's power quickly spread across the continent. Ning Fengzhi sat in silence with Sword Douluo and Ning Rongrong, each deep in thought.
After a long pause, Ning Fengzhi finally spoke, "Uncle Jian, what level of strength do you think Yang Potian has reached? Does he really have the power to contend with Spirit Hall's Grand Worshipper, Qian Daoliu?"
Sword Douluo shook his head. "There's a vast gap between rank 98 and rank 99. My father, too, reached rank 98, but even he was no match for Qian Daoliu. Qian Daoliu defeated all nine of my father's Killing Sword Strikes before he ultimately fell. The Seraphim spirit is one of the few god-level spirits on the continent, surpassing even the Clear Sky Hammer in quality. Yang Potian's spirit can't fully compete with that. I don't think he could defeat Qian Daoliu yet. But given his youth, it's likely only a matter of time before he surpasses him."
Ning Fengzhi fell into a thoughtful silence. On the entire continent, the only other person close to Qian Daoliu's strength was Yang Potian. Yet, Yang Potian seemed disinterested in alliances or enmity, preoccupied only with his own matters. If it hadn't been for Haotian Sect's provocation, he likely wouldn't have even revealed his power.
Suddenly, Ning Fengzhi thought of something and turned to Ning Rongrong. "Rongrong, you've been spending time with Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan. Do you have any idea of the strength of the other members from Yang Potian's old Tiandou Team Two?"
Ning Rongrong shook her head. "I don't know their exact levels, but they're incredibly strong. Once, I tried to support them in a sparring match. The moment I did, my soul power was completely drained."
Ning Fengzhi's expression turned serious. "In just five years, Yang Potian has gone from rank 67 to rank 98. The others must have made significant progress as well. We may have only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Tianxing Academy's strength."
"Rongrong, what do you think of Tianxing Academy?" he asked after a moment.
Ning Rongrong thought carefully before replying, "Father, I feel like my cultivation speed is much faster at Tianxing Academy than elsewhere. I'm also very happy training alongside Lingling and the others."
Ning Fengzhi nodded. "Rongrong, we'll soon be leaving. If you wish to stay at Tianxing Academy, you may continue to do so."
Sword Douluo looked surprised by this decision but, seeing Ning Rongrong's delight, said nothing.
Ning Fengzhi continued, "Uncle Jian, who could the person that saved Tang Hao and Tang Xiao at the last moment be? There shouldn't be anyone else of that level left in the world."
Sword Douluo shook his head. "Yang Potian's final attack could have killed both Tang Hao and Tang Xiao, breaking through even the Great Sumeru Hammer. To block such a move would require a strength of at least rank 99. Whoever saved them must be that strong."
Ning Fengzhi was puzzled. "The only person I could imagine rescuing them would be Tang Chen. But with Tang Chen's strength and status, he wouldn't need to hide his identity. And considering Haotian Sect's reputation, if it were Tang Chen, he would have revealed himself."
"What's more, Tang Chen's spirit is the Clear Sky Hammer, not a black dragon claw."
Ning Fengzhi pondered aloud, "It seems there are powerful figures we're unaware of. Haotian Sect's hidden strength might be greater than we imagined."
After Ning Rongrong left, Sword Douluo hesitated. "Fengzhi, Rongrong is the future heir to Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Is it really appropriate for her to stay at Tianxing Academy?"
Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "Among the younger generation, only Tang San and a few others at Tianxing Academy are truly exceptional. Rather than have her at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy or burden her with sect matters, it's better to let her train peacefully here, ensuring she has a safe haven and avoiding unnecessary interference from others."
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Xue Qinghe turned to Ghost Douluo. "Ghost Douluo, return to Spirit Hall immediately. Report today's events to my grandfather and Bibi Dong so they can make preparations."
"And find out who the person who saved Tang Hao and Tang Xiao was. Could it have been Tang Chen?"
Ghost Douluo shook his head. "Whoever that was far exceeded our expectations. They must be at the Grand Worshipper level."
Xue Qinghe thought for a long moment. "Head back to Spirit Hall, then, and keep an eye on Tang Hao and Tang Xiao. Both are seriously injured, and this could be an opportunity."
Ghost Douluo quickly left, intent on informing both the Supreme Pontiff and Qian Daoliu. Yang Potian was now one of the most significant obstacles to Spirit Hall's ambitions.
Outside Tian Dou City, a shadow passed swiftly through the air: it was Di Tian, carrying Tang San and his group.
As a Limit Douluo, Di Tian moved with extreme speed, covering several thousand kilometers in just half a day. He set down Tang San and the others, who were all in poor shape—Tang Hao was still unconscious, and though Tang Xiao was badly injured, he managed to stay alert.
Tang San hurried to support his father. Seeing Tang Hao's severed arm and the agony etched on his face, Tang San's eyes blazed with fury.
Tang Xiao, suppressing his pain, respectfully addressed Di Tian. "Thank you, Senior, for saving us. May I ask your name so that we may repay you in the future?"
Di Tian ignored him, turning instead to Tang San. "So, you're Tang San? I am Di Tian. I'm here at the request of someone else. We're near the Haotian Sect's territory now. There are three Titled Douluo in Haotian Sect, so you should be safe."
Tang San, bowing respectfully, asked, "Thank you, Senior. Might I ask who sent you?"
Di Tian shook his head. "In time, you'll meet the person who sent me. Also, heed my advice: don't provoke those you aren't prepared to face."
Tang San was confused. "Senior Di Tian, with your strength, surely you have nothing to fear from Yang Potian. Why not simply eliminate him?"
Di Tian snorted, "You understand nothing. Yang Potian didn't even unleash his full strength. Had he done so, he might only be a bit weaker than me. And if we'd truly fought, none of you would have survived."
"Remember this, Tang San: true strength is earned through your own hard work. Until you've gained that strength, avoid provoking anyone who is beyond your reach. Next time, you may not be so lucky."
With that, Di Tian departed, heading back to the Star Dou Forest.
Tang San carried his father, while Titan helped Tang Xiao. Together, the group quickly made their way back to Haotian Sect.
When the elders saw the pitiful state of Tang Hao and Tang Xiao, they were shocked. Given their strength, they could scarcely believe anyone could have injured the brothers so severely.
Tang Xiao gave a slight shake of his head and said, "We went to Tianxing Academy, had a conflict, and after a fierce battle, Hao and I were no match and ended up seriously injured. If it weren't for someone stepping in, we would have both been killed."
The Second Elder looked puzzled. "Sect Master, while Yang Wudi and his allies are strong, they're only newly appointed Titled Douluos. Their soul power levels shouldn't be that high. How could they have injured you and Tang Hao so gravely? And weren't you accompanied by the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Crown Prince Xue Qinghe? Where are they?"
Tang Xiao sighed. "The clash was solely between us and Tianxing Academy. Yang Potian has already reached level 98, and even with both of us combined, we were no match for him. As for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Heaven Dou Empire, they chose not to get involved, likely to avoid antagonizing Tianxing Academy."
Tang Xiao then recounted the battle in detail, especially describing Yang Potian's combat abilities and spirit rings. He omitted the fact that Tang San's infiltration of Tianxing Academy had sparked the conflict, as well as Yang Potian's offering of the Earth Origin Fruit, saying only that the academy had rejected the idea of rejoining the Haotian Sect. This was to avoid fostering resentment toward Tang San and Tang Hao within the sect.
After hearing Tang Xiao's account, Tang Lie could barely contain his anger. "What is it that the Broken Clan and the Imperial Clan really want? All because they didn't want to return to the Haotian Sect, they left the Sect Master and Tang Hao in this state? How ungrateful! And what about the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Heaven Dou Empire? Weren't they our allies? Yet at the critical moment, they stood by."
Tang Xiao and the others fell silent, as they could hardly reveal that Tang San's covert infiltration had instigated the conflict.
The Second Elder, however, seemed more concerned. "Sect Master, our sect may be in grave danger. We're already at odds with Spirit Hall, and now we've made another formidable enemy. If Yang Potian, as you say, is only 25 and already level 98, it won't be long before he reaches level 99. When that happens, he may come to settle matters with us."
"Sect Master, though Yang Wudi and Niu Gao may be brash, they're reasonable at heart. Both clans benefited from the Haotian Sect's protection for many years, so it's hard to imagine things reaching such a hostile state even if we were somewhat in the wrong. Is there any chance of easing this enmity? If not reconciliation, perhaps we can at least find a way to coexist peacefully."
Tang Xiao was silent again, recognizing that this conflict had been initiated by the Haotian Sect. Mending relations now would be no easy task, especially since Yang Potian's strength was likely to eclipse even his grandfather Tang Chen's in time. If he were to seek them out later, it could spell disaster for the Haotian Sect.
Finally, Tang Xiao replied, "Let's set that aside for now. With our alliance with the Heaven Dou Empire and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Tianxing Academy likely won't act against us for the time being. Right now, our priority is to heal Hao's injuries. With the loss of an arm, his future power will be significantly compromised."
"Besides, Spirit Hall is currently the strongest faction in the spirit master world. They're likely to be more wary of Yang Potian and Tianxing Academy. Let's wait and see what these two forces do next."
The Second Elder nodded silently. For now, the sect master and Tang Hao's injuries were indeed the priority; they were Haotian Sect's strongest members and the foundation of the sect. As for other issues, they could be addressed later. In the worst case, they could return to seclusion. Surely the Broken Clan and Imperial Clan wouldn't go too far; otherwise, they'd face condemnation from the spirit master world.
Tang San continued to care for his father, Tang Hao, all the while replaying Di Tian's words in his mind. For the first time, he felt an overwhelming desire for strength—strength to erase the humiliation of this defeat.
As for the cause of it all, Tang San never considered himself at fault. Such actions were commonplace in both his past and present lives.
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