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Time passed in the blink of an eye, and Ye Wen continued to quietly develop his strength.
By now, two years had passed since Tang San entered Slaughter City.
In the Tian Dou Empire's capital, at Yue Xuan—
A young man with a stern expression and fiery red hair was elegantly playing a harp. Despite his transcendent demeanor, he couldn't mask the mediocrity of his appearance—a clear case of being "shadow-killed."
This person was none other than Tang San.
Tang Hao believed that Tang San's drastically changed aura would prevent outsiders from recognizing him. However, the upper echelons of Yue Xuan and the Hao Tian Sect were well aware of their relationship, and Qian Renxue, who possessed plot armor, knew even more.
But Tang Hao didn't care. Over the past two years, he discovered that the injuries which had been worsening had gradually improved after the evolution of the Killing God Domain. His cultivation had now reached the level of a 97th-rank Super Douluo. With confidence, he believed that if he used the Great Sumeru Hammer, he could even dare to confront the once-peak Bibi Dong.
After Tang San finished playing a piece, Tang Yuehua nodded in satisfaction and gently clapped her hands.
Since Tang San's Blue Silver Emperor bloodline hadn't awakened, the new pallor he gained in Slaughter City hadn't made him much more handsome. Instead, it added a cold, stern air and a chilling murderous intent. Therefore, Tang Yuehua didn't have him perform publicly, so naturally, he hadn't won over the hearts of noble maidens or Princess Xue Ke with his looks.
Perhaps due to inheriting the Asura God's legacy, Tang San now possessed an overwhelming killing intent that he couldn't suppress. Even with Tang Yuehua's Noble Circle assisting him, he only managed to appear as normal as possible. But once his inner killing intent flared, one wrong word could expose his true nature.
However, it was only his killing intent that leaked out. Tang San's mindset had already calmed down from the violent urge to kill everything upon leaving Slaughter City.
Tang San said indifferently, "Aunt, I think your domain has reached its limit in suppressing my killing intent and can no longer help me purify it. So, do you think I should return to train with my father? Practicing the harp any further feels like a waste of time."
Tang Yuehua's brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of displeasure appeared in her eyes, somewhat ruining her elegant image as a dignified noblewoman.
But years of self-cultivation and the enhancement of her martial soul prevented her from directly scolding him. Instead, she said gently:
"Xiao San, you are very much like your father.
But you must understand that your father's rash actions in the past led to many disastrous consequences. Having you practice the harp here isn't just for refining your temperament and purifying your killing intent.
It's also to teach you how to think and avoid blindly following your father's path of meeting violence with violence. Otherwise, I fear the tragedy of the past will repeat itself, and that wouldn't be good for anyone."
The original work provided little description of Tang Yuehua, but her temperament and beauty ranked her among the top-tier mature women, second only to Bibi Dong.
Upon closer inspection, one would notice that Tang Yuehua's portrayal was quite similar to Yu Xiaogang.
Both came from the upper three sects, and both experienced malignant mutations in their martial souls. Thus, Tang Yuehua harbored a deep-seated obsession. Though she lacked martial prowess, years of effort maintaining connections and social networks gave her unwavering confidence in her intellect. She began subconsciously rejecting brute force, much like a female version of Yu Xiaogang.
But Tang Yuehua had her temper, and so did Tang San. Tang San frowned and said gravely:
"Aunt, I respect you as my elder, but that doesn't give you the right to criticize my father. I don't want to hear those words again."
As always, Tang San was fiercely protective of his father, much like Old Jack had been. Even though both Tang Yuehua and Jack offered advice out of goodwill, once Tang Hao was involved, Tang San instinctively defended him without question.
Upon hearing this, Tang Yuehua was immediately speechless. After months of painstaking effort to suppress Tang San's malevolent killing intent, this was the thanks she received!?
"You—you—you—!"
Even in anger, Tang Yuehua's long-cultivated noble demeanor prevented her from outright cursing at Tang San. Instead, she pointed at him with trembling fingers, maintaining her composure.
Tang San, however, remained expressionless. If Tang Yuehua were his mother, he might have accepted her guidance. But as merely an aunt—one he wasn't close to growing up with—he felt no obligation.
Fortunately, Tang San viewed Tang Yuehua's kindness as a debt worth repaying. He believed in returning favors proportionally—if it was a gushing spring of kindness, he'd repay it drop by drop; but if it was just a drop, it was now considered a death sentence.
In the original timeline, Tang Yuehua similarly went to great lengths to help Tang San, but in the end, she became nothing more than a tool. Among Tang San's elders, only Tang Hao and Ah Yin benefited. One became the future plane consciousness of Douluo Planet, and the other became the life core of Douluo Planet.
As for Tang Xiao, who had also greatly helped Tang San, he received no benefits. Even the Hao Tian Sect eventually went into hiding. This was what Tang San called "repaying a gushing spring with a single drop."
After all, the Hao Tian Sect at least managed to survive. Otherwise, with the future Tang Sect becoming the number one sect, these remnants of the old era would have been wiped out if they hadn't had connections.
At that moment, Tang Hao walked in wearing a black outfit, his face still rugged with a full beard, though no longer dressed as a beggar. He said indifferently:
"Xiao San, don't be disrespectful to your aunt. Apologize."
Tang San hesitated for a moment but obediently complied. In his eyes, his father was the ultimate authority—right or wrong, obedience was the only option.
However, seeing Tang San's insincere apology, Tang Yuehua was irritated once again.
But Tang Yuehua didn't say much. Her wisdom told her that her usually reclusive older brother coming to her meant something important. She asked gravely:
"Brother Hao, what is this about?"
"I think Xiao San's killing intent has been suppressed enough. It's time to return to our roots and use the sect's resources to properly cultivate him," Tang Hao said.
After two years of hunting, Tang Hao had amassed eight ten-thousand-year soul bones.
He believed that even with lingering hatred, under the influence of these tantalizing Blood River Treasures, the sect elders who harbored grievances against him would likely accept him and his son.
Moreover, with his current 97th-rank cultivation, he could become a stabilizing pillar for the sect. With more effort, reaching the level of his grandfather Tang Chen wasn't impossible. He trusted the sect elders would know what to do—otherwise, they'd have to face the consequences of his "physics lessons".
Then Tang Hao thought for a moment and said to Tang Yuehua, "Younger sister, the Spirit Hall's movements have been increasingly aggressive lately. Anyone with a keen eye will uncover the connection between us. Take this opportunity to return to the Hao Tian Sect with me."
Though Tang Hao was a scoundrel, he deeply cared for his younger sister, who had endured hardships since birth. Hence, this suggestion.
But Tang Yuehua's eyes revealed hesitation. She had spent years building Yue Xuan's reputation among the nobility of the Tian Dou Empire. Returning to the Hao Tian Sect would mean abandoning all her efforts.
Watching from the side, Tang San wore a mocking expression. Just moments ago, she boasted about her wisdom, yet now she hesitated over such a simple and critical issue. Being in a foreign land without a Title Douluo to protect her—if the Spirit Hall targeted Yue Xuan, could she really escape? If something happened to her, Tang San imagined his father shedding tears.
Mm! Father crying! That couldn't happen!
Deeply concerned for his father, Tang San's expression changed abruptly.
Because of Ah Yin's situation, Tang Hao had been in a foul mood for a long time. If anything happened to Tang Yuehua, Tang San was certain his father's mood would worsen even further.
This was unacceptable to Tang San. After some thought, he said, "Aunt, you should return to the Hao Tian Sect with us. Otherwise, if someone targets you and uses you to threaten Father and the Hao Tian Sect, it would be extremely disadvantageous for us."
With Tang San's words laid bare, Tang Yuehua had no choice but to set aside her personal desires. With a sigh, she nodded in agreement.
That night, Tang Yuehua hastily packed her belongings and, together with Tang San and Tang Hao, embarked on the journey back to the Hao Tian Sect. Their departure resembled a panicked rabbit fleeing danger.
However, their supposedly covert movements had long been observed by Qian Renxue within the palace.
"The plot has deviated, but with those esteemed beings present, deviation was inevitable. Still, Tang Hao's departure from the Tian Dou Empire means the removal of its most troublesome forces. Now I can begin reaping the harvest," Qian Renxue murmured.
Not long after, news spread of Emperor Xue Ye's passing.
The next day, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe ascended the throne, adopting the same policies as his predecessor. Xue Beng was named a prince, albeit without territory, akin to Prince Xue Xing.
A month later, Xue Beng, infamous among the commoners, and Xue Xing, equally disreputable among the nobility, were found dead in Prince Xue Xing's mansion from "immediate wind" (a euphemism for sudden death). Due to the scandal, they were hastily buried.
Both were soul masters, yet dying from such a condition raised suspicions of deliberate murder. But no one spoke up—their reputations were so poor that their deaths actually bolstered the imperial family's prestige among the populace.
Following their deaths, the Tian Dou Empire announced a deep collaboration with the Spirit Hall. What shocked the continent was that the newly established state religion didn't enshrine the Angel God as its core belief. Instead, a mysterious deity named the Great Benevolent Medical Immortal took center stage, while the Angel God was relegated to a subordinate position. Additionally, many unfamiliar deities were introduced.
Though the Angel God had existed for too long to stir public reaction, the masses cared little about these new gods. All they needed to know was that the Spirit Hall continued to treat them well. Their only task was to participate in a new weekly ritual called "worship."
Though the ritual was somewhat tedious, when the Spirit Hall announced gifts afterward, the ignorant commoners flocked to it with vigor and enthusiasm, much like elderly folks rushing to buy discounted eggs in another life.
However, among the worshippers, a group of people stood out. They didn't follow the designated days but instead offered constant gratitude day and night to the unfamiliar Great Benevolent Medical Immortal displayed prominently above.
These were the commoners whom Ye Wen's Medical Alliance had saved with cheap medicine when they were on the brink of death.
Only in the face of life-and-death despair could humanity's purest gratitude be awakened.
This was something Ye Wen realized after careful investigation. He discovered that his past self had gone astray in collecting faith.
Despite all this, the Spirit Hall's unusual actions made it clear to everyone that the seemingly ordinary Medical Alliance had quietly surpassed the Spirit Hall. Now, the Spirit Hall had to grovel before them.
However, because the Medical Alliance maintained a neutral stance, the Star Luo Empire, which had been anxious about potential conflicts between the Tian Dou Empire and the Spirit Hall, immediately relaxed.
Realizing the Medical Alliance's strength and neutrality, the Star Luo Emperor quickly followed the Tian Dou Empire's lead, deciding to curry favor with the Medical Alliance. Whether they demanded resources or personnel, the Star Luo Emperor readily complied.
In no time, the name of the Great Benevolent Medical Immortal spread across the Douluo Continent.
Feeling the surging waves of faith energy from all directions, Ye Wen's eyes gleamed with joy as he immersed himself in new insights.
Facing life-and-death and confronting great terror, Ye Wen felt that the barrier at the peak of the Peak God King level, which he had previously struggled with, seemed to loosen. He began to touch upon a mysterious new domain.
Subsequently, using its ties with the Spirit Hall, the Tian Dou Empire began reclaiming territories previously granted to kingdoms and duchies, restoring its fragmented lands.
Strangely, the nobles of these kingdoms and duchies were left untouched, their legitimacy still recognized. Only their city defenses were taken over by the military.
While the people of the Douluo Continent thought Qian Renxue was overcomplicating things, she soon issued a decree that enraged the nobles of the Tian Dou Empire.
The Decree of Extended Grace.
This was the pinnacle of political scheming, exploiting human greed, and it flourished within the Tian Dou Empire.
The Decree of Extended Grace allowed noble inheritance to be shared among all children of a noble family, rather than being limited to the eldest legitimate son. Furthermore, the noble rank would gradually decrease with each generation.
The nature of nobles was well understood—they indulged in debauchery, and having only two children was considered virtuous. Many had dozens of illegitimate children.
When the illegitimate children heard of this "benefit", they immediately supported the decree wholeheartedly!
At this point, the much-criticized bloodline theory played its role. Since nobles were soul masters, these illegitimate children often inherited some soul master aptitude. Though their cultivation resources were inferior to the eldest legitimate son's, sheer numbers made it easy to divide the inheritance.
The conservative faction of nobles attempted to resist, but when faced with eighteen Title Douluos from the Spirit Hall, they felt the sky collapse.
How could they resist? One of them could crush their entire group!
Not to mention, everyone on the Douluo Continent knew the Medical Alliance was even more terrifying than the Spirit Hall. If they didn't comply, after these eighteen Title Douluos, there would surely be more waiting.
This was despair piled upon despair—an absolute disaster!
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