How could a rebellious disciple who dares to defy his master's orders be worth helping?
"I did say that,"
Yu Xiaogang added—
"But at the time, I was only speaking in general terms. Soul bones can indeed be absorbed if they are compatible, but there are still differences in quality."
"It's just like Martial Soul Fusion Techniques. According to the Tang Sect Encyclopedia, if two martial souls have more than a 60% compatibility rate, they can trigger martial soul resonance."
"But that's only the minimum compatibility requirement, so the power is just average."
"The higher the compatibility, the stronger the Martial Soul Fusion Technique."
"So in my opinion..."
"This soul bone should be given to an agility-attack or power-attack type soul master based on its tiger-eagle attributes."
Between the lines,
It was clear he intended to exclude Tang San from the competition.
Tang San was absolutely furious!
Fine, fine, fine!
So that's how you want to play it?
I carried your damn ass for over a month—if nothing else, I at least put in the effort, right?
And now you're stabbing me in the back?!
You treacherous bastard!
You deserve to die!
[Mission: Make Yu Xiaogang and Tang San break ties, snatching a small portion of Tang San's destiny!]
[Reward: "All Soul Bones +500 Years"]
Oh ho!
An unexpected bonus, huh?
Tang Lan looked at Tang San's enraged expression, thinking he was about to lash out.
But to his surprise, Tang San held back.
—His old-fashioned way of thinking still kept him from openly breaking with Yu Xiaogang.
Tang Lan found it a bit disappointing.
So, he could only go ahead with his prepared plan—
"If we can't reach a decision, then let's settle it with competition."
"I've scheduled a battle with the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy team in a month."
"Whoever performs best among you three will get the soul bone."
Dai Mubai's eyes lit up!
He had already planned to give up, but now there was still hope?
As the highest-level member aside from Tang Lan,
He still had a chance!
"Master, I have no objections!" Dai Mubai agreed immediately.
"Neither do I!" Tang San said confidently, "My third soul skill will absolutely not disappoint!"
—Just as in the original timeline, his third soul skill was still Spider Web Restraint.
"I will prove myself!" Zhu Zhuqing declared, determined to win.
After making cream puffs and "grilling hot dogs" for Tang Lan last night,
Zhu Zhuqing could clearly sense that her martial soul was resonating with Tang Lan's Thunderflame Clear Sky Hammer almost all the time.
Once their Martial Soul Fusion Technique was activated, she would be the most dazzling queen on the battlefield!
Moreover,
Tang Lan had also taught her the Undying Seal Method and Dragon Capture Hand.
Her talent was exceptional.
In just one morning, she had already grasped a good portion of the techniques.
By the time a month had passed,
She would undoubtedly master them.
And then...
Who would be afraid of whom?!
"Tonight, I should find Tang Lan for another dual cultivation session to discuss training insights," Zhu Zhuqing thought to herself.
Tang Lan, seeing everyone so fired up, nodded in satisfaction.
This was exactly the effect he wanted by taking out the soul bone.
Let everyone compete, let Tang San think he had a real shot.
But in the end...
It would definitely go to Zhu Zhuqing.
And with that, he could rack up another system reward.
Tang Lan made the decision: "Then after two days of rest—"
"No need!" Zhu Zhuqing interrupted, "I can start training tomorrow!"
And just like that, the grind began.
"I'll give up my break too and start training tomorrow!" Dai Mubai immediately followed suit.
Oscar, who had been watching the drama unfold, widened his eyes.
Boss Dai!
Didn't we agree to go—
Dai Mubai cast him an apologetic look.
For the chance at a soul bone, he had to go all out!
Oscar pouted but didn't argue.
After all, soul bones were rare, and a ten-thousand-year soul bone was even more valuable.
Tang San was about to express his stance when Tang Lan pressed him down.
"Tomorrow, you're coming with me to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to discuss the assembly line and forging workshop."
Tang San wasn't too happy about it.
Wouldn't this put him behind in training?
But he also knew this was an important matter, so he had no choice but to sullenly agree.
Zhu Zhuqing's lips curled into a faint smile.
—Wasn't this helping her?
Thinking it over,
Tang San's main trump cards were still his hidden weapons and the firearms that Tang Lan had given him.
But these external tools couldn't be used in official soul master tournaments.
And besides,
This was just a friendly match, so there was no need for such heavy artillery.
As for that Blue Silver Grass, with its white, yellow, and purple rings...
Ha!
If Zhu Zhuqing wasn't just a two-ring Soul Grandmaster, with one less soul skill than Tang San,
She wouldn't even need to consider him as a threat.
But then again,
Tang Lan was higher in level!
As long as she activated her Martial Soul Fusion Technique with him, wouldn't it be an instant win?
And Dai Mubai?
Same situation as Tang San.
However!
Would someone as strong-willed as Zhu Zhuqing rely on others for victory?
Rather than depending on a man,
She preferred to win this soul bone with her own strength!
"During this past month of wilderness endurance training, I've been using Lingbo Footwork to refine my movements, and I already reached level 29 a month ago."
"If I push myself in this final month, I might be able to break through to level 30 and obtain my next soul ring!"
"Tang San and Dai Mubai's third soul rings are only around 2,000 years old."
"But I have the Whale Glue that adds 1,200 years, and Tang Lan can extend the age even further. If I can also master the Undying Seal Method..."
"3,500 years wouldn't be impossible!"
That would be an enormous advantage!
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't wait any longer—she went straight to Zhao Wuji.
"Hall Master Zhao, are you free right now?"
The implication was obvious—she wanted to start extra training immediately!
Zhao Wuji wanted to refuse—he had a ton of things to deal with.
But then Dai Mubai stepped forward too.
"Hall Master Zhao, I know this will be tough on you for a while, but I'll treat you to drinks later. Any tavern in Heaven Dou City—your pick!"
Zhao Wuji let out a bitter laugh.
He knew he couldn't refuse now, so he nodded.
Tang San immediately said, "Hall Master Zhao, once I get back from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, I'll train with you too."
"Fine, fine, all of you, come at me!" Zhao Wuji gave up resisting. "At worst, I'll just keep my soul skills active while dealing with my paperwork!"
Tang Lan laughed and scolded him.
"Old Zhao, stop complaining indirectly. I'll talk to my brother and send someone knowledgeable to assist you."
Zhao Wuji chuckled sheepishly and scratched his head, playing dumb.
"I didn't mean anything by it, but if the Sect Master wants to support his subordinates, that's naturally for the best—hehehe!"
Tang Lan shook his head in amusement and didn't continue the topic.
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed everyone.
Those who needed to train went to train, and those who needed to rest went to rest.
Oscar was left torn.
He looked at Zhao Wuji and the others leaving, then back at his own room.
Everyone his age was grinding hard—could he really just lie around?
He had to remember—
The current team had eight members!
A fully-staffed team had only seven main players—the extra person would end up as a substitute.
Oscar did not want to be that substitute.
He sighed,
Grit his teeth, and ran after Zhao Wuji.
"Hall Master Zhao, count me in too!"
Seeing how Tang Lan had motivated everyone in just a few sentences,
Yu Xiaogang couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself.
Of course...
To achieve all of this, the prerequisite was having a ten-thousand-year soul bone to offer.
Simply put...
"Sect Master Tang is both wealthy and generous. Xiaogang, staying here was the right choice," Liu Erlong remarked with emotion.
Yu Xiaogang simply smiled, neither nodding nor denying it.
His reason for staying had nothing to do with these so-called "petty benefits."
He had a much bigger goal...
Midnight.
Zhu Zhuqing dragged her exhausted body back to her room.
And found Tang Lan already there.
Thinking about what had happened last night, she felt a bit conflicted.
—Not because she rejected those things, but because this wasn't the right time.
Just as she was about to refuse,
Tang Lan stepped aside, revealing a steaming bath behind him.
"Training is exhausting. Take a soak and relax," Tang Lan said, his smile sincere.
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly felt a little guilty.
—A man this thoughtful, and she had actually misunderstood his intentions…
A few seconds later,
She glanced at Tang Lan, who was still standing there, and the touched look in her eyes faded, returning to her usual cold demeanor.
Heh. Men.
But after what happened last night, she wasn't afraid anymore.
She raised her hand and took off her jacket, revealing the black alloy sports bra underneath.
Just as she undid the first button—
"Pop, pop, pop—"
A row of buttons shot off, her chest surging forward yet again.
Before Tang Lan could take a closer look—
Whoosh!
Zhu Zhuqing activated her martial soul, stripping at light-speed and diving into the bath.
Tang Lan barely caught a glimpse of flawless, snow-white skin before she vanished into the water, leaving only glowing ripples behind.
What a shame.
"If only I had activated an external soul bone for enhanced dynamic vision..." Tang Lan thought.
But no matter.
He walked towards the bath, grinning brightly.
"The water's getting a bit cold. Let me warm it up for you."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't respond.
Which, in Tang Lan's view, meant she was fine with it.
In just a few swift movements, Tang Lan stripped and slid into the bath as well.
Using his Nine Yang Divine Skill, he gradually infused heat into the water.
At the same time,
A small portion of Nine Yang energy seeped into the water.
Zhu Zhuqing unknowingly absorbed some of it.
Her muscle fatigue vanished almost instantly.
Tang Lan seized the opportunity and raised his hand.
"I'll use internal energy to give you a massage. You'll be fully recharged for training tomorrow!"
Hearing that she'd be able to train properly, Zhu Zhuqing remained silent.
And then...
The Next Morning.
The last one to finish training last night, Zhu Zhuqing, was the first to arrive at the hotel's training field.
Looking completely refreshed.
Dai Mubai, whose muscles were still sore, couldn't help but feel envious.
And yet, he wasn't surprised.
Every time they went on long-distance endurance training, Tang Lan had always used his Nine Yang internal energy to restore everyone's condition one by one.
The effects were instantaneous—even better than medicinal baths.
Otherwise,
After over a month of extreme physical training, no matter how strong their willpower was, their bodies would've broken down long ago.
At this point,
Dai Mubai was actually starting to envy Zhu Zhuqing.
Finding such an exceptional partner…
—When someone surpasses you by an overwhelming margin, there's no room for jealousy.
Dai Mubai knew his place. Compared to Tang Lan, he was nothing.
Let alone…
The root cause of his current predicament was his own cowardly escape in the past.
This was his karma, and he had no one to blame but himself.
"I won't run away again!"
"I will fight my way back and reclaim everything I lost!"
...
Except for Zhu Zhuqing.
Dai Mubai, enduring his muscle soreness, threw himself into training once again.
Meanwhile, Tang Lan Enjoyed a Rare Lazy Morning.
Last night…
The first half was spent giving Zhu Zhuqing a massage.
The second half was Zhu Zhuqing, now fully recovered, returning the favor.
A perfect cycle.
Afterward,
Zhu Zhuqing had clung to him, pressing him for insights on cultivating the Undying Seal Method.
They didn't sleep the entire night.
Though Tang Lan didn't feel tired, he just wanted to lie down for a bit.
Smelling the lingering fragrance Zhu Zhuqing had left behind, he felt utterly relaxed.
One Hour Later
Knock, knock, knock.
"Brother?" Tang San's voice came from outside. "It's time to leave. I need to get back soon for training!"
Tang Lan finally sat up.
He couldn't help but sigh, "Truly, the warmth of a woman's embrace is a hero's grave. It dulls a man's fighting spirit."
But then he thought about Zhu Zhuqing's stunning figure and grinned.
"Then again, a balance between work and rest is important too."
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"Brother?"
"Are you in there?"
...
Tang San was clearly getting impatient.
Tang Lan got up and opened the door.
Before he could say a word—
Tang San grabbed his wrist and bolted toward the rooftop.
Wait a second—?
The rooftop?
Upon arrival,
Tang Lan saw two three-meter-tall golden-winged birds grooming their feathers.
Judging by their spirit power, they were around 4,000 years old.
These were gentle flying soul beasts, one of the few species that wouldn't attack humans on sight.
They neither ate meat nor plants—instead, they fed on metals to strengthen their bodies.
They especially loved gold.
But since gold mines were difficult to extract, they were rarely seen in the wild and had become a species humans could domesticate.
However, due to high maintenance costs and low endurance, they were typically only used as short-range couriers for urgent document delivery.
They were incredibly rare.
Yet here,
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was using them as personal air mounts?
Truly, a sign of extreme wealth!
Standing beside the golden-winged birds,
Two clan disciples, dressed in Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan robes, bowed respectfully.
"Sect Master Tang, Hall Master Tang, greetings. The Clan Master has sent us to escort you."
"Please, take your seats."
The golden-winged birds obediently kneeled, revealing their wide, cushioned saddles on their backs.
Tang Lan, intrigued, hopped onto one.
After confirming they were securely seated,
The two clan disciples leapt onto the birds' necks and patted their heads.
The golden-winged birds understood immediately—
With a powerful leap, they spread their wings and glided smoothly through the sky, heading toward Heaven Dou City's outskirts.
For Tang Lan and Tang San, as spirit masters, the rushing wind was nothing significant.
But the two Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan disciples still summoned their defensive martial souls to shield themselves from the wind.
Beneath their feet—
Five soul rings glowed in sequence: white, yellow, purple, purple, purple.
A five-ring Soul King as a mere "driver"?!
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan truly lived up to its reputation!
Enjoying the breathtaking aerial view,
In less than half an hour,
They arrived at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was nestled among a range of majestic mountains, its towering structures rising from the earth, radiating prosperity comparable to Heaven Dou City itself.
The golden-winged birds soared past the main gate, descending onto a spacious open plaza.
Waiting there were Ning Fengzhi, Ning Rongrong, and both Title Douluo protectors—Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong.
This level of reception was a clear display of importance.
Tang Lan, however, didn't stand on ceremony.
He leapt off the golden-winged bird and grinned, spreading his arms wide toward Ning Fengzhi.
"Brother, why such a grand welcome? I'm just here to check out the place."
"It's your first time visiting, little brother. How could I, as your elder, not treat you with proper courtesy?" Ning Fengzhi responded with a warm smile.
He gestured toward Ning Rongrong and Sword Douluo Chen Xin, then raised his hand to introduce Gu Rong.
"You already know Rongrong and Uncle Jian."
"This is my clan's second Guardian Douluo—Bone Douluo Gu Rong, Title Douluo, Rank 95."
Gu Rong's appearance was ghastly—his skin dry and withered, muscles shrunken, and deep-set eyes.
Though not particularly muscular, his skeletal frame was enormous—standing at an intimidating 2.5 meters.
He looked almost like a giant undead warrior.
And yet—
He enthusiastically stepped forward and pulled Tang Lan into a bear hug.
"Your Undying Seal Method saved my ass! Thanks to it, I've beaten that coward Chen Xin several times already—hahaha!"
Ah, so that's what happened.
Tang Lan was just about to respond when—
"Who lost?!" Chen Xin snapped, clearly furious. "If I weren't holding back my strongest technique to avoid killing you, do you think you could've held out?"
Gu Rong's smug grin widened.
"You have stronger techniques? Well, I have stronger defenses too!"
"At the end of the day, you lost!"
Chen Xin's hair practically stood on end with rage, his soul power visibly surging.
"Fine, fine, fine! If that's how you want to play it, I'll fight you for real this time!"
"Who's afraid of who?!" Gu Rong shot back, unfazed. "Back mountain—NOW!"
"LET'S GO!"
Black mist erupted from Gu Rong's back, and he vanished into it.
Chen Xin immediately took to the skies, his sword light streaking across the horizon.
Leaving behind Ning Fengzhi and Ning Rongrong, both looking utterly helpless.
—These two are fighting again?!
And of all times, why now…?
Even Tang San's expression looked a bit off—was this supposed to be a show of force?
Thankfully—
Tang Lan remained unfazed, his expression unchanged.
—These two had been at each other's throats for a lifetime.
This wasn't hostility—it was just their dynamic.
In fact—
For Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo to be this casual in front of him, despite their usual strictness in front of Ning Fengzhi, meant that they already considered him one of their own.
And that…
Was a very good thing.
Tang Lan smirked and teased:
"Uncle Bone and Uncle Sword… seem to have a pretty deep bond, huh?"
Ning Fengzhi studied Tang Lan's expression—seeing no hint of sarcasm, he finally relaxed a little.
"I apologize for making you witness such a scene on your first visit." Ning Fengzhi smiled wryly.
"Yeah, Uncle Tang, don't get the wrong idea," Ning Rongrong quickly added. "Grandpa Bone and Grandpa Sword have never gotten along—it's not about you."
Tang Lan simply chuckled, completely unconcerned.
He was about to say a few diplomatic words to move past the situation when—
Out of nowhere—
Tang San suddenly spoke up, catching everyone off guard!