There are no winnersJialing Pass, Martial Spirit Branch Hall.
Amidst the puzzled gazes of numerous Soul Masters, a man wearing a bamboo hat slowly walked out of the Martial Soul Branch Hall.
Following the flow of people, the man passed through the checkpoint and left Jialing Pass. Finding a secluded spot, he removed his straw hat, revealing long, golden hair.
It was Dai Yao.
After glancing at the majestic Jialing Pass, Dai Yao shifted his gaze to the direction of the Star Dou Great Forest, his expression somewhat gloomy:
"So this is the Soul Beast Clan. You are indeed the mastermind behind this. You injured Golden Crocodile Douluo, released the Clear Sky Sect, and blocked Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo's aid, leaving me isolated and helpless in the Heaven Dou Empire. If I hadn't been prepared, Qian Renxue would have been captured by the Clear Sky Sect by now."
"By then, even if I manage to return safely, Qian Daoliu will not tolerate me."
After parting ways with Qian Renxue, Dai Yao didn't rush to leave. Instead, he lingered in Jialing Pass for a while, because he had many unresolved questions. Why was the Clear Sky Sect able to leave even though its entrances and exits were blocked by Golden Crocodile Douluo? Why didn't Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo, who had time to annihilate the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, come to their aid?
Therefore, in the Spirit Hall branch, he obtained the answer he wanted through Chrysanthemum Douluo.
The Soul Beast Clan wanted to isolate Dai Yao, so he had no choice but to accept their help and thus control him.
"Now that I think about it carefully, the reason why the Lion Douluo was lurking in the Hall of Worship was because he could use Qian Renxue's ascension to godhood to ascend to the God Realm. It has to be said that the Soul Beast Clan's scheme was truly premeditated. In the original story, if Tang San hadn't appeared out of nowhere, these guys would have really succeeded."
"I'll remember this debt."
Dai Yao gazed intently in the direction of the Starry Sky Forest, then took out the Vast Ocean Universe Cover. The triangular object emitted a faint, eerie blue light, and the surrounding air became slightly more humid as soon as it appeared.
"I searched high and low without finding it, but it came to me effortlessly. I never expected to obtain it in such a way. With the Vast Ocean Universe Cover in hand, Tang San has no chance of becoming the Sea God. In this way, even if he controls the entire Heaven Dou Empire, he will not pose any threat to me."
"If Tang San were to follow the path of inheriting the Asura God, he would probably be killed by Qian Renxue, who became the Rakshasa God and the Angel God, before he even became a god."
"In this life, Tang San doesn't have the Snow-Colored Swan Kiss to destroy Hell City, and Tang Chen, who is parasitized by the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King, won't emerge. Tang San also won't have the opportunity to take shortcuts and can only inherit the Asura God position step by step. This time will be incredibly long."
"By then, I will have already become a god, and Tang San will surely die."
"The only variable is Tang Chen, who passed the eight trials of Asura. However, after being parasitized by the Crimson Nine-Headed Bat King for so many years, Tang Chen's body is already dilapidated and he has lost the qualification to become a god. His best fate is to bury him in the City of Hell."
"After considering all this, Tang San is no longer a threat. Unless something unexpected happens, such as Tang San being favored by the God of Destruction, he will only face death."
As Dai Yao examined the Vast Ocean Universe Cover once more, a deep blue light reflected in his eyes.
"After the Vast Ocean Universe Cover recognizes its master, one can choose to inherit the position of the Sea God. However, the Sea God is only a first-level god, and there is a considerable gap between him and the five great god kings. If I choose to inherit the position of the Sea God, it would be too much of a waste of my talent."
"But if I choose to inherit the Asura God's position, it will require a lot of time spent in the City of Hell. Zhu Qing, Wu Tong, Yan Yan, Rong Rong, they have waited for me for so long, I already owe them so much, if we have to be separated for such a long time, it will inevitably be a bit..."
"Moreover, the situation on the mainland is very turbulent right now. I can't bear to leave them outside Hell City if I enter it alone."
Dai Yao let out a deep breath, still unable to make up his mind about which godhood to inherit.
Moreover, he possesses the Chaotic Green Lotus Martial Soul, and he himself cannot determine what path he will take in the future. After stealing Tang San's opportunity with the Vast Ocean Universe Cover, Dai Yao has ample time to choose whether to inherit the godhood or to explore the mysteries of the Chaotic Green Lotus Martial Soul and embark on a different path.
"As for the Vast Ocean Universe Cover, even if one does not inherit a divine position, it is still an extremely precious treasure, and its uses in the ocean are endless."
"However, Poseidon, the sea god, is not someone to be trifled with. If I acknowledge the Vast Ocean Universe Cover as my master but don't inherit the divine position, he will definitely resort to some means. In that case, I'll keep the Vast Ocean Universe Cover for now and make a decision in the future..."
Immediately, Dai Yao gazed deeply in the direction of Jialing Pass, put away the Vast Ocean Universe Cover, put his bamboo hat back on, and slowly unfolded his four pairs of wings. With a sudden flap, he rose into the extremely high sky and sped towards the west of the Heavenly Dou Empire.
During this period, in order to avoid the storm of the Heaven Dou Empire, the Azure Lotus Sect moved to Hanhai City. At Dai Yao's suggestion, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect also moved there.
Today, the city of Hanhai is home to two super sects, boasting a total of four titled Douluo-level combatants. Coupled with the existence of Ning Fengzhi, the number one support-type Soul Master in the world, even Tang San and the Clear Sky Sect dare not provoke them easily. Therefore, Hanhai City has effectively become the territory of the two major sects.
With the sect having just relocated, morale is low, and Dai Yao, as the sect leader of the Azure Lotus Sect, must stabilize the situation. Furthermore, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has also moved to Hanhai City, and he must make a gesture in return.
Therefore, before returning to the Spirit Hall, Dai Yao needs to make a trip to Hanhai City.
······
The Heavenly Dou Empire, Heavenly Dou City, Imperial Palace.
After listening to the report from the Tang Clan disciple, Tang San, sitting on the throne, waved his hand slightly. After the Tang Clan disciple left, a hint of dejection appeared on Tang San's face.
"Teacher, I lost again."
Despite having a huge advantage and having driven Shura Emperor and Qian Renxue to the brink of defeat, the two disappeared right under his nose. Even Tang San was somewhat dejected by this situation of losing the game when victory was within his grasp.
Looking at his most outstanding disciple, Yu Xiaogang closed his eyes in anguish.
His eyes were bloodshot. The Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Clan had been wiped out. He and Liu Erlong had traveled day and night to reach the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Sect, only to find ruins and wreckage everywhere. Of the hundreds of members of the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Sect, not a single one was alive.
Despite being shunned by his sect, Yu Xiaogang's sense of belonging to the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family never diminished.
Upon witnessing this tragic scene, he and Liu Erlong wept bitterly. Hearing that Tang San was relentlessly pursuing the 'Asura Emperor' and Qian Renxue, he had no choice but to pull himself together and return to Heaven Dou City to help his disciple.
After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes and said heavily:
"Xiao San, this is not your fault. Xue Qinghe has been lurking in Tiandou City for so many years and has made many arrangements. It is already remarkable that you were able to thwart their conspiracy at the critical moment. You don't need to blame yourself."
"Yes, Third Brother. Don't worry, with us brothers here, we will definitely defeat the Spirit Hall. Moreover, Elder Dai is going to inherit the position of Crown Prince, and you are now the Blue King of the Empire. With the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire joining forces, I don't believe we still can't defeat the Spirit Hall!"
The fat man standing to the side said excitedly.
"You fatso, shut up! If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute. The Spirit Hall has so many high-level Spirit Masters, and now that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has withdrawn, the number of Spirit Masters available to the Empire has been further reduced. How are we going to deal with those high-level Spirit Masters from the Spirit Hall?"
Oscar cursed.
Standing to the side, Flander looked at his prized disciple and couldn't help but sigh. Because of the lingering evil fire within Ma Hongjun, he had already married nearly a hundred wives and concubines. Even Flander couldn't figure out whether it was due to the evil fire in the fat man's body or because of the guy's lust.
Oscar and Ma Hongjun are still at the Soul King level. The long-term comfortable environment has gradually worn down their youthful vigor, and sometimes they even think that it would be better if things could stay this way.
Oscar's words were exactly what Tang San was worried about. Currently, the Heaven Dou Empire's top-tier Soul Master power relies on the support of the Clear Sky Sect. With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School withdrawing, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan wiped out, and Dugu Bo disappearing, the Heaven Dou Empire has very few Title Douluo-level powerhouses left.
If it weren't for the Star Luo Empire being able to share some of the pressure from the Spirit Hall, countless people would have already chosen to surrender in the face of the powerful Spirit Hall.
Tang San rubbed his temples in pain, frowned, and said:
"In terms of advanced Soul Master strength, it is indeed a big problem. The lower four of the seven major sects are basically lackeys of the Spirit Hall. As for the upper three sects, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has already left, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has been wiped out, and my Clear Sky School is really struggling to stand alone."
He turned to look at the Seventh Elder, who had been recuperating from his injuries, and asked:
"Seventh Elder, I remember you said that there is an unknown force supporting us in secret. Can you contact them? We need their help."
The Seventh Elder's right arm was empty. Hearing Tang San's words, he slowly raised his head, his face deathly pale. He had fallen from the Title Douluo realm to the Soul Douluo realm. His face already carried a hint of death. If it weren't for the fact that the Clear Sky Sect's current situation was too dangerous, and he couldn't bear to leave it behind, he would have already passed away.
"Young Sect Master, you don't need to think about it anymore. We don't know who that force is, and they've only ever contacted us one-way. We don't know where they are. We've tried to look for them, but we haven't found anything."
Tang San's brows furrowed deeply:
"Not a single clue?"
Not at all.
The Seventh Elder answered without hesitation.
Tang San had no choice but to abandon the idea. Besides, the development of Tang Clan's hidden weapons had reached a bottleneck.
Although Titan was a master craftsman with the ability to forge unparalleled hidden weapons, he couldn't find the materials to create them. Those peerless hidden weapons, capable of threatening the lives of even titled Douluo, remained elusive.
The Spirit Hall's current inaction is most likely due to the influence of that hidden force. However, the Spirit Hall will eventually figure out their relationship with that hidden force, and once that's clear, a great war will begin.
Tang San could already sense the approaching war, and his heart clenched involuntarily.
Seeing Tang San deep in thought, the Seventh Elder and Yu Xiaogang exchanged a glance, and then the Seventh Elder spoke up:
"Young Sect Master, I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should."
Tang San raised his head and looked at the Seventh Elder, saying:
"Please speak."
The Seventh Elder said slowly, "More than a month has passed, and your marriage to Empress Xue Ke can be put on the agenda. Only if you fulfill your marriage contract with Empress Xue Ke can we rightfully take control of the Heavenly Dou Empire. Currently, there is a lot of news coming from the court that is not good for you."
"If this situation continues to escalate, and the Spirit Hall further fans the flames, the entire Heaven Dou Empire will descend into chaos."
"The best way to dispel those doubts is to complete the marriage agreement with Queen Xueke."
Upon hearing the Seventh Elder's words, Tang San's expression stiffened, and his previous annoyance instantly vanished, replaced by icy coldness. An uncontrollable killing intent emanated from him, causing the temperature within the entire palace to drop significantly. Tang San said expressionlessly:
"Seventh Elder, let's discuss this matter later."
"Young Sect Master..."
The Seventh Elder wanted to persuade him again.
Tang San's icy gaze pierced the Seventh Elder like a sharp sword. He said coldly:
"Seventh Elder, this is not a discussion, but an order."
"this······"
The words the Seventh Elder wanted to say were stuck in his throat.
The Shrek Academy group understood why Tang San's reaction was so strong. Xiao Wu was the love of Tang San's heart, and it was truly an impossible choice for him to give her up and marry another woman.
Flander quickly tried to smooth things over, forcing a smile as he said:
"Alright, alright, Third Sister, Seventh Elder, we can discuss this later. The crisis is imminent, so we should deal with the immediate crisis first. As for personal marriages, we can talk about them later."
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the palace gates. The gates opened, and everyone looked in the direction of the sound; it was Empress Xueke's personal maid.
The maid looked at Tang San expressionlessly and said indifferently:
"Lord Lan Hao, Her Majesty the Empress wishes to invite you for a chat. Would you do me the honor?"
Empress Xue Ke invited King Lan Hao again and again, but King Lan Hao refused each time. Naturally, Xue Ke's maids felt sorry for her and were not kind to Tang San.
"I'm not going."
Tang San replied coldly.
"Yes, sir."
The maid didn't offer any advice; instead, she turned and left as if she were just going through the motions.
Yu Xiaogang sighed and slowly said:
"Everyone, please go out first. Let me say a few words to the mistress."
The group exchanged glances and left the palace in silence.
Seeing Tang San slumped on the throne, Yu Xiaogang walked to Tang San's side, sighed, patted his shoulder, and said heavily:
"Xiao San, I know you've had a tough time, but Xiao Wu is already… the dead can't be brought back to life. You have your own happiness. If you're stuck in the past and can't move on, I'm sure Xiao Wu wouldn't want to see you like this."
Seeing that Tang San remained unmoved, Yu Xiaogang continued:
"Moreover, your marriage to Empress Xue Ke is not just about your happiness, but also about the lives of all of us. Without the protection of the Heaven Dou Empire, we will all be wiped out by the Spirit Hall. Think about it, your father, your sect elders, and your Shrek brothers—if you don't get married, everyone will die."
Upon hearing this, Tang San felt an immeasurable pressure bearing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe. It was like a mountain pressing down on his head, preventing him from refusing.
Tang San gritted his teeth, his body trembling slightly. After a long while, he struggled to say:
"Teacher, I promise you."
Although Tang San knew that Xiao Wu still had a sliver of hope of survival, he could not afford to be willful at this moment. He had to agree to the marriage agreement with Xue Ke, otherwise, everyone he valued would disappear one by one.
······
The coup at Tiandou Palace ended, but there were no victors.
Although Dai Yao escaped Tang San's pursuit with Qian Renxue and obtained the Vast Ocean Universe Cover, the Heaven Dou Empire, which was originally a sure thing, fell into Tang San's hands, leading to a further increase in Tang San's power. Although Tang San thwarted the Spirit Hall's conspiracy, he betrayed Xiao Wu, which made him wish he were dead. Qian Renxue's originally sure plan failed at the last minute.
The Spirit Hall's plan failed; the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School abandoned its significant interests and left Heaven Dou City; the Green Lotus School abandoned its newly built sect, which had cost a great deal of manpower and resources, and came to the branch in Hanhai City; although the Clear Sky School re-emerged, the dangers it faced after going public were several times greater than before, and the Seventh Elder even fell from the Title Douluo realm.
As for the soul beast race, not only did they not leave Dai Yao with no way out, they also completely antagonized him.
The most tragic case was, of course, the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex family. They hadn't done anything wrong, yet they disappeared from the continent.
This battle ended without a victor, but it was merely the beginning of turmoil on the continent... (End of Chapter)