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After dealing with Yu Xiaogang's soul, she grabbed the hair of the third elder of the Clear Sky Sect and flew toward Spirit City. As for Yu Xiaogang's two halves lying on the ground, she didn't even consider dealing with them.
Over time, Yu Xiaogang's corpse darkened and became hideous, eventually devoured by countless insects and ants until not even bones remained. Wasn't this a more fitting end than simply burning the body?
In the Papal Palace of the Spirit Hall, Qian Renhan sat upon the Pope's throne. He wasn't dressed in the traditional papal robes but instead wore an all-black outfit.
Below him, the elders of the Elder Hall—Chrysanthemum, Ghost, Snake Spear, Thorn Dolphin, Ghost Leopard, Demon Bear, and Spirit Kite—stood alongside two others whose names Qian Renhan couldn't quite recall. Altogether, nine elders had assembled.
Chrysanthemum Douluo knelt on one knee and respectfully reported, "Your Holiness, the spirit masters of Spirit City, as well as those from the major branch halls across the continent, have all gathered—12,000 in total."
"Under the command of the red-clothed cardinals and platinum bishops dispatched from various regions, these 12,000 spirit masters are moving as one, converging toward Clear Sky Sect's location."
Unlike Bibi Dong in the original timeline, Qian Renhan hadn't forcibly recruited spirit masters from across the continent or compelled spirit master clans to join the Spirit Hall. He hadn't even bothered with the four lower sects. As a result, the Spirit Hall's total number of spirit masters was only around 25,000. The four lower sects, each commanding around 1,000 spirit masters, were not allied with the Spirit Hall either.
During the time when Qian Xunji was beaten half to death by Tang Hao and Qian Renhan ascended to power, the three upper sects were at their peak, wielding immense spirit master strength. Since Qian Renhan had no ambition to unify the continent, he never extended benefits to the four lower sects, which harbored their own ambitions. Thus, they had no reason to stand with the Spirit Hall.
However, this was of little concern to Qian Renhan. His stance on the Spirit Hall had always been simple: as long as the organization had enough personnel and sufficient high-level combat strength, there was no need for excess spirit masters consuming resources for nothing. Take the Clear Sky Sect, for example—they had 7,000 spirit masters, and even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had 4,000. If he sent Jin Crocodile alone, that one person could wipe them all out.
"How are the logistical supplies?" Qian Renhan asked.
Chrysanthemum Douluo replied, "Each participating spirit master has been provided with five days' worth of rations and at least two restorative sausages."
"Good. Move out—we will flatten the Clear Sky Sect!"
Qian Renhan strode out of the Papal Palace, with the nine Titled Douluo following closely behind.
---
At the Clear Sky Sect's grand hall, Tang Xiao, several elders, Bai He, Tang San, and Tang Yuehua had gathered.
Tang San knelt on the floor while Tang Yuehua's eyes were swollen and red from crying—who knew how many tears she had shed?
After hearing the full details of the Spirit Master Tournament from Tang San, Tang Xiao furiously slammed his palm down, shattering his chair. His voice was filled with rage: "The Spirit Hall! They killed my younger brother and humiliated my nephew—this is beyond outrageous!"
Tang Lie was equally enraged. "They seized our Clear Sky Sect's inherited spirit bone! That brat Qian Renhan—how dare he be so audacious? Does he think a bit of strength allows him to act recklessly?"
Bai He let out a long sigh. "Sect Master, fellow elders, the third elder has yet to return. I fear the worst. Based on the intelligence my Minzhi Clan disciples have gathered over the past few days, it seems the Spirit Hall is truly preparing to strike against our Clear Sky Sect."
Tang Lie roared, "Let them come! Do they really think our Clear Sky Sect is easy prey? We have stood tall in the spirit master world for countless years. The main peak alone holds countless traps set up by our ancestors! Unless Qian Daoliu himself arrives, no matter how many the Spirit Hall sends, we will kill them all!"
Tang Xiao, as the sect master, was far more composed. "Yuehua, take Xiao San to heal his injuries. Uncle Bai He, you've worked tirelessly gathering intelligence these past days—you should rest." He dismissed Bai He and the others, as what he was about to discuss was not meant for outsiders.
Bai He nodded and left with Tang Yuehua, taking Tang San with them.
"Second Uncle."
Tang Xiao turned to the eldest elder of the Clear Sky Sect, his gaze filled with concern.
The second elder nodded slightly. "Speak your mind, Xiao Xiao."
Tang Xiao took a deep breath. "Uncles, I'm not trying to diminish the Clear Sky Sect's morale while elevating the Spirit Hall's prestige. However, despite this being our home ground, we don't know the full extent of the Spirit Hall's hidden strength. Qian Renhan single-handedly killed my younger brother and Sword Douluo. Even with the Clear Sky Sect's battle formation supporting me, I'm unsure if I can defeat him. Worse yet, the Great Xu Mi Hammer—our sect's most supreme technique—was not passed down. According to Xiao San, it may have even fallen into the Spirit Hall's hands."
Hearing this, the elders were furious. The Great Xu Mi Hammer—the ultimate technique of the Clear Sky Sect and the very symbol of the Clear Sky Douluo title—was now lost. This was an immeasurable blow to the sect's heritage.
Tang Xiao's voice grew solemn. "I propose that while we still have time, we send some of our most talented disciples to the mountain peak left behind by our ancestors. If we defeat the Spirit Hall, all is well. But if we perish in battle, at least the bloodline of the Clear Sky Sect will survive. In the future, they may rebuild our sect and avenge us."
At these words, the elders—especially the hot-tempered seventh elder—nodded in agreement.
"From now on, the Clear Sky Sect will have Minzhi Clan disciples patrol in shifts, ensuring a 24-hour watch. The entire sect is now under Level-One Alert!"
---
Meanwhile, in a mountain range within the Heaven Dou Empire, Qian Renhan reunited with Qian Renxue.
"Young Master!"
Nine Titled Douluo elders widened their eyes in shock as they beheld Qian Renxue, whose appearance and martial spirit had undergone a dramatic transformation.
Qian Renhan looked at the elderly man in Qian Renxue's hands—his arms completely severed, his tongue cut out. A satisfied smile appeared on his face. His sister was finally starting to look pleasing to the eye. If this were the old her, the elder's tongue would have remained intact.
"Brother, this is the third elder of the Clear Sky Sect." Qian Renxue tossed the elder onto the ground like garbage before grinning and walking over to Qian Renhan, eager for praise.
Qian Renhan ruffled Qian Renxue's hair before stepping toward the third elder. Without wasting a single word, he directly extracted his memories.
"Xiaoxue, watch closely."
Moments later, after learning everything about the Clear Sky Sect's defenses, the distribution of its disciples, and the exact location of the mountain where Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen had their final battle, Qian Renhan chuckled.
"As expected of the world's number one sect of blacksmiths—they really forged their sect into an impenetrable fortress. They even prepared a retreat route."
Having obtained everything he needed, Qian Renhan waved his hand, erasing the third elder from existence.
---
Two days later, in the early hours before dawn, the night was eerily silent. The wind howled softly, and thick clouds obscured the moon and stars, plunging the land into even deeper darkness.
At the base of Clear Sky Sect's mountain, just outside its walls, several spirit masters from the Minzhi Clan stood atop towering trees, over dozens of meters high, carefully observing their surroundings. Dense foliage concealed their figures entirely.
One of them, a Spirit King with a Sharp-tailed Swift martial soul, possessed speed rivaling even Flender's when using his Martial Soul Avatar. Hiding within the treetops, he remained on high alert. The moment he detected even the slightest movement, he would immediately send a signal. His vigilance was at least twenty times higher than that of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's guards.
However, in that very moment, the lush, vibrant forest around them suddenly withered and decayed. A chilling voice echoed beside the Minzhi Clan disciple:
"What are you looking at?"
The disciple barely had time to react before a sharp pain shot through his neck. His vision darkened, and he lost consciousness almost instantly.
"In the face of fallen power, your so-called concealment is meaningless."
Qian Renxue smirked contemptuously as she sensed the remaining life forces nearby, then swiftly moved toward them.
Five minutes later, Qian Renxue returned to Qian Renhan's side. "Brother, all taken care of."
"Excellent. Move out! Leave no survivors—don't let a single rat escape!"
After eliminating all of Clear Sky Sect's sentries, the Spirit Hall's army of 12,000 spirit masters, accompanied by eight Titled Douluo and Qian Renxue herself, infiltrated the sect under the cover of darkness.
The scent of blood filled the air. Flames erupted, illuminating the night sky in a sea of fire.
(End of Chapter.)