"Rank 99 Title Douluo! That truly is a god-like figure!"
Tang San didn't even dare to imagine what kind of cultivation he might receive if he returned to the Clear Sky Sect and met his great-grandfather, given his current status.
A while ago, his father had told him something. His great-grandfather, Tang Chen, had only one child, who was Tang San's grandfather. Tang San's grandfather, in turn, had only three children: Tang San's father, his uncle, and his aunt.
According to his aunt, back in the day, their great-grandfather placed the most importance on his father, Tang Hao. Originally, if not for unforeseen circumstances, Tang Hao should have been the successor to the position of Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect.
According to his father, if his great-grandfather had remained within the Clear Sky Sect, given his love for Tang Hao, the tragedy that befell him would never have occurred.
Now, Tang San's uncle had remained unmarried and childless, and his aunt had already… already met with misfortune.
If he calculated carefully, wasn't he the sole direct descendant of his great-grandfather within the Clear Sky Sect? The next rightful heir to the world's number one sect?
Even though his father's capture was undoubtedly bad news—what had been a near-certain complete set of soul bones had now become a distant dream—the sudden appearance of a powerful great-grandfather still filled Tang San with uncontrollable excitement.
As Tang San envisioned returning to the Clear Sky Sect, receiving great cultivation, and eventually shining brilliantly in the Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament one year later to save his father, a figure suddenly appeared in his path.
Seeing someone emerge out of thin air like a ghost, Tang San froze momentarily, then grew furious.
"Who dares block my way?"
In the past, Tang San wouldn't have acted so rashly. He would have started with a polite inquiry like, 'Senior, may I ask why?' Even when harboring ill intent, he would have hidden his true emotions, fooling even those closest to him, like the elders who raised him in his past life or his father in this life.
But now, Tang San was no longer the same as before.
Firstly, he had cultivated using the devouring skill, introducing impurities into his spiritual energy. Then, he had fused with the bloodline of the Man-Faced Demon Spider, leading to a decline in his intelligence. After absorbing the soul bone of the Black and White Dog's lungs, he had been in an almost constant state of hyperactive excitement due to the external soul bone's effects.
After taking the Immortal Herb Nine Dragons Grass, a noticeable protrusion had formed on his head. The left and right hemispheres of his brain had even started exhibiting signs of independent thought.
Learning that his supposedly invincible great-grandfather, who had only existed in legends, had appeared, Tang San's emotions had naturally spiraled out of control. Even though he had yet to meet this great-grandfather, and nothing was confirmed, his mindset had subtly shifted.
Senior?
What senior?
Having absorbed two soul rings, a soul bone, and an immortal herb in a short span of time, Tang San was fully confident that he was a master in his own right, even by Douluo Continent standards. He believed he could defeat a Soul King-level Soul Master, contend with a Soul Emperor for a short time, and even achieve victory with the aid of hidden weapons.
High-level Soul Masters weren't everywhere. Surely, he wouldn't just randomly encounter a Soul Sage-level Soul Master, right?
As Tang San thought this, pain suddenly shot through his nasal bone. His head buzzed, and under tremendous force, his body was slammed into the ground with a resounding thud. Despite the various boosts he had recently gained, his body once again felt the sensation of broken bones.
If it weren't for Tang San's unusually hard skull, he would have lost consciousness—or even died from a shattered head—on the spot.
With his nasal bone caved in, Tang San dazedly lifted his head, staring at the figure before him. Gazing at the nine soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and five black—and feeling the overwhelming pressure unique to a True Dragon Martial Soul, Tang San fell into an eerie silence.
"Ti-Titled Douluo…"
That single slap brought the overconfident Tang San back to reality. His expression turned respectful as he spoke.
"Although I do not know the senior's identity, with your strength as a Titled Douluo, you must be a renowned expert across the continent. May I ask why you, with such lofty status, would stoop to attack a mere Soul Ancestor like me?"
"Hm? Still alive? And your skull is this hard?"
Seeing that Tang San could still speak, Sea Dragon Douluo was momentarily surprised.
Just now, to avoid creating an unsightly mess of blood and brains everywhere, he had deliberately held back. Yet even so, this mere Soul Ancestor had managed to survive.
After hearing Tang San's words, Sea Dragon Douluo paused slightly, deciding to let this blood-soaked, degenerate figure die with some understanding.
"I am Sea Dragon Douluo of Sea God Island, servant of the Sea God, head of the Seven Sacred Pillars, Martial Soul: Sea Dragon, Title: Sea Dragon Douluo. As the second strongest Sea Soul Master, it is your honor to die by my hand as a fallen one."
"As a servant and executor of the Sea God's will, I bring you judgment."
As Sea Dragon Douluo's aura spread, his Martial Soul awakened, and an ethereal sea dragon shadow appeared behind him. Although his soul ring configuration was merely the standard yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black, his rank-95 strength and powerful Martial Soul still exuded a suffocating pressure that overwhelmed Tang San.
Given Sea Dragon Douluo's mindset and strength, under normal circumstances, he would never have made a mistake or bothered to explain anything to a fallen one.
The only reason for this encounter—and Sea Dragon Douluo's interaction with Tang San—was the awakening of a strand of the Asura God's divine consciousness within Tang San's mind.
In the Douluo World, the three gods—Rakshasa God, Angel God, and Sea God—were deeply intertwined. Asura God had already devoured much of Rakshasa God's power, was on the verge of claiming the Angel God's, and had even secretly absorbed a portion of the Sea God's divine power. Though far from the true Sea God's strength, or even that of the High Priest, this fragment of divine consciousness could still interfere with the Sea God Island disciples who were devout followers and had undergone divine tests.
Although such interference could leave traces, Asura God had no choice. Tang San's current growth rate had already deviated from his original plan. According to the plan, Tang San should have first obtained the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud before heading to Sea God Island to undertake the Sea God's Nine Trials.
But now, Asura God could no longer tolerate Tang San's slow cultivation progress. Even if it meant potential problems, he had to bind Tang San to Sea God Island as quickly as possible—first to undertake the Sea God's divine trials, and later to coincidentally obtain his divine trial.
Only by having Tang San inherit both the Sea God and Asura God's divine positions could the two opposing divine powers converge and blend within his body. This would allow Asura God to perfectly devour the Sea God's power in the future, creating a chance for his breakthrough.