Chapter 227: Occupying Thunderclap Gorge

If the outer part of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan can be called a fortress, the interior is a masterpiece of ingenuity.

After the crowd crossed the river, the surrounding scenery left everyone utterly stunned.

The interior contains nine peaks, called the Leiting Jiufeng, each extremely treacherous—truly easy to defend and hard to attack.

The Leiting Jiufeng encircle a massive gorge at the center, the legendary Thunderclap Gorge.

Even Niu Gao, who has seen countless grand scenes, could not help but marvel; this place is an unparalleled treasure, even surpassing the Clear Sky Sect.

Yang Xiong's face was full of joy, but he quickly calmed down.

"Bai He Zhang Lao, has the area within dozens of li around Thunderclap Gorge been cleared? I don't want any hidden dangers left."

Bai He smiled faintly: "Sect Leader, my Min Clan disciples have already scouted the area within dozens of li; everyone loitering or surveilling nearby has been driven away. Now Thunderclap Gorge has no outsiders, it wholly belongs to our Body Sect."

Yang Xiong nodded: "Good. Thunderclap Gorge has nine peaks; aside from the main peak, each family picks a peak as its base. The other four peaks are also prepared and may serve other purposes later."

"Elder Niu Gao, according to our original plan for sect construction, I need to complete all defensive works within a month, ensuring the sect is like a fortress that can repel any theoretical attack."

"Elder Meng Shu, the Body Academy will be built by the hired craftsmen you lead on the outskirts; later the Body Academy will have an inner and outer courtyard, with the inner courtyard placed directly on the main peak."

"Elder Yang Wudi, the outer area of Thunderclap Gorge is special; let Po Yi Zu set up Poison Array, and also handle herb cultivation and pill refining. In the future this may become our sect's true economic source."

……

After the arrangements, all members of the Body Sect sprang into action, ready to begin construction of their own sect.

Especially Yang Wudi and others were extremely excited; since leaving the Clear Sky Sect, they had lived in constant anxiety, even back on Cloud Mist Mountain they felt like guests under someone else's roof.

Now, truly building Thunderclap Gorge, this will be their family's future base, truly their home.

A treasure like Thunderclap Gorge was once unimaginable; now it has succeeded and even earned the Empire's recognition.

After the Heaven Dou Palace Coup, Yang Xiong's allotted fief from the Heaven Dou Empire was Thunderclap Gorge and the surrounding hundred kilometers; this will become the foundation of the Body Sect.

Moreover, according to Yang Xiong's plan, a wall will be built directly behind the river, making Thunderclap Gorge a fortress; even if someone sneaks across the river, entering the sect will be difficult, not to mention the Poison Array.

……

In the following period, Thunderclap Gorge was unusually busy; besides the hundreds of Yu Yi Zu members building daily, thousands of hired craftsmen were all extremely occupied, basically fabricating various facilities.

Niu Gao produced massive defensive equipment, especially ironworkers from Qingcheng who built weapons on the walls, including a massive ballista over three meters wide and giant arrows several meters long, whose power seemed enormous.

After only a dozen days of construction, everyone from the Four Elements Academy began arriving at the outskirts of Thunderclap Gorge.

This time, it wasn't just Feng Xiaotian and a few others; their deans, as well as all teachers and students, also came.

They were unusually excited at the Body Sect's current state.

Although the plan places the Body Academy entirely on the outskirts of Thunderclap Gorge, and the Four Elements Academy will later consist of four independent departments, all core disciples can train in the inner courtyard, i. e., the inner courtyard of the Body Academy set on the main peak of Thunderclap Gorge.

The elemental core disciples are either the direct lineages of the four deans—such as the Wind family of Shenfeng Academy and the Fire family of Chi Huo Xue Yuan—or exceptionally talented juniors.

Yang Xiong once considered assigning the remaining four peaks of the Leiting Jiufeng to the families of the Four Elements, but he thought better of it.

These Four Elements Academies are both too weak and have contributed nothing to the Body Sect; merely seeking refuge, giving them one ninth of a peak would upset others.

Of course, if any family later produces Title Douluo or grows strong, contributing greatly to the sect, further arrangements can be made then.

According to Yang Xiong's plan, each of the Leiting Jiufeng should have a Title Douluo stationed there, so any attack can be met instantly.

The crucial one is the main peak; Yang Xiong intends to cultivate all Body martial soul disciples there, making it the true core of the Body Sect and the true strongman training ground.

Yang Xiong also dispatched personnel to patrol hundreds of li; these are all within the Body Sect's domain, mostly ordinary towns and villages. Since the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's destruction, many are anxious, fearing a catastrophic disaster.

Yang Xiong directly asked Bai He to order personnel to notify all villages that, from now on, the hundreds of li around are under the Body Sect's protection, ensuring everyone's safety.

Meanwhile, the surrounding small cities are consolidated by the Min Clan, after which the Body Sect will manage them, even assisting with the martial soul awakenings of everyone within a hundred li.

In short, per Yang Xiong's arrangement, the entire Thunderclap Gorge and even the surrounding hundreds of kilometers will be governed by the Body Sect, like a relatively independent kingdom.

……

During this time, the Soul Master World also saw a major event: the Clear Sky Sect, which had been in seclusion for twenty years, officially emerged, and Tang Xiao displayed Ninety-Seven-level soul power, shaking the entire Soul Master World.

The Spirit Hall, though sternly rebuked the Clear Sky Sect for breaking the old pact and emerging on its own, warned that the Clear Sky Sect will face the Hall's wrath.

But the Clear Sky Sect did not concede, stating this emergence was in response to the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's summons.

The Heaven Dou Imperial Family formally declared its welcome for the Clear Sky Sect's return to the Soul Master World and pledged strong support for its sect construction.

The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect also issued a statement supporting the Clear Sky Sect's return, and the two major sects will jointly investigate the evil forces that annihilated the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

The Clear Sky Sect's new base is built about a hundred kilometers outside Heaven Dou City, forming a triangular standoff with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and Heaven Dou City; clearly the three have allied and intend to jointly oppose the Spirit Hall.

……

Spirit City, Pope's Palace.

At this moment, Pope Bibidong's face looked extremely grim, and beneath him were the remaining four elders and many red‑cardinal bishops.

Bibidong shouted angrily: "What a Clear Sky Sect, daring to break our original pact and return to the Soul Master World—do they really think the Spirit Hall is so easy to bully?"

Below, whether Title Douluo elders or red‑cardinal bishops, all trembled before Bibidong's fury, yet dared not speak.

Saint Hu Liena spoke: "Pope His Holiness, from the information we have obtained, the Clear Sky Sect contains several Title Douluo, especially Tang Xiao, whose strength is formidable; we may be unable to stop the Clear Sky Sect's emergence."

"Moreover, the Clear Sky Sect, Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, and Heaven Dou Empire are clearly colluding; even if we dispatch troops, we may have to face all three powers simultaneously."

Bibidong's face turned unusually grim: "What a Clear Sky Sect, what a Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, disrupting my whole plan to rebuild the Seven Great Sects."

Hu Liena hurriedly asked: "His Holiness, given the current situation, should we still convene a new sect assembly?"

Bibidong's face turned cold: "Yes, of course we must; I will grandly convene the sect assembly to see whether the Clear Sky Sect and Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect dare to come to Spirit City. If we can step on their heads and establish a new Upper Three Sects, those cowardly turtles will have nothing to say."

Hu Liena said: "His Holiness, if the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and Clear Sky Sect truly attend the sect assembly, we may not be able to stop them; they now have too many Title Douluo masters, and we may not suppress them."

"Especially Tang Xiao and Sword Douluo; both have reached Ninety-Seven."

Bibidong snorted: "Just two Ninety-Seven Title Douluo? The Spirit Hall still isn't short of Title Douluo."

"Moreover, if it weren't for the Great Supplicant's nostalgia, the Clear Sky Sect would have been eradicated long ago; now they dare to reappear, insulting the Great Supplicant—I'll see what the Great Supplicant can say."

Everyone shivered at Bibidong's words; although Bibidong is powerful, Qian Daoliu is the one everyone truly fears, the Spirit Hall's real top master.

After a long silence, Bibidong finally asked: "Is there any other major event in the Soul Master World that might affect our sect assembly?"

A red‑cardinal bishop quickly reported: "Your Holiness, scouts report that a force has seized Thunderclap Gorge, calling themselves the Body Sect, refusing any orders from the Spirit Hall and even driving away all our personnel around the gorge."

Bibidong roared, "Are there still such reckless people? It seems the Spirit Hall should let them feel our fangs; not just any cat or dog dares to oppose the Spirit Hall."

Red‑clothed Archbishop, suppressing inner fear, said, "His Holiness, this group is far from simple. They call themselves the Body Sect, and among them have appeared Yang Wudi, Niu Gao, and Bai He—each roughly possesses Title Douluo‑level strength."

"Moreover, the Four Elements Academy we have been courting has also fully joined the Body Academy of the Body Sect; the entire Body Sect now displays extremely strong power, and the number of Soul Grandmasters is probably no less than two thousand."

"From all aspects, the Body Sect should be even stronger than the original Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."

Bibidong, still angry, said, "What a Body Sect. Are they backed by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect? I have exhausted my efforts to eradicate the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, yet this low‑born force occupies Thunderclap Gorge."

Red‑clothed Archbishop said, "His Holiness, our Spirit Hall's strength has been continuously damaged lately, and we may no longer be able to wage war simultaneously against the top three sects."

Bibidong fell silent for a long time before speaking, "Ghost Leopard Elder, please go personally to the Clear Sky Sect, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, and the Body Sect, send them invitations, invite them to jointly attend next year's sect conference, and also confirm who the Sect Leader of the Body Sect is and how powerful they truly are."

(End of Chapter)