Chapter 280: Tang San Returns to the Continent

Tang Chen returned to the Douluo Continent, shocking the entire continent like a nuclear blast.

The once arrogant Spirit Empire, ever since hearing of Tang Chen's return to the Soul Master World, seemed to have contracted its actions, no longer as aggressive as before.

Immediately after, the Great Supplicant Qian Daoliu, who had been missing from the Spirit Hall for countless years, also returned to the Soul Master World.

The two top Level 99 Ultimate Douluo, originally titled the Two Mountains in the Soul Master World, were peaks no one could scale; now that both have simultaneously returned to the Soul Master World, the entire world is thrown into turmoil, and even the Spirit Hall no longer has its former influence.

Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen met once, seemingly reaching a new agreement; since then, the Soul Master World has fallen into a strange calm.

Meanwhile, after overcoming many hardships, Tang San finally passed the Sea God Seven Trials, and under the pretext of returning to the continent to add a Soul Ring to the Clear Sky Hammer, with Bo Saixi's permission and based on his own Sea God Island Red Level Authority, he returned to the Douluo Continent.

When Tang San arrived at Hanhai City, he immediately encountered Titan.

Since Tang Chen's return, Tang Hao has stationed Titan in Hanhai City to await Tang San and his companions, a matter that concerns Tang San's upcoming cultivation, and Tang Chen's schedule will be extremely tight.

As expected, after hearing about Tang Chen's return and the current situation on the continent, Tang San immediately followed Titan back to the Clear Sky Sect.

Xiao Wu also followed Tang San back to the Clear Sky Sect; Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, and Ma Hongjun plan to return to Heaven Dou City; Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing intend to make a trip to the Xing Luo Imperial Court, since the three great empires are preparing for a massive war, and as a prince of the Star Luo Empire, Dai Mubai must now serve his nation.

Inside the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao looked at Tang San and Xiao Wu's return, filled with delight.

Especially now that Tang San has reached Level 87 and Xiao Wu Level 85, both are already experts, and the future of the Clear Sky Sect looks promising.

Even Tang Chen, upon seeing Tang San and Xiao Wu's current state, highly praised their talents.

After some small talk, Tang Chen himself became unusually serious.

"Xiao San, although you are now Level 87, you must cultivate faster and harder from now on, otherwise both the Clear Sky Sect and this world may become very dangerous."

Tang San hurriedly replied, "I will follow great‑grandfather's arrangement in everything; I will definitely work hard to become stronger."

Tang Chen said helplessly, "Although Qian Daoliu and I have reached an agreement, Qian Daoliu has clearly reached the limit of a Soul Grandmaster, and my own body is ultimately lacking; we must quickly produce top‑tier experts."

Tang San silently nodded; although many agreements exist in this world, everything is based on strength. If Tang Chen were to encounter trouble or fall, the agreement would instantly become void, and then the Clear Sky Sect would have to face attacks from Great Supplicants like Qian Daoliu.

However, Tang San was a bit puzzled: "Great‑grandfather, hunting on Sea God Island is faster, but I feel my Blue Silver Grass has hit a bottleneck; my cultivation speed is clearly slower than before, and I fear advancing the next three levels will be difficult."

Tang Chen smiled, "Xiao San, other plant‑type Soul Masters may find cultivation more troublesome, but you are different; you have a dual martial soul, and now you can boost your soul power by adding a Soul Ring to the Clear Sky Hammer."

Tang San quickly said, "Great‑grandfather, I still haven't figured out how to restrain the conflict of dual martial souls; wouldn't hastily adding a Soul Ring to the Clear Sky Hammer cause dual martial soul repulsion?"

Tang Chen nodded, "I have cultivated to Level 99 Ultimate Douluo, achieving perfect fusion of martial soul and body, and I understand the link between a Soul Grandmaster and their martial soul even better; the so‑called dual martial soul conflict is merely due to insufficient physical condition of the Soul Grandmaster."

"I have already observed your body; over the years you have cultivated on Sea God Island, raising your physique to a very high level. With your current strength, absorbing a Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Ring is no problem at all, and if you can absorb high‑age Soul Ring soul bones, that will resolve the dual martial soul conflict."

Tang San was overjoyed at this; for years he had been plagued by the dual martial soul conflict, and now with Tang Chen's confirmation, if he can add a Soul Ring to the Clear Sky Hammer in advance, he can swiftly reach the high‑level Title Douluo realm.

However, unlike Tang San's joy, Xiao Wu's face looked unusually grim.

Now Xiao Wu knows very well that Tang San needs Soul Rings, many of them, requiring numerous top‑grade Soul Beasts as Soul Rings.

But being of Soul Beast origin herself, Xiao Wu is unsure how to communicate with Tang San; although the Star Dou Great Forest has many Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts, the only well‑known and easily found ones are the Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python, and both of those beasts happen to be Xiao Wu's brothers.

Tang San touched Xiao Wu's cheek: "Xiao Wu, don't worry, I will never let anyone hurt you or your brothers. When we go to the Star Dou Great Forest to find Soul Beasts, we'll look for those that once bullied you, or those evil Soul Beasts."

Xiao Wu seemed deeply moved: "San Ge, I trust you. I know the Star Dou Great Forest has some extremely ferocious Soul Beasts that love to slaughter the innocent; such beasts deserve death."

Tang San, hearing this, was overjoyed: "Xiao Wu, I knew you would help me. I will never disappoint you; I will definitely protect you."

After a few days at the Clear Sky Sect, Tang San, under Tang Chen's personal guidance, the three of them left the sect, preparing to head to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for Soul Rings.

In the Spirit City, within the Pope's Palace.

Recently, Bibidong has faced a string of setbacks; although she is now the emperor of the Spirit Empire, she has been living and working in the Pope's Palace.

Now the Spirit Empire, though advancing like a cutting bamboo, can even be said to intimidate the two great empires.

But Bibidong also knows very well that, compared to the formidable strength of Soul Grandmasters, the military power of the Spirit Empire is far weaker than that of the two great empires.

The two great empires have ruled for countless years, their economies, politics, and finances are all extremely robust—something a newly founded empire cannot match.

Especially in recent years, although the Spirit Hall appears strong on the surface, internally many matters are going awry.

After the Soul Hunting Operation a few years ago, the Spirit Empire suffered heavy losses; the original assault on the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan cost over ten thousand Soul Grandmasters, nearly twenty percent of its total strength.

Moreover, in recent years the Spirit Empire has consecutively lost five Title Douluo, including its right‑hand men Ju Douluo and Gui Douluo.

Now Bibidong has only four Title Douluo under her command; overall strength is already weaker than the Offering Hall, making actions easily restrained.

More troublesome, recently Tang Chen of the Clear Sky Sect has resurfaced.

The Spirit Hall now stands at odds with the Clear Sky Sect; even if Bibidong is powerful, she will ultimately be intimidated by Tang Chen, a Level 99 Ultimate Douluo.

Even more disappointing for her is that although Qian Daoliu has returned to the Soul Master World, he has apparently reached an agreement with Tang Chen, so the two Ultimate Douluo will not appear on the battlefield.

Bibidong originally harbored great hatred toward Qian Daoliu, and especially toward the Angel Clan.

But over the years her own strength has not improved much; so far she is only Level 98, still some way from Level 99.

Nevertheless, after Bibidong's repeated requests, Qian Daoliu assigned the Title Douluo Qian Jun Douluo and Jiang Mo Douluo to assist the Spirit Hall's many affairs, which is the only good thing recently.

At that moment, the Holy Lady Hu Liena arrived in the Pope's Palace.

"Teacher, the four Elders are ready, and the matters from the day before yesterday have also been arranged; we can set out at any time."

"The affairs of the Star Dou Great Forest have also been fully investigated; the tracks of the two major Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts have been identified."

Bibidong nodded, "Very well, we will set out tomorrow to the Star Dou Great Forest."

This time Bibidong also brings six Title Douluo, intending to hunt the Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python in the Star Dou Great Forest.

The six Title Douluo are Qian Jun Douluo, Jiang Mo Douluo, Spirit Vulture Douluo, Ghost Leopard Douluo, Holy Dragon Douluo, and Demon Bear Douluo.

It can be said that for this operation, Bibidong is taking enormous risk and has pushed her forces to the limit.

After Hu Liena left, Bibidong glanced at the Douluo Hall, a hint of ferocity flashing in her eyes.

"Old man, after I absorb the Soul Rings and soul bones of the two major Hundred‑Thousand‑Year Soul Beasts, you will no longer be able to control the Spirit Empire."

…

After Yang Xiong left the Killing City, he headed straight to the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan.

However, unexpectedly, even though Yang Xiong's strength has greatly increased, he still cannot reach the core zone at the bottom of the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan, and the entire Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan seems to strongly repel Yang Xiong's Asura Demon Sword, even his martial soul.

At this moment Yang Xiong felt unusually helpless: "It seems I miscalculated; obtaining those two soul bones will not be that easy."

Since seeing the Asura God, Yang Xiong has already learned the content of his third‑stage trial.

Yang Xiong, Asura Nine Examinations, third trial, obtains the dual‑arm soul bone, time limit one year, failure leads to erasure.

In fact, over these years Yang Xiong hasn't never tried other Top-level Soul Bones; when he first obtained that Right Arm Soul Bone of the 70,000‑year Demon‑Eyed White Tiger King, he had already tried it, but unfortunately his right hand could not absorb it at all.

And after Yang Xiong's repeated verification, all these changes are probably stemming from within the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan.

Looking at the lower part of the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan, there seems to be a massive seal; this seal fuses the lower part of the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan into a single whole, and with mortal strength one cannot enter it at all, even Yang Xiong, having exhausted all methods, cannot break it.

Yang Xiong knows clearly that to truly enter the lower part of the Bing Huo Liang Yi Yan, only that person can manage it.

(End of chapter)