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Chapter 135: On the Eve of the Soul
🕑 Added 2024-12-25 18:00:11 +0000 UTCAt this moment in the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo were all looking grimly at two letters.
Finally, Ning Fengzhi spoke: "Uncle Sword, Uncle Bone, this is an unprecedented crisis for our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan. We must immediately find out who orchestrated these letters.
"This individual is clearly very familiar with the information regarding the Upper Three Clans and even knows some of the actions we were planning to take. Given the current situation, we alone cannot contend with Spirit Hall. We must bring in the other two major clans, especially the Clear Sky Clan. They have been in hiding for over ten years and need to step forward now.
"Additionally, it's likely that these letters are not the only ones sent by this person. We need to gather information on all of them to devise a proper countermeasure."
Bone Douluo also spoke grimly: "Fengzhi, is there any information on the messenger?"
Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "According to the information we've gathered from the various Spirit Hall branches, the individual is a flying spirit master, likely a fire-attribute one with an extremely high flying speed—at least at the Spirit Douluo level."
Clearly, all three major factions were highly interested in this messenger. Yet, after extensive investigations by all parties, no useful information was found.
Even the high-level flying spirit masters near Heaven Dou City were thoroughly investigated by various forces, but no trace of the individual could be uncovered—not even a shadow.
Especially Spirit Hall, whose movements were unusually frequent, as though preparing for a massive conflict. However, all factions seemed restrained, and no conflicts had occurred yet.
Yang Podi, on the other hand, ignored the external news. Based on his estimation, everyone was likely searching for the letter messenger. But with his meticulous disguises, it would be a miracle if they could find him.
Especially Spirit Hall—after learning the Clear Sky Clan's true strength, there was no way they wouldn't feel apprehensive. Yang Podi was sure that in future spirit-hunting operations, the Clear Sky Clan would likely become one of Spirit Hall's targets. It would be an interesting sight to witness.
As for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, they probably no longer had the time or opportunity to trouble him. They needed to focus on their own survival first.
Time flew by quickly, and over half a year had passed. Yang Podi was now nineteen years old. Although Heaven Dou City appeared peaceful on the surface, great undercurrents seemed to be brewing beneath it.
The biggest event in the Heaven Dou City area was a battle that took place in the Strength Clan's territory.
According to reports, the fight was extremely intense. One side featured a black-clad man wielding a hammer, while the other comprised two spirit masters with staffs.
Eyewitnesses described the battle as earth-shattering, with the hammer and staffs clashing like mountains. The entire Strength Clan's territory was flattened, leaving numerous craters in the ground. The clan members suffered heavy casualties, and even their clan leader, Tai Tan, sustained significant injuries.
After the fierce battle, the hammer-wielding spirit master fled, but the two staff-wielding individuals pursued relentlessly, leaving no further news.
Based on Yang Podi's estimation, Spirit Hall had likely discovered Tang Hao's whereabouts and sent Qianjun Douluo and Jiangmo Douluo to capture him. In the ensuing battle, Tang Hao barely escaped, but the Strength Clan and the Tang Sect suffered devastating blows.
Ultimately, with the help of Bai He, the surviving members of the Strength Clan relocated to Heaven Dou City with the Speed Clan to avoid further attacks.
The Heaven Dou Empire strongly condemned Spirit Hall, accusing them of disregarding peace and slaughtering the disciples of the Strength Clan, calling it excessively brutal and murderous. They called on all factions to unite against Spirit Hall.
Spirit Hall, however, responded by stating that the Strength Clan had colluded with the criminal Tang Hao, who had killed their former Supreme Pontiff. They claimed the clan provoked Spirit Hall and warned the Heaven Dou Empire against sheltering them, lest they face Spirit Hall's wrath.
After prolonged bickering, the matter ultimately faded away, as neither Spirit Hall nor the Heaven Dou Empire wanted to escalate it into a war. It seemed the only ones truly harmed were the Strength Clan.
Meanwhile, when Tang Hao returned to his waterfall hideout, he discovered that a spirit bone had been stolen. Based on various traces at the scene, it was the work of Spirit Hall.
Outraged, Tang Hao destroyed several Spirit Hall branches, prompting their forces to besiege him. However, with his formidable strength, Tang Hao managed to escape alone, disappearing without a trace.
Rumors swirled in the outside world, with some claiming that the once-dominant Clear Sky Clan intended to re-emerge and join forces with the other two Upper Clans to overthrow Spirit Hall.
Yet, after a period of such speculation, neither the Clear Sky Clan nor the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan made any public moves, and no trace of the Clear Sky Clan was seen.
Ultimately, these events settled down because the biggest event across the continent—the All-Continent Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament—was about to begin.
Yang Podi's team had worked hard over the year, with everyone achieving significant progress.
Yang Podi himself had reached sixty-seventh level spirit power, a respectable four-level increase in one year.
Among the others, the highest was Yang Ping'an, who finally broke through to the Spirit King realm with fifty-one levels.
Dugu Yan reached the peak of forty-nine levels, on the verge of a breakthrough but unable to cross the final barrier.
Ye Lingling achieved forty-eight levels.
Niu Meng reached forty-five levels.
The most improved was Yang Tianyue, who advanced five levels in a year to reach thirty-eight.
As for the substitutes, Niu Kui and Yang Yuxuan, they barely reached thirty-eight after a year of rigorous training.
Thus, the team now had one Spirit Emperor, one Spirit King, three Spirit Ancestors, and three Spirit Elders. Dugu Yan was expected to reach the Spirit King level before the finals. Such a lineup was unusual, with the highest and lowest spirit power levels differing by twenty-nine.
Surprisingly, apart from pursuing Tang Hao, Spirit Hall made no other moves. They neither targeted the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan nor engaged in conflicts with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan or the Clear Sky Clan. Even Heaven Dou's first team remained intact.
Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe seemed busy with their own affairs and hadn't sought Yang Podi again.
Moreover, Heaven Dou's first team unexpectedly relinquished their direct qualification and added their slot to the Heaven Dou region's competition.
The region, originally hosting twenty-eight teams competing for five spots, now had twenty-nine teams competing for six.
To everyone's surprise, Heaven Dou's first team fielded an all-Spirit Ancestor lineup. Notably, Tang San's strength was astonishing, having reached forty-five levels.
Yang Podi found this particularly curious. Even in the original story, after consuming the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Infernal Delicate Apricot at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Tang San barely broke through to forty-one or forty-two levels. Yet now, he was four levels higher. Did Tang San have some new encounter?
Such rapid improvement would only make sense if Tang San had started absorbing spirit rings for the Clear Sky Hammer. However, neither Tang Hao nor Yu Xiaogang would permit such a shortsighted move.
The other team members' spirit power levels weren't remarkable, with merely modest improvements.
Observing Tang San closely, Yang Podi noticed his blood vitality surging and a faint flush on his skin, indicative of consuming some potent treasure.
Suddenly, Yang Podi realized: Could it be that Tang San consumed the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng from Bai He's collection? That would explain his remarkable progress.
The first team's Spirit Ancestor lineup included Tang San, Dai Mubai, Yu Tianheng, Ning Heng, Tai Long, Bai Xiaofei, and Xiao Wu.
Surprisingly, the last Spirit Ancestor was Xiao Wu, who had advanced three months earlier than in the original story. Her beast aura was undetectable, likely concealed by some treasure, and even Sword Douluo and Yang Podi's grandfather hadn't noticed.
Yang Podi found this puzzling. Xiao Wu shouldn't have been able to hide her aura or progress so quickly.
As for the Lovesick Heartbroken Red at home, Yang Podi had long retrieved it from his father.
When he requested the plant, he expected his father to refuse. Instead, his father handed it over without hesitation, looking delighted and slightly amused, leaving Yang Podi baffled.
A month before the tournament, Yang Podi had everyone relax and return to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Occasionally, he encountered Yu Xiaogang with Qin Ming, Liu Erlong, and even Flender.
Yu Xiaogang seemed particularly elated recently, his smile nearly uncontainable, as though victory was already in his grasp.
Yang Podi shook his head. It was far too early for such confidence. Though the first team's lineup was impressive, they still faced challenges from Spirit Hall's team and Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team.
With their current lineup, they might not even overcome the Star Luo Royal Academy team. Zhu Zhuqing was still a Spirit Elder, and Dai Mubai was several levels lower than in the original story. How could they contend with Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun's Spirit Ancestor-level Netherworld White Tiger?
The Netherworld White Tiger at Spirit Ancestor level, let alone higher, was far stronger than its Spirit Elder and Spirit Ancestor combination. It possessed the power to rival a high-level Spirit King, possibly even more.
