Chapter 248: Tang San Arrives at Seagod Island
Yang Potian pondered for a moment. In the City of Slaughter, the most intense concentration of killing intent was likely on Hell Road. He recalled a small altar where he'd first descended from the Hell Arena.
With the Asura God Sword in hand, he ventured down Hell Road. There, he found a sword-shaped slot on the altar. When he inserted the Asura God Sword into it, Hell Road began to collapse, and the altar rapidly descended, stopping before a massive temple.
Yang Potian looked up at the temple. It reminded him of Seagod Island; this was undoubtedly the Asura Temple.
Similar to Seagod Island, the temple had 1,001 steps leading to its entrance, each step bathed in a red light. Yang Potian felt perplexed. On Seagod Island, the trials involved a set number of steps. But in the Asura's Nine Trials, there didn't seem to be a limit. Could he be expected to climb all 1,001 steps?
Resolving to try, Yang Potian began climbing. To his surprise, the Asura's Divine Light here was entirely different from the Seagod's Light on Seagod Island.
If Seagod's Light was gentle and encompassing, the Asura's Divine Light was suffused with an intense, relentless killing aura. The further he climbed, the thicker the killing intent became. By the five-hundredth step, it had reached the limit of the Slaughter God Domain, evolving into the Domain of Slaughter. When he reached the eight-hundredth step, the intensity transformed again, and even with his three domains combined, Yang Potian could no longer withstand the Asura's Divine Light.
It seemed he had reached his limit. Immersed in this aura, he felt as if he stood atop mountains of corpses in a sea of blood, his mind teetering on the edge of rage and madness.
Retreating to the bottom of the steps, Yang Potian contemplated his approach. This first trial was deceptively difficult; no wonder the Asura God had given him a full year to complete it.
Studying the Asura's Divine Light, he realized that repeated exposure seemed to be strengthening his Slaughter God Domain. He suspected that Tang Chen had similarly refined his Domain of Slaughter under the Asura's Divine Light, which sharpened both strength and ferocity—much like the Slaughter God Domain had when he first acquired it.
Yang Potian continued training under the Asura's Divine Light, challenging it daily. Over time, his Slaughter God Domain grew stronger, and his three domains began to show signs of fusion. The power of the Asura God was indeed extraordinary.
Meanwhile, events were unfolding across the continent.
Although the royal treasury of the Heaven Dou Empire had been looted, Empress Xue Ke had solidified her rule by rallying the nobility, even purging rebellious factions and seizing their wealth, strengthening her position and finances in one fell swoop.
With these resources, she began recruiting soldiers and reorganizing the Imperial Guard and royal soul master forces, bringing stability back to the empire.
Empress Xue Ke also personally visited Sky Travel Academy in the Armo Mountains, hoping to recruit Dugu Bo to assist the royal family. However, he was in seclusion, and she couldn't even see him. The academy's headmaster, Yang Wudi, merely humored her with pleasantries but refused to act on her requests.
When Empress Xue Ke proposed relocating the academy to Heaven Dou City, Yang Wudi and his followers reacted with disdain; none of them were willing to risk their lives for the royal family.
After a tense exchange, Empress Xue Ke had no choice but to leave, her frustration evident.
Once her entourage departed, Dugu Bo emerged with a mischievous grin. Yang Wudi smirked, "Weren't you in seclusion? How did you finish so quickly?"
Dugu Bo scoffed, "I enter seclusion when I want and leave when I want. I'm not setting foot in Heaven Dou City. Anyone who wants that guest elder title can have it."
Dugu Bo continued, "I paid off my debt to Prince Xue Xing ages ago. The least they can expect is that I'm not making things worse for them."
Beside him, Niu Gao sighed, "The times are unpredictable. The Heaven Dou royal family's alliance with the Clear Sky Sect and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect may not hold up in the coming upheavals."
Yang Wudi nodded thoughtfully. "Brothers, the Wuhun Hall is soon hosting elections for the new Seven Great Sects. They've repeatedly invited Sky Travel Academy to participate, and that pompous Chrysanthemum Douluo has personally visited us twice. What do you think?"
The other elders exchanged glances, knowing the honor of joining the upper ranks was tempting, but a decision of this scale was beyond their authority.
Dugu Bo interjected, "Whoever wants to join the Seven Great Sects can go ahead, but the Clear Sky Sect and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect clearly won't be participating. Whoever becomes one of the new Great Sects will inevitably be their enemy. And if the Wuhun Hall organizes it, those sects will be expected to obey them without question."
Niu Gao sighed again, "This new election for the Seven Great Sects may very well spark chaos on the continent."
As seasoned soul masters, they understood Niu Gao's concern. The major factions were preparing for war, and the election of the new Seven Great Sects seemed poised to be the final trigger.
Suddenly, Dugu Bo asked, "Where's that little monster, Yang Potian? He's been strangely absent."
Yang Wudi's expression darkened slightly. "I'm not sure. He mentioned he was going out to find a one-hundred-thousand-year fire-type spirit beast and that he needed to handle some things alone. I haven't heard from him since."
A sense of worry filled the group. Yang Potian was the stabilizing force for Sky Travel Academy, and his disappearance was troubling.
While they discussed his absence, Tang San and his companions finally reached Seagod Island.
Accompanying them was White Crane and several top experts from the Speed Clan. Their mission was to support Tang San's group in their eventual escape from Seagod Island, as the island's rules stated that soul masters who completed the trials would be forbidden from leaving.
Under White Crane's vigilant watch, they safely arrived at Seagod Island, where he and his followers took refuge on a nearby island, Purple Pearl Island, prepared to assist Tang San's group if needed.
Upon stepping onto Seagod Island, Tang San and his companions encountered not ordinary sea soul masters, but Seagod Douluo Bo Saixi herself.
Since Tang Chen's death at Yang Potian's hands, Bo Saixi had sensed his presence vanish and had fallen into despair. She had waited fifty years for Tang Chen, but now, even that small hope had turned to emptiness. Every day, she stood by the shore, staring into the endless sea, longing for a miracle.
But the person who arrived wasn't Tang Chen—it was Tang San and his friends.
When Bo Saixi saw Tang San, she sensed a familiar aura around him and swiftly detained the seven of them.
Tang San was stunned by her strength. As a mere Soul Emperor, he was powerless before Bo Saixi, an unrivaled Douluo, akin to a chicken in her grasp.
Shocked, Tang San asked, "Senior, we only came to join Seagod Island. Why have you captured us?"
Bo Saixi scrutinized him. Something about his appearance and aura felt hauntingly familiar. "Who are you? And why do I feel like I know you?"
Tang San respectfully replied, "My name is Tang San, from the Clear Sky Sect. My friends and I came to join Seagod Island."
Bo Saixi murmured, "Clear Sky Sect? Tang San? And what is your relation to Tang Chen?"
Upon hearing Tang Chen's name, Tang San's expression changed. "Senior, Tang Chen is my great-grandfather. Did you know him?"
Bo Saixi nodded. "So, you're Tang Chen's great-grandson. It seems everything is fated."
"I once knew your great-grandfather well. Though he vanished fifty years ago, I could always sense his presence. I held onto the hope that we would meet again, but recently, his aura faded entirely. It seems… he has passed."
Everyone was taken aback. Tang Chen had been one of the continent's most formidable figures. Although he had disappeared, few believed he had truly fallen. The Clear Sky Sect and Wuhun Hall both doubted the rumors of his death.
But now, hearing confirmation of his death left everyone stunned. Without Tang Chen, the Wuhun Hall would no longer fear retaliation, and the Clear Sky Sect could be in grave danger.
Tang San's face darkened. "Senior, though your strength is great, do not spread such rumors to slander my Clear Sky Sect. My great-grandfather was invincible—how could he fall so easily?"
Bo Saixi sighed, then recounted Tang Chen's and Qian Daoliu's journey to Seagod Island and the promises they made to one another.
Tang San found her story astonishing, but finally managed to ask, "Are you certain my great-grandfather has fallen?"
Bo Saixi nodded. "After he left to seek godhood, I could still sense his faint aura, confirming he was alive. Recently, that aura vanished completely. I believe he has indeed perished."
"The path to godhood is fraught with peril. Even someone as gifted as your great-grandfather was at risk."
Tang San fell silent, his expression grim. After fifty years of searching, the Clear Sky Sect finally had an answer, though it was one that would bring them profound sorrow.
(End of Chapter)
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