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With Ning Tianchen's current strength, restoring Ma Hongjun's mental clarity to its original state would be as simple as a single thought.
But why would he do that?
The Asura God was no benevolent deity—he wasn't one to show random acts of kindness.
Moreover, during his time at Shrek Academy, Flender had shown him no particular favor. He had no reason to help.
"Big Brother Tianchen, Shrek Academy is gone. Let's go," Ning Rongrong said with a hint of regret.
As the two left the village, Flender, sitting in the small shop, noticed their figures.
He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't mistaken.
He wanted to call out to them but couldn't think of a reason to do so.
With the capabilities of the Tianjian Sect and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, curing Ma Hongjun wouldn't be an issue—but why would they help him?
Flender sighed deeply and ultimately lacked the courage to chase after them.
…
Tang Sect Headquarters.
Facing the commercial onslaught from the top three sects, Tang Xiao was overwhelmed and exhausted.
The influence of the Tang Sect was still too small, and they hadn't yet established their own commercial empire.
Selling the same goods as the top three sects, they were far outmatched in pricing.
After all, the top three sects transported their goods all the way from the Heavenly Fighting Empire to the Star Luo Empire.
Even with such long-distance transportation, their selling prices were almost equivalent to the Tang Sect's cost price. How could they compete?
If the Tang Sect sold at a loss, given their size, it would be suicidal—they simply couldn't outlast the top three sects.
Moreover, even the merchants who dared to sell at a loss were under the direction of the top three sects.
Tang Xiao had considered competing with differentiated products, but their only standout product—hidden weapons—couldn't be easily sold externally.
Although they could secure orders from the Star Luo Empire's military, in times of peace, how much weaponry could the army possibly purchase?
While Tang Xiao was pondering countermeasures, Dragon Duke Meng Shu hurried over. "Master Tang, something major has happened!"
"What is it?" Tang Xiao set aside his work, stood up wearily, and rubbed the corners of his eyes with his fingers.
Meng Shu anxiously explained, "In recent days, news has spread from the Star Luo Imperial Palace that Dai Tianfeng has already designated Dai Weisi as his successor. The previously arranged duel didn't take place."
Tang Xiao had heard rumors of this, but he didn't know what had transpired within the palace. Since Dai Mubai hadn't sent any prior message, Tang Xiao assumed he could handle the situation.
After all, the Tang Sect was Dai Mubai's main support. If the backing collapsed, Dai Mubai would lose his influence and struggle to maintain his advantage in the competition for the crown prince position.
Meng Shu continued, "Just now, our disciples stationed near Star Luo City returned with a report. Dai Mubai and his group have been detained, accused of treason."
"The Star Luo imperial family has already sealed off the news, and our people haven't been able to uncover much intelligence."
"But regardless, Dai Mubai and the others are now imprisoned. Master Tang, please come up with a plan quickly."
"What?" Tang Xiao was shocked.
He knew Dai Mubai was incompetent, but he never imagined he'd be *this* incompetent.
Tang San had previously written back to the Tang Sect, stating that he had outlined the next steps for Dai Mubai to follow.
Even following the plan led to this outcome—how could Dai Mubai possibly compete for the throne?
Of course, the more incompetent Dai Mubai was, the more it aligned with their interests. In the future, when the Hao Tian Sect revived, Dai Mubai would undoubtedly play a crucial role.
But currently, the Tang Sect was facing internal and external crises—how could they spare the energy to deal with Dai Mubai?
On the other hand, as long as the Tang Sect survived another day, perhaps Dai Mubai could stay alive a little longer.
"Didn't Tianheng and Tianxin accompany him? Those two brothers are steady and reliable—why didn't they stop Dai Mubai?"
Meng Shu wasn't in the Star Luo Palace, so how could he know these details?
However, if Dai Weisi hadn't orchestrated this behind the scenes, they wouldn't believe it even if you beat them.
The question was, where exactly had Dai Weisi intervened? Rushing in without understanding the situation would only complicate matters further.
At this moment, Yu Xiaogang hurried over, anxiously asking, "Master Tang, what exactly happened to Mubai? Everything seemed fine just a while ago—why did things suddenly take a turn for the worse?"
Tang Xiao wanted to know the reason too!
Knowing that Yu Xiaogang wasn't reliable in critical matters, Tang Xiao waved his hand and said gravely, "Master, now isn't the time for blame. I trust Tianheng and Tianxin—if they encountered danger, they certainly would've done everything to protect Dai Mubai."
"But from the intelligence we've gathered, everything happened so suddenly—they didn't seem to have any time to react."
As he spoke, Tai Tan also arrived, his face filled with anxiety.
After the Strength Clan merged into the Tang Sect, Tai Tan was pushed out of the core leadership.
Tai Tan held no grudges—after all, the Tang Sect was his master's sect. If he took a seat at the table, wouldn't it overstep the master-servant relationship?
Though he didn't participate in sect affairs, it didn't mean he didn't care about Tai Long's life or death.
Now that Tai Long and the other two were detained alongside Dai Mubai, how could he not be worried?
Once charged with treason, a few lives wouldn't be enough to pay for it.
Tang Xiao quickly tried to calm everyone down. "Everyone, calm down first. I don't know much more than you do. The priority now is to figure out where Mubai and the others are being held and find out the cause of this incident."
"If this matter isn't handled properly, the Tang Sect will inevitably be implicated. Everyone here is part of the sect—do you really want to see the sect fall apart?"
Among those present, the one most likely to leave the Tang Sect was Meng Shu.
But he believed that Tang San would one day stand at the pinnacle of the continent. Joining the Tang Sect would allow the Dragon-Serpent Family to maximize their benefits.
Seeing the attention shift to him, Meng Shu quickly declared, "The Dragon-Serpent Family is a part of the Tang Sect, and I, Meng Shu, am an elder of the sect. I will stand with the sect through thick and thin."
Upon hearing this, everyone gradually calmed down.
Yu Xiaogang was the first to raise a question. "Xiao San once told me that Lord Hao Tian would come to the Tang Sect…"
"After analyzing the situation, I believe Lord Hao Tian might be hiding in the shadows, helping the Tang Sect eliminate opposition."
Before he could finish, Tang Xiao couldn't help but interrupt. "Master, is Brother Hao really helping us from the shadows?"
It wasn't surprising that he asked this—the Tang Sect's situation had been dire recently, and he hadn't felt any hidden support.
Yu Xiaogang explained, "Right now, the most important thing for us is Mubai's competition for the crown prince position."
"The top three sects are indeed seizing the Star Luo Empire's commercial market, but all of this can be resolved once Mubai secures the position of crown prince. Therefore, I believe Lord Hao Tian must be guarding Mubai closely."
His first point wasn't wrong.
Once Dai Mubai solidified his position as crown prince, all the ministers in the court would flock to his side.
The influence of the top three sects was significant, but on the surface, they still wouldn't dare openly oppose the Star Luo Empire.
By leveraging Dai Mubai's position to create a favorable business environment for the Tang Sect, Tang Xiao had already considered this possibility—it was entirely feasible.
But if Tang Hao were secretly by Dai Mubai's side, why would he let Dai Mubai end up in prison?
Tang Xiao and Tang Hao had grown up together, so Tang Xiao naturally understood Tang Hao's abilities.
Even if the situation couldn't be reversed, with Tang Hao's strength, rescuing Dai Mubai shouldn't be a difficult task, right?
Moreover, several days had passed since Dai Mubai's arrest—if there were any news, wouldn't Tang Hao have informed them by now?
Faced with Tang Xiao's questions, Yu Xiaogang offered an explanation. "There are two possibilities. First, there might be deeper circumstances behind this—the true mastermind behind Mubai's troubles might wield immense power."
"To avoid implicating the Tang Sect, Lord Hao Tian might have chosen to remain hidden in the shadows. Or perhaps Lord Hao Tian is being restrained by the mastermind and temporarily unable to act."
"Second, Lord Hao Tian might be traveling with Xiao San for training."
With Meng Shu and Tai Tan present, Tang Xiao couldn't explicitly mention the divine trials, so he had to express himself in such veiled language.
Tang Xiao was "convinced" by him.
"The latter possibility seems very plausible. Xiao San is Brother Hao's son—it's only natural that he would ensure his safety."
"But why hasn't Xiao San sent any letters?"
This was even simpler. Could Tang San detect Tang Hao's presence if Tang Hao were secretly following him with his strength?
Yu Xiaogang's words seemed more like he was convincing his own people on behalf of outsiders.
He had always been skilled at getting others to accept his views, and this line of reasoning caused the Tang Sect to completely miss the opportunity to rescue Dai Mubai and the others.
Fantasizing about a non-existent person secretly helping them—wasn't this just wishful thinking?
Meng Shu noticed that Yu Xiaogang's explanation was problematic, but since Tang Xiao hadn't objected, what right did he, an "outsider," have to oppose it?
Yu Xiaogang was known for being particular. If he offended him and caused Tang San to harbor resentment, Meng Yiran's position in the future could become very delicate.
Tang Xiao let out a sigh of relief, feeling that Yu Xiaogang had finally said something reasonable for once.
"Then, Master, what do you suggest the Tang Sect should do next?"
The Star Luo Empire hadn't publicly announced that Dai Mubai had committed treason, nor had they stripped him of his right to inherit the throne.
If Dai Mubai were rescued, he could still be of use.
Seeing this situation, Yu Xiaogang's vanity was satisfied.
What Title Douluo or Lord of the Hao Tian Sect—didn't they all rely on his wisdom in the end?
After a pause, he smiled. "It's simple. Of the two reasons I mentioned earlier, regardless of which one is true, Lord Hao Tian will definitely make a move in secret."
In his view, even if Tang Hao were secretly accompanying Tang San, upon learning of Dai Mubai's predicament, he would immediately rush to Star Luo City to handle the matter.
"What we need to do is quickly clarify the situation and covertly meet up with Lord Hao Tian."
"Dai Mubai must be rescued, but not blindly. We need to first understand the specific circumstances before making further analysis."
Yu Xiaogang's arrangement was no different from what Tang Xiao had previously suggested.
However, everyone present had fallen into his rhythm, naturally assuming that this was Yu Xiaogang's proposed solution.
Tang Xiao made the final decision. "We'll follow Master's advice. Tai Tan, don't interfere out of concern—it will only cause chaos. Stay patiently in the sect and wait for news. Dragon Duke, personally lead a team to Star Luo City and discreetly investigate this matter. Remember, under no circumstances should you expose yourselves."
…
At the same time, Tang San was undergoing his divine trial in a desolate, uninhabited area.
Yu Xiaogang's explanation had been flawed from the start.
Not only had Tang Hao long since perished, but Tang San himself was also unaware of the events happening on the continent.
The Rakshasa Goddess conducted her affairs dishonorably, and consequently, her trial location was set in the wilderness.
By now, Ning Tianchen had already inherited the title of Asura God, which made the Rakshasa Goddess feel increasingly pressured.
The last time she personally descended to the Douluo Continent, she had, in a sense, thoroughly offended him.
Both the old and new Asura Gods bore grudges against her—how could she continue to remain in the Divine Realm?
Thus, she not only expedited Tang San's divine trial but also offered extremely generous rewards.
In less than a month, Tang San's soul power level had already increased by two ranks, bringing him just one step away from breaking through to the rank of Title Douluo.
Of course, Tang San was solely focused on rapidly increasing his strength to exact revenge on the Spirit Hall—he paid no attention to the Rakshasa Goddess's subtle manipulations, nor did he understand their deeper implications.
Time flew by, and half a year passed.
Tang San successfully completed the sixth trial, and his soul power broke through to the ninety-third rank.
Next, by adding multiple soul rings to his Hao Tian Hammer martial soul, he would be able to break through to the rank of Super Douluo in a short period of time.
Thinking of this, he glared coldly into the distance. "Ning Tianchen, my strength is now no weaker than yours. Just wait—what you did to humiliate me in the past, I'll repay you double in the future!"
After breaking through to the rank of Title Douluo, he realized how difficult it was to advance further with each subsequent level.
Unaware that Ning Tianchen possessed twin martial souls, he assumed that after reaching the rank of Title Douluo, Ning Tianchen's cultivation speed would gradually slow down until he caught up and surpassed him!
All of this, of course, was observed by the Rakshasa Goddess—but she certainly wouldn't reveal the truth to Tang San.
Without this scapegoat, she would likely not survive her departure from the divine realm.
A moment later, the Rakshasa Goddess issued the content of the seventh trial:
"The Seventh Trial of Rakshasa: Successfully rescue Dai Mubai from the Star Luo Empire's dungeon, and help Dai Mubai ascend to the throne as the emperor of the Star Luo Empire. Upon completion of the trial, rewards…"
Hearing the content of the divine trial, Tang San couldn't help but ask, "What happened to Mubai and the others?"
…
During these six months, Meng Shu had been investigating in Star Luo City but had achieved almost nothing.
First, Meng Shu wasn't skilled at intelligence work. Leading the Tang Sect disciples around the city, he didn't know where to begin, causing the entire team's management to fall into disarray.
Moreover, after coming into contact with Duke Xi Lu, his purpose had already been exposed to Dai Weisi.
Dai Weisi's abilities were evident to all the high-ranking officials in the imperial court.
Now that Dai Mubai had lost influence, the officials who had previously aligned with him naturally shifted their allegiance to Dai Weisi.
To avoid future repercussions, these individuals went out of their way to assist Dai Weisi.
Since the Tang Sect wanted to investigate Dai Mubai's situation, they used various methods to stall.
Meng Shu, this "confused fool," knew that these people had ulterior motives, but his unfamiliarity with intelligence work led him to instinctively trust them.
Fortunately, Dai Tianfeng had no intention of executing Dai Mubai—otherwise, with Meng Shu's inefficiency, Dai Mubai would have been dead long ago.
When questioned by Tang Xiao, Meng Shu relayed all the excuses given by these people to him.
Tang Xiao, of course, noticed the suspicious nature of their explanations, but he couldn't leave the Tang Sect. Moreover, there was no indication that Dai Mubai had been executed, so he could only instruct Meng Shu to continue investigating.
With so much time wasted, Yu Tianxin and the others in the dungeon couldn't hold on any longer.
Dai Mubai, with his status as a prince and the backing of the Tang Sect, remained untouched by the jailers in the dungeon without Dai Tianfeng's approval—who dared to lay a hand on him?
But Yu Tianxin and the others weren't royal offspring—they were close associates of Dai Mubai. Naturally, the jailers focused their efforts on extracting confessions from them.
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