At the Haotian Sect, Tang Xiao and his brother, utterly distraught, came before Tang Zhen, their hearts filled with sorrow, unable to speak for a long time.
"Xiao'er, what's wrong with you two?"
Looking at the two brothers, who seemed to have lost their souls, Tang Zhen asked with concern. These were his successors, yet now they had lost all their former arrogance, just staring blankly without saying anything, which made Tang Zhen feel a bit anxious.
"Father, my beloved is gone!"
Calming the sorrow in his heart, Tang Hao spoke with a hint of self-pity, recounting in one breath everything about meeting Yun'er.
"What? You two actually fell for the same woman, and she's an Evil Soul Master!"
After listening to what the two brothers said, Tang Zhen almost choked and died on the spot. He immediately gasped for breath and sternly reprimanded them:
"Nonsense! Evil Soul Masters are beings that everyone on the continent fights against. Even my Haotian Sect takes the eradication of Evil Soul Masters as its duty. How can you forgive that Evil Soul Master woman just because of love?"
"Do you know how many families that woman, as an Evil Soul Master, has destroyed, and how many innocent people she has killed?"
Although Tang Zhen was arrogant, he wasn't brainless. Of course, he knew the harm Evil Soul Masters posed to the continent, so he wouldn't fall out with Spirit Hall over this matter.
If a handle were seized and he was accused of colluding with Evil Soul Masters, that would truly be the end. How could he brazenly demand an insignificant Evil Soul Master? Even if his son liked her, it wouldn't do.
Besides, he had already arranged marriages for Tang Hao and Tang Xiao: one with the Strength Clan and one with the Agility Clan. This would also foster their relationship and be a win-win situation.
"Father, she's different. She's so gentle. She must have been forced."
Tang Hao, at this moment, was completely swept away by his passion. Seeing his father's lack of understanding for his love, he immediately felt disheartened.
"Father, you don't understand love, just as Mother was merely a casualty of power exchange."
After speaking, Tang Hao, utterly distraught, left the hall, his eyes burning with anger.
"Yun'er, I will definitely rescue you."
It seemed the blue-haired girl reappeared in his mind, and he added silently, "And rescue that blue-haired girl from dire straits."
"You!"
Watching Tang Hao slam the door and leave, Tang Zhen, already burdened with old injuries, was overcome with anger. He spat out a mouthful of blood, collapsing to the ground, his breath weak.
The mother of Xiao'er and Hao'er had always been a pain in his heart. Giving birth to two children with top-tier Martial Souls was an immense drain on her, but he ultimately chose to have the children.
Although he deeply loved Hao'er's mother, the sect needed new geniuses more. For the sake of the sect, he had to make a painful choice.
To this day, this matter remained a pain in his heart. Now, being mentioned by Tang Hao, he was even more bewildered. Wasn't all of this to give birth to you, leading to her life force being damaged, and when Tang Yuehua was born, she directly passed away?
"Father, are you alright?"
Tang Xiao helped his father up, looking at his father's haggard face, complex emotions brewing in his heart.
"Xiao'er, don't be like Hao'er and do something foolish for that Evil Soul Master. In these next few years, quickly break through to Title Douluo. Inform the Haotian Sect that I have entered secluded cultivation. The Haotian Sect is yours!"
After speaking, Tang Zhen used his last ounce of strength, removed the Soul Bone from his body, and handed it along with the Sect Master token to Tang Xiao. Then, he breathed his last. A generation of Haotian Douluo was actually enraged to death by his own son.
"Father, Father!"
The rumbling of thunder outside masked Tang Xiao's heartbroken cries. Raindrops fell, making the grand hall seem so desolate.
Looking at the unconscious Tang Zhen, Tang Xiao also calmed down. He placed his father in a secret chamber, sealed it with Soul Power, and walked back to the main hall, his eyes gradually firming.
"For the sect, for love, I must cultivate quickly."
Looking at the two inherited Soul Bones in his hand, he was filled with emotion. He saw things more clearly than his younger brother, Tang Hao. He cared about the sect, and he also yearned for love.
As long as he became the Haotian Sect Master, and then went to Qian Xunfeng to ask for a small Soul Emperor, Spirit Hall would surely grant it.
...
After half a year of traveling, Qian Xunfeng successfully broke through to level 98.
In Heaven Dou City, Qian Xunfeng was preparing to leave with A Yin, as they had been staying there for quite some time.
However, before that, Qian Xunfeng planned to take A Yin to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well first to see if she could pick the Love-struck Heartbreak Red.
"Xunfeng, look at that green-haired old man, he looks so shifty."
Following A Yin's direction, Qian Xunfeng saw a green-haired old man stealthily hiding outside the valley, constantly peering at something.
"Isn't that Dugu Bo?"
Originally, Qian Xunfeng had planned to see if he could conveniently take in Dugu Bo, the 'team wipe engine,' when he came to collect Immortal Herbs.
Unfortunately, he hadn't met him. Today, however, his luck was good, as it happened to be a coincidence.
"Dugu Bo, what are you hiding here for?"
Qian Xunfeng directly flashed over and pulled Dugu Bo out, asking with a questioning look.
"Senior, I saw the mist swirling inside and was a bit curious, so I stopped to take a look. I'm just passing by, just passing by."
Dugu Bo was about to get angry but realized he couldn't win, so he immediately conceded.
"Oh, just passing by? I don't think so."
Qian Xunfeng's gaze made Dugu Bo increasingly uncomfortable.
"I am the current Pope of Spirit Hall. Dugu Bo, you are now hiding on the outskirts of my Spirit Hall's secret land. Are you perhaps trying to steal Spirit Hall's secrets?"
As he spoke, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and nine Soul Rings—four black and five red—appeared around him.
"No, I really was just passing by!"
Dugu Bo truly had unspeakable bitter. He had originally discovered this Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to suppress the toxins in his body, successfully breaking through to level ninety. After going out to absorb a Soul Ring, he became a ninety-first level Title Douluo. But when he came back, he found the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well occupied.
There were also two high-level Soul Douluo guarding it, so he didn't dare to force his way in. He just wondered how this had become Spirit Hall's territory.
"You Spirit Hall are truly powerful. If you say it's yours, then it's yours."
He hadn't wanted to come initially, but his daughter-in-law was pregnant and nearing delivery when the Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison suddenly flared up. If it wasn't suppressed in time, he feared losing both mother and child, which had him, this old toxic fellow, extremely worried.
"Tell me the truth, Dugu Bo. I don't believe a Title Douluo would be here idly just for a stroll."
Facing Qian Xunfeng's relentless pressure, Dugu Bo knew that if he delayed any longer, not only would he be finished, but his daughter-in-law and the fetus would also be gone.
"Your Holiness, actually, our Dugu family's inherited Martial Soul has a fatal flaw. Every time we absorb a Soul Ring, Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison accumulates in our bodies. As we continuously grow stronger, the serpent poison also becomes stronger, so our Dugu family almost never breaks through to higher realms before being poisoned to death by our own toxins."
"A few days ago, the fetus inside my daughter-in-law suddenly triggered the Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison. If it's not suppressed in time, I fear losing both mother and child."
Halfway through his speech, the usually unyielding Poison Douluo became somewhat choked with sobs. He hated it! The once large Dugu family was now reduced to just him and his son because of their Martial Soul, and now even their unborn descendant couldn't be saved.
What use was this Martial Soul to them, after all?
"Dugu Bo, actually, this temple has a way to completely resolve your family's Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison, but it depends on your sincerity."
After Qian Xunfeng spoke, he waited for Dugu Bo's choice. After all, a Poison Douluo was quite useful in group battles.
"If Your Holiness can resolve our Dugu family's Martial Soul flaw, we Dugu Bo will pledge our lives to Spirit Hall."