At that moment, news of what had happened in Tian Valley Ridge had not yet spread. The Clear Sky Sect was still considered the number one sect under heaven, with Elder Tang Kai, a Titled Douluo, overseeing things.
"Report! Elder, Tang Lie has returned. He says it's urgent and requests an audience!" a sect disciple came in to report.
"Oh? Nephew Tang Lie is back? Bring him in quickly," Tang Kai replied.
Not long after, Tang Lie burst in, grief written all over his face.
Seeing his expression, a bad premonition surged in Tang Kai's heart.
"Tang Lie, what's the matter? Where's your father? And the others? Didn't they return with you?"
Tang Lie, tears streaming, shook his head and said, "They're gone... All of them are gone. They were all killed by that beast Tang Hao!"
The Clear Sky Sect's council hall fell into an eerie silence.
Tang Kai's eyes turned red as he growled, breathing heavily, "What did you say? That was four elders, countless Soul Douluo, Soul Sages!"
"They're all dead. Killed by that beast Tang Hao," Tang Lie choked out.
He recounted the brutal death of his father and the three senior elders at Tian Valley Ridge in the battle against Tang Hao.
"No... Impossible. Tang Hao hasn't even reached the Title level—how could he have done it?" Tang Kai said in disbelief.
Soon after, another sect disciple arrived to report that Tang Xiao's group had returned.
Tang Xiao brought with him news that struck the entire Clear Sky Sect like a bolt from the blue—
Sect Master Tang Tian had been killed by Tang Hao's hammer at Tian Valley Ridge.
It took a long time for the people in the council hall to process this unbelievable news. Grief and rage filled the hearts of everyone present.
"Tang Hao... that abomination... Does he even know what he's done? He actually killed his own father!" Tang Kai shouted, heartbroken.
"When I left, that wretch was still laughing madly," Tang Xiao said venomously. "That man has completely lost all sense of reason."
"Counting it all up, the battle at Tian Valley Ridge cost us five Titled Douluo. The worst part is, they weren't even killed by our enemies—they were slaughtered by one of our own," Tang Kai said in anguish.
"Uncle Kai, many of us here have lost family members because of Tang Hao. If Tang Hao is still considered one of us, is there any justice left in the world? He's a monster who has forsaken all humanity. From the moment he turned his weapon on his own, he should have been cast out from the Clear Sky Sect! Don't you all agree?" Tang Lie's voice took on a provocative edge.
Though he had been terrified by Tang Hao at Tian Valley Ridge, his hatred hadn't diminished. Tang Hao's threat had merely transformed him from a bold man into one willing to use any means necessary.
"Tang Lie is right," said an elderly Soul Douluo elder of the Clear Sky Sect, eyes bloodshot and breathing hard. "That lunatic Tang Hao no longer deserves to call himself one of us."
He had just confirmed the death of his son, Tang Xiaoyi, in that same battle.
"Expel Tang Hao from the Clear Sky Sect!" another disciple shouted angrily, eyes red. His father, Tang Xiaochuan, had also died in the battle.
"Not only expel him—remove him from the family register! He's not worthy to be part of our lineage!" Tang Yifan roared, his own son among the dead.
In an instant, the entire council hall was thrown into chaos, all clamoring to expel Tang Hao from the sect and remove his name from the family rolls. They even spoke of hunting him down.
"Now, with the old sect master dead and the elders fallen, this is our Clear Sky Sect's weakest moment. We must appoint a temporary sect master to act in his stead," Tang Lie stepped forward. "Tang Tian's bloodline has produced that monster Tang Hao—they no longer deserve to hold the sect master's position. I propose Elder Tang Kai take the role of interim sect master. What say you?"
Naturally, Tang Lie's talent for manipulating internal strife revealed itself.
"What did you say? Whatever Tang Hao did was his own doing—what does that have to do with the rest of our line?" Tang Xiao snapped, eyes bloodshot.
"A father is responsible for his son's failure. An elder brother is like a father too. Tang Hao has abandoned all humanity and morals. You and Sect Master Tang Tian bear no blame?" Tang Lie sneered. "As I recall, when you found out that woman was a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast, you were just as infatuated as Tang Hao. If it weren't for that beast Tang Hao, wouldn't you have fathered a half-beast child to shame the Clear Sky Sect too?"
Though both Tang Lie and Tang Xiao bore hatred for Tang Hao, Tang Lie never saw Tang Xiao as an ally. Tang Hao's terrifying power was etched into Tang Lie's soul, so he shifted the blame for his father's and son's deaths onto Tang Tian's bloodline.
"Besides," Tang Lie added coldly, "you're all that's left of Tang Tian's line. Even if you have a hundred-thousand-year ninth ring, what of it? You're crippled. Your soul power will forever be stuck at level 91, and your combat strength isn't even on par with a Soul Douluo. What right do you have to lead the Clear Sky Sect in its darkest hour?"
Faced with Tang Lie's relentless questioning, Tang Xiao was left speechless. In the end, with unanimous support from the others, the position of sect master of the Clear Sky Sect fell to Elder Tang Kai.
Of course, Tang Kai was still only acting as a temporary sect master. Within the Clear Sky Sect, there were still others capable of vying for the position—only, they simply weren't present at the moment.
After assuming his new role, Tang Kai immediately convened a meeting of the elders (though by now, almost none of them held the title of Titled Douluo) and passed a resolution detailing Tang Hao's alleged crimes. As a result, Tang Hao was expelled from the Clear Sky Sect and removed from the family genealogy.
A few days later, Clear Sky Sect members entered the Heavenly Valley Ridge to retrieve the remains of the fallen. There, they encountered members of Spirit Hall, who were also collecting the bones of their two deceased elders. It was only then that the Clear Sky Sect realized the full scope of what had happened—Tang Hao had not only slaughtered members of their sect, but had also attacked Spirit Hall.
Within the Clear Sky Sect's Elder Assembly, everyone present felt as if they were facing an imminent disaster, a weight as heavy as Mount Tai pressing upon them. Back in the day, when the former sect master Tang Chen was still around, they had no fear of Spirit Hall. But now, with Tang Chen gone and the havoc wreaked by the disgraceful Tang Hao, the sect had suffered a serious blow and could no longer afford to take any risks.
If Spirit Hall truly sought revenge, the Clear Sky Sect would have no way to defend itself.
"That bastard! He's gone completely mad! He even dared kill elders of Spirit Hall and gravely injured the current Pope!"
Elder Tang Xukun spoke in fury.
"What's most urgent now is figuring out how to deal with Spirit Hall. If they come knocking at our door, what should we do?"
Tang Kai said with a furrowed brow.
Tang Lie added,
"Sect Master, although their elders were killed by that disgraceful Tang Hao, our Clear Sky Sect suffered even greater losses. We too bear a deep blood feud with him. I believe Spirit Hall won't hold this against us."
"Furthermore, we've already expelled Tang Hao from the Clear Sky Sect and erased his name from the genealogy. Whatever crimes he committed, they no longer have anything to do with us."
Tang Lie's words brought a wave of relief over the tense crowd. Yes, Tang Hao was no longer a member of the Clear Sky Sect—surely Spirit Hall wouldn't blame them for his actions.
The incident at Heavenly Valley Ridge couldn't be kept under wraps.
News of the event had already spread like wildfire across the Douluo Continent. At first, most spirit masters reacted in disbelief:
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Tang Hao only has eight spirit rings—how could he possibly..."
But in the aftermath, as the Clear Sky Sect announced Tang Hao's expulsion and began preparations for the funerals of their elders and former sect master, and as Spirit Hall began funeral rites for their own fallen elders and stepped forward to corroborate the events—further releasing the shocking news that Tang Hao had fathered a half-beast child with a 100,000-year-old spirit beast—the entire continent was rocked.
In an instant, Tang Hao became the subject of conversation for every spirit master, from the highest to the lowest ranks.
Some were awed by the terrifying strength he had demonstrated.
Others raged at his moral depravity—calling him a monster, a lunatic, someone who trampled all over the continent's moral boundaries.
Tang Hao could be said to have become a household name across the land, in both infamy and awe.
First, without even reaching Titled Douluo level, he managed to kill five Titled Douluo from the Clear Sky Sect, along with dozens of Spirit Douluo and Spirit Sages. He crippled newly promoted Titled Douluo Tang Xiao with a hammer blow, then went on to kill two Guardian Douluo from Spirit Hall, and gravely injured the current Pope, Qian Xuanji. His strength shook the entire Douluo Continent—throughout history, there had never been another Spirit Douluo capable of such a feat.
Second, this direct-line descendant of the Clear Sky Sect had actually mated with a spirit beast and even bore a half-beast child. For the sake of this beast and that child, he mercilessly killed fellow clan members—going so far as to kill his own father, and crippling his brother twice. Later, rumors from Spirit Hall said that while on the run, Tang Hao repeatedly attacked Spirit Hall locations, causing the deaths of hundreds of innocent people. Such monstrous behavior was unheard of in all of history—it defied the very laws of heaven.
Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan
Yu Luomian said in disbelief:
"I'm starting to question whether my own Spirit Douluo cultivation is real. Is this information really accurate? Tang Hao—a mere level-90 Spirit Douluo—managed all that? At Heavenly Valley Ridge, between Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect, a total of seven Titled Douluo were killed by him. That's not even counting the Spirit Douluo and Spirit Sages he hammered to death. Even if the Clear Sky Sect has some crazy secret techniques, this is just... insane. Is this even scientifically possible?"
Yu Luohuang replied,
"The source is reliable. Both the Clear Sky Sect and Spirit Hall confirmed the information to us."
"Pfft, this is just unbelievable."
Yu Luoguan marveled,
"Tang Hao's battle record... I doubt there's ever been a Spirit Douluo in history who could pull this off."
"Forget Spirit Douluo—how many Super Douluo could even do this?"
Yu Luotang joked,
"Then again, no other Spirit Douluo in history has been as much of a beast as Tang Hao. Falling in love with a spirit beast? For that beast, he killed five of his own sect's Titled Douluo—including his own father."
Yu Luoguan picked up the thread:
"They say that 100,000-year-old spirit beast even sacrificed herself for Tang Xiao, and then the two Clear Sky brothers fought an all-out duel. Tang Xiao was left paralyzed. So that means Tang Hao single-handedly crippled six Titled Douluo of the Clear Sky Sect."
"Six Titled Douluo... Truly worthy of being called the number one sect under heaven."
Yu Yuanzhen sighed enviously.
"If our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had this kind of depth, we wouldn't be so low-key nowadays."
Yu Luomian's eyes glinted.
"With six Titled Douluo gone, the Clear Sky Sect must have suffered a devastating blow."
"All thanks to that bastard Tang Hao."
Yu Yuanzhen's tone carried a hint of schadenfreude.
"During the last gathering of the three great clans, Tang Tian bragged to me endlessly about his two gifted sons, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao. I was honestly jealous. But now? I'm not worried anymore. My own son's spirit has evolved into the Golden Saint Dragon. And looking at Tang Tian's situation now, I almost pity him. With sons like these, he might've been better off just splattering them on the wall back then."
Yu Luomian chuckled cheerfully:
"Sect master, with the Clear Sky Sect losing six Titled Douluo and our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan gaining a genius with a Golden Saint Dragon spirit, the tides are turning. Perhaps it's time we claimed the title of number one clan."
"Naturally. My son Xiaomen possesses the makings of an Ultimate Duoluo. He will lead our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to centuries of glory."
Yu Yuanzhen stroked his beard with pride.
"And besides, my son would never turn out like Tang Tian's worthless offspring."
(Since Yu Xiaomen's spirit evolution, Yu Yuanzhen had long forgotten about Yu Xiaogang's existence.)
Not long ago, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect underwent a transfer of power.
The old Sect Master, Ning Daochen, passed away within the sect. Ning Fengzhi succeeded him as the new Sect Master.
At this time, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect retained two retired Sect Masters' Guardian Douluo—Mad Bull and Wild Rhino. Additionally, Chen Xin and Gu Rong had both broken through to the Title Douluo level several years prior.
This ushered in a brief golden period for the sect, with four Title Douluo under one roof.
But Ning Fengzhi knew this state wouldn't last. Elder Mad Bull and Elder Wild Rhino were nearing the end of their lifespans.
Brimming with ambition after his inauguration, Ning Fengzhi was just preparing to convene a meeting of the Upper Three Sects and make a bold move—when news of the Clear Sky Sect's Tiangu Ridge incident reached him.
So, he called for a major sect assembly and summoned all Guardian Douluo to discuss the matter.
"Who would have thought the mighty Clear Sky Sect would produce such a deranged disgrace," said Chen Xin with contempt.
"Sect Master, the Clear Sky Sect is severely weakened by this incident. This is the perfect opportunity for us. While Mad Bull and I are still around, why not seize the chance to replace the Clear Sky Sect as the number one sect in the world?" suggested Wild Rhino Douluo.
Ning Fengzhi shook his head and replied, "Grandpa Wild Rhino, that title of 'number one sect' is, in my opinion, nothing more than an empty name. Behind every reputation must be real strength. That title won't bring us much benefit; on the contrary, it'll paint a target on our backs."
"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is eyeing that title like a tiger stalking its prey. If we snatch it, the Clear Sky Sect will certainly bear a grudge. The unity of the Upper Three Sects will crumble, and in the end, the one who benefits will be Spirit Hall."
Ning Fengzhi stood up, his face heavy with concern. "Although Spirit Hall also lost two of their Guardian Douluo, it wasn't enough to cripple them. But the Clear Sky Sect, on the other hand, suffered a serious blow to its vitality. The power of the Upper Three Sects has declined, and Spirit Hall's ambitions will surely swell in response. Spirit Hall is our true threat, and the Upper Three Sects must stand together."
"You've got a point," said Mad Bull Douluo. "But Tang Hao's power and the madness of his actions are shocking. A Soul Douluo killed seven Title Douluo and seriously wounded two more? If he's that strong, why didn't he just go after Spirit Hall?"
Ning Fengzhi felt the same way. If Tang Hao had the strength, wouldn't it have been better for him to slaughter more of Spirit Hall's Title Douluo and ease the pressure on the Upper Three Sects? Instead, he wiped out five of his own sect's Title Douluo in one go—one of them being his own father—essentially crippling the Clear Sky Sect. Who benefited in the end? Spirit Hall, of course.
"Therefore, after this battle, we of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect must not add insult to injury. On the contrary, we must offer aid in their time of need—helping the Clear Sky Sect when it matters most. Only by reinforcing the alliance of the Upper Three Sects can we resist the ever-growing, power-hungry Spirit Hall and preserve peace across the continent," said Ning Fengzhi, his eyes gleaming with wisdom.
"A truly insightful perspective, Sect Master," said Gu Rong with admiration.