Join my Patreon to be 30 chapters ahead of the webnovel releases:
patreon.com/ZeroMoney
I would appreciate your help if you could join my Patreon and support me because it would keep me motivated.
******
"The Sea God's inheritance?!"
Oscar and the others glanced at each other, their eyes wide with shock. They had already witnessed the power of a god. Even if such beings couldn't compare to their master, they were still invincible in the mortal world. With their meager strength, how could they possibly be a match for someone chosen as the Sea God's successor?
Lan Minghua watched their expressions shift and struck where it hurt. "What now? Still looking down on Tang San?"
Oscar and the others flushed with shame. They had believed that reaching the Soul Sect level at their age already made them nearly unmatched among the younger generation.
Seeing their pride crumble, Lan Minghua added fuel to the fire.
"Besides Tang San, the two girls under Spirit Hall's protection are not to be underestimated either. One is the successor to the Angel God and is likely already at the Soul Saint level."
"The other may be a few years older than you, but she is also about to reach level fifty. Did you really think you were that strong among your peers?"
At those words, whatever arrogance Oscar and the rest had left vanished. Moreover, since Lan Minghua had slaughtered members of the Upper Three Sects, Tang San and Spirit Hall would undoubtedly seek vengeance. If their master had to step in on their behalf when the time came, they would be a disgrace.
With that realization, a fierce determination ignited in each of their eyes.
"Master, I want to become stronger! Tang San is younger than me—I will never lose to him!"
Oscar had long held a grudge against Tang San. Now, because of Lan Minghua, the conflict had escalated to the point of no return. As the senior disciple, he had to take the lead.
Lan Minghua was very satisfied. "Good. I'm glad you have that resolve. From now on, I'll give you one-on-one guidance."
He then turned to Zhu Zhuqing. "Dai Mubai isn't dead. He will most likely receive a god's inheritance, so you need to train just as hard."
"Yes, Master. I won't disappoint you," Zhu Zhuqing said with a firm nod.
Lan Minghua continued, "My style doesn't suit you. Go find Qi and let him instruct you."
Before the words had left his mouth, a figure in purple silently appeared before Zhu Zhuqing.
"Is this my task? Fine, then I'll take her with me!"
Everyone instinctively stepped back, stunned by Qi's sudden appearance. This time, Wu Liuqi had appeared as the Chief Shadow Assassin, leaving them thoroughly shaken.
Lan Minghua waved casually. "Oi, handsome, after you finish teaching her, don't forget to give me a haircut!"
"No problem!"
With that, Qi swept Zhu Zhuqing up and vanished on the spot. Zhu Zhuqing's style was better suited to assassination techniques, making the Chief Shadow Assassin the ideal instructor.
Next, Lan Minghua took out the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower and the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone, giving them to Shui Bing'er and Feng Xiaotian respectively. The Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower could flush impurities from the body and elevate Shui Bing'er's martial soul to a top-tier form. The Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone could also enhance a martial soul's quality, allowing Feng Xiaotian's Gale Double-Headed Wolf to advance along both the power-attack and agility paths.
After distributing the herbs, Lan Minghua addressed the rest. "If you encounter difficulties in your cultivation, you can consult the other members of the Tianlong Gang. They'll do their best to instruct you."
Feng Xiaotian stepped forward excitedly. "Master, can I ask Elder Yunshan for guidance?"
Lan Minghua paused, then understood. "Of course. You both use wind attributes, so it's more suitable for him to teach you."
"That's great!" Feng Xiaotian was still in awe of Elder Yunshan's power. After all, the Gale Palm Print and Wind Extinction Kill techniques were impossibly cool.
Once everything was arranged, Lan Minghua took Oscar to a serene place of mountains and rivers.
"Master, everyone's gone. Are you going to give me some special training now?" Oscar asked, rubbing his hands together with a shameless grin.
Lan Minghua rolled his eyes but resisted the urge to beat him. "You wanted to learn swordsmanship from me, right? Fine, I'll teach you. If you can't master it, you'll never stand a chance against Tang San."
Oscar's expression turned serious as he clenched his fists. "Don't worry, Master. I will never lose to Tang San!"
Lan Minghua was pleased. He had never regretted taking Oscar as his disciple.
(Oscar: You sure didn't think that way before!)
"Ahem. Before I teach you the sword, I'll pass on something else." As he spoke, Lan Minghua pressed a finger to Oscar's forehead, transferring the cultivation method for the Golden Light Mantra.
Though the Golden Light Mantra and the Indestructible Golden Body shared similarities, the Mantra was slightly superior. With his foundation in the Indestructible Golden Body and his exceptional talent, Oscar's progress was astonishingly quick.
Lan Minghua was in no hurry. Even if the Sea God bent the rules, Tang San was still only a Soul Grandmaster for now.
Not long after, news spread across the continent: the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, and Clear Sky Sect had all been annihilated. Panic swept the land. The Upper Three Sects had been unshakable rulers for decades, yet they had been wiped out almost simultaneously.
At first, many believed Spirit Hall was responsible, as only they possessed such strength. But those who dug deeper discovered it was someone else entirely: The Tianlong Gang.
Soon after, when the Heaven Dou Empire changed its name to the Tianlong Empire, the entire continent sensed that the world had changed. The mighty Heaven Dou Empire had been quietly overthrown.
Hearing that the Tianlong Gang had established an empire, Spirit Hall became more united than ever. With Yu Xiaogang killed by Lan Minghua and Bibi Dong yet to complete the Rakshasa God Trials, she could only yield to Qian Daoliu. Though it was not a true alliance of hearts, the Tianlong Gang was now their greatest enemy.
With Qian Daoliu's help, Qian Renxue immediately began the Angel God Trials. Bibi Dong also stopped hiding and openly initiated the Rakshasa God Trials. A tense silence fell across the continent.
Meanwhile, a major event was unfolding in the Divine Realm.
The Sea God approached the Asura God, informing him that something significant had occurred and urging him to summon the other divine powers. The Asura God knew the old fox wouldn't raise a fuss without cause; something monumental must have happened for him to be so unsettled.
Soon after, within a divine hall, eight figures sat around a round table.
The God of Destruction glared at the Asura God and Sea God with cold displeasure. "Asura, Sea God, speak quickly. This God King has no time to waste on you."
The Five God Kings were the God of Kindness, the God of Evil, the God of Life, the God of Destruction, and the Asura God. Their relationships were hardly warm; each was proud and unyielding. Since none could overpower or kill the others, they generally stayed out of each other's way. Now that the Asura God had forcibly summoned them, the other four were naturally displeased.
Knowing this, the Asura God got straight to the point. He turned to the Sea God and said, "Everyone is here. Speak your mind. If you can't convince us, you know the consequences."
The Sea God nodded heavily. "Do you remember the mortal who provoked us in the lower realm?" he asked in a grave tone.
"Of course. An insignificant clown. Didn't we already see through his tricks?"
The Sea God shook his head. "I descended again not long ago and encountered him. This time, he gave off a far more dangerous aura." His expression grew more serious than ever.
"He was riding Di Tian as his mount. I suspect that mortal's true identity is—"
"The Dragon God!"
(End of Chapter)