Tang Lan nodded slightly, then closed his eyes for a few seconds.
"Alright, I've temporarily extended the countdown for the White Tiger Clan members."
"However, in one year, it will need to be reset again. Otherwise, the Life Soul Seed will start draining their strength until they die."
"During this time, select the ones who are suitable for the Tang Sect."
"As for the ones who can't be converted—if possible, send them to the Extreme North's Spirit Transmission Tower. If not, eliminate them."
Zhao Wuji nodded in understanding.
He was about to say something when—
His soul communicator vibrated in his arms.
After apologizing to Tang Lan, he checked the message and showed it to him.
"Sect Master, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe has invited you to the palace for a meeting."
"Additionally, Emperor Xue Ye left a message, hoping that after your return, you could visit Fourth Prince Xue Beng."
"And Ning Fengzhi has also invited you to discuss something—he says he has a surprise for you."
"Which one should we visit first?"
Tang Lan's response was—
"None of them."
"Tell them that I've recently had an epiphany and will be entering seclusion for a while."
"Until then, I won't be seeing anyone."
Zhao Wuji hesitated for a moment.
Wouldn't that be a bit inappropriate?
But then he remembered—Who was Tang Lan again?
Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect would be easy to deal with.
As for the Heaven Dou Empire?
Their only Titled Douluo protector was the Tang Sect's Third Elder.
What was there to be afraid of?
"Understood, Sect Master! You focus on your seclusion—leave everything else to me!"
Tang Lan patted Zhao Wuji's shoulder.
"Do a good job. When I have time, I'll take you to the City of Slaughter so you can earn your own domain."
Zhao Wuji grinned from ear to ear.
"That sounds great!"
"For specific details, talk to Mubai and the others."
"That's all for now—go."
Zhao Wuji immediately left, moving swiftly.
Tang Lan also turned and returned to the Sect Master's palace.
The first thing he did was pull out his soul communicator and dial a call.
After a few seconds, the call connected.
Tang Chen and Bo Saixi both appeared on the screen.
"Great-grandfather, great-grandmother," Tang Lan greeted. "How have you been these past few months?"
"Absolutely fantastic!" Tang Chen laughed heartily. "For the first time in a hundred years, I've never been this happy!"
…Happy?
Bo Saixi blushed slightly and playfully smacked Tang Chen, looking like a shy girl in love.
Tang Chen, however, was thick-skinned, pulling her into an embrace and stealing a kiss on her cheek.
Tang Lan couldn't help but smile.
—Who would've thought these two lovey-dovey people were actually Ultimate Douluos?
Bo Saixi and Tang Chen's long-standing regrets had been resolved because of him.
Wait—hold on!
Great-grandfather, what are you doing?!
Great-grandmother, aren't you going to resist?!
"Ahem!"
Tang Lan cleared his throat.
"Great-grandfather, great-grandmother, in about half a month, after we complete that plan, you'll be free to go wherever you like."
"But before that, I need you to return to the Clear Sky Sect."
"After all…"
The moment he mentioned Clear Sky Sect, Tang Chen's smile vanished.
"Those brats actually shut their doors and turtled up. Looks like it's time to teach them a lesson!"
"Leave it to me, I won't delay my little great-grandson's plan."
"After all…"
Tang Chen raised an eyebrow, clearly implying that he understood everything.
—The Asura God's Nine Trials couldn't be mentioned in front of Bo Saixi.
It wasn't that they were deliberately keeping secrets from her—
But given Bo Saixi's unwavering faith in the Sea God, no one could predict how she'd react if she knew.
So, better to just not bring it up.
"Alright, then I'll leave it to you, Great-grandfather."
"I won't disturb you two lovebirds any longer—I'm hanging up now~"
After ending the call,
Tang Lan's lips curled into a smile.
He was looking forward to the big events coming soon.
For now, though—
Tang Lan activated Blood Escape Technique, arriving in the Sunset Forest.
With a wave of his hand—
He released the Dark Devilgod Tiger.
The massive beast was still snoring in its sleep.
Tang Lan lifted the Seagod's Soul Seal.
The next moment—
The Dark Devilgod Tiger instantly sprang to its feet, gazing up at the sky.
What had been a clear, cloudless sky just moments ago—
Was suddenly covered in dark clouds, crackling with lightning.
—Thunder Tribulation!
The Dark Devilgod Tiger had reached 400,000 years in age while in the City of Slaughter.
The Dark Devilgod Tiger's tribulation had been postponed due to the shielding effect of the City of Slaughter.
Now that it had returned to the mortal realm, it was immediately detected by the laws of heaven and earth.
It now had to compensate for the 100,000-year, 200,000-year, 300,000-year, and 400,000-year tribulations—all at once.
Tang Lan gazed up at the thunderclouds above.
The energy fluctuations were terrifying.
—This was probably a quadruple-stacked Thunder Tribulation.
At the same time, he also wondered—
If not for the fact that his connection to the Divine Realm was blocked by the Asura God-King…
With the Destruction God-King's infamous temper, wouldn't he have descended in person by now?
"Hey!"
The Dark Devilgod Tiger suddenly called out—
"Stop standing there spacing out!"
"Didn't you say you had a way to help me survive this tribulation?!"
"Where's your plan?!"
Seeing the slight panic in the tiger's eyes, Tang Lan couldn't help but chuckle.
"Don't you have lightning attributes yourself? And you're scared of a little Thunder Tribulation?"
"Bullshit!" The Dark Devilgod Tiger roared. "Does this look like just 'one' Thunder Tribulation to you?! There are FOUR of them! How is that the same?!"
"Oh? Getting feisty, huh?" Tang Lan glanced sideways at the tiger. "Then handle it yourself."
The Dark Devilgod Tiger froze.
Ah, this…
It looked at the sky, where the brewing Thunder Tribulation was crackling with power.
Then it looked at its own relatively small body.
It quickly assessed its survival chances.
And without hesitation, it blurted out a threat—
"If you don't help, I'll start a self-sacrifice ritual!"
Tang Lan: (￣∠￣)
—Did this tiger even hear itself?!
Since when did soul beasts start using self-sacrifice as a bargaining chip?!
And yet…
Tang Lan really fell for it!
After all, the Asura God-King himself had said—the Dark Devilgod Tiger needed to reach a million years to trigger the Evil God's inheritance.
How could he let it fail now?
"That's got to be the most unique threat I've ever heard," Tang Lan teased. "Alright, alright, I'll stop messing with you—it's really not a big deal."
The Dark Devilgod Tiger's face said it all—
"You call this not a big deal?"
The freaking sky was about to explode!
Then, it watched in shock as Tang Lan soared into the thunderclouds above.
Raijin Domain: Prototype—Activate!
The moment he unleashed it—
Every bolt of lightning within the clouds seemed to recognize its king.
Rather than striking down, the lightning bowed in submission,
Merging into the Raijin Domain: Prototype.
The tribulation's energy transformed into pure lightning essence,
Tempering Tang Lan's physique and finally being stored within his dantian.
His long-stagnant Ninefold Golden Body Technique immediately started circulating rapidly.
But his spiritual aura wasn't increasing too fast.
Partly because—his spiritual energy was already a hundred times denser than ordinary soul power, making it difficult to grow quickly.
And partly because—
He was deliberately slowing down the Raijin Domain's absorption rate.
By keeping the tribulation clouds at the brink of unleashing their judgment,
But never quite letting them discharge—
With the Dark Devilgod Tiger as a clear 'anomaly',
The laws of heaven and earth had no choice but to keep gathering more energy to eventually smite it.
But until that moment arrived…
—Wasn't this basically a free Spirit Gathering Array?!
—Tang Lan had officially mastered the art of milking the system.
(End of Chapter.)