Chapter 369: Palace Coup, Clear Sky Clan Strikes
Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, ascended slowly, her three pairs of angel wings unfurling behind her. One by one, her seven soul rings—two yellow, two purple, and three black—glowed around her, the powerful aura of her god-level Six-Winged Angel martial soul pressing down on Tang San with crushing intensity. He felt a heavy weight in his chest, each breath becoming difficult.
He hadn't anticipated that Qian Renxue's strength would be this overwhelming.
Just barely thirty, and she was already a Soul Sage. While Hu Liena, also thirty, had only recently reached the level of Soul Emperor, it was evident that among the Golden Generation, Qian Renxue was the true elite. With her god-level martial soul, the Six-Winged Angel, she was likely unmatched by most Soul Douluo.
Tang San frowned deeply. He'd expected Qian Renxue to be powerful, but not this powerful. The appearance of seven soul rings shattered his expectations completely.
"This…is going to be troublesome..." Tang San murmured to himself.
Nearby, Snake Spear Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo gazed at Qian Renxue with reverent pride. To them, she wasn't simply a promising junior, but the heir to the position of Great Worshipper, the future leader to whom they pledged their loyalty.
Meanwhile, Dai Yao carefully assessed Qian Renxue's aura to gauge her strength. Her Six-Winged Angel martial soul radiated a fierce, dominating light, even intimidating the sacred White Tiger spirit within him, causing it to roar uneasily in his spiritual world.
In the air, Qian Renxue kept her true appearance hidden from those around her. Her confidence was such that she didn't deem anyone present worthy of seeing her face. Golden ripples emanated from her body, spreading an aura that dampened the spirit power and martial spirits of everyone nearby—everyone except Dai Yao.
She gazed down coldly at Tang San, a faint sneer on her lips.
"Tang San, I admire your words, 'better to be shattered like jade than survive as mere tile.' I hope that now, after seeing my true strength, you won't lose your fighting spirit and make this dull for me."
For some reason, the phrase "better to be shattered than survive" stirred something deep within Qian Renxue, as if it resonated from a memory long past. She turned her gaze to Dai Yao and said calmly,
"You've always thought yourself a genius, haven't you? Today, I'll show you what a true genius looks like."
Dai Yao said nothing.
Tang San, glancing at the masked "Li Feiyu," couldn't help wondering about this man's identity. For Qian Renxue to direct such words at him was unusual. Shoving the thought aside, he retorted coldly,
"Hmph, don't worry about me. Today, it's either you or me that will die!"
Qian Renxue sneered, raised her left hand, and extended her right hand with fingers splayed. Behind her, the radiant angelic figure did the same, and as their forms merged, a brilliant golden beam shot toward Tang San.
In Tang San's eyes, Qian Renxue's entire form transformed into a radiant vision, like an immortal descending to earth.
Overwhelming pressure swept over him, causing his insides to tremble and his organs to cry out in protest. Just this one casual attack from her already demonstrated their stark difference in power.
This Xue Qinghe's strength is overwhelming! Even my Killing God Domain is suppressed by those golden ripples, which must be some sort of divine domain. If I were a Soul Sage, I might have a chance to match her. But with such a vast gap in power, I'm no match for her at all, he thought.
Soul power surged within him, and as his Xuantian Skill activated, faint wisps of steam rose from his skin. Just before Qian Renxue's golden beam reached him, Tang San used his Blue Silver Emperor to form a cocoon around himself, attaching two thick strands to the palace ceiling.
With a sudden snap, like a slingshot, the elastic pull sent Tang San rocketing upward, smashing through the ceiling as glass shards cascaded below.
Qian Renxue shot after him immediately, with Snake Spear Douluo, Porcupinefish Douluo, and Dai Yao close behind.
In the chamber, Emperor Xue Ye lay unprotected. A blue shield formed around him, deflecting the falling shards. Encased in a cocoon of Blue Silver Emperor, Tang San launched a flare from his hidden 24 Moonlit Bridges, sending it soaring into the sky. A moment later, a resounding explosion filled the sky as vibrant fireworks burst overhead.
All eyes in Heaven Dou City turned toward the display.
From the Fourth Prince's residence, five streaks of light shot toward the imperial palace at lightning speed, their sonic booms reverberating through the city. In Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi watched the fading fireworks in silent contemplation.
At Clear Lotus Sect, Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong exchanged glances and immediately commanded everyone to return to the sect and remain on standby. At Shrek Academy, Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong, and Flender hurriedly headed toward the imperial palace, a golden light gradually enveloping them.
In that moment, all of Heaven Dou City was set into motion. Forces everywhere responded, following the signal of the flare.
Hovering in midair, Qian Renxue gazed at Tang San with disdain. Her hands were clasped behind her back, her voice icy.
"Tang San, I overestimated you. You don't even have the courage to fight. A dual-martial soul wielder? You're just a coward and unworthy of being my opponent."
Snake Spear and Porcupinefish Douluo flew up to join them, while Dai Yao, not wanting to risk revealing his identity, merely observed from the rooftop below.
I can't believe Tang San would pull this move, Dai Yao thought. So much for a one-on-one fight; he used the moment's relaxation to launch a flare. Once again, Tang San had lowered the bar of his expectations.
In the original story, he recalled, Tang San had a knack for using people. He betrayed Dugu Bo after being saved by him, exploited the mortal realm, branded Spirit Hall as evil solely to justify his own vendettas, and claimed to despise ambushes even after ambushing Ghost Douluo. Dai Yao was almost eager to see what excuse he'd use next.
In the air, Tang San glared at Qian Renxue's scornful expression, a cold smile forming.
"Fair fight? Against Spirit Hall's twisted organization, there's no such thing as fair play. Destroying you is the ultimate justice!"
Below, Dai Yao was quietly aghast, Seriously? Qian Renxue, are you actually buying this? Tang San brands Spirit Hall as evil, and you just accept it? And Snake Spear and Porcupinefish Douluo—do none of you even think to protest?
Qian Renxue's face remained impassive. "Tang San, my patience with you is dwindling. If you're so determined to die, I'll grant you a swift end. Snake Spear Douluo, Porcupinefish Douluo—finish him."
Qian Renxue had full confidence in her victory. To her, Tang San's "allies" were nothing more than lambs to the slaughter.
Snake Spear Douluo swung his arm, summoning a spear into his grasp. Its sharp aura made Tang San's skin prickle, as if it could pierce him with a single strike.
At that moment, just as Snake Spear and Porcupinefish Douluo were moving in with calm confidence, their expressions suddenly changed drastically, as did Qian Renxue's smug look, which turned into one of utmost seriousness.
In the distance, five streaks of light shot across the sky, each figure radiating powerful spirit power, surrounded by nine spirit rings—the final black rings pulsing with a dark energy that cast shadows across the sky. The sheer strength emanating from these five figures spread like crashing waves, filling the air with a suffocating aura.
It was the Clear Sky Clan. Five titled Douluo.
All of Heaven Dou City fell into stunned silence. Nobles, high-level spirit master academies, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Clear Lotus Sect alike were left in a state of utter shock.
After two decades of reclusion, the legendary Clear Sky Clan had re-emerged, not with one or two titled Douluo, but five! This strength was a testament to the clan that had once been the most powerful in the land, rekindling memories among the older generation of a name deeply etched into their hearts: the Clear Sky Clan.
At Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Fengzhi gazed up at the five streaks of light crossing the sky, his heart heavy with silence. Beside him, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo were similarly awed, and after a long pause, Ning Fengzhi let out a deep breath and laughed wryly.
"If I'm not mistaken, those five titled Douluo are the second-generation elders of the Clear Sky Clan. It seems their years of seclusion have only strengthened them, all of them now surpassing the ninetieth level. Coupled with the presence of Haotian Douluo and Xiaotian Douluo, it's incredible that the Clear Sky Clan has grown powerful enough to rival Spirit Hall."
"I remember once dreaming of competing for the title of the number one sect in the world…what a joke that seems now."
Sword Douluo also gave a small laugh, though there was a note of resignation in his tone.
"Fengzhi, there's no need to undervalue our sect. Clear Sky Clan may have grown significantly, but we are not without strength ourselves. Your Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda gives us a significant boost. If the three of us join forces, we wouldn't struggle too much to hold off those five elders."
Bone Douluo nodded in agreement.
Ning Fengzhi smiled, shaking his head. "There's no need to try to comfort me, Uncle Sword and Uncle Bone. This won't get me down so easily. What's important now is that we head to the Heaven Dou Palace to aid Dai Yao. If I'm not mistaken, the Clear Sky Clan has come intending to confront Spirit Hall."
"If that's the case, Dai Yao will have no escape."
Upon receiving word of the sect's relocation, Ning Fengzhi had known instantly that Dai Yao was in Heaven Dou City and likely involved in the palace upheaval.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo exchanged glances, nodding. In their minds, Dai Yao was already family, their granddaughter's future husband. If he was in danger, they had to intervene.
Just then, footsteps approached from outside the pavilion, and Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong entered, followed by Dugu Bo.
"Master Dugu, what brings you here?" Ning Fengzhi asked with a gentlemanly smile, taking in the three visitors.
Dugu Yan spoke openly, "Sect Master Ning, I must urge you not to head to the palace. Right now, our priority should be to immediately evacuate our disciples from the sect. If we engage in this royal power struggle, we'll become enemies of the imperial court, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will suffer heavy losses."
"This is exactly what Dai Yao would never want."
Ning Fengzhi was momentarily stunned, touched by Dai Yao's selflessness and worried about the danger he now faced. He studied Dugu Yan for a moment before finally speaking.
"Master Dugu, if I'm not mistaken, you're Dai Yao's wife. But tell me, why would you stand by while he is trapped in such a dire situation?"
Dugu Yan's teeth clenched briefly—how could she not want to save Dai Yao? Yet, Dai Yao had been explicit in his letter: should anything go wrong, she was not to come to his rescue but to ensure the sect's immediate evacuation.
Looking into Ning Fengzhi's confused gaze, Dugu Yan replied solemnly,
"Sect Master Ning, it's not that I don't want to save him. It's that he values the safety of the Clear Lotus Sect and Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect above his own life. So, I will honor his wishes and focus on relocating the sect rather than rushing to his aid."
With this, Ning Fengzhi finally understood why Dai Yao had entrusted Dugu Yan with the role of acting sect master. Smiling, he turned to Ning Rongrong.
"And you, Rongrong? What do you think?"
Ning Rongrong smiled gently, "Father, I agree with Sister Yan. Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect isn't suited to be embroiled in royal conflicts. Besides, I have faith that Dai Yao will return safely."
She trusted in Dai Yao's greatest trump card: the mysterious Blue Lotus Martial Soul. Though she had only caught a fleeting glimpse of it while absorbing the Golden Lotus, its immense power was unforgettable. For this reason, she had confidence that he would come through unharmed.
Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo exchanged glances, a little surprised at Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong's faith in Dai Yao. They were facing five titled Douluo, and not just any; these were wielders of the Clear Sky Hammer, known to be peerless among their peers. If these individuals attacked, even Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would have to face them with utmost caution.
After a moment's silence, suppressing his doubts, Ning Fengzhi said,
"Very well. In that case, we shall leave Heaven Dou City immediately."
Heaven Dou Palace
The moment everyone felt the overwhelming power of the five Clear Sky Douluo, shock stilled the palace grounds. But nearly at once, three people snapped to attention.
Tang San, Qian Renxue, and Dai Yao shouted in unison,
"Emperor Xue Ye!"
Emperor Xue Ye was the linchpin in this power struggle.
For Spirit Hall, killing Emperor Xue Ye would erase any chance of overturning their plan, and without his influence, all ministers and nobles would continue to support Xue Qinghe. For Tang San and Xu Bing's side, however, the emperor's death would mean no one with sufficient authority could vouch for their cause. Even if they defeated Xue Qinghe, it would be near impossible to rally enough support.
Although they held authority over the empire, the loyalty of the nobles was not guaranteed.
Realizing this, all three acted at once. Dai Yao, standing on the roof, was closest to Emperor Xue Ye, followed by Qian Renxue, whose Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul granted her incredible speed. Tang San was behind them both.
The three's sudden shouts jolted Snake Spear and Porcupinefish Douluo back to attention. Nearby, the five Clear Sky Clan elders let out a simultaneous roar, hurling five massive Clear Sky Hammers into the air. The weapons glowed with dark light, and a thunderous boom resounded as they hurtled toward the emperor's quarters.
The elders did not hesitate to activate their martial soul avatars, fully embodying the might of the Clear Sky Hammer. Reappearing after over twenty years, the legendary artifact spirit struck awe into everyone present.
In the sky above, black light filled the air as the five giant hammers descended like meteors, bringing with them a sense of annihilation. All movement stopped as the hammers fell toward Emperor Xue Ye's bedchamber. Approaching them risked certain death, for even a graze would be fatal.
Even a titled Douluo would not dare face the Clear Sky Hammer head-on. The hunt for Tang Hao had already proven the deadly cost of such a confrontation.
Only one person did not halt their approach to Emperor Xue Ye: Dai Yao.
In full view of everyone, he raised his hand, and a long spear materialized, gleaming with the radiant energy of a Blue Lotus. Brandishing the spear, he charged forward, unyielding in the face of the five incoming Clear Sky Hammers, aiming directly at the bedridden emperor.
And when Tang San caught sight of the Blue Lotus spear in the masked man's hand, his pupils shrank in shock.
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