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Tai Tan's face turned pale from his old brother's scolding, but he knew this matter was of great importance and was also the knot in his master Tang Hao's heart. He could only brace himself and try to explain:
"Old rhinoceros! Listen to me! Master, back then... he had his own difficulties! The Mistress was forced to sacrifice herself, and he was hunted across the continent by Spirit Hall. He could barely protect himself, so how could he look after all of us? He was also a victim! Now that Master has returned, it's to atone for his past mistakes and lead us to reclaim our blood debt from Spirit Hall! Can't you just let go of the past grievances for now?"
"Let go?!"
These two words were like pouring oil on fire, instantly igniting Niu Gao's rage to its extreme!
The next second, he stomped forward, his imposing figure carrying a mountain-like pressure. With bloodshot eyes, he pointed at Tang Hao's nose and angrily questioned:
"Old orangutan! You tell me to let go?! You say it so easily! My entire Defense Clan, three hundred and seventy-one souls! How much blood and sweat did we shed back then to build the Sect for your Clear Sky Sect?! And in the end? When Spirit Hall's army pressed in, with a single command to seal the mountain gate, you threw us out like rags, leaving us to be slaughtered by Spirit Hall!"
"I personally watched my own younger brother, to cover the retreat of our clansmen, being hacked to pieces by those Spirit Hall bastards! I watched him unable to even leave behind a complete corpse! My father! He worked diligently for the Clear Sky Sect his entire life, only to die of a heavy heart from his injuries, wondering why the Sect was so heartless even in his final moments!"
"And those collateral families and dependents who relied on us! How many old people and children died on the escape routes?! Those tragic scenes, those cries, how can you expect me to let go?! Tai Tan, tell me! Your Strength Clan survived, but how can I pretend the blood shed by my Defense Clan never happened?!"
By the end, Niu Gao's gaze was like two searing brands, turning fiercely towards the silent Tang Hao, his voice filled with biting sarcasm and hatred.
"Tang Hao! You're a victim? Haha, what a huge joke! Yes, your wife died, and you suffered greatly! But what about us?! We, these loyal affiliated Sects who followed you and the Clear Sky Sect, deserved to have our families destroyed?! Now you come out, with a light excuse of 'difficulties' and 'atonement,' and you think you can just gloss over everything in the past? You want us old guys who lost our loved ones to go and fight for you again? What gives you the right? Do you think you're still the Clear Sky Douluo who once dominated the world?!"
This barrage of furious roars, like a violent storm, each word bleeding, each sentence piercing the heart. Even Tang San, standing by, felt his mind greatly shaken. He could feel his father's body trembling slightly, his tightly clenched fists, knuckles already white. At this moment, Tai Tan was also left speechless, his face full of shame.
Not far away, Niu Gao panted heavily, as if trying to exhale decades of accumulated resentment. He scanned the grim-faced Tai Tan and the silent, mountain-like Tang Hao, finally gritting his teeth and squeezing out a sentence, with a sense of finality and almost a challenge.
"Fine! Tai Tan, Tang Hao! Aren't you here to reunite the Four Great Clans to serve your Clear Sky Sect? Aren't you here to make me, Niu Gao, let go? I'm telling you! In a few days, Old goat and Old White Bird will also come to my Dragon Exciting City! Aren't you capable? If you can persuade those two, especially if you can make that stubborn Old goat, who's like a rock, nod and agree to go with you... Then I, Niu Gao, will damn well forget the past grievances and fight against Spirit Hall with you!"
With that, he didn't give Tang Hao and Tai Tan any time to respond, and abruptly stepped back.
Boom!
A powerful spirit power fluctuation erupted with force! Immediately after, eight spirit rings suddenly rose from beneath Niu Gao's feet—two yellow, two purple, four black—and a powerful pressure instantly spread out! In an instant, the phantom of a massive Plate Armor Rhinoceros flashed behind him! Using the powerful strength of his Spirit possession, Niu Gao exerted force with his arms!
Boom!
Those two heavy bluestone gates instantly slammed shut with an utterly resolute posture and a deafening roar, forcibly and fiercely closed by him! The stirred-up dust rushed towards them, isolating Tang Hao, Tai Tan, and the others outside. Outside the gate, there was only deathly silence. And that cold, massive gate, seemingly separating decades of time and blood debt.
The heavy bluestone gates slammed shut before their eyes, and the rising dust slowly settled, making the figures of those outside the gate appear somewhat desolate. Tai Tan froze in place, his face alternating between green and white, his tightly clenched fists trembling slightly.
Being so harshly scolded by his old brother of decades, and having the scars of the Strength Clan that they wished not to recall ripped open, left him with mixed feelings: guilt, grievance, and more than anything, a deep sense of powerlessness.
Just then, a steady, powerful hand gently rested on his shoulder. Tai Tan turned his head to see Tang Hao, who had approached without him noticing. His weathered face remained calm, but in his deep eyes, more complex and unspeakable emotions surged. He spoke in a low voice:
"Uncle Tai, you don't need to be so sad. Niu Gao's resentment is entirely reasonable. Over the years, the Sect, and I, have owed you all too much. Bai He of the Speed Clan is my biological maternal uncle. Our blood kinship still exists. Although there are still estrangements, I have some confidence in persuading him."
However, when his words turned to the next name, his tone clearly became more solemn.
"As for Yang Wudi of the Breaking Clan..."
Hearing this name, Tai Tan immediately looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, and eagerly asked:
"Master, do you... do you have a way to persuade Old goat?"
Hearing this, Tang Hao fell silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head, a shadow clouding his resolute brows. He admitted:
"This matter... might be difficult. You and I both know Yang Wudi's character. He is obsessed with medicine and spears, and his personality is stubborn and unyielding. Once he's set on a principle, not even nine oxen can pull him back. Regarding the events of back then, he is probably the one with the deepest hatred."
At this point, his words paused slightly, and a chilling killing intent instantly permeated the air. At the same time, Tang Hao's gaze gradually sharpened, and an aura of authority and dominance belonging to the Clear Sky Douluo inadvertently emerged.
"After all, I now represent the Clear Sky Sect. The Sect's resurgence is imminent, and fighting against Spirit Hall requires every ounce of strength. The Breaking Clan's pharmaceutical and combat abilities are crucial to us.
If he is truly stubborn and unwilling to return to the Sect... Then I will have no choice but... to make a move against him. I absolutely cannot allow the Breaking Clan, especially top talents like Yang Wudi, to join Spirit Hall and become a major threat to us!"
Upon hearing this, Tai Tan's face instantly turned incredibly grim. He opened his mouth, his throat feeling as if something was blocking it, but in the end, no sound came out. He understood Tang Hao's resolve and knew that with the Sect's interests at stake, some measures had to be taken.
But that was, after all, an old brother who had once fought alongside them and shared hardships... to make a move against Yang Wudi? Just thinking about it made his heart feel as heavy as a mountain.
Even Yu Xiaogang would find it hard to find a middle ground here. The path ahead for the Tang Sect was filled with blood and hard choices. This was the burden of the Clear Sky Douluo and those who chose to follow him back into the light. Tai Tan looked at the closed gate and sighed, knowing the storm was only just beginning.
The Four Great Clans were once the pillars of their world, but now they were broken pieces that might never fit back together without a fight. He looked at Tang San, seeing the future in the young man's eyes, and hoped that the next generation wouldn't have to carry the same scars they did.
They stood there in the dust, three generations of Spirit Masters, waiting for a future that felt as cold as the stone gate before them. The silence of the city felt like a heavy weight, and the memory of Niu Gao's rage stayed in the air like the smell of smoke after a fire. It was clear that words would not be enough to heal these wounds.
Action was the only thing left, and for Tang Hao, action often meant the swing of a hammer or the pressure of his soul power. As they turned to leave, the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the ground, echoing the long shadow the Clear Sky Sect still cast over all their lives.