Tang San and his group were leaving the island, escorted by the Great White Shark clan to see them off.
Unlike in the original timeline, their fourth trial was not a joint operation with the Great White Shark clan to hunt the Evil Demon Killer Whale tribe for souls.
Of course, this also had something to do with Tang San's strength.
If he hadn't overdrawn the potential of his second martial soul, Tang San's current strength would have been even weaker, leaving him far behind Ning Tianchen.
Even after exhausting the potential of his second martial soul, his strength was still inferior to what it had been in the original timeline.
Since he hadn't avenged the Great White Shark clan, Tang San naturally hadn't earned their recognition.
If it weren't for the Sea God's personal decree, it was unlikely any of the Great White Sharks would have willingly transported them back to land.
Before departure, Bo Saixi saw them off.
Unable to resist, Tang San asked, "Great-grandmother, where exactly is the Heart of the Sea God that we need to find?"
At first, he addressed Bo Saixi as "Senior," but as their interactions became more frequent, he changed his form of address.
As for Bo Saixi herself, she fully embraced the title of "great-grandmother." After all, deep down, she truly considered herself one of Tang Chen's people.
Bo Saixi didn't give a direct answer but shook her head instead. "You don't need to rush about this matter. When the time is right, the Sea God will inform you himself. For now, your only task is to quickly increase your strength."
"After completing the fifth trial, you'll most likely return to Sea God Island to continue the next phase of the examination."
"Return again?" Tang San murmured softly.
Thinking about it, it made sense—after all, the Sea God's trials could only be completed on Sea God Island.
After respectfully bidding farewell, the Shrek Five Monsters boarded the backs of the Great White Sharks.
…
On the Sun and Moon Continent, it was night.
Under the watchful eyes of Cang Tianyou and his son, as well as Zhang Chenghuan, Ning Tianchen and his group boarded the Manta Ray.
The dock workers had already been sent away by Zhang Chenghuan, ensuring that Ning Tianchen's departure tonight would remain known only to these three individuals.
"Friends, until we meet again," Cang Tianyou waved at them.
Ning Tianchen and his group stood at the stern of the ship, waving goodbye.
When they first landed, Ning Tianchen hadn't intended to interact with the prominent families of the continent. Unexpectedly, through a twist of fate, they ended up forming a good friendship.
Unfortunately, they didn't reside on the Douluo Continent, so there wouldn't be many opportunities to cross paths in the future.
The night breeze blew in their favor, and the Manta Ray quickly sailed into the open sea.
This journey had been fruitful for Ning Tianchen and his group.
Not only had they completed two divine trials, but they had also successfully obtained the crucial technology of soul-guided weapons.
Once they returned, the development of soul-guided weapons could finally proceed.
Seeing Ning Rongrong on deck, gazing intently at the coastline behind them, Ning Tianchen couldn't help but tease, "What, reluctant to leave?"
Ning Rongrong shook her head.
There were no relatives of hers on the Sun and Moon Continent, so her emotional ties were undoubtedly stronger to the Douluo Continent.
"There are plenty of interesting places on this continent. If the two continents could merge, we wouldn't need to sail across the ocean anymore."
As she spoke, she rested her chin in her hands and leaned against the railing, enjoying the evening breeze.
Ning Tianchen chuckled lightly. "We'll see that day, but not now. However, I think we won't live to see it."
The lifespan of deities approached infinity, but they couldn't stay on the Douluo Continent forever.
Especially since Ning Tianchen inherited the position of Asura God.
As one of the five great enforcers of the god realm, once he inherited the godhood, he'd be allowed to stay on the continent for only a few decades before being summoned to the god realm.
As for the merging of the two continents, that was an event thousands of years in the future.
With the sea chart recorded during their journey here, their return trip would be much smoother, safer, and significantly shorter.
On the way back, Ning Tianchen and his group weren't in the mood to admire the seascape.
They locked themselves in the cabin, focusing on cultivation.
Having been away from the continent for two years, the situation on the mainland had already changed drastically. They needed to quickly improve their strength to adapt to the shifting dynamics.
…
The Great White Sharks were, after all, sea spirit beasts. Their speed in water far surpassed that of ordinary ships.
Thanks to their familiarity with the route, in just ten days, they delivered the Shrek Five Monsters to a dock near Hanhai City.
To avoid detection by human soul masters onshore, the Great White Sharks deliberately chose to land at night. After dropping off the Shrek Five Monsters, they immediately retreated to report back, fearing any potential danger.
Upon landing, Dai Mubai saw the bustling scene within Hanhai City and couldn't help but speculate, "Have the two empires ceased hostilities?"
Tang San disagreed. "No, Hanhai City has never been a strategically contested area. The situation here can't represent the entire continent. We'll leave the city tonight and head to a nearby town to assess the current state of affairs on the continent."
Yu Tianheng interjected, stopping him. "Tang San, even if you're in a hurry, you don't need to rush at this moment. During these ten days at sea, we haven't had a single hot meal. Now that we've returned to land, why not rest in the city for a night?"
Yu Tianxin added, "Cultivation requires a balance of work and rest. We don't need to rush. Let's rest tonight and attend to business tomorrow."
Tang San furrowed his brow slightly but agreed.
After living on Sea God Island for over a year, their nerves had been constantly tense—it was time to relax.
They quickly checked into a hotel in the city.
Dai Mubai wasn't someone who could sit still. Seeing his body recover, he secretly left the hotel at night to visit the red-light district.
It was precisely because of his unauthorized actions that their whereabouts were exposed.
Ever since Ning Tianchen and his group had departed from the continent, Bai He had almost constantly been stationed by the seaside, waiting for their return.
As dusk fell and no more ships docked, he prepared to return to his temporary residence in the city for a short rest. Unexpectedly, he spotted Dai Mubai entering a pleasure district.
Before departing, Ning Tianchen had informed the intelligence department disciples that Tang San's group would also venture out to sea.
Now, seeing Dai Mubai appear in Hanhai City, it couldn't possibly be a coincidence.
Bai He decided to conceal himself in the shadows and gather information.
With his Soul Douluo-level strength, Dai Mubai had no way of detecting him.
In the pleasure district, Dai Mubai's handsome appearance and generous spending quickly attracted the attention of courtesans.
During intimate encounters, Dai Mubai's loose lips nearly spilled all the details of their experiences.
However, he didn't mention Sea God Island, only saying that they had trained on some remote island for a period of time, and their strength had rapidly improved.
…
Bai He stayed perched outside the window, listening intently until the late hours of the night when Dai Mubai, worried about Tang San's reprimand, quietly left.
Bai He followed him and soon discovered the hotel where the Shrek Five Monsters were staying.
Back at the hotel, Dai Mubai quickly fell asleep. As for Tang San and the others, some were cultivating while others were sleeping, so no useful information could be obtained in the short term.
Thus, Bai He immediately arranged for other intelligence disciples to continue waiting for Ning Tianchen's group at the docks, while he tailed the Shrek Five Monsters.
Through Dai Mubai's unintentional slip, Bai He deduced that they might know about conditions overseas, and perhaps even the whereabouts of Ning Tianchen's group.
Early the next morning, Tang San instructed everyone to pack their luggage and sent a letter from within the city.
Before leaving, they purchased a carriage, heading directly toward Balak City.
On the road, they didn't notice the "tail" following them.
Inside the carriage, Tang San's gaze turned to Dai Mubai as he said gravely, "Don't let your selfish desires ruin Uncle's plans."
Dai Mubai gave an awkward smile. "Xiao San, I've just recovered, alright? On Sea God Island, everyone there were followers of the Sea God—I didn't dare act recklessly."
His departure last night had been known to everyone except Tai Long.
Yu Tianxin scolded, "Mubai, once Elder Tang's plan succeeds, you'll become the Emperor of Star Luo. There won't be anyone in the world you can't have—why go to such places for women who've been passed around countless times?"
Dai Mubai nodded repeatedly, assuring them with promises.
Though spoken without intent, the words carried meaning.
Trailing behind the carriage, Bai He immediately deduced that they were planning to seize the throne of Star Luo.
Dai Mubai was one of Dai Tianfeng's sons and had the qualifications to be the legitimate successor.
These were already turbulent times, and Bai He didn't dare to be careless. He immediately wrote down their conversation and his conjectures in a letter, which he arranged for an intelligence disciple to send back to the sect upon entering the next city.
Currently, the Spirit Hall had allied with several grand duchies and kingdoms to pressure the Tian Dou Empire, forcing them to continue conflicts with the Star Luo Empire along the border.
Moreover, these kingdoms and duchies were also infiltrating the Star Luo Empire.
In as little as two to three months, or as long as a year, the Star Luo Empire would undoubtedly launch a full-scale war.
If the internal situation of the Star Luo Empire became unstable, the Spirit Hall would surely seize the opportunity to intervene.
After the loss of Dai Tianfeng, whether it was Dai Wei or Dai Mubai who took the throne, the situation on the continent would spiral into an uncontrollable direction.
At that time, no one could guarantee how the situation on the continent would unfold.
The Shrek Five Monsters' words indirectly revealed the situation of the Tang Sect and Tang Xiao's location.
…
Half a month later, within the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
The Tianjian Sect received Bai He's message and immediately shared it with Ning Fengzhi.
All of Tang San's group's actions and thoughts about recruiting the Long She (Dragon Snake) Family were laid out before Ning Fengzhi.
Ning Fengzhi asked, "Uncle Gu, what is the situation with the Long She Family?"
The Balak Kingdom had completely sided with the Spirit Hall. If the Spirit Hall was determined, they could now integrate several kingdoms and duchies to form a new empire.
The Long She Family resided within the Balak Kingdom, and under the influence of the royal family, Ning Fengzhi believed they might have already become pawns of the Spirit Hall.
Gu Rong replied, "Fengzhi, the Long She Family has yet to declare their stance. Since before the re-election assembly of the seven great sects, they have become extremely low-key. It's said that most of their clan members have been secretly relocated by Meng Shu."
At the time, the re-election assembly of the seven great sects was highly heated, and since the Long She Family received little attention, their subtle movements went unnoticed.
Where those clan members were transferred to, no one knew.
Ning Fengzhi became interested and asked, "Uncle Ke, what are the chances of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect recruiting the Long She Family?"
The spirit fusion technique of the Peerless Dragon and Snake couple could rival that of an ordinary Title Douluo—a force not to be underestimated.
In such turbulent times, Ning Fengzhi naturally hoped for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect to grow stronger.
Ke Jie shook his head. "No chance at all."
During the Soul Master Tournament, he had already seen through the intentions of the Dragon Duke.
Unless Ning Fengzhi was willing to let Ning Rongrong and Meng Yiran jointly serve Ning Tianchen, there was no way to recruit them.
Moreover, even if Ning Fengzhi agreed, Ning Tianchen might not.
Chen Xin added, "The Long She Family has long been in decline, worse off than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family back then. It's no secret that Meng Shu wants to sell his granddaughter for the family's protection."
Any cooperation was built on the foundation of strength.
After the Dragon Duke and Snake Grandmother passes away, Meng Yiran alone can't carry the banner of the entire family.
They either chose not to join anyone, or they completely relied on one power to ensure the family's long-term peace.
However, Ning Fengzhi still had several sons who could marry Meng Yiran.
Gu Rong guessed his thoughts, shook his head, and added, "Meng Shu is already advanced in age, with only a few years left to live. If your sons marry Meng Yiran, after Meng Shu passes away, the sect will still have to support over a hundred burdensome dependents—it's simply not worth it."
Indeed, Meng Shu's age was undeniable, and there was no reason to recruit him.
Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly. "Then let's forget it. As for the Tang Sect, they are after all within the Star Luo Empire and have not gained much fame. Let's wait and see."
Even if Tang Xiao was still alive, so what?
It was the Spirit Hall that destroyed the Hao Tian Sect—Tang Xiao's vengeance would only be directed at the Spirit Hall, having nothing to do with the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
In fact, they could even use Tang Xiao to stir up some trouble for the Spirit Hall.
"By the way, have there been any updates on Tianchen and Rongrong?" Chen Xin couldn't help but ask.
Ning Fengzhi shrugged and handed the letter sent by the Tianjian Sect to him.
In the letter, Bai He merely speculated that the Shrek Five Monsters might know something about Ning Tianchen's group.
But Bai He had no concrete evidence, and the Shrek Five Monsters hadn't mentioned Ning Tianchen's group during their conversations.
As for the description of Sea God Island in the letter, it aligned with Chen Xin's expectations.
Back then, there were only two Limit Douluos on the continent. After Tang Chen and Qian Dao returned from overseas, they became the third and fourth Limit Douluos.
He wouldn't believe that Sea God Island lacked strength.
"It seems they gained a lot on Sea God Island—their strength is almost comparable to Rongrong's group before they set sail," Gu Rong muttered, pursing his lips.
Deep down, he felt an inexplicable sense of envy.
If this had happened when he was younger and he'd known about Sea God Island, he would have gone there no matter what.
Upon returning from Sea God Island, his strength might have undergone a qualitative change, rather than being stuck at Level 96 with no room for further growth.
"Old Bones, timing, luck, and talent—all are indispensable. Even if you had known about it back then, once you set sail, you might have perished in the sea without ever reaching Sea God Island."
"I have a premonition that the emergence of Tianchen's generation will reshape the future landscape of soul master cultivation."
On this point, Gu Rong didn't disagree.
With Ning Tianchen's talent, it would take only a few more years before he broke through to become a Title Douluo.
A Title Douluo in their twenties—such a phenomenon was unheard of on the continent.
"Sect Leader, what's the situation at the academy?" Ke Jie couldn't help but ask.
Due to the instability on the continent, many students of the Seven Treasures Academy had chosen to delay graduation and stay at the academy to avoid the chaos of war.
During the turbulent years on the continent, the academy's dormitories had become overcrowded, and even new students had to stay in temporary accommodations outside the campus.
Ning Fengzhi pinched the bridge of his nose. "They've paid tuition, so let them stay. Once the turmoil ends, the sect's reputation will benefit from this."
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