At the edge of a dense forest far from Nuoding City, the air still carried a faint scent of blood and the lingering aura of spiritual power. Tang San sat numbly on the cold ground, his body trembling uncontrollably from unbearable pain and the tremendous blow he had suffered. Tears, mixed with blood, streamed down his face, and his once bright eyes were now filled with only hollow, bitter hatred as he stared toward Nuoding City, as if wishing to burn down the city and all his enemies within.
He had seen it with his own eyes… The man in the blue shirt, looking like a god of demons, casually placed his palm atop his father's head. How did his father's once-mighty body suddenly grow rigid, then collapse, breathless and limp… That scene, sharper than any dagger, scratched at Tang San's heart again and again, stabbing him with heart-wrenching pain.
"Father… Father…"
Tang San's voice was hoarse, more like a wounded beast's wail. The pain in his broken leg and mouth was nothing compared to the utter despair now swallowing him whole.
Yu Xiaogang, fighting through the pain of being flung aside by Tang Hao and the soul-crushing terror he felt, struggled to crawl to Tang San's side. He reached out to comfort his student, but his own hand trembled uncontrollably. Forcing himself to breathe deeply and steady his voice, he did his best to sound calm:
"Xiao San, hold on… Now isn't the time to grieve."
His voice was dry and raspy.
"That man… his strength is unimaginable. After holding your father's funeral, he will likely hunt us down! We have to leave here right now!"
Recalling everything that had just happened in that storm of lightning and flint, Yu Xiaogang felt as if his gallbladder and liver had cracked. His entire body trembled with the terror that still clung to his bones. Tang Hao, his lifelong idol, a man who had never even lost to Qian Xunji, had died like a child, crushed effortlessly by the man in the blue shirt. Who was this terrifying figure? Could he be a Hall Master? An old monster from the Spirit Hall? Yu Xiaogang's mind raced through possible suspects.
But… even after consulting all the Spirit Hall's ancient records, he had never heard of anyone with such terrifying soul power and a unique spirit like that man.
The humiliation of being forced to flee like an ant, unable to resist no matter who the enemy was, and witnessing his idol's fall, all twisted into a deep, distorted hatred in Yu Xiaogang's heart. Clenching his fists so tightly his nails dug into his flesh, he vowed in his heart:
"Whoever you are, wherever you come from, I, Yu Xiaogang, will repay today's humiliation a hundredfold!"
Supported by Yu Xiaogang, Tang San struggled to his feet on one leg. Sweat broke out on his forehead from the sharp pain, but he didn't feel it. His bloodshot eyes were full of endless resentment as he stared at Nuoding City.
"Why… Why did you do this to me?"
His voice was hoarse as blood.
"Father… He never wanted to kill you… He only wanted to protect me… But you… you wanted to kill him! Xiao Wu only said a few words to you, so why?!"
Why had this simple conflict escalated into such bloodshed? Why did the boy in the purple robe act so viciously? Why did the man in the blue shirt so desperately want to kill murderers? All doubts eventually turned into purest hatred.
Tang San took a deep breath, as if trying to integrate this bitter hatred into his very bones, to squeeze it out from between his broken teeth.
"Wait… That man still has the old dog's body. I, Tang San, swear here, for the blood debt and the price of blood, I will avenge my father!"
With that, he no longer looked back at the city that had swallowed his father's life. With Yu Xiaogang supporting him, master and disciple limped away, carrying their scars and bone-deep hatred, disappearing into the shadows of the dense forest toward Heaven Dou City. They did not notice that, just after they left, a faint sigh seemed to drift through the air, tinged with a sense of indifference and judgment:
"The essence of the heart… is truly unbearable…"
….
Back in Nuoding City, the Grand Elder and Chen Yi naturally knew nothing of the fallen master and disciple's vows or their hatred. Even if they did, they would probably just laugh it off. Having easily reaped Tang Hao's 'wild' top-grade soul bone gift package, the two did not linger in the ruined streets. The Grand Elder, in high spirits, wanted to express his gratitude to this small city that had brought 'fortune' to himself and the sect. He grabbed Chen Yi and, with a fling, instantly appeared at the Nuoding City Lord's mansion as if teleporting.
Before the dazed and soulless city lord and his guards, the Grand Elder didn't waste words. He took out a gold card containing 100,000 gold soul coins and casually tossed it to the paralyzed city lord.
"This is 100,000 gold soul coins, to be used for the city's reconstruction and to aid those who suffered today."
His voice was flat and emotionless.
The city lord, eyeing the mountain of gold coins, could sense the immense power of the two before him. He dared not say a word, bowing repeatedly and expressing only gratitude, though his heart was filled with shock and joy—relieved that these two demons were finally leaving. The good news was that 100,000 gold soul coins were indeed a fortune for Nuoding City.
After handling this minor matter, the Grand Elder and Chen Yi truly left Nuoding City, their figures blurring into light as they sped toward Martial City. After all, the six top-grade soul bones and the mysteries of the Mysterious Heaven Skill had to be returned to the sect as soon as possible to be transformed into true wealth and strength.
The journey was long, and the two did not rush at full speed, occasionally stopping to communicate and to further study the mysterious Mysterious Heaven Skill token. The more they studied, the more astonished they became.
"This Mysterious Heaven Skill… the concentration and efficiency of its soul power, its warming and expansion of the meridians, is far beyond any meditation method known on the continent," the Grand Elder marveled, stroking his beard. "Especially the concepts of 'guarding the dantian' and 'weekly cycle'. They focus far more on consolidating the foundation and stimulating internal potential, rather than just accumulating power and causing bottlenecks. If we can integrate its essence into our sect's inheritance, we will create a new world!"
Chen Yi pondered deeply as well. This was a cultivation method from Tang San's previous life, a true orthodox Taoist method, not just any ordinary product. It gave both of them countless new ideas.
…
Several days later, passing through a deep valley surrounded by towering mountains, the Grand Elder suddenly halted in midair, his gaze sharp as he observed the valley below. Chen Yi stopped as well, following the Grand Elder's gaze. The valley was full of life, and, most strangely, ordinary-looking blue-silver grass covered the ground, gently swaying with the wind, yet faintly emanating a sign of life's transformation.
Chen Yi's heart stirred—he instantly guessed the origin of this place. The Grand Elder, though not as familiar with the inside story, immediately sensed the valley's extraordinariness. His gaze grew deep, as if piercing the blue-silver grass to see the valley's core. A meaningful smile appeared on his lips, and he softly said:
"It seems… Ye Cien's ninth spirit ring has fallen here."
With that, the two didn't linger, their figures transforming into ribbons as they soared away into the sky.
…
Bonus chapter at 500 PS