Grandmaster finally spoke up. His current face was a lot more rigid than before. He had been renounced by his clan for a long time, his affairs with Liu Erlong even leading to being heavily separated from the clan. However, he was after all a child of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. The clan was extinguished, and the pain Grandmaster endured wasn’t any less than that of Ning Fengzhi.
“Your Majesty, right now you must keep calm, continuing to patiently endure is the greatest help to us.”
Even though he was extremely unwilling, Grandmaster still spoke like this. Because he knew that the present was still far from the time to lay their cards on the table with Spirit Hall.
“Why? We have millions of brave experts, don’t tell me We must still be afraid?”
Emperor Xue Ye really did seem somewhat impulsive.
Grandmaster shook his head,
“It’s not fear, but rather inability. Your Majesty, you should understand what effect Spirit Masters can have in battle. This time, my clan being extinguished, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School being gravely injured, is enough to prove that we still underestimated Spirit Hall’s strength before. Spirit Hall holds at least thirty thousand Spirit Masters of different levels. And the Supreme Pontiff shouldn’t have personally participated in this operation.”
“Even if Spirit Hall’s losses weren’t small, they still control at least twenty thousand formidable Spirit Masters. And as for Title Douluo level powers, for the moment I would assess them at more than ten. If such strength waged a frontal war with your millions of brave experts, it might not be a fight. But don’t forget that Spirit Hall still has the templar knights, as well as the support of those kingdoms. If these Spirit Masters were mixed into the armies of those little nations, the result would be too horrible to contemplate. Relying on our strength alone, is far from sufficient to withstand Spirit Hall. Looking back at our roots, the strength of the Spirit Masters we hold is still far too small. We even more lack characters to lead. Therefore, we must endure.”
At the final ‘endure’, Grandmaster deliberately raised his voice. From this simple word, each person present heard the thick taste of blood.
“Then what do you propose?”
As Emperor Xue Ye listened to Grandmaster, his mood also stabilized somewhat. The reason why he showed that kind of fury was to some extent also to make a display. Grandmaster and Ning Fengzhi were both people he relied on, and anger against a common enemy could tie them closer to him.
Of course, Spirit Hall’s sudden revolt had caught emperor Xue Ye and the Heaven Dou Empire unprepared. On the surface, nobody could find any fault with Spirit Hall, but emperor Xue Ye already sensed an intense impending crisis. Having dealt with the three upper sects, Spirit Hall’s later target would undoubtedly be the two great empires. If he didn’t plan ahead, perhaps the two great sects’ endings would be the conclusion for the empire. Even though Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire both had armies numbering in the millions, in front of truly formidable Spirit Masters, armies were of no use. The defense of emperor Xue Ye’s palace had increased drastically in these few days, out of fear that Spirit Hall would send powers to assassinate him.
Grandmaster’s eyes were somewhat bloodshot, but he still maintained his calm attitude as far as possible,
“To deal with Spirit Hall, only the empire’s current forces are still far from enough. We must unite, must combine all forces to oppose Spirit Hall, gradually nibble away at them, develop ourselves. Destroying Spirit Hall isn’t a matter of a day and night, Your Majesty had best make long term plans.”
Emperor Xue Ye was slightly distracted,
“Grandmaster, your meaning is to ally with Star Luo Empire? But, you also know the conflict between our Heaven Dou and their Star Luo isn’t a matter of just a day or two, but grievances accumulated over a long time. It can’t be easily dissolved.”
Ning Fengzhi spoke up,
“Your Majesty, in this world, there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. Spirit Hall has extinguished two great sects. Star Luo Empire has definitely received the news. I don’t believe that they wouldn’t feel fearful after learning of it. Cooperation is inevitable. Moreover, Grandmaster meaning isn’t only to collaborate with Star Luo Empire. We still lack powers, we must as far as possible attract free Spirit Masters to join our side. Then we can gradually reverse the unfavorable situation.”
Grandmaster lowered his voice:
“If I guess correctly, before too long, Spirit Hall will move to some extent. They’ve successively attacked the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. It’s only one step further to consolidate their position in the Spirit Master world, increasing their influence and control. We must also move.”
Emperor Xue Ye said:
“I understand your meaning. But how do we attract Spirit Masters? Do you two have any suggestions?”
Grandmaster’s eyes revealed a heartfelt sadness,
“The sect being destroyed, my heart is still in disorder, I must beg Your Majesty’s pardon. I’m unable to help you put forward plans. But please don’t worry, I will do my utmost to train the Spirit Masters of our side. I’ll have them ready to be thrown into battle as soon as possible.”
Emperor Xue Ye pondered, and said:
“This shouldn’t be delayed. We’ll negotiate a dispatch as soon as possible.”
Due to Spirit Hall’s movements, the entire Heaven Dou Empire shifted in a short time, relaxing the outside and tightening the inside. As for what kind of strategies the empire enacted against the crisis brought on by Spirit Hall, only the top echelons knew. Just like Grandmaster and Ning Fengzhi estimated, the Star Luo Empire also began to quietly move.
And at the same time, Spirit Hall issued a declaration, strongly condemning the murderers that extinguished the two great sects, but simultaneously also raised that the positions of the seven great sects were decades old. Now that the Clear Sky Sect shunned the world, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan were destroyed, they proposed that the seven great sect ranking would be reevaluated, sorted by military force. They gave all the currently existing sects one year to prepare. In one year, all the Continent’s sects could sign up to participate in a seven great sect grand tournament, establishing a new seven great sects and ranking them according to strength.
The dissemination of this news immediately raised a tempest in the Spirit Master world. Everyone knew what the seven great sects meant, if they could enter those ranks, that would be an enormous advantage to recruiting Spirit Masters and lead to all kinds of benefits. Who didn’t wish they were able to reach these ranks? There was only one year to prepare, and practically more than eighty percent of the sects in the two great empires all mobilized.
As for what the release of Spirit Hall’s statement implied, only they themselves knew best.
But Tang San, on his way to the Star Dou Great Forest, knew none of this.
……
Star Dou Great Forest.
Looking at the verdant and lush, abundantly green vast forest in front of him, Tang San couldn’t help having his mood improve greatly. Breathing deeply of the fresh and clean air, his heart had long ago flown to Xiao Wu’s side.
Five years had passed, but that beautiful silhouette had never grown indistinct in his heart, on the contrary growing clearer and clearer along with the passage of time. Just like Ning Rongrong who buried her feelings in cultivation, Tang San could also only temporarily put that figure out of his mind in the most bitter cultivation.
‘Xiao Wu, it’s been five years, are you well? I can finally come for you.’
Moved, excited, and even a bit nervous, Tang San finally strode into the Star Dou Great Forest.
Stepping into the forest was like entering a different world. Through his formidable spirit force sense, Tang San could distinctly discover some spirit beasts of varying strength in his surroundings. He of course wouldn’t go casually slaug
htering, and opened the Clear Sky Hammer’s Deathgod Domain. With him as the center, it spread in a thirty meter radius.
The ice cold killing intent frightened those ten year or hundred year level spirit beasts to scatter in all directions, it was naturally impossible for them to cause any trouble for Tang San.
Tang San was no longer the model of diligent study of the past. Right now, he already completely possessed the strength to exist in the Star Dou Great Forest. Even if he encountered some powerful spirit beasts, relying on the two great domains as well as the Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone’s flight ability, he could still run away.
However, he didn’t choose to use flight to move through the Star Dou Great Forest. It wasn’t because his flying would consume large amounts of spirit power, on the contrary, the Blue Silver Emperor right leg bone’s own power let him consume a practically negligible amount while flying. However, Tang San had studied with Grandmaster for many years, and he very clearly understood that with countless formidable spirit beasts within this vast spirit beast forest, if he flew, he would undoubtedly be the target of multitudes of arrows. That might be dangerous. He still wasn’t strong to the degree that he didn’t have to fear being surrounded and mobbed by large amounts of spirit beasts.
Star Dou Great Forest, no matter if it was its geography or its location and area, all suited the growth and cultivation of spirit beasts. It was just because of this that the spirit beast population within the Star Dou Great forest had fairly high quantity and quality.
Back when Tang San originally came here, the Shrek Academy’s teachers didn’t dare bring them deep inside, for fear that they would encounter troubles. Just like this, they still ran into that super spirit beast, the Titan Giant Ape, as well as later the thousand year Man Faced Demon Spider Tang San killed and received its spirit ring and the Eight Spider Lances. This showed that this was a place where crisis and benefits coexisted side by side.
Tang San of course didn’t know just where Xiao Wu was in this vast forest. He couldn’t always search each corner of the Star Dou Great Forest, that was basically unrealistic. Therefore, he could only search according to his Teacher’s instructions.
Grandmaster once said that, generally speaking, within a spirit beast forest, the more formidable the spirit beast, the closer to the center of the forest they would live. Consequently, to search for Xiao Wu he had to look in the deepest parts of the forest. To Tang San, the risk of running into danger was basically nothing compared to the urge to see Xiao Wu.
Due to not having to search, only heading in a straight line inside, Tang San didn’t delay. He didn’t need to worry about losing his way here either. The blue silver grass within the forest was his best guide, he only needed to release the Blue Silver Domain and communicate with the blue silver grass, and could naturally find the most proper way. If it wasn’t for Star Dou Great Forest being so large that he was unable to connect to all the blue silver grass, he would only have needed to rely on the information from the blue silver grass to find Xiao Wu.
Just like this, Tang San walked extremely quickly into the Star Dou Great Forest for a full day.
Nightfall, Tang San had found a relatively high area to stop, a day of rushing also left him somewhat tired.
Blue Silver Domain opened up, and along with a light blue halo spreading out from him, very soon the surrounding blue silver grass was emitting an excited and cheerful mood. A fantastic scene appeared. The blue silver grass around Tang San suddenly grew swiftly, very soon growing to three meters tall, the thick leaves of grass starting to tangle with each other, concentrating, and through connecting with each other they constructed a solid house around their emperor.
With blue silver grass visible all over the Continent, while Blue Silver Domain might not be the most powerful domain, it was certainly the most practical. This was something no other domain could compare to.
Just as Tang San prepared to eat some of the rations he carried and then rest, he sensed a particular aura in the information suddenly transmitted to him from the blue silver grass.
That was an unfamiliar feeling he had never felt before. Common blue silver grass only had the lowest intelligence, and could only make Tang San sense their changes through their mood. This time was no exception, however, Tang San still felt a kind of nervousness and defiance in the mood.
Of course, such a mood wouldn’t be defying him, the Blue Silver Emperor. To be able to make the blue silver grass feel so nervous, and even somewhat fearful, just what was it?
A formidable spirit beast? No, shouldn’t be. The Star Dou Great Forest was after all a spirit beast forest, the spirit beasts here had already lived for tens of thousands of years, and the blue silver grass would naturally already be accustomed to their presence. To make the blue silver grass feel nervous and defiant, it was inevitably a strange creature, or perhaps, humans.
Chapter 157: Meeting Hu Liena Again
Even though he deduced this very quickly, Tang San also didn’t mind. Spirit Masters hunting spirit beasts was very common in the Star Dou Great Forest.
The reason why he stayed here to rest tonight was because he had already reached the border between the thousand year and ten thousand year spirit beasts. Continuing deeper inside, he would come across ten thousand year spirit beasts. When facing such dangers, the cowering effect of the Deathgod Domain would be greatly reduced, and he would have to carefully deal with these spirit beasts to avoid danger.
Consequently, he first stayed here to let his condition reach its peak. The more dangerous it was, also meant that he was closer to Xiao Wu. Therefore, apart from a faint nervousness, there was even more excitement.
Even though his relationship with Xiao Wu had been somewhat vague as brothers and sisters until they separated, these feelings not only hadn’t been diluted, but on the contrary made Tang San think much, much more. He was astonished to discover that Xiao Wu since long ago wasn’t just as simple as a sister. He could simultaneously also feel that Xiao Wu’s regards towards him weren’t such pure feelings.
What about spirit beasts? She was a hundred thousand year spirit beast, wasn’t that the same level as his mother? Tang San only cared about the feelings between him and Xiao Wu, all the rest he basically didn’t think about.
When he left the Clear Sky School he had also carefully reflected on what was the most difficult part of those three tasks for him. It wasn’t killing a Spirit Hall affiliated Title Douluo, not was it reaching the eightieth rank within ten years, but rather killing a hundred thousand year spirit beast.
Perhaps hundred thousand year spirit beasts could be found. But hundred thousand year spirit beasts could take human form, and his mother and Xiao Wu were just such existences. When confronting a formidable hundred thousand year spirit beast, could he truly do it? The answer to this, even Tang San himself didn’t know. He’d let nature take its course. He would have to wait until he was eightieth rank or so before he could possess that kind of spirit ring.
Tang San didn’t know, he truly didn’t know, and right now he wasn’t willing to think about it. There was still a lot of time. Five years had passed, how would Xiao Wu’s delicate features have changed? He really looked forward to it. He even had an urge to immediately hold Xiao Wu in his embrace.
After simply eating a bit, Tang San sat cross legged and began his cultivation. His spirit power’s distance to the sixtieth rank was only a fine line, and since he’d come to the Star Dou Great Forest, he couldn’t return empty handed. As long as he could obtain some spirit beast that suited him, he’d naturally kill it in passing and get his sixth spirit ring.
Just as Tang San prepared to start cultivating, suddenly, a warning came through the surrounding blue silver grass. Even though the information inferior organisms like these blue silver grass could bring him was limited, in a great forest brimming with dangers like this, even just a shred of warning feelings made Tang San immediately wake up.
After all, that the blue silver grass could be made
to warn him proved that the blue silver grass hut he had made for himself wasn’t enough to protect him, or even more that the warning was for something unknown.
If it was a spirit beast, Tang San wouldn’t mind too much. But if he came across humans hunting spirit beasts, the danger would rise a lot.
In the outside world, Spirit Masters would for the most part maintain balanced relationships, and wouldn’t easily encroach on each other. But in a spirit beast forest it was different. Just like back when Tang San and the others first came to the Star Dou Great Forest and ran into the Unrivalled Dragon Serpent couple, it would very easily lead to hostilities. Especially when one party was far stronger than the other, people would even kill each other.
The place where Tang San stayed was already where he could at any time encounter the threat of ten thousand year spirit beasts. In other words, the chance of spirit bones appearing would be very high, and a powerful hunting party would almost certainly move against a weaker party, just in case they could loot a spirit bone, that would truly be massive fortune.
Consequently, with the warning through the blue silver grass, Tang San immediately dispelled his thoughts of cultivation, the blue ring of light once again emitting from within him, the surrounding thick and solid blue silver grass swiftly withdrawing, in the blink of an eye already sinking into the ground. Everything in the surroundings was still so quiet, as if that blue silver grass hut had never existed.
Leaping up, first finding a big tree to hide in, afterwards Tang San thoroughly opened up his Blue Silver Domain, his spiritual force completely permeating the surrounding blue silver grass. Tang San discovered that, as his spiritual force completely merged with the surrounding blue silver grass, within the range he could ordinarily spread his spiritual force, it was like he could see with his eyes, and even a bit further, his senses were also quite clear. The range he could touch could only be described as frightful. Only he was still unable to use blue silver grass to see clearly within range.
Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48 Page 278