After the succession ceremony, news of Tang Xiao taking over as Sect Leader spread through Clear Sky City like wildfire.
With representatives from every corner of the continent already present, the outcome was inevitable. Even with the continent's notoriously slow information network, this news would reach every major power in the shortest time possible.
As the crowd poured out of the Clear Sky Sect, those who had witnessed Tang Xiao's ascension carried sharply different opinions.
"Luomian, what do you think of Tang Xiao becoming Sect Leader?" a man asked casually. "Doesn't it feel… rushed?"
The speaker was a vigorous middle-aged man whose presence alone carried authority. He was Yu Yuanzhen—the Eighteenth Sect Leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Thunder Douluo, and leader of the world's number one Beast Spirit Sect.
Walking beside him was a slightly older-looking man with colder eyes—his younger brother, Yu Luomian, Second Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
"Tang Xiao…" Yu Luomian repeated thoughtfully. "From what I know, he lacks ambition. He is steady, yes—but he is nowhere near Tang Hao. In talent and ambition alike, Tang Hao eclipsed him."
"Eight years ago, the Clear Sky Sect had already chosen Tang Hao as the heir. Yet today, without any warning, Tang Xiao suddenly sits in that position."
He continued, his tone sharpening.
"Tang Xiao marries Fengzhi's little aunt. Spirit Hall announces Tang Hao as a sinner of humanity. And the once-dominating Clear Sky Sect swallows everything in silence—without even a word of rebuttal."
Yu Luomian paused.
Turning his head, he looked back at the massive gates of the Clear Sky Sect, his lips curling upward.
"Did you notice, Brother? Tang Chen wasn't present at his grandson's succession ceremony."
He laughed.
"All signs point to one thing—the Clear Sky Sect is entering decline."
Yu Yuanzhen listened quietly before giving a small, approving smile.
"Indeed. Tang Hao is absent. Tang Chen is absent. And that old man Tang Zhen…" Yu Yuanzhen shook his head slightly. "From what I saw, he already has one foot in the grave."
"That makes things even better," Yu Luomian said cheerfully. "Tang Xiao is only level eighty-seven. It will take years for him to reach Titled Douluo. And even if he succeeds, one Titled Douluo alone cannot uphold the title of the world's number one sect."
"Big Brother, you are already level ninety-three. Once Tang Zhen dies, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will naturally replace them."
"Hahaha."
"You brat…" Yu Yuanzhen said helplessly, though he did not hide his satisfaction.
As the leader of the world's strongest Beast Spirit Sect, ambition and pride were etched into his bones.
He was not yet seventy, yet he had already broken through to level ninety-three. If nothing unexpected occurred, fifteen years would be enough for him to reach level ninety-five and step into the realm of Super Douluo.
By then, given the Clear Sky Sect's current state, overtaking them would not be a fantasy—but an inevitability.
And Yu Yuanzhen was not alone in this belief.
Across the city, across the departing factions, similar conclusions were quietly being formed.
—
On the opposite end of the city—
A luxurious carriage rolled steadily northward from the Clear Sky gates.
Inside, Bibi Dong sat cross-legged in silence, her eyes closed.
No one could guess what thoughts lay behind her calm expression.
After some time, her eyes opened slowly.
"Elder Ghost," she said softly, "did you sense any trace of the hundred-thousand-year humanoid soul beast Teacher mentioned?"
Her voice was composed—too composed.
An eerie, emotionless voice responded from the empty space beside her.
"Your Highness the Saint. I searched the sect during the wedding. I searched again today while everyone gathered at the Ancestral Hall. There were no traces."
The speaker was Ghost Douluo, sent by Pope Qian Xunji to accompany and protect her.
Yesterday, he had taken advantage of the wedding—when nearly every powerful soul master of the Clear Sky Sect was distracted—to infiltrate the sect and search for Tang Hao and Ah Yin.
He found nothing.
Unfortunately, his search had been limited to what lay above ground.
How could he have known the truth lay far beneath?
Perhaps he believed the Clear Sky Sect would never hide such a secret within their own territory. Perhaps the underground passage was too well concealed. Or perhaps the sect was simply too vast to search thoroughly in such a short time.
In the end, luck favored Tang Hao and Ah Yin.
"Mmm."
Bibi Dong closed her eyes again, resuming her meditation as the carriage disappeared into the night.
—
Night had fully descended when the council hall lit up.
Spirit lamps burned steadily along the walls, their glow reflecting off ancient stone pillars etched with hammer marks and records of past battles. The air was calm—but heavy, like the moment before a storm breaks.
Unlike the main hall, where authority was displayed, the council hall was where decisions were forged.
Here, the Sect Leader, elders, and subordinate clan leaders gathered to discuss matters that shaped the fate of the Clear Sky Sect.
At the center of the enormous hall stood a stone table stretching hundreds of meters.
At its head sat Tang Xiao.
One by one, the seven elders took their seats on either side.
First Elder.
Second Elder.
All the way to the Seventh.
Behind them sat the leaders of the four major subordinate clans and their core elders—backs straight, expressions restrained, none daring to relax.
No outsiders.
No Spirit Hall.
No witnesses.
This was a closed-door council.
Tang Xiao wore simple, dark robes. No ornamentation. No excess. The Sect Master's Token lay silently before him.
He did not speak immediately.
The silence stretched—long enough for every restless thought to settle.
Only then did Tang Xiao tap the table lightly.
"Today is my first day as Sect Leader," he said calmly. "And this is our first council meeting."
His gaze moved slowly across the hall.
"My goal is no different from my father's. Nor from any Sect Leader before him."
"To make the Clear Sky Sect advance—one step further toward greatness."
Several elders nodded in agreement.
As expected.
Then Tang Xiao's voice shifted.
"And all of you… will help me achieve that goal. Right?"
His smile remained—but something underneath it sharpened.
"At least, that is what I hope."
"So today, I give you all a chance."
"A chance to prove that you are truly capable of helping me, and not merely statues who bask in the glory my grandfather left behind, relying on seniority while acting foolishly arrogant."
The smile on Tang Xiao's face did not reach his eyes.
He knew these old fossils would not take his words lightly.
And just as expected—
Before a single breath could pass—
The Seventh Elder, that stupid bastard, was the first who could no longer sit still…