Douluo: Steal Tang San's luck and become stronger!

With each additional blood bird that entered the fray, the color of the blood cloud deepened, its rotation speed seemed to increase slightly, and the evil, cold, and soul-chilling pressure it exuded intensified!
The entire Black Iron City has been transformed into a massive, operating evil altar, fueled by the blood and souls of all living beings in the city, carrying out some terrifying ritual that blasphemes against heaven and earth!
This is the scene after the "Bloody Bird" plan was fully launched! Unlike Rose City, which was halted by Tang Lan in his "Faceless" identity while still in the preparation stage, the evil soul masters of Black Iron City obviously received orders or made their own decisions and brazenly activated this inhuman blood sacrifice array!
At dawn, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, on the top floor of the Radiant Restaurant in Rose City, Tang Lan and Wang Qiu'er had just finished dealing with some mail and were taking a short break. Suddenly, a series of rapid but rhythmic knocks sounded at the door.

Tang Lan opened her eyes, exchanged a glance with Wang Qiu'er, and waved her hand to remove the simple soundproof soul-guided barrier in the room.

"Come in."

The door was gently pushed open, and a figure wearing a straw hat and coarse linen clothes, looking like an old farmer who had gone to town early in the morning to sell mountain products, slipped in and quickly closed the door behind him.

He removed his straw hat, revealing an ordinary face belonging to a middle-aged man, but his eyes were sharp and piercing. He was none other than Su Bai, the Tang Clan's Southwest Head, who had been carefully disguised.

At this moment, Su Bai's face no longer held its usual refined and composed demeanor; instead, it displayed an overwhelming sense of solemnity, grief, and urgency.

"grown ups!"

Su Bai strode forward, not even having time to bow, and spoke urgently, his voice hoarse from the emotional turmoil.

Tang Lan noticed his unusual expression and knew that something big must have happened.

With a gentle wave of his hand, an invisible yet solid and powerful force instantly spread out, firmly enveloping the entire room and isolating it from all sounds and soul power fluctuations, making it many times stronger than the simple soul guidance barrier that Wang Qiu'er had activated before.

"What's the rush? Has the information about the 'Bloody Bird' changed?"

Tang Lan asked in a deep voice, a bad feeling creeping into her heart.

Su Bai took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his turbulent emotions, but his voice still trembled.

"My lord... we have just received the worst news urgently from the direction of Black Iron City! In the latter half of last night, Black Iron City... Black Iron City was attacked by evil soul masters from within and without. Holy Spirit Cult members lurking in the city suddenly launched an attack, cooperating with the main force of evil soul masters who may have been lying in ambush outside the city, and at the same time activated the 'Bloodthirsty Bird' formation that was set up at some unknown time!"

His fists clenched involuntarily, his knuckles turning white.

"According to the intelligence brought back by our disciples who narrowly escaped and were severely injured... Black Iron City... has fallen completely! The evil soul master activated the complete blood sacrifice array, and almost no one in the city—citizens, soldiers, low-level soul masters...—has survived! The entire city... the entire population of the city has been... has been sacrificed by that evil array!"

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Qiu'er, who had been standing quietly beside Tang Lan, couldn't help but gasp. She instinctively covered her slightly parted red lips with her hand, her golden eyes widening in disbelief and intense anger.

Although she had already heard about the horrors of the "Bloody Birds" from Tang Lan and Tao Zuo, the impact of hearing about it was completely different from actually hearing about the tragedy of a city and hundreds of thousands of lives being slaughtered and sacrificed in a single night! It was the destruction of a city! It was the abrupt end of hundreds of thousands of vibrant lives!

Tang Lan's face darkened completely when Su Bai uttered the words "citywide blood sacrifice," becoming as cold as ice.

The air around him seemed to freeze, and an indescribable sense of oppression spread out.

Su Bai's voice was choked with sobs and filled with overwhelming hatred.

"Our Tang Clan's moles in Black Iron City... and some of the field disciples who were ordered to investigate clues about the 'Bloody Birds' in Black Iron City... many of them failed to evacuate in time... confirmed... confirmed to have perished! In the last fragments of their soul messages, there was only soaring blood light, countless blood birds flying, and the mad, sinister laughter of evil soul masters..."

"boom--!"

Before Su Bai could finish speaking, an indescribable terrifying aura suddenly erupted from Tang Lan! It was not the soul power pressure he deliberately released, but an aura surge caused by pure and extreme anger and killing intent from the depths of his soul!
In the dim light, a colossal dragon phantom, its body radiating ancient golden light and exuding a majestic and sacred aura that inspired awe and reverence, flashed by in the space surrounding Tang Lan! The dragon phantom was not a physical entity, but rather a manifestation of some supreme bloodline and extreme rage.

His eyes, like a blazing sun, contained a furious rage that could burn the eight wastelands, coldly "gazing" out the window in the general direction of Black Iron City! The temperature in the entire room seemed to rise suddenly, or as if it had dropped to freezing point. The tables and chairs trembled slightly, and even a Soul Douluo powerhouse like Su Bai felt a pang of fear and his breath caught in his throat!
Wang Qiu'er was closest to the scene and therefore felt it most clearly.

This wasn't the first time she had felt Tang Lan's power, but this time, the chilling killing intent and the fury that seemed to tear the sky apart contained within that power sent a chill down her spine.

She knew that Tang Lan was truly furious, furious to the extreme.

They had heard of the Bloodstained Bird Project from the evil spirit masters of Rose City, but Tang Lan, in his identity as the Faceless One, had halted it. Unexpectedly, Tang Lan's actions had averted such a disaster. In contrast, Black Iron City was not so fortunate.

The room was deathly silent for a moment, with only the faint hissing of the air currents stirred by the invisible anger.

After a long while, the terrifying aura emanating from Tang Lan slowly receded like a tide, but her eyes became darker than an abyss and colder than ice.

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet it seemed to carry the resounding clang of metal clashing, each word heavy as a thousand pounds, containing an unquestionable determination and overwhelming killing intent.

"The Holy Spirit Cult...should be destroyed."

These four words, like a final judgment, echoed in the room sealed by power. Su Bai's body trembled, and he suddenly looked up at Tang Lan, his eyes flashing with intense light—a resolute determination born of shared hatred! Wang Qiu'er also clenched her fists, her gaze resolute.

Tang Lan turned her gaze to Su Bai, her anger transforming into absolute coldness and rationality.

"Su Bai, relay my orders."

"Your subordinate is here!"

Su Bai straightened his back and solemnly replied.

"First."

Tang Lan spoke at a steady pace, yet with an undeniable air of iron-fisted authority.

"Immediately utilize my highest authority in this area to secretly mobilize all Tang Clan strongholds, spies, and trusted external partners in Rose City and surrounding areas such as Gray Rock City, Iron Forest Fortress, and Hundred Creek Town, ensuring that all disciples whose combat strength meets the standards are assembled as quickly as possible!"

He paused, then gave detailed instructions.

"Each hunting squad must have at least six core members with soul power at least at the Soul Emperor level, and one experienced, calm, and collected individual who must reach the Soul Saint level to serve as the captain! Squad members must be proficient in stealth, tracking, coordinated attacks, and swift kill techniques! They must be equipped with the latest Tang Sect-style attack, control, poison, and hidden weapon soul tools, as well as sufficient healing, detoxification, and recovery potions!"

"They only have one mission!"

A cold glint flashed in Tang Lan's eyes.

"While ensuring our own concealment and safety, launch an indiscriminate, efficient, and deadly covert hunt down all identified Holy Spirit Cult evil spirit masters, their suspected associates, and collaborators operating in the cities along the southwestern border, especially within the areas of the aforementioned cities where traces of the 'Bloody Bird' have been discovered! Take no prisoners, leave no survivors, and reduce their manpower as quickly as possible to create panic and disrupt their plans!"

"Remember, it's 'hunting in the shadows'!"

Tang Lan emphasized.

"The operation must be covert, a swift strike and retreat, without any protracted engagement. We can utilize any environment, such as the chaos of beast tides, the shadows of cities, or dangerous wilderness areas. The primary targets are those lone evil spirit masters who are on peripheral missions and whose strength is at a low to mid level."

For those suspected of being Contra Douluo level or higher, or those in groups, unless absolutely certain, prioritize monitoring and reporting; do not act rashly. I will make these venomous snakes lurking in the shadows taste the bitterness of being hunted! For Black Iron City, for my Tang Clan disciples who perished, I will first reap some interest!

"Yes! Understood! We will show no mercy in hunting down evil spirit masters!"

Su Bai clasped his hands tightly, his eyes burning with the flames of revenge.

Although the order was radical and risky, it suited his current grief and indignation perfectly. Moreover, Tang Lan had considered everything carefully, stipulating the team's strength and operational guidelines, and it was not a blind suicide mission.

"second."

Tang Lan continued to issue instructions, her gaze shifting to the void, as if piercing through the wall, and she saw Tao Zuo anxiously waiting to be summoned somewhere downstairs.

"Immediately and secretly contact Tao Zuo and have him come to see me."

Su Bai accepted the order and quickly sent out a specific soul power signal through a small soul tool on his body. Before long, Tao Zuo's cautious, obsequious knocking sounded at the door.

Tao Zuo entered the room and saw that the atmosphere was heavy. In particular, he felt the lingering coldness on Tang Lan's body and immediately bowed.

"Your subordinate, Tao Zuo, greets Your Excellency! May I ask what brings you here?"

Tang Lan looked at him and spoke directly, her voice carrying an unquestionable authority and a hint of deliberately exaggerated "anger" and "heartache".

"Tao Zuo, have you heard about the tragedy in Black Iron City?"

Tao Zuo's body trembled, and his face showed just the right amount of shock and "lingering fear".

"Reporting to you, sir, I just... I just heard some rumors that something big has happened in Black Iron City. The details are still unclear..."

His words were half true and half false. As the actual contact person for the Holy Spirit Cult in Rose City, he certainly received the news earlier than ordinary evil spirit masters, but in front of "Faceless Master", he had to appear to be "lagging behind in the news".

"Hmph! A major event? That's a catastrophe! It's a disgrace and a huge crisis for our Holy Church!"

Tang Lan snorted coldly, her tone becoming stern.

"I have confirmed through special channels that the 'Bloodthirsty Birds' formation in Black Iron City has been fully activated, and all living beings in the city have been sacrificed!"

Tao Zuo gasped slightly, a look of horror on his face.

Tang Lan continued, her voice inflammatory.

"But what I must tell you is that this blood sacrifice was not ordered by the Holy Church headquarters or Lord Vincent, the Southwest Chief! It was ordered by another faction within the Church, a group of complete madmen and traitors!"
Under the guise of the 'Bloody Bird' project, they are committing a rebellious act of unauthorized blood sacrifice, communicating with evil gods, and attempting to open the trial portal of the 'Bloodthirsty God'! Such behavior is not only brutal and immoral, provoking public outrage across the continent, but also a serious violation of the Holy Church's rules, splitting the Holy Church and dragging it into an abyss of no return!

He stared intently at Tao Zuo.

"They don't care about the lives of you lowly followers! The blood sacrifice in Black Iron City was just part of their insane plan! Their real goal is to launch blood sacrifices simultaneously in several cities in the southwest, using the blood and souls of countless followers and civilians as offerings."

Open the gates of that evil trial for a select few! Then, all the brothers involved in this plan, including those in Rose City, will be lambs on their altar! It's laughable that Venusent and the others are either kept in the dark or have joined them in their evil ways!

Tang Lan ordered Tao Zuo to incite the Holy Spirit Cult disciples in Rose City to spread the word that the Bloodthirsty Birds would ultimately sacrifice them as well, in order to open the final gate to the Bloodthirsty God's trial.

This is a secret operation by another faction of the Holy Spirit Cult, and they are insane traitors who violate the rules of the Holy Spirit Cult.

Tao Zuo was stunned. Although he was surprised and uncertain, unsure of how much of the "Faceless Lord's" words were true and how much were false, he knew very well that this was the "official statement" that the "Lord" wanted him to convey to his subordinates.

He immediately put on an expression of sudden realization, followed by righteous indignation.

"So that's how it is! These damned traitors! They're so ruthless, even willing to sacrifice their own people! Sir, what should we do? We absolutely cannot let them succeed!"

"Of course not!"

Tang Lan resolutely blocked the railway.

"Go down immediately and gather all the brothers who trust you and are willing to follow me. Spread my words secretly and effectively! Tell the brothers that I, 'Faceless,' am acting on the orders of a true high-ranking official in the main altar."

My primary mission upon arriving in the Southwest is to purge these traitors who threaten the very foundation of the Holy Church! The 'Bloody Bird' plan in Rose City has been ordered to halt by me, precisely to protect everyone! The tragedy in Black Iron City serves as a bloody lesson! Those traitors deserve to be punished by everyone!

He patted Tao Zuo on the shoulder, his tone shifting to one of trust and encouragement.

"Do a good job. Let the brothers see who truly cares about them. As long as everyone unites around me, finds and eliminates those traitors, the promised reward will not be shortchanged! The future of the Holy Church will never be ruined by those madmen!"

Tao Zuo was inspired by Tang Lan's words and also became clearer about his stance and mission.

He clasped his hands tightly in a fist salute, and said excitedly.

"Rest assured, my lord! I will convey your orders to every brother! Let everyone see the true colors of those traitors! Brothers of Rose City, we swear to follow the Faceless Lord to the death, to purge the rebels, and to defend the Holy Church!"

Tao Zuo accepted the order and left, his figure quickly disappearing around the corner of the corridor. Silence returned to the room, but the heavy atmosphere didn't dissipate; instead, it grew even more tense due to the impending operation. (End of Chapter)