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

"On paper, we have a clear numerical advantage. But..."

He pointed heavily at the location of Dongyang City.

"This battle is very likely a siege! Dongyang City is backed by the Northern Sea, which provides natural partial protection. Its city walls have been built up by the rebels over the years and have been frantically reinforced recently, so they must be indestructible. The city's food and supplies reserves must also be extremely abundant."

Two hundred thousand rebel troops held the city, supported by over five thousand Soul Masters, giving them a geographical advantage. Our allied forces, on the other hand, came from different factions; coordination and command would take time, and their long march, coupled with strained supply lines and concerns about maintaining morale, would be a challenge.

Tang Lan's analysis was calm and insightful.

"As long as the other side is determined not to leave the city for open battle and instead relies on the city walls and fortifications to wear us down, the final victory in this battle... will probably not be so easy to achieve."

A direct, forceful attack, even if victorious, would inevitably be a pyrrhic victory, costing countless lives. Moreover, the longer the conflict drags on, the more variables arise, and the Holy Spirit Cult might have other contingency plans.

The air in the room seemed to grow even heavier after Tang Lan's clear-headed and cold analysis. The cruelty and unpredictability of the siege battle weighed on Wen Yun and Wang Qiu'er's hearts like an invisible boulder.

Even with superior troop strength, the cost of victory against a fortified city that is determined to defend to the death and has been fortified for many years will be unbearably heavy.

Although the battle had not officially begun, and even the allied forces had not yet fully assembled, Tang Lan had already anticipated this most likely troublesome situation based on his understanding of the Holy Spirit Church's style of operation and his keen insight into the battlefield situation.

After listening to Tang Lan's meticulous and insightful analysis, Wen Yun's initial confidence, fueled by the large number of troops gathered on her side, was immediately replaced by a deeper sense of gravity. She then realized the truth. Bearing the heavy responsibility of intelligence gathering for Han Hai City, she had a more direct understanding of Dongyang City's fortifications and troop deployments, and knew that the sect leader's concerns were not unfounded.

While gaining confidence from understanding the strength of her own forces, she also began to rapidly consider how to break the deadlock, various tactical ideas flashing through her mind—digging tunnels? Fire attack? Water attack? Turning an inside agent into a defector?

Cut off their supply lines? ...But each of these options would be fraught with difficulties, and the enemy would certainly be on guard. The Holy Spirit Cult and the rebels have been operating in Dongyang City for quite some time; they wouldn't leave such an obvious opening.

She frowned, deep in thought, but couldn't come up with a practical and effective way to significantly change the battlefield situation. The advantage of strength seemed to be greatly negated by the fortified city and the terrain.

Left with no other choice, Wen Yun raised her head and looked at Tang Lan with a gaze filled with inquiry and expectation. In her heart, this young sect leader could always create miracles and turn the impossible into the possible.

She bowed slightly, her voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of urgency.

"Sect Master, you have great foresight, while I am foolish and dull-witted. After much deliberation, I have found no good strategy to break through this fortified city. I wonder if Sect Master... has any brilliant plan to guide us? How should we respond to take Dongyang City and slay the Ten Thousand Souls Douluo with minimal losses?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Lan's face did not show the heaviness or contemplation that Wen Yun had expected. Instead, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, revealing a meaningful smile. This smile contained not only appreciation for Wen Yun's pragmatic inquiry but also a sense of composure and control.

He did not directly answer the specific tactics, but instead spoke slowly in a tone of certainty, as if stating an established fact.

“Wen Yun, your thinking has fallen into the trap of conventional offense and defense. While we must be prepared for a strong attack, the key to this battle may not lie in how hard we try to ‘break through the city’.”

He paused, his gaze becoming deep.

“You must understand that the Holy Spirit Cult is cunning and ambitious, and they are not a monolithic entity. They will never be content to just cower in the city like a turtle, passively waiting for us to besiege and wear them down. That would be too passive and would not fit their usual flamboyant, ruthless style of actively creating chaos and fear.”

Tang Lan's fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound.

"I am certain that before the Allied Forces complete the encirclement and launch the general offensive, or even during the encirclement process, the Holy Spirit Church will take the initiative to attack! They will use their familiarity with the terrain, their covert arrangements, and even some secret methods that we have not yet detected."

They deliberately create more 'surprises' and troubles for us—such as harassing supply lines, assassinating generals, creating panic, or even small-scale raids or luring the enemy deep into our territory—in an attempt to disrupt our deployment, weaken our morale, or... create favorable opportunities for field battles for them.

His analysis paints a more dynamic and dangerous picture of the impending war. The enemy is not a static target, but a venomous snake ready to strike at any moment.

"so."

Tang Lan looked at Wen Yun, her eyes gleaming with a knowing glint.

"While we are on high alert and ready to respond to any move, we cannot simply be passive. We should also take the initiative to create some 'trouble' for them, disrupt their rhythm, and even... shake their foundation from within."

Wen Yun perked up and quickly pressed for an answer.

"Does the sect leader mean... we should also take the initiative? But how exactly should we do it? Please enlighten us, sect leader!"

Tang Lan waved her hand, her smile becoming even more mysterious, keeping him in suspense.

"As for the specific methods and how to implement them... you will find out in time. It would be better to talk about it too early. You just need to know that we don't only have the option of a direct assault."

Your primary task right now is to continue closely monitoring all movements in and around Dongyang City, especially the mobilization of the rebels and evil spirit masters, the transportation of supplies, and whether any individuals of unusual status are entering or leaving. At the same time, coordinate with the arriving allied forces to ensure proper reception, intelligence sharing, and logistical support. Everything else, I will handle.”

Seeing the sect leader say this, Wen Yun, though her curiosity was like a cat scratching at her, knew her limits and dared not ask any more questions.

She responded respectfully.

"Yes! I understand! I will do my utmost to complete the task assigned by the sect leader!"

However, he was filled with anticipation and curiosity about the solution the sect leader had mentioned, which he said would be revealed in due time.

Seeing that Wen Yun had accepted the order, she bowed again and gracefully withdrew from the imperial private room. The door closed gently, leaving only Tang Lan and Wang Qiu'er in the room once again.

Wang Qiu'er had been listening quietly the whole time, but now she walked up to Tang Lan, her clear golden eyes filled with undisguised doubt and inquiry, and asked.

"Hey, what exactly did you mean by 'making trouble' for Wen Yun? You were being so secretive."

She was sometimes both curious and a little "dissatisfied" about Tang Lan's habit of only saying half of what she meant.

Tang Lan couldn't help but smile at Wang Qiu'er's "tell me quickly" expression. He pulled Wang Qiu'er to sit down on the soft couch by the window and patiently explained to her.

"Qiu'er, do you remember what I told you before? Although the Holy Spirit Cult seems huge and terrifying, it is not a monolithic entity. There are many factions and conflicts within it?"

Wang Qiu'er nodded.

“I remember. You said that many evil soul masters join the Holy Spirit Cult, either for power, for protection, or simply because of their nature, but mutual suspicion, infighting, and even vendettas are also common.”

"good."

Tang Lan affirmed.

"Even the high-ranking worshippers and elders of the Holy Spirit Church are mostly only forced to obey 'those two' because of their power or interests, rather than being genuinely united. Many of them have their own agendas, and may even outwardly comply with but inwardly defy some of 'those two's' orders."

"Those two?"

Wang Qiu'er's eyes narrowed, and she almost blurted it out.

"You mean... Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao? Those two level 99 Limit Douluo from the Holy Spirit Cult?!"

These two names represent the most terrifying power at the pinnacle of the Soul Master world, and are the very reason why the Holy Spirit Cult can dominate the continent and make the two great empires and many sects wary.

At this moment, Wang Qiu'er truly realized that the level of the battle in Dongyang City might far exceed her previous estimates. If it were merely to besiege a Ten Thousand Souls Douluo and retrieve an evil artifact, it might not have alarmed those two legendary beings.

But now, it has escalated into a super war involving hundreds of thousands of troops and tens of thousands of soul masters on both sides. Dongyang City is clearly regarded as an important stronghold by the Holy Spirit Cult, which is defending it at all costs... So, if Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao were to personally come here to oversee the battle...

The thought of this possibility made even Wang Qiu'er, with her pride and strength, feel a sinking feeling in her heart.

The difficulty and danger of this battle will instantly rise to another unimaginable level, and the situation will become increasingly tense and unpredictable.

Seeing the seriousness and worry in Wang Qiu'er's eyes, Tang Lan gently held her hand, the warm touch conveying a sense of comfort.

He smiled and calmly delivered a message that was enough to put Wang Qiu'er's mind at ease.

"Don't worry. Elder Mu and Elder Xuan have already made a decision regarding Shrek Academy."

Upon hearing this, Wang Qiu'er suddenly looked up at Tang Lan, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes.

Tang Lan continued.

"Shrek Academy has officially resolved to adjust its neutral stance and form a strategic alliance with my Tang Sect to jointly deal with the Holy Spirit Cult."

They have dispatched a support team led by four Dean-level powerhouses—Yan Shaozhe, Xian Lin'er, Cai Mei'er, and Qian Duoduo—comprising over twenty Soul Douluo instructors and more than a hundred elite Inner Academy members, who are currently en route to Dongyang City at full speed. This message was personally relayed to me by Elder Mu through encrypted channels.

"Shrek Academy is coming to help too?!"

Wang Qiu'er was both surprised and delighted upon hearing this. She never expected that Shrek Academy, which had always maintained neutrality and did not easily intervene in the conflicts between forces on the continent, would so decisively stand on the side of Tang Sect this time and send such a luxurious lineup! Four Dean-level experts and more than twenty Soul Douluo instructors—this force was enough to be equivalent to the entire high-end combat power of a top sect!
"Great!"

The worry in Wang Qiu'er's eyes was instantly replaced by excitement.

"With the help of the titled Douluo-level instructors and dean of Shrek Academy, we will definitely not be at a disadvantage in a top-tier battle at the titled Douluo level! We might even have the advantage! In that case..."

She looked at Tang Lan, her eyes filled with trust and pride.

"Tang Lan, you can now free up your hands and focus on dealing with those two Limit Douluos! Even if Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao really come, with your current strength..."

Wang Qiu'er paused here, seemingly searching for the right words, but in the end, she used the simplest and most direct judgment.

"Even if you fight two against one, facing Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao at the same time, in my opinion, they won't be able to do anything to you!"

Her tone was resolute, filled with absolute confidence in Tang Lan's abilities.

This confidence is not blind, but is based on countless witnesses of Tang Lan creating miracles and demonstrating power far beyond what ordinary people can understand.

Tang Lan felt a warmth in her heart as she looked at Wang Qiu'er's trusting eyes, but she did not become arrogant because of it. She simply nodded calmly, acknowledging Wang Qiu'er's judgment.

"Yes. My current strength has indeed far surpassed the level of an ordinary Limit Douluo. If measured by the traditional Soul Master levels, I might be called... a demigod."

The word "demigod" came out of his mouth in a plain and unremarkable way, yet it seemed to carry an indescribable weight, causing the air in the room to freeze for a moment.

"A demigod is still a god."

Tang Lan spoke slowly, her eyes as deep as the starry sky.

"Their level of life, the nature of their power, and their understanding and application of the rules have all begun to touch the edge of another dimension. This is far beyond what a Limit Douluo, who remains at the peak of the mortal realm, can compare to."

He wasn't boasting; he was simply stating a fact. While Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao were undoubtedly top-tier Limit Douluo of their time, infamous for their ferocity, they no longer posed a fatal threat to Tang Lan, who was beginning her transformation into a god. He might not be able to easily defeat them both in a short time, but he was extremely confident in his ability to protect himself and even win the battle.

This was his biggest trump card, allowing him to calmly and confidently plan even when facing the potential for the Holy Spirit Cult's highest combat power. (End of Chapter)