Douro Continent

Chapter 514 Reencounter with Hu Liena

Although Tang San quickly deduced these things using his own wisdom, he didn't care much. It was normal for a Soul Master to appear in the Star Dou Great Forest and kill Soul Beasts.

The reason he stopped here to rest today was because he had reached the transitional zone between thousand-year-old and ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts. Further in, he would encounter ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts. Faced with such danger, the deterrent effect of the Killing God Domain would be greatly reduced, and he would have to deal with these soul beasts with extreme caution to avoid any harm.

Therefore, before that, he first needed to get himself back to peak condition. The increasing danger here meant he was getting closer and closer to Xiao Wu. Therefore, besides a touch of tension, he felt mostly excited.

Although his relationship with Xiao Wu only became more ambiguous than brotherly and sisterly until their separation, the passage of time did not diminish these feelings. Instead, it made Tang San think deeply. He was surprised to discover that long ago, his feelings for Xiao Wu had already transcended simple brotherly and sisterly affection. He could also sense that Xiao Wu's feelings for him were not so simple either.

So what if she's a soul beast? She's a 100,000-year-old soul beast, isn't she at the same level as his mother? Tang San only cared about his relationship with Xiao Wu; he didn't think much about anything else.

When he left the Clear Sky Sect, he had thought it over carefully. For him, the most difficult of the three tasks was not killing a Title Douluo from the Spirit Hall, nor reaching level 80 within ten years. Rather, it was hunting a 100,000-year-old spirit beast.

Perhaps a 100,000-year-old soul beast could be found, but such beasts could transform into humans, just like his mother and Xiao Wu. Could he truly bring himself to harm a powerful 100,000-year-old soul beast? Even Tang San himself didn't know the answer. He would let things take their course, knowing he would only gain the ability to acquire a soul ring when he reached around level 80.

Tang San didn't know, he really didn't know, and he didn't want to think about it now. There was still a long time; five years had passed. How would Xiao Wu's delicate and beautiful face change? He was really looking forward to it, and even had an impulse to immediately hold Xiao Wu in his arms.

After eating a simple meal, Tang San sat cross-legged and began his cultivation. He was just one step away from reaching level sixty in soul power. Since he had come to the Star Dou Great Forest, he couldn't leave empty-handed. As long as he encountered a suitable soul beast, he would naturally kill it to obtain his sixth soul ring.

Just as Tang San was about to begin his cultivation, a warning signal suddenly came from the surrounding Blue Silver Grass. Although the information that such low-level creatures as Blue Silver Grass could transmit to him was limited, in this dangerous forest, even the slightest warning signal was enough to wake Tang San up immediately.

After all, the fact that the Blue Silver Grass could send him warning signals proved that the Blue Silver Grass hut he had built was insufficient to protect him, or that it was more of an unknown warning signal.

If it were a spirit beast, Tang San wouldn't care too much, but if it were humans coming to hunt spirit beasts, then the danger would be much greater.

In the outside world, Soul Masters generally maintain a balanced relationship and rarely infringe upon each other. However, things are different in the Soul Beast Forest. Just like when Tang San and his companions first encountered the Peerless Dragon and Snake Couple in the Star Dou Great Forest, hostility can easily arise. Especially when one side's strength far surpasses the other's, they might even kill the other.

Tang San's current position means he is constantly facing the threat of ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts, which means the chance of encountering soul bones is very high. The stronger hunting team will almost certainly target the weaker team, and if they can obtain a soul bone from the opponent, it would be extremely profitable.

Therefore, as soon as the warning from the Blue Silver Grass sounded, Tang San immediately abandoned his cultivation. The blue aura emanated from his body again, and the thick Blue Silver Grass around him quickly retracted, disappearing back into the ground in the blink of an eye. Everything around him remained as quiet as ever, as if the Blue Silver Grass treehouse had never existed.

He leaped into the air and hid in a large tree before fully releasing his Blue Silver Domain, merging his spiritual power completely with the surrounding Blue Silver Grass.

Tang San discovered that when his mental energy completely merged with the surrounding Blue Silver Grass, the areas his mental energy could extend to within its normal range became as clear as if he could see them with his own eyes, and the perception was much clearer at greater distances. The range he could sense was terrifying. However, he still couldn't see the Blue Silver Grass as clearly as he could with his own eyes.

Therefore, the area that Tang San could clearly perceive at this moment was approximately 500 meters in diameter. This was already a very large area. Within this area, Tang San could sense everything that could happen. He could even clearly feel a leaf sliding to the ground.

As Tang San spent more time with the Blue Silver Domain, he gradually realized that it wasn't that his Blue Silver Domain couldn't clearly perceive a larger area, but rather that a larger area would gather more information into his brain, and with his current level of mental strength, he was no longer able to process such a massive amount of information.

Therefore, to maximize the effects of the Blue Silver Domain, it's not just the power of the Blue Silver Grass that needs to be enhanced; mental strength is equally important. Only when mental strength reaches a greater level will the Blue Silver Domain possess even more terrifying effects.

Within a radius of 500 meters, nothing had yet caught Tang San's attention, but with the activation of the Blue Silver Domain, the warning signs in Tang San's mind were becoming increasingly clear, and these signs were coming from the south.

Tang San focused his mental energy, and the previously scattered Blue Silver Domain probes solidified, converging and releasing in one direction. The straight-line probe distance immediately began to increase dramatically. When he concentrated all his energy in one direction, the probe distance in that direction would increase to about three times the original probe diameter, which is 1,500 meters.

The probe, approximately five meters wide and 1,500 meters long, rapidly relayed information from its surrounding area to Tang San's brain in the blink of an eye. This time, he finally saw the target that had given the Blue Silver Grass a warning.

The target was large; it was indeed a person, and not just one, but more than twenty people, who were silently advancing through the woods, gradually approaching the direction where Tang San was.

With the help of the Blue Silver Grass, Tang San was able to clearly see the presence of these twenty-odd people. When he saw their faces, he was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat.

He counted carefully; there were twenty-five people in total. Leading the group was a middle-aged man in white, but Tang San knew very well that this man was no ordinary middle-aged man, for he was none other than Yue Guan, the Chrysanthemum Douluo of the Spirit Hall. Behind Yue Guan followed Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan. Further back were twenty Spirit Hall members, aged between forty and sixty, with composed demeanors and dressed in black. Tang San could clearly sense from their aura that their strength surpassed that of the three young members of the Golden Generation.

And as the final element, a ghostly figure appeared. Since Ghost and Chrysanthemum Douluo always acted together, it was obvious who this figure, the only one Tang San couldn't clearly see, was.

Two titled Douluo, along with the three most outstanding young people from the Spirit Hall and a large number of experts, what are they doing in the Star Dou Great Forest?

It's impossible that someone from the Golden Generation hunted spirit beasts because they needed a spirit ring. What level is the Golden Generation anyway? Two Title Douluos fighting alongside them could easily handle even a super spirit beast like the Titan Giant Ape. Not to mention there are so many other experts. The others aren't worth the help of Title Douluos.

Thinking of this, Tang San's heart suddenly skipped a beat. Could it be that they came here for the same reason as him—for Xiao Wu? The Spirit Hall's power was immense; it wasn't impossible for them to have discovered Xiao Wu in this Star Dou Great Forest.

Thinking of this, Tang San became extremely anxious, and even his mental power became somewhat unstable. Fortunately, within the Blue Silver Domain, his mental power was concealed by the Blue Silver Grass; otherwise, even this slight fluctuation in soul power would have attracted the attention of two Title Douluos.

What Tang San feared most was that they had already succeeded. If they really came for Xiao Wu, how could Xiao Wu resist with such a large force? Even if the Titan Giant Ape was Xiao Wu's friend, could they withstand so many Spirit Hall experts?

Tang San had never felt such terror before, especially after his experiences in the City of Slaughter and the training at Yuexuan. His mature heart was now completely unable to find peace. Perhaps this was a case of being blinded by concern.

While Tang San was pondering, the group from the Spirit Hall stopped in their tracks, about 500 meters away from him.

Twenty experts from the Spirit Hall quickly dispersed, cutting down some trees around them to clear a space. They placed the trees around the perimeter of the space to create a simple defense. The two Title Douluos and the three members of the Golden Generation were clearly of higher status than them, especially the two Title Douluos, who gathered together and stood quietly in the center of the space, while Hu Liena and the other two stood respectfully behind them.

The twenty experts moved quickly; in no time, they had completed the clearing of the outer perimeter and the construction of defensive fortifications, and had also erected tents. Clearly, they intended to rest there.

The two titled Douluo were staying in Zhang Peng's tent, while Hu Liena and the other two were in another tent. It seemed that Hu Liena did not receive any special treatment because she was a woman. The other twenty people were living in five tents, which were arranged to subtly surround the two central tents.

Throughout the entire process, they didn't communicate verbally, even when chopping down trees, they tried to minimize the noise they made. The two titled Douluo and Hu Liena quickly went into their tents to rest. The twenty people split into two groups: five patrolled the area, while the others took out dry rations and processed them simply, without starting a fire.

During this time, Tang San maintained a high level of mental focus, carefully observing every possible area. He found no trace of Xiao Wu, which reassured him somewhat.

As a control-type Soul Master with exceptional computational abilities, Tang San hadn't felt this lost in a long time. He didn't know what to do with these Spirit Hall people. Hide and follow them? If they really were here for Xiao Wu, there would be no point in doing so.

With two powerful Title Douluos present, even in this place where Blue Silver Grass grows everywhere, it would be impossible to launch a sneak attack. Once exposed, the opponent would inevitably inflict a heavy blow.

Should they go find Xiao Wu first? But Tang San didn't know where Xiao Wu was either; he needed to search for her too. If they did that, they wouldn't be able to keep track of the movements of this terrifying Spirit Hall team, which would only make things more dangerous for Xiao Wu.

Compared to this team, both Tang San and Xiao Wu are far too weak. They have absolutely no chance of putting up a fight. Even if these people find Xiao Wu, how could Tang San possibly stop them? Even if Tang Hao at his peak were here, he might not be able to defeat these people in a head-on confrontation.

Anxiety gradually gave way to reason. Tang San's mind began to rapidly analyze and weigh the pros and cons, as well as the possible scenarios. Just as the Spirit Hall's troops had finished their encampment, he made his choice. A bold and dangerous choice.

He leaped down from the tree, quietly withdrew his Blue Silver Domain, no longer concealing his aura, but instead made a cautious gesture as he quickly headed towards the Spirit Hall's encampment.

The reason for this choice was primarily because Tang San needed to know why the Spirit Hall members had come to the Star Dou Great Forest. Of course, this was also because Hu Liena was in their group; having Hu Liena as a "familiar face" would make gathering information much easier.

Tang San, being exceptionally intelligent, naturally sensed the lingering feelings Hu Liena had for him. For Xiao Wu's sake, he couldn't afford to exploit her. If she wasn't actually searching for Xiao Wu, he could follow her out of the Star Dou Great Forest, ensuring Xiao Wu remained undiscovered, before returning to the forest to search for her. This was undoubtedly the best-case scenario.

Conversely, if these people are indeed looking for Xiao Wu, things will get complicated. While Tang San can't stop them, or even assassinate them, he can at least offer a warning. He can also follow their group, subtly hinting to Xiao Wu in the forest to help her avoid them, until they lose patience and leave.

For Tang San, although this approach was somewhat dangerous, it was undoubtedly the most proactive way to take control and make it easier to maintain the initiative.

"Who?" Tang San was already spotted a hundred meters from the Spirit Hall camp. At least four figures had arrived beside him the moment the voice was heard. The shout was only made after the other party had recognized him as human.

Tang San feigned a stunned expression, his face full of vigilance.

He was now surrounded, with four experts from the Spirit Hall encircling him. Previously, the combined power of his mental strength and Blue Silver Domain hadn't been very strong, but now he could clearly sense that these four individuals possessed the strength to completely suppress him. In other words, the difference in their spirit power was at least ten levels above his own.

These are four Soul Saint level experts! Tang San was becoming increasingly certain of his judgment. If it weren't for a 100,000-year-old soul beast, why would they send out so many powerful individuals?

"Who are you?" The icy voice was filled with vigilance. Tang San's natural elegance had vanished, replaced only by coldness and intense killing intent, just as he had when he left the City of Slaughter. His God of Slaughter Domain activated instantly without reservation, a white halo mixed with an extremely cold aura spreading outwards. Relying on his powerful domain ability, he forcefully broke through the four people's lock-on restraints. Using the Ghost Shadow Steps, his figure flickered, and he had already escaped their encirclement.

The four Soul Saints were stunned at the same time. They naturally sensed the soul power aura that Tang San had deliberately released. A Soul Master whose strength was clearly inferior to their own was actually able to break free from the combined locking pressure of the four Soul Saints. Moreover, the cold and bloodthirsty aura made them shiver.

However, these people were indeed powerful individuals specially trained by the Spirit Hall. The moment Tang San broke free of the encirclement, the four of them acted almost simultaneously, circling around from different directions. When they regrouped, Tang San was already surrounded again. The entire process took only a blink of an eye. It was at this moment that all seven of them released their spirit powers.

Tang San gasped. Before him were twenty-eight spirit rings. As his spirit was released, the surrounding pressure made the air thicken. Although Tang San had guessed that they were at the level of Soul Saints, being surrounded by four Soul Saints at the same time still made him tense up.

With his current abilities, he is not afraid to face a Soul Saint alone, but there are four opponents. If they really fight, he will probably only be able to run away.

The four Soul Saints were equally astonished. They were secret forces cultivated by the Spirit Hall over the years, possessing not only powerful soul power as a backing, but also exceptional combat experience and overall qualities, making them among the best in their class. The young man before them clearly had soul power inferior to any of theirs, yet his presence was vague and unclear, especially the moment he broke free from their control, which made them feel as if they were facing an opponent of a higher level than themselves.

Faced with immense pressure from his opponents, Tang San pushed his Killing God Domain to its limit, and the Clear Sky Hammer quietly appeared in his hand. He transferred it from his left hand to his right, and his soul power surged wildly into the Clear Sky Hammer. Although there were no soul rings attached, the Clear Sky Hammer's inherent heavy and domineering aura was immediately released, complementing the Killing God Domain and allowing him to temporarily withstand the pressure exerted by the four opponents.

A faint blue light appeared in Tang San's eyes. At the same time, his left hand silently swept across the Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moonlight, and the two Soul-Chasing Darts were already in his grasp. Facing so many powerful enemies, although he had a plan, he still had to be cautious. If things did not develop as he expected, he had to protect himself.

Just as the four Soul Saints were about to unleash their Soul Skills, suddenly, another chilling aura spread from behind, colliding with the cold current emanating from Tang San. The two chilling killing intents of the same attribute collided violently and pulsed simultaneously. For a moment, the surrounding air was filled with flickering white light, and countless bone-chilling cold pierced through the forest, causing the trees within this area to tremble violently. With each tremor, the leaves seemed about to fall.

The four Soul Saints paused for a moment due to this sudden change. The biting cold was like countless steel needles piercing their bodies, forcing them to focus more on self-preservation and instinctively take a step back to maintain a defensive stance.

"Is it really you?" A surprised voice rang out, and three figures emerged from the depths of the forest—the Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall. Due to the change in their identities, the one walking in front was no longer Xie Yue, but Hu Liena, who had obtained the God of Slaughter Domain along with Tang San.

Tang San's face revealed a cold glint, but when he saw the blue light in Hu Liena's eyes, it immediately disappeared, replaced by a look of surprise.

"How did you end up here?" His demeanor and appearance had changed so much that Hu Liena couldn't recognize him back then, and neither could Xie Yue and Yan now.

Hu Liena strode forward, arriving before Tang San in a few steps. Her eyes sparkled with delight, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. Looking at Tang San's handsome face, memories of their time in the City of Slaughter flooded back. More than a year had passed, but she could never forget that brief journey.

After obtaining the God of Slaughter Domain and returning to the Spirit Hall, Hu Liena was somewhat surprised as she reflected on everything that had happened. Why had she entrusted her life to a complete stranger at that time? He hadn't disappointed her, safely leading her out of Hell Road. Although he hadn't said anything, one could imagine the immense difficulties he had encountered on the journey. It wasn't so much that she had walked out of Hell Road, but rather that he had helped her. Without him, she might not have been able to obtain the God of Slaughter Domain, and she certainly wouldn't have been able to return to the Spirit Hall.

Hu Liena felt a mixture of admiration, gratitude, and other special emotions towards Tang San.

"Everyone, he is my friend," Hu Liena said to the four Soul Saints surrounding Tang San.

The four Soul Saints glanced at her and silently withdrew their Martial Souls. Although their strength was still above Hu Liena's, they still respected this future successor to the Pope.

Xie Yue and Yan also approached at this moment. They had spent the most time with Hu Liena, and Xie Yue, being Hu Liena's older brother, had sensed something unusual about her. Xie Yue was surprised, but Yan's gaze towards Tang San was far less friendly, even hostile.

It's important to understand that since her status changed, Hu Liena is not only the leader of the Golden Generation but also the future heir of the entire Spirit Hall. This noble status commands respect even from Title Douluo-level powerhouses. Within the Spirit Hall, Hu Liena has gradually developed her own authority. And now, where is there even a trace of the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden?

Tang San secretly breathed a sigh of relief. When Hu Liena unleashed her Killing God Domain and clashed with him, he knew he had achieved his goal. What he wanted to exploit was the relationship between himself and Hu Liena.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Tang San said casually.

Hu Liena smiled slightly, her large, alluring eyes fixed on the coldness in Tang San's gaze. "I didn't expect it either. You're here to hunt soul beasts?"

Tang San nodded silently, "I'll be level 60 soon."

Upon hearing this, Xie Yue and Yan, standing behind Hu Liena, were both greatly surprised. Although they had also reached level sixty, they had only recently passed the test. The reason they had come with the team was to obtain their sixth spirit ring, and this young man couldn't possibly be older than them, yet he had reached a similar level. It should be noted that they were among the best of the best among the tens of thousands of spirit masters in the entire Spirit Hall.

Yan couldn't hold back any longer and asked Hu Liena, "Nana, who is he? How come we've never met before?" He and Hu Liena had grown up together, cultivated together, and spent most of the past twenty-odd years together. The fact that he didn't recognize anyone Hu Liena knew was a major reason for his hostility towards Tang San. Yan had always believed that only he was worthy of Hu Liena. Of course, whether this was just wishful thinking was something only Hu Liena knew.

Hu Liena frowned slightly and said calmly, "He's my friend." With just this simple explanation, she turned to Tang San again, "Tang Yin, it was a misunderstanding earlier, please don't mind. Our camp is just a short distance ahead; they were there for security. Why did you come alone to hunt spirit beasts? Isn't that too dangerous?"

Tang San looked at Hu Liena, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. "If I'm not alone, who can I ask for help?"

Hu Liena was stunned for a moment. For some reason, when she saw the desolation in Tang San's eyes, her heart ached inexplicably. She almost blurted out, "You still have me!"

As soon as she said it, she realized her mistake and quickly added, "We're friends. Besides, wouldn't your sect help you get a spirit ring? You should know that at this level, it's very difficult to obtain a spirit ring that's perfectly suited to you on your own."

"Sects?" Tang San laughed, a laugh tinged with sadness. "I no longer belong to any sect."

Hu Liena was stunned again. The meaning behind Tang San's words was obvious, but she found it hard to believe that the Clear Sky Sect would give up on such an outstanding disciple as Tang San.

Tang San was of course lying to her. He felt no guilt whatsoever about deceiving the people of the Spirit Hall, especially for Xiao Wu's sake.

In the previous year, he learned a great deal from his aunt at Yuexuan. Concealing his true thoughts and emotions was one of his essential lessons. Tang Yuehua personally taught him how to change his demeanor, to use different methods and attitudes in different situations and with different people, only in this way could he achieve his best. As one of the best graduates of Yuexuan, Tang San had undoubtedly grasped the essence of this.

It was precisely because he didn't say much that he avoided making a mistake by saying too much, and that he was more likely to be believed. As for this suspense, he left it to Hu Liena.

"Since it's a misunderstanding, I'm leaving." With that, Tang San turned and headed into the depths of the woods.

"Stop." Just as Hu Liena was about to call out to Tang San, Yan spoke up first.

Tang San slowly turned around, looked at the young man who was radiating intense hostility, and calmly asked, "Is there anything else?"

Yan said coldly, "Leave the Star Dou Great Forest immediately. This is not a place for you. Our Spirit Hall is currently conducting business in the Star Dou Great Forest. Other Spirit Masters will not be allowed to enter until six months later."

Tang San smiled, and in that faint smile, the coldness on his face vanished, replaced by a noble elegance. "The Star Dou Great Forest is the property of your Spirit Hall?"

Looking at Tang San's warm smile and the sudden elegance he exuded, Hu Liena's gaze became somewhat dazed. She had never seen such a temperament in Tang San before. At this moment, the man before her seemed to have suddenly changed, from his original coldness to warmth, which made her very uncomfortable. But it was precisely because of this discomfort that his handsome face was imprinted even more deeply in her mind.

Yan was furious and said in a cold voice, "Are you provoking me? Provoking the authority of the Spirit Hall?"

Tang San smiled calmly, "You're from the Spirit Hall, I'm not. I'm just a free spirit master. You're the one who provoked me, not me. Hu Liena and I are friends, but you aren't."

After saying that, he turned and left without hesitation.

A wild, scorching heat suddenly erupted from behind, illuminating even the darkness of the forest in a fiery red light.

"Be careful." Hu Liena's voice came almost immediately.

Tang San didn't turn around, but instead swiftly took three steps forward. His three steps were carefully executed; he didn't move in a straight line, but first took a step to the left, then to the right, and finally turned left again on the third step. This instantaneous movement made his figure appear extremely elusive, especially in that fleeting moment, when his aura became unpredictable.

As he took his third step, he spun around on his toes in an astonishingly large rotation, the Haotian Hammer in his hand shooting out with the momentum. A surge of black light suddenly spread, and a powerful aura expanded in the blink of an eye. It collided heavily with a fireball over a meter in diameter.

Although he didn't have any spirit rings, Tang San already possessed the Blue Silver Emperor spirit ring, and his Clear Sky Hammer was powered by his level 59 spirit power. So what if he didn't use spirit skills? He was still a level 59 Spirit King.

With a deafening roar, countless sparks scattered in all directions. The fireball shattered completely, and a dark red tinge appeared on Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer. Yet, he himself remained completely unscathed, bathed in the scorching aftershocks of the flames, unharmed by the slightest trace of fire-attribute energy.

The fireball exploded, revealing Yan, whose body had swelled to an extreme size and was engulfed in towering flames.

Yan's martial soul is the Flame Lord, which, after possessing him, is extremely powerful. At this moment, six spirit rings are fluctuating around his body. The light of the second spirit ring has just faded.

"Yan. What are you doing?" Hu Liena moved sideways, blocking Tang San's path.

Because of her anger, her stunningly beautiful face had turned somewhat pale. Almost without hesitation, she released her martial soul, her fiery red hair cascading down her back, revealing an astonishing curve in her back and hips that even Tang San, with his composed mind, dared not look at for too long.

"Nana, we can't let him go. This man has shown contempt for our Spirit Hall, and we must bring him to justice. Besides, you saw it yourself, his spirit is the Clear Sky Hammer! Isn't he a member of the Clear Sky Sect? If we capture him, it will be a great achievement. If he leaves, and he disturbs our objective, wouldn't all our efforts be wasted? You won't be able to explain it to His Holiness the Pope either."

Hu Liena's eyes turned cold, as if she had returned to the hellish killing field. Yan was startled by her gaze; Hu Liena had never treated him this way before.

"I've said it before, he's my friend. Yan, for the sake of our years of friendship, I'll let you off this time. But if there's a next time, don't blame me for being ruthless. Is attacking from behind something a true man would do?"

-

Tomorrow is Father's Day. Friends, if you can make time, spend more time with your dads. After becoming a father yourself, you'll better understand how selfless your parents' love is.

As always, if you like Douluo Continent, please vote for it. Thank you.

(End of this chapter)