Douro Continent

Chapter 642 Tang Family Army, Level 93, Imperial Tutor

"His Majesty Avalanche ascended the throne three years ago after the passing of Emperor Xueye. In the past few years, he has worked diligently to govern the country and has taken great care of our Tang Clan. The sect currently has a total of 2,300 disciples. Among them, in addition to the disciples of our original four sects, all are elite disciples trained by Shrek Academy and sent here, all of whom have been selected by the masters. With the support of the Empire, we have produced a large number of hidden weapons, mainly the Zhuge Crossbow, equipping the Heaven Dou Empire with an elite army of 10,000 men. His Majesty Avalanche personally named this army the Tang Family Army. For this expedition, my grandfather will temporarily serve as the commander of this army, and we await your formal succession."

Tainuo briefly explained what Tang San was most eager to know. Tang San nodded after hearing this. "It seems that Xue Beng's years of forbearance have not been in vain. He truly understands the essence of 'if you doubt someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't doubt them.' Very good. Uncle Tainuo, I'll write a letter. You should immediately send a disciple from the Mintang to the village where the Clear Sky Sect is located to deliver it. Although the capital is guarded by a thousand Soul Masters, it's still too weak. Once we gain the upper hand in the battle, the Spirit Empire might send elite Soul Master troops to cause trouble in the capital. Only with the Clear Sky Sect stationed in the capital can we be safe."

"Sect Master, Haotian Sect..." Tai Nuo's pupils visibly contracted upon hearing the words "Haotian Sect."

Tang San said in a deep voice, "Tang Sect is Tang Sect, and Clear Sky Sect is Clear Sky Sect. They will never be confused. Our common enemy now is the Spirit Empire. This is not the time to dwell on past grievances. Clear Sky Sect has already decided to leave the mountain, so let them stay in the capital to guard it. This will relieve us of our worries and also save Clear Sky Sect from the embarrassment of encountering the various hall masters."

"Yes." Tai Nuo respectfully accepted the order. When he saw Tang San again, although Tang San's appearance hadn't changed much, he was just more composed than before. However, there was an indescribable majesty in his eyes, and every word he spoke was full of convincing authority. His every move was not only elegant and noble, but also had a special leadership style. Even Ning Fengzhi, the sect leader of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, whom Tai Nuo had met before, didn't seem to have the same qualities as Tang San.

Tainuo, of course, didn't know that Tang San's special qualities largely stemmed from the transformation he underwent brought about by the Light of the Sea God. As a chosen one of the Sea God, how could he be like an ordinary person?

Soon, Tang San wrote a letter in front of the Tang Sect's gate and handed it to Tai Nuo. Given the speed of the Min Tang disciples, the Clear Sky Sect would receive the news in less than half a day. There would be absolutely no delay.

At the same time, he wrote another letter and gave it to Tainuo, instructing him to deliver it to Yuexuan. With his aunt's introduction and his letter, the Haotian Sect's entry into the royal court would be no problem. After all, he had once been granted the high position of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, so he should still have some influence. Now that the Heaven Dou Empire urgently needed elite Soul Masters, they would certainly not refuse.

"Xiao Wu, thank you for your hard work. We still have to keep going. Our wedding, too..." Tang San looked at Xiao Wu tenderly, his eyes filled with apology.

Xiao Wu smiled sweetly, took Tang San's large hand, and said, "Why say all this? We've been through so much already, what's a little more waiting? The important things are what matter. The Spirit Hall is also my mother's killer, and destroying them has always been my wish. Let's go."

Tang San and Xiao Wu bid farewell to Tai Nuo and quickly left Heaven Dou City. Tang San then embraced Xiao Wu and leaped into the air, heading straight south. According to Tang San's calculations, although the army had been on its way for ten days, at their speed, they should be able to meet them before the main force reached the front lines. Needless to say, the Shrek Five Monsters were also part of the army. He just hadn't expected to be at war with the Spirit Empire so soon. Although he wasn't mentally prepared, Tang San was filled with anticipation for this battle.

Five years have passed, and Tang San is eager to know the current state of the Tang Sect, which he founded. Two thousand three hundred Soul Masters—while this sounds like a lot, it's still far too few compared to the Spirit Hall's more than fifty thousand. Whether they can defeat the Spirit Empire in this battle likely hinges on the Tang family army, which has been bestowed upon them by Xue Beng. Tang Sect hidden weapons will also make their debut on the historical stage. Undoubtedly, both the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires will go all out in this battle; it may be their final battle against the Spirit Empire. If they lose, the Spirit Empire only needs to annihilate the elite forces of both empires, and then those empires will have no chance of recovery; destruction is only a matter of time. If they can at least significantly weaken the Spirit Empire while it is still unstable, then the future holds great promise.

……

The Papal Palace in Wuhun City, the capital of the Wuhun Empire.

"What?! One of the Annihilation Squads was wiped out? Over five hundred Soul Masters lost across five cities?" Bibi Dong had just returned when she heard the news that enraged her. Looking at Hu Liena standing before her, her face filled with remorse, her clothes fluttering even without wind, she knew that if it were anyone else in her presence, given her temper, she would have already killed them. But Hu Liena was different. In Bibi Dong's heart, Hu Liena wasn't just her personal disciple, but more like her daughter. Although she had a biological daughter, Qian Renxue, in reality, Qian Renxue held a lower place in her heart than Hu Liena. She had poured so much effort into Hu Liena.

Bad news kept coming. Just as she returned to the Papal Palace, Bibi Dong learned that both empires had launched large-scale military operations, targeting the Spirit Empire. They were attacking from both sides, with massive armies pressing in.

"Good, very good. It seems that Tian Dou and Xing Luo came prepared. They want to take advantage of me before I've even established a foothold. Fine! I'll see what makes you think you can stand against my Soul Master Legion. Nana, pass on my order to summon the Seven Sect Masters and all Imperial Soul Masters of the rank of Bishop or above for a meeting. Since they want to finish this in one battle, I'll grant their wish."

"Yes, teacher." In the entire Spirit Empire, only Hu Liena could refrain from addressing Bibi Dong as "Your Majesty."

Seeing that her teacher didn't blame her, Hu Liena secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, she knew how good her teacher was to her, but the more he did so, the more painful it became. Deep in her heart, the image of another man whose status was no less than her teacher's always lingered, as if branded into her soul, impossible to shake off.

With war imminent, Tang San, will you appear on the battlefield? If we meet on the battlefield, how should I react? Why must the two most important people in my life become enemies?

As Hu Liena was thinking this, she was about to go out to relay the order when Bibi Dong stopped her. "Xie Yue, you and Yan go to relay the order. Nana, you stay here. I have something to say to you."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Xie Yue and Yan exchanged a glance, both feeling somewhat helpless. They understood that in Bibi Dong's heart, their status could never compare to that of Hu Liena, who was a saintess.

Only Bibi Dong and Hu Liena remained in the room. The cold lines on Bibi Dong's face gradually softened, and she pointed to the seat next to her, gesturing for Hu Liena to sit down.

"Teacher, I have disappointed you," Hu Liena said, bowing her head.

Bibi Dong sighed, "It's nothing. The death of a few hundred Soul Masters isn't enough to cripple us. This must have been a deliberate act by the Heaven Dou Empire to demoralize us. But it won't be that easy. This war was bound to start sooner or later. Although we're still not firmly established, on the battlefield, our Soul Master power, which truly surpasses that of the two empires, is firmly in our own hands. As long as we command it properly and make it truly effective on the battlefield, Heaven Dou and Star Luo won't be able to cause any trouble. Everyone fails sometimes. Don't let one setback affect your confidence. Speaking of which, I also failed this time."

"Ah? Teacher, you..." Hu Liena looked at Bibi Dong in surprise.

Bibi Dong said fiercely, "I was about to succeed; the Titan Giant Ape and the Azure Bull Python were both on the verge of death. Just then, a guy wielding a strange trident and wearing a cloak suddenly appeared and ruined my plans. If I'm not mistaken, this person should be Tang San, who has been missing for more than five years."

"What?" Hu Liena swayed, almost falling off the chair, her red lips trembling uncontrollably.

……

three days later.

From afar, Tang San and Xiao Wu could already see the massive army that blotted out the sky. Even from the air, the sheer scale of the million-strong army still left them somewhat stunned.

The vast army, teeming with people, stretched as far as the eye could see, flags waving, yet maintained perfect order. Moving in units of tens of thousands across the expansive plain, they resembled an unstoppable torrent of steel.

Heavy cavalry, both men and horses clad in thick armor, led the main army. Flanking them were legions of heavily armored infantry, composed entirely of strong soldiers, while the largest contingent of infantry formed the center. At least six light cavalry legions patrolled the perimeter, conducting reconnaissance and scouting, protecting the center. They marched forward in a mighty procession.

Behind the main army was a massive supply corps; as the saying goes, "an army marches on its stomach." The number of these logistical support troops alone easily exceeded 500,000, continuously transporting supplies. This doesn't even include the support troops not part of the main army. With a simple calculation, Tang San understood that the total number of regular troops, logistical support troops, and reserve forces mobilized by the Heaven Dou Empire this time likely exceeded two million—a complete mobilization of the entire nation's resources.

At the same time, this was the largest army the entire empire could support. Years of accumulating strength had culminated in the empire's formidable power, which was now undeniably evident. It's important to understand that two million soldiers would consume astronomical amounts of provisions daily. The sheer scale of the Heavenly Dou Empire's power in equipping such an army is unimaginable. Truly a great empire that has stood tall on the continent for so many years.

Judging from the current situation of the Heaven Dou Empire's army, one can imagine the situation of the Star Luo Empire. In terms of the number of Soul Masters, the Star Luo Empire may not be as powerful as the Heaven Dou Empire. However, their army is definitely superior to that of the Heaven Dou Empire. The Star Luo Empire governs with an iron-fisted policy, as can be seen from the experiences of Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing. How could such a country have a weak army? Although Soul Masters are powerful, those who have not reached the Soul Saint realm still have considerable limitations in physical strength and soul power. Faced with such a large army, once the numbers reach a certain proportion, even Soul Masters may not dare to directly confront this iron torrent. Undoubtedly, both the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires are trying to use their national strength to close the gap in the number of Soul Masters with the Spirit Empire as much as possible.

The Douluo Continent has not seen a large-scale war for many years, and it has no experience fighting against a Soul Master army like the Spirit Empire. No one knows the outcome of this battle, but the timing chosen by the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires is undoubtedly optimal.

As Tang San was pondering, suddenly, his mental energy stirred slightly, and he looked in one direction. In the blink of an eye, a phantom-like figure appeared in his sight, its wings trembling slightly. It locked onto Tang San and Xiao Wu's presence, and a sharp cry rang out instantly, soaring into the sky.

Seeing this figure and his reaction, Tang San couldn't help but smile wryly, "Wouldn't you say I've shot myself in the foot? Our Tang Sect's Min Hall scout disciples haven't even played a role on the battlefield yet, and they've already captured me, their sect leader."

Xiao Wu chuckled and said, "That proves the Tang Clan disciples are indeed elite!"

Aside from the Min Tang disciple with the Swift-tailed Martial Soul, where else could one possess such speed and swift reconnaissance Soul Master? The Min Tang disciple didn't approach, but merely circled about 300 meters away from Tang San and Xiao Wu. This distance was practically unattainable by Soul Master skills. He was clearly very confident in his speed and not afraid at all of Tang San and Xiao Wu attacking him.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of figures suddenly flew up from the Heaven Dou Empire's army and headed towards them. All were flying-type Soul Masters. After taking flight, they immediately formed a semi-circular encirclement, subtly closing in on Tang San and Xiao Wu's position. Their coordination was not only skillful, but also completely silent, their formation extremely well-organized.

Seeing that his mission was complete, the disciple of Mintang suddenly accelerated and flew away into the distance without uttering a single word.

Soon, Tang San and Xiao Wu were surrounded by dozens of flying soul masters. Shining soul rings appeared on these soul masters, and they were all in high spirits. The lowest level was a four-ring Soul Master, and the strongest one already had the strength of a six-ring Soul Master.

"Surrender!" Dozens of flying soul masters shouted in unison, their voices perfectly synchronized. With each shout, their aura surged, pressing down on Tang San and Xiao Wu in the center.

Xiao Wu chuckled and said, "You're just going to tell us to surrender without even asking who we are?"

The Soul Emperor, level 60 or above, said in a deep voice, "Anyone who spyes on my army as a Soul Master will be arrested first. Come with us." Xiao Wu's composure made him slightly uneasy. Although they outnumbered each other, they were still no match for truly powerful opponents. This Soul Emperor was prepared to call for reinforcements at any time. Of course, he would never back down. With a million-strong army and as many as six thousand Soul Masters as his backup, he didn't believe these two people would dare to do anything.

Tang San lifted his cloak and smiled, "I am Tang San, the sect leader of the Tang Clan. I have come to join the army. Please take us to see the Grandmaster, or any member of the Tang Clan."

"You're the Tang Sect Master?" The Soul Emperor, who was over fifty years old, looked at Tang San with disbelief in his eyes. "The Tang Sect has over two thousand disciples. Would the Sect Master be as young as you? Even if you're lying, at least make something believable. Enough nonsense, just surrender first, or don't blame us for being impolite."

Tang San shook his head and sighed softly. He was unwilling to waste any more time here. The light in his eyes suddenly became pure, and a halo bluer than the sky enveloped all the surrounding Soul Masters almost instantly. The flying Soul Masters felt their bodies tighten and immediately lost control of themselves. They could no longer use Soul Skills, let alone speak.

After easily subduing these Soul Masters, Tang San let out a long roar. The rolling sound waves soared into the sky, and the deep, clear roar carried far and wide, spreading like an endless army on the ground. This roar actually reached every corner within the reach of the million-strong army below. Moreover, the sound showed no signs of weakening; on the contrary, it grew louder and louder.

The rolling roar, like waves crashing against the shore, shook the million-strong army below.

With a hiss, Tang San felt his soul power suddenly surge, and his roar became even more powerful. He was pleasantly surprised to find that his soul power, which had been at the critical point for some time, was breaking through again and reaching level ninety-three.

Long before absorbing those 50,000-year spirit rings, Tang San's spirit power had already reached the peak of level 92, approaching level 93, but he hadn't broken through. However, recently he first challenged the five elders of the Clear Sky Sect, unleashing his full strength under immense pressure, and then nearly exhausted himself helping his father open his eight extraordinary meridians. These two experiences undoubtedly greatly benefited his attempt to break through the level 93 bottleneck.

Because his soul power had increased too rapidly in recent years, Tang San had adopted a conservative approach to cultivation after leaving Seagod Island, trying to consolidate what he had gained. Therefore, he did not aggressively attempt to reach level 93. Instead, he used this long roar to activate the soul power within his body, and naturally completed the process of upgrading.

Just then, several long howls rang out from the army at the same time. The loudest of them was filled with endless sharpness, as if it wanted to split Tang San's howl in two. A huge blue sword aura soared into the sky, as if it would cut through everything, and rose into the sky almost instantly. The sword aura seemed to connect heaven and earth, and accompanied by the clear and loud howl, it went straight for Tang San.

Tang San laughed heartily, flicked his wrist, and the cloth on the Sea God Trident instantly transformed into butterflies that fluttered away. With a wave of his hand, he flung the Soul Masters who had been stunned by his spiritual power behind him. He swung the halberd, and the dark light clashed head-on with the huge blue sword energy.

With a deafening roar, the Trident of Poseidon emitted a dragon's roar. The main blade trembled slightly, and golden light, like ripples on water, flowed down. Even without Tang San's infusion of Poseidon's Light, the Trident of Poseidon had turned golden on its own. Tang San even felt a urge to drop the golden trident from his hand.

Even with its immense weight of 108,000 jin, it was shaken, demonstrating just how terrifying that enormous sword energy was; it even stirred the competitive spirit within the Trident of the Sea God itself.

The blue light rose again, but this time it was not a huge sword shadow, but a real figure that soared into the air with the blue light, shooting towards Tang San like a shooting star.

Tang San held his Sea God Trident horizontally, facing the azure light. He swung the trident around his hand, and a golden halo instantly appeared. Simultaneously, a beam of Sea God's light flowed through the mark on his forehead into the Heart of the Sea God. Instantly, the golden trident shone brightly. The powerful azure light attack was neutralized within the golden halo, and the figure that had merged with sword and body was blocked ten meters away from Tang San.

Tang San held the Trident of the Sea God in front of his chest and chuckled, "Senior, please show mercy, I'm about to be overwhelmed."

The figure had appeared, tall and single-armed, wielding a longsword. It was a pure blue sword, as if sculpted from crystal. Most remarkably, it bore nine stars, each a different color: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black.

This sudden attack, which even Tang San had to defend against using the defensive stance of the Golden Thirteen Halberds' Unpredictable Storm, was none other than Chen Xin, the Sword Douluo, elder of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, whose soul power reached a terrifying level of ninety-seven and who was known as the number one offensive martial soul. The strange longsword in his hand was his martial soul, the Seven Kill Sword. Having reached level ninety-seven, he already possessed the ability to control his sword, thus enabling him to fly into the air and attack his enemies.

Sword Douluo was also greatly surprised to see Tang San. Tang San's long roar had shocked the entire army, especially the Soul Masters, who had deeply felt the terrifying pressure. Even a peerless powerhouse like Sword Douluo Chen Xin clearly realized that his spiritual power was being completely suppressed. What did this mean? Could it be that the Grand Elder of the Spirit Empire had arrived?

Therefore, Sword Douluo didn't hesitate to unleash his full power. Even while still on the ground, he locked onto Tang San in the air and launched an attack, precisely to prevent Tang San from launching a large-scale attack that would cripple the army. It's important to understand that if a level 99 Title Douluo were present, a large-scale attack would have a devastating effect. The war hadn't even begun yet, and the Heaven Dou Empire's army couldn't afford such losses.

But when Chen Xin saw Tang San, his wariness and pressure vanished instantly, replaced by extreme shock. He never imagined that Tang San could so easily neutralize his two full-force attacks.

Of course, it was no easy feat for Tang San to neutralize Chen Xin's attack, mainly thanks to the Trident of the Sea God. As a true divine weapon, the Trident of the Sea God has a restraining effect on weapon-type martial souls. Blunt weapons like the Clear Sky Hammer are somewhat better, but sharp weapons like the Seven Kill Sword are completely countered.

After several days of practice, Tang San had become increasingly proficient in using the Trident of the Sea God. Previously, he had completely concealed his and Xiao Wu's auras behind the Trident, using the 108,000-jin divine weapon to withstand Sword Douluo's attack. Even so, Tang San still felt uncomfortable and had to continuously circulate the Mysterious Heaven Skill to neutralize the sword energy of the Seven Kill Sword.

As for Sword Douluo's second attack, although it was a combination of body and sword, it encountered the Sea God's divine skill, so it was only natural that it was neutralized.

"Tang San, it's you." Sword Douluo's eyes widened, as if he was afraid he was seeing things.

Not long ago, the return of the Shrek Five Monsters to Heaven Dou City caused a huge shock in the Heaven Dou Empire's Soul Master world. In just five years, these five individuals, who were originally only around level 60, had all broken through to the Soul Douluo level. What does this mean? It's important to understand that the Heaven Dou Empire's Soul Masters are mainly composed of those from Shrek Academy, the Four Elements Academy, the Tang Sect, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and the Royal Family. Their total number barely reaches ten thousand. However, considering the garrisoning of various cities and necessary arrangements, only six thousand can be deployed to the front lines. Among these Soul Masters, apart from those from the Heaven Dou Empire's Royal Family, everyone is very familiar with the Shrek Seven Monsters. The immense shock caused by their return has led them to be hailed as once-in-a-millennium geniuses in the Soul Master world.

However, those five people who shocked the Heavenly Dou Soul Master world were a whole level below Tang San in front of him. No matter how Tang San did it, how could he possibly withstand his attack if he hadn't reached the level of a Title Douluo, given his level 97 strength? Was he really already a Title Douluo? No wonder, no wonder the Shrek Five Monsters always smiled but didn't answer when asked about Tang San. It turned out that the soul of the Shrek Seven Monsters had already reached such a level.

At this moment, more than ten Soul Masters flew up closely behind Sword Douluo. Tang San looked around and immediately smiled. He recognized most of these Soul Masters who flew up. There was Flander, the four-eyed cat owl who had transformed into his Martial Soul True Form; Liu Erlong; Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing who used Flying Mushroom Sausage; and Ma Hongjun who spread his Phoenix Wings. Apart from these few, the rest were at least Soul Douluo-level Soul Masters.

"Little San, you guys got here so quickly!" Everyone was overjoyed to see Tang San. Dai Mubai smiled and said, "Judging from your voice, you've improved again?"

Flander laughed and said, "I thought it was an enemy attack, but it turns out it's you, Tang San, back. Alright, you seven little monsters are all here now."

Tang San and Xiao Wu bowed to Flander together, and Tang San said solemnly, "This time, we are truly all together."

The five strange figures exchanged bewildered glances, their gazes instantly freezing on Xiao Wu. Ning Rongrong covered her mouth, her eyes immediately reddening. Zhu Zhuqing exclaimed, "Third Brother, you succeeded? Xiao Wu, she…?"

Like a blazing flame, Liu Erlong charged forward, transforming into human form with fiery dragon wings unfurling behind her, and flew directly to Tang San and Xiao Wu.

"Xiao Wu, my child, you've suffered so much." She snatched Xiao Wu from Tang San's arms and hugged her tightly. She and Grandmaster had no children, but since taking Xiao Wu as their goddaughter, she had treated her as her own. Later, when she heard about Xiao Wu and Tang San's plight, she was heartbroken. How could she not be moved when she saw Xiao Wu again?

Those flying soul masters who had been intimidated by Tang San's mental power had now regained their freedom. Seeing their own powerful allies surrounding Tang San and his companion with great affection, they realized that it was one of their own who had rendered them incapacitated with just a glance.

The Shrek Five Monsters all gathered around. Dai Mubai put his arm around Tang San's shoulder and said, "Come on, let's go down first. This flying mushroom sausage can't fly for too long. Little San, I really didn't expect you to succeed so quickly."

Tang San smiled wryly, "Although we succeeded, we paid a huge price. Let's go down and talk about it later."

Led by the crowd, Tang San followed them into the army. Only then did he realize that the Soul Master troops were located at the heart of this million-strong army, directly guarding the center and protecting Xue Beng, the new ruler of the Heaven Dou Empire.

Tang San's arrival caused a huge commotion. Everyone landed on the ground, and Tang San subconsciously looked for Grandmaster, but he did not see his teacher.

Flander chuckled, "Looking for the Grandmaster? Times have changed. The Grandmaster is no longer the same as before. He is the supreme commander of all Soul Masters except for the Tang Family Army under your command. He was bestowed the title of Blue Lightning King by His Majesty, the chief Soul Master of the Palace, and the leader of the Heaven Dou Soul Master Corps. He ranks second among the imperial subjects."

Tang San was taken aback. "Ranked second? Then who's first?"

Flander looked at him meaningfully and said, "Do you still remember the title bestowed upon you by the Heavenly Dou Empire's royal family before you left?"

Tang San scratched his head and said, "I think he's some kind of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince?"

Flander said irritably, "You really do treat fame and fortune like dirt. Not only are you the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, but you're also the Prince of Lanhao. And the Crown Prince back then has become the current Emperor, so you, the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, have become the Imperial Tutor. So, who else ranks ahead of Xiao Gang besides you?"

"What? It's me?" Tang San stared at Flander in disbelief, his mouth agape in astonishment. He never imagined that after leaving for five years, he would return to become the Imperial Tutor, second only to the Emperor in the Heaven Dou Empire.

On the other side, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Liu Erlong were all crying their eyes out. Xiao Wu was telling everyone about her resurrection.

Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun gathered around Tang San. Oscar chuckled and said, "Little San, we all benefited from your success this time. We were immediately granted the title of Imperial Duke by His Majesty upon our return. Of course, it's the kind without any territory for now."

Tang San asked Dai Mubai, "Boss, you've been granted an official title too?"

Dai Mubai laughed, "I'm all alone now, so what if I'm given a title? Anyway, I don't plan to go back to Xingluo. There's only iron-blooded power there. It's better to stay with you guys. Whether I'm a duke or not doesn't matter. As long as we brothers stay together, what can't we do?"

As the army marched, the Soul Masters received the best treatment, especially the powerful ones, who rode in specially made carriages. They stood on the ground, conversing as they moved forward, until they were completely submerged in the steel forest. However, just as they were talking, a series of orders to rest suddenly rang out from within the army. The advancing army abruptly halted.

The army in front suddenly parted, and four old men strode in from outside. They spotted Tang San at a glance and immediately knelt down on one knee as if a mountain of gold had been overturned, loudly proclaiming, "Greetings, Sect Master!"

"No need for formalities, Elders." Tang San hurriedly went to greet them, and with a wave of his hands, a magnificent soul power lifted all four elders up. The ones who came were none other than the former patriarchs of the four clans, and now the four hall masters of the Tang Sect: Titan, the hall master of the Power Hall; Bai He, the hall master of the Agility Hall; Niu Gao, the hall master of the Imperial Hall; and Yang Wudi, the hall master of the Medicine Hall.

Tang San effortlessly lifted them up, and the four elders couldn't help but show surprise. However, their hearts were filled with more joy. Tang San's return at this crucial moment was undoubtedly the most beneficial for the Tang Sect. Commanding an army was already beyond the capabilities of these four hall masters. Especially for this expedition, the Tang Sect had mobilized its entire strength. If anything went wrong, none of them could bear the responsibility.

Before the four elders could step forward to speak, a loud voice rang out, "His Majesty has arrived." The crowd fell silent, and the soldiers parted like a tide. Surrounded by a group of powerful figures, Xue Beng, the new emperor of the Heavenly Dou Empire, appeared before them, wearing golden helmet and armor and a bright red battle robe.

As soon as he took off his helmet, his first action upon the avalanche was to bow respectfully to Tang San and say, "Teacher."

-

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(End of this chapter)