Douluo Continent: Long Live the Spirit Hall

"Dreamlike illusion, you think you can kill me with such a meager illusionary skill? Shi Nian, you're courting death."

Just as Shi Nian relaxed slightly and prepared to flee, a crimson light suddenly pierced through the distorted dreamlike light patterns and penetrated his body, accompanied by Yan's voice.

"Holy Son, Holy Son, spare me, spare me... ah..."

Shi Nian looked at Yan, who had reappeared. His body on the ground struggled, his eyes filled with a desire to live. However, Yan had no interest in sparing his life.

This guy has repeatedly killed talented soul masters. When confronted with his questions, he not only refused to be arrested but even dared to fight him. He was truly courting death.

However, this guy's ability to create mental illusions is indeed a problem. If it were the old Yan, it would have been quite dangerous to deal with.

However, after he refined an eye-type soul bone, even if he wasn't the most skilled in mental abilities, it wasn't a weakness either. So, Shi Nian had really messed up this time and made a foolish move.

Under Yan's wrath, Shi Nian was naturally reduced to ashes. His death was quite tragic; he was burned alive. When Shi Nian's last screams faded, his body also turned to ashes in the raging flames.

Yan's flames were no ordinary weapon; let alone Shi Nian, a mere Soul Saint, even the corpse of a Title Douluo would ultimately be reduced to ashes. However, Shi Nian did not leave nothing behind after his death.

Amidst the ever-rising flames, a ball of colorful light quietly emerged. Yan waved his hand, and the ball of colorful light rose into his palm.

He opened his palm, revealing a round bone, about three inches in diameter, shimmering with a faint seven-colored light, resembling a miniature skull. The skull was remarkably well-preserved; for a soul bone of this quality to be produced, the soul beast must have possessed at least fifty thousand years of cultivation.

The moment I got my hands on this soul bone, I was immediately struck by an extremely strange feeling, as if it were an integral part of myself. The special energy it contained seemed to be trying to penetrate my left arm.

Even though Yan already possessed multiple soul bones, he couldn't help but feel an urge to refine this one. For a soul master, what could be more attractive than a soul bone? A voice within him kept urging him to quickly merge with this soul bone, lest things get complicated.

"Heh, what a wondrous power, a soul bone..."

Yan suppressed his desire to absorb the soul bone, played with it for a while, and then looked at the pile of ashes on the ground. "This soul bone probably came from a soul beast that Shi Nian hunted with his seventh soul ring. Otherwise, with his cultivation and combat power, he wouldn't be qualified to obtain such a treasure."

Yan secretly speculated about the origin of this soul bone. The soul beast that was hunted down must have been of a high cultivation level to have such a complete soul bone. It was similar in age to the seventh soul ring of that year, and this was the most likely possibility.

However, these are not things that Yan needs to pay attention to. Anyway, the soul bone is in his hands now, so there is no need to investigate its origin.

"Shi Nian is dead, and your soul skill has been dispelled. Get up!"

After playing with the soul bone for a while, Yan put the glowing skull into his storage soul tool. At this moment, he also noticed that Tang San was pretending to be seriously injured and unconscious, which made him a little annoyed, and he roared impatiently.

"Cough cough..."

Seeing that Yan had exposed his lie, Tang San, though unwilling to communicate with Yan, could only open his eyes, appearing quite tired and weak, and coughed as he stood up. This wasn't entirely a pretense; after Shi Nian's ordeal, he was indeed seriously injured.

Yan turned to look at the disheveled Tang San and casually said, "You're quite the troublemaker; you've actually been targeted by a Soul Saint."

"Are you joking about the Holy Son? This matter should be considered the responsibility of the Spirit Hall. A teacher from an advanced spirit master academy assassinated students from another academy because of a competition hosted by the Spirit Hall. If this gets out, it won't be good for the Spirit Hall, will it?"

Tang San looked at Yan, his eyes filled with hidden hatred. Although Yan had just saved him, he felt no gratitude whatsoever, because he knew that Yan had not saved him sincerely, but had other purposes.

"Does anyone believe what you say?!"

Yan glanced at Tang San with disdain and continued, "I'm not afraid to tell you frankly, if any other student had been assassinated and I had stumbled upon this, I would have intervened as well. In fact, I would have acted the moment Shi Nian made his move."

But you will die at the hands of my Spirit Hall sooner or later. No matter how much suffering you endure before then, it won't stir my emotions, nor will it bother me too much.

Yan's blunt words made Tang San's face turn extremely ugly. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh, and a trickle of blood dripped from between his fingers onto the ground.

"You feel it's unfair. Yes, because of your father's situation, you've been suffering all along without ever enjoying any of the benefits he brought you. Do you feel innocent?"

Yan's words caused Tang San's eyes to flicker slightly, clearly indicating that he was not unmoved. However, the next second, Yan shattered his illusion, "If you really have such thoughts, it's just a joke."

Do you really think it's so easy for an ordinary person to rise to prominence in the Douluo Continent? Everything you possess, including the world's top-tier talent of twin martial souls, was given to you by Tang Hao and your mother.

If you weren't the son of Haotian Douluo, you wouldn't have this innate talent of full soul power, nor would you possess a top-tier martial soul like the Haotian Hammer.

Furthermore, why do you think Yu Xiaogang values ​​you so much? Over the years, why has he singled you out as the only subject for his theoretical practice, even using his connections to pave the way for your growth? It's because he recognized the Haotian Hammer and was investing in you in advance.

Everything you have now, including your current status at Blue Tyrant Academy, is largely due to Tang Hao, so you are not innocent.

Perhaps you disagree, thinking you could rise to power even without these things. I just want to say, you're oversimplifying things. With your little toys called "hidden weapons," you won't amount to anything.

Yan paused for a moment, then changed his tone slightly, staring at Tang San and said in a deep voice, "Tang San, do you want to live?"

"Hehe, hehehehe..."

After hearing Yan's last words, Tang San was first stunned, then sneered for a while, stared at Yan with a mocking look, and said, "Does Your Highness the Holy Son think you can spare my life?"

"The Spirit Hall's greatest threat has always been Tang Hao and the Clear Sky Sect. You, who have never received the Clear Sky inheritance, are not worthy of the Spirit Hall's concern. As long as you are crippled and live as an ordinary person for the rest of your life, why would the Spirit Hall want to exterminate you?"

Yan stared at Tang San and spoke his mind. Then he put forward his conditions: "As long as you give me everything you know, including your self-created soul skills, knowledge of hidden weapons, poisons, and herbs, I can make arrangements to let you live out the rest of your life in peace."

Tang San's gaze sharpened. He could sense that Yan's words seemed to be true, and the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall seemed to genuinely intend to let him go. However, after weighing the options for a long time, he ultimately chose to shake his head.

"In that case, your fate is sealed. I hope you won't regret it in the end."

Yan didn't show much regret. Letting Tang San live was just a spur-of-the-moment decision to extract knowledge from Tang San, such as the Xuan Tian Bao Lu.

This inheritance from another world must be quite profound, at least more precious than 99% of the Soul Master knowledge in Douluo Continent. Even god-level powerhouses could use some of it, so Yan was naturally tempted.

Moreover, the conditions he just mentioned for pardoning Tang San were quite harsh. If he really did that, Tang San would basically be a cripple for the rest of his life, and it would be pretty much the same whether he was spared or not.

Chapter 376 The Storm Subsides

"Since you are unwilling to accept my kindness, there is nothing more to say. Let's go back to Tiandou City. Cherish these days, as this is one of your few peaceful times."

Yan glanced at Tang San, who could barely stand even while leaning against a tree, and his tone turned cold. He then walked ahead, gesturing for the guy to follow him with his eyes as he left.

Tang San followed Yan silently, never considering running away. Although Shi Nian had said that Yan had come alone, Tang San didn't believe it at all. He had always been under the surveillance of the Spirit Hall and had never had any freedom, and he believed it would be the same now.

He's only a Soul Master now, far inferior to the behemoth that is the Spirit Hall. Even if he wanted to escape, it would only be a thought; it would be impossible for him to do so on his own.

As for escaping right under the nose of this Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, Tang San immediately abandoned the idea after thinking about the Soul Saint Shi Nian, whose body had been completely destroyed.

The agony he suffered before his death, the agonizing screams he endured—just thinking about it was terrifying, and he had no desire to personally experience it or be forced to do so.

Tang San's disappearance at the Blue Tyrant Academy campus in Tiandou City caused quite a stir. Ever since Titan caused a ruckus at Blue Tyrant Academy, many students have learned about Tang San's identity and background, and are even more aware of how dangerous it is for this hot potato to get into trouble at Blue Tyrant.

Tang San is the son of Haotian Douluo Tang Hao, but he is currently under the surveillance and control of the Spirit Hall. If anything happens to him, it is hard to guarantee that the Spirit Hall will hold him accountable. At that time, the entire Blue Tyrant Academy will be in trouble. That's why the whole academy was in chaos not long after he disappeared.

"Mistress, are you alright? Are you okay?"

When Tang San appeared, some teachers from Blue Tyrant Academy were on their way to the Great Soul Arena to report to several high-ranking members of the academy. The first to return was Thunderbolt Qin Ming, and he was startled when he saw Yan, who had come with Tang San.

"Tang San was ambushed by Shi Nian of Canghui Academy, who planned to take him out of the city to kill him, but luckily he ran into me."

Yan casually explained to Qin Ming, then couldn't help but complain, "What are the teachers at your Blue Tyrant Academy good for? Someone sneaks into your house and takes your students away. That's really something."

Yan's rant left Qin Ming quite embarrassed, yet he couldn't find the words to refute it, nor did he intend to. Yan, as the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, still possessed a certain amount of authority.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Even though Qin Ming and Yan didn't get along very well, this time he bowed respectfully to Yan, which seemed to show some sincerity. He was genuinely grateful to Yan for saving Tang San's life.

If Tang San were to get into trouble at Blue Tyrant Academy, it would be a major incident. Putting aside the question of the Spirit Hall's accountability, Tang Hao and the Clear Sky Sect would be the real problem.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the Clear Sky Sect is suppressed by the Spirit Hall and dares not show itself, and Tang Hao doesn't dare to take his son Tang San away. This is all because the Spirit Hall's strength prevents them from making any rash moves. But when it comes to Blue Tyrant Academy, these people don't have so many concerns.

If Tang San really got into trouble, Fred, Yu Xiaogang, and the others wouldn't be able to escape, and Qin Ming's fate wouldn't be much better either. So when he learned that Tang San was missing, Qin Ming was extremely anxious.

"You don't need to thank me. This incident happened during the Elite Tournament, and it was a conflict caused by the tournament, so it is naturally related to the Spirit Hall."

Yan changed the subject at this point and continued, "If someone dares to act so openly, it seems that all the major academies need to be rectified. Don't you think so, Qin Ming?"

Yan's voice suddenly turned stern. Qin Ming subconsciously turned his head to look at him, and under the pressure of Yan's eyes, he nodded tremblingly, and was very annoyed afterward.

He had once been to the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and had some insights into politics. Judging from Yan's words, it was clear that he intended to target the various academies, and the trigger for this seemed to be using Tang San's attack as a pretext.

If this matter is successfully orchestrated, while the various academies will suffer, they will also look for the culprit. The Spirit Hall is not to be trifled with, but the academy that caused the trouble will definitely be in trouble.

Canghui Academy is the perpetrator, but Lanba Academy, as the victim, might suffer another blow this time.

While Qin Ming was secretly worried, Yan had already left Blue Tyrant Academy for the Great Soul Arena. He was always decisive and efficient, and he didn't intend to delay the matter of Shi Nian, so he naturally wanted to get it settled as soon as possible.

When Yan arrived at the Great Soul Arena again, a match had just ended. One of the two sides was Canghui Academy, which had just won a match. However, the students did not show much joy on their faces. Instead, they were somewhat uneasy.

Their vice dean, Shi Nian, has not returned. Given how swiftly and cleanly that Soul Saint acted and his previous instructions, he should have returned quickly after succeeding. Why has it been dragging on until now without any news? This has made the Canghui team students, who had just won, feel uneasy.

Their unease soon became a reality, because not long afterward, the Spirit Hall's guardian knights, who had been responsible for maintaining order, suddenly surrounded the Canghui Academy's residence.

"Your Highness, what's going on?"

The fact that Canghui Academy was surrounded by the Spirit Hall's guardian knights naturally attracted the attention of many powerful figures in the Heaven Dou Empire. The royal family also took notice. Although Emperor Xueye did not come in person, Prince Xuexing and Crown Prince Xue Qinghe were present. Everyone was shocked to see that Yan was in charge of this operation.

Spirit Hall's Holy Son Yan is now a pivotal figure in the Douluo Continent, and his every move is no longer what it used to be. Now, every action he takes is scrutinized by countless people, making each one a major event that no one dares to underestimate.

"Shi Nian, the vice dean of Canghui Academy, has repeatedly assassinated talented students from other Soul Master academies. This crime has been verified. Canghui Academy must undergo a complete overhaul, and all team members must be removed from all academic records."

Yan directly handed down a severe sentence to Canghui Academy, stripping the Canghui team of their eligibility to continue the competition. After looking around, he continued to announce even more severe measures, "In order to prevent this from happening again, the Spirit Hall will send a special envoy to investigate and rectify all the academies. We hope that all academies will be prepared."

Yan's words sent a chill down the spines of the academy's higher-ups. These people, who had risen to such positions, were all shrewd and cunning, and they realized that things were not so simple.

Canghui Academy may have indeed committed a serious mistake, and it is right for the Spirit Hall to punish them severely. However, the claim that it will affect other academies is completely far-fetched and is clearly an excuse to deliberately spread trouble.

However, the Spirit Hall is currently very powerful, so what can the various academies do even if they know it's just an excuse? Didn't you see that the higher-ups of the Five Elements Academy and some other famous advanced academies all acted indifferently? In addition, the higher-ups of other academies who had not made a choice before knew in their hearts that it was time to choose sides.

These senior instructors from various academies left one by one, each with their own thoughts, preparing to discuss their next stance on the Spirit Hall with other senior members of their academies.

An even bigger storm is brewing, and on the other side of the Great Soul Arena, the two important figures of the royal family are also quite unhappy.

Their displeasure was mainly directed at Canghui Academy. The scandal at Canghui Academy gave the Spirit Hall an excuse to intervene and investigate various spirit master academies. In this matter, the interests of the royal family were damaged, and all of this was because of that damned Canghui Academy. Of course, they were very unhappy.

However, both Prince Xue Xing and Crown Prince Xue Qinghe were well aware that the royal family did not have the resources to break ties with the Spirit Hall, so they could only endure it and wait and see how the Spirit Hall would deal with the group of people from Canghui Academy.

After Shi Nian's death, Canghui Academy lost its backbone. After learning about Shi Nian's fate, the temporary leader of the Canghui team was actually their captain, a Soul Master who looked to be almost thirty years old, and also the only Soul Master in this year's Canghui team.

"What kind of seven-person soul power fusion technique did Shi Nian teach you? Demonstrate it once, and let me see if you're still of any use."

Yan glanced casually at the Canghui Academy students kneeling on the ground. Under the Spirit Hall's swift and decisive actions, these guys didn't dare to insist on their claims and quickly explained everything clearly.

The students had already been secretly discussing and speculating about what Shi Nian had done. After all, Shi Nian's actions were too bold and obvious, and the geniuses who had offended him had all met very distinctive deaths. The entire Canghui team was basically Shi Nian's accomplice, so their actions of stripping them of their results were not entirely innocent.

Yan's words left the Canghui team members exchanging bewildered glances. Without much hesitation, seven of them stepped forward. They walked in front of the group, assumed a strange posture, and began to circulate their soul power to summon their martial souls.

The seven individuals all possessed the same type of martial soul, a relatively rare gemstone martial soul. Seven beams of multicolored light shot into the sky almost simultaneously, centered on the Canghui Academy captain's martial soul, instantly coalescing into a massive seven-colored pillar of light.

"Seven Asura Illusionary Realm..."

The beam of light shot up through the air, and after reaching a distance of thirty meters, it instantly spread out, completely enveloping the seven people who had formed the formation. It continued to spread, enveloping many more people. Then, the voice of Captain Cang Hui rang in everyone's ears again.

The captain of the Canghui team was quite sensible and didn't dare to offend anyone. Instead, he explained his soul skills in detail when he used them, hoping to gain the approval of the benefactors and leave some impression so that he could secure a future for himself.

"These people from the Canghui team are quite sensible. After all, they weren't the ringleaders, so let them stay in the temple to atone for their sins after a little punishment."

Yan waved his hand, shattering the so-called Seven Asura Illusion, and then instructed the still somewhat bewildered Bishop Salas: "As for the Dean and other high-ranking members of Canghui Academy, they must be thoroughly investigated and dealt with, and a fair trial must be ensured..."

Chapter 377 Divine Wind, Blazing Fire, Heavenly Water