Lu Mingfei starts from Douluo.

However, there was still one more thing. He frowned and looked at Xue Beng, who had a worried expression: "Xiaotian Douluo should have received the news much earlier. I wonder what their plans are?"

Ning Fengzhi was asking Tang Xiao, but he was actually asking Tang Chen. Since Xue Beng had received the news, Haotian Sect must have received it as well. Tang Chen dotes on his grandson Tang Hao the most, so how could he not have made a move?

"The teacher said that since the Holy Maiden of the Thousand Families is there, it means that Qian Daoliu is probably nearby as well. The Grand Master is in seclusion, so it is not advisable to act rashly." Xue Beng nodded slightly.

In fact, he had received Lu Mingfei's message several months ago and informed Tang Xiao. He wanted to get rid of Lu Mingfei, this future threat, more than anyone else. If he could also get rid of the Holy Maiden of the Thousand Families of the Spirit Hall, that would be even more gratifying.

Unfortunately, according to Tang Xiao, that old guy Tang Chen was in seclusion and could not be disturbed, so Xue Beng could not do anything about it and had to give up.

Ning Fengzhi understood the meaning behind Tang Xiao's words: Tang Chen was not confident in annihilating the Spirit Hall.

"I thank Your Majesty for informing me of this matter, so that my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School can take precautions." Ning Fengzhi cupped his hands in thanks, using the word "precautions" to indicate his stance.

"Uncle Ning, you're too kind. My Heavenly Dou Empire and your sect share weal and woe, and it's only right that we exchange what we have." Xue Beng nodded slightly, stood up to take his leave, and gave a meaningful look at the room next door before turning around and striding away.

"Hmph, this kid is getting more and more audacious." Bone Douluo slammed his hand on the armrest. Xue Beng's words were full of attempts to intimidate them by mentioning the Clear Sky Sect. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was the Clear Sky Sect's spokesperson.

Before Ning Fengzhi could say anything, footsteps sounded from the next room, and Ning Rongrong came out. She was already the young sect leader and had long been involved in the sect's affairs.

"Dad, Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, is what Avalanche said true?" Ning Rongrong still couldn't believe her ears. Lu Mingfei had actually joined the Spirit Hall and was even with that Spirit Hall Saintess.

They had only met once in Wuhun City, so how could this be? The Wuhun Hall must have used some tricks to deceive Lu Mingfei's feelings.

“Rongrong, I’m afraid it’s true. To escape the pursuit of the Haotian Sect, Lu Mingfei has no choice but to seek refuge with the Soul Palace.” Ning Fengzhi also sighed.

"I don't believe it. He was trading soul bones with us and the Star Luo Empire last time, how could he turn around and join the Spirit Hall?"

“That’s right. He traded the soul bone before Tang Chen returned, so you should know that he had no other choice.” Since Tang Chen’s return, Ning Fengzhi has given up on trying to win over Lu Mingfei.

“But, but…” Ning Rongrong’s voice choked up, and her eyes reddened.

"That's enough, Rongrong. You're all grown up now, you should know that some things are beyond our control. At least with Tang Chen dominating the world right now, we have no choice." Although Ning Fengzhi was very reluctant, he finally spoke up.

Ning Rongrong lowered her head slightly and gripped the hem of her skirt tightly. Even though she wanted to go to Hanhai City to see that person again, she was, after all, the young sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, and could no longer be as willful as before.

"I understand." Ning Rongrong left the conference room without looking back.

"Rongrong, sigh." Sword Douluo raised his hand but then helplessly lowered it again. He should have known better than to go to that damned Soul Arena and say those things.

“Uncle Jian, I don’t want to either, but there’s no other way. Tang Chen is probably only one step away from that point, and we can’t take the risk.” Ning Fengzhi knew the stakes well. Compared to so-called personal feelings, the survival of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was obviously more important.

"Fortunately, Lu Mingfei left without saying goodbye several times back then. Rongrong's feelings for him were more admiration than love. Time will heal all wounds," Ning Fengzhi comforted her.

"I hope so." Soft sighs echoed around the conference table.

In this unprecedented and magnificent era, the so-called sectarian states have become rootless duckweed.

The weak look up to the strong, while the strong dominate the scene. Yet even the strong have their own sorrows and helplessness.

Poseidon Island remains sunny and breezy.

As a place of worship of the sea god, the high priest of the sea god Poseidon possesses the power to change the world, and few natural disasters can affect this place.

Poseidon loves this kind of weather because she can walk barefoot on the beach and chat with her lover, Tang Chen.

Tang Chen also cherished this time; the time two dying people spent together was more precious than any treasure in the world.

But lately he's been feeling restless and uneasy.

As the undisputed number one person below the gods, there is only one thing in the world that can truly concern him.

In just two months, Tang San broke through to the Soul Douluo realm again and went out to hunt souls.

Although he had accepted the fact that Poseidon would perish with him, Tang San's rapid improvement in cultivation still forced him to face a reality.

At this rate, Poseidon might have to sacrifice himself before he even passes away eight years later. How could that be allowed?

Chapter 288 Making a mess

Tang San's academic performance was not ideal from a young age.

As a Blue Silver Emperor with innate full soul power but not yet awakened, even with the blessing of the Tang Sect's supreme technique, the Mysterious Heaven Skill, he could only barely keep up with his younger sister's cultivation speed—a 100,000-year-old transformed soul beast—before reaching level 30.

Not to mention the villain Lu Mingfei, who was destined to be his nemesis; the soul power between the two had never been on the same level since they were seven years old.

However, poor students have always had more stationery.

With the help of the Eight Spider Lances, an external soul bone that fell from the sky, the strong support of the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng, a divine herb given by his uncle Baihe, and the sponsorship of his mother's 100,000-year soul bone, he broke through the City of Slaughter, obtained the God-given Domain, and now he has even obtained the qualification for the Nine Trials of the Sea God.

It can only be said that he achieved all of this through his own hard work and the blessings of heaven.

Seeing that his mortal enemy Lu Mingfei had already reached the god level, he had no way out and decided to go all out.

With the help of the Great White Shark swarm, he hunted down three spirit rings that were nearly 70,000 years old, adding the fifth, sixth, and seventh spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer. He also absorbed a 10,000-year-old right leg bone, increasing his spirit power by five levels, reaching level 77 in one fell swoop.

Moreover, during the Soul Hunting process, he absorbed the essence of a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast through the Eight Spider Lances to heal his injuries and increased his soul power by one level. In addition, he also passed the fourth trial of the Sea God. Therefore, in just two months, he reached the Soul Douluo level.

This time, Tang San resolutely decided to go to the distant sea to hunt for a 100,000-year-old soul beast as his next soul ring, and also to prepare to collect all six of his soul bones. He had to seize every opportunity to improve his soul power.

Perhaps it was the blessing of the Sea God in the dark, but just over a month after arriving in the distant sea, he encountered two 100,000-year-old soul beasts in succession, which helped Blue Silver Grass and Clear Sky Hammer complete the acquisition of their eighth soul rings. He also obtained two 100,000-year-old soul bones. After absorbing them all, he reached level 85 in one fell swoop and returned to Sea God Island with his head held high.

"Great-grandfather, Grand Master, I have not failed in my mission. I have come to accept the fifth test." Tang San returned and approached Poseidon.

Tang Chen gritted his teeth in frustration at Tang San's level 85 cultivation. If this continued, Poseidon might have to sacrifice herself in less than two years.

Definitely unfilial descendants.

"Are you in such a hurry to have your great-grandmother sacrificed?" Tang Chen couldn't hold back his anger and slapped Tang San across the face. This was both an accusation and a reminder.

He originally thought that Tang San's divine test would take at least ten years to complete, which is why he released him when he arrived on the island.

But Tang San's current appearance suggests that he has completely forgotten about Poseidon's life or death.

They weren't even going to leave him with the last few years of his life, which made Tang Chen furious.

"Great-grandfather, it's me." Tang San gritted his teeth, unsure how to begin. He had actually been aware of this problem for a long time.

Ultimately, however, he had no feelings for Poseidon. His only concern was whether Tang Chen would actually attack him and interrupt his divine test.

"Tang Chen, this is my duty." Poseidon once again stood in front of Tang Chen. Even though she was somewhat disappointed, the fact that Tang San was able to successfully complete the test set by the Sea God meant that everything was the Sea God's will.

Tang Chen knew Poseidon's stubbornness, and he also couldn't bring himself to hurt Tang San. At this moment, he looked at Tang San, who was hiding behind Poseidon, with a hint of pleading in his resolute eyes.

He hoped Tang San could give him more time to reunite with Poseidon.

But what he faced was Tang San's ambition, as hard as iron.

“Great-grandfather, time waits for no one. Both Lu Mingfei and those two from the Spirit Hall could become gods at any time. We may have long since run out of time. Please forgive my filial impiety.”

"I think the Grand Elder must also not want to see Seagod Island destroyed at any time, which is why he chose to support me." Tang San stated these pros and cons neither humbly nor arrogantly.

“That’s right, Tang Chen. Actually, I’ve been very happy these past two years, so why bother with these life-and-death gains and losses?” Poseidon nodded slightly.

"Actually, it's not a bad thing to leave this world before you. At least I won't have to leave it crying."

"Poseidon." Tang Chen embraced Poseidon, tears streaming down his face, and said nothing more.

The next day, Tang San began the fifth trial of the Sea God.

Throughout the day, the seven titled Douluo took turns attacking Tang San in a series of attacks.

With seven ten-thousand-year soul rings and one hundred-thousand-year soul ring, the Clear Sky Hammer displayed astonishing combat power.

Even the strongest level 95 Sea Dragon Douluo was defeated by Tang San with just one Ring Explosion. When the rising sun shone on his scarlet Clear Sky Hammer, it marked that he had officially passed the fifth trial.

As the rising sun shone on the Sea God's Pillar, Tang San gazed at his seven defeated, titled generals before him, a surge of pride welling up within him. He silently vowed:

"Lu Mingfei, Spirit Hall, you all just wait!"

On the other side, at the beach bar after daybreak, the owner and staff were cleaning up and preparing to close for the day.

A figure wearing a straw hat and dressed in a black leather jacket walked to the front desk.

"I'm sorry, we're closed for the day. We'll reopen this afternoon," the receptionist said apologetically.

But the man simply slapped a gold soul coin on the table, and a clear, melodious voice came from under his straw hat: "Hello, I'm looking for someone."

The shopkeeper was collecting wine glasses when he heard the sound. Although half of the woman's face was covered by a straw hat, making it impossible to see her features, her curvaceous figure and voice that made one's legs weak were enough to tell that she must be an absolute beauty.

"I'm the owner of this shop. You're here to see Jotaro, right?" the owner said with a smile.

He's seen quite a few beautiful women over the years, and today another one suddenly appeared. He's 99% sure she's here to see Jotaro.

Besides him, who else could attract so many admirers?

“Jotaro?” Zhu Zhuqing immediately thought of a certain alias that Lu Mingfei had used on the way back to Xingluo, and nodded immediately.

“I heard he lives nearby.”

"That's right, it's the courtyard on the left-hand corner of the street, by the cliff. It's a pity you're too late. He just left a few days ago and hasn't said when he'll be back." The shopkeeper smiled. Actually, he told a little lie to cover for Lu Mingfei.

Actually, Jotaro had told him that he was going back to meet the girl's parents, but of course he couldn't tell the truth at this time.

Zhu Zhuqing was surprised by the bad timing and sighed inwardly. She had rushed over as soon as she received Ning Rongrong's letter, but she was still a step too late.

She didn't really know what purpose she had in coming here, but she just couldn't help wanting to come and see.

Following the boss's directions, she arrived at Lu Mingfei's small courtyard. After climbing over the wall, she found the layout and furnishings of the garden exuding a simple and warm atmosphere.

She suddenly felt a pang of sadness. Everything here proved that it wasn't as Rongrong had said—that she had no choice but to meet the right person at the right time.

She stood silently for a while, then turned to leave. However, two figures suddenly appeared before her and knocked her unconscious before she could activate her martial spirit.

Chapter 289 Sprint

"Old Xiao, I didn't expect this to be a female thief. She dared to break into a house in broad daylight. She's too bold." The deacon surnamed Lin looked at the female thief lying on the ground and couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

“Who says otherwise? Who wears night clothes in broad daylight? That’s so unprofessional.” The steward surnamed Xiao nodded and clapped his hands in agreement, saying, “We caught him during our shift. When the Holy Maiden and the young master return, we’ll definitely get credit for it.”

Since Qian Renxue settled in Hanhai City, the Spirit Hall has sent a large number of guards to the city, including several high-ranking officials who are stationed there.

In the past, not even a mosquito could get close, let alone a thief. This time, when Qian Renxue went back to participate in the eighth test, these high-end combatants also retreated back to Wuhun City.

However, this courtyard is the son-in-law's private residence.

The bishop of the Spirit Hall in Hanhai City wisely assigned several Soul Emperors to take turns guarding the area to prevent anyone from trespassing and upsetting the son-in-law and saintess when they returned.

The deacon surnamed Lin reached out and removed the veil from his face, immediately gasping in surprise: "My goodness, she's actually so beautiful?"

"Hiss! We can't have made a mistake, can we?" The steward surnamed Xiao took the storage soul tool from Zhu Zhuqing's waist, sensed it for a moment, and was startled by the pile of gold soul coins inside.

How could someone so rich and beautiful be a thief?

The two exchanged a glance and quickly realized a possibility.

Could this be a friend who's here to see the son-in-law?

And given how beautiful they are, they might not be just ordinary friends; it seems they've gotten into trouble!

--

The sun shone brightly in Wuhun City, its rays streaming through the crystal-clear dome, creating a breathtakingly beautiful and dazzling spectacle.

Lu Mingfei lay carefree on the velvet bed, dreaming of commanding his Zerg army to conquer the stars and shouting "Long live the Empress!" until a moment when a huge, melodious chime, like the cannon fire of a starship, blasted him awake.

Perhaps because the trials in his dream were too exciting, he jumped up from his bed like a zombie.

He stared at the magnificent, opulent interior design, reminiscent of a luxurious palace in a Disney fairytale movie, for a long time before he finally came to his senses.

This is not the Palace of Versailles in Paris, nor the Golden Hall in Vienna, but a guest room in the most solemn and sacred papal palace on the entire continent.

To be honest, having lived for almost thirty years, this was the first time he had ever stayed in such a stylish room, and he was really not used to it.

He lay back down on the mattress, which was a hundred times softer and more comfortable than a waterbed and had built-in lumbar support, and let his thoughts wander.

Thanks to the energy-rich roasted meat from the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, his and Qian Renxue's cultivation speed increased significantly, especially Qian Renxue, who quickly reached the edge of the eighth test.

And with eight exams already, how far away can the ninth be?

Just to be on the safe side and to avoid the hassle of going back and forth, Qian Renxue decided to return directly to Wuhun City for closed-door training and the exam.

Such a big event could not be missed by Lu Mingfei, so he immediately packed his things and went back to Wuhun City with them.

Qian Renxue arranged a room for him and then went to the Elder Hall to take the Divine Examination. Lu Mingfei was unfamiliar with the place and had nothing to do but sleep and cultivate.

All they do every day is eat and sleep; they've completely become parasites.

"Speaking of which, would you say I'm being kept as a mistress?" Lu Mingfei couldn't help but think to himself.

The city of Wuhun rings its bells only three times a day: once for waking up, once for noon, and once for evening.

For Lu Mingfei, the purpose of these bells was to remind him that it was time to eat, and that a maid would soon knock on the door to serve him a lavish meal.

Too extravagant, too decadent, too damn fun!