The family gathered around the table for a meal, the atmosphere warm and lively.
Though the dishes were simple and home-cooked, they were wonderfully fragrant. Mu Xi's culinary skills were indeed excellent, and even Chen Yi, not picky about food, couldn't help but add half a bowl more rice.
Midway through the meal, calm footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard.
"I could smell the aroma from afar. It seems our luck is in today," came the heavy voice of Sect Master Chu Shanhe, and soon he and the Grand Elder appeared at the small courtyard gate.
Mu Xi quickly stood up, greeting them with a proper smile, "Sect Master, Grand Elder, please take a seat. The food is still hot."
She turned to fetch two more sets of bowls and chopsticks from the kitchen.
Chu Shanhe and the elder didn't stand on ceremony, sitting at the open seats. Chu Shanhe glanced at the dishes—nothing extravagant, but sincerely prepared—and smiled, "Mu Xi cooks herself? That's rare. Seems you're not afraid to get your hands dirty after coming back."
Chen Zhen smiled, urging the two to start eating.
The meal was peaceful, harmonious, and filled with idle chatter, with little mention of sect affairs.
Afterwards, Mu Xi cleared the table, and Chen Zhen brewed tea.
Chu Shanhe's gaze unconsciously drifted to the book lying on the ground in the corner of the yard. Looking up at Chen Yi, he got straight to the point.
"You've seen that thing, haven't you?"
His tone was calm, betraying neither joy nor anger.
"What do you plan to do?"
Chen Yi picked up his tea, blowing gently on the floating leaves, his face expressionless as he replied lightly,
"Fight."
He put down the cup, looking Chu Shanhe in the eye.
"If some people don't know their own weight or worth, it's time to give them a taste, let them see what color they really are."
Despite the youthful sharpness of his words, they were delivered casually.
Chu Shanhe, far from displeased, smiled in satissect.
"That's right! Over the years, our sect has kept a low profile and focused on development, but some cats and dogs really think they can run wild on our heads."
He looked at Chen Yi with expectation.
"You are the rightful peak of the younger generation. It's time those people understood their so-called reputation, built on bragging and killing, is nothing but a castle in the air—not even worth mentioning."
The Grand Elder also smiled slightly, speaking slowly,
"After you find your sixth spirit ring and make your breakthrough, take some of the restless young ones in our sect out for a walk."
By "young ones," he meant the likes of Shui Bing'er, Ye Lingling, Dugu Yan, and Jiang Hongfei.
"Save those who spend all day sitting in a well, staring at the sky in self-importance."
"It's just in time. Consider it training before the next Soul Master Tournament, and it's not a bad thing to see some blood."
Though the Grand Elder's eyes were calm and steady, those who knew him understood that once he set the tone for something, the matter was settled.
During the trip to the Slaughter City, after seeing things with his own eyes, the Grand Elder's last concern over the Clear Sky Sect had completely disappeared.
Could a "legend" doomed to die, a puppet manipulated by malice, still overturn everything?
At that moment, Mu Xi poked her head out of the kitchen, still holding a rag, looking at Chen Yi with questioning eyes.
"Xiao Yi, if you want to 'train troops,' do you plan to join the Soul Master Tournament again? Take it easy."
Chen Yi was still under eighteen, far from the tournament's age limit of twenty-five. The same applied to Qian Renxue.
Chen Yi shook his head.
"No, Mother. Competing in the Soul King group again isn't worth it."
In fact, if he hadn't known Qian Renxue would participate last time, he wouldn't have joined either.
Eating the same dish over and over gets bland.
"Alright." Mu Xi didn't press, her eyes shining.
"Then this time, let the girls show themselves!"
The topic returned to business. Remembering his earlier conversation with his father, Chen Yi looked at the Grand Elder and asked,
"Grand Elder, Tang Xiao's hand has reached so far, making all sorts of moves behind the scenes. Isn't it time to let him go?"
The Body Sect always believed in "using everything to your advantage, and if you suffer a loss, take it back twice over."
Tang Xiao had been stirring the pot behind the scenes, trying to unite the Three Sects to suppress the Body Sect. There was no way they wouldn't fight back.
The Grand Elder put down his tea, replying slowly instead of directly.
"Once I confirmed the news that Tang Xiao was involved, I went to the ancestral land of the Clear Sky Sect myself."
Chen Yi's eyes flickered. The ancestral land was where Clear Sky Sect had built its fortune. When the sect moved to Star Luo Empire's Clear Sky City, it lost all power there, forced to return only due to the threat of Spirit Hall.
"What did you find?" Chen Yi asked, though he already had some guesses.
A mysterious smile appeared on the Grand Elder's lips.
"How many titled Douluo auras do you think I sensed there?"
Chen Yi was intrigued. "How many?"
"Six."
The Grand Elder spat out the words gently.
"Six titled Douluo auras, all full of vain pride and evidently new. But they are definitely real Douluo."
He looked at Chen Yi with meaningful eyes.
"One of them is the same rat aura I sensed outside Grand Martial Academy six years ago."
It was unexpected—the Clear Sky Sect's elders had actually broken through. That was fast.
The timing of Chen Yi's surprise was perfect. "Six titled Douluo?! This Clear Sky Sect... truly deep waters!"
"Without such power, they wouldn't dare unite the Three Sects and test our reaction so recklessly."
The Grand Elder nodded, his tone calm as though discussing something unrelated to him.
Suddenly, he seemed to recall something amusing, his smile widening a bit.
"I'm a bit curious—maybe Ning Fengzhi knew he'd lose big by charging in first, but someone real was hiding behind him, using him as a pawn to preserve their strength... What will that look like, I wonder?"
At these words, several at the table exchanged knowing smiles.
This period really had the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan at the forefront, working on the "Titled Douluo List," proposing the title, handling the Heaven Dou affairs.
The losses and pressure were basically borne by those two.
The Clear Sky Sect always used the excuse of "having many casualties and needing recuperation," rarely joining in openly, but secretly making their moves.
Chu Shanhe took over the conversation, his tone a bit playful.
"Anyway, the message is out. Who knows what that old fox Qian Daoliu will do."
Qian Daoliu was always a gentleman, and even with Tang Chen, he maintained a bit of the old heroic friendship.
Tang Chen was a Douluo without equal. The Clear Sky Sect's people must have thought he had the same heroic style, acting by their own standards... They'd completely forgotten Tang Chen was just Tang Chen, and the sect's elders might not have that heart or temperament.
Since ancient times, good bamboo has always produced bad, and vice versa—it's no surprise. Qian Daoliu only acted for his own interests.
Thinking of Tang Chen, Chen Yi's heart stirred, and he unconsciously glanced at the Grand Elder.
Sure enough... the Grand Elder's ninth spirit ring came from a bat soul beast of nearly 100,000 years.
….