With Yu Yuanzhen accompanying them, Yu Xiaogang and Bibi Dong finally felt comfortable enough to enter the Sunset Forest in search of the treasure.
Although the Sunset Forest was far less dangerous than the Star Dou Great Forest, it was still one of the most famous Spirit Beast habitats on the Douluo Continent. The number of ten-thousand-year Spirit Beasts living within its depths was by no means small.
As the three traveled deeper into the forest, they encountered Spirit Beasts at a fairly frequent rate. Fortunately, the density remained within an acceptable range, especially with a Titled Douluo accompanying them.
Along the way, they carefully recorded information about every ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast they encountered.
This was considered basic knowledge for any experienced Spirit Master.
When entering a Spirit Beast forest, recording the locations, characteristics, and cultivation ages of powerful Spirit Beasts was a valuable habit.
If the information proved useful to their own faction or sect, it would be preserved for future use.
If it was of no value to them, it could be sold.
After all, when Spirit Masters searched for suitable spirit rings, they could not rely solely on luck.
Reliable information often saved countless hours of searching and significantly increased the chances of finding the ideal Spirit Beast.
"A Thunder Tyrant Dragon just over twenty thousand years old?"
Yu Xiaogang quickly made a note.
"Record it. If anyone from the sect needs it in the future, they can come here."
Not long afterward, another discovery caught their attention.
"Wait... is that a thirty-thousand-year Man-Faced Demon Spider?"
Even from a distance, the terrifying spider emitted a dangerous aura.
A little later, Bibi Dong pointed toward a patch of black flames growing among the vegetation.
"Wow! A fifty-thousand-year Black Flame Moon Soul Grass!"
"A fire-attribute plant-type Spirit Beast. That's incredibly rare."
The three couldn't help but stop for a moment to observe it.
Throughout the journey, they encountered many precious Spirit Beasts.
However, even among those rare discoveries, the Black Flame Moon Soul Grass stood out.
A fifty-thousand-year plant-type Spirit Beast was already extraordinarily valuable.
One with fire attributes was even more so.
Even if neither Spirit Hall nor the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had a use for it, simply selling information regarding its location could easily fetch several thousand, or even over ten thousand, gold coins.
Eventually, the group arrived at the place where the Radiant Elemental Dragon had once lived.
Since Yu Yuanzhen had visited the area before, he was quite familiar with the route.
Looking around, he could tell that an enormous amount of time had passed since the treasure map had been created.
Many environmental features had changed.
Fortunately, several distinctive landmarks still remained.
Otherwise, locating the correct spot would have been nearly impossible.
At the center of the area was a massive burrow.
"It's a tunnel."
Yu Xiaogang stepped forward and peered into the darkness.
"And it looks quite deep."
Bibi Dong instinctively moved a little closer.
"There couldn't still be Spirit Beasts living inside, right?"
"Rodent and snake-type Spirit Beasts love environments like this."
Her voice carried a trace of nervousness.
Because of her martial spirit, Bibi Dong was fairly tolerant of insect-type Spirit Beasts.
At least, most of them.
Of course, there were exceptions for particularly disgusting species.
However, she had never been fond of rodents or snakes.
Yu Yuanzhen shook his head.
"Probably not."
"This was once the territory of the Radiant Elemental Dragon."
"As long as it occupied this area, no other ten-thousand-year Spirit Beast would dare settle nearby."
"As for Spirit Beasts below ten thousand years, that's even less likely."
Spirit Beast territorial disputes were notoriously brutal.
Powerful Spirit Beasts regarded their territories as sacred.
The presence of another Spirit Beast within their territory was considered a direct challenge.
No creature could rest peacefully while sharing its territory with a potential threat.
"Then I'll go in first and take a look."
Yu Xiaogang rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"My Spirit Bone ability is perfectly suited for exploration."
Yu Yuanzhen nodded in agreement.
"Be careful."
Without wasting another moment, Yu Xiaogang activated his elementalization ability.
His body transformed into elemental energy before slipping into the darkness of the tunnel.
The area suddenly became much quieter.
While waiting outside, Yu Yuanzhen glanced toward Bibi Dong.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he asked:
"Bibi Dong."
"Hm?"
"What do you think of Spirit Hall?"
The sudden question caught her off guard.
She tilted her head slightly and answered honestly.
"I think Spirit Hall is wonderful."
"My teacher is kind to me."
"The priests are kind."
"The elders are kind."
"The Spirit Douluos, the instructors at Spirit Hall Academy, and everyone else have always treated me very well."
Yu Yuanzhen wasn't surprised.
As the Pope's direct disciple and the future Saintess of Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong naturally received exceptional treatment.
Then he asked another question.
"What about the Upper Three Sects?"
"Don't give me an official answer."
"I want to hear Spirit Hall's true opinion."
This time, Bibi Dong hesitated.
The second half of the question completely cut off any possibility of giving a diplomatic response.
Technically, she could pretend not to understand.
After all, this was merely a casual conversation.
Yu Yuanzhen couldn't force her to reveal her true thoughts.
Yet strangely enough, she didn't want to avoid the question.
Perhaps it was because she respected him.
After all, he was a Titled Douluo, just like her teacher.
After thinking for a moment, she finally spoke.
"As for the Upper Three Sects..."
"My teacher's opinion of the Clear Sky Sect isn't very favorable."
Yu Yuanzhen raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Bibi Dong continued.
"According to my teacher, the Clear Sky Sect is filled with arrogant, conceited people whose heads are full of nothing but pride."
"They constantly boast about the glory of the former Clear Sky Douluo."
"They never stop talking about the achievements of Tang Chen."
"Now don't misunderstand."
"Tang Chen truly was extraordinary."
"No one can deny that."
"He was incredibly powerful and earned tremendous prestige for the Clear Sky Sect."
"But Teacher always asks one question."
"What does any of that have to do with the current members of the Clear Sky Sect?"
As she spoke, Bibi Dong unconsciously mimicked the disdainful tone Qian Xunji often used when discussing the sect.
"The achievements belong to Tang Chen."
"Not to the people currently hiding behind his reputation."
"In Spirit Hall, aside from the High Priest, every member of the Hall of Worship is powerful in their own right."
"At the Supreme Pontiff Palace, there is Teacher, as well as Their Excellencies Longlin and Iron Wall."
"There are also Elder Yue Guan and Elder Gui Mei, both of whom are highly likely to become Titled Douluos in the future."
"Beyond them are countless Spirit Douluos, Spirit Saints, and other powerful experts."
"Even without the High Priest, Spirit Hall would still remain one of the strongest powers on the continent."
She paused briefly before delivering the point her teacher always emphasized.
"But what about the Clear Sky Sect?"
"If Tang Chen's reputation were removed..."
"What would remain?"
Bibi Dong actually agreed with this assessment.
In her eyes, the modern Clear Sky Sect relied almost entirely on Tang Chen's legacy to maintain its status as the leader of the Upper Three Sects.
As for the current Sect Master...
Even though he possessed the title of Titled Douluo, his performance left much to be desired.
According to information she had heard from the High Priest, his promotion to Titled Douluo had only been possible because of Tang Chen's direct assistance.
His potential was already exhausted.
Worse still, he had serious flaws in his character.
In Qian Xunji's words, he simply couldn't handle responsibility.
Yet despite this, the members of the Clear Sky Sect remained as arrogant as ever.
Many acted as though they were superior to everyone else.
They bullied weaker people.
They seized things they wanted.
They frequently used the name of the Clear Sky Sect to threaten others.
To them, such behavior seemed completely normal.
Because of this, Qian Xunji often said the same thing.
"The Clear Sky Sect hasn't fallen because it hasn't made a truly catastrophic mistake yet."
"But sooner or later, it will."
"When that day comes, one mistake will trigger another."
"And then another."
"Until everything collapses."
A sect led by an incapable leader and filled with troublemakers had an obvious future.
Of course, whenever Qian Xunji made such statements, he always added one important condition.
That prediction only applied...
If the legendary Clear Sky Douluo, Tang Chen, never returned.
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