Douluo: Seven Treasure Pagoda? I'm Actually a Summoner!

Tang Yu fell silent for a moment, then spoke earnestly: "Brother, I think it’s worth a try."

"However, the prerequisite is that we must first find a suitable academy to affiliate with."

He analyzed the situation: "According to the tournament rules, only students enrolled in a High-level Soul Master Academy are eligible to compete. Our Clear Sky Sect does not possess its own academy, so we have no choice but to seek an affiliation with another institution."

"Furthermore, the cultivation levels among the few of us here are quite uneven. Little Xin and I are only in our thirties; Tang Hu is in his forties; and only you, Brother, have reached the fifties. Yet, your age presents another complication. Honestly speaking, with a lineup like this, our competitiveness is limited."

He paused, then continued: "Therefore, if we intend to compete, we must not only secure an academy affiliation but also find a way to recruit a few powerful teammates to bolster our ranks."

"Otherwise—let alone winning the championship—it remains highly questionable whether we can even survive the preliminary rounds."

Tang Long nodded: "You make a valid point."

He turned to look at Tang Hu: "And you? What’s your take?"

Tang Hu maintained his stern expression, his voice calm: "I will follow Brother’s lead."

Tang Long smiled, then turned his gaze toward Tang Xin: "Little Xin, what about you?"

Tang Xin immediately raised her hand: "I’m all for competing! At the very least, we can just treat it as a fun outing!"

Tang Long chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair affectionately.

Then, he rose from his seat, walked over to the window, and gazed out at the small town below.

A moment of silence ensued.

He turned back around, his gaze sweeping over the three of them, and spoke slowly: "In that case... let’s sign up."

His voice was soft, yet it carried a distinct note of resolve: "We’ll start by seeing if we can find an academy willing to take us on as affiliates, form a team, and participate in this tournament."

He paused again, a glint of cold steel flashing in his eyes:

"It will be the perfect opportunity to show those self-righteous fools that my Clear Sky Sect... has not yet fallen into decline!"

Tang Hu rose to his feet and declared in a deep voice: "Understood, Brother!"

Tang Yu also stood up, smiling as he said: "We’ll do as you say."

Tang Xin leaped into the air, cheering: "That’s fantastic! I’m going to go out there and absolutely dominate the competition!"

Watching her boundless excitement, Tang Long couldn’t help but smile.

...

Spirit City—The Papal Palace.

Inside the study, sunlight streamed through the towering floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm pools of light across the floor. Qian Renxue sat at her desk, holding a confidential report in her hands, her brows furrowed ever so slightly.

She was dressed today in a simple, elegant gown of white and gold.

Her lustrous golden hair was loosely gathered with a matching ribbon, allowing a few stray wisps to fall across her forehead, accentuating the cool, captivating beauty of her exquisite features.

Jiang Bai stood at her side, his gaze sweeping over the contents of the confidential report.

The report contained a few lines of text: "Within the borders of the Heaven Dou Empire, a series of attacks on Spirit Hall transport convoys has occurred in rapid succession. The attackers wore identical gray uniforms; numbering approximately a dozen individuals, they possess formidable strength. According to the accounts of surviving deacons, the Spirit Souls utilized by the attackers were, without exception, the Clear Sky Hammer. The locations of these attacks were..."

Upon finishing the report, Jiang Bai paused in slight astonishment: "People from the Clear Sky Sect?"

Qian Renxue raised her head and looked at him: "The report states that a small faction has recently launched attacks against multiple Spirit Hall transport convoys."

She pointed to several specific locations marked on the report: "According to the surviving deacons, this group wears identical uniforms, and their Spirit Souls... are all the Clear Sky Hammer."

Jiang Bai followed the direction of her finger.

Those various attack sites, when plotted on a map, formed a single continuous line.

Running from north to south, the line drew ever closer to Spirit City. He looked pensive. "So, you’re saying they’re heading toward Spirit City?"

Qian Renxue nodded. "It certainly seems that way."

She turned to look at Jiang Bai, a hint of bewilderment in her eyes. "But didn’t they seal off their mountain? How could they have found out about this so quickly?"

Jiang Bai shook his head, a cold sneer curling at the corners of his lips.

"A bunch of self-righteous, filthy rats—how could they possibly be content to simply live in seclusion forever?"

He walked over to the window and gazed out at the bustling metropolis of Spirit City.

"Every single one of those filthy rats thinks they’re higher than the heavens; every single one of them believes they are the greatest in the world."

"Sealing off their mountain was merely an act of necessity. In secret, they have been preparing for their return to the world all along."

He turned back to face Qian Renxue.

"Tang Hao’s death—and the fact that his Spirit Bones were offered up as a prize—has given them the perfect pretext to make their comeback."

Qian Renxue looked thoughtful. "How many people do you think they’ll send out?"

Jiang Bai pondered for a moment. "Probably not too many."

He analyzed the situation: "Based on our current intelligence, they haven’t made a grand spectacle of things yet. They’ve merely launched a few sneak attacks on some transport convoys, which suggests they aren’t ready to reveal their whereabouts just yet."

"Since they’re only sending people out to gather information, they certainly won’t be dispatching those old geezers at the Elder level. It will most likely be some of their more outstanding third-generation disciples—sent out to gain some practical experience while gathering intelligence on the side."

He paused, then smiled.

"What’s the matter? Worried they’re coming to cause trouble?"

Qian Renxue shot him a withering look.

"Why would I be worried? I’m not the one with nine 100,000-year Spirit Rings—you’re the one who’s going to be bearing the brunt of their attention!"

She... Setting down the secret report, he let out a soft sigh: "I was just wondering—what exactly is the Clear Sky Sect trying to achieve by sending people out this time?"

"Is it to avenge Tang Hao? Or is it for those few Soul Bones?"

Jiang Bai walked back to her side and reached out to wrap his arm around her waist. "It could be both."

He analyzed the situation: "Although Tang Hao was the reason the Clear Sky Sect had to seal off its mountain gates, he is, after all, a direct-line disciple—and Tang Xiao’s own younger brother. If he dies and the Clear Sky Sect shows absolutely no reaction, they would lose face completely."

"What’s more, among those six Soul Bones, two are ancestral heirlooms of the Clear Sky Sect. These are artifacts passed down from their forefathers; how could they possibly be content to let them remain in the hands of outsiders?"

Qian Renxue nodded. "So, they sent people to gather intelligence, hoping to see if there’s an opportunity to reclaim the Soul Bones?"

Jiang Bai smiled. "Reclaim them? And how exactly would they do that?"

A glint of amusement flashed in his eyes. "Unless they send a team to compete in the Grand Tournament, win the championship, and take the Soul Bones back openly and legitimately."

"Otherwise, trying to snatch something away from the Spirit Hall..."

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of disdain. "...with just a few third-generation disciples?"

Qian Renxue looked thoughtful. "Are you suggesting... that they might actually send a team to compete?"

Jiang Bai shook his head. "It’s hard to say."

He mused for a moment: "However, it’s entirely possible that these hot-headed youngsters, failing to grasp the reality of the situation, might actually go ahead and enter the tournament."

He smiled. "If they do participate, that would be utterly foolish—essentially delivering themselves right to our doorstep."

Qian Renxue looked at him. "In that case, what do you intend to do?"

Jiang Bai reached out and gently stroked her chest.

The gesture was utterly natural, as if he had done it a thousand times before.

"Still, I actually hope they do step forward—whether to compete in the tournament or simply to stir up trouble—as long as they give us a valid excuse."

Qian Renxue’s lovely face flushed crimson under his touch, yet she made no move to pull away.

She caught Jiang Bai’s mischievous hand, her voice carrying a hint of playful reproach: "Wh-why?"

Jiang Bai’s hand didn’t stop; he continued to gently knead her. "If they come out looking for trouble, we’ll use it as an excuse to leverage the matter regarding the former Pope and move against them."

"And then, we’ll strike the Clear Sky Sect once more—and wipe them out completely."

Qian Renxue was slightly taken aback. "Wipe them out completely?"

Jiang Bai nodded.

"If they don’t keep flaunting themselves right under my nose, we can take our time dealing with the Clear Sky Sect. After all, there are more important matters to attend to right now."

"However, if they insist on dancing right before our eyes, then we’ll simply have to move the Clear Sky Sect issue to the top of our agenda."

"For the sake of a smooth unification in the future, these filthy rats must be exterminated eventually anyway; it’s merely a matter of when."

Qian Renxue nodded thoughtfully.

She was just about to speak when she felt the hand resting against her chest begin to stir restlessly once again.

Her train of thought was instantly shattered.

"D-don’t... don’t mess around..."

Her lovely face flushed crimson, her voice tinged with a mix of shyness and exasperation.

"I am working! Go find Sister Li’er instead."

Jiang Bai ceased his movements but did not leave immediately.

He leaned in close to Qian Renxue’s ear, his gaze lingering on her earlobe.

That earlobe was translucent and delicate—like a tiny petal carved from warm jade—trembling ever so slightly with her shallow breaths; it was so soft that it made one’s heart flutter with desire.

Jiang Bai’s thin lips brushed against it ever so lightly.

He merely took it gently between his lips for a brief moment.

"Mm..."

Qian Renxue’s entire body gave a faint shiver, and the tips of her ears instantly burned with heat.

She lowered her lashes, not daring to lift her eyes.

Jiang Bai let go, gazing at her...

Seeing her look so bashful, a wave of contentment welled up within him.

He was just about to leave when he suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, Sister Xue’er, I haven’t seen Hei Xue around these past few days. Where is she?"

"Did you take her back?"

Blushing, Qian Renxue shook her head.

"No. She’s been holed up in her room all day; I have no idea what she’s doing in there."

She thought for a moment. "Still, she’s probably fine. At the very least, she’s not dead."

Jiang Bai: "..."

Is that really how you "raise" someone?

He shook his head, deciding not to dwell on the matter.

"In that case, I’ll be going now."

He leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on Qian Renxue’s forehead.

Then, he turned and left the study.

...

Elsewhere, in a private bedchamber.

Inside a room with its doors and windows tightly shut, Hei Xue sat cross-legged upon the bed.

A faint, purplish-black glow swirled around her body. The light flickered erratically—brightening and dimming in turn—exuding a subtle yet palpable aura of the bizarre and the dangerous.

Her eyes were closed, her brows tightly furrowed, as if she were exerting every ounce of her will to control something.

After a long while...

She opened her eyes.

Those eyes—originally a mesmerizing, demonic shade of purplish-black—now gleamed with a feverish excitement.

"It’s done..."

She murmured to herself, her voice trembling with barely suppressed elation.

"The core legacy of the Rakshasa God Trial... I’ve finally finished reconstructing it!"

She raised her hand, and a ball of purplish-black light materialized in her palm.

Within that light, a faint, indistinct rune could be seen spinning ceaselessly. The rune bore a resemblance to the core legacy of the Angel God Trial, yet it was fundamentally distinct.

"The Black Angel God Trial..."

Hei Xue stared at the glowing orb, her eyes burning with a mixture of madness and ecstasy.

"From this day forth, you belong to me!"

She absorbed the ball of light back into her body.

Instantly, the purplish-black radiance engulfed her entire being!

Her unbridled, maniacal laughter echoed through the room: "Heh-heh-heh... Qian Renxue, just you wait..."

"Just you wait until this lady takes you soaring to the heavens!"

"Heh-heh-heh... Hahahaha!"

Her laughter reverberated through the sealed chamber—bizarre, frenzied, and utterly mad. Outside the window, the sunlight remained bright.

But within this room, only endless darkness surged.