Chapter 81: Home is Gone

"Qian... Qian..."

Tang Hao froze, holding his breath as he stared at the elderly figure before him. His expression was filled with disbelief.

"Tang Hao, you should not have come here," the elder said calmly, shaking his head. His gaze fell to the four injured Titled Douluo below, and a trace of disappointment flickered in his eyes. His demeanor radiated reproach.

One Tang Hao against four Titled Douluo, and yet they…

For years, Spirit Hall had never ceased its search for Tang Hao. Today, he had walked into their lair of his own accord. Yet, what was the "Ye Ritian" he spoke of?

Every conflict has its origins. Tang Hao had come to Spirit Hall for the sake of "Ye Ritian." No matter the reason, there was only one clear fact:

He had dared to attack Spirit Hall!

"Since you're here, stay," the elder said coldly.

Behind him, a radiant, six-winged holy angel appeared. The divine figure wielded a golden sacred sword that materialized in the elder's hand. Gripping the blade lightly, he slashed forward.

In that moment, space itself seemed to split in two, the air froze, and a dazzling arc of sword light descended toward Tang Hao.

Tang Hao felt as though an invisible hand was gripping his throat. His complexion darkened, and his breathing became labored.

Just as it seemed Tang Hao was about to meet his demise, all nine of his soul rings exploded in a sudden burst. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand began to glow brilliantly, the hammer's body shimmering with vibrant colors.

"Boom—!"

A terrifying pressure erupted, forcing the elder to take half a step back.

"The Great Sumeru Hammer… It's been a long time," the elder murmured, a trace of nostalgia in his tone. It had been decades since he had last faced this technique in combat.

That Tang Hao could wield this skill was beyond his expectations.

Tang Hao seized the opportunity to escape. The elder made no move to pursue him, instead disappearing in a flash and reappearing atop the Pope's Palace.

Standing beside Bibi Dong, the elder asked indifferently, "Who is this 'Ye Ritian' that Tang Hao spoke of?"

Bibi Dong turned her body slightly, her face devoid of expression, avoiding direct eye contact.

"I'm more curious about why you chose to act," she said coolly.

The elder remained calm, repeating his question. "Answer me."

Bibi Dong smirked faintly and replied nonchalantly, "Just a regular soul master who recently came to Spirit Hall."

"A regular soul master? Where is he now?" the elder pressed.

For Tang Hao to risk his life and attack Spirit Hall so openly, this "Ye Ritian" must hold some extraordinary significance.

"He escaped," Bibi Dong replied, her tone indifferent.

"Escaped?" The elder frowned, visibly displeased.

"Yes, he escaped. A young man with a thousand-year second soul ring and a face that resembles mine greatly. Most importantly, he possesses the Death Spider Emperor as his martial soul."

"The Death Spider Emperor? And he resembles you?" The elder turned to scrutinize Bibi Dong more closely. Could it be…?

Bibi Dong's expression froze momentarily.

"Don't overthink it," she said, her tone sharp. "Coincidences happen all the time. I've already ordered a thorough investigation. We'll have answers soon enough. As for…"

"Presiding Elder, Spirit Hall will not be in chaos as long as I am here."

With that, Bibi Dong let out a cold laugh and walked away.

The elder, silent for a moment, dissolved into a flash of golden light and vanished.

Three Days Later, Back in Holy Spirit Village

Tang Hao clutched his chest as he staggered through the forest, his breath heavy with fatigue.

Using the Great Sumeru Hammer had left his body severely damaged. The technique was a secret of the Clear Sky Clan, passed down to only one heir per generation—always the next clan master.

His foray into Spirit Hall had been a calculated risk. Even if he couldn't force them to hand over Ye Ritian, he had aimed to humiliate Spirit Hall.

However, the intervention of the Presiding Elder, Qian Daoliu, had thwarted his plans. He had nearly killed the Chrysanthemum Douluo, yet in the end, his efforts were for naught.

Now gravely injured, Tang Hao needed time to recover before he could make any further moves.

With Shrek Academy near Soto City no longer a viable option—it would only expose his son's identity prematurely—returning to Holy Spirit Village seemed like the safest course of action.

Not only could he remain close to his wife, but he could also recover in peace. It was the perfect plan.

As he walked, Tang Hao felt increasingly uneasy. For some reason, he could no longer sense the aura of the Blue Silver Emperor. It was as though she was no longer there.

Worse, the surrounding trees were withered and dead, clearly poisoned deliberately.

Could it be…

"No… Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Panic gripped Tang Hao. He bolted toward the cave where the Blue Silver Emperor resided, his steps fueled by desperation. Along the way, the flora mirrored his earlier observations—everything was dead and exuded a foul stench.

When he finally reached the cave, it appeared unchanged. Yet upon closer inspection, the large boulder blocking the entrance seemed… different.

Tang Hao's heart raced. With trembling hands, he moved the boulder aside.

Sunlight streamed into the cave, revealing the familiar Blue Silver Grass rooted inside. At first glance, everything appeared as it had when he left.

Tang Hao heaved a sigh of relief and approached the Blue Silver Grass, his eyes softening as he gazed upon it. However…

Something was wrong.

The Blue Silver Emperor's stem and leaves once bore golden markings unique to Ah Yin. Yet this "Blue Silver Emperor" looked identical to any ordinary plant found outside. Moreover, its size was noticeably larger than before.

"Ah Yin! Ah Yin!"

"It's me! I'm back! Answer me! Please answer me!"

No matter how he called out, the Blue Silver Grass remained motionless, like a lifeless plant.

A sudden realization struck Tang Hao. He dashed toward the stone bed where the Blue Silver Emperor's leg bone was hidden, lifting the lead box that concealed it.

Instead of the soul bone, there was only…

"A note?"

Tang Hao grabbed the paper, his hands trembling. Forgetting the missing soul bone for the moment, he read the message.

"Ye Ritian was here. I've taken the soul bone. Thank you!"

Tang Hao froze, his entire body paralyzed as though struck by lightning.

He stood motionless, the note crumbling into powder in his clenched fist.

"Ye—Ri—Tian!!!"

Tang Hao's roar echoed across the forest, shaking the ground and causing the cave to tremble violently.