Douluo: Martial Soul Seven Kill Sword, The Sword Opens Heaven's Gates

Seven Treasures Imperial Advanced Soul Master Academy, Principal's Office

Seeing the steady improvement in the strength of the Seven Treasures Team members, Principal Ke Jie was quite satisfied. "Haha, all of you have done well. It seems that over these years, none of you have slacked off in your cultivation—you've all reached at least Soul Emperor level."

"Tell me, where have you been training all these years?"

Oscar and Chen Huayu had been following Hao Te's soul-hunting team, traveling far and wide across battles. During this time, they had crossed paths with Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong.

Feng Xiaotian spent most of his time cultivating in Hurricane Valley, and his soul power had now reached Level 66. In between, he also ventured into the Great Star Dou Forest a few times with Huo Wu and others for further training.

As for Zhu Zhuqing, she trained in several perilous locations within the borders of the Star Luo Empire, steadily increasing her strength.

While everyone was chatting, two figures appeared at the entrance to the principal's office.

"Yu Die, Cai Die, you've finally returned!" Oscar waved with a smile.

Yu Die smiled shyly and greeted everyone, while Cai Die remained timidly behind her.

The places these two trained were different from the others—they had traveled almost half the continent. During this time, their cultivation hadn't fallen behind, and both had now reached Level 64 in soul power.

"Just Huang Wu and Bao Zhen are missing," Oscar sighed. "Ah, you might not know… since we parted ways outside Spirit City, Huang Wu and the others..."

Upon hearing about the severe injuries sustained during their mission, everyone's expressions darkened.

Oscar helplessly explained, "Fatty and I have trained for years but haven't found any herbs capable of fully healing their wounds."

Everyone immediately understood why they had returned to their hometowns—to live a secluded life away from the world.

Neither had ever spoken about their hometowns, so no one knew where to begin looking.

Ning Tianchen couldn't help but ask, "Principal Ke, I haven't had the chance to ask yet—what exactly happened to them? What caused such devastating injuries?"

As one of the higher-ups in the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Ke Jie naturally knew about this matter.

He sighed deeply and said, "People always harbor greed in their hearts. The sect sent them to investigate a location... Well, it's been so long now, so telling you won't hurt."

"During the Soul Master Tournament, a level 50-level steward from our sect accidentally stumbled into a mysterious realm—a possible ancient ruin or a naturally formed domain. Either way, it was extremely dangerous. A thirty-person team, including that steward, entered to explore. After being trapped inside for days, only he managed to escape. He encountered a disciple stationed nearby in a city and, before dying, relayed information about that domain."

"The disciple who received the news understood the gravity of the situation and immediately reported back to the sect leader. That day, the two of you happened to return to the sect—you probably remember him. He rushed past you without explanation."

Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong nodded; they vaguely recalled someone rushing toward the council hall at that time. At the time, focused on the Soul Master Tournament, Ning Tianchen hadn't paid much attention, but now he realized it was related to this incident.

Ke Jie continued, "The sect leader originally intended for them to investigate around the perimeter of the domain. However, after the steward left, the place was occupied by an unknown group of evil soul masters."

Huang Wu and Bao Zhen weren't alone when they arrived at Hongyang City—they went with a level 50 steward from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect stationed there. Unfortunately, they were ambushed by this group of evil soul masters along the way.

The steward sacrificed himself to save them, but Huang Wu and Bao Zhen still suffered greatly to escape.

According to their account, Huang Wu's arm was severed by a Soul Emperor wielding a bow-and-arrow spirit, while Bao Zhen's eyes were injured by a mental shock soul skill—his eyeballs liquefied into pus right in their sockets.

"Damn it!" Everyone angrily slammed their fists on Ke Jie's desk.

With their combined strength, the desk shattered into pieces instantly.

"What kind of bastards are these people?! Why didn't Father send someone to exterminate them!" Ning Rongrong fumed, ready to confront Ning Fengzhi back at the sect.

Both Huang Wu and Bao Zhen were disciples of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. According to sect rules, anyone harming its disciples without cause would face punishment. Why hadn't Ning Fengzhi avenged them?

Ke Jie patted her shoulder and forced a bitter smile. "The sect leader once sent me to investigate. When I arrived, I encountered soul masters from the Spirit Hall."

"Any appearance of evil soul masters on the continent is a top priority for the Spirit Hall. At that time, they dispatched an Elder at the Title Douluo level."

"Our sect couldn't afford to provoke conflict with the Spirit Hall, especially since they had already taken charge of the matter. All I could do was return and report to the sect leader."

"Later, I heard that the Spirit Hall's people stayed there for only a few days and took no action."

This information came from Qin Tian during the previous academic exchange conference.

However, as a Soul Douluo, Qin Tian wasn't privy to the movements of the Spirit Hall Elders, so he didn't know what the Elder did afterward.

In short, the Spirit Hall essentially let the matter drop.

---

After the incidents involving Huang Wu and Bao Zhen, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was busy negotiating with the imperial family to establish the Seven Treasures Imperial Advanced Soul Master Academy and expanding its commercial operations. This matter was eventually shelved.

Moreover, no one knew if there were treasures hidden in that mysterious domain. The losses incurred by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect were already significant enough. Sending more people to investigate would be akin to adding unnecessary risk—if they found nothing, the sect would suffer even greater losses.

Given the sect's commercial nature, Ning Fengzhi couldn't afford to gamble recklessly.

"Ah, what a mess." Ning Tianchen sighed and leaned back in a chair.

Ke Jie subtly waved his hand, using the soul-guiding device on his wrist to clean up the shattered remains of the desk.

"With your talents, as long as you don't slack off, you'll eventually become Title Douluo. Revenge can wait—ten years isn't too late for a gentleman."

Ning Tianchen abruptly stood up. "I'm no gentleman—I'll take revenge now!"

Everyone else rose as well, rallying behind him.

Although Huang Wu and Bao Zhen were substitutes during the Soul Master Tournament, they had long been considered brothers and sisters by the rest of the team. How could they not avenge their siblings?

Furthermore, Ning Tianchen wasn't acting purely out of emotion. Before setting out, he would meticulously plan every detail.

Most importantly, no Title Douluo-level evil soul masters had ever appeared on the current Douluo Continent. With their strength, there was still hope for vengeance.

Ke Jie quickly intervened, "Don't act rashly! If something happens to you, how will I explain to the sect leader?"

"Calm down for now. Later, I'll arrange activities for you within the academy."

Feng Xiaotian and the others instinctively turned to Ning Tianchen, just like during the Soul Master Tournament, waiting for him to make the final decision.

"For now, let's listen to the principal. We can't act purely on impulse—we need to prepare properly," Ning Tianchen said.

Though Ke Jie felt helpless, he succeeded in temporarily calming Ning Tianchen and the others, buying time to persuade them later.

---

Elsewhere

Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng headed to the rear mountain to visit Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong.

They didn't know whether the other members of the Shrek Seven Monsters remembered the five-year pact. Even if they did, with Shrek Academy reduced to rubble, whether they would find their way here remained uncertain.

Now, the two brothers had begun handling sect affairs, and it was foreseeable that they wouldn't have much free time in the future.

Regardless of whether they met the other members of the Shrek Seven Monsters, they decided to visit Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong.

It would serve as a final conclusion to their academy days.

On their way up the mountain, they noticed movement behind them and instinctively hid in the nearby woods.

Upon recognizing the person following them, their expressions darkened. "Who is this person? Why is he here?"

This rear mountain was still private property belonging to Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang. Without permission, no one was allowed to trespass.

The handsome young nobleman, dressed in fine attire, clearly looked like an intruder.

What they didn't know was that this person was Tang San.

Having altered his appearance and undergone the trials of the Slaughter City, Tang San's aura had undergone a complete transformation.

Unless he revealed his identity or displayed his twin martial souls, no one would recognize him.

Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng assumed he was an unwelcome guest.

When Tang San entered their attack range, the two moved in perfect coordination, flanking him from both sides.

"Tianxin, Tianheng," Tang San initially smiled, but then noticed their hostile expressions.

He realized his changed appearance had prevented them from recognizing him.

"Fourth Soul Skill: Blue Silver Prison Cage."

Reacting swiftly, Tang San summoned his Blue Silver Grass martial soul. In the next moment, countless strands of blue silver grass erupted from the ground, enveloping the two.

"Blue Silver Grass?" Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng exchanged glances.

They had heard about the academic exchange conference hosted by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, particularly the theories regarding Blue Silver Grass. They remembered it clearly.

On the entire continent, aside from Tang San, no one else used Blue Silver Grass as a control-type soul master.

Tang San smiled faintly and extended his other hand, revealing his Hao Tian Hammer martial soul.

After retracting the Blue Silver Grass, Yu Tianxin and Yu Tianheng were released. They cautiously approached him.

"Tang San, is that really you?"

Tang San explained, "I've encountered some things over the years, and my appearance has changed. How have you been? Have you visited Master recently?"

Yu Tianheng bitterly smiled. "You've seen the state of the academy. On our way back to Tiandou City, Master needed rest due to his injuries, so we paused for a few days."

"By the time we returned to Tiandou City, the academy's land had already been auctioned off by the Tiandou Empire and taken over by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Sigh… It's a pity. If we'd returned sooner, perhaps our family could have intervened."

"Again, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect!" Tang San clenched his fists tightly.

If Yu Tianheng hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't have known about this matter.

He had always assumed that the academy's financial difficulties—caused by their failure to win the championship and gain sufficient influence—had forced them to sell the land. He never expected that the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had colluded with the imperial family to seize Shrek Academy.

Yu Tianxin patted his shoulder and said, "You can't say that—it's not entirely true. At least the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect paid for the land. The academy's grounds were indeed purchased through legitimate channels."

Pausing for a moment, he suddenly sighed and added, "Tang San, there's something else you might not know. After you left, the Spirit Hall unilaterally canceled Shrek Academy's ranking in the Soul Master Tournament."

"Perhaps the Tiandou Empire felt ashamed and forcibly auctioned off the academy."

"The Spirit Hall!" Tang San's expression darkened.

After the Soul Master Tournament ended, he and Tang Hao had been hiding in remote areas, far removed from the outside world. How could he have known what was happening?

When he returned to Tiandou City a year ago, several years had already passed since the incident involving Shrek Academy. Moreover, the academy had been replaced by the Seven Treasures Department Store, and few people talked about what had happened back then.

If they hadn't mentioned it, he probably still wouldn't know about the Spirit Hall's despicable actions.

To him, the entire Spirit Hall deserved to be wiped out. In the future, he would make sure to pit the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the Spirit Hall against each other, allowing him to take them both down in one fell swoop.

Yu Tianheng placed an arm around his shoulder and said, "Today is our five-year reunion for the Shrek Seven Monsters. Let's talk about happy things. We can discuss the past another time."

Tang San took a few deep breaths and nodded indifferently.

After a pause, he asked, "What about the others? Do they know about the academy's situation?"

Yu Tianheng replied, "I've already sent someone to notify Tai Long. You know about Mubai's condition—he's been living with Uncle Xiao Gang all these years. Once we go down, we'll see him."

Pausing here, he continued, "We haven't heard from Jiang Zhu for a long time, so she probably won't return. As for Hong Jun… sigh, his brain condition has worsened over the years. Principal Flender took him away a few years ago, and we don't know where they went. It's unlikely they'll come back."

"And Xiao Wu… she left with you. Didn't she come back with you?"

Tang San explained, "Father sent Xiao Wu back home. Since we were in a rush, we didn't have time to pick her up. But after seeing Teacher, I'll go find her as soon as possible."

Yu Tianheng lamented slightly, "It seems that only a few of us will meet for this five-year reunion. Well, today is a happy occasion. Let's enjoy it while we can."

The three of them chatted and laughed as they made their way toward the mountaintop.

Yu Xiaogang, who had been keeping watch in front of the wooden cabin, quickly rushed forward when he saw the figures below.

In the original timeline, Tang San had met Yu Xiaogang during his studies at Moonlight Pavilion. But now, things were different. With Shrek Academy gone, it had taken Tang San a long time to find out where they lived, let alone meet Yu Xiaogang alone.

As expected, after a lengthy explanation, Yu Xiaogang finally believed Tang San's identity.

"Teacher, where's Mubai?" Tang San asked.

Yu Xiaogang sighed deeply and informed everyone of Dai Mubai's current situation.

Without male hormones in his body and being in a critical stage of growth, Dai Mubai had gradually become feminized. Now, he even dressed himself up flamboyantly. Without hearing his voice, no one would know whether he was male or female.

Tang San also felt helpless.

Over the years, he had been cultivating and paying attention to rare herbs. However, his luck wasn't good—he hadn't found any herbs capable of curing Dai Mubai.

Entering Dai Mubai's room, he was currently applying makeup in front of a mirror, fully embodying feminine behavior.

Moreover, his room had been decorated like a girl's boudoir.

"Mubai, it's me, Tang San. I'm back." Tang San spoke with a hint of guilt.

He had promised to help Dai Mubai, but he had been gone for five years, leading to this outcome.

Dai Mubai seemed indifferent to his own condition, merely responding with an "Oh" before continuing to fix his makeup.

"This…" Tang San was stunned.

During the Soul Master Tournament, Dai Mubai had been utterly hopeless about life. Now, he had chosen to accept his fate?

Dai Mubai's attitude toward them had grown much colder. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Tang San and the others left his room.

Yu Xiaogang anxiously asked, "Xiao San, over the years, I've bought some medicinal herbs for Mubai. Unfortunately, these herbs had very poor effects and may have even contributed to Mubai becoming like this…"

Yu Xiaogang had spent countless gold spirit coins purchasing herbs from Dugu's pharmacy over the years.

But before that, he had no money.

From these words, Tang San could roughly confirm that when the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect acquired the academy's land, they had indeed paid Yu Xiaogang for it.

"Teacher, herbs capable of regenerating lost limbs are extremely rare. For Mubai's condition, I currently have no solution. Moreover, I still need to go pick up Xiao Wu, so I can't stay here for too long."

With that, Yu Xiaogang led him into the living room.

Through their conversation, everyone learned about the three conditions set by the second elder of the Hao Tian Sect for Tang San.

"Isn't this too unreasonable?" Liu Erlong spoke bluntly.

Tang San was also at a loss.

After all, this was what their family owed to the sect. Without sufficient strength, he could only endure silently.

After analyzing the situation, Yu Xiaogang said, "Xiao San, given your talent, completing these three conditions shouldn't be too difficult. You already possess Soul Emperor-level strength, and with your talent, breaking through to Level 80 within ten years shouldn't be hard."

"Killing a Title Douluo from the Spirit Hall within twenty years is also achievable. The Spirit Hall has lower-ranked Title Douluos, and with your twin martial soul talent, you have a high chance of defeating one."

"The hardest part is obtaining a hundred-thousand-year soul ring within ten years."

Hundred-thousand-year soul beasts were extremely rare on the continent. Yu Xiaogang only knew of the Titan Ape and Azure Sky Bull Python in the Star Dou Great Forest as hundred-thousand-year soul beasts, and then there was Xiao Wu.

However, these three were closely related, making it difficult to act against them.

For Yu Xiaogang, the simplest option would naturally be to betray Xiao Wu and obtain her hundred-thousand-year soul ring. But considering the relationship between Tang San and Xiao Wu, this was clearly impossible. Therefore, he didn't mention it.

"We'll cross the bridge when we get there, taking it step by step. I still have ten years. Who knows, I might find traces of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in the future."

As they spoke, Tai Long walked into the wooden cabin.

After a brief exchange, he finally recognized Tang San as his young master.

Not giving them time to converse, Yu Xiaogang quickly pulled Tang San into a nearby room and closed the door.

"Xiao San, you have to help me," Yu Xiaogang pleaded desperately.

Tang San, confused, asked, "Teacher, what happened?"

Yu Xiaogang replied, "Xiao San, you know that during the academic exchange conference, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect conspired with numerous scholars to set me up. I wasn't prepared, and when I showed my face, they seized the opportunity to accuse my theories of plagiarism, using such fabricated charges to ruin my reputation…"

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