After Tang San and Xiao Wu calmed down, Tang Chen instructed everyone to go back and pack their belongings in preparation to return to the Clear Sky Clan together.
Upon hearing Tang Chen's words, the three naturally had no objections. Dai Mubai, whose arms were sore from all the waving, ran back to his room in relief. Yu Xiaogang, whose expression occasionally shifted, also silently returned to his room to pack his luggage.
Just as Xiao Wu was about to enter her room, Tang San couldn't hold back any longer and stopped her, his eyes filled with tears. His current disheveled appearance even made Xiao Wu feel a little uncomfortable.
"Third Brother, what's wrong?" Xiao Wu reluctantly called him "Third Brother," her gaze still carrying traces of awkwardness and discomfort.
"Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu, tell me, why did you just come out of the same room as Dai Mubai? He, he…"
Tang San had a lot on his mind and even more to say. However, his emotions were so intense that his left brain seemed to attack his right brain. Under this internal conflict, all he could manage was a series of stammering words. If Xiao Wu hadn't spent so much time with him, she might not have understood what he meant.
"Third Brother, you're overthinking it. The two of us were just in the same room to watch each other's backs and avoid being ambushed."
"Then why wasn't the teacher with you?"
Tang San, still caught up in his inner struggle, blurted out the question subconsciously. However, as soon as the words left his mouth, he quickly realized the answer with the sharp mind he possessed.
Yu Xiaogang, after having his martial soul crippled, had developed digestive and excretory issues, rendering him unable to control his bodily functions. The resulting odor alone made it unbearable to stay in the same room with him, let alone rely on him for any meaningful protection.
After a moment of silence, Xiao Wu nodded in acknowledgment of Tang San's reasoning and then returned to her room to pack. Within a short time, everyone had finished packing their belongings and changed into fresh clothes, ready to set off with Tang Chen.
Initially, Xiao Wu and Dai Mubai thought Tang Chen would lead them to sneak back to the Clear Sky Clan quietly. To their surprise, Tang Chen took them straight to the nearest Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's trade guild, revealed his martial soul and soul rings, and directly commanded the local steward of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to prepare carriages for their journey.
In less than an hour, a caravan belonging to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan departed from the town. Sitting in the luxurious carriage, Xiao Wu and Dai Mubai felt a sense of emptiness as they experienced the stark contrast between their expectations and reality. Only Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, watching Tang Chen's domineering actions, felt a deep sense of admiration.
With Tang Chen's strength, there was no need for him to hide. Not only could he escort them back to the Clear Sky Clan openly, but even if he revealed Xiao Wu's identity as a 100,000-year soul beast in human form and took her on a tour of the entire continent, no one, except for a few reckless individuals, would dare to make a move.
After all, unlike Qian Daoliu, who was more of a benevolent figure, Tang Chen was known for his ruthlessness during his travels across the continent. He had a history of exterminating clans and sects without hesitation.
As a Rank 99 Ultimate Douluo, Tang Chen alone could devastate six of the seven major sects. Only a fool would provoke such a terrifying individual.
...
We'll set aside Tang San's journey back to the Clear Sky Clan for now. Meanwhile, within a secret realm, Chen Ming sat at the foot of Thunder God Mountain, carefully experiencing the process of being tempered by the lightning that struck down from the sky.
The first trial of the Thunder God required him to endure the tempering of heavenly lightning at the mountain's base for twelve hours. However, the God of Arrogance suggested doubling the duration to twenty-four hours.
At this point, Chen Ming's body was already incredibly strong. The lightning at the mountain's base caused minimal damage and training effects. Even so, for safety's sake, he spent four hours each day in the secret realm, allowing the heavenly lightning to temper his body.
After completing his daily Thunder God trial, Chen Ming would head to the neighboring Strength Mountain for further testing. Unlike the relatively smooth process of enduring heavenly lightning, the trials at Strength Mountain were significantly more challenging for Chen Ming.
The first stage required twenty points, which doubled to forty points under the God of Arrogance's suggestion. A Titled Douluo-level phantom was worth four points, a Super Douluo-level phantom was worth eight points, and an Ultimate Douluo-level phantom was worth thirty-two points.
Chen Ming, using all his abilities, could defeat an Ultimate Douluo-level phantom. However, unwilling to reveal too many of his hidden techniques, he opted for a more restrained approach, battling only Super Douluo-level phantoms.
The purpose of the Strength Mountain's phantom trials was to enhance the combat experience, akin to a milder version of the Slaughter City's Killing God Trial. Chen Ming used this opportunity to practice rarely-used techniques he had learned over time.
Whether it was his Elemental Domain, Sevenfold Judgement, or Evil-Breaking Claw, techniques inherited from predecessors of the Douluo Plane, Chen Ming began to bring them out and refine them in battle.
With abilities like the Diamond Body, various hand seals to guide soul power and emotion-driven skills, Chen Ming also practiced techniques he had created based on novels from his past life, perfecting them through actual combat.
Through repeated battles against different opponents and constant usage of his various abilities, Chen Ming felt his strength improve significantly.
Ever since the early years, his foundational attributes had never been a weakness. However, due to his rapid and extraordinary power growth, coupled with the presence of the Asura God's pawn, he seldom had the chance to display his full potential in combat. As a result, his battle experience was lacking compared to others of his level.
Strength Mountain became a platform for Chen Ming to master his power and techniques. Beyond utilizing his poisons, Chen Ming also experimented with elemental abilities, swordsmanship, and other skills. Sometimes, he even suppressed his attributes to match those of the phantoms before engaging in battle.
Under such conditions, although his win-loss record was mixed, his growth far exceeded what he could achieve by relying on brute force to overwhelm his opponents. This process even gave Chen Ming a clearer vision of his future path.
One ordinary night, as Chen Ming sat on a rooftop, gazing at the stars and attempting to channel their celestial energy into his body, the God of Arrogance appeared beside him like a ghost.
After glancing at Chen Ming, who was guiding the power of the stars, the God of Arrogance said nothing. He simply sat silently nearby, waiting for Chen Ming to finish his self-adjustments. Once Chen Ming had settled, the God of Arrogance looked at him meaningfully and slowly spoke.
"I just visited that place you call the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."