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After many years of absence, the stronghold of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan remained unchanged.
The matter was grave, and Yu Xiaogang didn't dare return home during the day. He only dared to sneak back under the cover of darkness, cloaked in a hooded robe to conceal his identity.
"Halt! State your name!" the guard called out.
Yu Xiaogang's current appearance was bound to raise suspicions as an outsider.
He lifted his hood, revealing a face marked by the passage of time.
"I'm home."
The guard, an elder of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, naturally recognized Yu Xiaogang and immediately grew alarmed. Why had the second young master returned?
The guard was about to go inside and report, but Yu Xiaogang raised a hand to stop him.
"Don't make a fuss. I've returned to discuss an urgent matter with Father. Is he in the study right now?"
Yu Yuanzhen's daily routine was always predictable. At this hour, he should be reading in his study. The guard respectfully nodded.
"Yes."
Yu Xiaogang then walked in on his own, pulling the hood back over his head.
"Keep my return a secret. Understood?" Yu Xiaogang reiterated cautiously.
The guard quickly nodded in agreement. With eccentric soul masters like those of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, he dared not disobey. Moreover, returning home in such a secretive manner likely meant something serious was afoot. As a lowly individual, it was best not to get involved.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
A knock came at the door. As the clan leader, Yu Yuanzhen symbolized strength and handled all matters big and small within the sect. Assuming someone had come to report, he didn't even look up as he said,
"Enter."
As he flipped through the book in his hands, the usual sound of a subordinate reporting was absent, which puzzled Yu Yuanzhen. He looked up.
Though it had been many years, Yu Yuanzhen instantly recognized his own son.
"You're back."
Yu Yuanzhen's tone was neutral, but it brought immense relief to Yu Xiaogang.
"Mm."
The study fell into silence once more. After a moment, Yu Yuanzhen asked,
"I thought you'd wander outside for a few more years. It seems you've encountered something you can't handle. Tell me."
To have been groomed as the leader of this generation among his peers, Yu Yuanzhen wasn't just gifted—he was also perceptive.
Hadn't Yu Luo Mian, his peer, been stuck at level 89 for years?
With a thud, Yu Xiaogang knelt on the ground, his forehead pressing against the floor. The dull sound startled Yu Yuanzhen.
This must be serious. But why hadn't the clan's spies reported any major trouble for Xiaogang?
As Yu Yuanzhen's direct heir, how could he not have covert protection? After all, there were plenty of reckless and fallen soul masters on the Douluo Continent.
Frowning deeply, Yu Yuanzhen said, "Stop kneeling. That won't solve anything. Speak clearly, Xiaogang. Don't forget—you still have a 95th-level Title Douluo father supporting you."
But Yu Xiaogang didn't rise. Instead, he said, "Son is unfilial. I've brought great calamity upon the family. I humbly ask for punishment."
Yu Yuanzhen's expression darkened.
This overly dramatic display irritated him. With a wave of his hand, a surge of soul power forced Yu Xiaogang upright.
"Speak!"
Under the pressure of his father's authoritative aura, Yu Xiaogang spilled everything—every encounter with Tang Hao over the years, pouring it out like beans from a bamboo tube.
The more Yu Yuanzhen listened, the darker his expression grew. His child truly had the worst luck.
With a fierce slam of his hand on the ornate wooden desk, Yu Yuanzhen growled, "That wretch Tang Hao dares to bully the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan so brazenly!"
But recalling Tang Hao's feat of killing the 95th-level Qian Xunji, who was undoubtedly even stronger now, Yu Yuanzhen's face turned even darker.
"Xiaogang, you've done well not to provoke Tang Hao outright. Otherwise, it would have been a catastrophic disaster for our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Even I wouldn't stand a chance against him now."
Yu Xiaogang quickly agreed. If Tang Hao weren't so powerful, he would have long since sought revenge by having his father eliminate Tang Hao.
The study fell silent again.
Whether or not to allow Tang San to study at Thunderclap Academy was a monumental decision.
If they refused, it would mean openly opposing Tang Hao. When he came knocking, targeting Yu Yuanzhen—the pillar of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—it could mean the end of him. Without a Title Douluo, the clan would face the wrath of the lower four sects, numerous Soul Battle Lords, and even opportunistic royalty. After all, a family with a long-standing Title Douluo was a tempting target for these major powers.
But if Tang San studied at Thunderclap Academy, it would mean the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had aided the Heaven Dou Sect. The plight of the Heaven Dou Sect's affiliated forces in recent years was plain to see. A sect with six Title Douluos had been driven into seclusion—how could a single-Title Douluo clan like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon survive? In the end, they'd likely be discarded like tools after their usefulness ended.
Yu Yuanzhen had considered hiding with the clan's key assets for a while to see how things unfolded, but he couldn't bear to part with the vast profits generated by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's operations.
For a moment, Yu Yuanzhen was caught between a rock and a hard place. But then again, it wasn't the first time he'd cleaned up his son's messes. Still, this was the most challenging one yet.
Yu Xiaogang sat silently, like a frightened cicada, not daring to make a sound and disturb his father's thoughts.
After a long while, Yu Yuanzhen sighed.
There was no way out. He couldn't think of a solution. The best option would leave the clan severely weakened in seclusion—but Yu Yuanzhen was unwilling to accept that. How humiliating for the continent's number one beast martial soul to be reduced to such a state.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Yu Yuanzhen, like a drowning man grasping at a lifeline.
"Xiaogang, return to your room and rest. I need to go out for a bit." With that, Yu Yuanzhen transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the horizon.
Watching his father's departing figure, Yu Xiaogang felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. How useless he was.
"Damn you, Tang Hao. Just give me a chance," Yu Xiaogang muttered furiously, powerless.
Seven Treasures City, one of the few cities owned by top-tier powers on the Douluo Continent, belonged to the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Sect.
It was also one of the most economically prosperous cities on the continent, rivaling even the two imperial capitals.
Ning Fengzhi was, as usual, handling documents in his office. Unlike other factions, the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Sect's primary business was commerce. Leveraging their innate advantages, they amassed vast resources to cultivate powerful individuals, solidifying their position among the upper three sects.
Sitting beside Ning Fengzhi were Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, engaged in a game of chess.
Suddenly, both froze and turned toward the door simultaneously.
Bone Douluo's slightly effeminate voice rang out, "Rare visitor indeed, Old Dragon."
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