Nine years passed in silence, yet the world was anything but calm.
Tang San, now a figure of legend, no longer appeared in public. His presence had vanished like mist before the rising sun, yet his influence had grown even more oppressive. Though he spoke nothing, moved nowhere, and did nothing publicly—his shadow loomed over every empire, sect, and ancient power.
Deep within the hidden realm of the Tang Clan, beneath the vast mountains reinforced by countless spirit formations and protective seals, Tang San sat in quiet meditation.
His cultivation had reached the peak of Rank 98, and the threshold of godhood stood before him. Yet he did not ascend.
Instead, he forged his path in solitude, rejecting the established Divine Realm. His ancient technique—one no other being could practice without dying—continued refining his talent slowly and steadily. Unlike cheap schemes or shortcuts, this was true refinement, year after year.
The ancient technique improved talent by only 1% per year, and now, after nearly a decade of pain, comprehension, and stability, he had increased his talent by nearly 10%. However, he knew well that each next percent would be ten times harder. The road he walked was steep and endless.
To speed up his preparation, Tang San consumed a rare ice-fire immortal medicine he obtained long ago from the lake where two opposing elements coexisted. The pill triggered an instant 10% leap in talent, a staggering breakthrough for any cultivator, especially someone at his level. The pain was excruciating. It felt as if every cell in his body was being reforged by the laws of heaven.
And yet, he endured it in silence.
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Outside, the Tang Clan had flourished under his silent leadership.
The clan was now the most powerful force on the continent, having integrated the remnants of the Haotian Clan and grown into a triad structure:
Fighters, who trained under refined spirit combat techniques.
Resource Collectors, who expanded Tang Clan's reach into mines, forests, and ancient ruins.
Spirit Weapon Forgers, who began crafting divine-tier weapons for the first time.
The clan ranked its members in a strict hierarchical system:
Outer Members, who made contributions in logistics and base labor.
Inner Members, who passed intense trials.
Main Faction, composed only of titled Douluo above Rank 90, with further divisions:
Elite Elders (90–95)
Supreme Elders (95–98)
Heaven Elders (Peak of 98+)
Only Tang San held the title of Heaven Elder.
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To further guide his clan, Tang San created small-scale techniques based on his personal knowledge, such as:
Three-in-One Strike, usable by his disciples. It combined the first three spirit rings to form a single devastating attack.
Artificial Spirit Ring Formation: A method to form spirit rings artificially up to 100,000 years. The strength was only 80% of natural ones, and required immense physical strength and spiritual control. Still, it was a gift in an age where high-year spirit beasts were scarce.
Spirit Ring Destruction-Rebirth: A forbidden technique known only to Tang San. It allowed the destruction of one's own ring and the retrieval of a better one by killing another beast. Only he could survive the backlash of this technique.
But most shockingly, he had now created his first godhood prototype—a Normal Godhood.
Yet he discarded it.
He would not ascend with a low-tier inheritance. He had discovered the ranking of godhood:
Low
Normal
High
Elite
Supreme
Tang San's ambition was not to become a god, but the supreme god, one forged from his own path and powered by karma, not shackles.
He crushed the godhood prototype with his bare hands, letting its glow scatter into the wind.
"I do not want permission," he whispered. "I will take it."
---
Meanwhile, whispers of the Tang Clan's growth terrified other powers. Spirit Hall, now under the divine shadow of Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong, began to reallocate resources. Other sects shifted their disciples into hiding. No one dared confront the Tang Clan directly.
Especially when rumors spread that Tang San's power had reached the level of a God, yet he still remained in the mortal realm.
And though he remained quiet and distant, his wife, once a spirit beast, had become a powerful Peak Rank 99 Douluo. She was now capable of taking full spirit beast form and releasing terrifying pressure with spirit energy nearly indistinguishable from divine aura. Her rings were all natural—gifts of her body and heritage—and not even Tang San dared to modify them. He protected her quietly, and while he seldom showed affection, the world knew he valued her deeply.
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The clan now turned toward one single purpose: ascension and supremacy through strength alone. Tang San would not play schemes. He would cultivate, create, and dominate through rightful power.
The heavens could no longer ignore him.
But he still ignored them.