Sitting on Sea God Island, unable to attach a spirit ring, Tang San, who hadn't gained any new power, felt inexplicably irritated.
Since leaving Notting Academy, everything seemed to be going against him.
The gate of the Clear Sky Sect was destroyed, the place where the Blue Silver Emperor awakened had vanished, and now Yu Xiaogang's promise to find him a method to cultivate twin martial spirits had yet to be fulfilled.
The thing he regretted most in his life was worshipping that liar as his teacher. It was one thing to get that useless spirit ring, but failing to do what he promised while standing at the brink of death was another.
In truth, it wasn't that Yu Xiaogang didn't want to fulfill his promise—he simply couldn't. Bibi Dong didn't give him the chance to speak, and even if he had wanted to play the emotional card, it wouldn't have worked.
When the Spirit Hall launched a large-scale attack on the Heaven Dou Empire, Flender quickly rushed from Tiandou Royal Academy to Notting City and brought the decadent, indulgent Yu Xiaogang into the retreating team.
Later, they joined the three major educational committees and the teams from the four elemental academies and rebuilt a new academy called Star Dou in the southeastern region of the Star Luo Empire, managed collectively by the five major powers.
Yu Xiaogang wanted a position at the academy, but he didn't expect the leadership to lack vision and fail to recognize his talent.
Frustrated, he could only return to his old role and rely on Flender's name as the Spirit Saint to survive in Star Dou Academy.
Later, when he learned that Heaven Dou had fallen and Bibi Dong had become the Empress of the Spirit Empire, he was so enraged he coughed blood onto Flender's face and collapsed entirely.
After finally waking under the careful care of Master Ye Renxin, he did not rest or recover. Instead, he personally went among the major forces, intending to persuade them to unite and destroy the evil Spirit Empire.
However, he no longer had the support of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect. In name, he was the reason for its downfall, and he had no moral high ground.
Secondly, he no longer had Tang San—an outstanding disciple deeply respected and loved in the original novel—so others no longer cared about him as a minor soul master.
After being rejected by many forces, Yu Xiaogang finally accepted reality. He had to reconnect with the Haotian Sect's descendants and a talented disciple favored by Sea God Island.
He changed course and stopped lobbying for attacks on the Spirit Empire. Instead, he started searching for news of Tang San and promoting his own abilities.
The leaders of the various forces were tired of hearing "my disciple Tang San has the potential of a god." Because of Tang San and Sea God Island, they only paid him lip service and politely sent him away.
Yet Yu Xiaogang still managed to gather the news he needed, though he refused to believe that his most talented disciple had truly fled with the soul masters of Sea God Island.
"No, that's impossible. This must be a conspiracy by the Spirit Empire. Xiao San must have a plan. Showing weakness to the enemy now is just a tactic to confuse the world.
Yes, that must be it. I have to find a way to help him. It's time to give Xiao San that item."
Flender watched Yu Xiaogang pacing the room, muttering to himself and fiddling with something, and felt a bit exhausted.
He had accompanied him in visiting various great powers recently, wearing a grim expression the whole time. Yu Xiaogang was too weak to see anything clearly.
As a Spirit Saint, Flender could sense things. The disgust and killing intent in the eyes of Titled Douluo and Soul Douluo were no joke.
Now, seeing Yu Xiaogang's red eyes and excited demeanor, Flender suddenly had a bad feeling. Was he going to offend another power this time?
Sure enough, before he could ask, Yu Xiaogang excitedly grabbed his shoulders, shook him, and said something that broke Flender's heart:
"Flender, let's go to Spirit Emperor City."
Are you crazy or am I hallucinating? Flender couldn't believe his ears. He'd rather believe Yu Xiaogang had gone mad and was talking nonsense.
What was Spirit Emperor City?
That city used to be Heaven Dou City and had now become the capital of the Spirit Empire. Could remnants of Heaven Dou really go there?
Flender originally thought they would visit another strong faction in the Star Luo Empire. With the support of Star Dou Academy and their nominal title as Tang San's teachers, their lives would be safe.
But Spirit Emperor City was different. The Titled Douluo there wanted to tear Tang San apart. Going there would be like lambs walking into a tiger's mouth.
"Xiao Gang, should we reconsider this?"
"No, I've already decided. Bibi Dong will give me face."
Flender's hands froze mid-motion, his usual mercenary smile disappeared, and his slightly arched eyebrows twitched.
She'll give you face? If your face were useful, the leaders of Star Dou Academy would've already given you a teaching position.
Still, there might be a slim chance. Flender thought carefully. He did know about Yu Xiaogang's history with Bibi Dong. But after so many years, would it still work?
"Xiaogang, why don't we think it over again? She's now a madwoman bent on destroying the Heaven Dou Empire."
"I've already decided. Only she knows the cultivation method for twin martial spirits. For Xiao San's sake, I'd go through fire and water.
And I believe Bibi Dong won't turn me away. I'll be fine."
"…Alright, alright."
Flender knew he couldn't stop Yu Xiaogang, so he agreed and personally accompanied him to the outskirts of Spirit Emperor City.
"Flender, wait for me outside the city."
"No, it's too dangerous for you to go alone."
"If she wants to act, one step is all it takes."
Flender fell silent. He was just a low-level Spirit Saint. He might've been a leader among minor forces, but in a place like Spirit Emperor City, he was nothing.
He could only watch as Yu Xiaogang stepped into Spirit Emperor City. That place was like a demon's lair, silently swallowing his old friend whole.
A hooded soul master slipped into the bustling Spirit Hall unnoticed. When Yu Xiaogang tried to enter the Spirit Hall, he was stopped.
"Stop, who are you?"
"How dare you! I'm an elder of the Spirit Hall. How dare you stop me?"
Facing the overlapping spears of the guards, Yu Xiaogang remained calm. He slowly took out a Spirit Hall elder's token from his hand—a token given to him by Bibi Dong in their youth.
The guards recognized the token but had never seen such a weak elder before. So, they had no choice but to pass the message along.