thefictionvixens Chapter 278 Dealing with Tang 3? Deceiving him into revealing the secret technique of exploding ring
Chapter 278 Dealing with Tang 3? Deceiving him into revealing the secret technique of exploding ring
Chapter 278 Dealing with Tang San? Tricking him into revealing the secret technique of exploding rings!
Seeing this completely unexpected outcome, the Seventh Elder's shock was quickly replaced by a sense of satisfaction. He then flashed to Tang Chuan's side and urgently said:
"Tang Wei! What... what exactly is going on?"
"What happened in the smoke and dust just now? How did Tang San...?"
Upon hearing this, Tang Chuan sneered inwardly, but on the surface he appeared shaken and bewildered. He swallowed hard and stammered, "..."
"Seventh...Seventh Elder, I...I don't know what happened! When the dust rose, I couldn't see anything anymore. I only...I only saw Tang San struggling and rolling around in pain, and then...then he suddenly collapsed and couldn't get up!"
"Could it be...could it be that he forcibly used that explosive ring and suffered a backlash?"
His statement completely absolved him of any responsibility.
They attributed all the anomalies to the backlash from Tang San's ring explosion and his mental breakdown.
Upon hearing this, the Seventh Elder had no doubt and was even more convinced of his judgment, letting out a hearty laugh: "Hahaha! That's right! It must be so!"
"That damned beast, overestimating himself, forcibly detonated a spirit ring, especially a ten-thousand-year-old one. Who else would suffer the backlash if not him? He deserved it! Karma!"
His laughter abruptly stopped. He first glanced with disgust at Tang San, who lay unconscious on the ground like a rag doll, then abruptly turned his head, his gaze turning coldly to Tang Xiao, whose face was extremely pale on the platform. His voice carried an undeniable air of authority:
"Sect Leader! Everyone heard that!"
"Tang San himself said that if he lost, he would be at the mercy of others! Now that he has been defeated by Tang Wei, his fate should be decided by the victor, by our sect!"
"In my opinion, this boy is wicked, having defiled the sect's martial spirit to such an extent, and has even secretly learned forbidden techniques of the sect. His crimes are unforgivable! We might as well go all the way and cripple his Clear Sky Hammer martial spirit, then imprison him in the forbidden area of the back mountain until he dies of old age! Only in this way can we uphold the sect's prestige and comfort the spirits of the sect disciples who died unjustly because of his father!"
"No!"
Upon hearing this, Tang Xiao's face turned deathly pale. He abruptly stood up, his voice hoarse with urgency, and said, "Seventh Elder! This is too much! Xiao San... he is, after all, Hao Di's only blood relative, the old sect leader's grandson! He is still young and has gone astray. As elders, we should guide and educate him. How can we be so cruel as to sever his foundation and imprison him for life?! How can I face Hao Di in the future? How can I face my father in the afterlife?!"
"Guide? Instruct?" The Seventh Elder scoffed, pressing on relentlessly.
"Sect Leader! How long are you going to keep deceiving yourself?"
"Look at him! Look at his martial spirit! Look at the evil methods he used! And look at his insane nature! This kind of wicked creature is rotten to the core; how can guidance save him? Keeping him alive is the greatest danger to the sect!"
Tang Xiao, however, argued forcefully, trying to find various reasons to exonerate Tang San, saying:
"Xiao San... after all, he possesses twin martial souls, a truly exceptional talent! As long as we resolve the issue with his Clear Sky Hammer's soul rings and allow him to focus on cultivation, his future might not be so uncertain..."
"The future?" The Seventh Elder rudely interrupted him, angrily shouting, "A Soul Emperor who can't even defeat a Soul Sect in the future? Tang Xiao! Wake up! Stop being blinded by that pitiful family affection! If we don't punish him severely today, how can we convince the masses? How can we explain this to the entire sect?!"
"I have my own plan! This matter needs further consideration!"
"Wait until the long term? Wait until this wretched child becomes like his father, dragging the sect into utter ruin? We must settle this today!"
The two of them talked back and forth, their voices rising higher and higher, and their emotions becoming increasingly agitated.
In the council hall, which had just experienced a great battle, they actually started arguing fiercely in front of all the disciples of the sect, like commoners, and neither could convince the other.
Seeing the escalating argument between Sect Master Tang Xiao and the Seventh Elder, the atmosphere becoming increasingly tense, threatening to completely break off relations at the slightest disagreement, the Second Elder, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up again:
"Sect Master, although Seventh Brother's words are harsh, they are not entirely without reason. This boy is ruthless and acts without regard for the consequences. He has even defiled the Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul to such an unsightly state, which is an unprecedented disgrace to the sect! If he is not severely punished, how can we uphold the sect's rules? How can we comfort our ancestors?"
The Second Elder's statement was like pouring hot oil on a raging fire.
He was highly respected, and his opinions carried significant weight throughout the entire Haotian Sect.
Tang Xiao's expression immediately darkened. He took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Second Elder, Seventh Elder! Let's put today's matter aside for a few days! Don't forget, Sect Master Ning of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and Bone Douluo are still alive. Our most urgent task is to discuss the important matter of forming an alliance to fight against the Spirit Hall! Tang San's matter is an internal sect affair and will be discussed later!"
He tried to use the bigger picture to pressure Tang San and buy him some time to recover.
However, as soon as these words were spoken, not only the Seventh Elder and the Second Elder, but also the Third Elder, the Fourth Elder, and the Fifth Elder, who had previously remained neutral or observed, all changed their expressions!
The Third Elder stepped forward, his tone filled with strong dissatisfaction, and said, "Sect Master! What do you mean by this? Do you really intend to act unilaterally and favor this wretched child to the very end?!"
"Sect Master! Sect rules are paramount! How can we disregard them just because of outsiders?"
The Fourth Elder echoed in a deep voice.
The five elders stood up simultaneously, forming an invisible encirclement around Tang Xiao, who sat in the main seat. Although the five powerful auras belonging to Title Douluos hadn't fully erupted, they surged and churned within the hall like undercurrents, subtly merging together and pressing down on Tang Xiao!
The implication of a coup was no longer concealed!
If Tang San isn't dealt with today, they will never let this go!
Tang Xiao felt the heavy pressure coming at him. His face turned ashen, his fists clenched, and veins throbbed on his forehead. As the sect leader, he was strong, but he also felt extremely troubled and isolated when facing the combined pressure from the five elders.
Just when the atmosphere was at its most tense and almost completely out of control!
A clear, yet anxious female voice rang out; it was Tang Yuehua.
"Uncles and elders! Please calm down!"
She quickly walked to the middle of the two sides, faced the elders, and bowed deeply.
"Yuehua knows that you uncles are angry, and it is for the sake of the sect's reputation. But please understand, my elder brother... he also has his own difficulties, after all, we are connected by blood."
At this point, she changed the subject and proposed a compromise.
"I have a suggestion, but I'm not sure if I should say it."
Her gaze shifted to the unconscious Tang San on the ground, and she slowly said, "Since my grandfather disappeared, no one in the sect has mastered the Exploding Ring Technique of my Clear Sky Sect. Now, only my second brother knows this secret technique. And now, he has passed it on to you, Little San."
"In my opinion, it would be better to wait until Xiao San wakes up and then order him to hand over the cultivation manual and insights of the Ring-Exploding Secret Technique, returning them to the sect! This way, he can atone for his sins and perhaps offset some of his mistakes. What do you all think?"
Upon hearing this, the elders exchanged glances, their eyes flashing with thoughtful expression.
The importance of the Ring-Breaking Technique to the sect is self-evident.
If they can take this opportunity to reclaim it, it will undoubtedly be a tremendous achievement for the sect.
But the Seventh Elder still snorted coldly and said, "Hmph! The Exploding Ring is a sect property; it's only right that he hand it over! How can that be considered offsetting his mistake?"
Tang Yuehua seemed to have anticipated his response and calmly explained:
"Seventh Uncle is absolutely right. The Ring Explosion Technique is indeed a sect artifact. But... if we truly punish Tang San severely today, or even... cripple his martial soul, please consider, given Second Brother's obsessive nature, would he still return the complete Ring Explosion Technique to the sect? At that time, this supreme secret technique passed down from our grandfather would probably be completely severed along with him and his father!"
Her last words struck the hearts of every elder like a heavy hammer!
Yes!
If Tang San were forced to his death, or completely crippled, Tang Hao, who was far away, would inevitably break with the sect completely, and might even become its mortal enemy! How could he possibly hand over the Exploding Ring Secret Technique so easily?
Losing Tang San likely means losing the chance to reclaim the Ring-Exploding Secret Technique forever!
The thought of this possibility left even the most radical Seventh Elder in the entire sect speechless, his expression shifting unpredictably.
An eerie silence fell over the hall.
No one expected the tense atmosphere of the coup just now.
Tang Yuehua's reasonable and incisive words temporarily resolved the situation.
At this moment, everyone's eyes were focused on the unconscious Tang San.
Seeing that the elders fell silent because of Tang Yuehua's words, and their anger subsided slightly, indicating that they were weighing the pros and cons in their hearts, Tang Xiao knew that this was the key moment to break the deadlock.
The next second, he immediately suppressed his excitement from the argument with the Seventh Elder, regained his composure as the head of a sect, and pressed his advantage, saying:
"What Yuehua said is indeed what I was thinking, and it is also for the long-term benefit of the sect."
"The Explosion Ring is the foundation of our Haotian Sect, its supreme secret, and it must never be lost."
"Tang San has made a mistake and should be severely punished, but if punishing him leads to the extinction of the secret technique, we will all become sinners of the sect and have no face to face our ancestors."
He paused briefly at this point, giving everyone time to think.
"Let's follow Yuehua's advice. Once Tang San wakes up, I'll order him to hand over the Ring-Detonating Secret Technique to atone for his mistakes. As for his impure martial soul and immoral character, we can expel him from the sect after he recovers and banish him from using the Clear Sky Hammer for life. As for taking back his martial soul, that's unnecessary."
"After all, if stripping a genius of their martial spirit results in a significant loss of strength and the destruction of their talent, is that what you elders would want to see? In any case, they also have the blood of our Clear Sky Sect flowing through their veins, a fact that none of you elders can deny."
Tang Xiao's words were reasonable and well-founded.
It acknowledges the necessity of punishment while emphasizing the paramount importance of preserving the secret method, offering a seemingly compromise solution while also adopting a much more conciliatory stance.
Upon hearing this, the elders exchanged glances again.
The Second Elder pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded and said:
"What the sect leader and Yuehua said makes sense. The inheritance of secret techniques is related to the foundation of the sect and must be handled with care. Let's go with this plan, first take back the Ring-Breaking Instruction, and then deal with the mistake."
Even the most stubborn Seventh Elder, after letting out a heavy snort, did not voice his objection, which could be considered tacit agreement. Although he hated Tang Hao and his son to the extreme, he also knew the significance of the Ring Destruction technique to the sect, and ultimately dared not bear the eternal sin of causing its loss.
Seeing that the elders had finally reached a consensus, Tang Xiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This most troublesome hurdle had finally been temporarily overcome. He immediately turned his gaze to Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo, who had been waiting on the sidelines for a long time, and bowed apologetically, saying:
"Sect Leader Ning, Bone Douluo, I am truly sorry. These are trivial matters within the sect that have caused you both to have to laugh at me and have delayed our important business."
Ning Fengzhi, who had been calmly observing the internal turmoil of the Haotian Sect with a smile on his face, returned Tang Xiao's apology with an elegant bow, his voice gentle and refined:
"Sect Leader Tang, you flatter me. Every family has its own troubles, and I understand. Now that your sect's internal affairs have been temporarily resolved, we can continue to discuss our grand plan to form an alliance against the Spirit Hall."
He adopted a humble attitude, giving the Haotian Sect ample face, while also cleverly steer the conversation back to the most important topic of the day.
"Exactly." Tang Xiao nodded, gesturing with his hand, and said:
"Sect Leader Ning, Bone Douluo, please take a seat. Let us discuss this in detail."
Soon, everyone's attention shifted from Tang San, who was lying unconscious on the ground, and refocused on the alliance that concerned the future of the two major powers and even the entire continent.
The elders of the Haotian Sect returned to their places. Although they might still harbor resentment towards Tang San, they temporarily suppressed their personal emotions in the face of the greater good of the sect's survival and began to discuss the specific details with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
The atmosphere inside the main hall finally shifted from tense to serious and pragmatic negotiations, while the unconscious Tang San was silently carried away by two disciples.
Watching Tang San being carried away by two sect disciples, the Seventh Elder outwardly refocused his attention on the meeting with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, just like the other elders. However, a cold and ruthless glint flashed in the depths of his lowered eyes.
"Hmph, you little beast, I'll let you live a few more days! Once you obediently hand over the Ring-Exploding Technique and are no longer of any use, dealing with you will be as easy as crushing an ant for me!"
"When the time comes, you'll pay for all the old and new grudges, with interest!"
…………
Half a day later, in a secluded stone chamber in the back mountain of Haotian Sect.
Tang San slowly woke up, but the excruciating pain all over his body almost made him faint again. He found that his soul power was sealed and he was in an unfamiliar environment, and his heart sank.
Soon, a disciple from the sect came and coldly informed him of the sect's decision.
Hand over the secret technique for exploding the rings, and you may temporarily save your life; we will deal with it later.
If they do not hand it over, their martial spirit will be immediately destroyed and they will be thrown into the death row.
Circumstances forced Tang San to comply, despite his immense resentment and unwillingness, in order to survive. He requested paper and pen to write down the incantation from memory, and asked to see either the sect leader Tang Xiao or his aunt Tang Yuehua to ensure that the sect would keep its promise after he handed over the secret technique.
However, what he got was neither Tang Xiao nor Tang Yuehua.
A few minutes later, the door to the stone chamber was pushed open, and a figure walked in. His appearance, clothing, and even his aura were none other than the Seventh Elder!
However, this person was not the real Seventh Elder, but Tang Chuan!
The fake Seventh Elder's face remained gloomy, but a hint of complexity and impatience deliberately flickered in his eyes. He snorted coldly, tossed the paper and pen onto the stone table in front of Tang San, and said in a hoarse voice:
"Boy, the sect leader and Yuehua are discussing important matters with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and are unable to attend to you. Although I do not like you, the sect's reputation is more important than anything else."
"Quickly write down the secret technique. I, as an elder of the Haotian Sect, guarantee that as long as you hand over the complete and accurate incantation for exploding the rings, the sect will spare your life as promised. Don't try anything funny again!"
P.S.: This is a two-in-one update. There's been a flu outbreak recently, so updates will be during the daytime!
(End of this chapter)