Chapter 112: Arriving at Spirit City, Tang Hao is Frustrated
It was already dusk, and the sun was setting, as two spirited horses trudged wearily along the official road.
[Inorin's Note: Wuhun City is the Chinese Pinyin name for Spirit City, the headquarters of Spirit Hall. We will use Spirit City for consistency.]
In truth, both horses were fine steeds, worth a thousand gold pieces, but after traveling a thousand miles, even the best horses were exhausted.
One person on horseback, dressed in a black tight-fitting suit, yawned lazily. The other, holding a map, pointed to a city in the distance and said loudly, "Tomorrow is the Sect Competition, it seems we've made it!"
The other person, however, was indifferent, merely responding with a faint, "Oh."
"Brother Hao, I remember this is your first time in Spirit City, isn't it? This is the holy land of the Spirit Master's world, home to the most revered Douluo Hall. Aren't you excited?" asked the man holding the map.
The man in the tight-fitting suit, Tang Hao, frowned, a look of disdain on his face. "What holy land? It's just self-proclaimed glory from absorbing a large number of commoner Spirit Masters."
He sneered. "As for the Douluo Hall, even their High Priest was defeated by our Clear Sky Sect's Old Sect Master. How can they be called revered?"
These two were naturally the brothers Tang Xiao and Tang Hao.
Ever since receiving Tang Tian's letter, they had set off for Spirit City. However, Tang Hao seemed unenthusiastic about the matter, stopping frequently along the way.
Whenever they encountered a Soul Beast Forest, he would use the excuse of "training" to go in and fight a 10,000-year Spirit Beast.
This delayed their journey significantly.
Tang Hao was internally resentful. He was the future of the Clear Sky Sect, yet he was being summoned to attend a "competition" held by Spirit Hall, the very organization that acted as their rival. He felt it was beneath his dignity, and his delays were a form of silent protest.
Fortunately, Tang Xiao was more reliable. After several urgings, he bought two fast horses in the last few days and traveled overnight, finally arriving just before the Sect Competition.
Who told them they couldn't fly yet? Before breaking through to Titled Douluo, the Clear Sky Hammer Spirit did not possess the ability to fly.
The two rode their horses to the massive city gates. After showing their Clear Sky Sect disciple token and revealing their Haotian Twin Stars identities, the city guards did not stop them.
After all, the Clear Sky Sect was also among those invited to the event.
However, just as their horses were about to step past the threshold, a row of lances slammed down, blocking their path.
According to Spirit City regulations, riding horses within the city was prohibited.
Tang Hao, who was already in a foul mood, immediately grew angry. "What did you say?"
The lead city guard, clad in shining black armor, said expressionlessly, "Dismount. Spirit City prohibits riding horses inside."
Facing over a hundred city guards, all of whom were exuding the pressure of Spirit Kings, Tang Hao's eyes turned cold, and the hand gripping the reins tightened. "What if I refuse?"
The lead city guard said nothing more. With a wave of his right hand, a hundred city guards simultaneously raised their knight's lances. With a clang of unified armor, they roared in unison, "Dismount! Take another step closer, and you will be killed without mercy!"
"Haha… What a Spirit Hall, what a Spirit City!" Tang Hao was never a good-tempered person, or rather, his temper was more volatile than anyone else's.
Ever since being stopped by the city guards, Tang Hao had been suppressing himself, tolerating this group of Spirit Hall lackeys. Now, the usually arrogant him could no longer restrain the anger in his heart.
When did Clear Sky Sect disciples need people from Spirit Hall to dictate to them?
Even when entering the capitals of the Two Great Empires, no one had ever made him dismount. Now, he certainly wouldn't.
White light began to pulse from his palm, the air around him growing cold and colorless. Just as Tang Hao was about to release his Slaughter God Domain to knock out the people in front of him, Tang Xiao stopped him at the crucial moment.
"Brother Hao, don't be impulsive. This is their territory!" Tang Xiao grabbed Tang Hao's wrist and instructed him.
He then turned to the lead city guard, his face polite but firm. "As far as I know, the Crown Princes of the Two Great Empires are also invited to watch the Sect Competition. Could it be that this rule of your Spirit Hall only applies to my Clear Sky Sect, or perhaps to all of the Upper Three Sects?"
Compared to Tang Hao, Tang Xiao's actions were clearly much more seasoned. He did not choose to dismount immediately, nor would he resort to violence, as doing so would only bring disaster to the Sect.
Instead, he brought in the Two Great Empires and the Upper Three Sects, using moral coercion.
However, a single sentence from the lead knight instantly left him speechless: "They didn't ride horses. They all came in carriages."
Tang Xiao's face twitched violently. It seemed that was indeed the case. Thirty years ago, when he came with his grandfather Tang Chen, he recalled them all riding in carriages.
Helplessly, he pulled the almost completely dark-faced Tang Hao off their horses. They began leading the animals into the city, the sound of their own footsteps echoing in the massive gateway.
"Big brother, why must we endure such annoyance? They are merely a bunch of Spirit Hall lackeys," Tang Hao felt a suffocating anger in his heart and said loudly.
Hmm, as if deliberately raising his voice for the city guards to hear.
Although he was impulsive and acted without scruples, he would never do anything reckless out of impulse; otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to stop just now.
The reason for his verbal taunts was his certainty that those city guards wouldn't dare to do anything to them, the Haotian Twin Stars.
Even if they dared, they wouldn't have the ability. A mere hundred or so Spirit Kings were not enough for his two brothers to hammer.
In fact, this was true. If it were in the past, the city guards could only endure. No one would stand up for them, and they wouldn't be foolish enough to report such trivial matters.
But now it was different.
If you, Tang Hao, could talk trash, they could too. Their status, their pride, had been elevated by recent events.
"Heh, they really think being a disciple of the Upper Three Sects makes them special," one of the guards at the city gate sneered, not bothering to lower his voice.
"So what if they're the Haotian Twin Stars? This afternoon, their own Sect Master was in the arena."
A second guard picked up the taunt, his voice dripping with mockery. "That's right! I heard their Sect Master, Tang Tian, didn't even dare to let out a fart when our Holy Son, Lord Qin Xuan, and the Second Offering were present!"
With the first, there were naturally the second, third, and fourth. Qin Xuan's feat was now widely known in Spirit City, and it was believed that soon, the entire Spirit Master's world would know.
The Spirit Hall soldiers at the city gate seemed to open their floodgates of speech:
"And that Bone Douluo from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect! He dared to have killing intent towards our Holy Son. He was discovered by the Second Offering, Lady Jingni, on the spot!"
"She didn't even move. Just her aura. Crippled him! I heard she snapped his leg and gouged out an eye. Even their Sect Master, Ning Fengzhi, was so enraged that he vomited blood and fainted!"
"Now he's not called Bone Douluo anymore; he's called One-Eyed Douluo, Crippled-Leg Douluo, or Incomplete Douluo! Haha… serves him right!"
"Bastards!"
Hearing the soldiers at the city gate talking, Tang Hao was so furious his teeth almost shattered.
Insulting the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was fine, but insulting the Clear Sky Sect, insulting his father... that was absolutely unacceptable.
Immediately, he spun around and released his Slaughter God Domain.
A white light emanated from his body, instantly turning colorless and cold, spreading over the soldiers at the city gate.
The closest soldiers were the first to be affected by the killing intent, their faces turning pale.
But those who could become Spirit City guards were no weaklings; they quickly reacted. Almost simultaneously, a hundred Spirit Kings roared, "FOR SPIRIT HALL!"
They released their Spirits. Two yellow, two purple, and one black—a uniform, optimal Spirit Ring configuration, a terrifying display of Spirit Hall's resources.
Under the combined efforts of a hundred Spirit Kings, their Spirit Power surged, creating a golden barrier. Even Tang Hao's Slaughter God Domain, the terror of the City of Slaughter, slammed against their Spirit Power barrier and could not break through.
"Tang Hao!" the lead soldier questioned sharply, his face unafraid. "Does your Clear Sky Sect intend to declare war on my Spirit Hall?"
"Attacking us is no different from attacking Spirit City or declaring war on Spirit Hall, because we guard the gates!"
Once there was any disturbance, they could fire a signal flare, which would quickly attract a large number of Cardinals and even Titled Douluo Elders for reinforcement.
This was also why they were not afraid of the Haotian Twin Stars. In this city, they were the law.
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