Chapter 222: A Clean Cut
Yang Potian did not rush to leave seclusion. Instead, he focused on restoring his body's resilience and spirit power to their peak. When he finally emerged, his father, Yang Zhentian, looked at him in surprise.
"Potian, something strange happened while you were training. I sensed a huge change in spirit power around you, especially five days ago. It was as if all the spirit power in the area had been drawn into your training room."
Yang Potian smiled faintly. "Dad, I've reached level ninety-eight."
Yang Zhentian's face showed shock. "Ninety-eight? How did you advance so quickly? Last I knew, you were only at the peak of ninety-seven, and you don't even have all your spirit bones yet. How could you reach ninety-eight?"
"Just a moment of insight, I guess. As I trained, I broke through."
Yang Zhentian was momentarily speechless. Most people train a lifetime without progressing past ninety-seven. But his own son… What kind of genius was he?
Potian decided not to reveal his creation of the yin-yang balanced dual cores, knowing that no one else could safely form such a structure. The physical demands were extreme; even if someone attempted it, their body likely wouldn't withstand it. He planned to study the dual-core resonance further before introducing it to anyone else.
The leap to ninety-eight felt transformative. His physical strength, speed, and mastery over his spirit power had all improved significantly. Still, he felt he needed a head and torso spirit bone to complete his capabilities.
As he contemplated this, his mother came to tell him that important guests awaited him in the family's reception hall. This made him pause. So, they've come already? It's time to show a bit of strength, then.
In the reception hall, the guests were indeed numerous and notable. They included Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Sword Douluo, Ning Rongrong, Tang Xiao and Tang Hao from the Clear Sky Sect, along with Tang San, Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong, and even Titan and Bai He. This assembly clearly meant business.
On his family's side, his grandfather Yang Wudi, father Yang Zhentian, uncle Niu Gao, and Poison Douluo Dugu Bo were all present. Judging by their expressions, their discussions with the guests hadn't gone well.
Yang Potian seated himself beside his grandfather with the composure of a family head, glancing around with a steely look. "Grandfather, I'll take it from here. Don't worry."
Yang Wudi's expression relaxed, and he simply nodded without saying a word.
Potian looked around, then addressed the gathering. "Your Highness, Sect Master Tang, Sect Master Ning, what brings you to our humble Skywalk Academy?"
A silence fell as his words hung in the air, and the guests exchanged glances before Xue Qinghe finally spoke.
"Yang Potian, we're here to discuss forming an alliance to resist the Spirit Hall. What are your thoughts on this?"
Potian replied coolly, "I have no thoughts on the matter. Skywalk Academy is simply a place of learning. We are not interested in alliances or becoming entangled in the conflicts of the spirit master world."
The Crown Prince shook his head. "Spirit Hall has grown too powerful. They've attacked the Clear Sky Sect, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. They've caused immeasurable losses and wiped out the Blue Lightning Clan entirely. Their ambitions are clear: they seek to unify both the spirit master world and the Douluo Continent. No one can remain neutral, not even your academy."
Potian sneered. "Your three sects have been at odds with Spirit Hall for years. This conflict is nothing new. What does it have to do with Skywalk Academy? We are located in a remote area and have never been interested in interfering in the affairs of the spirit master world."
Xue Qinghe's tone hardened. "Yang Potian, do not forget that you hold the title of Champion Marquis from the Heaven Dou Empire. The Empire is in a critical state; now is the time for you to fulfill your duty."
Potian's gaze turned icy as he replied, "That title was a reward for winning the Spirit Master Tournament, not a pledge of loyalty. If the Empire wishes to retract it, they're welcome to. Do you think I care about a mere title?"
The Crown Prince sighed and fell silent, and the tension settled over the room once more.
Potian surveyed the assembly. "Skywalk Academy is just a modest institution, not a sect or a powerful faction. We have no desire to pick sides or get involved. I hope that's clear to everyone here."
Ning Fengzhi spoke up sternly. "Yang Potian, are you truly willing to ignore the threat of Spirit Hall? If they defeat us, you can be sure they'll come after you next."
Potian shook his head calmly. "My stance is simple: anyone who doesn't provoke us will be left alone. But if anyone dares cross us, I won't hesitate to retaliate, whether they're from Spirit Hall or the Three Sects."
Ning Fengzhi continued, "Can you speak for all of Skywalk Academy?"
Potian's voice remained steady. "If I'm speaking, then I am representing the academy."
The other leaders of Skywalk—Yang Wudi, Yang Zhentian, Niu Gao, and Dugu Bo—nodded in silent agreement.
Yu Xiaogang's frustration broke through. "How can all of you be so self-serving? Spirit Hall has run amok, driven by insatiable ambition, threatening the safety of countless lives. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
Potian shook his head. "Master Yu, I'm not sure what authority you're speaking with, but let's not pretend any of the Three Sects or Heaven Dou Empire have noble histories. Each of them rose by stepping over the bones of their rivals, whether it was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan eliminating other dragon sects or the Empire crushing its enemies. Why should Skywalk Academy fight Spirit Hall's battles?"
Yu Xiaogang, stung, fell silent, his rebuttal lost to the truth of Potian's words.
Seeing his master's discomfort, Tang San stood to defend him, his gaze icy. "Yang Potian, I expect you to show some respect for my teacher."
In response, a dark, chilling aura radiated from Yang Potian, smothering the room in an oppressive killing intent that bore down on everyone, as if a mountain had descended upon them. The intense pressure centered on Tang San, pinning him down like a crushing force, and he found himself helpless, locked in the grip of a vision like a Shura hell, where his body was paralyzed under Potian's murderous energy.
Seeing Tang San wounded, Tang Xiao quickly pulled him behind him to shield him from Yang Potian's murderous aura. Despite his intervention, a trickle of blood appeared at the corner of Tang San's mouth. With Tang Xiao's interference, Yang Potian let out a cold laugh, allowing his killing intent to dissipate as if nothing had happened.
Potian then addressed Tang Xiao, "Master Tang, I suggest you teach your nephew some manners. He should at least refrain from interrupting when others are speaking. Not everyone fears the Clear Sky Sect, and not everyone will defer to it."
Tang Xiao's expression grew stern. "My nephew doesn't need your guidance. Don't you think you went too far just now?"
Potian laughed coolly. "And if someone interrupted you, Sect Master Tang, while you were speaking—how would you respond?"
Tang Xiao then turned his gaze to Yang Wudi. "Yang Wudi, is this really how you let your grandson speak?"
Unfazed, Yang Wudi replied, "Did he say anything wrong? Given the Clear Sky Sect's reputation, anyone who dared to talk to its sect master like that would probably be dead by now."
Tang Xiao's expression turned grave. "Yang Wudi, do we have to come to this? Don't forget, without the Clear Sky Sect's protection, your Yang clan would never have risen to prominence. Without us, you likely would have been wiped out long ago."
Yang Wudi's voice turned cold. "Yes, it's true that our Yang clan rose to prominence under the Clear Sky Sect's protection. But we also fought by the Clear Sky Sect's side for years, with half our people lost in the process. Do you think that wasn't enough?"
Tang Xiao gritted his teeth. "Not enough. The Yang clan was once nothing but a down-and-out family of barely a few dozen people. Without the Clear Sky Sect, you could never have grown to hundreds of spirit masters, nor could you have risen to rival the Lower Four Sects."
Yang Wudi's face showed mounting anger. "Then what do you want from us? Our Yang clan will no longer serve as anyone's dog, especially after the Clear Sky Sect cast us aside."
Tang Xiao turned and exchanged a look with Tang Hao, as though his thoughts were being communicated without words.
Standing quietly behind him, Tang Hao was uncharacteristically silent, his face tired and worn. It was obvious he had suffered severe injuries and retained little of his former power.
Yang Wudi sighed heavily and threw a jade box to Tang Xiao. "Fine. This Earth Origin Fruit will help Tang Hao recover from his injuries. From this day forward, the Yang and Niu clans sever all ties with the Clear Sky Sect. If anything like this happens again, we won't show any more courtesy."
Yang Potian's maternal grandfather, Niu Gao, echoed his sentiment, his face resolute. "From this day forward, the Niu clan and the Yang clan sever all ties with the Clear Sky Sect. We have nothing left binding us together."
Seeing this, Potian couldn't help but shake his head. His grandfather, Yang Wudi, and his maternal grandfather, Niu Gao, had spent most of their lives with the Clear Sky Sect; it was not easy to sever ties with old loyalties. Tang Xiao had spoken the truth—the Yang and Niu clans had indeed risen to power under the Clear Sky Sect's protection, growing from small, struggling families of a few dozen to spirit master clans numbering in the hundreds. The debt owed was substantial.
But perhaps it was for the best. Severing all ties meant putting an end to lingering bonds and grievances.
With nothing left to discuss, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe led his group out of Skywalk Academy.
After they left, Yang Wudi sat in silence, looking defeated. "Potian, did I make the wrong choice this time?"
Potian shook his head. "Grandfather, our family has always valued clear boundaries between friends and foes. It was only an Earth Origin Fruit—just enough to help Tang Hao recover from his injuries. Considering his condition, without other rare treasures, he won't be able to regain his former strength."
Potian continued with a faint smile, "Besides, it's just Tang Hao. He won't be causing any storms."
(End of Chapter)
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