Douluo Continent: Starting with controlling Ning Rongrong and establishing the Holy Cult

He dared not say any more, but the meaning was clear—the Haotian Sect was in danger.

"The most urgent task is to find that so-called spy!"

Seventh Elder Tang Lie suddenly looked up.

"If there weren't traitors within, how could Qian Daoliu be so certain? Finding this person might allow us to show our stance to the Spirit Hall and clear our sect's name! Otherwise, we will all be implicated! And I think this is inextricably linked to Tang Hao..."

"enough!"

A deep, sharp shout rang out.

Tang Chen slowly opened his eyes, instantly choking Tang Lie's words.

The temperature inside the hall dropped sharply.

Chapter 132 Haotian Sect, After the War

"Clear the stain? Beg for mercy from the Spirit Hall?"

Tang Chen's voice was icy.

"Qian Daoliu's actions today have already torn off all pretense of civility. If he wants to frame someone, is he afraid of not finding an excuse? He can destroy my mountain gate today, and he can destroy my entire sect tomorrow! Hand over the traitor?"

He snorted coldly.

"Hand over whom? You? Xiao'er? Or Hao'er? This is just his excuse! An excuse to suppress my Haotian Sect!"

He paused, took a deep breath, and turned his gaze to Tang Xiao:

"Xiao'er, tell me, what exactly happened to the Haotian Sect after I left? Why was it sealed off? And why was it unsealed? Tell me the whole story of today's disaster! Don't hide anything!"

His voice was beyond question.

Tang Xiao dared not be negligent and quickly stood up. He respectfully recounted the grudge between Tang Hao and the Spirit Hall more than ten years ago, which forced the sect to close its mountain to avoid disaster. A year ago, due to the Holy God Chaos, the Spirit Hall came to beg him to come out of the mountain to fight against the great enemy. He also briefly described how the two sides reached a certain understanding in the battle and jointly targeted the remnants of the Holy Spirit Cult.

His tone became even more somber when he spoke of the miserable state Tang Hao was in upon his return and the subsequent accusations made by Qian Daoliu.

Tang Chen listened silently, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

When he heard the words "Holy Spirit Cult," a very subtle glint flashed in his eyes.

His status as the Second Elder of the Holy Spirit Church made him more aware of the weight behind this name than anyone else present.

"...Brother Hao and the others were harmed by the insidious 'resurrection tools' of the Holy Spirit Cult."

Tang Xiao said with a heavy heart,

"This sect acts in unpredictably and uses vicious methods, truly a major threat to the continent! Qian Daoliu's use of this as a pretext to launch an attack, though shameless, is also..."

"The Holy Spirit Cult...the Fourth Elder..."

Tang Chen suddenly muttered something under his breath, interrupting Tang Xiao.

He had recently heard that the Fourth Elder was trying to infiltrate the Haotian Sect, but at that time he was still under control and naturally didn't think too much about it. Now, those words jumped directly into his mind.

The sound was soft, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.

The elders present were all stunned, puzzled. Tang Xiao also looked at Tang Chen with a question in his mind.

Tang Lie, however, was suddenly startled when he heard the words "Fourth Elder"!

A chill instantly ran from the soles of my feet up my spine.

He abruptly lowered his head, trying to hide the uncontrollable horror and panic in his eyes.

How could he know? How could he know that the Holy Spirit Church has four elders?

Tang Chen's gaze slowly swept across the faces of every elder present.

When his gaze fell upon Tang Lie, who was looking down to hide his face, his eyes paused slightly before sweeping past him without lingering.

But that brief pause was enough to make Tang Lie feel like he was being pricked by thorns.

"It's all gone."

Tang Chen suddenly waved his hand, his tone weary.

"Xiao'er, stay and look after Hao'er and the others. The rest of the elders, comfort the disciples and handle the aftermath. The sect... needs to recuperate."

Although everyone had many doubts, no one dared to defy the old sect leader's authority, so they all stood up, bowed, and took their leave.

Tang Lie was almost the first to turn around and walk out with slightly hurried steps.

When only Tang Chen, Tang Xiao, Tang Hao, and Tang San remained in the hall, Tang Chen closed his eyes and meditated for a while.

Tang Xiao looked at his grandfather's pale face and said worriedly:

"Grandfather, your injuries are too severe, or..."

Tang Chen looked at Tang Xiao:

"Xiao'er, go check the damage to the sect's storeroom and take stock of the available resources, especially healing herbs. Here... let Xiao San look after his father."

Tang Xiao was taken aback, and immediately realized that his grandfather had something to say to Tang Hao alone. He didn't dare to ask any more questions, so he replied "Yes" and left the side hall.

Tang San also stood up: "Great-grandfather, I'll go outside and keep watch so that no one disturbs you and Father."

The palace doors closed gently, leaving only Tang Chen and the barely breathing Tang Hao.

Tang Chen didn't speak immediately, but just looked at Tang Hao quietly.

Tang Hao struggled to sit up straight, but was stopped by a look from Tang Chen.

"Lie down."

Tang Chen's voice was deep and direct.

"Xiao'er has told you the gist of your story. Now, tell me, why did you go to the Spirit Hall to seek death? Where did that 'resurrection item' come from? Tell me everything."

A flicker of pain and struggle flashed in Tang Hao's eyes, but he still managed to recount, in a hoarse voice, how Yu Xiaogang provided the intelligence, how he was blinded by hatred and used the resurrection mask, and how he launched a surprise attack on the Spirit Hall and was ultimately killed by Qian Daoliu.

When Yu Xiaogang was mentioned as possibly having connections with the Holy Spirit Cult, his tone was filled with deep-seated hatred.

Tang Chen listened expressionlessly, but deep in his eyes, the part of his understanding belonging to the Second Elder of the Holy Spirit Sect was rapidly processing and verifying itself.

That Yu Xiaogang is most likely the Eighth Elder.

After Tang Hao finished speaking and fell silent, Tang Chen slowly spoke, but asked a different question:

"Among the elders who just went out, what is the Seventh Elder, Tang Lie, like?"

Tang Hao was taken aback, not understanding why Tang Lie was suddenly asked, but he still answered truthfully:

"Seventh Elder... he hates me to the core. Because of me, he lost his beloved son... For more than a decade, this hatred has never diminished. Just now in the hall, he was the first to accuse me of bringing trouble upon myself and to advocate finding the traitor..."

"Ah."

Tang Chen gave a noncommittal reply and slowly stood up.

"You should rest here quietly and not think too much."

Tang Chen gave Tang Hao a word of instruction and then walked out of the hall.

Outside the hall, night had quietly enveloped the dilapidated sect.

Tang San was standing not far from the door when he saw Tang Chen come out and quickly went to help him up.

Tang Chen waved his hand and glanced at the dimly lit ruins.

Soon, he saw the restless, anxious figure wandering alone beside a huge, broken stone pillar in the distance—Seventh Elder Tang Lie.

Tang Lie seemed to be trying his best to calm himself down, but he could not hide the fear that came from his very bones.

Tang Chen whispered to Tang San:

"Don't follow."

After saying that, he walked alone, step by step, toward Tang Lie.

Tang Lie sensed someone approaching and whirled around. When he saw it was Tang Chen, his body tensed instantly, and he forced an extremely unnatural, respectful smile.

"Old...Old Sect Master? Your injuries haven't healed yet, why don't you rest more..."

Tang Chen stopped in front of him, his tall figure casting a heavy shadow in the night, completely enveloping him.

Tang Chen didn't look at Tang Lie's forced composure; instead, his gaze fell on Tang Lie's clenched fists, his knuckles white. Those hands were trembling slightly, uncontrollably.

"Tang Lie".

Tang Chen's voice was calm and even, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

"The Fourth Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult...you must be one of them?"

The color drained from Tang Lie's face instantly, his body swayed violently, and his eyes were filled with unbelievable and extreme terror!

He opened his mouth, but only a hoarse gasping sound came out of his throat.

Tang Chen's hand had been gently placed on Tang Lie's violently trembling shoulder without anyone noticing.

"Come with me."

Tang Chen's voice remained calm, "There are some things we need to talk about privately."

Chapter 133 The Four Elders of the Holy Spirit Cult

Tang Lie's heart was about to jump out of his throat.

He stiffly followed Tang Chen, bypassing several collapsed ruins, and finally stopped in a secluded corner completely shrouded in the shadow of a huge rock.

This place is far from the main hall and side halls.

Tang Chen stopped in his tracks, and an invisible soul force quietly spread out, forming a barrier to prevent detection and ensure that no third person could hear what was being said here.

"Old...Old Sect Master..."

Tang Lie's voice trembled.

"You...how did you..."

He wanted to ask Tang Chen how she discovered his identity, but he couldn't even form a complete sentence; he was terrified.

Tang Chen slowly turned around. He did not answer directly. His wide robe sleeves fluttered slightly, and a palm-sized token, neither gold nor jade, with a deep, dark light flowing through it, appeared in his palm.

On the front of the token is a menacing "two".