Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Inside the dimly lit secret chamber of the Power Clan, the stench of blood had not yet completely dissipated. Tang San's figure staggered into existence. His robes were torn, and blood still clung to the corner of his mouth. The murderous aura he had barely managed to suppress surged restlessly once more, like boiling magma, ready to erupt at any moment. Dark red markings flickered beneath his skin, and the bloodlust in his eyes deepened, almost devoid of any human emotion.

"Sect Leader!" Titan rushed over upon hearing the news. Seeing Tang San's appearance and recalling the sporadic reports that had just come in about the near annihilation of the attack team and their gruesome deaths, the iron-willed clan leader felt a sudden weight in his heart, gripped by immense regret and fear.

"Sect Master! Stop!" Titan knelt down on one knee with a thud, his voice filled with pain and pleading. "We can't go on like this! My people... are almost all dead! Tang Sect... Tang Sect is the culmination of our years of hard work, we can't let it be destroyed like this!"

"Stop?" Tang San slowly turned his head, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Titan. His voice was hoarse and cold, tinged with mockery. "If we stop now, will those dead disciples be resurrected? Will the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, the Spirit Hall... let us go?"

"But Sect Master! If we continue killing like this, even if we win in the end, will the Tang Sect still be the Tang Sect?! What difference will we make from those degenerate, indiscriminately killing Soul Masters?!" Titan raised his head, tears streaming down his face, trying to awaken the increasingly unfamiliar Sect Master before him. "Think of Master, think of Miss Xiao Wu! They would never want to see you become like this!"

"Shut up!" Upon hearing Xiao Wu's name, Tang San seemed to have his sore spot touched. His killing aura suddenly erupted, sending Titan flying and crashing into the wall!
"What do you know?!" Tang San roared like a wild beast. The seductive whisper of Hypnos echoed in his mind once more, intertwining with his own endless resentment and killing intent. "Power! Only absolute power can bring revenge! Only absolute power can reclaim everything! Any pity or hesitation is weakness!"

Titan coughed up blood, struggled to his feet, and looked at Tang San, who was acting like a madman, his eyes filled with despair: "Sect Master! Wake up! Look at yourself! You've been controlled by this power!"

"Control?" Tang San tilted his head, a strange, twisted smile on his face. "No, it's me controlling the power! Slaughter... what a wonderful power... it can clear away all obstacles..."

His mind seemed to have fallen into complete chaos, his mind flashing back to the thrill of slaughtering soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest. The dying cries of those soul beasts seemed to have become the most beautiful music! Hypnos's divine sense grew wildly in the depths of his soul, devouring the last bit of reason.

"Since you all can't understand... since you all think I'm wrong..." Tang San's voice became incredibly ethereal and terrifying. The dark blood-red Clear Sky Hammer slowly appeared in his hand, and the terrifying Killing God Domain expanded wildly and uncontrollably, instantly enveloping the entire Power Clan's territory!
"Then... let them all disappear!!" The last thread of reason snapped completely!

"Sect Leader! No!!" Titan roared in despair. But it was too late.

Driven to a complete killing frenzy, Tang San transformed into a true killing machine, wielding the Clear Sky Hammer as he burst out of the secret chamber!
The killing begins.

No longer enemies, but those terrified Tang Clan disciples who tried to stop him or flee! The disciples of the Power Clan who once respected and loved him and followed him to establish the Tang Clan have now become stumbling blocks in his pursuit of "pure killing" in his eyes, and objects that need to be "purified"!

Screams, pleas for mercy, roars, the clash of soul skills, the sound of buildings collapsing... echoed throughout the entire base, making it feel like a living hell!

Titan struggled to break free, only to witness a nightmare he could never have imagined in his life—his sons of the Power Clan, his brothers of the Tang Clan, were being slaughtered like weeds by their sworn sect leader!

"No—!!!" Titan let out a blood-curdling scream, trying to rush forward to stop him, but was once again severely injured and sent flying by Tang San's terrifying hammer strike, and passed out.

The last scream abruptly ended.

The entire stronghold of the Power Clan has been transformed into a desolate, blood-red ruin.

Tang San stood alone amidst the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood, his body bathed in viscous blood, blood droplets dripping from his Clear Sky Hammer. The bloodlust in his eyes seemed to fade slightly, revealing a brief moment of bewilderment, but it was quickly replaced by a deeper coldness and emptiness.

Hypnos's whisper echoed in his mind: "Behold... this is the true meaning of killing... without distinction, transcending good and evil... You did well..."

The Tang Clan, which he had personally established, was completely slaughtered by him on this night.

All that remained was endless silence, and the overwhelming, despair-inducing pure killing intent emanating from him.

The overwhelming killing intent and bloody stench created by Tang San's massacre of the entire Tang Sect's territory were like a beacon fire in the night, impossible to conceal. That pure and terrifying killing intent even caused powerful Soul Masters within Heaven Dou City to feel a sense of unease and fear.

The royal family and the Martial Soul Temple in the city received the vague but horrifying news immediately—a shocking tragedy had occurred somewhere outside the city, involving a battle between what appeared to be Title Douluo-level powerhouses, their energy attributes filled with an evil and murderous aura, and no one survived!

Xue Qinghe was both shocked and furious. He immediately ordered the Royal Knights and all Soul Master forces under the Heaven Dou Empire to be placed on full alert, and dispatched several Soul Douluo-level experts to lead a team to investigate. He also secretly relayed the news back to the Spirit Hall. The entire Heaven Dou City was instantly thrown into a state of panic and fear.

Tang San, whose bloodlust had briefly subsided and whose rationality had returned somewhat, stood amidst the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, looking at his "masterpiece." In particular, when he saw Titan's unconscious and dying body, a flash of extreme pain and struggle crossed his eyes, but it was immediately overwhelmed by the even more surging whispers of killing and pleasure in his mind.

"See...this is true release...unrestrained power..."

"Why bother with the life and death of these ants? They can't possibly understand your greatness..."

"The obstacles have been cleared... but more 'order' maintainers are on their way... They want to bind you and judge you..."

Hypnos's divine sense, like the most cunning venomous snake, precisely exploited the fluctuations in his emotions at that moment.

"No... I can't be caught..." Tang San clutched his head, letting out a painful roar. The sliver of reason that had just returned made him realize the terrible disaster he had committed. The Heaven Dou Empire and even the entire orthodox Soul Master world of the continent would never tolerate him in his current state.

“Return…return to where you belong…” Hypnos’s voice was full of temptation and guidance, “That is the paradise of slaughter, the cradle of power growth…there, no one can judge you, only eternal slaughter and might…”

The city of killing!
The word flashed through Tang San's chaotic mind like lightning. Yes, that place was a forbidden zone of rules, a sanctuary for evil! It was filled with endless slaughter and chaos, the perfect outlet and nourishment for the boiling killing intent within him! Only there could he evade the pursuit of the entire continent's soul master community and rapidly increase his strength!
No more hesitation!

The last trace of struggle in Tang San's eyes was replaced by utter coldness and madness. He suddenly stood up, not even glancing at the purgatory he had created with his own hands. His figure transformed into a blood-red shadow, and relying on the senses of the Killing God Domain, he sped off in a specific direction.

He moved with incredible speed, like a ghost, skillfully avoiding the area initially controlled by the Royal Knights, disappearing into the vast night before the net was completely closed.

When the royal investigators finally arrived at the Power Clan's territory, they were so shocked by the horrific scene that resembled a slaughterhouse that they were speechless. By then, Tang San had already fled a hundred miles away.

When the news reached the nation, it shocked everyone! Everyone knew that an extremely dangerous demon who treated human life like dirt had appeared, but his specific identity and whereabouts remained a terrifying mystery.

The Spirit Hall acted with extreme speed and efficiency. After taking full control of the investigation into the "Tang Sect Massacre," they quickly released a "detailed and objective" investigation report to the entire continent.

This announcement spread rapidly to every corner of the empire through various channels—the bulletin boards of the various branches of the Spirit Hall, the official gazette, and even through friendly forces.

The announcement, written in a somber yet impartial tone, described the tragic state of the Power Clan's territory, emphasizing that the dead had all perished under the influence of an extremely powerful and heavy warhammer-like weapon, and that the soul power contained within all the wounds was filled with a violent and chilling aura of slaughter.

The announcement did not directly name the perpetrator, but devoted a large portion to "objectively" describing a thought-provoking fact: after a thorough investigation, the remains of all the victims at the scene have been found and identified, except for one person—Tang San, the former disciple of the Haotian Sect and founder of the Tang Sect—whose whereabouts are unknown and whose fate is uncertain.

The announcement also included testimonies from several highly respected experts in weapon spirits and soul power analysis, all of whom unanimously concluded that the soul power traces and weapon wounds left at the scene were highly consistent with the characteristics of the Clear Sky Hammer, the inherited martial spirit of the Clear Sky Sect. Furthermore, the unique killing aura emanating from it was something no ordinary Clear Sky Hammer soul master could possess. Although the announcement never explicitly stated "Tang San is the murderer," all the clues pointed precisely to the only missing person who possessed the Clear Sky Hammer!
One stone stirs up a thousand waves! The entire continent is in an uproar!
If anyone had previously sympathized with Tang San's plight and harbored doubts about the Spirit Hall's description, this "irrefutable evidence" announcement has completely shattered all illusions.

"Slaughtering the entire family! And the very sect they founded! They're demons!"

"The Haotian Hammer... truly the most evil weapon in the world! It actually created such a dehumanizing demon!"

"The Clear Sky Sect must give us an explanation! Hand over Tang San!"

"If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too! I think the Haotian Sect has been rotten to the core for a long time!"

The overwhelming public opinion instantly engulfed the Haotian Sect. Countless voices of doubt, condemnation, and even curses crashed down on this once incomparably illustrious number one sect in the world like a tsunami.

The Haotian Sect kept its gates tightly shut, attempting to remain silent, but in the eyes of the public, this silence was tantamount to a guilty conscience and cover-up!
The person most affected by this storm was Tang Yuehua, who ran the Moon Pavilion in Tiandou City.

She was originally a window through which the Haotian Sect communicated with the outside world, and was highly respected by the nobility for her noble temperament and elegant etiquette. But now, all of that has turned into a sharp blade aimed at her.

"Pah! It's that good nephew she raised!"

"Teaching etiquette? I think it's teaching how to kill!"

"Get out of Heaven Dou City! You witch from the Clear Sky Sect!"

The once bustling Yuexuan Pavilion was now deserted, with angry crowds gathering outside, throwing filth and shouting insults. The nobles who had once treated her as an honored guest now avoided her like the plague, afraid of being associated with the "Haotian Sect" in the slightest.

Tang Yuehua stood alone in the cold and dimly lit pavilion, listening to the foul curses coming from outside the window. She maintained her dignified posture, but her face was as pale as paper, and her slender fingers gripped her sleeves tightly, her nails almost digging into her palms.

She simply couldn't believe that Tang San would do something so heinous. In her eyes, Tang San had only gone to the Star Dou Great Forest; there must be some huge hidden story behind it. But the evidence before her and the overwhelming public opinion were like a heavy mountain, making it hard for her to breathe and leaving her and the entire Clear Sky Sect speechless.

Tears silently slid down her smooth cheeks, dripping onto the cold floor. She was not only heartbroken for her nephew's plight, but also felt immense injustice and sorrow for the sect's wrongful conviction and her own undeserved misfortune.

The Spirit Hall's move was extremely ruthless. Not only did it completely nail Tang San to the pillar of shame as a public enemy of the continent, but it also took this opportunity to ruin the Clear Sky Sect's century-old reputation and even implicate all its associates, completely isolating this potential rival.

Under the careful manipulation of the Spirit Hall, the situation on the mainland is progressing step by step in the direction they have predetermined.

Haotian Sect, a sect atop a mountain shrouded in clouds and mist.

The once-closed mountain gate, which possessed an imposing aura, was now shrouded in a suffocating atmosphere of oppression and death. Inside the sect, all the disciples had their heads down, hurrying about. The pride of being the number one sect in the world was gone from their faces; instead, they wore expressions of humiliation, anger, confusion, and an unspeakable fear.

Inside the council chamber, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt like it was frozen in time.

The current sect leader, Tang Xiao, sat upright in the main seat with a grim expression. The veins on the back of his hand, resting on the armrest, bulged, revealing his inner turmoil. The elders below him were even more ashen-faced, some glaring angrily, others sighing in despair.

"It's all that bastard's fault!" The hot-tempered Seventh Elder slammed his fist on the table and roared, "He did such a thing and now he's implicated the sect! Sect Master, I think we should catch that bastard and execute him on the spot! Otherwise, how can the Clear Sky Sect have any face to stand in the Soul Master world?"

Tang Xiao remained silent upon hearing this, only glancing indifferently at the Seventh Elder. Seeing this, the Second Elder also slowly spoke up, "Seventh Elder, speak properly... He has no reason to do such a thing. This must be a conspiracy by the Spirit Hall to frame him!"

"That's right! It must have been the Spirit Hall that did it in secret. How could a child, no matter how talented, possibly wipe out an entire sect? What a vicious scheme!"

“But now the evidence is conclusive… all the clues point to him. How can we convince people with just empty words? Besides, I went to check in secret, and it was indeed the Clear Sky Hammer that caused the damage.” The more rational Sixth Elder said bitterly, his voice filled with helplessness. “No one cares about the truth. As long as he has the Clear Sky Hammer, that’s enough.”

"Are we just going to let them smear us and ruin the Haotian Sect's century-old reputation?!" the Seventh Elder roared in frustration.

"What else can we do?!" the Fifth Elder said helplessly. "Now that the sect is closed off, public opinion is completely controlled by the Spirit Hall! If we come forward to explain, it will only make things worse, and the Spirit Hall might even find an excuse to attack us directly! That would be a real catastrophe!"

A deathly silence fell over the hall once more. Everyone understood that the elder was telling the truth. Faced with the Spirit Hall's meticulously crafted "ironclad evidence" and overwhelming public opinion, any defense from the Clear Sky Sect was utterly futile. To intervene might mean war and destruction; to remain silent meant bearing eternal infamy and utterly destroying the sect's reputation.

This desperate situation, caught between a rock and a hard place, suffocated every high-ranking member of the Haotian Sect.

Tang Xiao spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and heavy, carrying the resolve that a sect leader must bear: "Issue the order: Haotian Sect... continues to be sealed off. All disciples are forbidden from leaving the sect or having any contact with the outside world. All outside opinions... will not be responded to."

"Sect Master! At the very least, we should bring that child back!" several elders urged.

Tang Xiao raised his hand to stop them, his eyes bloodshot and filled with deep exhaustion: "Survival is the most important thing. Preserve the sect's bloodline and wait for... the day the truth comes out. Before that, any rash action could bring about the destruction of the sect."

How could he not be furious? How could he not want to rush out and clear his nephew's name, and avenge the sect? But he couldn't. He was the sect leader, and the survival of the entire sect rested on his shoulders. Faced with the Spirit Hall's absolute power and control over public opinion, temporary humiliation and silence were the only options.

“Then… what about Yuehua…” an elder began hesitantly. They had already heard about Tang Yuehua’s situation in Tiandou City.

Tang Xiao closed his eyes in pain, and after a long while said, "...Let her...bear the humiliation. The sect can't provide her with any support for the time being. If she really can't stay here any longer, she should come back."

With the order issued, the entire Haotian Sect fell into a stagnant pool, plunging into even deeper isolation and silence. To outsiders, this undoubtedly confirmed their "guilt" and "cover-up."

The pride and beliefs that once sustained the disciples within the sect are crumbling bit by bit. The number one sect in the world has, in the blink of an eye, become a "den of demons" despised by everyone.

This profound humiliation and anger, like a poisonous fire, spread through the hearts of every disciple of the Haotian Sect.

All of this was coldly observed by Bibi Dong, far away in the Spirit Hall. The Clear Sky Sect's silence was exactly the outcome she desired. (End of Chapter)