Tang Sui, however, was not one to tolerate these deadbeats.
"Xiao Hei."
Tang Sui called out to Hei Mian in her mind, raising her hand. Dark red demonic energy surged from her palm. Under the astonished gazes of others, the dark red demonic energy thinned like mist and finally extended into the void, projecting a scene in the center—
The Second Elder, standing with his hands behind his back, said calmly:
"Tang San, Tang Sui, since you have won this competition, after tomorrow's ancestral recognition ceremony, you will be members of the Clear Sky Sect."
In the scene, Tang San could be clearly seen sighing with relief and asking, "Can we then pay respects to Grandpa?"
The other elders and direct disciples were present.
The Second Elder added, "Not yet. Because of your father's mistakes, you do not yet have the right to pay respects to the Old Sect Master. But you previously said that you would repay your father's mistakes and serve the sect, correct?"
"Yes. We said that. Then what must we do to be able to pay respects to Grandpa?"
The Second Elder: "Since that is the case, we will ask you to do three things for the sect. Once you have completed these three things, it will count as you atoning for your father's sins, and we will be quits from this point forward, never mentioning it again. And not only will you be able to recognize your ancestors, but we will also allow your father to return to the sect and pay respects to the Old Sect Master with you."
The undeniable scene was clearly presented before everyone, and the Second Elder's promises, every word and sound, entered everyone's ears clearly.
Tang Sui chuckled and said, "The first matter is to break through level eighty spirit power within ten years. The second matter is to bring back the head of a Titled Douluo from the Spirit Hall within ten years. As stated in the scene, it doesn't matter what method we use, you only care about the result. This result, this second condition, was already completed by my brother and me four years ago."
"The third matter is to each obtain a ten-thousand-year spirit ring when we reach our eighth spirit ring."
Tang Sui slowly articulated the three conditions from back then. In the silence where no one spoke, the three conditions stated by the Second Elder in the recorded scene were presented to everyone in their complete form.
As the five elders' expressions turned subtle, Tang Sui looked at them with a half-smile, saying, "You don't need to be curious; this is merely a method that can record and restore scenes. The great thousand worlds hold infinite wonders."
"However, with the evidence here, has everyone heard clearly? The Second Elder himself said back then that as long as we siblings completed the three conditions, not only could we be recognized as ancestors, but our father could also return to the sect and pay respects to Grandpa with us."
As expected, you old scoundrels planned to renege on the deal.
Fortunately, she had Xiao Hei record it back then.
"What, could it be that you knew these were impossible promises back then, yet still set such harsh conditions for my brother and me to fulfill, only to tell us it's still not possible after we've completed them... have you been playing with us these past few years?"
Towards the end, Tang Sui's tone turned as cold as the depths of winter, and a terrifying aura exploded from her, causing everyone present to change their expressions.
The other disciples quietly exchanged glances.
Honestly speaking, although they were present when the three conditions were laid out, upon careful recollection and further consideration...
Even for a spirit master with extraordinary talent, breaking through thirty levels within ten years was an unimaginable hardship and difficulty, let alone the fact that cultivation becomes increasingly arduous at higher levels.
The difference between a Spirit Sage and a Spirit Douluo, seemingly only ten levels, but those who have experienced it know that some spirit masters can remain stuck at the Spirit Sage level for ten, twenty years, or even longer.
Setting aside Tang San, who had a spirit power increase of nearly forty levels, even Tang Sui, starting from the Spirit Emperor level to her current Titled Douluo cultivation, who knew what she had gone through to possess such power.
In short, their remaining slivers of conscience realized how harsh and outrageous the three conditions the Second Elder had set for the Tang San and Tang Sui siblings were.
Although what was even more outrageous was that the siblings had not only completed them but had done so exceptionally, returning in less than five years.
The direct disciples, who understood without speaking, cautiously looked at each other, then averted their gazes, not daring to look at the five elders who were cornered by Tang Sui's irrefutable evidence, waiting for their decision.
Tang San looked at the five elders' faces shifting between green and black. He concealed his other emotions and put on the same half-smiling expression as Tang Sui, stepping forward to ask, "Five Elders, do you have any further excuses?"
The Second Elder's face turned ashen. Looking at the questioning Tang San and the indifferent Tang Sui, he took a deep breath and adopted a strategy of advancing by retreating. "Since we said we wouldn't go back on our word, we absolutely won't. However, expelling Tang Hao from the sect and never seeing him again was the Old Sect Master's decision! If we agree to this now, it means you are questioning the Old Sect Master's decision and challenging the authority of the entire Elder Hall. Do you siblings know the consequences of this?"
The spirit master world valued agreements and promises the most. Even if they didn't want to honor the deal, in front of everyone, especially with Tang Sui directly presenting the original scene, they had to maintain a proper attitude.
Upon hearing this righteous act of shifting blame, Tang San and Tang Sui understood the stance of these individuals, their eyes devoid of warmth.
"I understand. To put it bluntly, you refuse to acknowledge it."
Tang Sui also changed her mind.
She didn't want Tang San to directly produce the token given by Tang Chen.
Today, she would teach these old scoundrels a lesson: if you can't afford to lose, don't play!
Disregarding the elders' even more displeased expressions upon hearing her words, Tang Sui turned and met her brother's gaze. After exchanging a knowing glance, Tang Sui's lips curved into a cold arc, and she said:
"On the Douluo Continent, the spirit master world has always respected strength. Only the strong have the right to speak and the right to rewrite the rules. Since that is the case, then my brother Tang San and I will challenge the five elders of the Clear Sky Sect here today, life and death no matter."
Tang Sui emphasized the last four words.
"Hee hee hee—"
Sensing the anger and fighting spirit surging within Tang Sui, a sharp laughter suddenly emanated from the single-eyed masks swirling around her.
Tang Yu, who was close by and startled, subconsciously looked up. Upon seeing that they were masks, a chill crawled up his spine.
If he wasn't mistaken, these masks didn't have mouths, did they?
And... how could martial spirits speak?
Others also noticed the strangeness of the masks.
But their attention was primarily focused on Tang Sui's declaration of war.
The Seventh Elder laughed in anger, looking contemptuously at the siblings who appeared ready to fight. "Just you two? A Titled Douluo and a Spirit Douluo, joining forces to fight against our five Titled Douluos? Don't think a bit of strength means you know no bounds and are here to make a joke! With their current attitude, I say they should be charged with disrespecting the Elder Hall!"