It was only at this moment that Tang Hao's words about Tang San clarified things—Tang San was not some alien soul that had possessed his son, but rather a good child who was filial to his parents and willing to take responsibility. Tang Hao also revealed the existence of Xiao Wu and his plans regarding her.
After hearing his grandson's final explanation, Tang Chen remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly.
"Tell me about my great-grandson. If I ever meet him in the future and he aligns with my expectations, I may consider protecting him. But if he is like you—afraid of responsibility and lacking accountability—then he is no great-grandson of mine."
"Having twin martial souls and innate full soul power is undoubtedly important, but without the heart of a truly strong individual, even the greatest talent will only produce a weakling with some power."
"He should not walk the path of a degenerate. What are mere soul bone skills compared to the honed excellence of battle techniques? Soul power gained through crooked means will never last long."
Tang Chen was deeply disappointed in Tang Hao, but he remained somewhat curious about Tang San, his great-grandson. Especially after learning about Tang San's twin martial souls and innate full soul power, Tang Chen believed that this child might have the potential to inherit his unfinished God Trial and further advance toward the path of divinity.
Of course, before that, Tang San would need to rid himself of the bad habits he had picked up under Tang Hao's care. If the successor of the Clear Sky Clan resorted to petty tricks and dishonorable schemes, it would be better to end him with a single hammer blow.
After questioning Tang Hao about many things, Tang Chen no longer cared about the grandson he once favored most. Instead, he grabbed Tang Hao by the collar and dragged him several miles away, throwing him in front of Qian Daoliu and handing him over.
"I never expected the heir I valued most to turn out so differently from me. It seems I should have chosen Tang Xiao, the eldest grandson, to inherit my Clear Sky Douluo legacy instead of picking Tang Hao."
Tang Chen sighed deeply, lamenting that his indulgence of Tang Hao in the past had led to the current state of the Clear Sky Clan.
To be honest, Tang Xiao's talent was not lacking at all. In Tang Chen's view, while Tang Xiao might not reach the level of an Ultimate Douluo, becoming a Level 98 Super Douluo was highly likely. Moreover, Tang Xiao's calm and stable personality made him a promising leader.
But because Tang Hao had demonstrated greater talent in his youth and a personality more similar to Tang Chen's own, Tang Chen had chosen Tang Hao as his heir.
Now that Tang Hao had fallen and become what he was, Tang Chen was filled with regret. However, upon learning from Tang Hao that Tang Xiao had already reached Level 96 and become the Clear Sky Clan's patriarch, Tang Chen felt somewhat relieved, no longer worrying about the continuation of his lineage.
As for Tang Xiao's lack of marriage and children? Was that even a problem? Tang Xiao might be Tang Chen's grandson, but in terms of age, he was about the same as Qian Xunji, who appeared to be his uncle. At just over 60 years old, not even 70, Tang Xiao was still relatively young.
For someone with the power of a Level 96 Titled Douluo, 60 years old was equivalent to a normal person's 30. Considering the physical capabilities of a Titled Douluo, Tang Xiao's reproductive abilities were far from declining.
When Tang Chen returned, he planned to find a few women for Tang Xiao and ensure he dedicated himself to the task. In that case, there would be plenty of opportunities to pass on the bloodline in the future.
Whether Tang Xiao liked it or not was secondary in Tang Chen's eyes. He had married based on family arrangements in his youth, taking a wife he wasn't particularly fond of and fathering a child simply to fulfill his obligations.
To Tang Chen, love after marriage wasn't an issue. Securing the bloodline came first; finding true love afterward was perfectly fine.
Otherwise, he would not have, at nearly 100 years old, felt as though he had found true love only after encountering Bo Saixi. For her, he had even been willing to pursue the path of divinity, which ultimately led to his current state.
Tang Chen initially intended to leave Tang Hao behind and walk away, unwilling to further exhaust himself by witnessing the death of the grandson he had once loved most. However, just as he was about to leave, a sudden thought emerged in his somewhat clouded mind, and he spoke almost involuntarily.
"Qian Daoliu, how about we make a bet?"
"A bet? What do you want to bet on?" Qian Daoliu's reaction was one of confusion at Tang Chen's abrupt change, uncertain about what he was planning.
"Tang Hao was once my chosen heir and possesses the Clear Sky Clan's soul bones. Although he is now a traitor to the clan, the resources invested in him cannot merely be written off."
"If that's the case, I can send the soul bones to you later. Recently, there has been unusual activity in the Star Dou Forest, and many 100,000-year-old soul beasts have become active. The Spirit Hall has hunted quite a few high-level soul beasts lately, so we have no interest in Tang Hao's soul bones."
With a slight vibration from the Angelic Sacred Sword within him, Qian Daoliu received a divine message from the Angel God. He adopted a nonchalant demeanor as he responded to Tang Chen.
Hearing Qian Daoliu's reply, Tang Chen initially wanted to nod, acknowledging that Qian Daoliu was showing enough respect to an old friend like him, even offering to exchange the soul bones. But before he could finish his thoughts, a sudden surge of inexplicable anger arose in his mind, causing him to develop a grudge against Qian Daoliu and the Spirit Hall.
What does Qian Daoliu think he is, dictating terms to me? Tang Hao, even as a traitor to the Clear Sky Clan, is still my grandson. It's not up to the Spirit Hall to punish him. If he must die, it should be by my hand, so as not to tarnish the reputation of the Clear Sky Clan.
This thought did not originate from Tang Chen himself but from the depths of his soul. If Tang Chen had been his old self, he would have realized that this was not his thinking.
However, with his body and soul long reshaped by the trials of the Asura God, every corner of his being had been marked by God's divine power. After decades of such influence, Tang Chen could no longer distinguish whether his thoughts were his own or implanted suggestions.
Under this influence, Tang Chen sternly refused.
"Tang Hao is still my grandson. Letting him die at the hands of the Spirit Hall would disgrace the Clear Sky Clan. If he must die, it should be by my hand."
"Then you should do it yourself."
Qian Daoliu stepped back and gestured toward Tang Hao, seemingly prepared to let Tang Chen personally handle the matter. Faced with such an unexpected response from Qian Daoliu, Tang Chen froze momentarily, like a malfunctioning machine. After a few seconds, he resumed speaking.
"No, I, Tang Chen, do not need your charity."
"Let us make a bet. In about a year, the Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament will take place. Your Spirit Hall team will undoubtedly participate. I will send a team to represent the Clear Sky Clan and compete against your Spirit Hall team."
"If your team wins, Tang Hao's fate will be yours to decide, and the soul bones on him will also go to your Spirit Hall."
"If my Clear Sky Clan team wins, then Tang Hao's punishment will be determined by the Clear Sky Clan."