Golden Crocodile vs. Tang Hao, Both Arms Lost [4300]

"Clear Sky Power!"

Feeling the pressure bearing down on him from all directions, Tang Hao's expression visibly faltered. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand instantly erupted with purple-black light to resist that imposing presence.

Even so, his own presence was still faintly but firmly suppressed. Nothing like this had happened to him since he became a Titled Douluo!

For a moment, his formerly sharp eyes stared fixedly at the old man who had suddenly appeared before him. He hadn't expected another Titled Douluo, though he didn't know which Spirit Hall elder this was...

But when he focused on the nine Soul Rings beneath the man's feet, his expression abruptly froze.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black. The first eight were an entirely ordinary optimal Soul Ring combination, but the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring at the very top radiated suffocating pressure.

His opponent had a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring too!

"Senior Golden Crocodile really is so cool."

Watching the two figures facing each other in the sky, Tang Wulin couldn't help sighing in admiration. One was Tang Hao, wearing black robes with a scruffy beard; the other was Senior Golden Crocodile, a powerfully built man dressed in white.

One glance was enough to tell whose presence was stronger!

As he thought this, he used Teleportation to reach the two guards. After pulling the rags from their mouths, he immediately retreated, clearly unwilling to get caught in the crossfire.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

The two guards had finally been rescued, and tears nearly streamed from their eyes. The Spirit Hall Holy Son really was handsome and kindhearted!

Then, like Tang Wulin, the two couldn't help looking up at the pair in the sky, who were already poised to strike.

"Just who are you?!"

Tang Hao suddenly realized how serious the situation was. His eyes filled with coldness, and his grip on the Clear Sky Hammer tightened. Anyone with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring...

Was no ordinary person!

Besides, his ninth Soul Ring had come from his wife, Ah Yin. Surely his opponent's Soul Ring hadn't also come from a deceased wife.

There was only one answer: the man had absorbed it himself!

There was actually another monster like this in Spirit Hall!

"Who am I? Shameless brat of the Clear Sky Sect, don't you even know who I am?!"

"I can't be bothered wasting words on you. You aren't worthy of hearing it..."

"Sixth Soul Skill, Fierce Giant Crocodile!"

Golden Crocodile Douluo sneered. The dark-gold phantom of a crocodile's head appeared behind him, its abyssal jaws seemingly capable of devouring heaven and earth, and lunged at Tang Hao with lightning speed.

This is a good chance to show Wulin my true strength!

"Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer!"

Tang Hao immediately grew wary. Each swing of the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand seemed to carry the force to shatter mountains and split rocks, and at last he charged at the giant crocodile.

As a fellow possessor of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, he was confident he might not be weaker than the senior before him!

But the instant the giant hammer in his hand collided with the phantom crocodile head, Tang Hao felt an incomparably savage force surge into his body. His arm went numb at once, and his body tipped backward uncontrollably.

The Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer, the supreme technique of his sect in which he had the most confidence, couldn't even intimidate his opponent!

This man's Martial Soul was the Golden Giant Crocodile. Could he be...?!

"Clear Sky True Body!"

At that moment, Tang Hao no longer dared hold back. The Seventh Soul Ring beneath his feet flared to life.

In an instant, the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand seemed to be infused with boundless vitality and began to swell. The hammer, originally one zhang long, grew visibly larger.

Five zhang! Ten zhang! It grew to twenty zhang, and within the enormous Clear Sky Hammer lay boundless power!

"Old bastard!"

"Try this move of mine!"

Tang Hao gritted his teeth and sent the enormous Clear Sky Hammer crashing down at his opponent. But just then, the latter moved as well.

"Martial Soul Avatar."

Golden Crocodile Douluo sneered, and in an instant, brilliant golden light spread over his body.

In the space of a single breath, he transformed into a Golden Crocodile King several dozen zhang long, dazzling patterns gleaming on the dark-gold scales covering his body.

The enormous Clear Sky Hammer looked rather like child's play before him.

"Come on, brat!"

Golden Crocodile Douluo charged straight at Tang Hao's Tool Soul Avatar. His unstoppable momentum made it seem as though he paid the Clear Sky Douluo no mind at all.

In just an instant, Tang Hao gritted his teeth. Even with his Tool Soul Avatar active, he felt tremendous strain!

How can this old bastard be like this?!

"Eighth Soul Skill, Qian Jun's Force!"

"Divine Slaughter's Domain, open!"

The Eighth Soul Ring beneath Tang Hao's feet suddenly lit up. He unleashed his Tool Soul Avatar together with his strongest killing move, his eyes instantly turning bloodshot as his killing intent burst forth.

"Heh heh..."

Golden Crocodile Douluo showed no fear at the sight. His enormous crocodile eyes were filled with coldness. Once, even Tang Hao's grandfather, Tang Chen, had had to give this old man some room...

Let alone Tang Hao, who was nothing like his ancestor!

"Eighth Soul Skill, Heaven-Sealing Earth-Trapping!"

His Eighth Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet as well. The moment the domain emerged, the giant Clear Sky Hammer's Tool Soul paused before finally smashing down.

"Rumble—"

The instant the Golden Crocodile King and the Clear Sky True Body clashed, immense Soul Power swept through the entire space, and countless nearby flowers, grasses, and trees were reduced to nothing in an instant.

Even Tang Wulin, who had long since taken shelter in the rear, couldn't help drawing a deep breath.

If Senior Golden Crocodile hadn't placed a Soul Power shield around him beforehand, he feared the impact would have knocked him unconscious too. He had better leave first...

"You two seniors, let's go first..."

"Hmm?"

Tang Wulin had just been about to say something when he heard two bodies hit the ground. Looking at the two beside him, who had been knocked unconscious by the shock wave, he stopped short.

Come to think of it, Senior Golden Crocodile had only thought to protect him. These two hadn't received the same treatment!

"Sigh."

Tang Wulin slung one over each shoulder, a helpless look on his face. What a mess this was.

Still, today he had saved Ning Fengzhi's men. That fellow was clever, so he surely wouldn't remain stubbornly blind as he had in the original story.

"And it looks like..."

"Senior Golden Crocodile beat Tang Hao by quite a margin."

Looking at the luminous mist gradually dispersing in the distance, Tang Wulin couldn't help saying with a chuckle.

Senior Golden Crocodile had already released his Martial Soul Avatar and looked perfectly composed. Not far from him, Tang Hao, who had been blasted away, was in terrible shape, his expression extremely ugly.

This wasn't just a question of how far one surpassed the other. It was a complete crushing!

Level 98 versus level 95, and his opponent was also the foremost Beast Martial Soul Soul Master in the world today. Tang Hao had no cause to feel wronged by his defeat.

"You're a long way behind your grandfather, Tang Hao."

Golden Crocodile Douluo smiled coldly, making no effort to hold back his mockery. At the same level of 95, that boy Tang Chen had performed far, far better than Tang Hao.

"No!"

"I haven't used all my methods yet!"

Tang Hao's eyes were bloodshot as he spoke through gritted teeth.

He had lost before only because he had been caught in his opponent's domain. Besides...

He hadn't used his strongest move yet!

"Ring Detonation!"

With Tang Hao's furious shout, the fifth Soul Ring beneath his feet exploded. Its violent power instantly poured into the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand, and his previously weakened presence surged.

In an instant, he became a black meteor and charged at his opponent once more, intent on showing him the Clear Sky Sect's secret Ring Detonation technique!

"A mayfly trying to shake a tree."

Golden Crocodile Douluo sneered. He merely activated the pressure within his domain, and Tang Hao's tremendous speed instantly slowed.

As for that hammer blow, delivered with the determination to win, Golden Crocodile Douluo simply slapped it aside with one claw while in his Martial Soul Avatar.

"If that's all you're capable of,"

"there's no need to continue."

His eyes were full of contempt, as though he didn't take his opponent seriously at all. Seeing this, Tang Hao flew into a rage.

"Ring Detonation! Ring Detonation! Ring Detonation!"

This time, his first, second, third, fourth, and sixth Soul Rings—a full five in all—exploded at once. The dense Soul Power made his presence surge again.

"Oh?"

"Five rings detonated at once."

Only then did Golden Crocodile Douluo grow serious, though the composure on his face didn't lessen in the slightest. He wanted to see just how wide the gap was between Tang Hao and his grandfather, Tang Chen!

Yet, as he watched, Tang Hao didn't use the Great Sumeru Hammer or the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer as he had expected. Instead, he turned around and streaked away like a meteor.

"So he's running..."

Golden Crocodile Douluo stared at the sight in surprise, but the disdain on his face only grew stronger. Smiling, he shook his head.

"Wulin, take those two back first."

"It's just a little rat. I'll be back in no time."

With those words, he didn't linger for a moment. He turned into a streak of golden light and vanished from Tang Wulin's sight in an instant.

"Looks like Tang Hao isn't an idiot after all..."

Watching the two figures disappear, Tang Wulin couldn't help muttering. He had thought Tang Hao would come out with some line about not being a coward, panting like an ox, and then detonate all nine rings at once.

Still, it wasn't much of a problem that he had run. With Senior Golden Crocodile's strength, there was no way he wouldn't be able to catch him.

Then I'll head back first.

And wait for good news from Senior Golden Crocodile.

Tang Wulin chuckled to himself. He really did want to see Tang Hao brought back as a captive.

"As long as the green mountains remain, there'll be no shortage of firewood!"

"Xiao San, no one else knows who you are. Stay here at Shrek for now. Once Dad has gone into hiding for a while, I'll come back for you and that rabbit!"

Elsewhere, Tang Hao forcibly suppressed the fighting spirit in his heart and gritted his teeth as he flew along at the speed of light.

He had a feeling that unless he detonated all nine rings at once, he might really be no match for his opponent. His own ninth Soul Skill offered no improvement in combat, but his opponent...

A Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring meant two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Skills! It would be fine if they weren't Power Attack System skills, but if they were, he couldn't imagine how strong they would be.

Besides, detonating all nine rings at once had too severe an aftereffect. If he really did it, he wouldn't be able to muster much strength for a long time afterward.

"Keep running, brat."

"If I let you get away today, heh, I'll let you have my position as Second Worship of Spirit Hall's Worship Hall!"

Behind him, Golden Crocodile Douluo had leisurely caught up with him at some point, his cold laughter carrying over.

He still hadn't settled the score for that hammer blow that boy Xun Ji had suffered back then, and now Tang Hao had stirred up this nonsense today. He wanted to see whether the boss still cared about the Clear Sky Sect!

The Clear Sky Sect had to be fucking dealt with!

"Senior Golden Crocodile!"

"Leave some room for others, so you can meet again in the future. Acting like this, aren't you afraid my grandfather will come back—"

Tang Hao gritted his teeth and made his threat, but his feet kept moving faster and faster.

Damn legs, run faster!

He hadn't raised his son into a capable man yet, nor had he taken him back to the sect to acknowledge his ancestors and return to his roots. He couldn't fall here!

"Oh? Now you remember to bring up your grandfather?"

"Before he disappeared, your grandfather was an honorable man in the Soul Master World. He'd never have ambushed a junior. If he knew he had such a fine grandson, even if he weren't dead, he'd be half dead with anger."

Golden Crocodile Douluo chuckled. He admitted that Tang Chen was strong and had once possessed the strength to defeat him with ease, but there had been no word of him for decades. It wasn't even certain whether he was alive.

Besides, he wasn't the only one in Spirit Hall.

The current Pope, Bibi Dong, was undergoing a god's trials, and Her Highness Xue'er was also a god's inheritor, to say nothing of Wulin...

Never mind whether Tang Chen was dead or not. Even if he was alive, so what? Three people on our side have the potential to become gods, and I'm supposed to avoid crossing him?!

"When I get back, I'll tell all the elders what you've done and present the Pope with a proposal against the Clear Sky Sect. Don't worry, your clansmen will keep you company."

"Not one person in the Clear Sky Sect should expect to escape."

"From the sect master down to every chicken and dog in the Clear Sky Sect, none will be left behind."

Sensing his opponent's presence growing increasingly unstable, Golden Crocodile Douluo spoke coldly, a smile curling his lips.

"What did you say?!"

At that moment, Tang Hao, who placed his sect above all else, flew into a rage and panicked completely!

His Clear Sky Sect was the number one sect under heaven, its foundations a hundred times deeper than Spirit Hall's. How could it suffer such humiliation?!

Golden Crocodile Douluo, you've said too much!

"You forced me to do this, Golden Crocodile."

"Of all the things you could have done, you should never have dared humiliate my Clear Sky Sect. Today, what does it matter if I fight you until the fish dies and the net breaks?!"

"Ring—Detonation—"

A vicious look flashed through Tang Hao's eyes. He had still been about to flee, but now he stopped. The next moment, the last three Soul Rings beneath his feet exploded.

Black! Black! Red!

Although the negative effects of his earlier Ring Detonations had already left him struggling, the ages of his final three Soul Rings added up to more than 200,000 years. The benefits far outweighed the aftereffects!

Today, either Golden Crocodile would die or he would!

"Great—Sumeru—Hammer—"

With Tang Hao's shout, the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand once more assumed its enormous form and condensed.

He, Tang Hao, was fighting for his sect!

"Oh?"

Golden Crocodile smiled. You mean to say that you, a man who's detonated six Soul Rings and is about to suffer the aftereffects...

Want to fight me until the fish dies and the net breaks?

"Golden Crocodile, I'm telling you, not a single person in my Clear Sky Sect is a cow—"

Even as Tang Hao used the Great Sumeru Hammer, he kept talking incessantly, seemingly trying to draw his opponent's attention.

"Explosive Claw!"

Yet he failed to notice that his opponent had appeared behind him at some unknown point.

In the space of a single breath, Golden Crocodile Douluo used a Soul Bone Skill and instantly chopped off both his arms.

"Ah—"

"What are you doing?!"

Tang Hao, who had focused his entire being on the secret technique, stiffened and violently spat out a great mouthful of blood. As the energy drained from his body, he instantly fell to the ground, crashing down hard and eating a mouthful of dirt.

The Great Sumeru Hammer had been interrupted! Not to mention his severed arms: he had already been in terrible shape, and now he had lost both arms and the support of two Soul Bones...

His cultivation was far below that of a Titled Douluo. Even releasing his Martial Soul was no easy feat.

"It seems I've given you far too much face. A secret technique like the Great Sumeru Hammer, with such a long windup... you didn't think I'd just give you a chance to cast it for no reason, did you?"

"What do you think, Tang Hao?"

Golden Crocodile Douluo's gaze fell on his opponent's Great Sumeru Hammer, which had failed to form and was rapidly dissipating, as he spoke coldly.

He wanted to act morally too, but...

This Tang Hao had no morals at all!