Battle Against Tang Hao

"No, I'm merely an unaffiliated cultivator."

Tang Hao stepped forward and waved his right hand. A dark crimson Haotian Hammer appeared in his palm.

"Fine. I'd also like to see whether you truly have what it takes."

"Then forgive this junior's offense."

A chill flashed through Liu Yi's eyes. With the tip of his foot touching the ground, his body shot toward Tang Hao like a bullet. At the same instant, the Seven Kill Sword in his hand swept out.

Tang Hao's expression did not change. The Haotian Hammer in his right hand smashed straight toward Liu Yi's Seven Kill Sword.

A thunderous boom rang out.

The violent blast erupted before Liu Yi. As their Martial Souls collided, countless sparks scattered in every direction.

Tang Hao had unleashed his Soul Power, but it was certainly no lower than Liu Yi's. Moreover, proud as he was, Tang Hao disdained taking advantage of Liu Yi.

He forcibly suppressed his Soul Power to level sixty-four.

Yet just when he believed he had completely suppressed Liu Yi, that single clash had instead left him entirely at a disadvantage.

Liu Yi did not stop moving. His second sword strike swiftly attacked Tang Hao.

Worthy of being a Titled Douluo powerhouse, although he had suffered in the first collision, he reacted quickly.

As his body spun sideways in midair, his fifth soul ring lit up, and the muscles all over his body instantly swelled.

The Haotian Hammer in his right hand seemed to be affected by something, instantly becoming incomparably fierce.

"Fifth Soul Skill, Soaring Sky Strike!"

Facing Tang Hao's Fifth Soul Skill, Liu Yi frowned slightly. Yet instead of dodging, he swung the Seven Kill Sword in his right hand once more.

In midair, a phantom slash took shape and charged straight toward Tang Hao's Soaring Sky Strike.

Just as the Seven Kill Sword was about to collide with Tang Hao's Haotian Hammer, the Seven Kill Sword suddenly turned completely white.

Liu Yi's own domineering aura instantly became even more frenzied. With an angry roar, he resembled a wrathful Vajra, his surging presence causing the earth and stones beneath him to burst apart inch by inch.

After the second violent collision between the two sides, Liu Yi failed to blast away the Haotian Hammer, but the hammer also failed to shake his body.

Tang Hao's brows knitted tightly. He had never imagined that this young man would erupt with such terrifying strength.

Even though he had suppressed his Soul Power to level sixty-four, it should not have turned out like this.

Tang Hao leaped into the air and dove down with incomparable momentum. When his left foot landed on the ground again, it stomped a massive crater into the earth.

Amid a thunderous boom, the Haotian Hammer grew with the wind. The already enormous hammer became like a dark cloud, plunging the entire sky into darkness.

Then, with the force of Mount Tai bearing down, it smashed viciously toward Liu Yi.

Tang Hao's Soul Power clearly surpassed Liu Yi's, and his cultivation experience was far greater as well.

Yet he had actually been forced entirely onto the defensive. How could he possibly endure that?

Seeing the Haotian Hammer expanding in midair, Liu Yi did not dare relax in the slightest. His figure flickered continuously as he kept as much distance from it as possible.

"Sixth Soul Skill... Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin!"

Around Liu Yi, Soul Power instantly condensed more than ten thousand Seven Kill Swords, which shot out like arrows.

At that very moment.

The Seven Kill Swords gathered together as their medium, forming an enormous sword no smaller than the Haotian Hammer in midair.

With a thunderous boom, a dazzling golden light suddenly burst forth in the sky. An incomparably violent aura instantly destroyed every tree within a hundred meters.

Everything in its path was reduced to ruins.

Tang Hao stood where he was, coldly staring at Liu Yi, who was half-kneeling on the ground.

In that last strike, Tang Hao had actually forcibly raised his Soul Power to the Soul Douluo level. Without a doubt, Liu Yi had lost.

He had lost completely.

"Pfft—" A mouthful of blood sprayed from Liu Yi's mouth. His eyes bloodshot, he stared fixedly at Tang Hao.

Tang Hao walked over to him. "You're quite good, truly strong. But in the end, I am a Titled Douluo powerhouse, while you are not."

Liu Yi sneered. "Heh heh, Senior is right. One day, I too will become a Titled Douluo powerhouse. When that time comes, I'd still like to spar with Senior again."

Tang Hao frowned. The meaning behind those words was obvious: just because he could not defeat him now did not mean he would not be able to in the future.

Letting a tiger return to the mountains?

Just as killing intent arose within Tang Hao, a loud shout came from the distance.

"Senior, stop!"

Tang Hao turned around and looked at the middle-aged man behind him.

The man appeared to be in his forties. Wearing glasses, he looked at Tang Hao respectfully.

"Haotian Crown."

"Level seventy-eight, Martial Soul Four-Eyed Cat Owl. Worthy of being the backbone of the Golden Iron Triangle back then."

"Speak. What have you come for?"

Flender looked at Liu Yi. "Your Crown, Liu Yi is currently a teacher at our Shrek Academy. Could you... spare him?"

Tang Hao sneered. "Heh, when did I ever say I was going to kill him?"

"Uh... thank you, Your Crown."

Tang Hao glanced at Liu Yi. The furrow in his brow gradually eased as he turned to look at Flender.

"Since you've put it that way, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to strike again. This little fellow is quite good. Heh."

As a gust of icy wind swept past, Tang Hao's figure vanished.

Flender looked over the devastation around them and shook his head helplessly.

"You're... Liu Yi, right? Zhao Wuji told me about you. Reaching the Soul Emperor realm at such a young age—you youngsters are truly formidable."

"I introduced myself earlier. My name is Flender, a level seventy-eight Agility Attack Battle Soul Saint and the headmaster of Shrek Academy."

"I have no idea why Haotian Crown appeared here, much less why he sparred with you. As I recall, he had lived in seclusion for many years. I never expected him to return to the world of Soul Masters today."

Liu Yi struggled to his feet. His chest felt unbearably tight, and as sweetness rose in his throat, he spat out another mouthful of blood.

Flender hurried over and supported Liu Yi, shaking his head helplessly.

Of all people, why did he have to provoke that man?

He was someone who even dared to beat up the Pope. What was there for him to fear?

Liu Yi stared coldly into the distance, thinking, It took you level eighty Soul Power just to barely injure me. Once I reach the Titled Douluo realm, you won't be my match anymore, Tang Hao!

After returning to the academy, Liu Yi went straight back to his room, sat on the bed, and began to recover.

No one knew how much time had passed before Liu Yi opened his eyes.

"Cough, cough... I've only recovered ninety percent. Tang Hao really is powerful."

Liu Yi shrugged and walked out of his room, heading to the academy's open grounds.

At this point, aside from a few teachers, only Oscar and Ning Rongrong remained at the academy.

When Ning Rongrong saw Liu Yi come out, she ran over and complained tearfully, "Waaah~, Teacher Liu, they said I'm a little witch."

Liu Yi rubbed Ning Rongrong's little head and smiled. "All right, let them say what they want. I think you're quite nice."

"Oscar, come over here."