Ruthless One

The anger in Zhu Zhuqing's heart kept rising as terrifying Soul Power surged wildly around her. Fortunately, her Soul Power was pure enough; if an ordinary Soul Master used power at the Titled Douluo level, their Soul Power would probably be drained in just a few breaths.

"Heh. I'll say it one more time—hand it over!"

Tang Hao showed no anger at Zhu Zhuqing's mockery. Instead, when he saw her aura rise again, he became even more interested in her secret technique.

A technique that could raise a quasi-Soul King's strength by so much would surely suit his Xiao San.

But there was no way he would let Zhu Zhuqing go.

He could tell that Zhu Zhuqing was very young.

Youth meant potential. Given the strength Zhu Zhuqing had displayed, he feared that he might not be able to suppress her in the future.

If she came looking for revenge then, things would become troublesome.

And if he had not misjudged, this girl's two Martial Souls were a White Tiger and, most likely, a cat.

Two Beast Martial Souls of light and darkness—it was not hard for him to guess Zhu Zhuqing's origins.

The favored daughter of the Star Luo Empire. That was also why he had made his move to rob her.

This was Heaven Dou. So what if she was robbed?

Still, while he did not fear the Star Luo Empire, it would be troublesome if he was discovered.

So, to avoid future trouble, he had to deal with Zhu Zhuqing.

After all, only the dead could keep secrets!

"I think your brain must have shrunk for you to say something so stupid. If I hand it over to you, can I still live? With your nature, Tang Hao, wouldn't you wipe me out the moment I gave you what you wanted!?"

Zhu Zhuqing cradled her right arm, pouring Soul Power into it to repair it with all her strength, while staring coldly at Tang Hao.

"Looks like you truly aren't afraid of death!"

Tang Hao finally grew angry when his authority failed to work time and again.

"Of course I'm afraid of death. But Tang Hao..."

Ignoring the enraged Tang Hao, Zhu Zhuqing's expression grew even angrier. Even the hair behind her stood on end from fury.

"What right do you have to speak the word 'death' in front of me?"

Boom!

In her Dark Radiance Goddess form, Zhu Zhuqing unleashed her third soul skill. Her body split into four as they crisscrossed toward Tang Hao to kill him.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Zhu Zhuqing's true body continuously darted among the other three clones. The result was that the four figures alternated between fast and slow. Even Tang Hao could not accurately predict which was the true body and which was a clone.

Even the clones broke the sound barrier at that moment, reaching speeds of at least Mach two and stirring up thunderous roars.

Tang Hao had never seen such absurd clones before.

Whoosh!

The clones, together with Zhu Zhuqing, arrived at Tang Hao's four sides and paused for half an instant. They spread their hands, and Blade Edges appeared simultaneously.

"Dark Radiance, Instant Kill Formation!"

Scarlet light flashed in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes as all four figures charged Tang Hao at once.

Their speeds varied between fast and slow, sometimes one after another, sometimes attacking from before and behind, sometimes striking simultaneously.

Even when Tang Hao caught sight of Zhu Zhuqing's figure, the clone and true body switched places the instant he swung his hammer.

One clone was blasted apart by a hammer strike, but Zhu Zhuqing, who had been at the clone's original position, suddenly accelerated and swung her blade.

At the same time, with Clone Number Three destroyed, Clone Number Two split in two again, becoming two clones once more.

As long as Zhu Zhuqing's true body remained alive, clones could keep appearing.

The slash tore through flesh, exposing the bone beneath.

Tang Hao came to his senses the next instant and swung a fist at her.

Though she reacted, Zhu Zhuqing could not escape. She gave Tang Hao a crazed smile.

Bang!

Zhu Zhuqing's entire body exploded into a sky full of Soul Power!

Another clone!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Zhu Zhuqing was repeatedly smashed apart by Tang Hao, while countless more clones emerged from elsewhere or stepped out from Zhu Zhuqing herself.

Tang Hao's injuries also became increasingly horrific.

The Blade Edges could easily cut through Tang Hao's defenses, but they could not sever his bones.

This nearly put Zhu Zhuqing in danger when she seized an opportunity to go for his head.

The pain of a clone being destroyed was shared with Zhu Zhuqing.

The memories of being blown apart countless times drove her increasingly mad.

Her attacks gradually became more underhanded, such as...

Whoosh!

A streak of Black Light flashed. Tang Hao suddenly felt his temples throb violently, while a chill ran through a certain place below his waist.

Tang Hao hurriedly dodged, even disregarding his injuries as he unleashed a soul skill.

Clear Sky Defense!

Countless spinning Clear Sky Hammers appeared, forming an all-encompassing, flawless defense around Tang Hao.

Blade Light flashed. A chilling slash was blocked two centimeters in front of where Tang Hao's little brother had originally been.

Tang Hao's face turned green at the sight, followed by towering fury.

It was one thing for a quasi-Soul King to put him in such a sorry state, but she had actually dared to harm his second brother.

This was simply outrageous!

Tang Hao's Soul Power surged. The Clear Sky Defense surrounding him suddenly shook, blasting all four Zhu Zhuqings attacking him away.

Then Tang Hao's face turned green again the next instant.

"Just you wait for me, Tang Hao! Even if I have to scour heaven and earth, I'll slaughter your entire bloodline! You have a son, don't you? Let's see whether you can guard him for the rest of your life!"

Zhu Zhuqing's crazed voice echoed through the heavens and earth. The sight of her scarlet eyes made Tang Hao's heart inexplicably tremble.

As they flew backward, all four figures stared at Tang Hao with indifferent yet frenzied eyes, then turned and shot away in four different directions.

"You..."

Tang Hao was enraged by Zhu Zhuqing's threat. He reached out and grabbed at one of the Zhu Zhuqings.

Only he and Yu Xiaogang knew about Tang San. He wanted to know how Zhu Zhuqing had learned of it.

And Zhu Zhuqing had actually used Tang San to threaten him, so he could not allow her to leave.

"Hahaha! Tang Hao, failing to kill me with one hammer blow was the greatest mistake of your life!"

Looking at Tang Hao reaching for her, Zhu Zhuqing gave a crazed laugh and flapped the wings behind her.

Boom!

The extreme speed of the Nether Shadow Spirit Cat was added to the wings of the Holy Light White Tiger.

Zhu Zhuqing's speed instantly rose to Mach three. Before Tang Hao's hand could fall, she vanished from before his eyes.

Only a tiny black dot rapidly fading into the distant horizon remained.

The figures in the other three directions vanished at the same time.

Silence!

A long silence!

Tang Hao stared at his empty hand and fell silent.

He knew that he had probably caused a huge disaster.

There was no way he could catch up to her.

Even Soul Douluos bearing the title of the Speed Clan could not compare to the speed Zhu Zhuqing had just unleashed.

Much less him.

To begin with, he was not a speed-type Soul Master. Moreover, his current physical condition did not permit him to explosively release Soul Power at full output.

He had merely intended to secretly escort Tang San to Suotuo City, yet who could have expected such a thing to happen?

Not only had he failed to obtain the secret technique, he had thoroughly made an enemy of her.

On Douluo Continent, coveting another Soul Master's cultivation methods was a major taboo. The more precious it was, the less one could openly speak of it.

Otherwise, one would not even have the chance to remain friends.

Zhu Zhuqing had also coveted Nine Star Begonia's Heart Separation Control, but she had always intended to trade a combat-type Self-Created Soul Skill for it.

If Ye Lingling did not want the Rasengan, she could have continued raising the offer.

But Tang Hao had first beaten someone up without even distinguishing right from wrong. Then, after discovering it was a misunderstanding, he not only refused to apologize, but also set his sights on their possessions and prepared to seize them by force.

This was no longer merely making an enemy of someone to the death. He had offended a dead person back to life!

Originally, Tang Hao had planned to leave and attend to other matters after settling Tang San somewhere safe.

But now, he did not dare gamble on when that woman Zhu Zhuqing might go after Tang San.

Until Tang San grew strong enough, he would not dare leave Tang San's side for even a day.

And to remain vigilant, he likely would not dare relax his mind too much either.

Meanwhile...

To prevent Tang Hao from catching up, Zhu Zhuqing's true body did not fly in a straight line. Instead, she made several turns along the way.

In the end, her eyes rolled back and she fell straight from the sky.

It was not only Zhu Zhuqing's right arm that had been injured by taking the Clear Sky Hammer head-on. Her internal organs had also suffered an enormous impact.

The unceasing battle afterward had not merely been to vent her anger. More importantly, her internal injuries had not yet recovered, so she could not unleash her full speed to escape.

Only after her internal injuries had stabilized did she provoke Tang Hao and seize the chance to flee at maximum speed.

But now...

As she fell through the air, the Martial Soul Fusion armor covering Zhu Zhuqing gradually vanished. The Soul Power belonging to the Nether Shadow Spirit Cat returned to her Dantian.

The Holy Light White Tiger's Soul Power flowed into every limb and bone of Zhu Zhuqing's body.

Darkness corroded, so light repaired.

The Holy Light White Tiger's Soul Power wrapped around all of Zhu Zhuqing's injured areas.

Only after the Martial Soul Fusion armor disappeared was the full severity of Zhu Zhuqing's right arm revealed.

The clothing on her right hand had completely shattered. Once the Vajra Indestructible Body was released, golden cracks covered her fair skin. Through them, one could see that not only had her ice-like flesh split open, but even her jade-like bones had shattered into several pieces.

This was likely the most serious injury Zhu Zhuqing had suffered since coming into this world.

And she would absolutely not let this end here.

The pain of her wounds would deepen her hatred. For the rest of her life, she and Tang Hao would never rest until one of them was dead.

Hiss!

Her bones had been shattered, and so had her internal organs. It hurt so much!

Under the intense pain, Zhu Zhuqing temporarily relinquished control over her body, desperately suppressing the agony as she allowed herself to fall from the sky.

Bang!

Only when she was a dozen or so meters from the ground did she regain control of her wings and ease her downward momentum.

Zhu Zhuqing landed on a desolate hill. The instant she touched the ground, she nearly could not help but drop to her knees.

It was not because her legs had gone weak or she lacked strength, but simply because the pain was too unbearable.

Even the pain in her flesh paled in comparison to the pain in her soul.

She had endured plenty of hardship since transmigrating here, but this was the first time she had suffered such humiliation.

Yet no matter how much it hurt, Zhu Zhuqing could only force herself to sit cross-legged.

Too many bones in her right hand had shattered. She had to use her Spiritual Power to guide them back into place.

Otherwise, if they healed together in a muddle, would her arm not grow back deformed!?

So she had to intervene herself.

"Ugh... ah!"

Every time she guided another broken bone back into place, Zhu Zhuqing could not suppress a muffled groan, and her body would shudder uncontrollably.

It hurt. It truly hurt too much.

But with every additional measure of pain, Zhu Zhuqing's hatred for Tang Hao grew another measure deeper.