Battle

Boom—!

A terrifying pressure descended. The Shrek students felt as though a mountain had settled on them, and they were forced to their knees.

Flender and the others immediately released their martial souls to resist the pressure.

"How did a Titled Douluo get here so quickly?!"

Bang!

A black figure dropped from the sky and landed on the grounds of Shrek Academy.

"Don't be nervous!"

A weathered voice rang out.

The vast Soul Power slowly withdrew.

Yu Xiaogang and Tang San looked up in delight.

"Father!"

"Clear Sky Douluo?!"

The black-robed man walked forward, removing his cloak as he went. His resolute face came into view.

"Wow!"

The Shrek Seven Devils immediately covered their mouths, overcome with excitement.

"It's the living Clear Sky Douluo!!!"

Ma Hongjun and Oscar were so excited they nearly lost their minds.

Unlike the others, they weren't from noble families. The strongest Soul Masters they'd ever met were Flender and Zhao Wuji.

How could they not be excited to see Tang Hao now?

"Thank you all for looking after Xiao San these past years. Given the situation, he has no choice but to leave."

Tang Hao's voice was low.

"Father, where are we going?"

Tang San held Xiao Wu, whose body was trembling. "She's never hurt anyone."

Although Tang San's mother had been a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, he couldn't be sure whether Tang Hao had only been kind to his mother, or whether he also harbored hatred toward other soul beasts.

"Don't worry!"

Tang Hao waved a hand. "If I'd had any designs on Xiao Wu, she wouldn't have stayed by your side all this time."

At his words, Xiao Wu and the others all felt relieved.

"Enough talk." Tang Hao swept his hand through the air, and a tremendous force carried Tang San and Xiao Wu skyward.

"Your Excellency, where are you taking Xiao San?"

Yu Xiaogang stepped forward and asked.

Tang Hao considered it for a moment, then said, "Once things have settled down, I'll let him return to Shrek."

As he spoke, he sensed something and looked into the distance. "It seems Spirit Hall got here faster than I expected."

Spirit Hall?!

The Shrek students' expressions stiffened.

If they knew Shrek had ties to a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, they would surely be implicated.

Their faces darkened.

"Don't worry. I'll make them turn around and leave."

Tang Hao let out a cold snort. His aura surged, and he shot away from the spot.

When the Sky Screen had descended, all living things had received its blessing. His injuries had long since healed, and there were only a handful of people in the world who could fight him.

Unless the Great Enshrined Qian Daoliu stepped in, Tang Hao was confident he could face anyone else.

Besides, Spirit Hall had fallen out with the Heaven Dou Empire and was already stretched thin. Qian Daoliu would surely remain at Spirit Hall to steady the situation.

That meant whoever came would be around level ninety-five.

As it turned out, Tang Hao had been right.

At that moment,

High above the ground, a hundred li from Shrek, several terrifying figures strode through the air. Spirit Hall led the way, represented by four Titled Douluos: Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo, Pufferfish Douluo, and Snake Lance Douluo.

On the other side was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, represented by Sword Bone Douluo.

The final faction was the Heaven Dou Royal, led by Dugu Bo.

All three factions sensed one another. But before they could meet, an even more overbearing force emerged from their destination.

"Hm?!"

The three factions' expressions changed.

"There's another expert?!"

They stopped in their tracks. After sensing their presence, that aura hadn't retreated. Instead, it was heading straight for them.

"Who is this person, to dare face all three factions?" Ning Fengzhi wondered aloud.

Sword Bone Douluo shook his head. "I can't make him out. He seems like a formidable opponent."

The four Titled Douluos from Spirit Hall exchanged glances. For some reason, the other person's aura seemed familiar. Suddenly, Gui Mei cried out in alarm:

"This is bad! It's Tang Hao!!!"

At his words, everyone present froze.

Tang Hao?!

"How could he be here?!"

Everyone was stunned.

"Looks like an old friend has already sensed my presence!"

Tang Hao strode through the air, covering a hundred zhang with each step. Space trembled beneath his feet, and terrifying waves of air swept across the heavens and earth, leaving everyone struggling to breathe.

His black cloak billowed. His eyes shone like stars.

Tang Hao raised a hand, and the Clear Sky Hammer appeared.

Boom—!

His vast pressure shook the eight directions.

He pointed the Clear Sky Hammer at the three factions and declared, "I'm taking the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast with me."

"Who among you objects? Who agrees?"

Boom, boom—!

His domineering words brimmed with absolute confidence.

The three factions hesitated.

Chrysanthemum Douluo's face darkened. He turned to Ning Fengzhi and said, "Sect Master Ning, may I ask what your sect intends to do about the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast—"

"Dad!!!"

Before he could finish, Ning Rongrong's voice rang out from the distance. Several powerful Soul Douluos brought her over.

Ning Rongrong said, "Dad, Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone, Xiao Wu is my dear friend. Please don't hurt her! Although she's a soul beast, she's never harmed anyone!"

At her words, the atmosphere shifted again.

The people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect exchanged glances, then swallowed the words they had been about to say.

Ning Fengzhi smiled faintly. "I'm sorry. The Upper Three Sects stand together... Besides, I'm only here today to bring my daughter home."

"You!"

The faces of the Spirit Hall group changed.

Though they had four Titled Douluos, if they actually fought Tang Hao, at least one of them would likely die.

They couldn't afford that kind of loss.

And they didn't dare take the chance.

"Hahaha!"

Tang Hao threw back his head and laughed. "Thank you, Sect Master Ning. I'll be sure to visit your sect in person another day!"

Then he suddenly turned to face the people from Spirit Hall.

"I was only bluffing just now. Even if you hadn't attacked, none of you would have left here unscathed today!"

Tang Hao's Nine Soul Rings appeared.

The blood-red ring in particular made everyone present turn pale.

"Spirit Hall has smeared my name for years. Today, I'll collect a little interest!"

"Take this!"

Boom—!

His Martial Soul Avatar tore through the sky, crushing space and shaking the heavens and earth.

As the sea of clouds churned, the Clear Sky Hammer descended from above.

"Tang Hao, do you really think we're powerless to deal with you?!"

The four Titled Douluos roared at the sky.

Nine Soul Rings appeared around each of them, and none showed the slightest fear of the Clear Sky Hammer.

Ten thousand ghosts blotted out the sky, deathly energy surging like an ocean.

Golden flowers danced through the air, transforming into a torrential rain of arrows.

Venom surged like a tide, as Pufferfish swallowed the moon.

A long spear pierced through the world, breaking through obstacles and transforming into a dragon.

The four Titled Douluos attacked together. In an instant, the world within a hundred li was transformed, heaven and earth turned upside down.

The giant hammer met their four soul skills head-on.

Rumble—!

Its power covered the eight wastelands. Waves of air rolled in every direction. In an instant, rivers vaporized, their steam rising as all life wailed; the earth split open into abysses that swallowed everything; mountains shattered, sending stones flying in brilliant sparks; and surging clouds stirred thunder and rain.

When everything finally settled,

only ruins remained, along with the scorching heat lingering in the air.

"Your strength has recovered?!"

The four Titled Douluos from Spirit Hall roared.

Tang Hao sneered. "Haven't you broken through your own shackles and reached a higher realm? My old injuries have merely healed. What's so surprising about that?!"

"Tang Hao, Spirit Hall will remember this!"

The four Titled Douluos from Spirit Hall fell back.

Tang Hao didn't pursue them. That exchange had been nothing more than a test.

They had tested Tang Hao's strength, while Tang Hao had tested his own suspicions.

"Hmph!"

Tang Hao didn't want to get entangled with them any further. He lifted a foot, ready to leave.

Just then—

"Tang Hao, it's been years, but you're still as arrogant as ever!"

"Today, I'll challenge you to a move!"

Vmmm—!

As everyone looked on in confusion, a long spear cut through the sky like a meteor, crashing toward Tang Hao.

Its terrifying pressure shattered the Sky Screen, leaving a streak of light behind.

Everyone felt the pressure and turned pale. Even Sword Douluo, who had received the Sky Screen's blessing, taken a strike from Qian Daoliu, and broken through the level-ninety-seven barrier, felt a hint of apprehension.

"You've got nerve!!!"

Tang Hao didn't flinch. He activated Divine Slaughter's Domain and swung the Clear Sky Hammer to meet the attack head-on.

Boom—!

The void shook. Countless sparks rained down upon the world, setting a hundred li of forest ablaze.

Tang Hao had already been knocked back a hundred zhang.

"Hiss—!"

Everyone present drew in a sharp breath.

Several Titled Douluos instinctively blurted out:

"It's him?!"