Qian Daoliu Wins, a Melee Looms

The Clear Sky Formation's sudden binding force wrapped around Qian Daoliu like countless invisible chains, bringing his forward charge to an abrupt halt and sharply cutting his speed! Facing Tang Chen's Soaring Strike, which had broken free of the restraints and came smashing back in fury, a trace of gravity flashed through his golden eyes, but he did not panic.

"Hah!"

Qian Daoliu gave a sharp cry. The Sixth Soul Ring behind him—the deep black halo—suddenly lit up! Rather than meeting this long-accumulated hammer blow head-on, he instantly drew in and condensed the power of the Angel Domain!

"Sixth Soul Skill, Angel Roar!"

It was not a Sound Wave attack, but an invisible blast formed purely from sacred Spiritual Power and the oppressive force of his domain, erupting outward from him! This impact was not aimed at the body, but directly at the soul, carrying the power to intimidate, purify, and dispel!

"Bzzzt—!"

The invisible ripples swept out, and the first to bear the brunt was the Clear Sky Formation on the ground! The black runes formed from Soul Power flickered and twisted violently beneath this pure mental and sacred impact, like a calm lake struck by a boulder. The formation's operation instantly became sluggish and chaotic! The heavy binding force imposed on Qian Daoliu weakened considerably as well!

At the same time, Tang Chen felt a searing, majestic spiritual force stab into his mind like a sharp awl, causing a momentary lapse in his gathered Soul Power and fighting spirit! Though his will was firm and he was not truly intimidated, this sudden mental interference still caused an almost imperceptible pause and deviation in his hammer blow, which had been Determined to Win!

That fleeting instant was enough!

Holy Light flashed explosively around Qian Daoliu as he forcibly broke free of the remaining restraints of the formation. His six wings beat fiercely, and he retreated rapidly to the side and rear like a phantom! At the same time, he did not withdraw the Sacred Sword in his hand. Instead, borrowing the momentum of his retreat, he traced a profound arc through the air. The power of the Fourth Soul Skill, Sacred Sword, had not fully dissipated; it now became a condensed golden arc of light. Rather than blocking, it cleverly struck the side of the Clear Sky Hammer's head, where its force was fiercest but its changes were fewest!

"Clang—!"

A piercing Clash of Metal rang out! The golden arc shattered, but Qian Daoliu successfully borrowed the force and accelerated backward, narrowly evading the core area of the Soaring Strike. The savage hammer wind brushed past the hem of his clothes, carving a deep trench into the ground behind him.

Tang Chen's strike, which had been Must Obtain, had ultimately come to nothing under Qian Daoliu's calm mental assault and exquisite movement technique!

The two Pulled Away once more, each catching his breath and staring intently at the other. Tang Chen's face was flushed red. He had not expected his move to be broken in such a manner. Though Qian Daoliu's breathing remained steady, the caution in his eyes had deepened. He knew that if he had not reacted in time, he would have suffered badly.

After the perilous exchange just now, both understood that ordinary probing and technique could no longer decide the victor. It was time to go all out.

Tang Chen erupted first. He held nothing back, driving the Clear Sky Hammer Technique to its limit. His second, third, and fifth Soul Rings flashed in succession. The toughness of Clear Sky Body Protection, the ferocity of Whirlwind Dance, and the might of Earthquake Mountain were perfectly fused together. He no longer sought to win with a single blow. Instead, he transformed into an unceasing black storm, each hammer heavier and faster than the last as they poured down upon Qian Daoliu like a raging tempest! Every blow contained the force to split mountains and shatter rocks, forcing Qian Daoliu into the most direct and exhausting collisions of strength!

This was Tang Chen's Combat Method: breaking skill with strength and crushing his opponent with momentum!

Faced with this torrent of pure strength and will, Qian Daoliu finally grew completely serious. The Angel Domain spread to its fullest, sacred light shining everywhere as it continuously weakened and purified Tang Chen's attacks and momentum. The Angel Sacred Sword in his hand became streaks of golden lightning. He casually unleashed Soul Skills such as Sacred Sword and Holy Spirit Slash, sometimes blocking head-on, sometimes deftly redirecting and dissipating force, and sometimes using Holy Light Judgment to restrain and disrupt from afar. His fighting style was elegant and efficient, like a deity controlling the battlefield, always resolving Tang Chen's most violent attacks at the smallest cost.

"Boom boom boom! Clang clang clang!"

Across the wasteland, golden and black light flashed, collided, and annihilated one another madly! Deafening explosions rang out without end. Violent energy shocks ravaged the ground into a complete mess, while dust filled the air.

The two fought from the ground into the sky, then from the sky back down to the ground. Tang Chen's offense was like Raging Waves, never ceasing; Qian Daoliu's defense and counterattacks were like a pillar standing firm in the current, steady as a mountain.

More than thirty exchanges passed in an instant!

Amid the fierce battle, Tang Chen seized the brief interval Qian Daoliu needed to recover after a Holy Light Judgment and unleashed his strongest combined attack once more! Whirlwind Dance opened the way and threw the Holy Light into disorder. Then, he gathered all his power into one point. Under the reinforcement of Clear Sky Body Protection, his Soaring Strike fell straight toward Qian Daoliu like a meteor crashing to earth! This hammer blow contained all his essence, energy, and spirit at that moment, and its power surpassed every previous strike!

Qian Daoliu's gaze sharpened. He knew the moment that would decide victory had arrived. His fifth and sixth Soul Rings lit up with blinding brilliance at the same time! Holy Light Judgment activated again, but it did not strike Tang Chen. Instead, it bombarded the ground before Qian Daoliu, exploding into a dazzling burst of Holy Light that blinded the eye as he used the recoil to shoot rapidly into the air! Immediately afterward, Angel Roar activated again, sending another invisible mental shock toward Tang Chen!

Tang Chen had been prepared. His will condensed as he endured the mental impact head-on, and his offense only intensified! The Giant Hammer tore through the Holy Light, on the verge of striking Qian Daoliu!

Yet, just before the Giant Hammer reached him, Qian Daoliu's ascent reached its peak. Gripping his sword in both hands, he poured the power of the Angel Domain and all his Soul Power into the Angel Sacred Sword without reservation! The sacred sword instantly expanded, becoming a ten-meter-long Giant Light Sword formed purely from sacred energy! He did not call out the name of any Soul Skill. This was simply his strongest strike, combining his own power with his domain—Man-Sword Unity, Angel Descends!

"Cleave!"

With a clear shout, the enormous sacred Light Sword carried the supreme will to judge all things and purify the world as it fiercely slashed down toward the black Giant Hammer surging into the sky!

This was the ultimate collision of pure power! A clash of faith and will!

"BOOOOM—!!!"

An explosion ten times more violent than any before resounded across the land! The blinding light forced even Yu Yuanchen in the distance to narrow his eyes slightly. A terrifying energy storm swept outward like a tsunami, scraping three feet off the ground by sheer force. Dust shot into the sky, resembling a small mushroom cloud!

After a long while, the dust slowly dispersed.

At the center of the battlefield stood an enormous crater.

At the crater's edge, Qian Daoliu hovered in the low air. The light of his six wings had dimmed somewhat, his breathing was slightly rushed, and the hand holding the Angel Sacred Sword trembled faintly. An unnatural flush colored his face, showing that he had expended a great deal. Yet his posture remained straight, and though the Holy Light was weak, it had not gone out.

At the bottom of the crater, Tang Chen knelt on one knee, the Clear Sky Hammer embedded deeply in the ground to support his body. Blood hung from the corner of his mouth, his robe was torn, and several places on his body bore burns from the Holy Light. His aura was weak, clearly showing that he had fallen into the disadvantage during that ultimate collision. He tried to stand, but staggered, ultimately steadying himself only with the Clear Sky Hammer.

He raised his head toward Qian Daoliu in the air. There was no resentment in his eyes, only blazing fighting spirit and a trace of admiration. Grinning, he said, "Good! That had some kick! You won this time!"

Qian Daoliu slowly descended to the ground and dismissed his Martial Soul. After briefly regulating his breath, his expression returned to calm. He walked to the edge of the crater and extended a hand to Tang Chen, speaking sincerely. "Brother Tang, you let me win. Without the advantage of my Martial Soul and domain, the outcome would still have been uncertain. I admire your strength and will."

Tang Chen grabbed his hand and borrowed his strength to leap out of the crater, then heartily patted him on the shoulder. "A loss is a loss. You, Qian Daoliu, really are formidable! But next time, I'll definitely win it back!"

At that moment, Yu Yuanchen also walked over. Looking at the two men, who were disheveled yet undiminished in spirit, he praised them sincerely. "Absolutely magnificent! I have gained greatly from witnessing this battle today." At the same time, he thought, It seems Tang Chen will likely only surpass Qian Daoliu after his Cultivation Level reaches great heights and he organizes all he has learned to complete the transformation of his hammer technique. But that makes sense. The power of a God-Tier Martial Soul and the foundation of Spirit Hall are not something the Clear Sky Hammer and the Clear Sky Sect before Tang Chen's rise can compare to.

Then Yu Yuanchen smiled at Qian Daoliu and Tang Chen. "Next, since you have just finished fighting, you should rest for a while before continuing."

Tang Chen also looked at Yu Yuanchen with blazing eyes, full of anticipation, and did not refuse. Though he had lost to Qian Daoliu, his fighting spirit had not faded. He greatly wanted to see what kind of strength this Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon genius, who also possessed a domain and had a Soul Ring Configuration worthy of a monster, could display.

Feeling the considerable amount of Soul Power he had expended in battle, Qian Daoliu nodded. "Fine. We'll fight again in half an hour."

The two then sat down cross-legged and began to rest.

There was no time to mourn the conclusion of the battle between Clear Sky and Angel. What was about to take the stage next was a grand melee between the three greatest prodigies of the age!