Mutual Destruction

Under normal circumstances, it might have worked, but Tang Hao had long since been blinded by murderous intent. With the incomparably violent Divine Slaughter's Domain surrounding him, Jade Flute Douluo's flute music could not reach his ears at all.

Diamond Douluo used the last of his strength to warn him. "Jade Flute, watch out!"

When Jade Flute opened his eyes and lowered the flute from his lips, Tang Hao, his eyes scarlet, was already before him. Five or six ten-thousand-year Spirit Rings beneath his feet exploded as the enormous Clear Sky Hammer came crashing down.

With a miserable scream, Jade Flute Douluo's head was smashed apart. His body was buried beneath the ground, and he died on the spot.

As a Control Type Douluo, Jade Flute Douluo's defenses naturally could not compare to Diamond Douluo's. Moreover, when Tang Hao struck Jade Flute Douluo with the Clear Sky Hammer, he detonated five or six ten-thousand-year Spirit Rings. The energy contained within them was several times greater than that of three or four thousand-year Spirit Rings. Even a Defense Type Title Douluo had been severely injured by a single blow from Tang Hao, much less Jade Flute Douluo.

Looking at Jade Flute Douluo's splattered brains and mangled corpse, then at Diamond Douluo in the distance, who had been critically wounded and was practically crippled with most of the bones in his chest shattered, Qian Xunji trembled with rage. Two Title Douluo—two Title Douluo who had followed him for so long. One had been beaten to death by Tang Hao, while the other was most likely crippled.

After taking down two Title Douluo, Tang Hao remained expressionless. He held little Tang San in one arm and dragged the Clear Sky Hammer toward Qian Xunji with the other. The vat-sized hammer scraped along the ground behind him, plowing a clearly visible trench as deafening friction rang out. Three Spirit Rings—black, black, and red—still revolved around the Clear Sky Hammer.

After many years, the new generation of Angel Douluo and Clear Sky Douluo faced each other once more.

Angel Douluo Qian Xunji, at the peak of Rank 95. Spirit Ring configuration: two yellow, two purple, five black. Two Angel God Armor spirit bones.

Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao, Rank 92. Spirit Ring configuration: two yellow, two purple, four black, one red. Fully equipped with six spirit bones.

Nine Spirit Rings rose beneath his feet as Qian Xunji spread six wings from his back and flew into the air. After consuming Immortal Herbs, his cultivation had reached the absolute peak of Rank 95. Once he gained the necessary insight, he would naturally break through to Rank 96.

Qian Xunji's ninth Spirit Ring lit up. The three pairs of wings behind the Angel Martial Soul ignited with flames, and he brought his hands together as fire and light-attribute Soul Power poured into his palms.

The Angel Martial Soul possessed three attributes: holy, light, and fire. However, due to the attributes of the spirit beasts he had hunted, most of its soul skills could only wield one of those attributes. Qian Xunji's ninth Spirit Ring, however, came from a rare dual-attribute spirit beast, allowing the Angel Martial Soul's light and fire attributes to erupt together. Its power far surpassed that of an ordinary Ninth Soul Skill.

Terrifying energy ripples erupted from Qian Xunji's palms. In an instant, dust billowed, and cracks spread across the surrounding mountain peaks.

Understanding the terrifying power of this attack, Qian Xunji flew backward on his own, widening the distance between them.

Tang Hao stood as steady as a mountain, utterly fearless. The final three Spirit Rings around the Clear Sky Hammer all exploded. The terrifying energy fluctuations even tore up the ground around him. He stomped forward with his right foot, leaving a small crater, while the Clear Sky Hammer rapidly expanded. Its handle stretched dozens of meters long, and its hammerhead grew as large as a small hill.

"Ninth Soul Skill, Angel's Glory!"

Qian Xunji spread his hands and roared. The energy he had gathered erupted in full, unleashing an enormous golden shockwave surrounded by layers of golden flames.

The terrifying recoil was so powerful that even Qian Xunji, its user, could not withstand it and was forced continuously backward.

"Great Sumeru Hammer!"

Tang Hao roared as well, gathering the strength of every muscle in his body and all his Soul Power into his left hand. With all his might, he swung the Clear Sky Hammer at the rapidly approaching golden shockwave.

The golden shockwave collided with the Clear Sky Hammer. Amid flashing light—BOOM!—a massive golden-black pillar of energy wrapped in endless lightning shot into the sky. The surrounding mountain peaks were caught in the terrifying energy column and exploded one after another. The immense blast resounded for hundreds of miles.

Terrifying energy ripples surged toward Qian Xunji. The three pairs of wings behind him shattered, and the Angel Martial Soul's defenses were destroyed. His chest caved in as he spat out a mouthful of blood. He was sent flying hundreds of meters, smashing into a mountain before crashing to the ground. The Pope's crown fell from his head, and his neatly arranged golden hair became a complete mess, leaving him in an extremely sorry state.

Tang Hao fared no better. Driven by the immense energy ripples, the Clear Sky Hammer's handle slammed brutally into his chest. His organs shifted, and he had no idea how many ribs had broken. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and the Clear Sky Hammer slipped from his grasp, transforming into a streak of light that returned to his body.

Sent flying far away by the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Hao stared with bloodshot eyes at Qian Xunji lying on the ground over a kilometer away and roared, "Qian Xunji, if you hadn't had helpers, you wouldn't have been my match at all!"

"One man bears responsibility for his own actions. If you want revenge, come find me, Tang Hao!"

After roaring those words, Tang Hao used his last bit of strength to flee at top speed. After detonating all nine rings and ending in mutual destruction with Qian Xunji, he no longer had any fighting strength. Under ordinary circumstances, he would have risked his life to drag Qian Xunji down with him, then gone to heaven to accompany Ah Yin. But he still had a child to raise—the crystallization of his and Ah Yin's love.

"Tang Hao!"

Qian Xunji staggered to his feet, clutching his sunken chest as he watched Tang Hao vanish into the distance. He ground his teeth in hatred. He did not want to admit it, but if not for the Immortal Herbs he had consumed, he would most likely have lost the final clash of this battle rather than ending in a draw. An uncle-generation elder like him had actually failed to defeat a nephew-generation junior like Tang Hao.

Then, as Qian Xunji felt the severity of his injuries, he sneered again. Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer was unlike the Angel Martial Soul and had no defensive means. Tang Hao's injuries were most likely far worse than his own. With wounds like those, even Nine-Hearted Rattan might not be able to heal him. Clear Sky Douluo—the youngest Title Douluo on the continent—was finished!

Some Spirit Hall soul masters, who had been blasted who knew how far away by the battle's residual shockwaves, ran over and dropped to one knee. "Your Holiness the Pope, should we pursue him?"

"Collect Elder Yuxiao's remains. Take Diamond Douluo and return to Spirit Hall."

Qian Xunji gave one last cold glance toward where Tang Hao had disappeared, then turned and headed toward Spirit Hall.

Three days later, Qian Xunji and the others returned to Spirit Hall. The entire Spirit Hall was shaken. Pope Qian Xunji had been critically wounded, Palace Guard Douluo Elder Yuxiao had died, Elder Vajra had been severely wounded and crippled, and the soul masters of the Papal Palace had suffered heavy losses.

Such a major event naturally could not be concealed. Through the efforts of spies hidden within Spirit City, the news quickly spread across the entire continent, plunging it into shock.

PS: The power scaling follows the original work. Tang Hao fought three alone, killing one and severely injuring two. If this were truly handled according to the anime, with Ghost Douluo included, two levels of suppression domains plus the Angel Domain against Tang Hao's lone Divine Slaughter's Domain, the author genuinely does not know how Tang Hao could lose.