"Was it really that strange that I knew? You're the infamous Dead Wife Douluo. You killed your wife, angered your dead old man to death, and made quite a name for yourself. It'd be harder not to know about you!" Lin Ye sneered.
At those words, veins bulged on Tang Hao's forehead. Fury surged inside him, ready to erupt like a volcano.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have been so easily provoked.
But Lin Ye calling him "Dead Wife Douluo" was something Tang Hao couldn't accept. Worse, Lin Ye had hit him where it hurt.
Yes, my father died because I angered him. Do you think I don't know that?
Did I ask you to say it? Do I need you to say it?
As the saying went, don't slap someone in the face or expose their sore spots.
"You insolent brat! How dare you insult me!" Tang Hao roared.
"Screw you!" Lin Ye pointed at Tang Hao's nose and cursed him out. "An old man who refuses to die is a menace. You old dog came here to steal my rabbit, and you expect me to treat you with respect?"
Xiao Wu glared at Tang Hao, her face full of hatred. Compared with Lin Ye, she found this old bastard even more detestable.
Tang Hao laughed in fury. "You foul-mouthed brat! Since your family never taught you how to speak, I'll take their place and teach you a lesson."
With that, Tang Hao flashed forward at astonishing speed, closing in on the two children as he reached out with a hand as broad as a fan to grab Lin Ye.
The two children were about to fall into Tang Hao's grasp.
At that critical moment, Snow Empress moved. She flashed in front of Lin Ye and struck with her palm, moving faster despite acting later.
Her hand was slender and delicate, soft as if boneless, and as pure white as mutton fat jade.
The palm strike seemed ordinary, but it concealed tremendous power and the mysteries of unity between heaven and man.
Snow Empress's Three Ultimates: Emperor Sword, Emperor Palm, and Emperor's Cold Heaven.
This strike was one of them: Emperor Palm, Great Cold Without Snow.
As the ruler of the Extreme North Land, Snow Empress possessed a domain of her own.
The essence of Emperor Palm lay in concentrating the power of her domain into a single strike. Its might was such that even an Extreme Douluo had to avoid meeting it head-on.
But while Emperor Palm's power was immense, it also had a limitation: her actual palm had to hit the opponent for the move to work.
The only thing to worry about was whether it would land.
And what had happened here? Tang Hao had reached out to grab Lin Ye, but Snow Empress intercepted him.
Their palms collided, and Tang Hao's old face changed dramatically.
The woman before him looked delicate, but to him she felt like an immovable mountain.
Tang Hao felt a terrifying chill surge into his body. Even he, a Titled Douluo, couldn't resist it in the slightest.
The moment they made contact, Tang Hao was sent flying. He traced a graceful arc through the air, spewing blood as he went.
He flew dozens of meters before hitting the ground like a dead dog.
"Cough, cough... blegh..." Tang Hao violently coughed up a mouthful of blood. His eyes widened as he stared at Snow Empress in disbelief.
At that moment, boundless terror filled Tang Hao's heart. This woman was far too powerful; he was no match for her.
That casual palm strike had made him feel death looming over him.
The only person who had ever put his life in such danger before was Qian Daoliu, the Great Enshrined of Spirit Hall. And who was Qian Daoliu? A Peerless Douluo at rank ninety-nine!
Could this woman be a Peerless Douluo too?
At the thought, fear spread through Tang Hao. He knew clearly that if she struck him once more, his old life would end right there.
"Cough, cough... I meant no offense, senior. I hope you'll be magnanimous and spare me... cough, cough, cough..."
Once he understood the gap between them, Tang Hao—who had always been so overbearing—gave in under the threat to his life. He gave in beautifully.
His actions were a vivid demonstration of the saying, "A wise man knows when to yield."
The sudden reversal left Lin Ye dumbfounded. In the original story, Tang Hao had been so proud and arrogant, radiating power every time he appeared, the very image of a mighty expert.
Who could have guessed that someone so proud and overbearing would bow his head just to stay alive?
"Tsk. I thought you'd rather die than submit. So much for being Clear Sky Douluo. Turns out you're just a bully who picks on the weak. Shame on you," Lin Ye mocked.
After a pause, he continued, "It's very rude to bully children. You apologized, but you can't just say the words and leave it at that. Show me you're truly sorry. Come over here and kowtow ten times, and we'll call it even."
Kowtow?
Tang Hao clenched both fists, fury surging in his heart. I, Tang Hao, the mighty Clear Sky Douluo, kneel to heaven, earth, and my parents. I will never kneel to anyone else.
No one else deserves to make him bend his knees.
Lin Ye glared at him. "What, you won't do it? Looks like you still don't understand what you did wrong. In that case, I'll have to ask you to die. Snow Empress, send him on his way."
At those words, Tang Hao's body jerked. This brat was so young, so why was he so ruthless, calling for people to be killed at the drop of a hat?
When Snow Empress's cold gaze swept over him, Tang Hao's burly body trembled again.
No, I can't die. Xiao San still needs me. I'm a sinner against my sect, and I still have to atone for it. I can't die here...
In an instant, Tang Hao found himself a good excuse for being weak.
And so the once-mighty Dead Wife Douluo knelt, smooth as could be.
Duang, duang, duang... Tang Hao didn't just kneel; he also kowtowed ten times, each one loud and clear.
"Can I leave now?" Tang Hao asked, doing his best to make his expression look amiable.
In truth, he wanted nothing more than to cut Snow Empress and Lin Ye into a thousand pieces. I, Tang Hao, will remember today's humiliation. Just you wait. I'll kill you both one day. I swear I will.
Lin Ye wasn't about to let Tang Hao off so easily. "Why are you so far away? I told you to come over and kowtow. Can't you understand? That doesn't count. Start over."
Tang Hao: "..."
Humiliation. This was blatant humiliation.
At that moment, he wanted so badly to throw caution to the wind and kill the detestable brat.
But if he did, he would surely die here today.
Fine. For Xiao San, and to atone to my sect, I, Tang Hao, will endure this.
Getting started was always the hardest part. He had already knelt once; what was one more time?
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