Qian Renyu and Qianjun Douluo watched Tang San's Martial Soul Awakening from a distance.
Qianjun Douluo keenly noticed that besides Blue Silver Grass, Tang San had another Martial Soul. He couldn't make out what it was, though.
He turned to Qian Renyu. "That boy has Twin Martial Souls. I didn't see what his second one was. But just his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul is enough to give him Innate Full Soul Power, so both of his Martial Souls must be top-tier."
"He just turned down an offer to join Spirit Hall, though."
"If we can't bring a genius like him into our ranks, he could grow into a grave threat to Spirit Hall."
Qian Renyu hadn't expected Qianjun Douluo to have such a sharp eye. But he had to admit, the man was a good judge of character.
"His second Martial Soul is the Clear Sky Hammer," Qian Renyu told him.
"The Clear Sky Hammer? He's from the Clear Sky Sect?"
"That's right. His father is Tang Hao."
"Tang Hao? Then he's the son of Tang Hao and that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast."
"Exactly."
"So he's that bastard."
Calling him a bastard wasn't wrong.
Why the Tang family had such peculiar tastes was anyone's guess. They seemed to have a thing for Soul Beasts.
Tang Hao and a plant.
Tang San and a rabbit.
Tang Wulin and a dragon.
Three generations of the family had all gotten involved with Soul Beasts.
The Tang family's human bloodline was getting thinner and thinner, while their Soul Beast bloodline kept growing stronger.
"Then all the more reason not to let this boy live."
"Yu, I'll take you to Jin Qiang and Yin Dao first, then come back and deal with Tang San."
"Grandpa Qianjun, Tang Hao is nearby. Are you sure you can handle him?"
At Qian Renyu's question, Qianjun Douluo laughed heartily. "I can't promise I'll kill Tang Hao, but I can certainly beat him half to death."
"Back then, the Great Enshrined was far too soft-hearted. Otherwise, Tang Hao wouldn't have lived to see today."
"Grandpa Qianjun, what exactly happened between the old man and Tang Chen back then?" Qian Renyu couldn't help asking.
Angel Douluo Qian Daoliu, unrivaled in the skies; Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao, unrivaled on land; and Sea God Douluo Bo Saixi, unrivaled at sea. What sort of tangled history of love and hate lay between these three Level 99 Limit Douluos?
At the question, Qianjun Douluo sighed deeply before answering, "You'll have to let the Great Enshrined tell you about that himself, another time."
"Then, Grandpa Qianjun, let's leave Tang Hao alone for now. I'm afraid someone won't approve."
"Who would dare?!" Qianjun Douluo declared fiercely.
Qian Renyu didn't answer. He simply pointed a finger skyward.
Seeing the gesture, Qianjun Douluo immediately thought of what had happened to Qian Xunji.
"Very well. Then he's lucky."
"Grandpa Qianjun, actually, we can still get back at Tang Hao."
"Get back at him? How?"
"Take his Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone."
"Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone?"
"You mean that Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Grass."
"True. Back then, as the Clear Sky Sect's heir, Tang Hao already had a full set of Soul Bones. He must have hidden that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone somewhere."
"But if he's carrying it with him, we'll still have to fight him."
"No. I have a feeling Tang Hao isn't carrying it. He must have left it nearby."
"Somewhere not too far from him, where he can reach it at any time."
More precisely, it was behind a waterfall. Inside was a man-made cave, where the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor and its right leg bone were hidden.
As for the exact location, Qian Renyu didn't know.
"Good. Then we'll search carefully."
With that, Qianjun Douluo set off with Qian Renyu.
It didn't take long for Qianjun Douluo to find the traces of a Titled Douluo's aura behind a waterfall.
Once he cut through the water, they found a small man-made cave. A barrier had been placed over its entrance.
Qianjun Douluo swept his hand, breaking the barrier.
Inside, they found a Blue Silver Grass plant, its aura faint and its leaves somewhat withered. This was the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor's true body.
Beside it was a box. When they opened it, they found the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone.
Just then, Qianjun Douluo turned to Qian Renyu. "Yu, put all of this away and stay here. Don't go outside. Someone's coming."
With that, Qianjun Douluo left the cave.
A man stood outside: Tang Hao. The moment Qianjun Douluo broke the barrier, Tang Hao had sensed it and hurried over.
Qianjun Douluo saw Tang Hao standing outside the cave, surrounded by nine Soul Rings: two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red.
Qianjun Douluo then released his own nine Soul Rings: two yellow, two purple, and five black.
Tang Hao frowned when he saw Qianjun Douluo—or was it Xiangmo Douluo? Qianjun Douluo and Xiangmo Douluo were twins who looked exactly alike. Tang Hao couldn't tell them apart.
But that didn't change how strong they were. The brothers were Spirit Hall's Sixth and Seventh Enshrined, both Level 96 and veteran Titled Douluos with far more combat experience than their peers.
For a moment, Tang Hao didn't dare act rashly, and the two men stood in awkward silence.
At last, Qianjun Douluo spoke first. "Tang Hao, what brings you here?"
"Senior Qianjun, I mean you no harm. Just give me back what you took, and I'll leave immediately."
"Really? And what might that be?"
"Why pretend you don't know, Senior?"
"Are you talking about that Blue Silver Grass and the Soul Bone?"
"These things are fated to belong to Spirit Hall. How could I let them go to someone else?"
"Senior, there's no room for negotiation?"
"None!"
"Then forgive me, Senior."
Suddenly, a mountain-sized Clear Sky Hammer dropped from above, crashing down toward Qianjun Douluo.
A Coiling Dragon Staff shot up in Qianjun Douluo's hand to meet it.
When the two collided, the shockwave snapped the surrounding trees in half and reduced countless rocks to dust.
"Fifth Soul Skill—Clear Sky Throw!"
"Fifth Soul Skill—Pillar Supporting the Heavens!"
"Sixth Soul Skill—Clear Sky in the Sky!"
"Sixth Soul Skill—Dark Clouds Covering the Peak!"
"Seventh Soul Skill—Clear Sky True Body!"
"Seventh Soul Skill—Tool Soul True Body!"
"Senior is every bit as formidable as they say. Take good care of yourself. I'll challenge you again another day."
Both sides had deliberately kept their Soul Power in check, making sure the shockwaves didn't endanger the surrounding area.
Otherwise, a battle between Titled Douluos would have enough power to move mountains and fill seas.
Neither side had fought at full strength, either. Qianjun Douluo had to hold back so he could keep an eye on Qian Renyu, while Tang Hao's old injuries hadn't healed. He didn't dare use his Self-Created Soul Skill or Ring Detonation.
When Qianjun Douluo returned to the cave, Qian Renyu asked:
"Was that Tang Hao?"
"It was."
"Who won?"
"No one lost, and no one won."
"What do you mean?" Qian Renyu asked, puzzled.
Qianjun Douluo replied, "Tang Hao and I both had our reservations. We were only testing each other. We used our Martial Soul Avatars, but it was all thunder and no rain."
Then Qianjun Douluo's tone changed, turning meaningful. "As long as it isn't a fight to the death, winning and losing don't matter."
"Once you're dead, you've lost for good."
"But as long as you're alive, victory and defeat can change in the blink of an eye."
"So you have to pull out the roots when you weed," he said.
Before you continue