A Misunderstanding

The commotion from their fight wasn't loud, but Tang Hao, who had been waiting nearby for a long time, still noticed it.

"Are you in trouble, Xiao San?"

Tang Hao took three steps in two, leaped into the air, and rushed toward the fight.

Before he had even landed, Tang Hao realized that he was enveloped by an invisible force, which weakened his attributes across the board. Even as a Title Douluo, he couldn't stop it from weakening him.

Fortunately, the effect wasn't too great, and it barely affected him. But his son, Tang San, might not be so lucky. Tang Hao couldn't help worrying.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

The clash of the Green Steel Sword and the Clear Sky Hammer rang out without pause. Though both of them were holding back, Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer was still battered and covered in sword marks.

"I can't imagine how powerful you'll be after you awaken your Martial Soul! And that domain of yours..."

Before Tang San could finish, Ling Chen's domain vanished, and the Green Steel Sword in his hand disappeared too.

Without Soul Power to sustain it, Ling Chen had been using his Martial Soul Origin to maintain his Peerless Domain. In this short fight, he had already exhausted all forty thousand-plus points of his Martial Soul Origin.

The more his domain expanded, the stronger its boosts and suppressions became—and the faster his Martial Soul Origin was consumed.

"Looks like even after leaving Slaughter City, I'm still just a kid."

Tang San lowered the Clear Sky Hammer and shook his head.

"You're already very strong! With a powerful Martial Soul and a domain, no one your age can match you."

Tang San ran a hand over the sword marks on the Clear Sky Hammer, his face grave. Without using Soul Skills or Hidden Weapons, and relying solely on a head-on clash, his Clear Sky Hammer would absolutely have been cleaved apart by Ling Chen.

Just then, a wave of air surged toward them, and billowing dust instantly swallowed them both.

"Who dares lay a hand on my son!"

Dragging his Clear Sky Hammer behind him, Tang Hao advanced step by step toward the two figures in the dust.

"Dad!"

Sensing Tang Hao's presence, Tang San immediately rushed out of the cloud of dust to meet him. Tang Hao said nothing. He swung his Clear Sky Hammer at the spot where Ling Chen had just been.

"Don't! Dad!"

Tang San instantly formed a Blue Silver Cage around Ling Chen's position with Blue Silver Grass. A moment later, the sword-scarred Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his hands, and he swung it to meet Tang Hao's hammer.

The overwhelming force sent Tang San flying in an instant. Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer smashed through Tang San's Blue Silver Cage, stirring up another cloud of dust.

Just as Tang San thought Ling Chen was surely dead, the dust cleared. There was no sign of Ling Chen's body inside the shattered Blue Silver Cage.

"Xiao San! Don't stop me. No one has ever dared bully my son!"

Tang Hao warily scanned his surroundings. He knew his Clear Sky Hammer had missed.

"Dad, he..."

Before Tang San could finish, Tang Hao's Divine Slaughter's Domain had already spread. In the blink of an eye, it enveloped the land for ten li in every direction.

"Found you!"

Tang Hao kicked off with one leg. His explosive strength unleashed a sonic boom, and his mighty Clear Sky Hammer came crashing down with his furious roar.

Boom!

The entire forest shook. A huge crater appeared where the Clear Sky Hammer struck, and trees toppled all around it.

Yet even after that explosive attack, Tang Hao's face remained dark. His hammer had missed again!

Ling Chen was leaning against a tree, panting heavily. That had been terrifying! The dense killing intent warned him that danger lurked all around, but he had no idea where to hide.

He had just left Slaughter City and didn't know anyone here. He hadn't provoked anybody, so why was he being hunted?

"Damn it! Is this world really out to get me?"

Ling Chen cursed under his breath. How could it be that he was being hunted right after exhausting his Martial Soul Origin?

But now Ling Chen had no options left. Just like in Slaughter City, all he could do was hide and keep out of sight.

After Tang Hao's two attacks missed, he immediately revealed his Soul Rings and activated a Soul Skill.

Tang San knew he couldn't stop Tang Hao, so all he could do was find a way to get Ling Chen to safety. He expanded his Blue Silver Domain and found Ling Chen's hiding place in an instant.

A Blue Silver Vine appeared beneath Ling Chen's feet. It wound around his ankle, then flung him toward Tang San.

Tang Hao couldn't understand why his son was stopping him—or even helping the person who had bullied him escape.

But he had no time to think about it. At the very least, the person who had bullied his son would pay.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Tang Hao pursued with his hammer. Passed back and forth by the Blue Silver Grass, Ling Chen safely reached the spot behind Tang San.

"Dad, why are you trying to kill Li Tianyi?"

Tang San was bewildered. He and Ling Chen had just finished sparring when Tang Hao started hunting Ling Chen down. There had to be some misunderstanding.

But before Tang San could think it through, Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer was already in front of them.

"Dad! Stop!"

This time, Tang San didn't use his Clear Sky Hammer to block Tang Hao's attack. Instead, he spread his arms and shielded Ling Chen behind him.

Seeing Tang San try to block him with his own body, Tang Hao hurriedly shouted.

"Xiao San! Move!"

Tang San stood firm, staring resolutely at the Clear Sky Hammer descending toward him.

Boom!

As a deafening crash rang out, Ling Chen trembled behind Tang San. At that moment, he realized who was hunting him.

Hearing Tang San call out "Dad," Ling Chen had immediately recognized Tang Hao. But he didn't think he had any grudge against him.

Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer struck a tree beside them, smashing it to pieces.

"Xiao San, why did you do that?"

Tang Hao stared sternly at Tang San. Seeing that Tang Hao was willing to stop and talk, Tang San moved aside. A six-year-old child stood there, looking at Tang Hao in terror.

"This..."

Seeing this, Tang San asked in return,

"Dad, why did you attack a six-year-old child?"

The sudden moral accusation left Tang Hao speechless.

"When I came over just now, I was affected by a domain. I thought someone was bullying you, so I..."

Tang Hao looked at Ling Chen's small, childlike frame and felt deeply remorseful. But then he realized something was wrong.

How had this little boy dodged his attacks? By all rights, he should have been trapped when Tang San protected him with the Blue Silver Cage.

And not only that—his second strike had missed, too! An ordinary child, even one who had awakened his Martial Soul, shouldn't be this extraordinary.

"Who is he, really? There's no way a six-year-old child could dodge both my strikes!"

Tang Hao's aura, which had been somewhat restrained, surged again. His icy killing intent gradually spread.

Ling Chen suddenly thought of something. He seemed to be able to use killing intent too. Though he couldn't pair it with his unusable Peerless Domain to suppress others, it should still be enough to scare them.