A Contest of Strength

"Ninth Soul Skill! Heavenly Strike!!"

Tang Hao's beard and hair stood on end, and he looked like a madman!

Empowered by the blood-red soul ring, the Martial Soul Avatar of the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand erupted with an unprecedented dark golden radiance!

The hammer seemed to swell several times over, carrying a terrifying might that could shatter space and drain the world of color. Ignoring the distance through space, it appeared above Wang Qiu'er's head in an instant!

This hammer contained all his fury, humiliation, and unwillingness—the full, unreserved outpouring of his power at its peak!

The air let out a wail of unbearable strain, and even the sealing light barrier above the valley rippled violently!

Facing this world-destroying blow, the teasing disappointment in Wang Qiu'er's Molten Gold Dragon Eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by... pure, blazing excitement!

"Now this is getting interesting!" she cried sharply, advancing instead of retreating!

But this time, she did not use her Dragon Claws to meet it head-on!

Just as the enormous dark golden hammer was about to come crashing down on her, Wang Qiu'er clenched her right hand in the air!

Bzzzz—!!!

An indescribably sharp aura, as though it could pierce the soul itself, suddenly erupted!

A long spear, entirely golden and ancient in design yet brimming with supreme majesty, appeared out of thin air in her hand!

The spear shaft seemed to have been forged from the purest gold, flowing with the brilliance of the sun. A cold gleam at its tip seemed capable of piercing all things in the world!

It was her bonded Divine Artifact—the Golden Dragon Spear!

The instant that spear appeared, even from such a great distance, Ling Han could feel its sharp intent to tear apart everything, as though even one's gaze could be cut by it.

"It's Qiu'er's accompanying Divine Artifact, the Golden Dragon Spear..." Ling Han murmured, a trace of approval flashing through his eyes.

Below—

Tang Hao's violent Divine Slaughter's Domain and hammer pressure seemed to have met their natural bane before the spear's sharpness, their momentum forcibly weakened by several degrees!

"Take this!"

Wang Qiu'er gave a sharp cry. Facing the Heavenly Strike powerful enough to crush mountains, she did not employ any flashy spear technique. She merely raised the Golden Dragon Spear in her hand from below, simply and directly, carrying an intent of "piercing" that was pure to the extreme, and thrust it at the descending dark golden hammer...!

The spear shot out like a startled swan!

There was no earth-shaking crash!

Only an ear-piercing screech, like a hot knife slicing through butter!

The Martial Soul Avatar of the Clear Sky Hammer, condensed from Tang Hao's lifelong cultivation and infused with all the power of his Ninth Soul Skill—the indestructible dark golden hammer that had once shaken the continent...

Before the unstoppable tip of the Golden Dragon Spear, it was as fragile as paper!

The brilliant golden spear light pierced through the massive hammerhead in an instant, without the slightest obstruction, as easily as cutting tofu!

And its momentum did not stop. It tore upward along the hammer's body!

The dark golden Soul Power shattered and dissipated inch by inch like fragile glass!

Pfft!!!

It was as if Tang Hao had been pierced through the heart by countless arrows!

His Martial Soul Avatar had been instantly pierced and torn apart, and the backlash was more than ten times stronger than before!

He violently spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs. It was as though every bone had been pulled from his body, and he instantly withered!

The madness, rage, and shock in his eyes were all replaced by a bone-deep terror and disbelief!

The Martial Soul Avatar of the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand could no longer maintain its form. Beneath the edge of the Golden Dragon Spear, it exploded apart, turning into shattered motes of Soul Power that dispersed into the air!

Wang Qiu'er had not even felt much resistance before the Golden Dragon Spear had effortlessly pierced through her opponent's Martial Soul Avatar!

With a flick of her wrist, the brilliant golden spear traced a sharp flourish through the air. Its tip pointed diagonally at the ground, entirely free of dust.

Looking at Tang Hao opposite her, whose aura had instantly fallen to rock bottom and whose ash-gray face swayed on the verge of collapse, Wang Qiu'er's Molten Gold Dragon Eyes were filled with undisguised disappointment and boredom.

She even pursed her lips in annoyance, as though she had done something unnecessary.

"Tsk..." Wang Qiu'er's crisp voice carried a condescending, almost bored mockery as it clearly reached Tang Hao's ears.

"It seems that dealing with you..."

"I don't even need to use my spear."

"What a waste of effort."

Before her words had even faded, Wang Qiu'er could not be bothered to look at him again.

Her left leg swept out like a golden battle-axe, carrying a shrill howl that tore through the air. Without any flourish, it viciously struck Tang Hao across the waist and abdomen, where he had no means of defense after his Martial Soul shattered!

Bang—!!!

A dull impact rang out!

Tang Hao could not even scream. Like a ruined sandbag, he was sent flying off the ground by that kick!

Blood sprayed wildly from his mouth as his body traced a miserable arc through the air, crashing toward the already tottering wooden house in the distance!

Boom!!!

The wooden house instantly became rubble!

Smoke and dust filled the air, completely swallowing Tang Hao's figure.

Wang Qiu'er casually put away the Golden Dragon Spear. With a disappointed look of disdain on her face, she patted her hands and muttered softly, "The young master said he was some Clear Sky Douluo... He couldn't even take one strike. What a bore."

The three auras sealing the valley remained as steady as mountains.

Holding Ling Han in her arms, Xue Qinglan floated silently in the sky.

Ling Han's gaze pierced through the smoke and dust, locking onto a certain spot within the ruins. A cold curve lifted at the corner of his lips.

That hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone was already in the bag.

The dust had yet to disperse, and the heavy stench of blood permeated the air.

Wang Qiu'er stood idly at the edge of the ruins. Her Molten Gold Dragon Eyes swept over the indistinct mass of flesh and blood below, her face bearing the regret of an unfinished fight.

Holding Ling Han, Xue Qinglan descended slowly to Wang Qiu'er's side like a goddess of ice and snow. Her toes touched down lightly, without stirring a speck of dust.

Ling Han's gaze, like a cold probe, precisely locked onto the figure deep within the ruins that still retained a faint trace of life.

Ying Yue appeared silently at Ling Han's side like a phantom. She bowed slightly, ready to carry out his orders at any moment.

But Ling Han lightly raised a hand, signaling for her to step back.

He lightly leaped down from Xue Qinglan's embrace. Xue Qinglan followed closely behind him like the most loyal of guards, icy chill swirling around her and keeping the filth and blood of the ruins at bay.

Ling Han slowly walked toward the center of the wreckage. His steps were unhurried, as though he were strolling through his own courtyard. There was no emotion in his Ice-Fire Twin Pupils, only detached scrutiny.

Amid the ruins, Tang Hao struggled to raise his head. His vision had long since blurred, and the agony and blood loss had pushed him to the brink of collapse.

But when he saw the youth walking toward him—the youth with extraordinary bearing yet eyes as cold and deep as an abyss—an indescribable chill instantly froze what remained of his consciousness.

This youth... was the "young master" the golden-haired girl had mentioned?

He was the one behind all of this?!

"Cough... cough, cough..." Tang Hao coughed out large mouthfuls of bloody foam. Summoning the last of his strength, he demanded hoarsely, full of pain and confusion,

"Who... are you?"

"I... have no grudge... against you... Why... do you... want to kill me?!"

Ling Han stopped several paces in front of Tang Hao and looked down at the Clear Sky Douluo, who had once shaken the continent but now lay in a pool of blood like mud, his arm severed and his legs broken.

There was no ripple on his handsome face. His voice was as calm as if he were stating a simple fact.

"Kill you?" Ling Han tilted his head slightly, a faint, almost mocking curve touching his lips. "I have no interest in that."