Tang Hao lay on the ground, the fist-sized hole in his abdomen still oozing blood. His breathing was so faint it was almost imperceptible.
But he was still alive.
Chrysanthemum Douluo raised his hand. Golden light at his fingertips grew brighter and brighter as five golden threads shot toward Tang Hao's throat and heart.
Even a Titled Douluo's life force was formidable. With his throat and heart pierced at the same time, he would still be doomed.
Suddenly, a blood-red figure appeared in front of Chrysanthemum Douluo without warning.
No trace of his presence had leaked out beforehand—not even the slightest fluctuation of Soul Power.
Yue Guan's pupils contracted to their limits. Before he could react, a massive fist filled his vision.
The blood-red figure merely swept out a hand, and a tremendous force slammed into Yue Guan's chest, sending him flying.
He landed facedown, blood pouring from the corner of his mouth as his head rang.
Who was this? When had someone like this appeared on the continent?
The moment Gu Qingshan saw the blood-red figure, his heart gave a hard thump.
This is bad!
The newcomer looked exactly like the King of Slaughter he had seen in the anime in his previous life.
Blood-red hair, blood-red robes, blood-red eyes.
Tang Chen.
Tang San's great-grandfather, the former Clear Sky Sect leader two generations ago, and one of the three Limit Douluo on the Douluo Continent. Alongside Qian Daoliu, the Grand Elder of Spirit Hall, and Bo Saixi, the Sea God Island High Priest, he was known as one of the Three Mountains of Douluo.
According to the original story's timeline, Tang Chen should have been possessed by the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King and trapped in the City of Slaughter.
How had he appeared here?
Gu Qingshan narrowed his eyes, his thoughts racing in the time it took a spark to fly off a flint.
A glint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes. In this world, it wasn't as if resurrection were impossible.
"Heroic Leap."
His body shot into the air. He drew the short blade from his waist and brought it down toward Tang San's neck.
"You've got guts!"
Tang Chen roared, and his figure vanished from the spot.
A moment ago, he had been standing in front of Yue Guan, nearly ten zhang from Tang San's corpse.
The next moment, he stood beside Gu Qingshan, throwing a punch at him.
Faced with that fist, Gu Qingshan felt a level of pressure he had never experienced before.
He didn't dodge. In the blink of an eye, he made his decision: take the punch and cut off Tang San's head.
The short blade accelerated downward, its edge flashing through the air as it streaked straight for Tang San's neck.
At the same time, he raised the Thorn Shield with his left hand and fully activated Defensive Stance.
Boom!
Tang Chen's fist smashed into the Thorn Shield.
An irresistible force surged from the shield's surface, and Gu Qingshan's body flew backward against his will.
But he hadn't come away empty-handed.
The instant he was sent flying, the short blade sped down, its edge slicing past Tang San's neck.
It cut from his collarbone all the way down to his lower body.
Tang San's corpse was split open, and a heap of colorful entrails spilled from his abdominal cavity.
More importantly, as the blade passed Tang San's lower body, it cut right between his legs.
Tang San's filthy root and the basket beneath it were sliced clean off, mixing with the other organs until it was impossible to tell one lump from another.
Only after flying dozens of zhang did Gu Qingshan manage to steady himself. The moment he landed, his throat turned sweet, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Tang Chen truly lived up to his reputation as one of the strongest beings on the Douluo Continent. He endured Gu Qingshan's counterattack and hoisted Tang San up, then flashed over to Tang Hao.
Then he shot into the sky, carrying Tang San and Tang Hao, and disappeared without a trace.
Silence fell over the ruins of Shrek Academy.
Yue Guan climbed to his feet. The sunken part of his chest made every breath hurt like a knife.
Clutching his chest, he limped over to Gu Qingshan, his face filled with guilt and frustration.
"Your Highness the Holy Son, I failed. Tang San and Tang Hao were rescued!"
"This isn't your fault. The one who came was Tang Chen, an equal to the Grand Elder."
Chrysanthemum Douluo's pupils contracted sharply, and an expression of disbelief spread across his face.
"Tang Chen? That Limit Douluo from the Clear Sky Sect?"
Gu Qingshan nodded but said nothing.
If Tang Chen were all he had to worry about, then with his rapid leveling and the Thorn Shield's terrifying counterattack, he would eventually be able to deal with the old bastard.
But if the gods were involved, that would be trouble.
Gu Qingshan took a deep breath and pushed the thought to the back of his mind.
There was no point dwelling on that now. The urgent matter was Xiao Wu's Soul Ring.
Xiao Wu's corpse still lay on the ground, a blood-red Soul Ring floating above it.
Gu Qingshan signaled to Yue Guan with his eyes, then walked over to Xiao Wu's corpse and sat down cross-legged.
He didn't rush to absorb the Soul Ring. Instead, he first activated the Soul Bone Skill of the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone and put Xiao Wu's Soul Bone away in his Soul Tool.
In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, his body had recovered to its best condition.
Once he was ready, he took a deep breath and reached out to touch the blood-red Soul Ring.
In an instant, a violent energy filled with boundless resentment and pain surged into his body.
The resentment rampaged through Gu Qingshan's mind. Under its influence, the Soul Ring's energy turned violent and chaotic, trying to break through the limits of his meridians and tear his body apart from within.
Gu Qingshan remained expressionless.
His body was strong enough to withstand the energy of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, and mental attacks were what he feared least. The Thorn Shield could easily neutralize them.
Three days later, Gu Qingshan opened his eyes and stood up.
Seven Soul Rings emerged and circled him: purple, black, black, black, black, black, and red.
The blood-red Soul Ring flashed. The Thorn Shield and Gu Qingshan became one: he was the shield, and the shield was him.
Attack, defense, and strength increased by 500%.
The Seventh Soul Ring of a Hundred Thousand Years was special. Rather than granting two Soul Skills, it strengthened his Martial Soul Avatar.
At the same time, his Soul Power increased by four levels, his health bar reached 60,000, and his counterattack ratio rose to 120%.
Meanwhile, Tang Chen brought Tang San's corpse and the unconscious Tang Hao back to the City of Slaughter.
Looking at the corpse and the unconscious man on the ground, he felt conflicted.
He wondered how the Clear Sky Sect was doing.
Without him, a Limit Douluo, was the Clear Sky Sect still the greatest sect under heaven?
He had been able to escape the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King's control and go to Shrek to rescue Tang San and his father because he had received guidance from Asura God.
Back then, he had found Asura God's inheritance in the City of Slaughter. He had made it to the Eighth Trial, where he faced the powerful Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King. But the Rakshasa God's divine will ambushed him, and in the end, the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King possessed him, turning him into the inhuman King of Slaughter.
Now he had finally regained his senses, only for Asura God to demand that he sacrifice himself to save Tang San, the successor chosen by Asura God.
Of course, Asura God hadn't forced him. He had volunteered.
Tang San was his great-grandson and the hope of the Clear Sky Sect. His future achievements would far surpass Tang Chen's.
He was willing to be the one used as a tool!
"It's just... I really wish I could see Xixi again!"
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