The Incomplete

The City of Slaughter.

Tang Hao lay on a stone bed, the wound in his abdomen healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

His consciousness had drifted in darkness for a long time—so long that he thought he was already dead.

Then he saw a face whose features bore a seven-tenths resemblance to his own.

A name, buried deep in his memories, rose from the depths of his soul.

"Grandfather?"

Tang Chen looked at his grandson and smiled faintly. He had used the City of Slaughter's unique properties to heal Tang Hao.

"Mm."

When Tang Hao heard him, his eyes reddened in an instant. All these years, he had thought his grandfather was dead.

"Grandfather, you're still alive... Why are you here... Where is this?"

"The City of Slaughter. I've been here for many years."

Tang Hao's pupils contracted slightly. So his grandfather, the legend of the Clear Sky Sect and one of the most powerful men on the continent, had been trapped here all along?

Tang Chen saw the confusion in Tang Hao's eyes and said, "Hao'er, I don't have much time left."

"Grandfather, what are you saying..."

Tang Chen didn't answer his question. Instead, he continued, "That child, Xiao San, has tremendous fortune and great opportunities. He's the successor chosen by the Asura God."

"The only one who can save him now is me. I'll give him all my power—my Soul Rings, Soul Bones, Martial Soul, life force... everything."

At that, Tang Hao's mind went completely blank. His eyes were filled with disbelief and terror.

"No! Grandfather, you can't!"

"There must be another way. There has to be!"

His son had been chosen by a god, and his grandfather was going to sacrifice himself to save him, while he could do nothing—not change a thing.

"Is there really no other way?"

Tang Chen shook his head.

"From now on, the Clear Sky Sect will depend on you two, father and son."

"After I make my sacrifice, stay in the City of Slaughter and look after Xiao San. Have him take the Asura God Trial as soon as possible."

With that, he walked to the stone platform where Tang San lay.

The sacrifice began.

A pillar of red light burst from the King of Slaughter Mansion. At that moment, a huge hole tore through the dark-red canopy above the City of Slaughter.

Long-missed sunlight spilled down.

The entire city trembled beneath the force. Its residents crouched on the ground, shaking with fear.

Tang Chen's body began to turn into red specks of light, starting at his limbs, bit by bit, until they dissolved into the air.

His Soul Rings, Soul Bones, Martial Soul, and life force were all drawn out and transformed into a stream of pure energy that poured into Tang San's body.

"Tell Xiao San..."

"He must make the Clear Sky Sect great again..."

As his final words fell, Tang Chen's body vanished completely.

Tang Hao's tears surged like a river bursting its banks. He fell to his knees beside the stone bed, his body shaking violently.

At the same time, a dark-red glow rose from Tang San's corpse.

His wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye. His heartbeat returned, and his blood began to flow again.

Tang Hao froze, then held his gradually warming son in his arms, tears streaming down his face.

"Xiao San..."

"Wake up soon..."

Tang San woke three days later.

When he opened his eyes, he saw Tang Hao, haggard and worn.

"Dad..."

Tang Hao grabbed his hand, gripping it so tightly it was as if he feared Tang San might slip away again.

"It's good that you're awake. It's good that you're awake... But your great-grandfather!"

Tang San's pupils contracted slightly. Great-grandfather? He'd never heard that he had one.

Tang Hao looked at Tang San's bewildered expression and fell silent for a long time.

A moment later, he told him everything that had happened.

Great-grandfather?

He had never met this person. He hadn't even known he existed.

But this person had died for him.

"Martial Soul Hall Holy Son, you've sealed your own death warrant!"

Just then, a sudden chill swept over him, and Tang San realized something was wrong with his body.

He reached down and felt around. Flat... Where had it gone?

His heart lurched.

No... It couldn't be!

He hurriedly lowered his head to check. There was nothing there. Nothing at all!

The heart that had been hanging in suspense finally died.

Tang San's mind went blank, and he froze in place.

"Ah!!!"

A piercing scream burst from his throat, so shrill it didn't sound like something a young man could produce.

Tang Hao was so startled by the scream that he sprang from his chair.

"Xiao San, what's wrong?"

"It's gone..."

Tang Hao: "What's gone?"

He followed Xiao San's gaze.

His mind exploded.

"An infant! You're an infant now!"

"Gu Qingshan, you stole Ah Yin, and you cut off Xiao San's... You'll die a horrible death!"

I'll dismember him, mince him into meat, and chop him into slices to feed the dogs!

If looks could kill, Gu Qingshan would have been reincarnated at least two and a half times by now.

After a long while, father and son finally managed to calm down a little.

Tang San gritted his teeth. "Dad, that little bastard is called Gu Qingshan?"

Tang Hao looked at him and moved his lips. "Gu Qingshan, the Martial Soul Hall Holy Son and Bibi Dong's disciple."

Tang San's gaze was as vicious as a venomous snake. "He killed Xiao Wu, caused my great-grandfather's death, stole Mom, and cut off my..."

"From heaven above to earth below, I'll make him pay a hundredfold! He'll die without a burial place!"

Tang Hao looked at Tang San's twisted face and suddenly felt he hardly recognized him.

The gentleness and composure he'd once had were gone, replaced by a dark, ruthless cruelty.

That little bastard had brought ruin upon their family.

Tang Hao ground his teeth, his hands clenched into fists.

This grudge had to be avenged!

"Xiao San, you have to pull yourself together. Don't let your great-grandfather's sacrifice be in vain."

Tang Hao patted Tang San's shoulder firmly. In those three days, Tang San had grown much thinner. His clothes hung on him like they'd been draped over a coat rack, loose and empty.

His eye sockets were sunken, his lips cracked and peeling, and he looked like an eggplant struck by frost.

"You're destined to become a god!"

Tang San's body jolted.

Become a god?

Those two words struck his heart like a bolt of lightning.

His great-grandfather had been a Limit Douluo, one of the most powerful men on the continent, but in the end, he hadn't crossed that threshold. He'd never opened the door to the divine realm, not even on the brink of death.

But Tang San was different. He was the successor chosen by the Asura God.

He raised his head and looked at his father. His body trembled slightly, and his eyes blazed with a frenzied light.

"Once I become a god, my body will surely be remade."

"Then I can be a man again, can't I?"

Tang San scrambled down from the stone platform and shouted at the sky, "There's hope! Hahaha..."

Seeing that his son had finally recovered from the blow, Tang Hao was immensely relieved.

"Right. Your great-grandfather said you should wait until you're a level-fifty Soul King before taking the Asura God Trial."

Tang San had now regained his confidence completely. His goal was to reach level fifty as soon as possible, then take the trial.

"Good. I'll go train in the Hell Slaughter Arena right away."

"Gu Qingshan."

"Just wait for me!"