Tang Hao VS Golden Crocodile (Two-in-One)

Towards the Heaven Dou Empire.

Tang Hao strode forward with long, rapid steps, each footfall leaving a deep imprint on the mountain path.

Though his left arm and right leg were twisted at unnatural angles, his speed was astonishing, like a wounded tiger galloping through the wilderness.

Tang San channeled his soul power, struggling to keep up.

Even with his Mysterious Heaven Skill pushed to its absolute limit, he was still being left further and further behind by Tang Hao.

The father and son were separated by only a few dozen yards, yet it felt as if an invisible chasm lay between them.

Their states of mind were worlds apart.

Tang Hao had only one word in his heart.

Run!

The faster, the better; the further from Martial Soul City, the better.

This turn of events had far exceeded his capacity to handle; Martial Soul Hall had actually mobilized so many Titled Douluo!

With power of that magnitude, even with his own strength as a Titled Douluo, it would be difficult to resist if they caught up.

As for Tang San, his feelings were far more complex.

Inside his belt lay the soul bone he had just obtained—the Wisdom Skull of Mental Aggregation.

This was a reward from Martial Soul Hall; under normal circumstances, a soul bone would make any soul master wake up laughing in their dreams.

Yet, Tang San could not bring himself to smile at all.

Because his goal had never been some soul bone.

He was after a hundred-thousand-year soul ring! A hundred-thousand-year soul ring!

No matter how precious that skull was, could it compare to a hundred-thousand-year soul ring?

That was a shortcut to reaching the heavens, a pass that would allow him to directly rank among the combat power of a Titled Douluo.

But now, Xiao Wu had been rescued by the soul beast army and taken back to the Star Dou Forest. Forget the hundred-thousand-year soul ring; they hadn't even left him a single rabbit hair.

What made his teeth itch with frustration was...

Bibi Dong and Chrysanthemum Douluo, those two old things, had actually exposed his true intentions in public!

"That brat wants that little rabbit to sacrifice herself for him."

"He's even more ruthless to soul beasts than we of Martial Soul Hall."

Recalling these words now, Tang San still felt a burning, stinging sensation on his face.

Although he had possessed the ability to make others believe him since he was young—whatever he said, people believed—this trick had always worked perfectly.

But this time, he had run into two people who didn't buy it.

The most fatal part was... what if these words reached Xiao Wu's ears?

As Tang San chased after Tang Hao, he calculated rapidly in his mind.

Although he didn't think those words would make Xiao Wu turn against him immediately—after all, the persona he had built in front of her since childhood was far too perfect.

But once the seed of doubt was planted, who knew when it would take root and sprout?

If that happened, the difficulty of obtaining that hundred-thousand-year soul ring would likely skyrocket from "Hard" mode directly to "Hell" mode.

This was truly a case of trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice, failing to scheme and ending up screwed instead.

Just as Tang San was lost in these wild thoughts, he suddenly heard Tang Hao, who was ahead, stop abruptly and throw a sentence back without turning his head.

"Little San."

"Was that little rabbit exposed because of you?"

Tang San's heart gave a violent jolt, and he nearly stumbled to the ground.

Fortunately, his years of practicing facial expression management were not in vain; his face instantly shifted into a look of grievance and disbelief.

"Dad! How could it be me?"

Tang San's voice carried just the right amount of tremor, and his eyes even turned slightly red.

He hurried to catch up to Tang Hao, looking up at his father's blood-stained face with an expression so sincere it was as if he wanted to rip his heart out for Tang Hao to see.

"Xiao Wu and I have known each other since we were children... you know this.

My heart isn't made of stone; after all these years together, she has long been like family to me. How could I ever harm her?"

Tang Hao looked down at Tang San.

The expression on his face was so genuine that Tang Hao almost dismissed his own suspicions.

But Tang Hao was, after all, the Clear Sky Douluo; surviving the pursuit of Martial Soul Hall for so many years relied on far more than just his Clear Sky Hammer.

He didn't press further and said nothing more, but the string in his heart tightened quietly.

Originally, when he went to Martial Soul City to pick up Tang San, he had intended to take the boy to that valley he dreamed of day and night.

That place held the secret he cherished most in this life, and all the hopes he had left for the future.

But now...

Tang San, this kid, seemed a bit off.

Tang Hao couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong, but his intuition told him the plan had to change.

When it came to matters concerning her, he couldn't afford to gamble.

He had already lost a gamble once in this life, losing an arm, a leg, and half his life in the process.

He couldn't afford to lose again.

And so, he decided it could wait until Tang San needed to obtain his fifth spirit ring before taking him to that valley.

By then, he should be able to get a clearer read on the kid's true nature.

"Little San," Tang Hao withdrew his gaze and resumed walking, "In a while, we'll find a safe place, and you can absorb that skull bone first. The Spirit-Condensing Wisdom Skull will be of great benefit to your cultivation, and your speed will improve significantly once you do..."

Before he could finish.

"Get back!"

Tang Hao suddenly let out a roar, the spirit power around his entire body exploding like a volcanic eruption.

A massive wave of air sent Tang San flying backward, slamming him heavily into a tree several yards away.

Tang San saw stars from the impact, but he had no time to cry out in pain, for he saw that Tang Hao had already turned around, his deep eyes locked firmly onto the darkness not far ahead.

From behind an old pine tree in the direction Tang Hao was looking, a person slowly stepped out.

It was an old man with white hair and a white beard, tall and lean, dressed in a simple grey robe.

His back was straight as a rod, and every step he took carried an air of unprovoked authority.

Most striking were his eyes—a pair of eerie green orbs with pupils as cold and sharp as a crocodile's.

Golden Crocodile Douluo!

Tang San's heart sank.

He had witnessed the strength of this old monster in Martial Soul City during the day; he was a rank 98 Title Douluo, the second-in-command of the Worship Hall of Martial Soul Hall.

Tang Hao might have been able to fight him in his prime, but now, Tang Hao was still suffering from the severe wounds sustained during the day's successive battles.

Blood was still seeping from the old wounds on his left arm and right leg, and the three claw marks Bibi Dong had left on his chest were deep enough to expose bone; he was barely standing as it was.

How the hell was he supposed to fight?

Tang Hao clearly didn't see it that way.

He stood before Golden Crocodile Douluo, his broken body held straight, like an iron tower scorched by war yet still standing tall.

The Clear Sky Hammer was already in his hand, the spiderweb-like red patterns on its surface glowing slowly, like ignited veins.

"What are you here for?"

Tang Hao's voice was not loud, yet it carried the unique dominance of the Clear Sky Douluo.

Even facing the rank 98 Golden Crocodile Douluo, and even covered in wounds, he still looked like the most dangerous man in the world.

Golden Crocodile Douluo surveyed Tang Hao's battered frame, a cold sneer curling his lips.

"To collect a debt."

"Tang San treated my Martial Soul Hall like a tool, causing us to provoke a massive headache for nothing. And now, you two, father and son, just turn around and walk away."

Golden Crocodile Douluo paused, his eerie green eyes shifting to Tang San, who was still struggling to get up against the tree, the killing intent in his gaze nearly turning solid.

"Tang San must die for Martial Soul Hall to have an answer; otherwise, the world will think Martial Soul Hall is easy to bully!"

Tang Hao's eyes narrowed.

He had a blood feud with Martial Soul Hall that spanned his entire life.

Martial Soul Hall had killed his wife, crippled half his life, and forced him to hide in the shadows like a rat for eight full years.

Now they dared to hunt him down, and dared to say they would kill his son right in front of him?

Had Martial Soul Hall forgotten the fear of being dominated by the Clear Sky Hammer back then?

Or did they think that just because he had lost an arm and a leg, they could climb onto his head and shit?

"The debt between you and me is far from settled," Tang Hao's voice rose slowly, every word carrying the fury suppressed for eight long years, "To think you actually dared to show up at my doorstep—do you really think I'm that easy to bully?"

Before the words faded, Tang Hao took a step forward, the ground beneath his feet cracking inch by inch.

His entire body coiled like a great bow, the muscles in his calves pulsing violently like a heart as he unleashed his power; his physical strength, the power of the Clear Sky Hammer, his spiritual force, and his spirit power all fused perfectly into one.

The Clear Sky Hammer surged in size, carrying a destructive force capable of shattering the heavens as it smashed down toward Golden Crocodile Douluo!

This strike had no flashy techniques; it was pure, savage, unreasonable force.

Facing the giant hammer that blotted out the sky, Golden Crocodile Douluo did not dodge or retreat.

He spread his feet slightly, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and a layer of pale golden, scale-like light emerged from the surface of his skin.

BOOM!

The Clear Sky Hammer slammed solidly into Golden Crocodile Douluo's arms.

The massive impact caused the ground beneath Golden Crocodile Douluo to explode into a web of cracks, sending gravel flying and dust billowing into the air.

Yet, Golden Crocodile Douluo himself merely swayed slightly, his dark green eyes not even showing a ripple of emotion.

He had withstood a direct strike from Clear Sky Douluo using nothing but his physical body!

Tang Hao's heart sank, and he cursed to himself.

Although he hadn't used his full strength, he had still put in seventy or eighty percent of his power.

If this had been any ordinary Title Douluo, they would have been sent flying or at least forced to retreat several steps.

Yet this Golden Crocodile Douluo hadn't budged an inch, hadn't even activated his Avatar of the Martial Soul, and had blocked the blow with his physical defense alone.

The foundation of a ninety-eighth-rank Title Douluo was truly not something his current, broken body could shake.

"Is that it?"

There was an undisguised disappointment in Golden Crocodile Douluo's voice.

He flicked his arms outward, knocking the Clear Sky Hammer aside.

His third soul ring suddenly lit up, and blinding golden light erupted from his body. His signature golden crocodile tail lashed out from behind him; before the thunderous boom of the air being shattered could even reach his ears, the tail had already struck toward Tang Hao.

The speed was so great that Tang Hao only had enough time to hold the Clear Sky Hammer horizontally across his chest.

CLANG—!!!

A deafening metallic collision rang out.

Tang Hao felt an unimaginable force surge from the hammer handle into his arms. The webbing between his thumbs and forefingers split instantly, and blood began to drip steadily down the handle.

A piercing pain shot from the old injury on his left arm, and his crippled right leg trembled violently. He was sent sliding back several yards by the force of the tail, his feet carving two deep trenches into the ground.

Before he could steady himself, Golden Crocodile Douluo's second strike arrived.

His fifth soul ring lit up.

Golden Crocodile Douluo's figure suddenly accelerated within the golden light, slamming into Tang Hao like a golden meteor.

Tang Hao let out a muffled groan as the three wounds on his chest, inflicted by Bibi Dong earlier that day, burst open simultaneously. Blood sprayed out, and he was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into a cliff face dozens of yards away.

BOOM!

The cliff face was dented into a crater half a person deep, and debris rained down.

Tang Hao knelt in the pile of rubble, gasping for air, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth onto the ground.

Golden Crocodile Douluo did not pursue Tang Hao.

His dark green eyes shifted, landing on Tang San, who was leaning against a tree trunk nearby.

"Your turn, boy."

Before the words had even faded, Golden Crocodile Douluo's sixth soul ring suddenly lit up.

A massive golden crocodile phantom emerged from behind him. The phantom let out a silent roar toward the heavens, transforming into a golden torrent that lunged straight at Tang San.

Tang San's pupils dilated in that instant.

That was the sixth soul skill of a ninety-eighth-rank Title Douluo.

The immense soul power crushed the air like a physical weight, bending all the vegetation in its path. The gravel on the ground was kicked up by the shockwave, stinging Tang San's face.

He wanted to move, but his legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

He wanted to run, but his body felt pinned to the spot by that terrifying pressure.

Was this the full-strength strike of someone nearing the level of a Limit Douluo?

Tang San's mind went blank.

His Mysterious Heaven Skill, hidden weapons, Eight Spider Lances, Blue Silver Grass... all of them lost their meaning in this moment.

Facing that overwhelming golden torrent, he was like an ant confronting a charging rhinoceros; there was nothing he could do but wait for death!

Just as the golden torrent was about to swallow Tang San...

"Who dares to hurt my son!"

A roar, so hoarse it was nearly broken, exploded from the direction of the cliff.

A black shadow shot out from the rubble like a burning black meteor, intercepting the path in front of Tang San with incredible speed.

Tang Hao's entire body was burning with an unnatural dark red light—a phenomenon that only occurred when soul power was burned to its absolute limit.

Every inch of his skin was oozing blood, and the old wounds on his left arm and right leg were bleeding profusely.

Yet he stood there in front of Tang San, his broken body held straight, like an iron tower scorched by the fires of war but still refusing to fall.

He swung the Clear Sky Hammer with all his might.

BOOM—!!!

The Clear Sky Hammer collided head-on with the golden crocodile phantom. Golden and dark red light intertwined and exploded, the resulting shockwave snapping the trees within dozens of yards in half.

Tang San was sent flying by the blast, his back slamming into another tree, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

But he couldn't care about the pain; he only stared blankly at the blood-soaked back in front of him.

The ground beneath Tang Hao's feet had been crushed into a three-foot-deep crater.

His arms were trembling violently, the splits in his hands deep enough to reveal bone, and the three wounds on his chest had all burst open, staining him into a man of blood.

Yet his spine remained straight!