"This was then, and this is now." Tang Xiao waved a hand and said solemnly, "Your father's concern was that you build a solid foundation, so it wouldn't become unstable. But the circumstances are different now. You're already Level 69, just one step away from Level 70. There's no harm in adding the first Soul Ring to your Second Martial Soul ahead of time."
Tang Xiao's gaze grew heated. "Besides, the sect's dungeon has had a grand gift waiting for you for a long time: a Titan Giant Ape that's been imprisoned for ten years, with cultivation nearing thirty thousand years!"
"Thirty thousand years! A Titan Giant Ape!" Tang San sucked in a sharp breath.
The Titan Giant Ape was one of the mightiest among Power-type Soul Beasts! Even a Soul Douluo wouldn't dare provoke one lightly without help.
The sect had prepared such a powerful Soul Beast for him, and Tang San hadn't even known!
"Exactly." A trace of pride appeared on Tang Xiao's face. "You're a direct disciple of the Clear Sky Sect. How could the first Soul Ring of your Second Martial Soul be anything ordinary? This Titan Giant Ape was prepared for you from the start. Its greatest strength is its unparalleled, extreme power. It couldn't be more suitable as the First Soul Ring for your Clear Sky Hammer."
Tang Xiao continued, "Once you successfully absorb its Soul Ring, you'll not only gain an incredibly domineering Power-type Soul Skill—the 'Titan Hammer,' which can amplify the Clear Sky Hammer's power by one hundred percent. More importantly, the immense energy of this thirty-thousand-year Soul Ring will be enough to break through your bottleneck in one fell swoop and raise your Soul Power by at least three levels!"
"Three levels?" Tang San's heart pounded wildly.
Level 69 plus three levels—that meant... Level 72!
A Level 72 Soul Saint!
And a Power Attack System Soul Saint with the number one Tool Martial Soul in the world, whose First Soul Ring was thirty thousand years old!
Tang San's breathing grew ragged. Before his eyes, he could already see Xiao Wu's terrified, desperate face.
Tang San mused to himself: Heh. By then, even if a Level 70 support-type Soul Saint had some other lucky encounter, she'd still be nothing but a clay chicken and a straw dog before my Clear Sky Hammer, now that it has a Soul Ring. She wouldn't stand a chance! And then, forget just Xiao Wu—even the four girls in her dorm, all together, might not be a match for me!
"You'll trample her under your own feet, in front of the whole school, and repay her humiliation tenfold! Tang San, tell me: wouldn't that revenge feel better than having me send someone to fight your battles for you?" Tang Xiao asked.
A relief! What a relief!
Tang San trembled slightly with excitement. He could already picture it.
On the arena, beneath the gaze of the entire crowd, he'd summon the black-flashing Clear Sky Hammer. One strike! Just one strike would smash the arrogant Xiao Wu until her bones were broken and her tendons snapped, forcing her to kneel and beg for mercy!
The mere thought of that thrill made his whole body tingle with pleasure and his scalp prickle!
"Uncle! I understand!" Tang San sprang to his feet and bowed deeply to Tang Xiao. "Please grant me this chance!"
"Good!" Tang Xiao nodded in satisfaction. "That's the spirit of a treasured son of the Clear Sky Sect! Repay every grudge and avenge every slight!"
"There's no time to waste. I'll take you to the dungeon now!"
"Yes, Uncle!"
Tang Xiao wasted no time. He immediately took Tang San to the dungeon in the deepest part of the sect.
The Clear Sky Sect's dungeon lay deep underground, dark and damp.
The air reeked of rust and blood.
Tang Xiao led Tang San down a long passage to an enormous gate forged from Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Iron.
"Roar!"
A deafening bellow came from behind the gate. The entire dungeon trembled, and dust sifted down from the stone ceiling.
A savage, violent aura surged through the thick iron door and crashed over them.
Tang San felt his chest tighten, and even breathing became difficult.
"It's in there." Tang Xiao's expression grew grave. "For the past ten years, we've tried every method to wear down its strength, but it remains just as ferocious. I'll personally strike it hard in a moment. Find your opening and deliver the final blow."
Tang San nodded solemnly and took his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul from his Soul Tool, preparing for battle.
Tang Xiao drew a deep breath, formed a hand seal with both hands, and began chanting under his breath.
"Open!"
At his low command, the Profound Iron gate, weighing tens of thousands of pounds, groaned with a teeth-grinding creak as it slowly rose.
An even stronger stench of blood and violence roared out from behind it.
Beyond the gate lay a vast, circular stone chamber. At its center, a figure as huge as a small mountain was bound in place by dozens of chains thicker than barrels.
It was a pitch-black giant ape, over ten meters tall. Its muscles bulged like knotted granite, packed with explosive strength. Its eyes were blood-red, filled with boundless fury and madness.
It was the King of the Forest, the Titan Giant Ape!
Seeing the gate open, the Titan Giant Ape let out an earth-shaking roar and struggled violently.
"Clang-clang!"
The Profound Iron chains stretched taut around it, groaning under the strain.
"Wretched beast! You still dare to cause trouble!"
Tang Xiao snorted. A terrifying pressure burst from his body!
Purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black, black, red!
Nine Soul Rings rose abruptly around him!
The aura of a Level 97 Super Douluo was truly terrifying!
The air in the entire dungeon seemed to be sucked away. The Titan Giant Ape's violent fury was instantly suppressed, and it let out an unwilling whimper.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Weapon Soul Avatar!"
Tang Xiao raised his right hand. An enormous Clear Sky Hammer, pitch-black and patterned with dark gold, took shape in his palm.
Tang Xiao swung the hammer!
There was no earth-shattering crash, only a visible black ripple that suddenly spread outward from the Clear Sky Hammer!
Even space seemed to twist in that instant!
The black ripple enveloped the Titan Giant Ape.
"Roar—!" The Titan Giant Ape let out an unbearably shrill howl. Its supposedly indestructible body seemed crushed by an invisible force. Its skin split apart inch by inch, and black blood gushed from its wounds!
With a single strike, the powerful Soul Beast, whose cultivation neared thirty thousand years, was already at death's door. It lay on the ground, breathing its last.
"Tang San! Begin!" Tang Xiao's voice sounded in Tang San's ear. "Clear your mind and use your Clear Sky Hammer to guide it! Remember, you're its master!"
Tang San sat cross-legged and laid the Clear Sky Hammer across his knees. He focused his mind and began drawing in the black Soul Ring.
A long, agonizing transformation began.
Absorbing a thirty-thousand-year Soul Ring was far more painful than Tang San had imagined.
The black Soul Ring was like a soul filled with fury and resentment, crashing wildly against his mind. The Titan Giant Ape's anger, despair, and hatred before its death became an endless tide of negative emotions, threatening to drown his will completely.
Tang San's body trembled violently, and a fine layer of blood beaded on his skin. In his mind, countless giant apes seemed to roar as they tried to tear his soul to pieces.
"Hold on to your mind! You're the master!"
Tang Xiao's voice rang through Tang San's consciousness like a great bell, pulling him back from the brink of collapse.