Tang Hao Vanished into Ashes

Crack!

With a crisp snap like a dry branch breaking, Tang Hao's right leg was severed at the root.

His body, deprived of support, crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up dust mixed with tiny fragments of bone.

The excruciating pain made countless golden sparks burst before the eyes of the former Clear Sky Douluo. His sweat-soaked bangs clung to his paper-pale face, while the bloody froth spilling from his mouth carried shredded pieces of internal organs.

"You... you're not a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast..."

Tang Hao struggled to prop up his upper body, the madness in his eyes replaced by fear.

Staring at the golden demonic pattern gleaming with divine radiance between Huang Tian's brows, he finally understood that what he faced was no ordinary being. He continued:

"What exactly are you?!"

Huang Tian did not answer. Tang Hao's miserable state was reflected in its purple-gold vertical pupils, like a deity looking down upon an ant.

It gently flapped its dragon wings, which were covered in star-like patterns, and the entire space began to twist and fold.

Tang Hao discovered in horror that an invisible force had pinned him in place. He could not even move a single finger.

Huang Tian slowly raised its dragon claw. The ball of Destruction energy gathering at its fingertips grew larger and larger, devouring all light within a ten-mile radius.

Shen Lian's pupils contracted sharply. Just as he was about to stop it, the Destruction energy at Huang Tian's fingertips swallowed Tang Hao like a tsunami.

Within the purple-gold radiance, the Clear Sky Douluo did not even have time to let out a complete scream before his body melted away inch by inch like snow thrown into a furnace. Even the lingering smell of blood in the air was broken down until nothing remained.

All that remained in the forest was a severed arm and leg, still twitching faintly upon the charred ground.

"What a pity..."

Shen Lian looked at the empty ground after the energy dissipated and sighed softly.

He had originally intended to keep Tang Hao alive long enough to obtain all six of Tang Hao's Spirit Bones, especially the two Spirit Bones created through the Clear Sky Sect's secret technique.

But Huang Tian's power had far exceeded expectations. Of Tang Hao's six Spirit Bones, aside from the ones in his right leg and right arm that had been severed by the dragon claw, the other four had been reduced to powder by the energy blast, leaving not even scraps behind.

Zhu Zhuqing walked to his side, her silver eyes sweeping over the severed limbs on the ground as she handed him a clean white cloth.

Shen Lian took it and silently crouched down. With a light brush of his fingertip over the severed arm, the dark-gold Right Arm Spirit Bone emerged from the limb, its surface still carrying the fluctuations of Tang Hao's Soul Power from before his death.

The Right Leg Spirit Bone was likewise stripped from the severed leg, though its quality was slightly inferior to that of the arm Spirit Bone.

"Are you planning to absorb these two Spirit Bones yourself?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhu Zhuqing watched Shen Lian put the Spirit Bones into his Storage Ring.

This surprised Zhu Zhuqing. In her understanding, the Spirit Bones of a Title Douluo were already priceless treasures, especially the Right Arm Bone inherited from the Clear Sky Sect, which was said to increase the power of the Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul by thirty percent.

Hearing Zhu Zhuqing's words, Shen Lian replied:

"I have no use for these two Spirit Bones, and their attributes aren't suitable for you either."

As he spoke, Shen Lian wiped the blood from his fingertips and thought:

These two are useless to me, but I can take them back to the Sun-Moon Empire for my parents.

Just as Shen Lian was about to leave, he glanced at Tang Hao's severed limbs on the ground again and suddenly thought of Tang San's possible reaction upon learning of his father's death.

A prank-like idea took shape in his mind.

Shen Lian picked up the severed arm and carefully wrapped it in the white cloth. He then put away the severed leg as well, his movements carrying an almost cruel meticulousness.

"Doesn't Tang San care deeply about family?"

A cold curve lifted at the corner of Shen Lian's mouth as he continued thinking:

Then I'll give him a 'grand gift.'

Seeing the gleam in his eyes, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly found the youth before her even more terrifying than Huang Tian.

She did not ask further. She merely summoned her Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul in silence and vigilantly swept her gaze around the surroundings.

The night wind of the Star Dou Great Forest swept past, lifting the bone ash from the ground, yet it could not disperse the plan gradually becoming clear in Shen Lian's heart:

Using Tang Hao's remains as bait, he would completely shatter Tang San's psychological defenses. If the opportunity arose, he could seize Tang San's Soul Tool and take his cultivation technique. That would be an enormous gain for Shen Lian.

The night wind of the Star Dou Forest, carrying the stench of blood, brushed across Shen Lian's face. The blazing flames stirred up when the Vermilion Bird Wings unfolded made the killing intent in his eyes burn even fiercer.

Shen Lian looked toward the direction in which the Titan Giant Ape had vanished and slowly clenched his fist. Tang San had the protection of a cultivating god, so there was no way to act against him for now. But as for the others, Shen Lian would never let them off easily.

"Huang Tian, you can return to the Consciousness Sea for now."

As Shen Lian's words fell, Huang Tian's enormous phantom gradually faded away, turning into a streak of golden light that entered his brow.

Zhu Zhuqing had long been prepared, a frigid gleam shining in her silver eyes.

Shen Lian wrapped an arm around her slender waist. With a fierce beat of the Vermilion Bird Wings, blazing Soul Power shot into the sky like an arrow loosed from a bow, carving a brilliant trail of fire through the night as they sped toward Suotuo City.

Amid the howling wind, Shen Lian had already mapped out his next step. The fate of everyone at Shrek Academy was about to face an even more violent storm.

Elsewhere, the mountain-like body of the Titan Giant Ape raced through the forest. Every step it took shook the earth and sent dust billowing into the air.

The members of Shrek on its shoulder were pale as paper.

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun remained unconscious. Oscar clung tightly to Ma Hongjun, beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolling down his forehead;

Ning Rongrong was curled up nearby, her hands tightly clutching her skirt. The Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda in her arms was dim and without light. She understood that Shrek Academy was in serious trouble now, so after thinking of Shrek, Ning Rongrong prepared to return to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect;

Tang San, meanwhile, wore a complicated expression, both shocked and delighted. He was delighted that his beloved younger sister, Xiao Wu, had returned, but shocked by Shen Lian's terrifying strength and Huang Tian's overwhelming pressure.

"Xiao Wu, why... why would the Titan Giant Ape help us?"

Tang San forced the words out, his voice so hoarse that he could barely hear himself.

Xiao Wu bit her lip, her eyes flickering evasively, yet she still forced herself to remain calm and said to Tang San:

"Third Brother, the Titan Giant Ape wanted to be friends with me, so it helped me save all of you."

Her explanation sounded somewhat far-fetched, but everyone was immersed in immense shock and grief. Zhao Wuji's death and the severe injuries suffered by Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun left them with no time to scrutinize the loopholes in Xiao Wu's words.

At last, the outline of Shrek Academy appeared faintly in the night.

The Titan Giant Ape slowed its steps and carefully set everyone down. Its enormous palm lightly patted Xiao Wu's shoulder, and it let out a deep roar, as though bidding farewell.

Then it turned and strode away, soon disappearing into the depths of the forest. Only a string of deafening footsteps echoed through the air.

Tang San and Oscar struggled to support Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun as they staggered toward the academy gates.

Ning Rongrong followed behind them, glancing back from time to time, her eyes filled with fear.