Before the Blood Runs Dry

Tang San leaped up and charged straight at Retsu Unohana. With the Six Spider Lances and all four limbs, Tang San could attack Retsu Unohana from up to ten directions. On the surface, Retsu Unohana appeared to have been suppressed.

However, Retsu Unohana's healing ability showed its advantage at this moment.

Her powerful healing ability shocked Tang San. He discovered that no matter how he injured Retsu Unohana, her healing technique could swiftly restore the fresh wounds. Moreover, faced with Retsu Unohana's frenzied, torrential assault, the Six Spider Lances were already reaching their limit.

Tang San immediately judged that attacking like this was useless. The damage he dealt could not surpass her recovery ability.

Compared to the Hell White Tiger, the longer he fought, the healthier Retsu Unohana became. If Retsu Unohana fully recovered, could he still handle her with ease?

Especially when he saw the look in Retsu Unohana's eyes—if she got the chance, she would definitely deal him a fatal blow!

A cold sneer appeared at the corner of Retsu Unohana's lips. By now, Tang San seemed to have no options left.

The blade of her Zanpakuto thirsted for Tang San's flesh and blood. Especially without Lord Aizen stopping her, she wanted so badly to drive her sword into Tang San's body. If not for those six strange spider lances blocking her, Tang San would have been chopped into eight pieces long ago.

Seeing Retsu Unohana's blade about to break through his defenses, Tang San spread his arms before sharply drawing them back. At the same time, his body rapidly twisted through the air, and he violently flung out his left hand. The five-hundred-kilogram Clear Sky Hammer met her attack head-on.

Amid a thunderous boom, Tang San and Retsu Unohana retreated almost simultaneously.

The Clear Sky Hammer appeared before everyone for the first time, and the entire Soul Arena immediately erupted into chaos.

In the VIP Seating, Ning Fengzhi's gaze froze. The expressions of every distinguished guest watching the battle froze as well.

It could be said that every Soul Master above level sixty and over fifty years old had trembling hearts at this moment.

What was that? What was that little black hammer? What did it represent? They all knew perfectly well.

It was not a weapon—at least, not one brought along, much less one hidden on the body in a spatial magical device. It was a Martial Soul, a true Martial Soul that had created countless glories throughout the Soul Master world. It stood at the pinnacle of tool-type Martial Souls. It represented a sect, countless powerful experts, and the most tyrannical power and offense.

That was the Clear Sky Hammer.

Retsu Unohana narrowed her eyes at the pitch-black Clear Sky Hammer. The corner of her mouth lifted, curved, and then she threw back her head and burst into laughter.

"Ahahahaha! Ahahahaha! So that's it, so that's it! I finally understand the meaning of what my lord said. So that's it!"

Retsu Unohana did not recognize what kind of Martial Soul it was, but that did not stop her from continuing to enjoy the battle!

At this moment, Tang San no longer had any reservations. If he did not bring out the Clear Sky Hammer, he would be the one who died!

What emanated from that blade was an intent to kill without fail.

Tang San leaped into the air and directly unleashed the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer!

Every slash from Retsu Unohana was absorbed by the Clear Sky Hammer and converted into part of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer's power.

Retsu Unohana seemed unconcerned by any of it. She only wanted to see just how powerful this hammer strike could become!

At first, Retsu Unohana could still suppress Tang San, but by the sixteenth strike, she clearly felt that her strength was inferior to his and was forcibly driven back.

It was as though she had become a piece of iron beneath Tang San's hammer, endlessly pounded and brought to a boil.

Retsu Unohana's gaze became far sharper. She knew that if this continued, she would lose.

Retsu Unohana, who had originally held her sword in one hand, switched to a two-handed grip. She raised it high above her head in a kendo stance, concentrating all her essence, energy, and spirit into this strike.

"I have not held a sword with both hands in a very long time. You are the first who has made me do so."

At this moment, all the Soul Power in her body gathered at the blade's tip. Her heart was as still as water. In Retsu Unohana's heart, she was a blade—a blade that could cleave through anything.

She listened to the sounds of all things. This was something she, as one skilled in healing, was familiar with.

To heal others, she had to understand every kind of body. Even from a distance, it did not hinder Retsu Unohana from observing the changes in Tang San's body and the shifts in his strength.

She could hear the muscles throughout Tang San's body roaring and the power accumulating within the hammer.

Not yet.

At this moment, Retsu Unohana could not interrupt Tang San's buildup of power. Her strength would only become nourishment for the Clear Sky Hammer.

When Tang San's Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer reached the limit of its forty-eighth strike, Tang San let out a roar.

"Haaah!"

He struck with the hammer!

At the same time, Retsu Unohana opened her eyes. Those eyes held no emotion, only a dead stillness, as though they had seen through life and death.

The strongest moment of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer was also his weakest moment!

All of his power would flow into the Clear Sky Hammer, leaving Tang San unable to control his body.

At that moment, the Clear Sky Hammer was at its strongest, but Tang San, with all his power out of control, was at his weakest.

Retsu Unohana charged straight into the Clear Sky Hammer. Under extreme healing, she used her body to withstand the Clear Sky Hammer's attack while bringing down her sword with all her strength.

Beneath a deafening crash, a great spray of blood scattered through the air. Retsu Unohana flew backward limply, her eyes blurred and her vision crimson. She could not see clearly and did not know what state Tang San was in.

Retsu Unohana landed at the edge of the Soul Arena amid chunks of flesh and violent force. The instant she suffered such severe injuries, her healing power began to weaken.

Her body had endured such a massive impact that it was nearly shattered. Her earlier healing technique had merely kept her alive; she could not rise at all.

So, had Tang San won?

Tang San's face was pale. The Clear Sky Hammer, which he could no longer hold, fell to the ground and vanished.

Using all his strength, he turned his head to look at the wound on his shoulder, where bone had been severed. A great amount of blood gushed from it. After quickly using his internal energy to seal his acupoints and stop the bleeding, he finally stopped his life force from draining through the wound.

He weakly collapsed to his knees, unable to move in the slightest. Stopping the bleeding had already exhausted every bit of his strength.

If Ulquiorra had not trained his body when he was young, he would have died by now.

For the first time, Tang San was grateful that Ulquiorra had bullied him. Without enduring prolonged beatings from strength several levels beyond his own, he would not have been able to deflect the force to such an extent.

Retsu Unohana's slash had come within inches of cutting into his heart. If the power of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer had not pushed Retsu Unohana away, and if Tang San had not controlled his muscles to resist with all his strength, half his body would likely have been cut off.

Tang San did not dare imagine that outcome.

At this point on the battlefield, Ma Hongjun was the only one still able to fight, yet he had not dared move from beginning to end.

Countless Cherry Blossom Blades floated around him. If he dared to move, he had no doubt that these blades would slice him into pieces.

On the other side, Kenpachi Zaraki and Shihouin Yoruichi had also entered a truce.

One against four was simply impossible to win. In Kenpachi Zaraki's eyes, Ma Hongjun was already a dead man.

The battle ended with both Tang San and Retsu Unohana down.

But the undercurrents outside the arena had only just begun!