Nine Soul Rings: five black, four red!
But when this Soul Ring Configuration appeared, Tang Hao couldn't help taking several steps backward.
His eyes were full of shock, and even his arms were trembling.
He had a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring of his own, which was already heaven-defying and enough to leave anyone stunned.
But the person before him had four Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings.
And the first five Soul Rings were all black, ten-thousand-year rings.
What was going on?
How could one person have such an outrageous Soul Ring Configuration?
Tang Hao couldn't understand it. A powerful fear welled up inside him.
But he steadied himself and summoned the Clear Sky Hammer.
With the Clear Sky Hammer in hand, he felt considerably more at ease.
"Oh? Still itching for a dance?"
Lin Jie narrowed his eyes. It seemed that everyone who wielded a hammer was confident.
He'd once dealt with another hammer-wielder, who'd been just as self-assured as the Tang Hao before him.
Holding the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Hao grew confident all over again.
He fixed Lin Jie with a cold gaze and said in a low voice, "The Clear Sky Hammer is the strongest Tool Martial Soul, the natural enemy of all Tool Martial Souls!"
"Even if my Soul Ring Configuration and Soul Power are a little inferior to yours, I can still win!"
"Outstanding War Soul Hammer, towering Clear Sky Sect!"
"The Clear Sky Sect's name is invincible beneath the heavens!"
Lin Jie laughed. "The natural enemy of all Tool Martial Souls? That hammer-wielder I met back then said the same thing. Then... I crushed his hammer."
As he spoke, he summoned the Nine Tribulations Sword.
The Nine Tribulations Sword was forged from profound, abyssal black.
Its long, slender blade was icy and keen, its cold light concealed in the darkness.
Dark-red tribulation patterns crisscrossed the spine, as if the tribulations of the nine heavens had been branded upon it, winding along the blade with an eerie glow.
The guard was ancient and fierce, its sharp edges bone-chilling. Dark runes coiled around the hilt, wreathed in wisps of ethereal black mist.
The whole Nine Tribulations Sword was weathered and ancient. Its blade trembled faintly, radiating a fearsome pressure that seemed to destroy all things.
Its pitch-black edge pulsed with the power of tribulation and destruction.
Its sharpness lay hidden, but every inch of the blade was steeped in the murderous force of nine lifetimes of tribulation.
It was majestic and overbearing, its baleful aura chilling.
"Whoa! Uncle Jie is so cool!"
Lin Ye cheered. The Nine Tribulations Sword looked far more imposing than that hammer.
Lin Jie merely smiled.
Heavenly Sword Village didn't go looking for trouble, but it wasn't afraid of trouble either.
If someone wanted to bully their village?
Then the elders would have to step in and have a word.
With the Nine Tribulations Sword in hand, a savage aura poured from Lin Jie.
He was like a primordial Ferocious Beast.
When their eyes met, Tang Hao felt as if the god of death had fixed his gaze on him.
He'd never felt such a chill crawl over his skin—not even when he'd braved Hell Road.
What kind of terrifying monster was this man?
Lin Jie raised a hand, pushed off with one foot, and shot straight toward his opponent.
The first to strike held the advantage!
Seeing him charge, Tang Hao hurriedly swung the Clear Sky Hammer.
The Clear Sky Hammer lived up to its title as the strongest Tool Martial Soul.
As it swung, fierce gales roared.
Tang Hao was a Titled Douluo, and when his Soul Power surged into the Clear Sky Hammer, it unleashed an extraordinarily powerful wave of Soul Power.
"Xiao Wu, let's get out of here."
Lin Ye grabbed Xiao Wu's hand and decisively retreated.
A battle between Titled Douluo wasn't something they could stand around and watch.
Even a tiny shockwave could kill them.
The two of them retreated several hundred meters and stopped on the main road to watch from afar.
In the distance, Soul Power surged and thunderous booms rang out, deafening as nuclear explosions.
Even from several hundred meters away, they could feel the terrifying force.
Five black and four red Soul Rings pulsed around Lin Jie in perfect rhythm, the abyssal-black Nine Tribulations Sword in his hand.
Dark-red light glimmered across the tribulation patterns on its spine, and a fearsome pressure instantly enveloped heaven and earth.
Tang Hao roared and leaped into the air, bringing the Clear Sky Hammer crashing down.
Lin Jie remained calm. He merely raised his hand and swung his sword, casually blocking the Clear Sky Hammer.
A deafening clang rang out, the clash of metal resounding across heaven and earth.
Tang Hao was sent stumbling backward. His palm split open, blood seeped from it, and even the Clear Sky Hammer dimmed.
Before Tang Hao could steady himself, Lin Jie activated his first Soul Skill.
Black sword energy burst forth, wrapped in the power of Calamity Evil. It cleaved through the air and shot straight for Tang Hao's face.
Tang Hao's pupils contracted. Without another moment's hesitation, he turned and fled, leaving behind only a sorry figure.
Lin Jie stood where he was and put away the Nine Tribulations Sword. His Soul Rings slowly faded.
"Lin Ye, Xiao Wu, let's go home."
Lin Jie came over to them. Now that the battle was over, he looked relaxed and languid.
"Uncle Jie, what are you doing around Nuoding City?"
Lin Ye was curious.
Normally, people from the village didn't leave.
Unless they had something important to do, they usually stayed in the village.
He had no plans to ask about Lin Jie's cultivation or Soul Ring Configuration.
Everyone had secrets. Perhaps these were secrets of Heavenly Sword Village, too.
Lin Jie shrugged helplessly. "What could I do? Aunt Man was worried you wouldn't come back to the village for the break, so she kept urging me to go out and find you."
"Hehe! Aunt Man's a prophet!"
Xiao Wu said with a giggle.
If Uncle Jie hadn't shown up this time, they'd probably have been done for.
Tang Hao was a despicable, shameless bastard.
"Come on. Aunt Man made lots of dishes tonight and is just waiting for you to come home."
"Sure thing!"
Lin Ye licked his lips. Aunt Man really was an amazing cook.
That was how she'd completely won Uncle Jie's heart through his stomach.
The three headed toward Heavenly Sword Village. After fleeing, Tang Hao stopped in a small grove over fifty kilometers from Nuoding City.
The moment he stopped, he slumped to the ground, his arms still trembling faintly.
After only a few exchanges, he'd known he was no match for his opponent.
It was hard to imagine that the Nine Tribulations Sword Martial Soul could be so powerful.
For the first time, he doubted that the Clear Sky Hammer was the strongest Tool Martial Soul.
The Nine Tribulations Sword looked vicious beyond compare.
His Clear Sky Hammer had even been cleaved, leaving several cracks.
It was the first time that had ever happened.
"What a terrifying man. Heavenly Sword Village..."
Tang Hao's expression shifted between light and dark.
He'd had a perfect opportunity to bring back a Hundred-Thousand-Year Transformed Soul Beast.
He could imprison her first, then find a way to make her sacrifice herself for his son later.
But he'd never expected such a terrifying expert to appear out of nowhere.
A Level 98 Power Attack System Titled Douluo!
Even more incredible, his Soul Ring Configuration was utterly outrageous.
Tang Hao had never seen anything like it. His mind had gone blank.
He couldn't win—there was simply no way!
He was Level 95. Though his old injuries hadn't healed, he should still have had little trouble dealing with Level 96 or Level 97 Titled Douluo.
The Clear Sky Hammer was simply too powerful!
And he had a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, too.
But now that he'd fought Lin Jie, he'd been left completely on the back foot.
Lin Jie had used only his first Soul Skill, and Tang Hao already knew he was facing an opponent he couldn't handle.
As he thought about it, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
His body had already been battered and broken. Now it was worse than ever.
That move had aggravated his old injuries, and now every part of him was in agony.
He tried to stand, but staggered on the verge of falling.
He could only sit back down and wait for his injuries to improve before leaving.
As for the mysterious Heavenly Sword Village, it was worth investigating.
Such a mysterious and powerful village had to be understood.
Otherwise, what if they did something that endangered the Soul Master World?
Before you continue