As black as ink, the night was utterly still.
Yang Teng sank his consciousness into his Sea of Consciousness.
Amid a hazy, silver-lit ocean, a long spear floated quietly.
"Dad's divine spear..."
Yang Teng's consciousness gazed at the divine weapon that had descended alongside his soul, his thoughts churning.
If I could fully master the true power it contains, I wouldn't have to fear even a Soul Douluo.
Just then, Yang Teng felt a terrifying killing intent—cold and violent—as if he had fallen into a solid block of ice.
"Who?!"
His meditation was instantly broken. His eyes snapped open, and a flash of purplish-gold light flickered in their depths.
Yang Teng shouted sharply. His muscles tensed all over, and his Soul Power was about to erupt on instinct. The phantom of the Space-Time Divine Dragon faintly appeared behind him.
But it was too late!
An irresistible force instantly enveloped his whole body, as though an invisible giant hand had seized him along with the roof tiles beneath him!
The next moment, the world spun. Howling wind rushed past his ears, and the scene before him shifted in an instant from the quiet rooftop of the courtyard to a night sky and city lights blurring past at high speed, then finally to the sky above a pitch-black mountain forest!
"Fuck your grandmother!"
Yang Teng was slammed onto a clearing in the woods. The tremendous impact brought a rush of sweetness to his throat, and he couldn't stop himself from spitting out a mouthful of blood.
His internal organs felt as though they'd been displaced, and every bone in his body seemed to have come apart. If not for his powerful physique, that blow would have left anyone else gravely injured and unable to rise.
Supporting his upper body with a trembling arm, Yang Teng struggled to lift his head and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
A tall figure stood before him. The man wore a loose, pitch-black cloak, its hood pulled low to cover most of his face. Only colorless lips showed beneath it.
He simply stood there, as though it were nothing. No Soul Rings appeared, and he released no aura.
"You're Yang Teng."
A hoarse, low voice came from beneath the hood. Every word carried a chilling killing intent that pounded against Yang Teng's heart.
"Damn!"
Yang Teng spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. There was no fear on his face, only a viciousness laced with mockery, as if he'd been provoked.
"This killing intent... this aura... I take it you're a mighty Titled Douluo?"
He coughed twice. Pain made his voice falter, but the scorn in his tone didn't lessen in the slightest.
"What an imposing display! A dignified Titled Douluo, shameless enough to personally ambush a mere Soul Ancestor."
"Hmph!"
The hooded man gave a disdainful snort. A palpable chill spread around them, and the temperature plunged.
"Sharp tongue. You humiliated my son, seriously injured him, and still dare to speak so insolently."
The man slowly stepped forward. The ground sank soundlessly beneath his foot, leaving a clear print.
"In my eyes, it doesn't matter if you're a Soul Ancestor or even just a Soul Grandmaster. If you dare lay a hand on my son, the result will be the same."
At his words, Yang Teng wasn't afraid. Instead, he seemed to have heard something amusing and let out a low laugh. But the laughter tugged at his injuries, making him cough up a little more blood.
"I was wondering who it could be..."
Yang Teng caught his breath and said, one word at a time:
"Tang San's old man, right? So the young one gets beaten, and the old one comes looking to settle the score. That overprotective streak really does run in the family. Not a bit of change."
"Seems the Strength Clan acted just the same when they bullied your son."
The hooded man's figure paused almost imperceptibly. The dark-red phantom of killing intent around him grew even more intense.
"You...!"
The hooded man was none other than Tang Hao!
The youngest Titled Douluo in the entire continent, Spirit Hall's greatest thorn in its side, the Clear Sky Douluo who had once defeated three Super Douluo from Spirit Hall single-handedly—his long-suppressed fury and killing intent erupted in an instant!
"How do you know about that?! Who told you?!"
Yang Teng's breath caught. His vision went dark as a rough, powerful hand clamped around his throat and lifted him off the ground like a chicken!
His face quickly reddened from lack of oxygen, and the bones in his neck gave a strained, creaking sound.
Tang Hao tightened his fingers slightly, his voice ice-cold.
"Tell me everything you know! Otherwise, I have ten thousand ways to make you wish you were dead—and wish you couldn't die!"
Yang Teng's bloodied lips forced a roguish grin.
From his strangled throat came a few broken yet strangely clear syllables:
"Space... collapse!"
Centered on the narrow gap of less than half a foot between Yang Teng and Tang Hao, a pinpoint of absolute darkness appeared without warning!
It expanded and twisted faster than the senses could perceive, radiating a destructive aura that made the soul tremble!
Terrifying spatial suction burst forth. Tang Hao's pupils abruptly contracted, and the battle instincts honed by years as a top-tier expert shrieked a warning!
Tang Hao had no time to consider how a Soul Ancestor could unleash such a terrifying spatial attack. He hurled Yang Teng sideways like a cannonball.
At the same time, he kicked off the ground and retreated at a terrifying speed far beyond the sound barrier!
Centered on that miniature black hole, space within several dozen feet was violently torn and sliced apart by the force of space.
Ancient trees, rocks, and soil were sucked into it.
When everything settled, all that remained was a circular crater over ten meters in diameter, its edges impossibly smooth. Spatial fluctuations that made the scalp crawl lingered in the air.
Tang Hao stood several dozen meters away. His hood had been flung off as he retreated at top speed, revealing a weather-beaten yet still resolute and stern face.
He stared fixedly at the crater, then abruptly turned toward Yang Teng, whom he had thrown aside. Yang Teng was now kneeling on one knee nearby, coughing violently. Tang Hao's eyes were filled with shock and disbelief.
"That was actually a Soul Ancestor's ability?!"
A storm surged in Tang Hao's heart.
"Even with my body and Soul Power as a Titled Douluo, I can feel how terrifying it is."
Yang Teng laughed twice, his voice hoarse.
"Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Douluo... Tsk, tsk."
Tang Hao said coldly:
"Brat, what are you laughing at? Did I toss you so hard you went stupid?"
Yang Teng tilted his head and looked at Tang Hao as if he were an idiot.
The smile on Yang Teng's face suddenly turned cold. His voice rose, filled with undisguised contempt and a furious shout:
"You're a castoff from the Clear Sky Sect. What else can you do besides this?"
Tang Hao's face turned ashen. His killing intent became even more violent! He clenched his fists, and the phantom of the Clear Sky Hammer, famed throughout the continent, seemed on the verge of forming behind him!
"You're asking for death!"
Tang Hao ground the words out through clenched teeth and prepared to strike again. This time, he wouldn't give Yang Teng any chance to use that strange Soul Skill!
At this critical moment,
a cool, calm woman's voice rang out through the forest, soothing all agitation and killing intent.
"Sorry, I'm late."
Yang Teng knew that voice very well. He put on his usual cheeky grin again, his tone as casual as if they were discussing what to have for breakfast tomorrow:
"It's fine, it's fine! You're not late!"
"If you feel bad about it, just put on that Summer Cooling Set I bought the other day!"
Before you continue