"One Sword Frosts Fourteen Provinces!"
The clear, sonorous chant echoed through heaven and earth for a long time. The ice dragon formed from the ice-blue sword energy that had streaked across the sky was already carrying a biting chill and razor-sharp force as it slammed straight into Tang Hao's hand.
"Boom—"
The deafening blast rang out. The cold quickly spread across Tang Hao's arm, and shards of ice crystals scattered in every direction. The shockwave kicked up such a storm that the sandy ground sank several feet.
Though the ice dragon shattered inch by inch on impact, dissolving into a sky full of icy dust, Tang Hao's hand reaching for Xiao Wu was also forced back by the tremendous force. His arm, which hadn't had time to form a Soul Power barrier, was coated in a thick layer of frost. A deep chill left it numb.
Tang Hao grunted. His figure swayed slightly as he stepped back half a pace, leaving a footprint in the ground.
He suddenly looked up, a fierce glint shooting from his eyes as he turned toward the source of the sword energy.
Amid the drifting ice crystals, a tall figure stood in the air. Beneath his feet was the phantom of an ice dragon formed from condensed frost, while his robes rustled in the fierce wind.
Sunlight filtering through the icy dust bathed him in a hazy halo, making him look like an immortal sword cultivator.
His expression cold, he raised the Heavenly Frost Sword in his hand, its sharp point aimed at Tang Hao below.
Simply standing there, his soaring sword intent left everyone watching at Shrek Academy struggling to breathe.
"Gu Han!"
Xiao Wu cried out in delight and surprise, tears instantly welling in her eyes. Gu Han's arrival made her feel even more at ease.
Zhao Wuji and Flender struggled to lift their heads. Seeing the figure in the sky, their eyes filled with complicated emotions.
They hadn't expected this student, who usually kept such a low profile, to possess such terrifying strength—to be able to directly challenge the Clear Sky Douluo.
"Who are you?"
Tang Hao shook his somewhat stiff arm, his voice filled with violence. He glared at Gu Han. This young man who had appeared out of nowhere was not only astonishingly powerful; even Tang Hao had been caught off guard by his Ultimate Ice attribute.
Before Gu Han could answer, another calm voice rang clearly in everyone's ears:
"Tang Hao, it's been many years. You've really gone backward with age. You'd even kill a junior from an academy? Is that how you, the Clear Sky Douluo, conduct yourself? Truly despicable."
As the words fell, a figure in white appeared out of thin air, standing in the sky not far from Gu Han.
The newcomer had a handsome face, a head of silver hair, and a tall, straight bearing. It was Sword Douluo Chen Xin.
After receiving Gu Han's urgent message through their special method of communication, he had immediately rushed over at full speed, arriving just in time to witness what had happened.
Chen Xin's appearance made Tang Hao's pupils widen sharply. With a young man who could withstand his attack and the unparalleled Sword Douluo, the situation had instantly spiraled out of control.
"Chen Xin! This has nothing to do with you. Get out of my way!"
Tang Hao roared. The enormous Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his hand, and its nine Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, and red—released a suffocating aura. The red Soul Ring in particular seemed to cast a crimson filter over the entire world.
"When I see injustice, I draw my sword," Chen Xin said mildly. The Seven Kill Sword appeared out of thin air, its razor-sharp sword intent shooting into the sky as it met Tang Hao's aura head-on. "Besides, he's one of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. What happens to him concerns me."
"Fine. Then I'll deal with you both." Tang Hao had completely lost himself to fury. For Tang San, there was nothing he wouldn't do.
"Clear Sky Avatar!"
The enormous phantom of the Clear Sky Hammer rapidly grew, slamming down at Chen Xin and Gu Han like a mountain.
"Seventh Soul Skill, Seven Kill Avatar!"
Chen Xin showed no weakness. Man and sword became one, transforming into a giant sword whose keen edge seemed capable of ripping the world apart. He met the attack head-on.
Rumble—!!!
The clash between two Titled Douluo seemed ready to tear the sky apart.
The frenzied shockwaves of energy swept in every direction. If Chen Xin hadn't deliberately contained the aftershock, Shrek Academy would likely have been razed to the ground.
Chen Xin's sword intent was peerless and his attacks fierce, but Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer was massive and crushingly heavy. Combined with the terrifying boost from his Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, the two were evenly matched for a time.
However, Tang Hao knew he had to take down Gu Han as soon as possible before he could gain control of Chen Xin. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.
"Ring Detonation!"
His First Soul Ring suddenly exploded. Wave after wave of violent energy poured into the Clear Sky Hammer, instantly boosting its power to an unimaginable level.
With one swing, he knocked back Chen Xin's Seven Kill Avatar. At the same time, he gathered all his strength in his other hand, seeking to condense it into an extremely concentrated stream of Soul Power and send it hurtling toward Gu Han, straight for his vital points.
"Watch out!"
Chen Xin's expression changed. He tried to rush to Gu Han's aid but was forced backward again and again by the aftershock of the Ring Detonation.
Faced with the sudden attack, Gu Han's pupils contracted. The Heavenly Frost Sword erupted with unprecedented radiance, and his Fifth Soul Ring flashed wildly. Ice crystals rapidly formed into an ice dragon as he tried to block the blow.
But the Ring Detonation-fueled attack unleashed by an enraged Tang Hao was simply too powerful.
The ice dragon phantom shattered almost as soon as it made contact with Tang Hao's attack. The extreme cold from the Heavenly Frost Sword failed to stop even a trace of the Soul Power containing Tang Hao's full strength.
Just as that surge of Soul Power was about to pierce through Gu Han's defenses...
At the critical moment—
A point of gentle blue light, brimming with the aura of life, appeared without warning in front of Gu Han.
The light rapidly expanded, transforming into the phantom of a Blue Silver Emperor with broad leaves and faint golden patterns.
Though it appeared delicate, it radiated a resilient strength. Soft yet unyielding, it stood in front of Gu Han and met the lethal surge of Soul Power.
With Gu Han's Breath Soil serving as Ah Yin's place to take root, her growth had accelerated dramatically. She had now returned to the level of her former Blue Silver Emperor self.
"Pfft..."
A sound like a dewdrop bursting rang out.
The black light struck the Blue Silver Emperor's phantom, only to disappear as if a stone had sunk into the sea. Layer upon layer of gentle life energy dissolved and absorbed its force until it vanished completely.
The Blue Silver Emperor's phantom had also dimmed considerably, as though it had expended an enormous amount of life energy.
The unexpected turn of events left everyone stunned.
The fury in Tang Hao's eyes froze as soon as he saw the phantom of that Blue Silver Grass. He stood as if struck by lightning, his expression rigid. Then came utter shock and confusion, followed by a trace of something...
A deep, aching pang and tremor from the depths of his soul, something even he could not understand.
That familiar aura... that feeling of life's source...
"Ah... Yin...?"
He murmured, his voice trembling with disbelief.
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