The Might of the Clear Sky Hammer

The power of the Clear Sky Hammer was well-deserved.

Yue Guan dared not linger in the valley. With a sudden leap, his figure transformed into a streak of white light, darting toward the dense forest in the southeast.

"Tang Hao! Let's talk this over!"

Tang Hao ignored him entirely, giving chase in hot pursuit. The Clear Sky Hammer dragged behind him, its head scraping against the ground and leaving a crushed trench in its wake.

The two figures, one chasing the other, vanished from the valley's sight in the blink of an eye. Yet, the constant explosions and tremors echoing from afar signaled that the battle was far from over.

"Boom!"

"Boom-boom!"

The earth trembled. Loose stones in the valley cascaded down from the cliff walls with a clattering roar.

Hu Liena stood where she was, her face pale.

The pressure of the soul power Tang Hao had unleashed still lingered upon her; she felt as if her blood had been frozen for half a second.

That absolute disparity in strength, coming from a ninety-fifth-level Title Douluo, made her truly understand for the first time what it meant to be powerless against an irresistible force.

"Xie Yue, how much longer for Yan?" Hu Liena turned her head to glance at Yan, who was still sitting cross-legged and absorbing his soul ring.

Xie Yue crouched down and reached out to check Yan's pulse.

"Soon, but at least a few more minutes."

"We can't wait that long." Hu Liena bit her lip.

The sounds of battle in the distance were growing increasingly intense.

Qin Chuan, hidden in the shadows, could hear it clearly as well. The intervals between the roars were shortening, indicating that Tang Hao and Yue Guan had reached a fever pitch.

Using his Samsara Eye to track their positions, he saw they were already two or three kilometers away from the valley.

Tang Hao was fighting with savage ferocity. He had activated his Killing God Domain, his entire being shrouded in a layer of dark red killing intent. This killing intent had a tangible effect, weakening his opponent's combat power by ten percent while simultaneously boosting his own by ten percent.

Yue Guan was being suppressed.

There was no helping it. Even though both were ninety-fifth-level Title Douluos, there was an overwhelming gap between their martial souls.

The Clear Sky Hammer was recognized as the number one tool martial soul in the world. While Yue Guan's Strange Velvet Sky-Reaching Chrysanthemum was also a top-tier immortal-grade martial soul, it was at a disadvantage when clashing head-on with the Clear Sky Hammer.

Furthermore, Tang Hao was currently in a state of blind rage. The loss of A Yin had driven him mad; he disregarded all defense in the heat of battle, swinging his hammer down blow after blow, each strike carrying enough force to flatten his opponent into a pulp.

Yue Guan could only defend while trying to create distance. His advantage lay in long-range attacks and area coverage, and as long as he kept his distance, he could hold on. But Tang Hao's speed was too great; the moment he let his guard down, Tang Hao was right on top of him.

"Bang!" Another thunderous crash rang out.

Yue Guan was struck on the left shoulder by the hammer, his body sent flying backward, snapping three thick trees in his path. He flipped twice in the air before stumbling a few steps upon landing to steady himself.

A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

His left shoulder had collapsed; the bone was surely fractured.

Yue Guan raised a hand to wipe the blood from his lips, his expression turning grave.

"Tang Hao, I told you, we have never been to Holy Soul Village. What exactly are you trying to do?"

"Enough talk!" Tang Hao didn't listen at all. His eyes were completely bloodshot, and deep within his pupils lay a near-maniacal obsession.

A Yin was gone. The thing he had guarded for so many years was gone!

Even the hundred-thousand-year soul bone he had used to protect A Yin's life was gone as well.

When he returned to Holy Soul Village, all he found was an empty cave.

The energy barrier had been deactivated from the outside. The technique was clean and precise, with no signs of forced entry, as if someone had used a key to open a lock.

Such a feat was beyond the capabilities of an ordinary soul master.

To silently deactivate an energy barrier set by a ninety-fifth-level Title Douluo required, at the very least, a profound understanding of soul power structures and a form of mental analysis that transcended the norm.

Tang Hao's first suspicion was Spirit Hall.

Spirit Hall possessed a vast number of high-level soul masters and all manner of esoteric arts. Pope Bibi Dong's own strength surpassed his; if she had acted personally or dispatched her top subordinates, deactivating an energy barrier was well within their capabilities.

Coupled with the fact that Spirit Hall held the blood feud of his wife's death, the motive could not be clearer.

Tang Hao didn't need evidence; he only needed an object for his rage.

The Clear Sky Hammer was raised high once more, and the radiance of his seventh soul skill ignited upon the hammer's head.

Avatar of Martial Soul!

Tang Hao fused with the essence of the Clear Sky Hammer, transforming into a dark red, blood-colored giant dozens of meters tall. Blood-colored lightning coiled around his body, and a murderous aura flowed from him. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand grew in tandem to a colossal size, red light swirling around it as its weight increased dozens of times over.

Yue Guan's pupils constricted.

"Madman!" He no longer held back either. "Seventh Soul Skill: Strange Velvet Sky-Reaching Chrysanthemum Avatar!"

A golden chrysanthemum a hundred meters wide bloomed behind him, countless petals spinning like blades and engulfing the entire area in golden light.

The collision of the two Title Douluos' Avatars of Martial Soul unleashed a shockwave of energy that swept out in all directions, centered on the two of them.

Trees within a radius of hundreds of meters were snapped at the roots, rocks were ground into powder, and the ground collapsed into a massive crater a hundred meters in diameter.

Hidden several kilometers away, Qin Chuan could feel the earth beneath his feet trembling violently, and a vast number of leaves were shaken from the tree crowns above.

On the battlefield, Yue Guan could no longer hold his ground.

Even after activating his Avatar of Martial Soul, he remained at an absolute disadvantage before Tang Hao.

After more than a dozen direct clashes, several fractures had already appeared on Yue Guan's Strange Velvet Sky-Reaching Chrysanthemum avatar, and a large portion of its golden petals had shattered. Blood pooled increasingly at the corners of his own mouth, and he could no longer lift his left arm.

At this moment, the voices of several people drifted over from the direction of the valley.

"Elder Ju!"

Yan had finally finished his absorption. He opened his eyes, and a surge of fire-attribute spirit power, significantly stronger than before, erupted from his entire body. Five spirit rings lit up in sequence—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black—a standard five-ring configuration.

But his joy at having just broken through did not last even a second, for he saw the Clear Sky Hammer, dozens of meters in size, hanging in the distant sky, alongside a golden chrysanthemum that was equally absurd in scale.

"What... what is going on?" Yan's face turned green.

"Don't ask, run!" Xie Yue grabbed Yan by the arm and bolted.

Hu Liena followed, her long skirt swaying violently as she ran; her legs moved in alternating strides through the high slit, her knees stained with dust and dirt.

The three of them sprinted toward Yue Guan.

Seeing them approach, Yue Guan's heart sank.

"You must leave! I will cover the retreat!"

Yue Guan's voice emanated through the light screen of the golden chrysanthemum, carrying an unquestionable tone.

Xie Yue pulled at Yan, intent on withdrawing.

Hu Liena ran at the front; her speed was not slow, but it lagged significantly behind Xie Yue's. Xie Yue held his Moon Blade in one hand and dragged Yan with the other, glancing back to gauge the distance.

"Faster!" Yan had just finished absorbing his spirit ring, and his spirit power had yet to fully stabilize, making his movements feel weak. Yet, he knew this was no time to play the hero, and he pushed his legs against the ground with all his might.

Yue Guan blocked Tang Hao's path once more.

"Tang Hao! They are just the younger generation! If you have a grievance, take it out on me!"

"Hmph! None of you are leaving! I want all of you to stay and be buried with them!" Tang Hao had lost his sanity.

Qin Chuan watched clearly from a distance. Tang Hao was now in a state bordering on madness; he no longer cared whether those before him were the true culprits, knowing only that members of the Spirit Hall had appeared near his territory.

On the distant battlefield, the situation had reached its most critical moment.