Outside the city, on a desolate stretch of open ground, the cold wind howled, whipping up dust from the earth.
Qian Lingche landed steadily. His gaze was calm as he watched Tang Hao, who had followed close behind.
Holding the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Hao landed opposite Qian Lingche. "Kid, you hurt my son. Any last words? You'd better say them now!"
With talent this terrifying and a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, he couldn't let this kid leave alive.
At that, Qian Lingche said mockingly, "Your son provoked me first. I was just teaching him a lesson."
Suddenly, a thick layer of frost began spreading rapidly across the ground, and a bone-chilling cold filled the air.
A cold voice rang out from afar. "Who are you telling to say their last words?"
Tang Hao stopped, warily turning toward the direction of the voice.
A slender figure came slowly into view. With each step, Ice Crystals formed across the ground.
A flicker of delight suddenly crossed Qian Lingche's eyes. "Sister Xue!"
Before his words had even faded, Qian Lingche flashed forward and ran to the figure's side.
Snow Empress's gaze fell on the vivid streak of blood at the corner of Qian Lingche's mouth. Her already cold expression instantly darkened further.
She stared straight at Tang Hao. "You hurt him?"
Tang Hao felt that terrifying pressure and furrowed his brow slightly, but he didn't back down. Tightening his grip on the Clear Sky Hammer, he said, "Who are you? Don't meddle in my business."
At his words, a colder light glinted in Snow Empress's eyes. "Anyone who hurts him dies."
A cold glint flashed in Snow Empress's eyes. The air around them seemed to freeze in an instant, and then a terrifying blizzard erupted around her.
The cold wind howled and snowflakes danced. The world seemed to hold nothing but endless frost and cold.
"Snow Dance Shining Sun!"
The blizzard rapidly expanded, covering the entire wasteland in the blink of an eye and continuing to spread toward the surrounding area.
Tang Hao felt that terrifying chill, and his expression changed slightly.
He gave a low shout, unleashing his Soul Power as he swung the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand.
Seeing Snow Empress about to change her move again, Tang Hao's heart lurched.
"Ring Detonation!" Tang Hao shouted. The nine Soul Rings around him suddenly lit up, and then the first five rings exploded, turning into vast Soul Power that surged into his body.
His aura soared in that instant, and the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand blazed with dazzling light.
"Great Cold No Snow!"
Just as Tang Hao finished, a gigantic icy palm struck down at him with overwhelming force.
His pupils shrank sharply. Feeling that irresistible pressure, he was utterly shocked.
At this life-or-death moment, he made the most reckless choice without hesitation.
"Explode!" Tang Hao roared. The four remaining Soul Rings around him exploded at once, and his aura reached its peak.
"Great Sumeru Hammer!" Tang Hao put everything he had into smashing the Clear Sky Hammer down at the enormous palm.
The hammer's shadow loomed like a mountain, carrying a wildly violent force as it collided head-on with the icy palm.
"Boom—!"
A thunderous explosion shook the heavens and earth. Terrifying energy swept across the area, cracking the ground beneath them.
As the smoke slowly cleared, Tang Hao's figure was frozen inside a huge block of Ice Crystal, his expression still fixed in its final moment of defiance.
But the battle wasn't over. A gigantic ice sword began to form in the sky.
Soul Power from all around surged toward Snow Empress. Bolstered by it, the enormous ice sword in the sky grew ever more solid.
At last...
"Emperor Sword—Ice Extreme Peerless!"
The enormous ice sword came crashing down at the frozen Tang Hao with the force to destroy the heavens and earth.
Though his body was frozen, Tang Hao's consciousness remained clear.
He couldn't move, but his eyes stayed fixed on the gigantic ice sword descending from the sky.
The cold light glinting along its edge stabbed painfully at his eyes, but he couldn't look away.
His heart was full of fury and unwillingness. Images of Tang San and Ah Yin kept flashing through his mind.
"Ah Yin... Xiao San... I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you..." Tang Hao said silently to himself, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes.
"Boom—!"
The ice sword plunged into the ground with a thunderous crash.
Centered on the sword, a terrifying chill rapidly spread, freezing everything around it solid.
Tang Hao's figure was completely swallowed up. He was no longer visible beneath the ice.
Snow Empress slowly descended to the ground and looked at Qian Lingche. "Are you all right?"
Qian Lingche shook his head. "I'm fine. I used my third Soul Skill just now to block the aftershock from Ice Extreme Peerless."
Just as Snow Empress and Qian Lingche were about to leave, a dazzling light suddenly caught their attention.
They both turned to look. Six gleaming Soul Bones floated above the spot where Tang Hao had stood.
They slowly spun in the air, radiating powerful Soul Power.
"Six Soul Bones..." A flicker of surprise crossed Qian Lingche's eyes. "As expected of Tang Hao. He actually had a complete set of Soul Bones."
Qian Lingche quickly ran over to the six Soul Bones and waved his hand, taking them into his Storage Soul Tool.
He turned to Snow Empress with a relaxed smile. "Sister Xue, let's go."
Snow Empress nodded slightly and said softly, "Let's go. We shouldn't linger here."
Guang Ling exclaimed in surprise, "What? You and Snow Empress killed Tang Hao?"
Spirit Hall had searched for him for so long without finding him, and Xiao Che had just run into him.
Qian Lingche shrugged and said lightly, "Yeah. What about it?"
Guang Ling looked incredulous. "I just can't believe you ran into Tang Hao while you were out, Xiao Che."
Qian Lingche sighed helplessly. "Yeah. I only meant to teach a rude kid a lesson. Who knew I'd somehow end up taking a hit from Tang Hao's hammer?"
At that, he suddenly remembered what he'd forgotten: he'd actually let Tang Hao's son get away!
But Guang Ling immediately tensed up. He hurried over to Qian Lingche, looking him up and down, his voice full of worry:
"What? You took a hit from Tang Hao's hammer? Are you all right? He's a Titled Douluo!"
Seeing how worried he was, Qian Lingche quickly waved his hand and said with a smile, "I'm fine, I'm fine. My breath was thrown into disarray, so I spat up a little blood. I wasn't hurt."
"Besides, with Snow Empress there, how could anything happen to me?"
Even after hearing Qian Lingche's explanation, Guang Ling still wasn't reassured.
He suddenly stepped forward and began patting Qian Lingche down, muttering, "No, no. I have to see for myself that you're not hurt. You're always trying to tough it out on your own."
Caught off guard by his sudden movements, Qian Lingche quickly stepped back, half laughing and half crying. "Brother Ling, what are you doing? I'm really fine. Stop patting me down!"
Guang Ling refused to let up. He kept checking him over, even tugging at his sleeve. "Enough talk! Let me see! Don't I know what you're like? I don't believe you."
Qian Lingche raised both hands helplessly and let him check, but couldn't resist teasing him. "Brother Ling, you care about me so much, I'm about to cry."
Guang Ling rolled his eyes at him and said irritably, "Quit joking around! I'm worried you got hurt and are trying to tough it out."