Tang Chen

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Tang Chen (唐晨) 33
Alias(es)	Clear Sky Douluo; “number one on land” 33 113
Gender	Male 46
Affiliation	Clear Sky Sect 33 46
Occupation/Role	Former Clear Sky Sect Master; Supreme Elder who continues to oversee much of the sect’s external affairs 46 249
Martial Soul	Clear Sky Hammer 131 132
Rank	Rank 99 Peerless Douluo 33 112
Soul Ring Configuration	Originally two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red; improved to four purple, four black, and one red through Sea God trial rewards 276 282
Divine Assessment	Red-Rank Eight Trials; unknowingly designated as a potential replacement sacrifice for the Sea God’s inheritor 269 273 282
Status	Active on Sea God Island 315 320
First Appearance	Chapter 33 33

Power Progression

Period	Advancement	Details
By Chapter 33	Rank 99 Peerless Douluo	Reached the summit of soul-master cultivation and became the continent’s foremost land-based powerhouse. 33
By Chapter 132	Hundred-Thousand-Year Ninth Soul Ring	Possesses a red ninth soul ring and uses it for his Ninth Soul Skill, Hammer Shakes Heaven and Earth. 132
Prior to Chapter 216	Divine Slaughter’s Domain	Became a Slaughter God and obtained Divine Slaughter’s Domain after completing Slaughter City’s trials. 216 226
Chapter 269	Red-Rank Eight Trials	Received the Sea God Island Red-Rank Eight Trials, granting him a path to become the island’s next Grand Elder if he completes them. 269
Chapter 276	Slaughter Staircase Tempering	Reached the 600th step during his initial climb. His lack of a Soul Core limited his ability to replenish the soul power consumed by the staircase. 276
By Chapter 282	First Two Red-Rank Trials Completed; Soul Ring Ages Increased	Cleared Sea God’s Light and the Ring Sea, improving his ring configuration to four purple, four black, and one red. Delayed completing the third trial to continue cultivating his domain. 282
By Chapter 288	Slaughter Domain	Advanced Divine Slaughter’s Domain into Slaughter Domain; the Sea God states that he achieved this evolution faster than Yu Changge, though the Asura God emphasizes their substantial rank difference. 288

Background

Tang Chen is among the continent’s known Rank 99 Peerless Douluo, standing alongside Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi at the summit of soul-master cultivation. Though Qian Daoliu is regarded as number one in the sky, Tang Chen is recognized as number one on land and traditionally held a slight advantage in their contests through his Ring Detonation secret technique and Great Sumeru Hammer. 33 112 263

His creation of the Chaotic Cloak Wind Hammer Technique, Clear Sky Nine Absolutes, Ring Detonation, and Great Sumeru Hammer elevated the Clear Sky Sect to a position capable of contending with Spirit Hall despite its smaller number of Titled Douluo. 33 121

Tang Chen later stepped down as sect master, but his prestige exceeds that of the current leader. Because the current sect master, his son Tang Zhen, suffers from old internal injuries, Tang Chen still manages many of the sect’s outward affairs and personally supported Tang Hao’s designation as young sect master. Within the sect, he now effectively holds the position of Supreme Elder. 46 249

Having reached Rank 99 through his own efforts and earned Divine Slaughter’s Domain, Tang Chen attracted the Asura God’s attention as a potential inheritor. His pursuit is no longer limited to mortal cultivation; he seeks a divine inheritance and has openly declared the Sea God’s godhood to be his goal. The Asura God subsequently selected Yu Changge as his inheritor, while Tang Chen received the Sea God’s Red-Rank Eight Trials rather than a direct godhood inheritance. 226 229 230 265 269

Tang Chen also defeated Chen Xun, Chen Jianjun’s father, in a past contest over the continent’s number-one weapon martial soul. Chen Xun was Rank 98, whereas Tang Chen possessed higher cultivation, six spirit bones, a hundred-thousand-year ninth soul ring, Ring Detonation, and Great Sumeru Hammer. Chen Jianjun retains bitterness over the disparity underlying his father’s defeat. 177

Unknown to Tang Chen, the Sea God deliberately granted him the Red-Rank Eight Trials to make him a possible substitute for Bo Saixi’s sacrificial role. The Sea God also regarded this arrangement as a means of removing the Clear Sky Sect as a potential enemy of Spirit Hall. Bo Saixi was told that Tang Chen would replace her as the sacrifice if he completed his trials before Bibi Dong. 273 282

Personality

Tang Chen is intensely proud and competitive, particularly when facing Qian Daoliu. He favors direct, destructive combat and finds Ring Detonation more satisfying than conventional soul skills, to the point that he considers his normal nine-ring abilities comparatively ornamental. 131

He is also politically shrewd. When Spirit Hall publicized Yu Changge’s Body Martial Soul theory, Tang Chen recognized that the announcement itself implied Spirit Hall had already made genuine progress, regardless of whether the theory’s full implications were known. 149 His later visit to Spirit Hall under the guise of a friendly spar was an overt attempt to investigate Yu Changge, the Honorary Elder title, and Spirit Hall’s research. 167

Despite his pride, he observes martial etiquette: he conceded Tang Hao’s defeat once the battle could no longer continue fairly and immediately paid the promised soul bone. 171 172 He is a demanding mentor as well, urging Tang Hao and Tang Xiao to obtain control-breaking abilities specifically because Yu Changge’s restraint skill poses a genuine threat. 194

Tang Chen is deeply dissatisfied with being limited by the Sea God Island assessment system. Although his Red-Rank Eight Trials would make him a candidate for the next Grand Elder, he considers the result inadequate for a soul master of his talent and suspects his status as a land-based soul master affected the assessment. 269

His outlook strongly favors the Clear Sky Sect’s direct descendants. He considers investment in the Tang bloodline more worthwhile than expending vast resources on outsiders, and initially sees little reason to favor Body Martial Souls over the Clear Sky Hammer. 170 Nevertheless, his guidance becomes increasingly pragmatic: he rejects an exclusively offensive soul ring configuration, emphasizes defensive and cleansing abilities, and teaches the Tang brothers to prioritize mobility and endurance over direct confrontation in the Ring Sea trial. 289 291

Tang Chen remains confident that the Clear Sky Sect’s secret techniques can secure his grandsons’ future superiority. After learning of Yu Changge’s two hundred-thousand-year rings, he reassures Tang Hao that a complete spirit bone set and Ring Detonation will eventually overcome that advantage. He also privately hopes that Yu Changge and Bibi Dong might fail their divine trials. 284 289

His pride can restrain his competitiveness when defeat would threaten his reputation. After seeing Yu Changge overwhelm both Tang brothers, Tang Chen privately questions whether he could match the younger fighter without relying on Ring Detonation, but declines to challenge him for fear of humiliation. 317

Abilities & Skills

Peerless Douluo Physique

Tang Chen possesses Rank 99 soul power and is among the strongest known soul masters on the continent. His power, combat experience, and hammer techniques allow the Clear Sky Sect to stand against Spirit Hall’s far larger Titled Douluo roster. 33 121

• Is capable of fighting Qian Daoliu, another Rank 99 Peerless Douluo, in extended high-level exchanges. 112 131 132
• Is considered stronger than ordinary Titled Douluo to the extent that Yu Changge’s early hard-control skill would be substantially less effective against him. 172
• Can use powerful mental force to split Yu Changge’s Radiant Dragon Breath and a surge of soul power to shatter the Radiant Sacred Jade Pillars binding Tang Hao. 171
• Possesses a full set of six soul bones and a hundred-thousand-year ninth soul ring, which contribute to his overwhelming combat foundation. 177
• Can move through the air despite the Clear Sky Hammer lacking an inherent flight ability. Ring Detonation greatly increases his aerial mobility, allowing it to rival that of a low-rank flying agility-type Titled Douluo. 276
• Reached the 600th step of the Slaughter Staircase during his initial climb, demonstrating substantial resistance to killing intent. Unlike Qian Daoliu, he lacked a Soul Core to offset the continuous soul-power expenditure. 275 276
• Easily captured an Evil Spirit Orca more than sixty thousand years old and transported it back to Sea God Island for Tang Hao. 284
• Can catch the Tang brothers after powerful attacks and disperse the residual impact through physical contact, as demonstrated during their spar with Yu Changge. 316 317

Clear Sky Hammer

Tang Chen’s martial soul is the Clear Sky Hammer, a weapon martial soul associated with overwhelming force and destructive power. 131 132

• Fifth Soul Skill — Clear Sky Tremor: Opens his spar with Qian Daoliu. 131
• Sixth Soul Skill — Sky-Breaking Hammer: Enlarges the hammer to dozens of meters and creates a gravity-vacuum zone that locks onto the target. 132
• Seventh Soul Skill — Tool Soul Avatar: Transforms Tang Chen into a massive Clear Sky Hammer for direct clashes. 132
• Eighth Soul Skill — Thousand Jun Annihilation: More than doubles the hammer’s size and triples its weight. 132
• Ninth Soul Skill — Hammer Shakes Heaven and Earth: His most destructive single-target soul-ring attack; the hammer expands enough to blot out the sky. 132

His original ring configuration was two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red. After completing the first two Red-Rank trials, rewards increasing his soul ring ages changed it to four purple, four black, and one red. 276 282

Clear Sky Secret Techniques

Tang Chen created several defining secret arts of the Clear Sky Sect. 33 121

• Chaotic Cloak Wind Hammer Technique — One of the techniques credited with raising the Clear Sky Hammer’s continental reputation. 33
• Clear Sky Nine Absolutes — A signature Clear Sky Sect technique created by Tang Chen. 33 Its nine force-application methods are Void, Seal, Pierce, Penetrate, Entangle, Quake, Break, Kill, and Collapse. They support varied offensive and nonlethal applications rather than simple brute-force striking. 171 291
• Ring Detonation — A high-risk explosive technique that can produce power Qian Daoliu considers impossible to block head-on. Tang Chen agreed not to use it during their soul-skill spar. 112 131 It releases the energy of shattered soul rings into his body and enhances all attributes. Against Bo Saixi, he progressively detonated all nine rings and activated his spirit bones to maximize his strength. 276 277
• Great Sumeru Hammer — Another of Tang Chen’s major secret techniques and a source of his advantage in direct confrontations. 33 112 When supported by full Ring Detonation and his spirit bones, it produces an enormous, concentrated hammer strike capable of contending with Bo Saixi’s ocean-powered attack. Its soul-power lock is not absolute and can be broken by a sufficiently powerful opponent. 277

The explosive enhancement of Ring Detonation has a significant endurance cost. Although the energy from all nine rings could sustain an enhanced state for half a shichen or longer without attacking, each attack consumes that reserve. Tang Chen’s ultimate Great Sumeru Hammer against Bo Saixi used nearly all his soul power. 277

Mastering Ring Detonation requires a complete set of six high-quality spirit bones and an exceptionally strong physique. The sect traditionally restricts Great Sumeru Hammer and Ring Detonation to the sect-master heir, but Tang Chen later plans to teach both to Tang Xiao as well. 289

Divine Slaughter’s Domain

Tang Chen possesses Divine Slaughter’s Domain, having completed Slaughter City’s ordeal and become one of the rare Slaughter Gods to leave the city alive. His achievement, combined with independently reaching Rank 99 and creating multiple secret arts, made him a candidate worthy of the Asura God’s consideration. 216 226

During his battle with Bo Saixi, the domain manifested as a white field that attempted to devour her Sea God Domain. It was instead suppressed because Divine Slaughter’s Domain was only a prototype or heavily downgraded form of a God-Tier domain, whereas her Sea God Domain was genuinely God-Tier. 277

Tang Chen deliberately prolonged his cultivation opportunities on Sea God Island to improve the domain. By Chapter 288, he had advanced it into Slaughter Domain. The Sea God noted that he achieved the evolution faster than Yu Changge, but the Asura God rejected this as a meaningful talent comparison because Tang Chen’s cultivation rank was much higher. 282 288

Sea God Island Trials

Tang Chen received Red-Rank Eight Trials from the Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar. Completing them would qualify him to become Sea God Island’s next Grand Elder, while their associated rewards may further strengthen him. 269

• First Trial — Sea God’s Light: Completed within the first half-year of his stay. 282
• Second Trial — Crossing the Ring Sea: Also completed within that period; the shark pack posed little difficulty for a powerhouse of his level. 282
• Third Trial — Tidal Body Tempering: Requires six shichen of tempering each day on a Silver-Sinking Pillar. Tang Chen considers the requirement easy and is determined to finish his trials before Bibi Dong. 295
• Projected Soul Ring Rewards: Bo Saixi explains that completing his trials would increase each of his nine rings by 15,000 years, a combined increase of 135,000 years. Tang Chen anticipates that this will greatly strengthen Ring Detonation. 276
• Projected God-Bestowed Soul Rings: According to Bo Saixi, completing the Red-Rank assessment would likely grant him two God-Bestowed Soul Rings, which he intends to allocate to Tang Hao and Tang Xiao. 289
• Hidden Sacrificial Condition: If he finishes before Bibi Dong, he will replace Bo Saixi as the sacrifice required for the Sea God’s inheritor. Tang Chen is unaware of this condition. 282

Cultivation Guidance and Resource Acquisition

Tang Chen actively plans his grandsons’ soul rings, spirit bones, and secret-technique training rather than relying only on their offensive talent. 194 282 289

• Consulted the Clear Sky Sect’s records and visited Ning Fengzhi to obtain advice on beasts likely to provide Tang Hao with a defensive, control-breaking sixth soul skill. 219
• Advised Tang Hao to save his God-Bestowed Soul Ring until Rank 80, allowing Tidal Body Tempering and other improvements to prepare him for a hundred-thousand-year eighth ring. Tang Hao later succeeds in obtaining that ring. 282 313
• Gave Tang Hao a sect-inherited left leg bone worth no less than seventy thousand years. 282
• Hunted a fifty-thousand-year Tidal Dragon Whale for Tang Xiao’s left leg bone, whose quality rivals an ordinary seventy-thousand-year bone and whose passive effect allows movement atop waves. 291
• Regularly hunted Sea Soul Beasts between trials to fill Tang Hao’s and Tang Xiao’s empty spirit bone slots. Bo Saixi permitted such hunting provided the targets did not worship the Sea God. 315

Relationships

• Qian Daoliu — Longtime Peerless Douluo rival and mutual benchmark. Their sparring is driven by pride and a desire to improve, though Tang Chen ultimately lost their soul-skill battle after Qian Daoliu’s Soul Core gave him superior endurance. 112 131 132 133 Their rivalry coexists with genuine trust: Tang Chen asks Qian Daoliu to protect Tang Hao during spirit bone absorption and trusts his character. Qian Daoliu also conceals his higher limit on the Slaughter Staircase to spare Tang Chen’s pride. 276 282 Tang Chen later presses him for Spirit Hall’s hidden recovery technique, but Qian Daoliu refuses to disclose it, briefly invokes a trade for the Ring Detonation Principle, and then retracts even that offer. 300
• Bo Saixi — Fellow Rank 99 Peerless Douluo and Sea God Island’s High Priest. Tang Chen initially joined Qian Daoliu in pressing for land soul masters to be allowed to undergo Sea God Island’s trials, viewing the island chiefly as an opportunity to obtain a divine inheritance. 263 265 269 He later challenges her on Sea God Mountain and uses full Ring Detonation against her. She acknowledges his strength but privately judges him inferior to Qian Daoliu. 276 277 Bo Saixi knows that his early completion of the Red-Rank Eight Trials would transfer her sacrificial fate to him, a prospect she accepts despite her conflicted feelings. 282
• Tang Zhen — Tang Chen’s son and the current Clear Sky Sect Master. Tang Chen ceded the sect-master position to him but continues to direct major external affairs as Supreme Elder due to Tang Zhen’s old injuries. 46 249
• Tang Hao — Grandson and Clear Sky Sect successor. Tang Chen arranged Tang Hao’s status as young sect master, intervened to prevent his serious injury against Yu Changge, and later guided his efforts to counter Yu Changge’s control skills. 46 171 194 Tang Chen accompanied Tang Hao in seeking a sixth soul skill with defensive and control-breaking properties, but later cautioned him that Yu Changge’s strength had likely risen beyond what he could presently challenge. 219 256 He supplies an inherited left leg bone and a captured Evil Spirit Orca, advises him to reserve his God-Bestowed Soul Ring for Rank 80, and praises the resulting hundred-thousand-year eighth-ring abilities. 282 284 313 He again protects Tang Hao when Yu Changge defeats him during the later two-against-one spar. 317
• Tang Xiao — Grandson and elder brother of Tang Hao, whom Tang Chen advises to prioritize a control-breaking soul skill in case he faces Yu Changge. 194 249 Tang Chen guards his God-Bestowed Soul Ring absorption, becomes more impressed after he obtains a hundred-thousand-year eighth ring, and plans to teach him Great Sumeru Hammer and Ring Detonation despite their usual restriction to the sect-master heir. 288 289 He obtains a Tidal Dragon Whale left leg bone for Tang Xiao and catches him after Yu Changge’s attack overwhelms his defenses. 291 316
• Qian Xunji — Political opponent during the Clear Sky Sect’s visit to Spirit Hall; Tang Chen negotiated the terms and stakes of Tang Hao’s challenge to Yu Changge with him. 167 168 169
• Yu Changge — Initially a subject of Tang Chen’s investigation due to his Honorary Elder title and Body Martial Soul theory. After Yu Changge defeated Tang Hao, Tang Chen attempted to recruit him into the Clear Sky Sect. 167 172 Tang Chen remains unable to determine why Spirit Hall has invested so extensively in Yu Changge and regards him as a major obstacle to Tang Hao’s future. 194 249 The public revelation of Yu Changge’s second martial soul forces him to reconsider his earlier judgment of the younger man’s talent. 292 He later requests sparring practice for his grandsons, but their joint defeat leaves him privately uncertain about challenging Yu Changge himself. 316 317
• Bibi Dong — Spirit Hall’s Saintess and the Sea God’s inheritor. Tang Chen intends to finish his Red-Rank trials before she completes her Sea God Nine Trials, unaware that this would make him her inheritance’s sacrifice. 282 295 He questions whether she can defeat the higher-ranked Tang Hao, then reacts with surprise when her powerful control skill helps her win their spar. 319 320
• Ning Fengzhi — Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect leader whom Tang Chen consulted for theoretical guidance while selecting a suitable defensive and control-breaking sixth ring for Tang Hao. 219
• Chen Xun and Chen Jianjun — Tang Chen defeated Chen Xun in the contest for the foremost weapon martial soul. Chen Jianjun, Chen Xun’s son, remembers the defeat with bitterness and emphasizes Tang Chen’s superior rank and complete equipment. 177
• Sea God — Grants Tang Chen the Red-Rank Eight Trials while secretly intending to use him as a replacement sacrifice and remove a potential threat to Spirit Hall. Tang Chen does not know the god’s true purpose. 273 282
• Asura God — Initially considered Tang Chen a worthy potential inheritor because of his independent cultivation and self-created techniques, but ultimately selected Yu Changge. The god later asserts that Yu Changge would defeat even three Tang Chens at equal rank. 226 229 230 288

Story Role / Major Arcs

Spar with Qian Daoliu

Tang Chen travels to Spirit City to renew his spar with Qian Daoliu. To limit Qian Daoliu’s aerial advantage, he requires the fight to remain on the ground with Qian Daoliu flying no higher than three meters; both men also agree to use only their fifth through ninth soul skills and prohibit Ring Detonation. 131

Tang Chen unleashes skills through his ninth soul ring, but Qian Daoliu’s Holy Soul Core continuously restores his soul power. Tang Chen is forced to concede after exhausting himself in the prolonged clash. 132

After the battle, Tang Chen questions how Qian Daoliu has improved within the Rank 99 realm. Qian Daoliu refuses to disclose the Soul Core method, only warning Tang Chen that even among Peerless Douluo, there remains a vast difference in strength. 132 133

Reaction to the Body Martial Soul Theory

After Spirit Hall’s continent-wide Body Martial Soul announcement, Tang Chen judges the theory likely credible because Spirit Hall was willing to make it public. However, he doubts that Body Martial Souls are inherently formidable, noting that few renowned powerhouses possess them. 149

Spirit Hall Visit and Tang Hao’s Challenge

Tang Chen leads the Clear Sky Sect to Spirit Hall for youth sparring matches while covertly probing Yu Changge’s background, abilities, and Honorary Elder status. 167 When Tang Hao challenges Yu Changge, Tang Chen agrees to a wager: the Clear Sky Sect offers a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, while Spirit Hall risks its Body Martial Soul research. 168 169

Yu Changge reveals himself as a fourteen-year-old Rank 54 Soul King with a yellow, purple, purple, black, black soul ring configuration. Tang Chen becomes increasingly invested in learning how Spirit Hall cultivated him. 169

Tang Hao is ultimately restrained by Yu Changge’s Radiant Sacred Jade Pillar and faces an incoming Radiant Dragon Breath. Tang Chen personally intervenes, breaks the restraint, and concedes the match for the Clear Sky Sect. 171

Aftermath of Tang Hao’s Defeat

Tang Chen pays Qian Daoliu with a twenty-thousand-year Diamond Demon Ape Left Arm Bone and refuses to renege on the wager. He invites Yu Changge to join the Clear Sky Sect, but Yu Changge declines because of his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan origin and Spirit Hall’s support. 172

Months later, Tang Chen recognizes that Tang Hao’s defeat was not merely a matter of strength: Yu Changge’s control skill exposed a critical weakness in the Clear Sky Hammer’s conventional approach. He advises Tang Hao to seek a control-breaking ability from his sixth, eighth, or ninth soul ring. 194

Tang Chen later supports Tang Hao’s search for a sixth soul skill that combines defense with control-breaking effects. By the time Tang Hao obtains Clear Sky Protection and reaches Rank 67, however, Tang Chen acknowledges that Yu Changge’s Slaughter City experience and probable Divine Slaughter’s Domain give him a substantial advantage. 219 249

Before the Sea God Island expedition, Tang Hao again requests a spar. Tang Chen outwardly rebukes him for challenging Yu Changge immediately after seclusion, while Yu Changge refuses because Tang Hao is not presently a worthy opponent and has offered no valuable stake. Qian Daoliu eases the resulting tension. 254 Tang Chen subsequently tells Tang Hao in private that Yu Changge may already be a Soul Saint and that he is probably no match for him, discouraging another immediate challenge. 256

Sea God Island Expedition

Tang Chen joins Spirit Hall and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan on their diplomatic expedition to Sea God Island, accompanied by Tang Hao, Tang Xiao, several Clear Sky Sect elders, and core disciples. 249 256

During the voyage, he witnesses Qian Xunji’s hundred-thousand-year ninth soul ring and grows further aware of Spirit Hall’s expanding strength. 259 Upon arrival, he and Qian Daoliu challenge the premise that land soul masters cannot receive Sea God Island’s trials, driven by Tang Chen’s desire to seek the Sea God’s inheritance. 263

Tang Chen observes Qian Daoliu’s battle against Bo Saixi and becomes suspicious of Qian Daoliu’s abnormal soul-power recovery, suspecting that his old rival possesses another hidden method. 264

Red-Rank Eight Trials

At the Sea Dragon Sacred Pillar, Tang Chen receives Red-Rank Eight Trials, a result that astonishes Sea Dragon Douluo and draws Bo Saixi’s attention. 269 Although the result places him on the path to become Sea God Island’s next Grand Elder, Tang Chen is dissatisfied because he had sought the Sea God’s direct inheritance and considers his assessment too low for his talent. 269

The Sea God later reveals to the Asura God that the assessment was deliberate: Tang Chen is intended as a potential sacrificial replacement for Bo Saixi. Tang Chen remains unaware of this purpose and instead focuses on the rewards and improvements available through the trials. 273 282

Tang Chen joins Qian Daoliu, Qian Xunji, and Sea Dragon Douluo in climbing the Slaughter Staircase created for Yu Changge’s Asura Trial. He reaches the 600th step alongside Qian Daoliu and is puzzled that his rival performs equally well without Divine Slaughter’s Domain. Qian Daoliu attributes his resistance to Angel Domain and Spirit Hall’s history of fighting evil soul masters, concealing that his Dual Soul Cores would allow him to climb substantially farther. 275 276

Within the first half-year, Tang Chen completes Sea God’s Light and the Ring Sea trials. Their rewards improve his ring configuration to four purple, four black, and one red. He initially delays completing the third trial to continue improving his domain, and by Chapter 288 has obtained Slaughter Domain. 282 288

He later begins Tidal Body Tempering on a second-row Silver-Sinking Pillar, requiring six shichen of endurance daily. Confident that the task is easy for him, he resolves to finish the Red-Rank Eight Trials before Bibi Dong, unknowingly pursuing the condition that would make him her sacrifice. 295

Battle with Bo Saixi

After his initial Slaughter Staircase climb, Tang Chen decides to test the Clear Sky Hammer against Bo Saixi’s Sea God martial soul. Qian Daoliu warns him not to fight on the ocean, so he challenges her atop Sea God Mountain. Before the match, Tang Chen learns that completing his trials could add 15,000 years to each soul ring, making the potential improvement to Ring Detonation especially attractive. 276

Bo Saixi blocks his opening hammer strike with a water shield and reveals that she can replenish her soul power from the ocean anywhere within Sea God Island. Tang Chen responds by detonating his two yellow rings and deploying Great Sumeru Hammer. Her Sea God Domain suppresses his Divine Slaughter’s Domain, but he detonates his purple rings and destroys her Water Dragon in an initially even clash. 277

Tang Chen then detonates his remaining rings and activates his spirit bones for an all-out Great Sumeru Hammer. Bo Saixi uses Sea God’s Avatar and a vast tidal wave to meet the attack directly. Both land safely and show exhaustion afterward, but Tang Chen has spent nearly all his soul power. Bo Saixi acknowledges his exceptional strength while privately judging him weaker than Qian Daoliu and recognizing the endurance limitation of his techniques. 277

Supporting the Clear Sky Twins

Tang Chen advises Tang Hao to reserve his God-Bestowed Soul Ring for Rank 80 rather than use it for his seventh ring. He gives him a valuable inherited left leg bone and asks Qian Daoliu to guard the absorption while he captures an Evil Spirit Orca. 282

He returns with an orca more than sixty thousand years old for Tang Hao’s seventh ring. After Tang Xiao explains that Yu Changge already possesses hundred-thousand-year seventh and eighth rings, Tang Chen reassures his discouraged grandson that a complete spirit bone set and Ring Detonation will eventually let him surpass Yu Changge. Tang Hao accepts the encouragement and absorbs the orca’s ring. 284

Tang Chen and Tang Hao later guard Tang Xiao’s God-Bestowed Soul Ring absorption. Tang Xiao obtains a hundred-thousand-year eighth ring and advances to Rank 83, prompting Tang Chen to raise his assessment of him and plan additional spirit bones and secret-technique instruction. Tang Chen subsequently spars with both brothers to test their progress. 288 289 290

When the brothers fail their early attempt to cross the Ring Sea, Tang Chen explains that they should use the trial’s year-long period to improve movement across the water, conserve soul power, and avoid directly confronting Xiao Bai. 291

Tang Hao eventually follows Tang Chen’s ring strategy and obtains a hundred-thousand-year eighth ring at Rank 80, advancing to Rank 83. Tang Chen approves of both Clear Sky Prison Suppressing and Clear Sky Tyrant Body, recognizing that their effects surpass the corresponding abilities gained by Tang Xiao. 313

Renewed Investigation of Spirit Hall’s Secrets

During Yu Changge and Bibi Dong’s successful Ring Sea crossing, Tang Chen identifies Yu Changge’s second martial soul. Qian Daoliu confirms that it is a full-body Body Martial Soul and challenges Tang Chen’s earlier assumption that Yu Changge’s talent was inferior to his own. Tang Chen falls silent at the revelation. 292

Tang Chen’s suspicions about Spirit Hall’s exceptional soul-power recovery later lead him to confront Qian Daoliu directly. Qian Daoliu refuses to share the secret, briefly suggests exchanging it for the Ring Detonation Principle, and then withdraws the offer, frustrating Tang Chen. No acquisition of the Soul Core method by Tang Chen is shown. 300

Spirit Bone Negotiations and Renewed Sparring

Between his trials, Tang Chen regularly leaves Sea God Island to hunt spirit bones for Tang Hao and Tang Xiao, each of whom still has only two bones. When Yu Changge requests a fifty-thousand-year spirit bone as a potential wager for another spar, Tang Chen states that he currently possesses only a roughly twenty-thousand-year Abyss Eel right leg bone. Yu Changge proposes exchanging it for his own right leg bone, but the supplied account does not establish a completed trade. 315

At Tang Chen’s request, Yu Changge agrees to a month of daily sparring, on the condition that Bibi Dong also participates. In the first match, Yu Changge fights both Tang brothers simultaneously. Tang Chen initially approves of their coordination, then questions Yu Changge’s powerful group-control ability. When Whale Abyss World-Destroying Wave breaks Tang Xiao’s defense, Tang Chen catches him and disperses the impact. 316

Yu Changge subsequently overwhelms Tang Hao with Slaughter Assault and Sacred Dragon Crystal Tail Slash. Tang Chen catches him as well and recognizes that the tail attack bypasses physical and energy defenses. He also notes that Yu Changge apparently spared Tang Hao by striking his hammer instead of his body. The brothers’ defeat causes Tang Chen to reassess Yu Changge’s strength, but his pride prevents him from issuing a personal challenge. 317

When Bibi Dong takes the next spar against Tang Hao, Tang Chen initially doubts that she can overcome his superior rank and extra ring. Her combination of Death Domain, Spider Emperor Annihilation Spike, and Heaven-Earth Divine Locking Shroud defeats Tang Hao’s assault. Tang Chen questions the source of her powerful control skill while Qian Daoliu reminds him that Tang Hao is no match for her. 319 320

Notable Quotes

“I lost. You... how are you able to last so much longer than me?” 132

“I’m not the type to go back on my word.” 172

“My goal is that Sea God’s Godhood!” 265

“Why is it only Red-Rank Eight Trials?” 269

“The Tang Clan’s Great Sumeru Hammer and Ring Detonation secret art are invincible.” 276

“Although our Clear Sky Hammer emphasizes overwhelming force and crushing power, you can’t have no defensive Soul Skills at all.” 289

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