Tang Hao Went Mad

Countless thick Celestial Vine tendrils burst from the ground, transforming into several towering pillars that held up the Heavenly Star Cauldron.

"Ahhh, I'm going to break this cauldron!"

The veins in Tang Hao's arms bulged as his muscles swelled to the extreme. Even the handle of the Clear Sky Hammer held by his Martial Soul Avatar gradually began to bend.

"Brother Tang Chuan, you should handle this one. My soul skills... you know how they are."

Dugu Bo was not in a good position to act. Nearly all his soul skills dealt large-area damage, making it easy to injure allies or even harm innocent bystanders.

"Then let me do it."

A faint interwoven blue-gold radiance emanated from Tang Chuan's body. Countless Blue Silver Grass blades rose from the ruins, while pale blue motes filled the sky and surged into Tang Chuan's body.

He intended to use Forest of Myriad Phenomena in advance to replenish the Soul Power and condition he was about to exhaust.

He used neither his Martial Soul nor any soul bone skill.

He bit through the tip of his tongue. Blood and qi churned in his chest, and a ghastly blood-pale layer spread across Tang Chuan's skin. In an instant, more than half of his Soul Power was drained, and nine blood-red Bodhi leaves condensed at his fingertips.

"Tang Sect's Hundred Solutions of Hidden Weapons, Technique Two—Bodhi Blood!"

The nine crystalline crimson Bodhi leaves shimmered with a faint bloody halo along their edges. Their flight paths were nearly impossible to catch with the naked eye as they transformed into a scarlet streak and shot through the air.

"Young friend Tang Chuan, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Just watch."

Tang Hao had focused all his power on the Heavenly Star Cauldron. With the Martial Soul Avatar defenses of two Soul Douluos, he truly could not break through it immediately.

"To hell with it. If I retreat today, what I disgrace will not only be the Clear Sky Sect, but also the name of Tang Hao!"

"Soul ring, shatter!"

The ninth soul ring beneath his feet suddenly shattered. Its blood-red fragments turned into energy and merged into the Clear Sky Hammer. Tang Hao's aura surged madly, and the agonizing pain in his meridians sent the blood and qi throughout his body roiling.

"Great Sumeru Hammer!"

"Die!"

Tang Hao's aura was incomparably dense. That nearly crushing force immediately pressed cracks into the great cauldron.

"Damn it, we can't hold on!"

"Young friend Tang Chuan!"

Only then did Dugu Bo notice Tang Chuan's somewhat pale face. He felt both anxious and confused. They had not even fought yet—why did he look like this? Could it have been that mouthful of blood just now?

Beyond his notice, the nine Bodhi leaves shot toward Tang Hao at extreme speed.

They became a fleeting flash of red, piercing straight through Tang Hao's Martial Soul Avatar and drilling into his body.

The next instant, nine muffled explosions erupted from within him in succession, as bloody power detonated layer upon layer through his flesh.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Pfft!"

Nine successive explosions went off inside him like firecrackers. Tang Hao's face instantly turned deathly pale, and he violently spat out a mouthful of blood.

His Martial Soul Avatar dispersed in midair, and he fell from the sky. He had no idea what had happened; he only felt an incomparably violent force battering every corner of his body.

After the ninefold explosion, Tang Hao's heart meridians and dantian suffered severe damage. Yet he did not pass out immediately, instead forcing himself to remain half-kneeling on the ground.

"What kind of move was that?!"

Meng Shenji looked at his two old friends, whose expressions were equally poor, with confusion on his face. Tang Hao had been on the verge of shattering the Martial Soul Avatar just moments ago—how had he suddenly ended up like this?

"Bodhi Blood. Tang Hao, you couldn't even detect this move."

Although Tang Hao had withstood Bodhi Blood, Tang Chuan did not believe the man would die so easily. An ordinary Title Douluo might truly have died from it, but Tang Hao was no ordinary Title Douluo.

With a full set of soul bones and such a powerful body, Tang Chuan would have found it strange if he had actually died.

With his hands behind his back, Tang Chuan's complexion had recovered much of its color. Wearing a calm expression, he slowly walked toward Tang Hao, whose body had begun to glow again.

"You still want to use Ring Detonation? Think it through. Once you do, it'll take years to recover."

The Blue Silver Tyrant Emperor Spear appeared in his hand. Tang Chuan spun it once, then, before Tang Hao could speak, blood sprayed out as Tang Chuan fiercely severed Tang Hao's right arm and left leg in one stroke.

"Ahhh!"

"How dare you? How dare you! The Clear Sky Sect will never let you go!"

"Hmph, what a Clear Sky Sect. You're nothing but snakes and rats in the same nest. Today, I'll kill you here!"

The sight made Dugu Bo and the others' eyelids twitch. It was too cruel. The dignified Clear Sky Douluo was now being wantonly tormented by Tang Chuan like a stray dog by the roadside.

The Blue Silver Tyrant Emperor Spear held back no longer. Aimed at Tang Hao's head, it was about to thrust down.

"Ring Detonation!"

His eighth and seventh soul rings exploded once more, and Tang Hao shot into the distance. His speed was even faster than that of an agility attack-type soul master, leaving streaks of blood tracing a path through the air.

"What bad luck. But the soul bones are mine. With these two soul bones, I have enough to keep the Clear Sky Sect in check."

His hand moved repeatedly, and the spear tip picked apart the two severed limbs. Two gleaming soul bones came into view. Both were inherited soul bones of the Clear Sky Sect, treasures that could be called the sect's foundations.

After putting away the soul bones, Tang Chuan finally turned and walked back toward the others.

Tang San and Xiao Wu had left the area early with Tang Yuehua, standing a little farther away as they watched the center of the battlefield.

As Tang Hao's streak of light shot into the distance, Tang San's eyes brimmed with admiration. He knew his father had won—and once again, it had been a crushing victory.

"That aura just now felt familiar. Could Father have used a Tang Sect hidden weapon?"

The thought only made Tang San more excited. This was the pinnacle of Tang Sect hidden weapons in this world—driving back a Title Douluo the moment it made its debut!

"Little San, are you really Hao... Tang Hao's biological son?"

"Hmph. Mistress Tang, please mind yourself. I am Father Tang Chuan's good son, not that brute Tang Hao's!"

"Yes, the two of you do look so alike. Little San, could I trouble you to pass a message to Tang Chuan for me?"

Though Tang San was impatient, he still committed her words to memory. Xiao Wu, meanwhile, stared into the distance, her thoughts unknown.

"Your Excellency Tang Chuan! Are you all right?"

Not far away, Xue Qinghe finally arrived with the main force. Though they were all imperial soldiers, with a Title Douluo involved, all they could do was evacuate the civilians.

Emperor Xue Ye had not come. He was already in poor health, and moving about recklessly could easily aggravate his condition, so he could only wait for news at the imperial palace.

"I'm fine. Little Friend Tang Chuan is doing very well. Just now, I don't know what method he used, but he nearly killed Tang Hao in a single strike."

"What?! In one strike?!"

Xue Qinghe's eyes widened. Not only did his outward appearance react that way—even Qian Renxue within wore the same expression. She had never expected this battle to end in anything less than a bitter victory. Yet he had actually one-shot his opponent?

If that kind of "soul skill" were used on the two elders of her own side, the consequences would be unimaginable!

"Oh, right. Thanks to your timely warning, Your Excellency Tang Chuan, there were basically no casualties. A small number of people suffered minor external injuries, and some were mentally shaken as well."