Xiao Wu's Final Farewell, Sacrifice!

A colossal phantom spear appeared, its tip braced firmly against the Clear Sky Hammer, but it cracked apart before long.

Bang!

Yun Tian was sent flying. After rolling across the ground, he adjusted himself in time and dropped to one knee.

Cough, cough!

A trace of blood spilled from the corner of Yun Tian's mouth. His body still glowed with a faint cyan light. The [Sky-Suppressing Battle Intent] trait was granting him an all-attribute boost, while his soul bone continuously repaired his injuries.

"You actually managed to block one strike from my hammer. Not bad."

A flicker of surprise crossed Tang Hao's eyes when he saw that Yun Tian had endured that blow. His opponent was merely a Soul Ancestor, yet he had blocked a strike from a Titled Douluo.

Yun Tian said nothing. His eyes remained fixed coldly on Tang Hao. Whether he deleted or modified a trait, it could not change the fact that Tang Hao was a Titled Douluo. As long as he remained one, Yun Tian would have a hard time surviving.

It would be better to let his old wounds torment him. He was gambling on an unexpected effect.

Pfft!

Urgh!

Suddenly, a muffled groan escaped Tang Hao's throat.

The hidden injuries buried beneath his flesh for years abruptly flared up. The lingering ailments left behind by years of heavy drinking tore open alongside his old wounds. Excruciating pain, like countless red-hot needles, stabbed through his entire body along his bones.

His body jolted violently. The arm holding the hammer instantly went weak, and the Clear Sky Hammer nearly slipped from his grasp and smashed into the ground. Beneath his black robe, the flesh around his ribs faintly took on an unnatural bluish-black hue, while fine strands of blood slowly seeped through the inside of his clothes.

"What is happening?!"

Cold sweat beaded across Tang Hao's forehead, and his expression turned extremely ugly.

Why did his old injuries have to flare up now, of all times, when he was about to kill Yun Tian?

"Father!"

"Stay back. I'll leave after I kill Yun Tian."

Tang Hao raised a hand to stop Tang San, then gripped his hammer once more and forced himself to move despite the pain wracking his broken body.

"Dean Flender, go help Yun Tian. Consider it for Xiao Wu's sake!"

Ning Rongrong's eyes were full of anxiety. What could she, a support-type Soul Master, possibly use to stop Tang Hao? Though she had sent word for her Sword Grandpa to come, she had yet to receive any reply.

"I..."

Flender hesitated. He looked at Tang San, then at Yu Xiaogang. Both had ties to Tang Hao. If he rashly stepped forward, he likely would not benefit from it.

"Dean, is that really appropriate?"

"Old Zhao, circumstances force our hand. His Majesty Haotian is clearly on Xiaogang and Tang San's side. Wouldn't it be better for us to observe for now?"

Hmph!

Ning Rongrong stomped her foot and ran forward in small steps, placing herself in front of Yun Tian. Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling did the same.

"Move."

Tang Hao looked down at the three girls before him. Aside from killing intent, there was also a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.

"Tang Hao, I'm from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. If you dare touch me, be careful, or I'll have Sword Grandpa and Bone Grandpa come teach you a lesson!"

"My grandfather too. He may not be as strong as you, but he's still a Titled Douluo!"

"I'm from the Ye Clan of Nine-Heart Begonia. We may not be strong enough, but when it comes to connections, we are no less than the Haotian Sect!"

"Damn it, why is this brat surrounded by women with such powerful backgrounds?"

Tang Hao had no choice but to hesitate now. He certainly could not kill them. In the past, he might not have cared, but his old injuries were still tormenting him. This could not continue.

In his current condition, there was no way he could defeat Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Gu Rong, let alone with Dugu Bo added to the mix.

"Fine. You—sacrifice yourself to Little San now. Otherwise, I won't hold back just because of them."

Having decided on a plan, Tang Hao pointed at Xiao Wu, signaling for her to sacrifice herself to Tang San.

"Sacrifice? What do you mean? Isn't that something only soul beasts can do?"

"I... I'm a hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form. I'm sorry I hid it from you for so long. I'm sorry, Rongrong."

Xiao Wu lowered her head, her eyes filled with despair and dejection. If it had not been for her, would Xiao Tian not have drawn Tang Hao's attention?

Ning Rongrong froze when Xiao Wu revealed her identity. A hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form?! Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling were equally shocked, clearly never expecting Xiao Wu to have such an identity.

However, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling were only briefly surprised and did not think much further. Only Ning Rongrong immediately thought of her sect, but she quickly cast the thought aside. Nothing was more important than Brother Yun Tian!

Seeing the girls before him, Yun Tian's heart warmed. He had not expected even Ning Rongrong to react this way.

"Xiao Wu, don't listen to him. Tang Hao is only putting on a calm front."

Xiao Wu bit her lower lip tightly. A trace of struggle appeared in her eyes, but in the end, a bitter smile spread across her face. After softly saying something to Yun Tian, her body began to emit a faint pink glow.

"Xiao Tian, I'm glad I met you!"

"Xiao Wu?"

Yun Tian received no response. A teardrop fell onto his bloodstained face. Then Xiao Wu's entire body transformed into intertwined pink and golden light and rose into the sky, illuminating nearly half of Soto City.

"Something's happening over there!"

In the distance, an old man dressed in white robes noticed the disturbance and flew toward it atop a sword.

As the origin energy within Xiao Wu began to burn, a crimson pillar of light stretching across the heavens pierced through the dark clouds. Its scarlet radiance illuminated all of Soto City, and even the surrounding air began to tremble.

Xiao Wu's phantom gave Yun Tian one final look before dissolving into countless specks of energy light that scattered through the air.

Where Xiao Wu's phantom vanished, an enormous hundred-thousand-year red soul ring, vivid as blood, slowly rose and rotated.

"How dare you!!"

Under Tang Hao's increasingly crazed and furious gaze, the energy from Xiao Wu's sacrifice did not flow toward Tang San. Instead, it poured directly into Yun Tian's body.

Forty-six,

Forty-seven,

Level fifty!

Scalding, domineering, boundless life force and soul power instantly flooded every part of Yun Tian's body. Gentle energy continuously washed through his meridians, bones, and dantian, forcibly shattering the bottleneck at level forty-five as his power surged all the way up, breaking through the barrier of level fifty!

The hundred-thousand-year soul ring also descended into the vacant soul ring slot around him.

"Die for me!!"

Tang Hao endured his old injuries by force, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. His ninth soul ring instantly exploded, transforming into violent energy that surged into the Clear Sky Hammer. He charged forward and brought it down upon the pink sphere of light surrounding Yun Tian.

Seventh Soul Skill, Seven Kill True Body!

An ice-blue phantom holding a sword emerged. The blade flashed, forcibly blocking Tang Hao's furious strike empowered by his exploded soul ring.

"Sword Grandpa!"

Joy appeared in Ning Rongrong's eyes. Her Sword Grandpa had not arrived too late after all—he had made it at this critical moment!

Tang Hao had not used his Clear Sky True Body, and with his old injuries flaring up twice over, he simply could not unleash his full strength.

"Ah! Chen Xin, you truly deserve to die!"

The handle of the Clear Sky Hammer slowly bent. Tang Hao panted heavily, his eyes bloodshot. The muscles in both arms bulged, veins protruding all over them, while blood continuously seeped from every part of his body.