Claiming the Crown

Dugu Chen's expression remained calm, but his next words instantly left Tang Hao speechless.

"Tang Hao, you've cultivated for over thirty years. Have you ever seen someone with unparalleled talent lie around their way to greater cultivation?"

"I've put in far more than you can imagine..."

"There are countless dazzling stars in this world, but only those that continue to shine for long truly radiate brilliance. In the corners you cannot see, countless other stars fall like meteors."

Tang Hao silently straightened up and met Dugu Chen's gaze. A surging fighting spirit reignited within him.

"Perhaps you're right, but none of that matters to me anymore. I will never admit defeat like this!"

Tang Hao shouted, gripping the Clear Sky Hammer in his right hand as he charged toward Dugu Chen in great strides.

As he rushed forward, his entire body suddenly turned halfway around. Both hands seized the Clear Sky Hammer and swung it behind him before his body twisted back around.

The Clear Sky Hammer spun once through the air, carrying a terrifying gale as it smashed down at Dugu Chen's head.

Dugu Chen sneered and raised his right palm to block the hammerhead. The terrifying force pushed his legs several meters across the ground before he came to a stop.

"I never intended to make you surrender with words. I'll show you the gap between us!"

With that, Dugu Chen clenched his left dragon claw into a fist and smashed it heavily against the Clear Sky Hammer.

Clang—

A deafening explosion erupted, shattering the entire arena once again. Tang Hao's hands trembled violently from the impact, and his body staggered backward uncontrollably.

The power Dugu Chen unleashed was no weaker than Tang Hao's. This was a brutal clash of pure strength against strength!

Their gazes burned, their piercing edges seeming to set the air ablaze.

The next instant, both figures vanished, leaving only dust stirred up by their violent power drifting gently down where they had stood.

Clang!

Another thunderous collision rang out.

The two had somehow clashed again. Dugu Chen's Light Dragon Claw struck the Clear Sky Hammer, unleashing bursts of ear-piercing metallic explosions.

The dragon tail lashed toward Tang Hao's waist like a golden whip.

Tang Hao's hair stood on end. Still gripping the Clear Sky Hammer, he violently twisted his waist, narrowly evading the midair lash as though wringing out a rope.

At the same time, he exerted force through his hands once more, and the third hammer strike came crashing down.

The massive hammerhead struck Dugu Chen's extended left claw. Borrowing the rebound, the two pulled apart again.

The Clear Sky Hammer possessed the greatest strength among tool martial souls, while the True Dragon Martial Soul was also among the strongest of all beast martial souls.

When top-tier faced top-tier, what mattered was the user's mastery of their martial soul and their combat techniques!

Dugu Chen bent his knees and launched himself upward with the immense pressure he exerted on the ground. His legs whipped toward Tang Hao's head.

Tang Hao blocked with his hammer. A strange dark-golden gleam flashed in his eyes, and his deep gaze seemed to have already predicted Dugu Chen's next move.

At the same time, the strength in his hands gripping the Clear Sky Hammer continued to increase. At that moment, he seemed to enter a wondrous state.

His footwork spun as his body deftly flipped through the air. The Clear Sky Hammer, heavy as a mountain, came crashing down at Dugu Chen's head.

Dugu Chen was also somewhat surprised. The Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique—but it differed from their last battle, its techniques now far more refined.

But he would not give Tang Hao the chance to build up momentum for free. He immediately unleashed a fierce offensive, forcibly disrupting Tang Hao's rhythm.

By then, quite a few people in the VIP seats had noticed that Tang Hao's state was unusual, as though he were using some especially unique combat technique.

Combat techniques differed from soul skills. They were fighting methods developed around the characteristics of one's martial soul, allowing its power to be brought to the fullest extent.

"That's... the Haotian Sect's Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique!"

Those knowledgeable soul masters recognized the combat technique Tang Hao was using at once.

The Chaotic Wind Hammer Technique was a core combat technique of the Haotian Sect. Only those who possessed the Clear Sky Hammer martial soul could unleash its full power.

Faced with Dugu Chen's close-range entanglement, Tang Hao could only suffer in silence. The hammer technique he had just built up was thrown into disarray in an instant.

Bang, bang, bang...

The Light Dragon Claw and Clear Sky Hammer collided without pause, their attacks so fast that afterimages appeared.

Every collision produced a deafening boom, and every boom was louder than the last.

Such a pure battle had not appeared in a long time. There was no technique involved, only a contest of raw power!

Everyone in the VIP seats watched the scene without blinking.

The arena crumbled, and Dugu Chen and Tang Hao fought amid the rubble, each exchange kicking up clouds of dust.

Yet it was precisely because of this that the spectators were treated to an unparalleled visual spectacle!

Bibi Dong stood before the Papal Hall, her beautiful eyes flashing with brilliance as she watched Dugu Chen.

What young girl would not be moved by a boy who was both powerful and handsome?

Gradually, Tang Hao fell into a disadvantage once again. The injury on his back tore further every time he twisted his body, the wound growing larger and larger until it even affected the force he could exert with the Clear Sky Hammer.

Dugu Chen noticed this as well. Seizing the moment Tang Hao failed to turn in time due to his torn wound, he swept a midair whip kick into Tang Hao's side.

Immediately afterward, the dragon tail wrapped around Tang Hao's legs like a rein, lifting him into the air upside down.

Then he used him like a whip, repeatedly lashing him against the ground.

"Brother Hao!"

Tang Xiao could not help but rise to his feet at the sight, his heart wrenching in pain.

Tang Zhen's face darkened like still water. His gaze locked onto Dugu Chen, and his hands clenched unconsciously. This was going too far!

With every strike, Tang Hao felt his face grinding madly against the ground.

His entire body went limp, as though all the marrow had been drained from his bones, and the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand smashed heavily onto the ground.

With a flick of his tail, Dugu Chen hurled Tang Hao off the arena. Whether he lived or died was unknown!

The entire venue fell silent.

After a moment, scattered applause began to ring out. Gradually, it grew louder and louder.

More and more people in the VIP seats rose to their feet, applauding with fervent eyes!

What a pure contest! There were no schemes, no dazzling soul skills—only an overwhelming collision between absolute powers!

Dugu Chen turned to face everyone. His body rose into the air, his hands clasped behind his back as he declared domineeringly:

"Who else wants to challenge me? Come at me all at once! I, Dugu Chen, fear no one!"

Hearing his arrogant words, quite a few people in the VIP seats exchanged looks before nodding together. In a flash, more than a dozen Soul Kings and Soul Emperors stepped onto the arena at once.

"Come on!"

Dugu Chen's eyes flashed with excitement as he looked at those who had taken the stage below.

He licked his lips, then shot down like a golden meteor, crashing heavily in front of the dozen or so people.

Before they could react, Dugu Chen had already attacked. A dragon's roar resounded through the sky as golden dragon-shaped energy flashed in succession.

Bang, bang, bang...

As the sounds of fists striking flesh rang through the arena, Dugu Chen rampaged through the combined assault of more than a dozen Soul Kings and Soul Emperors, charging left and right with no one able to stop him.

He was simply too fast. The many soul masters saw only a flicker of golden light before it vanished without a trace, making him impossible to intercept.

In just a few dozen seconds, every soul master around him had been defeated.

Meanwhile, Dugu Chen stood amid them all as leisurely as if taking a stroll, his expression calm, as though all of this had come effortlessly to him.