Radiant Sacred Dragon vs. Clear Sky Hammer (Part 2)

Tang Xiao forced himself to remain calm and waved his hand.

At that moment, he was kneeling on one knee, his face flushed red. The clothes over his chest had been shattered by Dugu Chen's kick, leaving his chest exposed.

"Pwah..."

After Tang Xiao spat out another mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs, the flush on his face faded somewhat, though his complexion became exceedingly wan.

"Big Brother, stop forcing yourself! Take some healing pills!"

Tang Hao's expression changed anxiously. He immediately took a white jade porcelain bottle from his storage soul tool, poured out two pills, and forcibly stuffed them into Tang Xiao's mouth.

Only after taking the pills did some color return to Tang Xiao's face.

Tang Hao took that opportunity to use his soul power to set Tang Xiao's broken ribs back in place. Once everything was done, he helped Tang Xiao sit beneath a large tree.

Then he turned around and challenged Dugu Chen.

"Hao, be careful. He's very strong!"

As Tang Hao turned away, Tang Xiao gave a light cough and spoke in a low voice.

Tang Hao stopped without looking back. "Leave it to me. I have confidence in my own strength. Get some rest."

Dugu Chen narrowed his eyes as he looked at Tang Hao standing not far away, quietly contemplating.

Tang Xiao and Tang Hao had taken two different paths—one followed a balanced approach, while the other pursued the extreme.

As for which of those paths was stronger or weaker, there was no real answer. It depended more on the ability of the person using it.

"I won't say anything more. Let's begin!"

Dugu Chen spoke calmly, his aura rising another level. He had not yet used his full strength against Tang Xiao, so when facing Tang Hao...

He would use all his strength.

Seeing Dugu Chen's aura surge so drastically again, Tang Hao revealed a trace of shock. This guy had not even gone all out against his big brother?

"Hmph! As his younger brother, I'll personally reclaim Big Brother's defeat!"

Tang Hao snorted coldly. His eyes were filled with killing intent as he fixed his gaze on Dugu Chen, clearly determined to avenge this humiliation.

"If you've got the ability, come at me!"

Dugu Chen's eyes turned cold. The last of his patience had been exhausted, and he intended to defeat Tang Hao in one fell swoop with thunderous force.

"Then watch closely!"

Tang Hao burst into laughter, and the Clear Sky Hammer instantly appeared in his right hand.

A faint dark golden light shone from his body. He slowly raised the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand and pointed it at Dugu Chen in the distance.

Two yellow, two purple, and three black soul rings—seven in total—instantly emerged beneath his feet.

Tang Hao grinned as his first soul ring suddenly shattered, transforming into energy that surged into his body.

Then, apparently feeling that one was not enough, his second, third, and fourth soul rings shattered in succession, turning into streams of yellow and purple energy that poured into his body.

Tang Hao's body was like a balloon at that moment. The immense energy flooding into him did not burst him apart; instead, it caused the power he wielded to increase without limit.

Dugu Chen's pupils constricted at once. This was actually the secret of the Haotian Sect's Great Sumeru Hammer: "Ring Explosion!"

Every soul ring could undergo one Ring Explosion.

After a Ring Explosion, the soul ring's power would erupt completely, instantly becoming the user's own power and merging into an attack, producing strength far beyond their original limits.

The higher the quality of the soul ring during a Ring Explosion, the greater the effect!

And now, Tang Hao had detonated his first, second, third, and fourth rings all at once, including two purple soul rings. Terrifying soul power fluctuations spread from his body, making even the air seem several degrees thicker.

Dugu Chen's expression turned grave. Tang Hao had actually used Ring Explosion just to defeat him!

This was the Great Sumeru Hammer's life-risking soul skill. Each soul ring could launch one attack, and once all the rings had undergone Ring Explosion, the user would enter a weakened state.

Moreover, Ring Explosion itself was extremely dangerous. If one failed to control it and could not suppress the energy produced by the explosion, one might be devoured by one's own power.

"Battle, make me forget madness!"

Tang Hao threw back his head and let out a long roar. The next moment, a dazzling light flashed in his eyes, and the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand became shrouded in dark golden radiance.

Gradually, that dark golden glow spread across his entire body. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand swelled at once, its massive hammerhead expanding tenfold while its long handle extended from three meters to ten.

Tang Hao planted his toes against the ground and rapidly took three steps forward.

As he took the final step, his left foot stomped heavily onto the ground. An invisible shockwave exploded instantly, and the earth within a thirty-meter radius centered on where he had stepped erupted with a thunderous crash.

Amid endless smoke and shattered vegetation, the ground sank several meters in an instant. It was clear just how terrifying Tang Hao's strength was at that moment.

"Madman!"

Dugu Chen cursed inwardly. This guy truly did not care about his life for the sake of battle!

"Roar—"

Dugu Chen pressed his hands together. The molten-gold vertical pupils in his eyes suddenly burst forth with blinding light, and his fifth soul ring lit up as black radiance filled the battlefield.

Fifth Soul Skill—Radiant Dragon Domain!

In an instant, intense golden light rapidly spread outward from Dugu Chen. It expanded for several hundred meters before slowly stopping, forming a radiant domain that belonged solely to him.

After the domain unfolded, all of his attributes increased by fifty percent, all allied attributes increased by fifteen percent, and the power of light-element abilities increased by one hundred percent.

It continuously purified all dark energy within the domain, making it the nemesis of evil soul masters and Fallen Ones!

But it was not over yet.

Dugu Chen moved his hands again, and his sixth soul ring ignited as well. Dazzling golden light completely transformed the cliff into a world of radiance.

Sixth Soul Skill—Sacred Dragon's Protection!

It summoned the phantom of a Radiant Sacred Dragon to circle around him, blocking damage equal to thirty percent of his own soul power while greatly restoring his condition.

His light attribute was enhanced across the board, and all his attacks carried the dragon might of the Sacred Dragon!

His first, third, fifth, and sixth soul rings flashed in alternation. The soul power fluctuations emanating from Dugu Chen at that moment were no weaker than Tang Hao's—in fact, they were stronger!

"Heaven-Shattering Strike!"

Tang Hao shouted in midair. Gripping the enormous hammer handle with both hands, he unleashed his strongest peak strike, combining the power of four rings, down at Dugu Chen below!

A trace of madness flashed through Dugu Chen's eyes as well. If Tang Hao wanted to go mad, then they would go mad together!

He let out a long roar toward the heavens, and his body abruptly grew to three meters tall. The dragon might around him was as vast as the sea. The scales that had previously covered only half his chest now spread across his entire chest as he erupted with full force.

At that moment, Dugu Chen gained another additional soul skill from the Dragon Transformation Art: Sacred Dragon Overlord Armor!

Without hesitation, he released it!

Terrifying dragon might spread from his chest. Ninety percent of his body had now completed its final dragon transformation, and the dreadful aura made him appear at that moment...

Like a true Sacred Dragon!

Dugu Chen raised those molten-gold vertical pupils toward the descending Clear Sky Hammer. A cold smile curled across his lips as he exhaled a mouthful of scorching white mist.

The next moment, his figure flashed, and he appeared before Tang Hao. His vertical pupils seemed to contain brilliant golden magma, and the terrifying pressure of a true dragon nearly forced Tang Hao to kneel.

He used no technique at all. He merely threw a punch.

That dragon claw wrapped in golden scales seemed to cross through space and time before smashing heavily into Tang Hao's chest.

"Crack!"

As the sound of bones breaking rang out, Tang Hao forcibly held himself upright. Without the slightest hesitation, the Clear Sky Hammer slammed heavily onto Dugu Chen's body.

He actually intended to trade injury for injury!

In midair, Dugu Chen let out a piercing roar. His body was like a blazing sun, and everywhere illuminated by the Radiant Dragon Domain was his home ground.

In the sky, the ultimate dark golden hammer shadow collided with the scorching blazing sun, producing a violent explosion!

Blinding light illuminated the earth, causing everything around it to shine. The Radiant Dragon Domain also broke apart into fragments of light and dissipated.

At that moment, Ah Yin at the edge of the battlefield was struck by the terrifying force. Her body was like a kite with its string cut, instantly hurled away.

Seeing this, Dugu Chen's pupils contracted from within the center of the energy storm.

At that critical moment, he used his seventh soul skill without hesitation: Sacred Dragon True Form!

In an instant, a hundred-meter-long Radiant Sacred Dragon appeared above the cliff. Opening its radiant dragon jaws, it swallowed the Clear Sky Hammer in a single bite.

Then, with a Divine Dragon Tail Sweep, it sent Tang Hao flying away like a ball.

"Roar!"

The Radiant Sacred Dragon rode the wind forward. Just before Ah Yin crashed into the cliffside, it arrived beneath her and caught her. Then it soared into the nine heavens, carrying Ah Yin as it freely flew through the sky.

"Ah—"

Ah Yin cried out, her body instantly going limp as she collapsed atop Dugu Chen's dragon head.

"Big Sister Ah Yin, hold onto my dragon horns. I'll take you for a lap through the sky!"

At that moment, Dugu Chen's voice suddenly rang out. It was slightly hoarse and carried the dragon might unique to a Sacred Dragon!

"Mm..."

Ah Yin laughed happily and grasped Dugu Chen's brilliant golden dragon horns with both hands. Her eyes curved into crescents, and she looked utterly delighted!

White clouds drifted slowly beneath them. Ah Yin reached out and gently scooped at one, and the cloud brushed across her palm like soft cotton, tender and fluffy.

After circling through the air once, the two finally returned to the cliff.

Dugu Chen had already returned to his dragonman form, though his body still emanated dragon might that seemed to fill the heavens.

Ah Yin stood beside him. Though he was not deliberately directing it at her, that terrifying pressure that made her heart tremble still lingered in her mind from time to time.

Tang Hao was currently slumped beneath a large tree.

Judging from the bloodstained human-shaped mark on the tree trunk, Tang Hao had likely been swept away by Dugu Chen's tail, crashed into the tree, and then slammed heavily onto the ground.

"Brother Hao!"

Tang Xiao clutched his chest and walked toward Tang Hao.

"Cough, cough..."

Tang Hao spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs. A defeated expression appeared on his face, and his aura was as weak as that of an ordinary person.