Tang Hao, You Had It Coming, Didn't You?

The battle raged on outside the city.

Because of his old internal injuries, Tang Hao did not dare use Soul Skills recklessly. He could only rely on the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes and the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer.

But for Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes and the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer, which he had learned as a child, were far more useful than Soul Skills.

Tang Hao's hammer strikes surged in power, each blow of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer building on the last!

Each strike was stronger than the one before it. Power piled upon power, doubling with every layer. The fierce, crushing force swept across the battlefield and drove Chen Xin back step by step!

The Clear Sky Hammer's attacks might not have been as sharp as the Seven Kill Sword's, but its explosive power was terrifying.

Tang Hao had seemed unstoppable at first, but before long, he began to lose ground.

At the same time, such a brutal fighting style placed an enormous strain on Tang Hao's battered body.

After only a few exchanges, the old injuries that had lain dormant inside him for more than a decade flared up!

His blood churned violently, and the taste of blood rose in his throat. A thin trickle escaped the corner of his mouth.

"Tang Hao, it's been years since we last met. You've only grown weaker."

Chen Xin drew his sword back half an inch and stood with one hand behind his back. Not a speck of dust marked his white robes. The Seven Kill Sword pointed diagonally at the ground, and drops of crimson fell from its tip—Tang Hao's blood.

"If not for that battle back then, do you think you would be my match?"

Tang Hao wiped the blood from his mouth, his voice hoarse.

With the extraordinary power of Ring Detonation and Divine Slaughter's Domain, Tang Hao had been all but invincible among his generation.

"Is that so?"

Chen Xin's expression did not change.

Tang Hao, didn't you bring that on yourself?

You're the perfect example of someone trying to gain an advantage and losing far more instead!

Back then, Tang San's mother, the Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin, sacrificed herself. There's a good chance Tang Hao had been plotting it in secret and simply let events take their course.

Chen Xin raised an eyebrow at the thought.

He had never expected Tang Hao's wife to be a transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, much less that Tang Hao was that kind of man.

As a Soul Master, Chen Xin could understand the pursuit of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring. What he could not accept was using such despicable methods to obtain one.

What kind of man schemed against a woman—his own wife, no less?

After all, Tang Hao's actions before the sacrifice were suspicious from start to finish!

He knew the Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin was pregnant and that her identity could be exposed at any moment, yet he still took her wandering all over the continent.

And as it happened, Tang Hao was only one step away from becoming a Titled Douluo. All he needed was to hunt a Soul Beast for his ninth Soul Ring.

Then, right at that moment, Qian Xunji and a host of Spirit Hall Leadership members surrounded Tang Hao and Ah Yin while the couple were out sightseeing.

In the end, the Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin was forced to sacrifice herself to Tang Hao. That made him the youngest Titled Douluo on the Douluo Continent—and the Clear Sky Douluo who had reached that rank with a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring.

Once could be a coincidence. Twice might still be a coincidence. But three times?

The disgust in Xiao Wu's eyes deepened as she looked at Tang Hao.

Tang Hao was a wolf in sheep's clothing. So she had not been the only one he had set his sights on.

She had never known the Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin, but they were both transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, and Tang Hao had plotted against them both. She could not help feeling a pang of sorrow for her fate.

Unlike the Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin, though, Xiao Wu had been lucky. She had met her fiancé, Ning Wen.

It's just a shame his scheme got out of hand. Not only was he gravely injured, he dragged the Clear Sky Sect down with him.

If Asura hadn't stepped in with that underhanded move, Tang Hao might have died there.

Tang Hao had only just become a Titled Douluo, and Tang San was still an infant. How could they possibly have escaped Qian Xunji and all those Spirit Hall experts unscathed?

Ning Wen: "..."

Asura God, that's so like you!

You'd throw away every scrap of dignity to pass on your divine position.

And you call yourself the God of Law Enforcement!

Funny. You never went to such lengths for Tang Chen.

He really did put his faith in the wrong person.

Tang Chen's tragedy just kept getting worse.

Tang Hao had no idea what had happened. He only sensed an unmistakable new layer of contempt in Chen Xin's gaze, and his heart sank for reasons he could not explain.

"Chen Xin, what's that look supposed to mean?" Tang Hao tightened his grip on the Clear Sky Hammer, anger edging into his low voice.

"Nothing. I just look down on you."

Chen Xin smiled faintly and raised the Seven Kill Sword, its edge pointing straight at Tang Hao. "Letting you inherit the Clear Sky title was the worst decision the Clear Sky Sect ever made."

"You're dead!"

The words struck a nerve. Ignoring his torn old injuries and the turmoil in his blood, Tang Hao sent all nine of his Soul Rings soaring up to whirl above his head!

The next instant, his first five Soul Rings—yellow, purple, and black—shuddered and shattered!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Five deafening explosions rang out in succession!

The shattered Soul Rings became a torrent of violent Soul Power that poured into the Clear Sky Hammer in Tang Hao's hands!

The ancient, pitch-black hammer swelled to ten meters in an instant. A dark-red, savage glow surrounded it, and its terrifying pressure swept in every direction. The air throughout the forest seemed to freeze!

Because of his old injuries, Tang Hao did not dare detonate too many Soul Rings. But he feared that too few would have no effect, so he detonated five.

"Chen Xin, take this!"

With a furious shout, Tang Hao shot into the air like a black Shooting Star. He raised the enormous Clear Sky Hammer in both hands and brought it down on Chen Xin's head with enough force to destroy everything in its path!

The hammer crushed the air with a dull boom, as though a single strike might bring the night sky crashing down.

"Old Bone, now!"

Chen Xin's expression turned grave as he shouted.

Before his words had faded, the space around him twisted and surged!

"I was waiting for you to say that!"

An elusive black figure broke through the darkness and landed beside Chen Xin in an instant. His form shifted unpredictably, impossible to tell from illusion or reality. It was Bone Douluo Gu Rong!

Nine dark Soul Rings revolved around him, and an icy Soul Power spread outward, merging at once with Chen Xin's Seven Kill Sword Intent!

The famed Sword and Bone duo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile had gathered at last.

Since when did This Seat need anyone's help?

Hmph. Don't think This Seat will owe you a favor just because you're meddling.

This Seat doesn't need any help at all.

If Tang Hao comes within three feet of This Seat, he's dead!

This Seat said so!

At those words, Chen Xin and Gu Rong, both poised to strike, faltered for a moment.

We're meddling?

What do you mean, we're meddling?

Isn't that going a bit too far?!

They were risking their lives to keep danger at bay, only for the person they were protecting to resent them for it?

The corner of Chen Xin's mouth twitched. For the first time, he nearly lost his composure.

Gu Rong was speechless.

Well, would you look at that!

They had worked themselves to the bone protecting this little troublemaker, and he was not grateful in the slightest!

Worse, he thought the two of them were making a fuss over nothing and getting in his way!

Where was the justice in that?

Chen Xin and Gu Rong almost felt like turning around and leaving.

They could hardly help it. The kid was infuriating!