The Battle Ends, Tang Hao Escapes

"Grandpa Bone came too!"

Ning Wen's eyes widened when he saw who had arrived, and warmth surged through him.

He hadn't expected Ning Fengzhi to value him so highly that he would send both of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Sect-Guarding Douluo.

But when he heard the Voice Pack speak, Ning Wen immediately felt embarrassed.

Are you all right, buddy?

Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone are protecting me in secret out of kindness.

And you're complaining about it?

Without them, I'd have had to waste a trump card just to stay alive.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you!

[Hmph. They hope to force me to owe them a favor and bind me to mortal karma? Impossible! They can forget it!]

[My pride as a God King will never allow me to accept your kindness!!!!!]

Ning Wen: "..."

Your pride as a God King won't let you accept their kindness?

Fine, I'll accept it even if you won't!

Chen Xin and Gu Rong's faces darkened terribly.

Pride as a God King, was it?

Too good for mortal kindness, were you?

Then today, we'll make you accept it.

"Gu Rong!" Tang Hao's expression changed too.

Sword Douluo Chen Xin alone was already more than he could handle in his current state.

Now Bone Douluo Gu Rong had joined him.

After all, Gu Rong was known as the world's greatest defense-type Soul Master.

And Chen Xin was the world's greatest offensive Soul Master.

Together, their offense and defense would have been a nightmare for Tang Hao even at his peak, let alone now.

"Bone Transformation into Myriad Forms!"

Gu Rong roared at the giant hammer in the night sky. Countless hard, bone-white plates burst from his skin.

Huge bone wings unfurled behind him with a thunderous snap. Their spikes gleamed coldly, blotting out half the night sky.

At the same moment, thousands of sword lights converged on the Seven Kill Sword. His seventh Soul Ring blazed, and the Seven Kill Sword's Martial Soul Avatar erupted into being!

An illusory sword dozens of meters long hung in the night sky. Its chilling sword intent froze the wind around it, and branches bent across the landscape.

"Strike!"

Chen Xin gave a low shout and closed both hands around an invisible hilt.

Clang!

The giant sword swept down. Brilliant silver sword light slammed into the dark-red, raging hammer's shadow in midair!

Boom—!!!

A devastating shockwave spread from the impact. Towering ancient trees nearby were pulverized, bottomless fissures split the earth, and dust blotted out the moon.

Gu Rong stood firm in his Bone Transformation into Myriad Forms form. Layers of bone armor formed a barrier solid as bedrock, holding back every trace of the raging shockwave.

[Tang Hao is nothing but a petty clown in my eyes.]

[If I had not wanted to watch father and son turn on each other, Tang Hao would have been reduced to ashes long ago. I would never have let him run wild here.]

Ning Wen was baffled.

Tang Hao and Tang San turning on each other? Seriously?

Tang Hao, maybe, but given Tang San's personality, I can't imagine him attacking his own father.

Then again, perhaps it wasn't impossible.

If Tang San learned that his father had caused his mother's death, that would be quite a sight.

Whoa. Isn't that exactly what a villain would do?

No. I'm an outstanding successor to socialism. How could I think that way??

The Voice Pack must be rubbing off on me.

Yes, that had to be it.

Still, Ring Detonation really packed a punch.

In the original story, Tang Hao detonated all nine rings and withstood a God Level strike. Tang San was even more absurd: Ring Detonation let him match Qian Renxue, the Angel God, and even forced her to use a divine defensive technique.

In theory, if Tang San detonated all nine hundred-thousand-year red rings on his Clear Sky Hammer along with a God Level Soul Ring, the power he unleashed could reach God Level.

Xiao Wu's face was pale. She clutched Ning Wen's sleeve, her wide eyes fixed on the battlefield churning with dust, still shaken by what had nearly happened.

Dust rolled across the mountainside as gravel and scorched earth pattered down from above.

High overhead, the violent force of the collision slowly dissipated.

Fine cracks covered the layers of white bone armor encasing Gu Rong, while several jagged fractures ran along his enormous wings.

Even with his reputation as the world's greatest defender, taking that blow head-on had hurt.

Chen Xin looked grave. A thin line of blood slipped from the corner of his mouth.

The Soul Detonation Secret Technique was terrifying.

If Gu Rong hadn't blocked most of the attack, even he might have been grievously wounded by that strike.

And Tang Hao had been in poor condition to begin with.

There was a reason the Clear Sky Sect was hailed as the Number One Sect Under Heaven.

On the other side, Tang Hao was hardly unscathed. His clothes hung in tatters, and his aura had weakened considerably.

He gripped the hammer in one hand, his body trembling despite himself. Blood kept pouring from his mouth, staining his chest red.

The ten-meter Clear Sky Hammer rapidly dimmed and shrank, returning to a plain, dark hand hammer.

The power of Ring Detonation came fast and faded just as quickly.

Damn it. I can't keep fighting!

Tang Hao knew the state of his body. If he had been facing Sword Douluo Chen Xin alone, he might still have managed.

But with Bone Douluo Gu Rong there too, even detonating all nine rings might not be enough to defeat them.

He absolutely could not die before destroying Spirit Hall.

"Want to keep fighting, Tang Hao?" Gu Rong asked with a sinister smile.

Tang Hao looked up, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the two of them.

"Chen Xin. Gu Rong. I, Tang Hao, won't forget what happened today."

With that, Tang Hao vanished in a flash.

"We finally drove him off."

Gu Rong withdrew his Bone Dragon Martial Soul. The jagged bones covering him slowly receded into his body, and he let out a long breath, his face somewhat pale.

If Tang Hao had truly fought to the death, neither of them could have been sure of escaping unharmed.

Chen Xin also withdrew the Seven Kill Sword's Martial Soul Avatar, its silver radiance fading back into the blade.

He looked toward Ning Wen, something unreadable in his eyes.

A moment later, Chen Xin and Gu Rong quietly departed as well.

The mountains fell completely silent.

Only the wreckage remained: giant trees snapped in half, deep trenches crisscrossing the ground, and blackened soil silently bearing witness to the battle.

The night wind swept past, carrying the smell of scorched earth.

"Come on. We'll rest in Notting City tonight and leave tomorrow."

Ning Wen turned to Xiao Wu, who was still shaken, and gave her a gentle smile.

He had only come out to draw Tang Hao into attacking.

Now that he had achieved his goal, there was no reason to stay.

"Okay." Xiao Wu nodded obediently.

Neither spoke as they returned to the city under cover of night.

Few lights remained along the streets. Most shops had long since closed, with only an occasional candle glowing behind a window.

Ning Wen walked with a spring in his step. He was clearly in a good mood.

His trip to Notting City had achieved its goal perfectly.