Tang Hao's Ruined Reputation

The next day, Tang Chen fled Slaughter City in a panic, his right arm gone, and raced toward Spirit Hall.

The people in the town outside Slaughter City might not have recognized Tang Chen before, but thanks to the Sky Curtain, they all knew the King of Slaughter now.

Seeing the King of Slaughter in such a wretched state, they heard him muttering over and over, "Vampire!"

After what the Sky Curtain had shown about vampires that day, many quick-witted people immediately guessed what had happened: a vampire had appeared inside Slaughter City, one even Tang Chen could not defeat.

Slaughter City had a rule that no one who entered could leave, but anyone who obtained Divine Slaughter's Domain could get out.

And no one knew whether the vampire inside could obtain Divine Slaughter's Domain and escape as well.

That day, many people chose to leave the town. As they departed, word that a vampire had taken over Slaughter City began spreading to the rest of Douluo Continent.

Meanwhile, Tang Xiao was leading six Titled Douluo from the Clear Sky Sect toward Slaughter City.

Elsewhere, in a dim, noisy tavern...

Tang Hao sat alone in a corner, dressed in a black robe with a hood over his head. He gripped a cup of strong liquor and drank to drown his sorrows.

The Sky Curtain's punishment had left him seething and restless.

At a table behind him, three Soul Masters huddled together, quietly discussing the Sky Curtain revelation that had swept through the city that day.

A wiry man lowered his voice, amusement on his face. "You all saw today's Sky Curtain, right? When Clear Sky Douluo was being punished by the heavens, he said himself that he'd gone to great lengths to get that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring."

A stout man scratched his head, looking puzzled. "Isn't that normal? You have to hunt a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast to get a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Of course he'd go to great lengths for it. What's the problem?"

A tall young man chimed in. "Exactly. Hunting a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast is almost certain death. What's wrong with using a few schemes to get its ring?"

The wiry young man scoffed, contempt filling his eyes. "What do you know? My cousin's wife's cousin's father's elder brother is a bishop at Spirit Hall. My cousin told me that Clear Sky Douluo didn't get that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring from a normal hunt at all. His wife, Ah Yin, was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor who took human form, and she sacrificed herself for him!"

The stout man and the tall man sucked in sharp breaths, their faces stunned. "You mean..."

"You still don't get it?" the wiry man sneered. "When Spirit Hall surrounded them, Ah Yin sacrificed herself willingly to protect him. But after hearing him say he went to great lengths, doesn't that sound damning? He must have wanted her ring all along. He deliberately arranged for Spirit Hall to corner them so he could exploit his wife's love, take her Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring, and become a Titled Douluo!"

"Who would've thought the famous Clear Sky Douluo was such a scheming, ruthless bastard, willing to use the woman he loved?"

"You're talking bullshit!"

A furious roar rang out.

The three men turned to see a black-robed figure slowly rise from the next table.

"Who are you? What gives you the right to tell us what we can say?" the tall young man snapped.

The stout man took a closer look, and his face went deathly pale. His voice trembled. "You... You're not Tang Hao, are you?"

"So you know who I am. You've got nerve." Tang Hao's voice was icy. "A Titled Douluo is not yours to insult!"

Boom!

Tang Hao summoned the Clear Sky Hammer. Before the three could beg for mercy or explain themselves, the massive hammer came crashing down.

The entire tavern collapsed, burying everyone inside beneath the wreckage.

Tang Hao put away the Clear Sky Hammer. Without so much as a glance at the ruins, he turned and strode off, heading straight for Suotuo City.

At Shrek Academy...

With the Sky Curtain's story over, everyone went off to train.

Ning Rongrong's eyes darted thoughtfully, and she set out for Suotuo City.

She was intrigued by Tang Hao's claim the day before that he had "gone to great lengths to get that soul ring." She felt there had to be a story behind it, so she decided to ask around at the Seven Treasure Trading Company in Suotuo City.

Tang San approached Grandmaster and said softly, "Teacher, I'm going to the Blacksmith Shop to forge a few things."

Grandmaster patted Tang San gently on the shoulder. "Go on. But remember, Little San: the path of the strong is a lonely one, and the world won't understand you. Don't worry about what others say. Once you stand at the top, everything you've done will be right."

"I'll remember your teachings, Teacher."

Tang San did not know why Grandmaster had said that, but he nodded and left.

Before long, Tang San arrived at a Blacksmith Shop in Suotuo City.

The smiths there were good-natured and friendly, and they were happy to let Tang San practice at the forge.

As Tang San forged Hidden Weapons, two smiths nearby chatted while swinging their hammers.

At first, they discussed what the Sky Curtain had shown that day, envying those who had gained Martial Souls and Soul Power through its trials.

Before long, the conversation turned to Tang Hao. They soon brought up the story spreading through Suotuo City: that Tang Hao had used his wife's sacrifice to become a Titled Douluo.

Tang San listened in silence. His expression darkened bit by bit, and he fixed the two smiths with a murderous glare.

These people deserve to die. How dare they slander my father?

They've given me reason enough to kill them.

That night, two bodies were found in an alley. Investigators established that both men were smiths from a Blacksmith Shop.

After returning to Shrek Academy, Tang San felt too agitated to settle down and train.

He glanced at the moon, then got up and headed toward the girls' dormitory, intending to talk with Xiao Wu.

Meanwhile, in Ning Rongrong's room in the girls' dormitory, Ning Rongrong, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing sat together.

Xiao Wu asked first, "Rongrong, why did you call us over?"

Ning Rongrong smiled, a teasing note in her voice. "I heard something interesting today. Want to hear it? It'll change everything you thought you knew."

Xiao Wu blinked with curiosity and leaned closer. "Yes, yes! I love secrets. Hurry up and tell us, Rongrong!"

Zhu Zhuqing looked curious too.

Ning Rongrong nodded with satisfaction. "Do you know where Tang Hao's Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring came from?"

"Didn't he get it by hunting a Soul Beast?"

"Nope. Tang Hao got that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring when his wife sacrificed herself."

Zhu Zhuqing looked confused. "Sacrificed herself? You can get a soul ring that way?"

Although Zhu Zhuqing came from a prominent family, Soul Beast sacrifices were rare across the whole of Douluo Continent. She had always been too busy training desperately to survive to learn much about them, so she had never heard of such a thing.

Xiao Wu understood at once, and her expression changed.

Ning Rongrong explained to Zhu Zhuqing, "If a Soul Beast willingly sacrifices itself to a human, that person not only gains far more Soul Power in an instant than they would by absorbing a soul ring, but also receives the beast's soul ring and Spirit Bone."

Zhu Zhuqing understood immediately.

"You're saying Tang Hao's wife was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?"

"Yes. From what I found out, Tang Hao met Ah Yin when he was young, after she'd taken human form. They traveled together, fell in love, and then Ah Yin became pregnant."

Xiao Wu asked nervously, "What happened next?"

"Well, Tang Hao was level eighty-nine. But instead of taking his wife and child back to the Clear Sky Sect or going into hiding with them, he paraded Ah Yin through Spirit Hall territory right after she'd given birth, when she was still badly weakened."

"Then Spirit Hall discovered them. Spirit Hall wanted to seize the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, but Tang Hao didn't ask the Clear Sky Sect for help. Instead, he chose to 'leave' the sect and even had them 'strike his name from their rolls,' leaving himself with no one to turn to."