Tang Hao's Utter Humiliation: I'm a Whetstone Now?!

He had just opened his mouth to say something when the ground beneath his feet shook violently.

A deafening crash followed, as though something had slammed hard into the ground.

The next moment, a cloud of dust rose from the east end of the village, plainly visible in the moonlight.

"What was that?"

"Did something happen at Little Jiang's place?"

"Come on! Let's go see!"

The villagers sprang up, grabbed stools, hoes, and kitchen knives, and rushed toward the east end of the village.

Grandpa Wang ran at the front, his heart pounding. Kid, please don't let anything happen to you!

At the east end of the village, deep in the woods.

Tang Hao knelt on one knee, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. He planted his Clear Sky Hammer in the ground and barely managed to steady himself.

He looked up, his eyes full of shock.

The man before him, dressed in white and holding a spear, was far stronger than he had expected.

At least level ninety-six!

Possibly even higher!

"Who exactly are you?" Tang Hao asked grimly.

As far as he knew, there had never been a Titled Douluo who wielded a spear.

The man in white stood with his spear in hand. "Someone who protects the young master."

"Just who is this young master of yours?"

"You don't deserve to know."

An insult. A blatant insult!

Tang Hao's eyes turned bloodshot, and he breathed like a bull.

If not for the hidden injuries left by that battle years ago, how could he have ended up like this?

If he could use Ring Detonation today, he would have a seventy percent chance of killing even a level ninety-six Titled Douluo!

Unfortunately, his body could not take it now.

Forget Ring Detonation; he did not even dare use the Clear Sky Nine Jue at full strength.

The man in white seemed to see through him. "What? Not happy about it?"

Tang Hao said nothing. He just glared at him with bloodshot eyes.

"All right, stop looking at me like that."

The man in white put away his spear and gave a contemptuous smile. "You can go."

Tang Hao frowned deeply.

If the man in white was Jiang Hao's protector, he had no reason to spare him.

Something was wrong here!

The man in white seemed to recall what he knew about Tang Hao and sneered. "Don't overthink it. Killing you would be easy. But if you die, who'll serve as my young master's whetstone?"

"It would be better for the young master to take your life himself."

Tang Hao froze. Then his pupils contracted sharply.

A whetstone?

He was the mighty Clear Sky Douluo, the youngest Titled Douluo in history, a legend who had once fought several of Spirit Hall's Titled Douluos alone.

Yet to this man, he was merely a whetstone for a youngster!?

Tang Hao's eyes blazed red. He ground his teeth, veins bulging at his temples as his aura surged.

He wanted nothing more than to smash the Clear Sky Hammer into that smug face and show him what the real Clear Sky Douluo could do!

But just as he was about to erupt, Tang San's face appeared in his mind.

Little San was still young. He had only just awakened his Martial Soul and was waiting for Tang Hao to return and teach him.

And there was Ah Yin's blood debt...

If he fought to the death here, he might be able to drag his opponent down with him.

But what would happen to Tang San?

What would happen to his revenge?

Tang Hao's chest heaved. He snorted harsh breaths through his nose like an enraged bull with nowhere to vent its fury.

At last, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I, Tang Hao, won't forget this!"

Tang Hao left those words behind and vanished into the distance in a few swift leaps without looking back, afraid the man might change his mind if he lingered.

In a thatched cottage in Shenghun Village.

By the stove.

Tang San stood on a stool, rising onto his toes to ladle food from the pot bit by bit.

Ever since his Martial Soul had awakened, he had not only felt his father's affection again, but had also finally seen some fat in their dinners.

It was hard to imagine that a growing child like him had eaten nothing but cabbage for months on end.

After setting out the food, Tang San sat at the table and waited for his father to return with wine.

But hours passed.

Even late into the quiet night, Tang Hao had not returned.

"Strange. Why hasn't Father come back yet?"

Tang San had a faint sense that something was wrong.

Suddenly, the front door was shoved open.

A disheveled figure staggered into view. It was Tang Hao.

Startled, Tang San hurried over to support him.

"Father! What happened to you?"

Tang Hao's hair looked even more like a bird's nest than usual. His clothes had several new tears, blood stained the corner of his mouth, and he looked as though he had just rolled through the mud.

He waved Tang San off, dropped onto a stool, grabbed the wine jug from the table, and took a swig. "Nothing. I fell."

Tang San: "..."

You got like that from a fall? Do you think I'm three years old?

"Father, tell me the truth. Did you run into trouble?"

Tang San looked at him earnestly.

Tang Hao was silent for a moment. He set down the jug and sighed. "I ran into a madman. No honor at all. He ambushed an old fellow like me."

Tang San blinked. "Ambushed you?"

"Yes, ambushed me!"

Tang Hao slammed the table, his face full of indignation. "I was having a drink when the bastard suddenly appeared behind me and attacked without a word! Tell me, where's the justice in that?"

Tang San opened his mouth, then thought better of it.

As he recalled, his father was not exactly an honorable man either...

"Are you all right, then?"

Tang San wisely kept that thought to himself.

"Hmph. Why wouldn't I be?"

Tang Hao snorted and took another swig.

Seeing that his father did not want to say more, Tang San fell silent and stood quietly to one side.

Then Tang Hao set down the jug and glanced at Tang San. Some of his anger eased.

Tang San possessed Twin Martial Souls and limitless potential. He had what it took to become a god.

That boy with nothing more than Innate Full Soul Power and a Beast Martial Soul would not even be fit to carry Tang San's shoes one day.

Just wait. Someday, Little San will repay today's humiliation for me a hundredfold!

Piaoxiang Village.

After talking himself hoarse, Jiang Hao finally managed to reassure the villagers who had come to check on him.

So the saying was true: fame brought trouble.

He had once been practically invisible in the village. After awakening his Martial Soul, he had become its most talked-about kid overnight.

Once all the villagers had left, a figure appeared beside Jiang Hao and knelt before him on one knee.

"Greetings, young master."

"So you're my protector?"

Jiang Hao looked the man in white up and down.

He had a refined air, a slender build, and a handsome, harmless-looking face.

Anyone who did not know better might take him for a scholar. He showed none of the commanding presence expected of a Titled Douluo.

But according to the system, this man was powerful enough to suppress Tang Hao.

The man in white seemed to read Jiang Hao's thoughts and smiled. "Yes, young master. My name is Bai Qian. My Martial Soul is the White Dragon Spear. I am level ninety-six, titled Spear Demon."

Jiang Hao asked, "Then where did you come from? What's your background?"

Bai Qian fell silent for a moment, then answered seriously. "I've forgotten. My mission is to protect you, young master, and remove every obstacle from your path as you grow."

"I see..."

Jiang Hao nodded slightly.

[Reminder: Protectors are based on templates of top-tier experts from various eras. To ensure loyalty, some of their memories have been erased. Host, there is no need to worry.]

So that was it.

Jiang Hao let the matter drop and asked about the outcome of the fight.

"Young master, I gravely injured the Xiao Xiao who was spying on you. He won't recover anytime soon."