At the summit, all was silent.
A tall, burly figure stood motionless.
Soul power as vast as the sea spread outward, enveloping the entire summit and making hearts tremble and scalps prickle.
His aged face no longer resembled what it once had.
That face, as though carved by blades and axes, had weathered far too many years of wind and frost, deep furrows etched into his skin.
He looked like an ordinary middle-aged man in his fifties.
Yet Qian Renxue knew perfectly well that this seemingly ordinary man was actually the Clear Sky Douluo, who had once swept across the Douluo Continent and earned a formidable reputation.
He was also her father's killer-Tang Hao!
Qian Renxue had never known her parents' love as a child, and more than a decade spent as the crown prince had added a measure of coldness to her temperament. Naturally, she showed no hatred now.
If she did avenge her father, that would merely be incidental.
In this situation, she only hoped Tang Hao knew nothing of her identity within Spirit Hall.
Pufferfish and Snake Lance reacted as though facing a formidable enemy. In a flash, they shielded Qian Renxue behind them.
Their icy gazes fixed on Tang Hao.
Steadying herself, Qian Renxue offered a flawless smile.
"I am Fallen Snow. My respects, Clear Sky Douluo. May I ask what Your Eminence meant by those words just now?"
"I merely came out to gain experience under the protection of these two elders. I have done nothing whatsoever to offend you."
Tang Hao knew he was no good with words, so he simply could not be bothered to waste them.
Gain experience??
He had followed his precious son all the way here. Even before his son encountered Zhao Wuji, he had noticed the undisguised scrutiny of these three.
A Titled Douluo's spiritual perception was extraordinarily keen.
Presumably, they had never imagined that his precious son had an old father at the Titled Douluo level trailing behind him, which explained their brazen behavior.
Tang Hao could not puzzle out anything too complicated, nor could he be bothered to try.
All he knew was that they were plotting against his precious son and daughter.
What else was there to say?
And so, after watching his precious son defeat Zhao Wuji,
Tang Hao had raced straight to this summit without a moment's delay.
Now that he had intercepted them,
what came next was simple.
Straightforward business was his specialty!
Tang Hao raised his eyes and said flatly, "Enough nonsense. You dared scheme against my children. Every last one of you is here today, and none of you will leave this place unscathed."
Overbearing! Forceful! Beyond question!
The words brewing in Qian Renxue's throat were instantly choked back.
Her thoughts raced.
No matter how she looked at it, something was wrong.
Even if Tang Hao had discovered them beforehand,
they had never displayed any hostility or killing intent.
After all, Qian Renxue had brought people here today only to sound them out and rescue the Blue Silver Twin Stars in time.
So-
Qian Renxue eyed Tang Hao with uncertainty and alarm.
How exactly did he discover that I was plotting against his children?
Damn it. He truly deserves his reputation as the Clear Sky Douluo.
Is he really that perceptive?!
Sure enough, not a single person who becomes a Titled Douluo is a fool!
Qian Renxue sighed inwardly.
Pufferfish and Snake Lance likewise felt Tang Hao's undisguised hostility.
They knew there was no longer any way to defuse this.
Porcupinefish Douluo's palms were slick and sticky with sweat.
Level 92 and level 95 might differ by only three soul power levels,
but the Clear Sky Hammer was the continent's greatest tool martial soul, and the Clear Sky Sect's ultimate secret technique, the Great Sumeru Hammer, was hailed as the greatest divine offensive skill.
Snake Lance spoke in a low voice.
"Fallen Snow, leave first."
No matter what, they had to preserve the sole remaining scion of the Angel lineage. Otherwise, how could they honor the Great Enshrined's charge?
As gifted commoners whom Spirit Hall had raised from childhood, Pufferfish and Snake Lance were unquestionably loyal.
They were entirely willing to die to keep Qian Renxue safe.
"Clear Sky Douluo, whatever this matter concerns, it should not implicate the younger generation. Please allow our junior to leave."
"You want a fight? Then what harm is there in these two old bags of bones fighting you?!"
A "timid" expression appeared on Qian Renxue's face.
Inside, however, she remained perfectly calm, doing her utmost to analyze the situation.
Elder Snake Lance's words were exactly what she wanted. As a distinguished Titled Douluo, surely Tang Hao could not make things difficult for a weak young woman like her?
When weighing two gains, choose the greater; when weighing two evils, choose the lesser!
As someone in power, she had to understand what to keep and what to sacrifice. At a critical moment, she needed the resolve of a warrior severing his own wrist.
But she had clearly underestimated Tang Hao's temperament.
Those intimidating eyes of his suddenly widened.
"Enough blather! Take this!"
Before his words had faded, the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand expanded to more than ten meters, its overwhelming presence surging skyward as it smashed down with unparalleled force.
"Tang Hao! Don't push us too far!"
Porcupinefish Douluo flew into a rage.
He instantly assumed his Pufferfish true form, his body swelling into a ball, spikes standing erect as he emitted a foul, fishy stench.
Amid hissing sounds, Snake Lance Douluo followed close behind, transforming into his two-headed Snake Lance true form, more than ten meters long.
Nine soul rings rose from each of them.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black, black, black, black!
Tang Hao actually laughed in fury.
And they still dare play innocent?
There were only a handful of Titled Douluo powerhouses on the Douluo Continent.
Their origins were easy enough to imagine.
Although their clothes bore no insignia of any faction, any force capable of producing two unknown Titled Douluo was clearly anything but simple.
They might very well even have come from-
A vicious gleam flared in Tang Hao's eyes.
"So you're Titled Douluo powerhouses, too. You're quite good at concealing your auras!"
"In that case, I won't hold back."
As he spoke, Tang Hao's presence soared, and the full pressure of his level-95 soul power erupted.
Qian Renxue's lovely face abruptly paled.
The last shred of hope in her heart shattered completely.
According to our deductions, shouldn't Tang Hao still be suffering from serious, unhealed injuries? Why is his aura so powerful?!!
Qian Renxue was horrified.
Pufferfish and Snake Lance exchanged a glance, each seeing resolve in the other's eyes.
"Fallen Snow, go now! We'll hold him off!"
Their enormous figures instantly surged forward, blocking Qian Renxue from view.
Snake Lance led the attack while Pufferfish supported him with sprays of poison, their coordination seamless.
The terrifying Clear Sky Hammer swung down with a thunderous crash.
Whether intentionally or otherwise, a guiding force sent a shock wave straight toward Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue was twenty-two at the time, her soul power already at an impressive level 68. Before Tang Hao, however, she did not dare reveal her Angel Martial Soul.
So, as her thoughts raced, she could only grit her teeth and take the shock wave head-on.
Pfft-!
She spat out a mouthful of blood and was hurled backward, falling off the cliff.
Pufferfish and Snake Lance's expressions changed drastically. "Tang Hao! How dare you!"
Tang Hao sneered. "Why wouldn't I dare?"
"Come on, come on! Fight me for another three hundred rounds! It's been ages since I stretched my muscles this thoroughly."
The three instantly plunged into battle.
Meanwhile,
in a dense grove near the cliff wall along the Sword Mountain Ancient Road, Tang Yin's internal injuries had mostly healed after treatment from Tang San Niang.
To avoid any further unexpected incidents on the road,
Tang Yin, who had yet to fully recover, could only choose a nearby spot to rest for the time being.
At that moment, the five of them sat in a circle.
They conversed quietly.
Suddenly, a deafening blast erupted from the nearby summit.
Immediately afterward, a graceful, golden-haired figure fell from the sky.
Golden soul power swirled around her, her aura was chaotic, and blood stained the front of her clothes.
A sickly green tinge marred her noble, flawless face.
Clearly, that shock wave had also contained Porcupinefish Douluo's poison gas.
In that moment when her life hung by a thread, Qian Renxue had had no time to spare for that.
Now, Qian Renxue felt her vision blur and her body grow unbearably weak.
She swayed, finally unable to hold on, and plunged headfirst toward the ground.
Thud!
She hit the ground hard.
Tang Yin's eyesight was excellent. He recognized the little blonde at a glance.
And that raised a question.
A Qian Renxue had fallen from the sky-should he pick her up or not?
Before you continue