"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes!"
Tang Hao made his decision in an instant and immediately unleashed the Clear Sky Sect's secret technique.
Even as he dodged the Thunder Pool's bombardment, he prepared to unleash his power at any moment.
The so-called Clear Sky Nine Absolutes were not nine skills, but nine ways of exerting force: "void, seal, pierce, penetrate, entwine, quake, break, halt, collapse."
Compared to them, the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer, which required building up power, was something of a chicken rib-little meat to savor, yet a shame to discard.
By then, Qin Xiao had also unleashed his Soul Skill.
The so-called Thunder Beast was not one beast, but nine.
Every Thunder Pearl around him transformed into a savage, terrifying Thunder Beast.
Each was as thick as a water vat, with the body of a giant python and a vicious-looking single horn on its head.
They exuded overwhelming pressure!
"Seal!"
"Entwine!"
"Break!"
"Halt!"
At the sight, Tang Hao steeled himself, forcibly suppressed his internal injuries, and raised his power to its peak.
In an instant, he demonstrated four methods of exerting force from the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes.
At that moment, the combat power he displayed was enough to crush any rank-ninety-six Titled Douluo.
Boom, boom, boom, boom...
A string of explosions rang out as Tang Hao destroyed the Thunder Beasts one after another in moments.
Qin Xiao was not surprised.
The Clear Sky Sect's secret techniques were powerful, stronger than Soul Skills. He remembered that later in the original story, Tang Hao had relied on those techniques to defeat Golden Crocodile Douluo with rank-ninety-seven combat power.
Granted, Golden Crocodile Douluo had been close to dying of old age and long past his prime then. But he was still rank ninety-eight.
So it made sense that Tang Hao could unleash rank-ninety-six combat power with his current rank-ninety-five Soul Power cultivation.
Meanwhile, the combat power Qin Xiao was unleashing was only around that of someone who had just reached rank ninety-six.
"Pierce!"
"Penetrate!"
"Collapse!"
"Entwine!"
Within moments, Tang Hao used another four techniques, and in the blink of an eye, only one of the nine Thunder Beasts remained.
He also seized the opportunity to break out of the Thunder Pool's blockade.
Roar!
Just then, the final Thunder Beast charged at Tang Hao.
There was only one outcome for it: destruction!
"That's it?"
After accomplishing all this, Tang Hao's eyes filled with disdain. "Young man, I tried to advise you kindly and gave you a chance, but you really aren't up to much..."
Back at his peak, he was brimming with confidence. He pointed his Clear Sky Hammer at Qin Xiao from afar, only to notice something wrong.
Why was all that lightning converging on Qin Xiao?
Is this his ninth Soul Skill?
The moment Tang Hao noticed the shining Soul Ring on Qin Xiao, understanding dawned on him.
"Hah!"
At that very moment, Qin Xiao gave a sharp shout, and the thunderclouds filling the sky dispersed.
Qin Xiao's figure appeared before Tang Hao once more.
The difference was that he now wore a ferocious-looking suit of purple armor.
Without a doubt, this was Qin Xiao's ninth Soul Skill, Thunder Emperor Armor!
It was formed by gathering countless streams of the Power of Thunder!
Wearing this armor greatly enhanced his cultivation, speed, strength, and more.
By Qin Xiao's estimate, the increase was at least fifty percent.
That armor is extraordinary. It's condensed from lightning.
And the aura of his cultivation has grown considerably stronger. At the very least... it should rival rank ninety-seven, shouldn't it?
Tang Hao's heart lurched.
Panic surged through him.
Being an eighteen-year-old Titled Douluo was one thing, but a rank-ninety-two Titled Douluo unleashing rank-ninety-seven combat power was simply outrageous.
At that moment, lightning flashed in Qin Xiao's eyes. He swooped down and appeared before Tang Hao in an instant.
Teleportation!
This was genuine teleportation, a skill granted by his third Soul Ring.
So... fast!
The thought had barely formed in Tang Hao's mind before he was sent flying.
Caught off guard, he only had time to use Clear Sky Body Protection.
Yet Qin Xiao continued to rain punishing blows down on him.
Boom, boom, boom!
Tang Hao was like a punching bag, knocked into the air, falling, then knocked flying again.
"Enough!"
After being sent flying yet again, Tang Hao could not hold back his furious roar.
Who was he?
The Clear Sky Douluo!
Ever since childhood, he had always been the one beating his opponents into submission.
Upon first entering the realm of Titled Douluo, he had driven back Spirit Hall's Supreme Pontiff and numerous elders with a single strike.
Yet now, Qin Xiao was repeating what he himself had done back then.
He was even doing it better.
What a slap in the face!
"Not enough."
"It's only over when one of us goes down for good and can't get back up!"
Qin Xiao's voice was icy.
In truth, before this, he had harbored no particular intentions toward Tang San, Xiao Wu, or the others. He had only wanted to complete missions at Shrek Academy...
But that had changed.
Since Tang Hao had attacked him, there was no possibility of settling this peacefully.
In fact, it was not just Tang Hao. Even Tang San would have to pay the price.
A son paying his father's debts was only natural.
"You don't know how high the heavens are or how deep the earth is!"
"Do you really think I can't do anything to you?"
As Tang Hao spoke, a flash of grim resolve crossed his eyes.
At this point, he had only one option left.
And that was...
"Ring Detonation!"
As his voice fell, his Soul Rings shattered with thunderous explosions, starting from the fifth and stopping only after the seventh.
A surge of pure power flowed into the Clear Sky Hammer.
Back then, it had been the secret Ring Detonation technique that had allowed him to severely wound Spirit Hall's reigning Supreme Pontiff, Qian Xunji, and several elders in one fell swoop.
Of course, it had not been these three Soul Rings...
But he felt this would be enough.
His cultivation was now sufficient to match Qin Xiao's.
"Ring Detonation."
Qin Xiao's eyes lit up, not with alarm, but delight.
Back when he read the original story, he had thought this was an incredibly cool skill. Today, he finally saw a living person use it.
"Heh. Ignorant."
Tang Hao sneered and charged forward with the Clear Sky Hammer in hand.
However, after exchanging several rounds with Qin Xiao, he grew increasingly uncertain.
Forget severely wounding Qin Xiao-he could barely fight him to a draw now.
What the hell was the point of fighting...
Just a little more. If I raise my cultivation a little further, I should be able to hammer him down.
Tang Hao's eyes reddened.
Instinctively, he wanted to detonate another Soul Ring.
But halfway through activating the secret technique, he had no choice but to stop.
Even if I detonate my thousand-year and hundred-year Soul Rings, they won't improve my strength much...
But the backlash from detonating another Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring could kill me!
Forget killing the enemy. I'd end up dead myself.
How could Tang Hao not hesitate?
If he died, what would happen to Tang San?
He and Qin Xiao were now mortal enemies. Would Qin Xiao mercifully spare Tang San?
What a joke...
Saints like that only existed in fairy tales.
Whatever else happened, he was certain that if Qin Xiao returned to Shrek, the first thing he would do was drag Tang San out and bleed him dry...
I can't die!
Tang Hao made his decision in an instant. Immediately afterward, Qin Xiao finally saw him use a Soul Ring skill other than Clear Sky Body Protection or Martial Soul Avatar.
"Blue Silver Cage!"
The Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring on his body lit up.
Countless strands of Blue Silver Grass grew wildly, reaching toward Qin Xiao like tentacles to entwine him.
Well, well. So the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring gave him a skill like this...
Qin Xiao found it rather strange, but he did not sit there waiting for death.
This stuff was like a toad-it did not bite, but it disgusted you. Getting tangled in it really would be troublesome.
Meanwhile, seeing that Qin Xiao could not break free for the moment, Tang Hao did not attack him. Instead, he turned and left, heading straight for Shrek Academy.
Before you continue