Fine creases appeared in the void around the mark. The air slowly trembled and warped as invisible chains of law-light extended upward from the top of the mark, following the path of resonance to connect, little by little, with distant space beyond the realm.
There was no sudden roar, only a disturbance in the void that slowly spread.
"So this is your last resort."
Tang San stood in midair with his hands behind his back. His gaze swept indifferently over the glowing gray-black mark, a faint sneer curling his lips. There was not a trace of wariness in his eyes, only condescending indifference.
"I would like to see which damned old priest gave you such confidence that you dared challenge the majesty of a God King."
As the void passage slowly took shape, an exceedingly faint melody quietly began to echo deep within everyone's Divine Soul. It seemed both distant and near, hazy and ethereal. They could not yet make out the complete tune, only vaguely distinguish its impassioned tone.
The mark's faint light grew increasingly concentrated. Guided by the mark, the walls of space unfolded layer by layer. Dark bands of light slowly flowed from within the spatial rift, resonating from afar with the gray-black mark on his body, while an aura of origin pressure settled little by little as the passage formed.
Within the passage of light, a hazy figure, initially insubstantial as smoke, gradually shed its translucent quality. His outline and the patterns on his robes became clear bit by bit.
The Plane Core of the entire space suddenly shuddered.
A tall, imposing figure slowly condensed out of the void. He wore gray-black robes and had a resolute face. His eyes seemed to hold the mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas of the entire land.
An utterly black Clear Sky Hammer slowly took shape in his palm.
The Plane Master, Tang Hao, had finally descended.
That was the pressure unique to a Plane Master. It was not oppression brought by Soul Rings, but the descent of the laws governing the entire continent's heaven and earth. All things beneath heaven seemed to submit to his will at that moment.
Yet this will seemed incomplete. The laws of oppression and resistance appeared within the same person, which rather suited his identity as someone whose left brain fought his right.
As the figure's outline became completely solid, the melody buried deep in countless people's memories rose steadily in volume, its notes stacking layer upon layer. The instant the projection fully manifested, the melody thundered to its climax.
Fearlessly breaking free of the cocoon against the wind!
Tang Hao looked down with a heavy gaze, gently gripping the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand. His deep voice resounded throughout the independent void. "One hammer holds dominion over a thousand ages; I shall judge the heretics of this world!"
Tang Qingye and the others exchanged glances. Things seemed to be growing more and more interesting...
One small figure, however, quietly clenched his fists...
The instant that figure appeared, Tang San's pupils abruptly contracted. He froze completely, his mind going blank.
How had this lowly human summoned my father?!
His gaze remained fixed on that towering figure in midair, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Nearby, the Ghost Emperor was wriggling through the void. Getting far away from the battlefield was the way to go, but this hammer-"F-Father, why are you here?"
Having just finished showing off, Tang Hao was preparing to display his divine might and suppress the heretic with thunderous force.
By projecting his true form here through the mark, he had given that old fellow a chance to catch his breath. He had to return and suppress him as soon as possible.
But when he saw the familiar Divine Consciousness above Tang Wulin's small figure, his steady stance abruptly faltered. His grip on the hammer tightened slightly, and profound astonishment instantly surfaced in his previously indifferent eyes.
"San, Wulin! Why are you here?"
Tang Hao cried out.
Before his words had faded, he suddenly spun around, his piercing gaze locking onto the Ghost Emperor, who was concealing himself nearby.
"What is going on?!"
The dog he had hoodwinked had actually attacked his own grandson. Tang Hao was undoubtedly furious!
The Ghost Emperor said nothing and merely continued playing dead. He was only skilled at scheming; he wanted no part of this family reunion.
"Father, we must have been set up by that heretic. This idiot was surely used as well."
By now, Tang San had received the information Tang Hao had sent him and learned of the heretic's existence.
The Ghost Emperor was undoubtedly angry inside. Fuck your ancestors! You dare insult me!
This place was filled with that heretic's aura. It was practically his sanctum!
"He dared toy with us! I will grind his bones to dust and scatter his ashes!"
Tang Hao panted like an ox, his eyes blazing.
"Since this person knows of our existence, he must have had contact with Wulin. Let me investigate... what? Why can't I see?"
Unable to see Tang Wulin's memories, Tang San was undoubtedly shocked.
Just as Tang San was about to use the trident, an aged roar filled with fury exploded from deep within the void, shaking the entire space.
That voice pierced through layer upon layer of spatial barriers, bringing with it the anger of all living beings.
"Tang Hao! You size-eighteen bastard, I've come for you! Today, our origins shall both be destroyed, jade and stone burned together!"
The roar shook the surroundings. Vast gray ripples of origin began spreading through the surrounding void, while the earth's energy between heaven and earth frantically converged on a single point.
Gray mist of origin surged out of the spatial rift, condensing into the phantom of a stooped, aged man. He wore an ancient, tattered Daoist robe, and his soul itself was covered in wounds. His face was weathered, his eyes filled with exhaustion, yet now ignited by towering fury.
The instant the phantom formed, a long, muffled rumble rolled through the depths of the earth. The laws of the earth's veins trembled in unison as the entire plane responded to this first will of guardianship.
This was God King Tang's peerless particle-attracting touch! Fully automatic-there was no need to move at all. They would come in on their own.
The old man's attention had originally been locked firmly on Tang Hao alone. As his gaze swept across the battlefield, it suddenly fell upon Tang San standing nearby.
The sight made the already furious remnant soul erupt completely. His translucent Divine Soul phantom trembled violently, flecks of origin light continuously peeling away from him.
He whipped his head around and fixed Tang San with a piercing stare. His roar rose once more, every word shaking the void. "Tang San! You have repeatedly stirred up the course of this plane's affairs. Countless calamities arose because of you!"
"Today, both you and your father are here. Neither of you can shirk responsibility for this continent's crisis!" Tang Hao showed not a trace of shame. Instead, a righteous air rose between his brows, as though everything he had done had been for the public good, his voice rumbling through the void.
"In a world of chaos, how could there be a way to preserve both sides?
"To protect the billions of lives on the continent, some sacrifices were always unavoidable."
"Pah! You dog!"
Nearby, Tang San slowly raised his hand as well. The Golden Trident trembled gently in his palm as he picked up the thread, echoing with righteous conviction, "In all we do, we seek only a clear conscience. As for the process, choices and sacrifices are inevitable."
"Heh, you two truly are kindred spirits meeting amid foul mountains and stinking waters! Enough talk. Fight!"
"In that case, let me bury you. Like that heretic, your life is remarkably tenacious."
"I thought you would take this opportunity to recover from your injuries. To think you would still dare come here. How foolish!"
Tang Hao's projection abruptly clenched his fingers. Seven-colored light of the plane's origin surged in his palm as the outline of a gigantic Clear Sky Hammer rapidly solidified. Its humming sent ripples through the void, and the blood-red Divine Slaughter's Domain spread outward in layers with his words. He said coldly, "With the continent facing crisis, choices and sacrifices are only natural. Clinging to old rules will only destroy the plane's chance at survival."
As he spoke, his wrist slowly sank to gather power. The wind from the hammer compressed space into circular ripples. With every word, the seven-colored radiance on the Clear Sky Hammer grew richer. By the time his words fell, the massive hammer was aimed at the old man's phantom, poised to strike.
Without the slightest pause, Tang Hao swung his arm down. Wrapped in thunderous roaring, the seven-colored Clear Sky Hammer smashed toward the old man's phantom like a mountain crashing down upon him. The void shattered inch by inch along its path, and its violent power raised wind pressure that swept in all directions.
The old man's expression grew grave at the sight, but instead of retreating, he advanced. His left hand rapidly formed seals as origin mist surged around him, and he shouted in a deep voice, "Myriad Heavens Realm Origin Shield!"
Deep underground, earth energy rose with a roar. Densely packed, dark-cyan patterns of planar law emerged from the void and intertwined, instantly condensing into a massive, thousand-zhang origin light shield that stood firmly before him. The faint light of the continent's primordial order flowed across its surface as it held fast against the Clear Sky Hammer's fierce blow.
"Aah!!"
Before you continue