The Clear Sky Twin Stars Are Nothing Special

Tang Xiao's Fifth Soul Ring lit up with a black glow, and he swung the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand fiercely at Jun Yan.

The face of the Clear Sky Hammer shattered the air before it as it smashed toward Jun Yan with unstoppable force.

Tang Xiao's Fifth Soul Skill was a single-target attack skill, and it was also his strongest means of attack at present.

To his immense surprise, instead of dodging the blow, Jun Yan dropped into a low lunge, drew back his right fist, then gathered his strength and punched the Clear Sky Hammer.

Boom-

Fist met hammer, and the two immense forces distorted the air around them. A blast of air erupted in an instant, setting Jun Yan's clothes snapping in the wind.

The next second, Jun Yan was sent flying backward, his feet dragging across the ground and carving a long furrow before he finally came to a stop.

Tang Xiao also staggered two heavy steps backward. Though nothing seemed amiss, both hands gripping the Clear Sky Hammer's handle were trembling.

"Hiss-" Jun Yan cried out in pain, shaking his hand repeatedly.

Though the Clear Sky Hammer was formed from Soul Power, it was no less hard than metal or stone. Jun Yan had only his bare hands, so how could it not hurt? He had even suffered some internal injuries.

Of course, such minor injuries were healed in an instant by his powerful recovery ability. Jun Yan lifted a corner of his mask and wiped a trickle of blood from his lips.

Then he raised his palm toward Tang Hao, who was charging at him with the Clear Sky Hammer. "Shinra Tensei."

Tang Hao was sent flying backward again, landing beside Tang Xiao.

Then Jun Yan said slowly, "The Clear Sky Hammer really does pack a punch."

Tang Xiao reached down and pulled Tang Hao up, astonished.

What on earth is going on with this man? He doesn't even seem to have used his Martial Soul, yet he caught a blow from my hammer barehanded.

Astonished as he was, Tang Xiao did not stop attacking.

Tang Xiao activated his Fourth Soul Skill, his body flickering instantly into place in front of Jun Yan. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand struck at Jun Yan without a moment's delay.

The move was fast, but Jun Yan's reaction was no slower.

He tapped the ground lightly with his toes and leaned backward at the same time, narrowly avoiding the Clear Sky Hammer's attack. The current of air stirred up by the hammer's face tousled the hair at his temples.

His blow having missed, Tang Xiao immediately halted the Clear Sky Hammer's swing and pressed it down with force. Jun Yan promptly kicked off the ground with one foot, slipping out from under the hammer like a swimming fish.

At that moment, he also found time to raise his palm and fire a Shinra Tensei at Tang Hao, who had come right behind Tang Xiao, sending Tang Hao flying backward yet again.

"Fuck!" Tang Hao cursed furiously from the ground, then sprang to his feet with a kip-up.

His seventh black Soul Ring flickered, and the black hammer in his hand immediately burst with a dense black light. The Clear Sky Hammer swelled in the wind, its head reaching a full ten meters across.

Naturally, Tang Xiao did not stop attacking just because his younger brother had been sent flying. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hands darted up and down, striking at openings in Jun Yan's defense.

Though the Clear Sky Hammer was enormous, in Tang Xiao's hands it was as nimble as an embroidery needle.

Jun Yan's figure shifted constantly, each time dodging just before the Clear Sky Hammer could reach him.

"Big brother, help me trap him!" Tang Hao suddenly shouted.

Tang Xiao said nothing, but his Sixth Soul Ring flickered silently, and a presence as heavy as a mountain emanated from him.

Jun Yan, who was dodging Tang Xiao's attacks, instantly felt the air grow heavy, and his body slowed.

A control-type skill? Jun Yan thought.

He brought his palms together, and Shinra Tensei activated again. This time it was far more powerful than before. Repulsive force spread rapidly outward from Jun Yan, sending both Tang Xiao, who was close by, and the attacking Tang Hao flying.

"Damn it!" Lying on the ground, Tang Hao felt rage surge uncontrollably into his heart. He rolled to his feet and charged at Jun Yan again.

"I don't believe you can use that Soul Skill without limit."

"Divine Slaughter's Domain!" Tang Hao roared, and an overbearing, tyrannical presence burst forth from his body.

Tang Hao's Divine Slaughter's Domain erupted, and a faint layer of white mist appeared in the air. A bitter, bone-chilling killing aura pointed at Jun Yan like a sharp blade.

Then his Sixth Soul Ring flickered, and he swung the Clear Sky Hammer forward in a fierce downward blow.

A black light flew into the sky with Tang Hao's swing. All that blackness rapidly condensed in midair, forming a gigantic Clear Sky Hammer made entirely of energy and as large as a house, which came crashing down toward Jun Yan's head.

As the white mist spread to engulf Jun Yan, a sense of restraint even stronger than the effect of Tang Xiao's Soul Skill enveloped his entire body.

"A domain?" Jun Yan's expression remained calm as he activated the Preta Path, one of the Six Paths of the Rinnegan.

A layer of blue-violet light instantly covered Jun Yan's entire body, forming a shield.

The wisps of white mist produced by Divine Slaughter's Domain vanished the instant they touched the shield around Jun Yan.

At the same time, Jun Yan felt a powerful surge of energy enter his body.

Facing the enormous Clear Sky Hammer of energy descending toward his head, Jun Yan neither flinched nor dodged. Instead, he raised his palm as though holding up the heavens with one hand.

You overestimate yourself! Tang Hao sneered inwardly. He knew the power of his Sixth Soul Skill; even a Titled Douluo would not try to catch it barehanded.

But when the Clear Sky Hammer fell, a scene that shattered Tang Hao's understanding of the world unfolded: Jun Yan had actually stopped the enormous hammer with one hand.

A tremendous shock wave spread out from Jun Yan, and a ripple visible to the naked eye passed through even the ground.

Yet Jun Yan, who had taken the blow head-on, stood as straight as ever, though he was considerably shorter. (Both his feet had sunk completely into the ground.)

The energy-formed Clear Sky Hammer, now halted, also began to shrink slowly as a continuous stream of energy poured into Jun Yan's body.

When the Clear Sky Hammer had shrunk to the size of an ordinary hammer, Jun Yan closed his hand around it. The hammer immediately shattered, and countless fragments turned into energy in the air and dissipated into nothing.

Then Jun Yan raised his palm and aimed it at Tang Hao once more.

Seeing the gesture, Tang Hao immediately sensed trouble. He had just prepared to dodge sideways when he felt a powerful force pushing toward him head-on.

"No... smack... smack..."

Tang Hao was sent flying backward yet again, striking the ground twice before finally coming to a stop after carving a long trail.

The attack did not hurt Tang Hao much, but the humiliation was off the charts.

Then Jun Yan opened his right hand and aimed it at Tang Xiao. A suction force instantly emerged from his hand.

"Banshō Ten'in."

Tang Xiao's gaze sharpened, but his body flew toward Jun Yan involuntarily. He barely managed to steady himself in midair, the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand ready to strike his opponent.

But Soul Power was also gathering in Jun Yan's left hand, and a pitch-black rod appeared in it.

Just as Tang Xiao was about to draw near, Jun Yan flicked his left hand, sending the black rod flying straight at him.

Tang Xiao hurriedly swung the Clear Sky Hammer, knocking the incoming rod away.

Who would have expected Jun Yan to appear instantly beside Tang Xiao? He concentrated the vast repulsive force of Shinra Tensei in his palm, then struck Tang Xiao's abdomen.

This Shinra Tensei was stronger and more concentrated. Tang Xiao was sent flying backward, smashing heavily into the ground before opening his mouth and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Its power increased! But why didn't he use that much power from the start?

Though injured, Tang Xiao's first thought was not how to escape, but to consider what he knew about his opponent.

Jun Yan formed two more black rods in his hands and flung them at Tang Hao, who had yet to recover from the heavy blow he had just taken.

With a wet thud, the two black rods pierced Tang Hao's chest. The flow of his Soul Power was immediately obstructed, leaving him unable to use it for the time being.

"Excellent, all three have been subdued. A perfect operation."

Jun Yan clapped his hands as he spoke, a hint of pleasure in his voice.

Wait, three people? A question mark popped up in both Tang brothers' minds at the same time.

The two hurriedly turned toward Ah Yin and saw that she was already lying unconscious on the ground.

Th-this... what happened? Wasn't he just fighting us? Both were deeply puzzled.

Little did they know that although Jun Yan's main body was fighting the two brothers, he also had a Limbo Clone. And one Limbo Clone was enough to deal with Ah Yin, who was below level sixty.

Jun Yan raised a hand and made a grabbing motion toward Ah Yin. Banshō Ten'in activated, and she was instantly pulled in front of him.

Almost as soon as he caught her, Jun Yan had the thought of killing her to obtain her Soul Ring and Soul Bone.

Blue Silver Grass was the most ordinary of weeds, but the Blue Silver Emperor was indeed a sovereign among plants, and one renowned for her vitality.

It could be said that the Blue Silver Emperor was the Soul Beast best suited to Jun Yan's First Martial Soul.

However, Jun Yan had not yet reached level eighty and could not absorb the Blue Silver Emperor's Soul Ring at all. Using his Second Martial Soul to absorb it would be too wasteful.

Of course, the most crucial point was that the ultimate secret of the Blue Silver Emperor's Blue Silver Domain was immortality. As long as the Blue Silver Emperor did not want to die, no one in the world could kill her.

For these various reasons, Jun Yan could only abandon the idea of killing the Blue Silver Emperor before him. And so that he might have a chance to obtain her Soul Ring in the future, he naturally had no intention of killing the brothers Tang Xiao and Tang Hao either.

With that thought, Jun Yan said to Tang Xiao, "Actually, I don't want to become mortal enemies with the Clear Sky Sect either. You are, after all, the number one sect under heaven."

"You'd be afraid of the Clear Sky Sect? Besides, didn't you come for the Soul Bone?"

Tang Xiao dismissed Jun Yan's claim. If he truly did not want to offend the Clear Sky Sect, how could he have attacked the three of them so brazenly?

Jun Yan shrugged. "I had no choice. This is the one Soul Bone I'm missing, after all. So, as long as you give it to me, I'll let the three of you go out of respect for the Clear Sky Sect. How about it?"

Tang Xiao barely thought about it before taking a jade box from his Soul Tool and tossing it to Jun Yan.

"Here. I hope you'll keep your word."

Jun Yan caught the jade box and opened it. The fire-attribute Soul Bone was inside.

"Straightforward! As expected of the Clear Sky Sect's young sect master, you certainly don't dither."

Tang Xiao felt no pleasure at Jun Yan's praise. Instead, he said impatiently, "Cut the nonsense. Can you let them go now?"

"Of course." Jun Yan nodded, then tossed Ah Yin to Tang Xiao and kicked Tang Hao over as well.

Tang Xiao carefully caught both of them, then asked, "How do I remove these things from Hao?"

Jun Yan replied, "When the time comes, they'll naturally dissipate."

Jun Yan tossed the jade box in his hand. "Actually, I really bear no hostility toward the Clear Sky Sect. I only needed this Soul Bone. Otherwise, this brat wouldn't have kept the two bones in his body." With that, he pointed at Tang Hao on the ground.

As a prodigy of the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Hao had received two inherited Soul Bones. So Jun Yan only had to sever one of his arms and one of his legs to obtain those two Soul Bones easily.

Hearing him say that, Tang Xiao thought it did seem to make sense.

Could it be that he really bears us no hostility? Was it just because of this Soul Bone? Tang Xiao's thoughts began to wander. Clearly, Jun Yan had already led him around in circles.

But Jun Yan gave Tang Xiao no more time to think. "Someone's coming, so I'll be going."

With that, he leaped straight into the air and flew into the distance.

His departing figure had yet to disappear when a figure came walking from far down the road to the west.

Tang Xiao looked closely and found that the newcomer was no stranger. It was the very same young man who had bid against him for the Jade of Life and the Soul Bone at Heaven Dou City's grand auction house the day before.

That was right, the newcomer was... also Jun Yan.

Before fighting the Tang brothers, he had sent a Wood Clone away in advance.

Now he had deliberately left just as the Wood Clone appeared, which would conveniently prove that the Masked Man and Jun Yan were not the same person. After all, not everyone's clones could pass for the real thing.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Clear Sky Twin Stars. How did you end up looking like this?"

As soon as Jun Yan walked up, he mocked them.

"You brat from Spirit Hall!"

Tang Xiao had just taken a beating and lost the Soul Bone he had purchased at great expense. With a bellyful of anger and nowhere to vent it, he said impatiently, "Don't linger here, or don't blame me for being discourteous."

Hearing this, Jun Yan immediately sneered. "Discourteous? Come on, let me see just how discourteous you can be!"

With that, he revealed his Martial Soul. Seven Soul Rings in all-two yellow, two purple, and three black-flickered behind him.

"A Soul Saint!" Tang Xiao exclaimed. "You're a Soul Saint too?"

Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Sect's foremost genius, had only broken through to the Soul Saint realm at thirty. Yet the young man before him looked even younger than Tang Hao, and he was already a Soul Saint as well.

Almost immediately, Tang Xiao had the thought of killing him here and now, but he quickly abandoned it.

The man before him was not a genius from some ordinary minor faction, but a genius of Spirit Hall. Since they were both Soul Saints, Tang Xiao was not fully confident he could kill him, and if he failed, it could provoke a conflict between Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect.

And it would undoubtedly be unwise for the Clear Sky Sect, without Tang Chen, to enter into a conflict with Spirit Hall.

Tang Xiao immediately restrained his Soul Power fluctuations and asked, "We were just attacked. Are you going to take the opportunity to attack us?"

Jun Yan suddenly sneered and asked, "How do you know I'm not with them?"

Tang Xiao did not answer Jun Yan, but instead revived Ah Yin.

As for whether Jun Yan was an accomplice of the Masked Man, he did not even know there had only been one attacker. How could they be working together?

Moreover, although Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Sect were currently at odds, they maintained a tacit understanding not to escalate their conflict.

Jun Yan said with disdain on his face, "I thought the Clear Sky Sect was so formidable! And this is all you've got?" With that, he left.