"Enough! I admit defeat in this wager!"
Just as Tang Hao and his brother were at a critical juncture, Tang San could no longer endure and let out a furious roar. With a swing of his Asura Demon Sword, he abruptly ended this tragic family drama.
Bo Saixi's eyes flickered, but she ultimately chose not to intervene. Since Tang San had conceded, the agreement prohibiting interference in the wager was now void.
However, Ah Yin, whose fury knew no bounds, paid no heed. She had painstakingly exhausted Tang Hao's Ring Explosion state and was now determined to personally settle her past grievances. How dare someone interrupt her now!
"Who dares stop me?! All of you—die!"
Ah Yin roared furiously, and the already endless barrage of Blue Silver Tyrant Spears increased in speed and number, their assault becoming nearly invisible to the naked eye.
Annoyance flashed in Tang San's eyes. Now that his strength no longer required him to grovel, there was no need for him to play the role of a dutiful son or grandson. He unleashed his divine power, halting Ah Yin's attacks.
"Enough! Even if you are my mother, don't think I'll show mercy if you continue to act recklessly," Tang San said coldly.
At this moment, Ah Yin, who had been blinded by rage, finally regained some semblance of reason. The sky-obscuring Blue Silver Grass began to rapidly retract, as if the earlier chaos had been nothing but an illusion.
But the scarred earth beneath bore witness to the ferocity of the battle.
Ah Yin glared icily at Tang San, her hatred unmasked and palpable.
"Mother? You have no right to call me that, even if you've become a god. You—you're the beast who stole my son's body!" Ah Yin choked out bitterly.
After enduring years of imprisonment and learning that her child had long since perished, the anguish Ah Yin felt was incomprehensible to anyone else. If not for her current inability to overpower him, she would have torn Tang San apart piece by piece!
Meanwhile, Tang San's emotions were in turmoil.
His pupils dilated, and his eyes betrayed visible panic.
Rebirth through possession—this was his greatest secret, and now it had been revealed in broad daylight. It was as if he had been stripped naked before everyone; the discomfort was overwhelming.
"Damn it! Don't think you can spout nonsense just because you're my mother!"
Furious, Tang San prepared to teach Ah Yin a lesson, intending to silence her revelations.
But Bo Saixi intervened, stopping him.
Tang San's earlier concession had given him the legitimate right to save Tang Hao and his brother. Now, attacking Ah Yin, one of their own, was something Bo Saixi wouldn't tolerate.
"Tang San, my god doesn't allow you to lay a hand on his people without permission," Bo Saixi declared with domineering authority.
Seeing Bo Saixi effortlessly deflect his attack with a casual gesture, Tang San's eyes burned with resentment. Yet his gaze kept darting toward Ah Yin, clearly unwilling to abandon concealing his true nature.
With someone backing her and her vengeance incomplete, Ah Yin remained defiant.
"Heh, so upset about being exposed, are you? Do you think I'm like Tang Hao, too cowardly to speak up? Just because you're valuable now doesn't mean I'll overlook the fact that you're not my real child! You're an evil parasite!"
"You!" Tang San roared again, preparing to strike.
But unsurprisingly, Bo Saixi stopped him once more.
By now, Bo Saixi had pieced together the full story. What she had thought was a junior turned out to be nothing more than an outsider wearing the guise of her junior's blood and flesh. Reflecting on this, she realized how much emotion she had wasted. If only she hadn't spared Tang San out of respect for Tang Chen, she should have beaten him severely from the start—a missed opportunity to curry favor with her god.
Meanwhile, Tang Xiao stood frozen in place. His eyes first clouded with confusion, then filled with sorrow as he asked:
"Brother Hao, is what that elder said true?"
Facing Tang Xiao's question, Tang Hao avoided eye contact. Though the entire sect wasn't known for their intelligence, Tang San's abnormal behavior since childhood was obvious to anyone with half a brain.
Tang Hao's silence spoke louder than words, answering Tang Xiao's question. Tang Xiao's sorrow deepened.
He had hoped to restore the sect's former glory through Tang San's ascension to godhood, even if it meant stepping down.
But instead, he discovered that Tang San was a disaster—a stranger masquerading under their family's bloodline, using their sect as pawns.
Now, Tang Xiao could no longer sustain his martial soul. Dazed, he looked around at the six elders who had previously discussed sect affairs with him—all dead, some without even a complete corpse.
His lips twitched, and he began to laugh silently, though his laughter was heavy with sorrow.
"It's over… Everything is back to where we started when we went into hiding." Tears welled up as Tang Xiao muttered these words.
Seeing Tang Xiao's demeanor, Tang San, already in a foul mood, felt as though he were being blamed for poor leadership. His anger surged even higher.
But just as Tang San was about to punish Tang Xiao, the latter suddenly erupted with astonishing soul power. In an instant, almost teleporting, he appeared before Bo Saixi and knelt in mid-air, shocking Tang San with his actions.
!?
Though Tang San didn't understand Tang Xiao's intentions, Tang Xiao belonged to the Hao Tian Sect (Hao Tian Sect), which Tang San considered his own. How dare he kneel before an enemy? This was unforgivable!
"Tang Xiao, how dare you be so audacious!"
Enraged, Tang San swung his Asura Demon Sword with divine-level force. Even a Limit Douluo couldn't withstand such an attack head-on. Clearly, Tang San intended to kill Tang Xiao.
Neither Tang Xiao nor anyone present anticipated this turn of events, given that Tang Xiao was nominally Tang San's uncle.
But when Tang Hao hesitated to stop the attack, it was already too late—the blow was upon Tang Xiao.
Yet at this critical moment, Bo Saixi swiftly raised her Trident of the Sea God, blocking Tang San's strike head-on.
Standing protectively behind Tang Xiao, Bo Saixi calmly addressed Tang San:
"Even though your true form has been exposed, he is still your blood uncle. To attempt such a killing blow—indeed, you are on an evil path.
But I advise you to stop, Tang San. Today, I will protect Tang Chen's grandson, no matter what!"
Overwhelmed by frustration, Tang San could no longer suppress the demonic nature within him—not even his revered Xuantian Technique, hailed as orthodox cultivation, could restrain it.
Red light flickered in Tang San's eyes as he panted heavily, growling in anger:
"Sea God! This is the internal business of the Hao Tian Sect. It's none of your concern as an outsider. Accept your victory and leave quickly, or I won't hesitate to test the taste of killing a god today!"
Bo Saixi responded with disdainful eyes, her divine power surging around her.
"If you're capable, come try. I wouldn't mind helping my god claim that god position early."
The tension between the two reached its peak. Nearby, Ah Yin and others felt as though they were suffocating. They couldn't help but marvel: Was this what a battle between gods felt like? Even their mere presence made top-tier Title Douluos like them struggle to breathe.
Tears streamed down Tang Xiao's face. He had thought the closest people repeatedly stabbed him in the back, yet this elder, with only a slight connection to his family, was willing to risk their life to shield him from Tang San, an evil force. It moved him deeply.
"Thank you, elder, for protecting me," Tang Xiao choked out. Then, with determination, he rose and declared loudly:
"I ask all present to bear witness.
As the current leader of the Hao Tian Sect, I hereby announce that Tang San is permanently expelled from the sect's genealogy. He is no longer a member of our sect—even if he becomes a god!
Our sect has no room for such a scourge upon the world!"
Turning sharply toward Tang Hao, he bellowed:
"What are you waiting for, Tang Hao? Are you still going to follow this demon and wreak havoc? Return now! If you act foolishly again, I'll expel you from the family genealogy completely!"
With Tang Xiao's ultimate move—the genealogical ban—Tang Hao's previously confused expression suddenly cleared.
Hadn't he been longing for this ever since the Pope's demise? If Tang San caused him to be expelled again, all his efforts would be in vain. Hurriedly, he flew toward Tang Xiao.
At this point, Tang San could no longer contain himself. Brandishing his Asura Demon Sword, he charged at Bo Saixi, cursing incessantly:
"What are you doing, Father? You're the current leader of the Hao Tian Sect! Why listen to that useless fool? Return to me now, or I won't recognize you as my father!"
But contrary to Tang San's expectations, Tang Hao didn't waver. Instead, he obediently stood behind Tang Xiao.
Now free from fear of authority, Tang Xiao regained the dignity befitting a former sect leader. Sternly addressing Tang San, who was still battling in mid-air, he declared:
"Are you still blind to the situation, you evil parasite!
Brother Hao never acknowledged you from the start. Because of you, the sect faces calamity again. How could we possibly welcome you back?
Get out of the Hao Tian Sect forever! From today onward, Brother Hao is no longer your father, and I, Tang Xiao, am no longer your uncle. None of us in the Hao Tian Sect have any connection to you!
Furthermore, from now on, I forbid you from claiming that the 'Tang' in your name belongs to the Hao Tian Sect!"
Already on the verge of madness, Tang San snapped when Tang Xiao severed his familial ties and stripped him of his surname.
"You! You! How dare you!"
As Tang San fought fiercely, animalistic growls escaped his lips. The hearts of everyone present chilled at the sight.
From the shadows, Ye Wen observed this scene with surprise.
"What's going on!?"
Ye Wen had seen Tang San countless times and fought against the Asura God numerous times—he knew everything about Tang San inside out.
But this was the first time he'd witnessed Tang San in such a state.
Still, Ye Wen wasn't worried. Even if Tang San's power tripled, he remained within Ye Wen's control. Ye Wen now found himself intrigued, studying Tang San's condition.
Undoubtedly, Tang San had grown stronger. Even Bo Saixi, who had previously matched him evenly, struggled to keep up despite activating her Sea God Domain.
Thus, Ye Wen subtly tipped the scales, empowering Bo Saixi to balance the fight once more.
With tens of thousands of years of accumulated knowledge, Ye Wen quickly diagnosed Tang San's issue.
"So that's it. I thought it was something special, but it's just a case of qi deviation triggering the Asura God's mental authority. However, due to his weak mental fortitude, he can't handle it and has gone mad."
The Tang Sect, as an assassination sect, had core practices rooted in orthodox cultivation, which was somewhat strange.
But considering their doctrine revolved around killing and maiming, paired with techniques like "Demon Eyes" for enhancing vision and mental focus, along with bizarre weapons and poisons, it wasn't surprising that practitioners often became dark, twisted individuals.
The Xuantian Technique was a cultivation method usable even after ascending to godhood, showcasing its immense power.
Under normal circumstances, Tang San's Xuantian Technique and other attributes should have progressed in tandem. Unfortunately, he encountered Ye Wen and Huo Yu'er early on, enduring repeated suppression.
This traumatic experience during his formative years left deep psychological scars on Tang San, who was already arrogant by nature. Despite the Xuantian Technique giving him a significant advantage, he had been utterly humiliated by these 'country bumpkins'. How could he bear such indignity?
Later, he faced constant defeats and resource theft. Finally, due to Ye Wen's influence, the Asura God forcibly elevated Tang San's cultivation and subjected him to crude dream-life cycles, further twisting his already warped psyche.
By now, Tang San's mind was teetering on the brink of madness. Tang Xiao's mention of Tang San's most cherished blood ties and honor acted as the spark igniting the powder keg.
Now, Tang San had exploded.
Qi deviation alone wasn't fatal.
But Tang San's mental fortitude was abysmal. Moreover, while the Asura God's path involved slaughter, it also encompassed mental authority.
In his current state, Tang San had unlocked physical limitations using this ability. However, his fragile and twisted mind couldn't control the unleashed power—it now controlled him.
Watching Tang San, now devoid of value and lost to madness, Ye Wen sighed softly.
"He truly can't accept defeat. If not for someone secretly manipulating things, how could he have become a god and protagonist?
Forget it. Why bother with such a third-rate character? Dinner's almost ready—time to end this."
------------------------------------------------------
400+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
