Seeing that scene, the Spirit Masters of the Spirit Empire were all stirred with excitement.
Yan stood at the very front of the battlefield, surrounded by crimson-gold flames exuding the majesty of incinerating all things.
His eyes burned with undying battle intent and resolve, as if, at this very moment, he was the god of flame incarnate, about to reduce all obstacles to ashes.
As the Flame God Sword was raised high, the entire space seemed to ignite. Even the air trembled, emitting waves of roaring heat.
Within the Clear Sky Formation, Tang Xiao felt this unprecedented pressure. The soul power in his body surged even more violently. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand seemed to come alive, resonating with the Clear Sky power gathering around him, producing roars akin to dragon cries.
This battle must be fought with everything.
"Clear Sky's might, suppress all!"
Tang Xiao roared, his soul power surging like a tidal wave, merging with the Clear Sky Formation.
At this moment, his heart held no distractions only the desire for victory and the unyielding defense of his clan's honor.
As his thoughts moved, the Clear Sky Hammer seemed imbued with a soul, beginning to move in accordance with the profound trajectory of the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes.
The Clear Sky Nine Absolutes were not nine individual skills, but rather nine unique force techniques of the Clear Sky Hammer, each with its own distinctive trait.
After accumulating power with the "Void" technique and stabilizing with the "Seal" technique, Tang Xiao immediately unleashed the "Pierce" technique.
The "Pierce" technique emphasized attack continuity and stacking effects, launching seamless attacks to make defense nearly impossible.
The Clear Sky Hammer carried an incomparably swift momentum, slicing dazzling arcs through the air, pressing toward Yan with unstoppable force.
The power of the "Pierce" technique was fully displayed in this moment. The Clear Sky Hammer's assaults came wave after wave like an endless tide, each surge stronger than the last.
Tang Xiao's soul power perfectly merged with the Clear Sky Force, making each swing of the hammer brim with world-shattering power.
Yan remained calm, the flames within his body growing even stronger.
The Flame God Sword danced in his hand, slashing out pillar after pillar of crimson-gold flame, intertwining with the Clear Sky Hammer's offensive to create a heart-pounding spectacle.
Tang Xiao tried to injure Yan with his relentless and fierce attacks.
But what he didn't expect was that even with the Clear Sky Formation boosting his attack power by two hundred percent he still couldn't shake Yan in the slightest.
"Penetrate technique!"
The "Penetrate" technique emphasized finding the opponent's weakness during the attack and striking with pinpoint accuracy to achieve a decisive blow.
Yet Yan's figure flickered through the air, elusive and unpredictable, easily dissolving Tang Xiao's offense with the Flame God Sword, while the flames surged back with even greater ferocity.
"Break technique!"
The Clear Sky Hammer drew a strange arc through the air, seemingly gaining the ability to lock onto its target, shooting straight toward Yan.
But Yan seemed to foresee everything. The Flame God Sword turned into a crimson bolt of lightning, colliding mid-air with the Clear Sky Hammer, erupting in a deafening roar. The space around them seemed as if it would be torn apart by this power.
Seeing the previous techniques fail, Tang Xiao no longer hesitated and directly unleashed the "Collapse" technique.
The "Collapse" technique burst forth like a meteor shower, evoking the feeling of mountains collapsing and the earth cracking—one of the most powerful techniques among the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes.
The Clear Sky Hammer instantly turned into a meteor, crashing toward Yan with destructive force.
Faced with the meteor-like energy strike, Yan did not evade. His ninth soul ring suddenly shone, and his ninth soul skill—Volcanic Devour erupted instantly.
With a thunderous boom, countless sparks spewed forth like a volcanic eruption.
Those searing sparks were molten lava formed from the fusion of fire and earth, clashing head-on with the collapsing strike of the Clear Sky Hammer. In moments, the energy meteors were completely devoured.
The continuously erupting volcanic flames, carrying destructive power, surged toward the Clear Sky Formation, as if to engulf Tang Xiao along with the formation itself.
At this critical moment, Tang Xiao activated the Clear Sky Hammer's true form, gathering all remaining soul power in his body into a torrential surge.
"None shall withstand—Slaughter Word Technique !"
With Tang Xiao's furious shout, the nine force techniques of the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes Void, Seal, Pierce, Penetrate, Bind, Shock, Break, Kill, Collapse—perfectly fused in that instant, forming an ultimate strike that transcended all limits.
The Clear Sky Hammer transformed into countless phantoms in mid-air, each strike infused with the essence of the nine forces, as if encompassing the heavens and earth within.
This strike was not only a challenge to Yan, but also a defiance against fate itself.
However, Yan too displayed astonishing strength.
His entire body blazed to the extreme, and the Fire God Sword raised high above his head suddenly surged to a hundred meters in length, slashing down from the sky.
The flames turned into a crimson rainbow, clashing head-on with Tang Xiao's strongest technique.
Boom——
A deafening explosion rang out.
The aftermath of the two forces colliding swept across the entire battlefield like a tsunami.
Dust flew, flames scattered.
The battlefield trembled as if torn apart.
"Ah~"
A tragic scream came from Tang Xiao's mouth.
Executing the Slaughter Word Technique had exhausted all his soul power.
Yan's sky-cleaving slash, carrying the power of the Fire God, not only broke the Slaughter Word Technique but also shattered the Clear Sky Formation.
The disciples who were supporting the formation each felt their blood surge, coughing up blood from their mouths.
Tang Xiao was violently blasted away by the powerful shockwave, his body tracing an arc through the air.
At that moment, a figure shot forward like lightning, catching the falling Tang Xiao and bringing him back to the city wall.
"Uncle!"
"Sect Master!"
At this moment, Tang Xiao coughed up blood, all his meridians shattered, his body limp in Tang San's arms, his face pale.
Seeing this, Ning Fengzhi hurriedly released the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, a beam of radiance falling upon Tang Xiao.
But, it seemed to be in vain.
Though defeated, there was no trace of despair or hopelessness in Tang Xiao's eyes.
He looked at Tang San, the corners of his mouth lifting into a bitter yet resolute smile.
"Little San… though I lost, he must've also used up a lot of soul power… now's the time to strike..."
"Uncle!"
"Little San, don't be sad… From now on, you are the Sect Master of the Clear Sky Clan. The burden of reviving the sect is yours… I'm going to find your father… he won't be alone anymore..."
Before Tang Xiao could finish speaking, he passed away.
"Uncle!"
"Sect Master..."
Seeing the Sect Master fall, the Clear Sky Sect was filled with wails.
Tang San's eyes turned scarlet in an instant, as if two raging fires burned within them.
The pain of losing a loved one, the endless hatred toward the enemy, tangled in his heart, tormenting him.
"Damn it..."
Tang San struggled to suppress the surging storm within him.
He knew that now was not the time to be immersed in sorrow.
After Tang Xiao's expenditure, Yan was no longer in peak condition.
For his father, his uncle, for the Clear Sky Sect, for all the loved ones who had fallen, he had to stand up and fight to the end!
Tang San straightened his back, his body radiating blue-gold light.
"Yan, I will make you pay with blood!"
Before the words even fell, Tang San charged toward Yan like an arrow released from a bow, wielding the Sea God's Trident.