Chapter 222: Tang Hao's Painful Loss
Tang San may still be a student in many respects, but his learning ability was undeniably extraordinary. However, mastering the HaoTian Sect's core techniques was no easy feat; both strength and skill were essential.
While Tang San was busy training, Tang Hao began preparing for his son's next stage. The infamous Slaughter City had long been a rite of passage for the sect, ever since the legendary Tang Chen had become the first HaoTian Douluo to conquer it.
Tang Chen had devised a relatively safe method for passing through the Slaughter City: first, acquire a head spirit bone to enhance mental strength. This would enable one to resist the pervasive madness of the Slaughter City, while advanced self created techniques could ensure survival. Tang Hao himself had followed this path and was intent on sending Tang San down the same road.
But finding a head spirit bone was easier said than done. Tang Chen had left one as a legacy for Tang Hao, but it was lost with Ah Yin's death. And among all spirit bones, head spirit bones were rarest and most precious, often requiring the slaying of spirit beasts with mental attributes a near impossible task.
Thus, Tang Hao set out for Star Dou Forest, hoping to find a suitable head spirit bone for Tang San, whose path was too crucial to risk. Originally, the Thunder Hell Prison Vine's left arm bone would have sufficed, as its high purity lightning energy could stabilize Tang San's mind. But since it had been stolen, Tang Hao had to resort to this dangerous hunt.
Arriving at Star Dou Forest, Tang Hao moved swiftly to the Mixed Zone. While spirit bones could sometimes drop randomly from killed beasts, they were more likely to appear based on specific characteristics. Powerful arm bones often came from strength focused beasts, leg bones from speed based ones, torso bones from defensive beasts, and head bones from mental beasts rare as they were.
In the forest's Mixed Zone, Tang Hao unleashed a massacre of relentless ferocity. Empowered by his 95th rank, the HaoTian Hammer's unique might, and the power of a 200,000 year spirit ring, he decimated any spirit beast that dared cross his path. Blood and fragments of beasts littered the forest floor as he pressed on.
The massacre lasted three days.
Finally, a formidable 30,000 year old Three Eyed Kui Wolf fell before him, and Tang Hao was rewarded with his desired spirit bone a head spirit bone brimming with mental power.
"Thirty thousand years, not bad," Tang Hao mused. "Perfectly suitable for Tang San." Smiling with satisfaction, he pocketed the spirit bone along with two other spirit bones he'd collected. Though the latter weren't ideal for Tang San, they could strengthen the HaoTian Sect's members upon his return.
Just as Tang Hao prepared to leave the forest, he sensed a sudden presence and reflexively jumped back.
"Who's there?" he shouted.
Before him stood a figure dressed in resplendent golden robes, his intense gaze marked by striking golden eyes: Di Tian, ruler of Star Dou Forest.
Di Tian eyed Tang Hao, blood soaked and battered, with clear distaste.
"Enjoying yourself?" Di Tian's voice was cold.
Tang Hao, unaware that Di Tian was a spirit beast, assumed he was another soul master, perhaps lured by the spirit bones in his possession.
"Leave!" Tang Hao's aura bristled with menace. A fight now would be risky in his current state.
Di Tian sneered. As the self proclaimed most powerful spirit beast on the continent, the ruler of Star Dou, he found Tang Hao's arrogance laughable.
Recently, Di Tian had resolved to rebuild his strength and perhaps even pursue a divine path through cultivating faith. While contemplating these lofty ambitions, he had emerged from the Lake of Life, only to witness Tang Hao slaughtering scores of spirit beasts his "future believers." He was enraged.
"Human, you will pay for this," Di Tian growled, as he raised his hand and conjured a massive claw of pure energy. He hadn't even deemed it necessary to use his Dragon God Claws this would be more than enough.
The tremendous power of the claw made Tang Hao's blood run cold. 98th, maybe 99th rank? Who is this man? But instinct kicked in, and he abandoned any thought of fighting.
With a bellow, Tang Hao activated his spirit rings, detonating them in succession to channel their energy into his body and amplify his speed. He even unleashed his Killing God Domain, all in a desperate bid to escape. The gap in power was too vast to consider anything else.
As Di Tian's claw swept towards him, Tang Hao poured everything into his escape, but not without consequence. In a flash, he felt a piercing agony in his left leg as the claw grazed him. Unable to stop, Tang Hao staggered forward, realizing in horror that his entire lower left leg had been shredded into nothingness.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, he pressed on, knowing that once the effects of the detonated rings wore off, he would be left completely vulnerable.
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