On the journey that followed, Tang Hao became an eyesore. Whenever Ah Yin and Tang Xiao got even slightly close, he would show up like a completely unwelcome third wheel.
Even though Tang Hao knew this would only make Ah Yin loathe him more, he couldn't stand the sight of the woman he loved being intimate with another man—even if that man was his own brother.
The consequence of this was that Ah Yin began to hate Tang Hao more and more. She didn't even want to call him "Brother Hao" anymore, and her attitude toward him became increasingly harsh.
At dinner, the virtuous Ah Yin had prepared a lavish meal for Tang Xiao.
Tang Hao watched Tang Xiao's steaming hot food with wide, longing eyes. He swallowed hard—this was the treatment he alone had enjoyed in his previous life.
So, thick-skinned again, he asked,
"Ah Yin, did you make anything for me?"
"You?" Ah Yin said coldly, "I happened to make two extra dishes."
She brought over a plate of fish and a tofu dish. The moment Tang Hao saw the dishes, his face fell.
One dish was called "Haoduo Fish" ("A Lot of Fish") and the other "Ai Si Tofu" ("Love-Death Tofu").
Tang Hao picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and tasted it—it was salty. Too salty. He nearly spat it out.
"Is it good?" Ah Yin asked with a bright smile.
"It's good," Tang Hao forced himself to nod.
"Then eat it all," Ah Yin said.
Tang Hao looked at Tang Xiao enjoying his delicious meal, and recalling Ah Yin's cooking in their past life, he understood—it was deliberate.
But to avoid worsening her impression of him, Tang Hao pinched his nose and forced himself to eat the dark cuisine Ah Yin had "specially" made for him.
Later, in Yelin City, Ah Yin and Tang Xiao wrote down their wishes on a lantern like a couple in love. Tang Hao stood behind them in the shadows, eyes green with envy.
When they arrived at an inn, Ah Yin told the manager:
"Two rooms: one single, one couple's room."
"No. Three single rooms," Tang Hao said coldly.
"You're a man and a woman. How inappropriate is it to share a room?"
"Tang Hao, Brother Xiao and I are already in a relationship. What's wrong with sleeping together?" Ah Yin replied with disgust.
"You… you're not even married yet. It's just… it's inappropriate," Tang Hao stammered, struggling to find a reason.
"Tang Hao, what's the point of pestering like this? It only makes me hate you more."
"Alright, alright," Tang Xiao stepped in to mediate.
"Three single rooms it is."
He had already sensed something was wrong with his younger brother and didn't want to provoke him further.
Tang Xiao's compromise gave Tang Hao a moment of relief. These past days, watching the two become more and more affectionate, Tang Hao was on the brink of collapse. If they had shared a room, he might have gone completely mad.
That night, Tang Xiao came to see Tang Hao in person and tried to comfort him:
"Brother Hao, feelings can't be forced. If Ah Yin doesn't like you, then she just doesn't. What's the point in pushing it? There are so many good women in the world—with your talents, who couldn't you have?"
Tang Hao looked at Tang Xiao with dark, unreadable eyes. He didn't reply. Instead, he turned and entered his own room.
If… if he hadn't been reborn, if Ah Yin had rejected him, Tang Hao might have been heartbroken, but he would have done the same as his brother: backed away, and given them his blessing.
But all of that was based on never having had her.
Yet he had—Tang Hao had once held Ah Yin's love.
And he knew what that love meant. It wasn't just affection. It was the fate of the chosen child. It was the future ruler of the Douluo Continent.
In his past life, he had won. He had a virtuous wife, a filial son. His son became a god, and he himself became the master of the entire Douluo Continent.
Love, power, and strength—all his.
And now he was being told that everything he once had would now belong to Tang Xiao?
The thought of his beloved wife curled up in his brother's arms, of his future son calling his brother "Father," of Tang Xiao sitting on the throne once meant for him and commanding the fate of the world, while he withered alone—
How could Tang Hao ever accept that?
In the chaos of his thoughts, a voice came from the neighboring room.
"Ah Yin, what are you doing?"
"Brother Xiao, I'm obviously here to be with you."
"But Hao's in the room next door."
"So what? We're a couple. Of course we should be together. What right does he have to interfere?"
"But… I feel Hao's emotions are a bit unstable."
"That's his problem. If he's not over it, let him sit next door and listen. And if he still can't take it… when you're out of energy, we can call him over to help push. That way he gets to participate, doesn't he?"
Ah Yin's words seemed deliberately designed to provoke.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Tang Hao howled like a crazed beast—completely unhinged.
Why is this happening—
His eyes turned red, his breath ragged and furious.
It has to be Tang Xiao. He must have used some despicable method to make Ah Yin fall for him. He must have!
Could it be… he was reborn too? Did he come back just to steal everything from me?!
No. Absolutely not. What's mine is mine. I will never let it be taken from me.
A glint of hatred flickered in Tang Hao's eyes.
As if a decision had been made in the darkness, he whispered:
"Ah Yin… You belong to me, Tang Hao. You will always belong to me. Even if… even if I must use the vilest of means, I will make sure you stay by my side."
In the next room, Tang Xiao and Ah Yin were still speaking, but he was no longer listening.
"don't provoke Hao anymore. He's not in a good state."
"Hmph, I want to provoke him. So what? Who told him to buzz around like an annoying fly?"
The next day, Tang Hao, with his hair looking like a bird's nest, came looking for Tang Xiao. He said, "Brother, I've decided to give up and return to the Clear Sky Sect to inherit the family business."
Hearing this, Tang Xiao patted Tang Hao on the shoulder and said, "It's good that you've come to terms with it. I'll introduce you to a good partner someday."
"Mm, Brother," Tang Hao replied without saying much more.
After breakfast, A Yin and Tang Xiao decided to continue their journey to explore the world, while Tang Hao returned to the Clear Sky Sect. Before parting, Tang Xiao decided to see Tang Hao off.
They walked together until they came to a fork in the road, where not a single soul could be seen within a ten-mile radius.
A Yin and Tang Xiao held hands. A Yin, overjoyed upon hearing that Tang Hao was leaving, cheerfully discussed fun places they could visit next with Tang Xiao.
Tang Hao trailed behind them, his stiff face growing darker by the moment.
A Yin, I haven't even left yet, and you're already this excited? You really can't stand me, huh? You weren't like this in your past life. It must be Tang Xiao—he must have put some spell on you.
"How about we visit Hanhai City? I heard the seafood there is amazing. What do you think, A Yin?" Tang Xiao pondered for a moment and said.
"Sounds good! I can make you some of my specialty dishes then."
"You're not planning to cook me a ton of fish again, are you?" Tang Xiao teased.
A Yin replied, "No way! I don't just cook that one dish. I can make all sorts of things—just for you. Other people won't even get the chance to try them."
"Haha, then I'm in for a treat."
Silently, a Clear Sky Hammer appeared in Tang Hao's hand.
With each step he took forward, a soul ring fell into place beneath him.
"Then we could go to Gengxin City, the city of blacksmiths. Once we get there, I can show you my forging skills," Tang Xiao said. "I'll make you a protective soft armor."
"Then thank you, Brother Xiao," A Yin smiled.
While Tang Xiao was still happily making plans for their next journey, a sudden surge of violent soul power erupted from behind.
"Great Sumeru Hammer—!" came a furious roar that had clearly been held in for a long time.
Tang Xiao turned around—only to see a giant hammer flying straight at him with unstoppable force.
Caught off guard, he was struck in the back by the Clear Sky Hammer—
"Ah—!"
With a sickening crack, under the hammer's terrifying power, Tang Xiao's spine was instantly shattered. His body flew like a blood-filled sack before hitting the ground.
A Yin stood frozen, staring blankly at Tang Hao. His eyes were bloodshot, his breathing labored like an enraged bull, still holding the Clear Sky Hammer mid-swing.
"Brother Hao… you… why…" Tang Xiao coughed up blood, groaning in pain as he tried to get up—only to realize in horror that his spine was broken. He was paralyzed. His mind reeled. He, Tang Xiao, already a Soul Douluo, just one more soul ring away from becoming a Titled Douluo, on the verge of stepping into their grandfather's legendary domain… And now, he was crippled. It was too much to accept.
Thinking of A Yin, of his son Tang San, the future God King, and of his destined place as ruler of the planes, Tang Hao laughed bitterly through his rage: "Hahaha… My dear brother—you're trying to steal my woman, steal everything that belongs to me, and you ask me why?!"
"Shut up! I'm not your woman!" A Yin snapped out of her shock and rushed to Tang Xiao's side, checking his injuries. When she felt his shattered spine, her expression turned grim. She immediately channeled her Blue Silver Empress soul power into Tang Xiao's body, carefully trying to heal his wounds.
The sight pushed Tang Hao over the edge. His eyes burned with crimson bloodlust, steam gushing from his flared nostrils. He threw the Clear Sky Hammer aside, flexed his bronze-toned muscles, and began beating his chest in agony. He roared in pain and fury.
"AAAAAHHH! WHY?! A Yin, why is it always him in your eyes? Even now that he's a cripple, you still won't even look at me! We—we were meant to be together! Why?!"
"There's no why," A Yin replied coldly. "I don't like you. It was destined from the moment I first saw you. Now, it's clear I wasn't wrong about you. You're a beast—to do something so cruel to your own brother."
Then she turned to Tang Xiao and said gently, "From the first moment I saw Brother Xiao, I fell deeply in love with him. Even now, after you've grievously wounded him, I'm willing to take care of him for the rest of my life."
"A Yin…" Tang Xiao's pain melted away as he gazed lovingly back at her.
The scene pierced Tang Hao's heart once more. He took a deep breath and tried to steady himself. "I don't know what spell my brother put on you, but A Yin—you are mine. You'll never escape my grasp in this life. If I can't have your heart, I'll take your body first… then slowly win your heart."
With that, Tang Hao began walking toward A Yin step by step.
"Y-You… what are you trying to do?" A Yin sensed danger and panicked.
Tang Hao was already upon her, sealing her soul power, grabbing her forcefully. Just as he was about to leave, Tang Xiao reached out and grabbed his foot.
"Let go of A Yin!" Tang Xiao shouted in fury.
"Let me go!" A Yin struggled in his grip.
Tang Hao kicked Tang Xiao's hand away and took A Yin, vanishing into the distance.
Left behind, Tang Xiao crawled along the ground with great difficulty, using only his hands.
"Tang Hao! Stop! Give A Yin back to me…"
In the Eternal Temple
Huo Yuhao closed the Eternal Chronicle, his peripheral gaze sweeping across the Douluo Continent, taking in the dramatic scene between the three. He sneered coldly. "What a spectacular show. In the face of endless, foreseeable gain, even pure love must give way, mustn't it?"
Elsewhere, in the Asura Temple
The God of Asura had just finished handling some affairs. Upon returning and activating his divine vision, he was stunned.
"What the hell just happened?" The God of Asura was completely bewildered.
According to his script, after Tang Hao emerged from Slaughter City, Tang Xiao was supposed to be written off. A Yin would fall for Tang Hao, and together they would have a son—who would then be the host body for his precious protégé. Tang Hao would become the protector, and the soul beast (A Yin) would be sacrificed at the key moment for love, paving the way for the protector and his protégé.
But the plot had gone off the rails. A Yin fell for Tang Xiao instead of Tang Hao. That was still manageable—Tang Xiao's talent was sufficient. Let Tang Hao be the gatekeeper, and when the child was born, he could still serve as its protector. Later, when his protégé inherited the Asura God's throne, Tang Hao could offer a sacrificial path to the divine legacy.
But who would have expected Tang Hao to snap on the spot, crush his brother's spine, and abduct A Yin?
The God of Asura was stunned. Deeply shaken.
If you love her… shouldn't you let her go?
For a long time, the God of Asura calculated with his fingers, utterly baffled. There were no abnormalities at all!
He glanced again at the Douluo Continent within his divine sight and finally accepted the reality.
Although the plot had somewhat deviated, it still remained within his calculations. After all, his original goal was to pair a hundred-thousand-year soul beast with one of the twin stars of the Clear Sky Clan to give birth to a body suitable for the Great Treasure to possess. As for whether the two truly loved each other — that wasn't something the God of Asura cared about.
This unforeseen development made him pay closer attention to the Douluo Continent.
A few days later, Tang Xiao, relying on sheer willpower, crawled back and contacted the Clear Sky Sect through the city's people.
Eventually, the gravely injured Tang Xiao was brought back to the sect. Tang Tian sat in the Sect Master's seat, his heart aching as he looked upon his paralyzed son. Tang Xiao — one of the Twin Stars of the Clear Sky, wielder of the top-tier weapon spirit Clear Sky Hammer, and a naturally full-soul-power genius — if nothing had gone wrong, he was destined to become a Super Douluo and a legendary figure across the continent.
Perhaps even beyond — he could've reached the Limit Douluo rank and upheld the glory of the Clear Sky Sect.
But all of that was over. Tang Xiao's spine had been shattered. In his condition, forget becoming a Super or Limit Douluo — whether he could even reach Title Douluo was questionable.
Of the two pillars representing the sect's future, one had fallen. The Clear Sky Sect had suffered an unbearable loss.
Looking at the lifeless expression on Tang Xiao's face, Tang Tian slammed his palm heavily on the armrest and roared angrily:
"Who did this?! Xiao'er, tell me — was it the Spirit Hall? Or some other faction? Do they think the Clear Sky Sect is easy to bully now that it has no leader?!"
At this moment, Tang Xiao was deeply conflicted. It was a disgraceful matter — he had been betrayed by his own brother, Tang Hao, who had also stolen his woman.
But now that he was crippled and his beloved had fallen into Tang Hao's hands, Tang Xiao harbored deep resentment. He wished to use the sect's power to find Tang Hao and take Ah Yin back from him.
Having made up his mind, Tang Xiao opened his mouth and said:
"Father… this matter wasn't done by outsiders."
He then recounted everything — how he and Tang Hao had met Ah Yin, how they both fell in love with her.
By the end, Tang Xiao pleaded:
"Father, in order to steal my woman, Tang Hao actually struck me down with such cruelty and abducted the woman I love the most. I beg the Clear Sky Sect to seek justice for me!"
Upon hearing the story, Tang Tian spat a mouthful of blood on the floor.
"You two..."
"You two were actually manipulated by a seductress to the point of turning against each other?!" Tang Tian said in anguish.
If it had been some external force, Tang Tian could have hated, could have retaliated. But this... this was fratricide. And the root of the tragedy? A woman!
The Clear Sky Sect had lost a future peak-level genius — all because of a woman. Tang Tian could only lament in pain.
Inside the main hall, the sect elders murmured among themselves:
"Who would've thought that the Tang brothers would turn on each other over a woman…"
"Truly a femme fatale…"
"That vixen has ruined our Clear Sky Sect…"
Sensing the mood shifting dangerously, Tang Xiao hurriedly corrected:
"Father, elders, this has nothing to do with Ah Yin. She and I loved each other willingly. All of this was Tang Hao's fault — it's him who should be blamed!"
"Silence!" Tang Tian snapped in fury. "If not for that seductress, would you brothers have come to this point?!"
Now that things had come to this, Tang Xiao was crippled. Of the Clear Sky Twin Stars, only Tang Hao remained. Whether it was her fault or not, the blame had to fall on Ah Yin.
Afterward, Tang Tian shouted:
"Where is Tang Hao? That unfilial son — bring him back to me!"
An elder responded, "Reporting to the Sect Master, Tang Hao has gone missing."
"Missing?" Tang Tian fumed, his beard trembling with rage. "Then issue a bounty! I want every lead on that ungrateful traitor!"
Thus, the Clear Sky Sect issued a bounty for news on Tang Hao.
The most powerful clan in the world putting a bounty on its own heir caught the attention of all sides. Spies and agents sprang into action, and soon, the news that the Clear Sky Twin Stars had fought over a woman spread like wildfire.
In Spirit Hall — the Pope's Hall
"The Clear Sky Twin Stars turned on each other? Hahaha! Good! Excellent! Truly excellent!"
Pope Qian Xunji nearly threw a banquet upon receiving the news.
"Congratulations, Your Holiness. Tang Xiao is no longer a threat to us," congratulated Jin Zhong Douluo, the Guardian Douluo.
Qian Xunji nodded with satisfaction.
"What a pity… if only Tang Hao were crippled as well."
Silver Hammer Douluo's eyes gleamed as he offered a plan:
"Your Holiness, should we also investigate Tang Hao's whereabouts, secretly stoking the conflict between him and the Clear Sky Sect? Let them fight to mutual ruin, and we can sit back and reap the rewards."
"Good. Do as you suggest," Qian Xunji said, eyes gleaming with opportunity.
In the Spirit Hall's Worship Hall
The situation of Tang Hao and his brothers reminded Qian Daoliu of his own past — he and Tang Chen had once both loved the same woman. Unfortunately for him, Xi Xi had only loved Tang Chen. Knowing he had no chance, he had voluntarily withdrawn.
He had loved her — and since she didn't love him, stepping back was the wisest course of action. Qian Daoliu hadn't expected Tang Chen's descendants to end up in such chaos.
Qian Renxue read the report and smiled knowingly.
"Xue'er, what's made you so happy?" Qian Daoliu asked.
"Grandfather, in my memories, Tang Hao and Ah Yin deeply loved each other. Tang Xiao voluntarily withdrew. The brothers were harmonious. There was no fratricide or brother stealing his sibling's wife."
"Then why…?"
Qian Renxue sighed:
"Love is a double-edged sword. For some, it becomes a tool of manipulation. Others become its slaves, their actions dictated by emotion. But in the hands of gods, love is a thread — pulling their pawns toward divine goals."
"Back then, the Angel God's trial was tampered with by the Sea God, causing me to fall in love with Tang San. If instead of trying to win him over, I had eliminated him… perhaps the Spirit Hall…"
She paused, then added:
"But even if I had, what would've changed? He resurrected once — and could resurrect again."
Hearing her story, Qian Daoliu felt helpless. He looked up at the Angel statue in the Worship Hall, silent for a long time. Then he asked:
"Now that the True God Ancestor is with us, surely you won't face such misfortune again. Xue'er, if you speak of gods, does this mean a divine force is behind this matter?"
Qian Renxue nodded.
"Yes. Without divine intervention, how could there be such a twisted fate — a brother taking his brother's wife, love turning to hatred? In the future, even their once-loving bond will be filled with enmity."
As she spoke, Qian Renxue suddenly thought of her past self, her expression turning strange.
"It seems Tang San will be very fortunate in the next life."
"This time… we have a god on our side too."