After striking down Tang Qizhen, Tang Hao's eyes looked vacant.
This was the last thing he ever wanted to see—his Clear Sky Hammer once again attacking a fellow clan member.
But… why?
Why did you all force me into this? I never wanted to hurt any of you.
Why—why is the Spirit Hall not the one hunting me like they should be? Why is everything different in this life?
"Tang Hao, you actually killed my Zhen'er! I'll make you pay for his life!" Tang Lie roared in fury, summoning his Clear Sky Hammer and charging at Tang Hao.
"Aaaargh—don't push me!" Tang Hao let out an enraged roar, swung his Clear Sky Hammer around, and slammed it forward.
Two Clear Sky Hammers collided. Tang Lie's hammer shattered instantly, and he was blasted several dozen meters away.
Clutching his bleeding wound, Tang Lie still held onto his hammer, eyes bloodshot as he prepared to charge Tang Hao again.
"Tang Lie, you're not his match." Tang Qi flew in and blocked him.
"Father, I have to avenge my Zhen'er!" Tang Lie cried.
Tang Qi looked painfully at the bloody pulp in the crater. "That was your Zhen'er… and also my grandson. Lie'er, go gather the other elders of the sect. Remember, don't approach the Sect Master. Tang Hao is mine. I'll make him pay for killing my grandson."
Tang Lie hesitated.
"What are you waiting for?!" Tang Qi roared at him.
Tang Lie nodded and flew off into the distance.
Tang Qi turned back, his eyes filled with murderous intent as he glared at Tang Hao. "Are you ready to face the wrath of a Titled Douluo, Tang Hao? Even if Tang Tian himself appeared today, I will make you pay for my grandson's death."
He raised his hand, and the Clear Sky Hammer radiated an oppressive blue soul force, crackling with lightning that wrapped around the massive weapon.
"Ninth Soul Skill: Sky-Crushing Strike—!"
Tang Qi started with a full-force attack, charging straight at Tang Hao.
"Why… why do you all keep pushing me…?"
Tang Hao was now fully influenced by the murderous intent of the Slaughter Domain.
His eyes blazed with blood-red light. A ferocious aura surrounded him, forming an overwhelming domain. Clutching the Clear Sky Hammer tightly, eight soul rings surged around him.
"Clear Sky Hammer, Ring Detonation."
The eighth and seventh rings exploded, converting into pure soul power that surged into the hammer.
"Great Sumeru Hammer—!"
Unlike Tang Qi's hammer, Tang Hao's weapon was blood-red. The two massive hammers collided—not in a standoff, but in a brutal clash.
Tang Hao's hammer smashed through Tang Qi's like a hammer through tofu.
"Impossible—absolutely impossible—you only have eight soul rings..."
Tang Qi looked up in disbelief at the hammer about to crush him.
Even knowing the Great Sumeru Hammer was powerful, it shouldn't have been enough to completely destroy his martial spirit.
"No, stop Clear Sky Hammer—!"
Tang Hao snapped out of it, horrified. He hadn't expected Elder Tang Qi's Clear Sky Hammer to be so fragile. Without his martial spirit, Tang Qi would die from this blow.
But at that moment, Tang Hao could no longer hold back.
Boom!
The hammer fell. Tang Qi was crushed into a bloody pulp.
Divine Realm — Asura God Palace
The Asura God looked at Tang Hao and nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad at all. Truly worthy of being my chosen Guardian."
To ensure his precious child's safety, the Asura God had secretly given Tang Hao a cheat—through the Slaughter Domain, his power was boosted several times over. As for how much exactly? That was entirely up to the Asura God.
Still, the fact that Tang Hao, with limited amplification, managed to destroy the martial spirit of a Titled Douluo and kill him outright, even surprised the Asura God a little.
Elsewhere — Eternal Temple
Huo Yuhao withdrew his pen. Just moments ago, he had subtly weakened Tang Qi's final strike, turning it into nothing more than an impressive-looking but ultimately empty move.
As a result, Tang Hao one-shotted him.
Having done all this, Huo Yuhao closed the Book Of Eternity, clapped his hands, and grinned.
"One-shot kill. Absolutely brilliant. With only Spirit Douluo-level cultivation, he took out a Titled Douluo in one hit. Tang Hao, that's a feat to be proud of—but it's still not enough. With me backing you, Hao, feel free to go wild. I'll make sure you shake the world."
Tang Lie was still flying into the distance when a massive boom roared behind him.
The Clear Sky Hammer had fallen. A terrifying shockwave swept toward him. He turned around and, through the forest, glimpsed a giant hammer radiating a blood-red aura.
It wasn't his father's—it was Tang Hao's.
Could it be…?
"Father!"
Tang Lie wanted to go back, but when he reached out with his spiritual sense, he felt the overwhelming, terrifying pressure coming from Tang Hao. He shuddered violently.
In the end, he followed his heart and chose to retreat.
"Tang Hao, just you wait. I'll make the elders of the clan give us justice!"
With hatred in his eyes, Tang Lie flew toward the other elders.
The blood-red Clear Sky Hammer shrank and disappeared into Tang Hao's hand.
He stood silently, staring at the two mangled corpses in the large and small craters. His body trembled, his weathered face filled with pain.
His hammer was once again stained with the blood of his clan.
He wanted to question the Clear Sky Sect:
Why are you the ones trying to kill me? Why are you forcing me into this?
He wanted to question the Spirit Hall:
I've already destroyed so many of your branches—where are you now? Shouldn't you be the ones chasing me, dying at my hands so I can build my fame as the Clear Sky Douluo?
He wanted to question the Asura God:
I appreciate the cheat you gave me, but wasn't this a little too much? Even when I fought Qian Xuanji back then, you didn't give me a cheat this massive.
Thinking of Tang San's future accomplishments eased his heart a little. After all, gods are omnipotent. If a god willed it, even those long dead could be brought back to life.
Tang Hao knelt before the two fallen clan members, bowing several times.
Silently, he swore in his heart:
Elder Tang Qi, nephew Qizhen—I'm sorry. When my son Tang San becomes a god, I will have him resurrect you both and correct all the wrongs.
Having done all this, Tang Hao walked over to A Yin.
His voice was hoarse as he said, "A Yin, you saw it all. I won't let anyone hurt you—not even our clan. Doesn't that prove my heart to you?"
A Yin looked at Tang Hao coldly, saying nothing.
"...Forget it. Let's leave this place. I don't want to strike down any more of our people."
Tang Hao picked up little San, released the soul power restraints on A Yin, and took her hand as they departed.
After Tang Lie fled, he ran into another group sent to intercept Tang Hao.
This group was led by Elder Tang Zhe.
Tang Zhe, Level 94 Title Douluo, Title: Heaven-Shrouder.
When Tang Lie found Elder Tang Zhe, he cried with snot and tears, "Uncle Zhe, please stand up for our branch of the clan!"
"What happened?" Tang Zhe asked.
Tang Lie choked out, "Tang Hao… Tang Hao defied all human decency! Just to protect a soul beast, he killed my son! And my father… I fear he is also dead!"
"There's such a thing? Take me there immediately!" Tang Zhe responded urgently.
Thus, Tang Lie led Tang Zhe and his men to the previous battlefield.
There, Tang Lie saw two massive craters made by the Clear Sky Hammer.
He knew one belonged to his precious son Tang Qizhen, and the other…
Feeling uneasy, Tang Lie walked toward the second crater. Inside, he found a mangled corpse, a mess of blood and flesh.
Tang Zhe jumped into the crater, examined the body, confirmed repeatedly, and finally said with deep sorrow: "This is Elder Tang Qi."
Tang Lie muttered in disbelief, "Impossible… My father was a Title Douluo. How could Tang Hao, a Spirit Douluo with only eight spirit rings, have killed him? It's impossible."
But no matter how unwilling Tang Lie was to accept it, the truth couldn't be denied.
In the other crater, their sect members had confirmed the identity of the second body: Tang Lie's son, Tang Qizhen.
The brutality of the scene infuriated all the Clear Sky Sect disciples present.
Looking at the dazed Tang Lie, Tang Zhe sighed. In a single day, poor Tang Lie had lost both his father and his son to Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer. This blood feud would not be easily forgotten.
Tang Zhe said, "Tang Hao is a beast who's forsaken all morality. Nephew, your uncles will avenge you."
"We must kill that beast Tang Hao! And that hundred-thousand-year soul beast… and that abominable child they spawned!" Tang Lie roared, his eyes bloodshot and breath like a raging bull.
Tang Zhe ordered the Clear Sky Sect disciples to collect the two corpses and take them back to the sect. After confirming the details again with Tang Lie, Tang Zhe still found it hard to believe.
There were no signs of an intense battle at the scene. Between Tang Qi and Tang Hao, it was decided in just one blow.
A Spirit Douluo killing a Title Douluo in a single move—how was that even possible?
A disciple reported, "According to our scouts, Elder Tang Zhe, Tang Hao escaped into the canyon ahead."
Tang Zhe nodded. "Even Elder Tang Qi fell to him. It may be difficult for me alone to capture that beast. Contact the other teams' elders."
Tang Lie, eyes red, said, "Elder, please don't contact the Sect Master. I want blood for blood. If the Sect Master comes, he'll only try to smooth things over."
Tang Zhe nodded.
Soon, Tang Zhe joined forces with two other groups.
One was led by Elder Tang Po, Level 92 Title Douluo, Title: Heaven-Breaker.
The other by Elder Tang Mie, Level 93 Title Douluo, Title: Heaven-Destroyer.
The three groups entered the canyon, taking a shortcut to catch up with Tang Hao—guided by unseen hints from a hidden God-king.