Tang Lie stood in fear and sorrow, gazing down into the bottom of the valley. In this battle to hunt down Tang Hao, three Title Douluo elders, along with the Soul Douluo and Soul Saints they had brought, had all perished.
This represented a full 60% of the Clear Sky School's elite fighting force. Their blood soaked the entirety of Tian Gu Ridge. After this battle, could the Clear Sky School still maintain its status as the number one sect in the world?
Suddenly, Tang Hao turned his head. His bloodshot eyes fixed on Tang Lie. Blood-red soul power lifted him into the air and brought him to Tang Lie's front.
Sensing the terrifying killing intent, Tang Lie's legs went weak, and he fell to his knees on the spot.
"You wanted to harm my son and Ah Yin too?" Tang Hao questioned coldly.
"N-No... I wouldn't dare..." Tang Lie swallowed hard, forced to bury all his indignation and resentment deep in his heart in the face of death.
"I never wanted any of this. You all forced me into it. This isn't my fault! I'm not wrong—am I!?" Tang Hao's eyes were bloodshot, steam puffing from his nostrils as he roared furiously at Tang Lie. Then he smashed his Clear Sky Hammer in front of Tang Lie's face and demanded again, "Am I right—!?"
Seeing the same hammer that had just slaughtered an entire squad of Clear Sky disciples right in front of him, Tang Lie was drenched in cold sweat and stammered, "R-right, you're right, it's not your fault. It's our fault. It's all our fault..."
"AAAAHHHHHHHHHH—!!" Tang Hao flung the Clear Sky Hammer aside, stretched out his muscular arms like an enraged ape, and pounded his chest, unleashing an earth-shaking howl like a furious baboon, continuing until his voice went hoarse.
"Although all of this was forced upon me by you people," Tang Hao's blood-red eyes locked onto Tang Lie, "I've still committed a grave sin. I don't want to make this mistake any worse. So... leave."
Tang Lie, as if receiving a royal pardon, stood up and fled without even glancing back at the fallen Clear Sky disciples.
Once Tang Lie had gone far enough, Tang Hao returned to the bottom of the valley. He looked at the mutilated corpses and recalled the curses the elders had shouted before dying:
Tang Hao, even if I become a vengeful ghost, I won't let you go.
Tang Hao, even if the sea is dyed red, it won't wash away the blood-debt you've incurred against your own kin, nor cleanse the sins you've committed.
Tang Hao, don't you hear the Clear Sky Hammer crying? When you die, how will you face your ancestors?
Tears streamed uncontrollably down Tang Hao's face. He knelt before the fallen clansmen and kowtowed forcefully several times, smashing his forehead until it was a bloody mess.
"It is I, Tang Hao, who has let down the sect. One day, I will give the sect an explanation."
Finally, Tang Hao looked at Tang San, and a glimmer of comfort returned to his heart. As long as Little San becomes a god one day, those mistakenly killed clansmen could be resurrected, and everything could be restored to how it should have been.
Tang Hao picked up Tang San and approached Ah Yin. His voice was low and solemn:
"Ah Yin, let's go."
At this moment, his obsession with restoring the world to its "correct" track from his past life became even more resolute.
He placed the blood-debt of the Clear Sky School's tragedy onto the head of the Spirit Hall.
"If Qian Xuanji had brought reinforcements on time to block me, I wouldn't have been cornered by my own sect. I wouldn't have been forced to slaughter my own kin with the Clear Sky Hammer. So all of this is Qian Xuanji's fault. It's the Spirit Hall's fault."
Tang Hao resolved: once he left Tian Gu Ridge, he would tear down the Spirit Hall branch on Lima Plains, and demand interest from the Spirit Hall. He would force that dog Qian Xuanji to show himself.
And so, Hao'er's Grand Escape entered its next phase.
Divine Realm — Asura God Palace
Looking at the blood-drenched bottom of Tian Gu Ridge, the Asura God's face remained expressionless.
Ever since the "Precious One" was born on Douluo Continent, the Clear Sky School had been nothing more than a convenient tool in the Asura God's eyes — a power that the Precious One could rely on in the future.
But these Clear Sky Sect disciples had dared to discriminate against my Precious One, even viewing him as a savage,dog bastard, thieving beast-man, and tried to kill him.
From that moment, these people had lost all value as tools. They were destined to die.
The Asura God mused:
"Very well. The next act in the script is to dispose of that hundred-thousand-year Blue Silver Empress. Now that the Precious One has been born, it's time for her to step down. The position of Blue Silver Emperor shall be inherited by my Precious One. It is her honor, and the honor of the billions of blue silver grasses on Douluo Continent."
"So, in order to extract maximum value from this hundred-thousand-year soul beast, she shall sacrifice herself to Tang Hao — gifting a 100,000-year soul ring to be his protector. Her soul bone will go to the Precious One, and the title of Blue Silver Emperor will be passed to him."
In just a few words, the Asura God fully planned out Ah Yin's future.
First, he assigned the necessary "actors." Two groups were currently rushing to hunt Tang Hao — one led by Tang Tian, the other by the Spirit Hall Pope. The Pope's group was still far away, while Tang Tian's group was already close.
"So be it. Let the Clear Sky Sect handle it."
The Asura God decided to assign Tang Tian the role of forcing Ah Yin to sacrifice herself.
Then the Asura God turned his gaze to Ah Yin.
The biggest issue with this hundred-thousand-year soul beast was — she didn't love her own child.
Unacceptable.
If she didn't love her child, how could she willingly sacrifice herself, or willingly pass on the Blue Silver Empreror title to the Precious One?
"No, I demand that you love the Precious One. As a mother, how could you not love your own child?"
The Asura God sent down a divine power from the heavens. Unseen, it entered Ah Yin's body.
After all this was done, the Asura God continued to watch the events unfolding in Tian Gu Ridge.
Divine Realm — Eternal God Palace
"So the next part of the script is..."
Huo Yuhao noticed a divine light descending from the Divine Realm and landing on Ah Yin below.
"That's Asura God's power. The goal is... to deepen Ah Yin's love for Xiao San, so she will willingly sacrifice herself in his moment of danger — making Tang Hao his guardian with a hundred-thousand-year soul ring."
"In other words, Asura wants to go the Sacrifice Route. But Asura, you've underestimated the power of love. Your plot is still too old-fashioned."
"Very well. Let this God-King reluctantly revise it for you."
Huo Yuhao thought for a moment, then sent down his own divine power to Douluo Continent's Ah Yin. He didn't erase the influence of the Asura God — he added a stronger emotional influence: a greater love for someone else than for Tang San.
"Ah... the 'love brain' route. True love is everything. A child is just an accident — especially one born from someone you didn't even love.
Blue Silver Empress, don't you agree with me?"
Director Huo Yuhao, dissatisfied with the Assistant Director's script, made a small revision.
The next act of Hao'er's Grand Escape was officially underway.
Tang Hao was holding Xiaosan and pulling A-Yin as they ran out of Tiangu Ridge.
Suddenly, A-Yin stopped and said, "Let me... carry Tang San."
"A-Yin, you're finally willing to accept Xiaosan!" Tang Hao said with joy.
A-Yin said with disgust, "Don't flatter yourself. I'll never forget what you did to me. I just think our grievances shouldn't be passed on to the next generation."
"Yes, yes, you're right, A-Yin. As expected of my woman!" Tang Hao laughed heartily, then handed Xiaosan over to A-Yin.
He thought of another woman—Bibi Dong. She had hated her daughter until her death before finally letting go. In contrast, A-Yin, in the same situation, was rational and understanding. As expected of her.
"I am not your woman," A-Yin said coldly while holding Xiaosan.
After speaking, she looked at the chubby and ugly little Tang San in her arms. For some reason, although she used to be extremely averse to this child, in a certain moment, he seemed a lot more pleasing to the eye.
A-Yin reached out to play with Xiaosan and thought to herself: No matter what, this... pfft, Tang San is still a piece of flesh that came from my body.
Watching this tender mother-and-child moment, Tang Hao felt the darkness of being forced to kill his kin fade a little. He thought:
Indeed, only in life-and-death situations does A-Yin see my worth.
What a pity... Why couldn't it have been Qian Xuanji leading the Spirit Hall soul-hunting squad instead? If it had been them—Tang Hao looked at the floating Haotian Hammer in his palm and thought—then I wouldn't have to be torn between family and clan.
Tang Hao continued running toward the mouth of the valley with A-Yin. They were getting closer. It felt like once they crossed it, a bright and beautiful future would be waiting on the other side.
Once they passed the valley and entered the Limah Plains, they'd be close to the core territory of Spirit Hall. At that point, everything would fall into place. The sins of the past—once Tang San became a god—he, Tang Hao, would give the clan a proper explanation.
Just as Tang Hao felt he was about to embrace Spirit Hall's protection—
"You disgraceful son, where do you think you're going!" A furious voice came from the valley mouth.
Tang Hao stopped. He saw that Tang Tian had led a squad from the Clear Sky Clan and blocked the valley exit. Tang Tian hovered in the air, circulating his soul power, holding the Haotian Hammer and blocking Tang Hao's path forward.
Tang Tian, a Rank-95 titled Douluo. Martial Soul: Haotian Hammer. Title: "Sky Duoluo."
"Father..." Tang Hao's expression turned extremely grim. He never expected that at the last possible moment, just before success, he'd be intercepted by his own clan.
At this moment, Tang Hao missed Qian Xuanji as much as he had once hated him in his past life.
Meanwhile, Spirit Hall's squad entered Tiangu Ridge.
The soul-hunting team led by Qian Xuanji had just arrived at the battlefield where Tang Hao had fought the three elders. It was dusk—the blood-red setting sun illuminated the bottom of the valley, painting a scene of extreme carnage.
The sounds of Spirit Hall's team moving disturbed the surrounding crows, which cawed harshly and flew up into the sky.
Where they had flown from, only corpses remained.
The crows circled above as if waiting for these uninvited guests to leave so they could feast again.
Spirit Hall's squad examined the corpses, then reported to Qian Xuanji:
"The identities are confirmed—they're Clear Sky Clan elites. Three Titled Douluo: Tang Zhe, Tang Mie, Tang Po. Confirmed Soul Douluos: Tang Tu, Tang Fa, Tang Zhui... and many Soul Saints."
Qian Xuanji, Elder Jin Zhong, and Elder Yin Chui were all visibly shocked.
"Judging by the battle traces, this was a civil war within the Clear Sky Clan. Not long ago, they deployed most of their forces, likely with the same goal as us—hunting that hundred-thousand-year soul beast. Nearly half their elite force is lying dead here," Elder Jin Zhong said in disbelief. "Could it be... they were all killed by Tang Hao?"
Qian Xuanji shook his head, full of disdain. "Among the dead are three Titled Douluo. Tang Hao has only eight soul rings—how could he possibly manage that?" His tone was full of contempt for anyone below nine rings.
"Then what exactly happened here?" Yin Chui asked, puzzled.
No one could say for sure.
Suddenly, a surge of soul power clashing came from the direction of the valley mouth. Qian Xuanji didn't dwell on the mystery and said:
"Seems like Tang Hao is just ahead."
They stealthily made their way to a high ground in the canyon and hid. There, they saw Tang Hao and Tang Tian confronting each other—a father-and-son showdown.
Elder Jin Zhong pointed at the woman beside Tang Hao and asked, "Your Holiness, is that the hundred-thousand-year soul beast?"
"I'm not blind," Qian Xuanji said coldly.
Yin Chui asked, "Your Holiness, should we strike and seize the soul beast now?"
Qian Xuanji shook his head, calm and composed. "No rush. Tang Hao is clearly bewitched by that soul beast. He won't hand them over so easily. A good show is about to begin. Let them fight and exhaust each other—then we'll swoop in and reap the rewards."
Tang Tian still didn't know that Tang Hao had already killed Tang Qi, Tang Mie, Tang Zhe, and Tang Po—four elders—and wiped out much of the Clear Sky Clan's mid-to-upper leadership. But even just Tang Hao's past actions were enough to make his blood pressure spike.
"Father? Hahaha~" Tang Tian laughed at himself, then turned serious and gave an order:
"Tang Hao, if you still recognize me as your father, then hand over that hundred-thousand-year soul beast. Smash that beast-child to death. Come back with me to the ancestral hall and kneel before the ancestors of the Clear Sky Clan."
"Father, his name is Tang San—he's your grandson!" Tang Hao explained painfully. Could it be that even my own father refuses to accept my love with A-Yin?
Damn it—why can't humans and soul beasts be together? Tang Hao screamed inside.
"Grandson?" Tang Tian's eyes widened as he shouted, "Tang Hao, you want me to acknowledge a beast-child born of a soul beast as my grandson? What do you take the Clear Sky Clan for? You want the world to know that our heir is a wolfish abomination? You've brought utter shame to the clan!"
Tang Hao said with anguish, "Father, can't you just give me a little time to prove that my choice wasn't wrong? Just six years! Once Xiaosan awakens his martial soul, I'll show you his worth. He's no abomination—he's the key to our clan's rise!"
"Six years? I can't wait even a moment longer. You had a beast-child with a soul beast—that's a disgrace we must never let spread." Tang Tian roared, "Tang Hao, I'll ask you one last time: will you obey me? If you do, I'll still treat you as my son. Smash that abomination right now!"
Tang Hao's eyes turned bloodshot, his breath heavy and furious. "Must you force me like this?"