Tang Hao remembered that he had been heading toward Spirit Hall, intending to go on a killing spree. However many Title Douluos Spirit Hall had, he planned to kill them all, to terrify them, to avenge the fallen elders and disciples of the Clear Sky Sect, and to bring peace to his father and ancestors.
(A mere Rank 90 Soul Douluo talking about storming Spirit Hall—where did Tang Hao get such confidence? Who did he kill to gain this confidence? See earlier chapters for details.)
But somehow, he ended up—dazed and confused—in a blood-red corridor.
He walked along the crimson hallway, flanked by bottomless abyss. At the end of the corridor stood a grand and shadowy palace.
Something inside the palace seemed to be calling to him. Tang Hao walked through the corridor and entered the main hall. At its center stood a lone figure, back turned to him.
The figure stood with hands clasped behind his back, shrouded in a mist of blood-red aura.
Tang Hao looked at the figure's back. After a moment, he immediately recognized who it was.
The God of Asura.
Though he had never met this deity in his past life, his son, Tang San, was the inheritor of the Asura God's legacy. The aura emanating from this man was nearly identical to that of Tang San.
Once he realized the figure's identity, Tang Hao immediately dropped to his knees with a flattering expression.
"Your subordinate Tang Hao greets the Supreme God."
The God of Asura turned around, his gaze sharp and chilling. He said,
"You do have some discernment. I am the God of Asura."
Now fully convinced of the identity before him, Tang Hao became even more sycophantic and eager to please:
"I wonder, what business does the God King have with me?"
Could it be… the God of Asura knew I was going to storm Spirit Hall, so he came to bless me with a divine cheat? Maybe even a more powerful one?
Tang Hao grew excited at the thought.
But then—step by step—the God of Asura descended with immense pressure, approached Tang Hao, and slowly raised his hand.
Suddenly—
SLAP!
The slap struck Tang Hao squarely in the face, launching him into the air, spinning a full 365 degrees before he crashed to the ground.
Clutching his swollen cheek, Tang Hao looked stunned and aggrieved. The God of Asura sneered and shouted directly in his face:
"Don't forget your place! If it weren't for me backing you from behind, you would've died in the Sky Valley Ridge ages ago! You think you're something special? You think the strength you show is your own? You're nothing but a piece of trash! A morally bankrupt beast! If it weren't for my precious one, I'd have no use for garbage like you!
Just because a Soul Douluo like you managed to kill a few Title Douluos, you think you're all that? You want to storm Spirit Hall? You haven't caused me enough trouble already?"
"For covering your sorry ass, even the Divine Realm Committee noticed. I've been stripped of my position as the God of Law Enforcement! That's all your fault, you damn waste, you beast!"
With that, another brutal slap sent Tang Hao sprawling across the floor.
"And now you want to borrow more power to take revenge on Spirit Hall? What, you think the mess you've made isn't big enough?"
Another slap hit Tang Hao in the face.
"Take a good look at yourself. With that pointy chin and monkey face, you should splash some urine on a mirror and take a look at your sorry self! Get your mind straight. Your only real job now is to guard and guide my precious one—got it?"
With each curse came another slap. The God of Asura berated him mercilessly, leaving Tang Hao dazed, not knowing what he was even doing anymore.
It took a long time before Tang Hao finally came back to his senses. He now understood why the God of Asura had come to him.
The god had given him such an overpowered cheat that it triggered the divine world's watchdogs, leading to the god's punishment.
How could this be?! I was still using that cheat to beat up Clear Sky Sect traitors, wielding my filial hammer, mourning in pain! I was just about to smash all of Spirit Hall—now you're telling me the cheat's revoked?!
Tang Hao was fuming internally.
Another slap sent him crashing to the ground. The God of Asura bellowed:
"Now you understand? Because of you, I can no longer interfere in the mortal realm lightly. I'm taking back the divine power I gave you in the Killing God Domain. From now on, I can't help you anymore. Remember this, Tang Hao—stop making trouble! Fulfill your duty as a protector! Understand?"
"Yes, yes, I understand!" Tang Hao nodded desperately, still holding his swollen face, trying to look as respectful and obedient as possible.
With that, the God of Asura withdrew the divine power from Tang Hao's body and said:
"The Divine Realm Committee is already watching me. Until Tang San officially inherits my legacy, I have no legitimate reason to help you. From here on, you're on your own. If anything happens to my precious one under your care, I'll make you pay."
Tang Hao swore over and over:
"Rest assured, Lord Asura! I won't let you down. Tang San is my son too—how could I let anything happen to him?"
Though his face was so swollen it was barely recognizable, the sycophantic grin still shone through.
"Uh… but Lord Asura," Tang Hao ventured carefully, "my ninth ring is currently missing. Could you perhaps arrange a God-bestowed spirit ring for me? Say… one of 100,000 years?"
SMACK!
Another heavy slap landed right on his face.
"You want a God-bestowed ring from me? Look at yourself! That monkey face—you think you're worthy? Get it yourself!"
"Yes, yes, of course!" Tang Hao could only cover his face and grin flatteringly.
Then, in the blink of an eye, the God of Asura vanished, along with the towering divine hall. The ground beneath Tang Hao gave way, and he seemed to fall into a bottomless abyss.
Tang Hao jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat.
"Was that… a dream?"
He reached up to touch his face. It was swollen and numb with pain—a clear sign that it was not a dream. Still skeptical, Tang Hao activated the Killing God Domain, only to find that it had returned to a normal, mortal state. It still enhanced his strength, but nowhere near as absurdly as before.
The sudden downgrade left Tang Hao both angry and grief-stricken. He pounded his chest with his long arms and let out a tragic howling cry like a furious baboon.
After venting, Tang Hao returned to reality and faced a harsh question:
Should he still go to Spirit Hall for revenge?
Before, with divine cheats, he was full of unstoppable confidence. But now, with no divine support, how could a Rank 90 Soul Douluo like him possibly take on the entirety of Spirit Hall?
Tang Hao, who had been fired up and ready to strike, instantly deflated.
Yet all that pent-up anger and grievance still needed an outlet.
Helpless, Tang Hao could only carry Tang San and wander near the outskirts of Spirit Hall's territory, destroying small Spirit Hall branches in secret, doing his best not to attract the attention of the Spirit Hall's true powerhouses—using these small acts of destruction to vent his frustrations and sorrow.
Tang Hao's plan had only just begun, when just a few days later, he received troubling news:
Spirit Hall had realized that a disciple of the Clear Sky Clan was roaming around, destroying Spirit Hall branches, inciting chaos, and seeking deliberate revenge. After investigation, Spirit Hall confirmed that it was indeed the doing of a Clear Sky Clan disciple.
However, because Spirit Hall and the Clear Sky Clan had a prior agreement, they were in no position to demand justice from the Clear Sky Clan directly.
Shortly afterward, another message came:
Qian Jun Douluo from the Worship Hall had announced his departure from Spirit Hall.
But just a few days later, Tang Hao received terrible news:
Qian JunDouluo had entered the Clear Sky Clan and slaughtered dozens of its disciples. Holding up their severed heads, he declared them to be the "true culprits," using the act as a token of loyalty to regain Spirit Hall's forgiveness and was reaccepted into their ranks.
"Spirit Hall… You made me kill my own brothers. You destroyed my clan. My external powers were taken from me, and I no longer dare to charge into Spirit City…"
"And yet, you can't even let me keep this tiny shred of joy?!"
Tang Hao's eyes began to turn blood red, his breathing ragged.
He stretched his gorilla-like arms and beat his chest violently, letting out a furious, savage roar like a howling baboon:
"AAAAHHHHHHH!! Spirit Hall! I, Tang Hao, take full responsibility for all of this! What does this have to do with my clan? The Clear Sky Clan is innocent! You attack my sect, kill my brothers—for what?! If you have the guts, come for me! I, Tang Hao, will face the consequences alone!"
He howled toward the direction of Spirit City.
However, Tang Hao could only swallow his fury. Revenge required power—and right now, he had none.
All he could do was hold Little San tightly in his arms, as if clinging to a life-saving straw.
This child was Tang Hao's only hope to clear the unjust accusation of killing his comrades.
He was Tang Hao's only chance to take revenge on Spirit Hall…
His only hope of one day dominating the entire Douluo Continent and controlling the fate of all beings.
He could not afford to lose him.
And so, Tang Hao buried all of his hatred and grievances deep within, retreating with Little San to the origin of their entire story—Holy Soul Village.
"Spirit Hall… just you wait. Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river. Don't look down on me, Tang Hao, just because I'm a down-and-out middle-aged man. When Little San becomes a god and returns, we will demand blood for blood!"