"Dad!" Tang San wanted to rush over to save his father, but Xiao Wu stopped him.
"Ah San giegie, don't go! It's too dangerous over there," Xiao Wu said.
"That's right, Ah San. It's dangerous. We were only just spared by Spirit Hall—you mustn't anger them again," Yu Tianheng said, pulling at him.
Then, Xiao Wu's group of men held Tang San back from behind, preventing him from seeing his father.
Tang San only thought Xiao Wu was worried for his safety. Though he was restrained, he didn't resent her.
But he failed to notice the hatred flickering in Xiao Wu's eyes!
Seeing Tang Hao now—like a homeless dog—Xiao Wu felt a surge of satisfaction. If things went smoothly, Tang Hao would die in Spirit Hall.
Even if she couldn't kill Tang Hao with her own hands, seeing him die so miserably was worth it.
She also wanted Tang San to watch helplessly as his father died—just like she had once been forced to watch her own mother die at the hands of this damned man.
But Tang Hao's death wouldn't mark the end of her vengeance. If she survived, she would keep luring Tang San, ruining his cultivation, delaying his life, until he became a useless, green-shelled turtle. She would drive him to a farm, whip him daily, force him to work until death, and ensure the Tang family line ended with Tang Hao. Ahahahaha—
The more she thought about it, the crazier Xiao Wu's eyes became.
Yue Guan casually picked up Tang Hao's severed hand, extracted the spirit bone inside, and tossed it to Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong caught it and transmitted her voice directly to Yue Guan: "Enough. The interest is collected. Leave him a breath."
"Yes, Your Holiness," Yue Guan replied.
Ghost yanked Tang Hao up, then kicked him hard in the chest. Tang Hao's body shot out like a cannonball, landing precisely in the Heaven Dou Empire's ranks.
This scene utterly destroyed the public's perception of Tang Hao.
Before, he was infamous for patricide, betraying his clan, consorting with a soul beast, and fathering a beast-spawn. His name was foul, but his strength was undeniable.
In the Battle of Tang Hao Vs Clear Sky Sect, Tang Hao had been terrifying, slaughtering multiple Titled Douluo of the Rat Clan, their sect master, as well as the Pope of Spirit Hall, and even the two great temple protectors.
If he could do that as a peak-level Spirit Douluo, how fearsome must Tang Hao be as a true Titled Douluo?
Yet after this battle, the world saw nothing special. At most, he looked like a strong Super Douluo.
The illusion shattered instantly.
Humiliation. In his past life, Tang Hao had ruled the Douluo Plane for ten thousand years. Never had he felt such disgrace.
Before the eyes of the world, all his dignity was trampled. The inherited Clear Sky Sect spirit bone stolen, his arm severed—reduced to a stray dog.
Alongside humiliation came fear—fear of death.
In his past life, when he lost Ah Yin, he had not feared death. He even longed for it. Without his son, he might have gladly died to join her.
But later, Tang San gave Tang Hao hope. Tang San rose to glory, revived Ah Yin, and Tang Hao's life became complete. When his son became a god, they began orchestrating the future of the Douluo Continent. Tang Hao became the master of the plane, and Ah Yin replaced the Golden Tree, becoming the life core of the Douluo Plane.
His will ruled over the fates of all beings. His decisions determined life and death. He even drew in the Abyssal Plane, hoping to devour it to strengthen Douluo Continent and himself.
Having once tasted the supreme power to command all, how could Tang Hao's reborn life end at the hands of Spirit Hall?
No. I cannot die.
Just then, a mysterious healing force surged into Tang Hao's body. It didn't fully heal him, but it gave him enough strength to move.
Tang Hao turned his head toward the Heaven Dou Empire's ranks. Suddenly, his gaze fixed on Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
Yes. A spark of inspiration flashed.
With a leap, Tang Hao seized Xue Qinghe by the throat.
"Ugh—" Xue Qinghe froze at the sudden attack. By the time he reacted, Tang Hao had him in a chokehold.
"Tang Hao! Stop! Why seize the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou Empire?" Marshal Ge Long demanded.
Tang Hao said coldly: "Crown Prince? Hmph. Your Crown Prince was swapped long ago."
"What do you mean?" the Heaven Dou foreign minister asked.
"What do I mean? Ask your fake prince—Qian Renxue," Tang Hao sneered at Xue Qinghe.
"I—I'm not Qian Renxue…" Xue Qinghe forced out, straining under his grip.
"Still denying it?" Tang Hao laughed coldly.
He dragged Xue Qinghe directly before Spirit Hall.
Everyone was stunned by the sudden turn.
"Tang Hao, what are you doing? Let him go—he's the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou Empire!" Ning Fengzhi could no longer sit still. After all, Xue Qinghe was his disciple.
"Sect Master Ning, let me tell you something. Xue Qinghe has long been dead. The person before you—your disciple—is actually the daughter of the last Pope Qian Xunji and the current Pope Bibi Dong: Qian Renxue."
"What?!" The crowd erupted. Tang Hao had dropped a bombshell. Shocked voices filled the air.
Only Spirit Hall remained unmoved. Yue Guan and Ghost stood still, and Bibi Dong's expression was as calm as an ancient well, untouched by the surrounding uproar.
"When your Crown Prince was nine, he encountered a blonde girl and adopted her. A year later, that blonde girl vanished, but Xue Qinghe remained. From then on, the Crown Prince, who once had no interest in power, suddenly grew ambitious. Soon after, the other two gifted princes of Heaven Dou mysteriously died in accidents, and Xue Qinghe secured his position as heir."
Tang Hao spoke smoothly, recounting from his memories of his previous life.
Earlier, when searching for Ye Renxin to heal himself, Tang Hao had investigated Xue Qinghe's past. Every detail matched perfectly with what he remembered.
Which meant—Xue Qinghe was indeed Qian Renxue.
Originally, Tang Hao had no intention of exposing her. But with things so dire, this was the only card left to save himself and his son.
Tang Hao spoke with such vivid detail that even Ning Fengzhi, who had been supporting "Xue Qinghe," couldn't help but begin to doubt Xue Qinghe's identity.
The Heaven Dou Empire side was also stunned. They thought carefully: indeed, when the Crown Prince was nine years old, a blonde girl was accepted to serve at his side. Then, that blonde girl suddenly disappeared. After that, the Second Prince—who originally had no desire for power—suddenly began showing ambition. Soon after, the two promising princes, Xue Luochuan and Xue Haizang, both died unnatural deaths.
Everything lined up perfectly with Tang Hao's account.
Seeing their reaction, Tang Hao grew even more smug.
"That blonde girl was Qian Renxue. She went undercover beside Xue Qinghe, studied his every gesture and behavior, and once she had learned enough, she killed your Second Prince and replaced him. From then on, she executed her own plans.
And as for our 'Crown Prince' here, his goal is very clear—to ascend the Heaven Dou throne, so that Spirit Hall can take half the continent without spilling a single drop of blood!"
"What did you say?!" Gu Rong exclaimed in shock.
The arena erupted in chaos. People were shaken to the core by this earth-shattering revelation and began whispering furiously among themselves.
Tang Hao seized Xue Qinghe by the neck and shouted toward Bibi Dong and the Worship Hall behind the Pope's Palace:
"Spirit Hall! Your Worship Hall's Young Mistress, Qian Renxue, is in my hands. If you don't want her to die, then do exactly as I say.
First: swear, in the name of your martial spirits and in the name of the Angel God, that you will let me and Tang San go.
Second: hand over the three spirit bones from this tournament, along with A Yin's Seed of Life.
Otherwise, I'll kill Qian Renxue on the spot!"
Bibi Dong's voice rang out cold and sharp:
"Tang Hao, are you threatening me?"
"Hahahahahaha!" Tang Hao let out a wild laugh. "Bibi Dong, I am threatening you! I bet deep down you'd love for me to strangle this little bastard, wouldn't you? But do you dare let me actually do it?"
From Tang Hao's experience in his previous life, even if Bibi Dong hated this child, she would never allow Tang Hao to act—because once Xue Qinghe died, the balance between the Pope's Palace and the Worship Hall would collapse, and Qian Daoliu would fight her to the death.
Bibi Dong countered coldly:
"Tang Hao, for you to threaten me, you must first prove that the Crown Prince in your hands is really a fake. And how are you so sure that this prince is Qian Renxue?
People can disguise themselves, but martial spirits cannot. Crown Prince Xue Qinghe may seldom display his spirit, but in important ceremonies, all the nobles of Heaven Dou have seen clearly—his martial spirit is a white swan."
"Yes, Xue Qinghe's spirit is indeed a white swan."
"A martial spirit can't be faked."
Even Ning Fengzhi, who had wavered earlier, now felt reassured. He had spent so long with Xue Qinghe—of course he knew what spirit he possessed.
Tang Hao's claim that Xue Qinghe was actually Qian Renxue seemed utterly laughable.
"Bibi Dong…" Tang Hao sneered. "Who said martial spirits can't be disguised? I happen to know that your Spirit Hall possesses a set of Angel Spirit Bones, each with 99,999 years of cultivation. Among them, the Angel Head Spirit Bone has the ability of disguise—it can transform the Angel Spirit into a white swan."
"But—" Tang Hao turned toward the captive "Qian Renxue" in his grip. "No disguise is flawless. That Angel Head Bone has not reached a full hundred thousand years. It can mask body and martial spirit, but not the face.
That means this false prince's face is still Qian Renxue's real face. What you've been seeing is just a mask. Today, I'll expose this fraud and show you the Crown Prince's true identity!"
He barked:
"Xiao San, come here! Tear her mask off for me!"
Tang San stepped forward, while Tang Hao held Xue Qinghe tightly, giving him no chance to escape.
Though leaving Qian Renxue disguised would have been more advantageous to their Tang family, in this desperate moment, exposing her identity was their only chance to force Spirit Hall to back down.
And there was an added benefit: it would alert the other powers of the continent to Spirit Hall's ambitions.
All eyes turned to Tang San.
He pinched Xue Qinghe's face and pulled hard!
But Tang San froze—where was the mask?
He yanked harder. Flesh stretched painfully—Xue Qinghe screamed in agony.
Something wasn't right.
Tang San grabbed Xue Qinghe's hair and pulled. The scalp nearly tore away.
"Ahhh! Spare me! I—I really am Crown Prince Xue Qinghe! I don't know this Qian Renxue you speak of!" Xue Qinghe cried out in desperate pain.
The nobles of Heaven Dou, the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, and everyone who had been slowly swayed by Tang Hao's words now began to seriously doubt him.
After several more pulls, Tang San had no choice but to admit—this was real skin.
What the hell was going on? If Xue Qinghe's face was real, then didn't that mean—
"I know! It must be that the Angel Head Spirit Bone can even simulate the face—that's it!" Tang Hao, feeling the weight of the skeptical stares, quickly blurted. "But Qian Renxue is a woman, and Xue Qinghe is a man. That part can't be faked! Xiao San!"
Tang San nodded, his expression darkening further.
Then—
"Ahhh—!" Xue Qinghe let out a red-faced, shy, almost girlish cry.
"No! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Tang San refused to believe it. "Fake! It must be fake!"
But Tang Hao saw it. Everyone saw it.
"How…? Weren't you supposed to be Qian Renxue? How could you… have that thing?" Tang Hao muttered, dumbfounded. Then, suddenly enlightened, he turned back to Bibi Dong and shouted:
"I get it now! The Angel Head Spirit Bone must be able to simulate that too! That's the only explanation!"
But this time—no one believed Tang Hao's nonsense anymore.
Just then, a clear, ethereal female voice echoed from deep within the Pope's Palace:
"Though I don't know how you learned of my identity, the truth is obvious—the Crown Prince you're holding is not me."
And with that, footsteps rang out, drawing closer.