Tang San darted across the field using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step, swinging his Clear Sky Hammer in the rhythm of the Random Cloak Hammer Technique, his mind finally steady.
As long as I can reach over twenty hammer swings, then the compounded strength will be overwhelming.
This lethal rhythm, once established, was nearly unbreakable unless the user stopped voluntarily. At their level, no external force could interrupt it.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The Azure Seven Kill Sword clashed repeatedly with the Clear Sky Hammer, sparking blinding bursts of light with every strike.
Even though the Clear Sky Hammer was knocked into the air each time, it would always return at just the right moment, precise, seamless, and masterful.
The soul masters spectating couldn't help but cheer loudly—even the usually strict Yu Xiaogang nodded in approval multiple times.
Chen Feng furrowed his brows slightly.
Though Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer had no soul rings attached, he was relying on Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step and Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon to fuel his Random Cloak Hammer rhythm.
After more than a dozen swings, Chen Feng could feel the pressure—his Seven Kill Sword was beginning to lose its dominance.
It wasn't that his sword couldn't break through—it still could.
But at this rate, once Tang San reached the peak of his hammer technique, things might go south fast.
HUMMMM—
Suddenly, Chen Feng's fourth soul ring lit up—a 13,000-year-level ring, one of his most powerful skills.
The air around them instantly froze.
Tang San's expression shifted—Chen Feng's eyes began to emit a blue glow, piercing and intense. Just looking at them made Tang San's own eyes sting and water uncontrollably.
"Sword Dao Heavenly Eye!"
Tang San had the Purple Demon Eye, but Chen Feng had the Heavenly Eye of Sword Dao. In terms of spiritual strength and mobility, Chen Feng was his perfect counter.
Once the Heavenly Eye opened, Tang San's carefully built rhythm became completely exposed.
He hadn't yet reached the fabled 81 swings, but now numerous flaws were laid bare.
"Damn it!"
Tang San's heart skipped a beat, an eerie sense of helpless vulnerability washing over him.
Panicking, he pulled back quickly while releasing a blast of purple light from his eyes—a spiritual attack from his Purple Demon Eye.
But Chen Feng responded in kind.
From his eyes burst a three-foot-long beam of azure light, brilliant and intense, dwarfing Tang San's purple spiritual energy.
When the two spiritual forces collided, Tang San's mind felt like it had been struck by a hammer—his head snapped back violently, and his hammer rhythm was instantly broken.
At that exact moment—
"Fourth Soul Skill: Manifest Killing Intent!"
The Seven Kill Sword glowed blindingly blue, fusing with Chen Feng's body and shooting forward like a bolt of lightning.
BOOM—!
"NO!"
"Tang San, look out!!"
Terrified shouts erupted from the crowd.
If this soul skill landed, Tang San would either be dead or gravely injured.
But it all happened in an instant—no one had time to react or intervene.
At that critical moment—
A massive hammer the size of a water tank came flying in from the side, intercepting Chen Feng's strike.
In the next instant, a burly middle-aged man in a tattered grey robe appeared on the field.
"Tang Hao!"
Chen Feng's eyes widened in shock.
Tang Hao had arrived.
There was no time to withdraw his sword.
The Seven Kill Sword slammed directly into the enormous Clear Sky Hammer—
That was Tang Hao's personal Clear Sky Hammer, solid and immovable like a mountain. Chen Feng, only a Soul Sect, was completely overpowered.
His Seven Kill Sword was instantly flung away, and the hammer's shockwave sent him staggering backward.
Both his hands were trembling uncontrollably, and the skin on his palms tore open, blood flowing freely.
Only then did Tang San, who had briefly blacked out from the spiritual clash, finally regain consciousness.
"Father…"
Pale-faced, he barely opened his eyes to recognize the man before him.
Tang Hao's gaze was strict, his tone full of reproach:
"So your training hasn't been as thorough as I thought. To get beaten this badly by someone your age… If I hadn't stepped in, you'd be dead right now."
Tang San lowered his head, saying nothing.
Even after exhausting all his cards, he had still lost.
He couldn't wrap his head around it.
Was Chen Feng really that strong?
It was the first time Tang San had begun to doubt himself.
Meanwhile, Chen Feng sucked in a cold breath.
Tang Hao had arrived.
This man, who had once made the entire Spirit Hall tremble with fear on his own, carried a pressure that was beyond anything Chen Feng could currently handle.
Strictly speaking, Tang Hao could have softened his hammer's impact, protecting Tang San gently.
But he hadn't.
He had deliberately placed the hammer right in Chen Feng's path, clearly intending to teach him a lesson—and to defend his son.
So much for a fair duel between the Soul Sects. A Title Douluo just jumped in.
With his current strength, Chen Feng had no way to seek justice.
Just then, another familiar voice rang out across the field.
"For a dignified Clear Sky Douluo to interfere in a match between juniors—and to deliberately injure the opponent no less—don't you think you've gone a bit too far?"
A white-haired old man slowly walked onto the field.
Tang Hao narrowed his eyes as he looked over.
"Sword Saint Chenxin…"
"Grandfather!"
Chen Feng called out.
Sword Douluo Chenxin turned slightly.
"This is a spat between juniors. Why are grown men getting involved? If your fists are feeling itchy, why not let me accompany you for a round?"
He glanced back.
"Chen Feng, fall back."
As his words fell, a vast blue domain erupted across the arena.
The Seven Kill Sword appeared in his hand, followed by:
Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Black, Black.
Nine soul rings in flawless sequence.
Tang Hao said nothing, but his hammer responded.
The Clear Sky Hammer appeared behind him, its soul rings even more terrifying:
Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Black, Red.
A blood-red ring rose slowly into the air—a Ten-Thousand-Year Ring.
The air grew deathly still.
The situation was spiraling toward all-out catastrophe.
The Shrek teachers immediately leapt into action, evacuating students and forming the Golden Iron Triangle formation to prepare for the fallout of a battle between two Peak Titled Douluo.
Killing God Domain vs. Seven Kill Domain—
Even before either had moved, the clash of domains alone was enough to make other Title Douluo break into cold sweats.
"They call you the rising star of the Clear Sky School… and yet here you are, bullying my grandson?"
Sword Douluo raised his sword.
"Then allow this grandfather to repay the favor on his behalf."
"True Form of the Seven Kills!"
A massive azure figure rose behind Chenxin, his Seven Kill Sword enlarging into a glowing phantom blade.
He floated mid-air, completely fused with his sword domain.
"The laurel tree grows along a hundred-mile stretch,
The partridge cries through a noon of shade.
On the summit of Pingjin, a sword as sharp as frost,
Slices rivers open—the waters flow long!"
"Chenxin of Sword Dao—Divine Demon Dual Slash!"
Without hesitation, Sword Douluo unleashed his ninth soul skill—his strongest technique.
Hovering like a god in the sky, poised for divine judgment.
Even Tang Hao couldn't help but shift his expression.
He had seen protective grandfathers before, but this?
This one opened with a ninth-ring soul skill!