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Tang Xiao stood on the mountain path, his eyes fixed on the figure below. The sight before him was an insult to his very existence. Every muscle in his body tensed as the rage in his heart ignited to its peak.
He could no longer contain the fury burning in his chest, and he let out a thunderous roar that echoed through the mountain peaks, shaking the very trees around him.
The next second, Tang Xiao did not hesitate. He pushed off the ground with incredible force, his spirit power bursting forth from his feet like an explosion.
His tall, muscular figure shot toward the fake figure down the mountain like a meteor tearing through the dark sky. He moved with a sharp whistling sound, traveling at a speed that was nearly impossible for the human eye to follow.
The distance between the two closed in the blink of an eye.
While he was still soaring through the air, a dark, heavy light began to condense in Tang Xiao's right hand. In an instant, the Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his grasp. It was the tool spirit known as the number one weapon under heaven, and in the hands of a Titled Douluo, its weight felt like it could crush the world itself.
Tang Xiao did not even use a spirit ability. He relied entirely on his raw strength and the terrifying momentum of his charge. With a might capable of shattering mountains and splitting seas, he swung the hammer down like Mount Tai pressing from the heavens, aiming straight for the imposter's back. This strike was fueled by pure anger, moving as fast as lightning and carrying the power of rolling thunder.
An angry strike from a level ninety-six Titled Douluo was enough to level a small hill and turn solid rock into dust. Most spirit masters would have felt their souls fly away in fear just from the pressure of the wind alone.
However, the fake Tang Xiao did not seem panicked at all. As he moved forward, he acted as if he had eyes in the back of his head. Just as the massive Clear Sky Hammer was about to make contact, his body flickered.
His movement was subtle and ghost-like, reminiscent of the agile Titled Douluo Gui Mei. With a tiny sidestep and a graceful pivot, he predicted the path of the attack perfectly. He narrowly avoided the edge of the hammer's wind, letting the massive weapon pass just inches from his cloak.
The hammer struck the mountain path instead.
Boom!
The massive Clear Sky Hammer slammed heavily onto the bluestone path. The impact was cataclysmic. Shattered stones shot out in every direction like deadly shrapnel, and a thick cloud of smoke and dust filled the air instantly. Where the hammer hit, a deep pit several meters wide appeared, with cracks spiderwebbing out across the stone.
A violent air current rippled outward, lifting the surrounding trees and bushes. The imposter did not fight the wind. Instead, he used the propulsion from the blast to lightly glide forward more than ten meters. He landed steadily on his feet, looking completely unbothered. He even took a moment to casually pat off some non-existent dust from his clothes.
A moment later, the man known as Tang Chen slowly turned around. He stared at Tang Xiao's imposing, angry face with a playful smile forming at the corner of his mouth. He spoke in a light, mocking tone.
"That was a good reaction, Sect Master Tang. I'm impressed you found me so quickly."
Tang Xiao looked at the man and felt a chill of pure hatred. The person standing there had a face identical to his own and spoke with a flippant attitude that mocked the dignity of the Clear Sky Sect. The rage in Tang Xiao's chest felt like it would burst through the sky. He pointed at the imposter and shouted.
"You hidden scoundrel! Who exactly are you, and how dare you show your face here?"
Facing the interrogation, Tang Chen did not flinch. Instead, he raised his right hand and made a grasping motion in the empty air.
To the shock of everyone watching, a Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his palm. It was dark, ancient in form, and looked exactly like the one Tang Xiao held. However, if someone with an extremely powerful mental force were to look closely, they would see something strange.
This hammer had a peculiar texture. It didn't feel like heavy metal; instead, it faintly gave off the life force and vitality of plants. It was the Clear Sky Hammer that Tang Chen had simulated using his Blue Silver Emperor spirit ability.
Tang Chen held the hammer and let his smile grow wider. He began to speak using Tang Xiao's own deep, resonant voice, but he kept his cynical tone.
"Who am I? Why are you asking such a silly question? I am naturally the Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect, Tang Xiao."
As soon as he finished speaking, he gently stepped forward and stomped his foot.
Buzz!
An indescribably majestic aura suddenly erupted from his body. It was a wave of pressure so heavy that the air itself seemed to vibrate. Immediately after, a sight appeared that would be forever burned into the memories of everyone present.
Red. Red. Red. Red. Red. Red. Platinum.
Six blood-red spirit rings appeared, glowing with a deep, terrifying light. These were hundred-thousand-year spirit rings, the ultimate dream of any spirit master in the world. But the seventh ring was even more shocking. It was a noble, mysterious platinum spirit ring that defied everything known about spirit power.
A total of seven spirit rings spiraled up from beneath his feet. They looked like seven burning divine rings, radiating an immense light that turned the dark mountainside as bright as day. This configuration completely broke every law of the spirit master world.
"What? How is this possible?"
"Six... six hundred-thousand-year rings?"
"What kind of spirit ring is that white one? It doesn't look like a ten-year ring!"
"This is impossible! No one can have a configuration like that!"
Gasps and shouts of disbelief erupted from all directions. The members of the sect were stunned, their minds going completely blank as they stared at the impossible colors.
Even Tang Xiao, a powerful Titled Douluo who had seen many wonders in his life, felt his heart skip a beat. His pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks. His face was filled with extreme shock and disbelief. For a short moment, he froze where he stood. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of monster he was facing. How could a Spirit Saint possess a ring configuration that surpassed even the most legendary Titled Douluo?
However, Tang Xiao was the leader of a Great Sect. His willpower was far stronger than an average person. The shock only held him for less than a second before it turned into a deeper, colder killing intent.
He didn't care who the opponent was or what strange abilities they had. This person was impersonating him, stealing the sect's most precious treasures, and playing with the honor of the Clear Sky Sect. That was a crime that could only be washed away with blood.
"Enough playing tricks! Take this hammer and go to hell!"
Tang Xiao let out another angry shout and stopped talking. He pushed down the horror in his heart and focused on the battle. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand erupted with a dazzling black light. The nine spirit rings beneath his feet began to glow with intense power. He unleashed the full strength of a level ninety-six attack system Titled Douluo.
His figure shot out like a cannonball toward Tang Chen. The Clear Sky Hammer swung out with a force so heavy it felt like it would smash through space itself.
Facing this full-force attack, Tang Chen didn't move to dodge. He didn't even look worried. He looked at Tang Xiao with a condescending expression and spoke in a judging voice.
"The Howling Sky Douluo lives up to his name. Your aura is indeed very impressive for a mortal."
Tang Chen paused for a second as the hammer came closer.
"It's quite a coincidence. I recently learned a little technique called Great Sumeru Hammer's Ring Explosion. Since you are here, I think I'll use you to test it out."
As his voice fell, and just as Tang Xiao's sharp hammer wind was about to strike his face, Tang Chen acted. He raised his free left hand and casually clenched his fist toward the void.
Buzz!
A low hum echoed through the area. It wasn't a loud sound, but it felt like it vibrated directly inside everyone's soul. Suddenly, his sixth spirit ringâthe blood-red oneâshattered into a million pieces with that single movement.
There was no loud explosion. Instead, there was a heart-pounding sensation of energy being released all at once. The hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, a prize that most spirit masters would die for, was instantly transformed into the purest and most violent power.
Like a dam breaking on a massive river, the energy surged into Tang Chen's body.
Boom!
A terrifying aura began to explode outward from Tang Chen. It far exceeded the power of a Spirit Saint. In an instant, his strength surpassed that of an ordinary Titled Douluo and continued to climb.
The air around him twisted and warped from the heat and pressure. The ground beneath his feet cracked and crumbled inch by inch. The simulated Clear Sky Hammer in his hand began to make an unbearable humming sound. The black light on its surface became so bright it was hard to look at, flickering with unstable energy.
At this moment, the aura coming from Tang Chen's body was so massive that it actually stopped Tang Xiao's momentum. The two powers clashed in the air, forming a terrifying stalemate that made the mountain itself tremble.