"Tan Chen…"
Bo Saixi's voice trembled with disbelief as it echoed through the silent square, clearly reaching the ears of the gray-clad figure. Suspended in the air, Tang Chen froze, if only for a fleeting moment, unnoticed by almost all. That voice cut through the decades, bringing with it the brine of the sea and the warmth of old memories, striking at the heart that had long since decayed in slaughter and evil. He did not hesitate, stepping forward to land beside Bo Saixi, mere feet away. He looked up into the face before him — a face that had haunted his dreams for thirty years and a year, still graceful and beautiful, though now marked by the delicate traces of time. The once fierce gleam in her eyes, like the ebb and flow of tides, had faded, now replaced only by a guarded gentleness and a guilt that words could not express.
"It's me," Tang Chen's voice was hoarse, yet he tried to keep it gentle. "I'm back."
Tears immediately welled up in Bo Saixi's blue eyes. She bit her lower lip tightly, fighting back her sobs, and simply nodded vigorously. A thousand words caught in her throat, but ultimately formed a single line.
"I know... I've been waiting all this time. All these years... I've been waiting."
Even legends standing atop the continent, even the Douluo, could not escape the influence of love.
All around, the Soul Masters and ordinary civilians were so shocked that their senses had gone numb. The surrounding spectators remained in a daze, unable to comprehend this succession of unexpected events. Tang Chen — acknowledged as one of the Twin Peaks of legend and vaguely known as "the world's strongest man," the Clear Sky Douluo himself, was alive!
And in this moment, he had descended upon Spirit City in person!
Everyone stared, barely daring to breathe, afraid to miss even the slightest detail of the godlike figure before them in the center of the plaza.
But Chen Yi, who stood beside Qian Renxue, noticed the two gazing deeply at each other's eyes, and then looked around at the ever-growing number of bystanders. None of them seemed to register the looming danger. His lips trembled faintly — hardly noticeable.
This man truly fears nothing!
Without a sound, Chen Yi made a subtle gesture to the Grand Martial team members behind him.
Shui Bing'er and the others instantly understood. They realized the battle about to erupt was not something they could simply watch. The group exchanged looks and quietly began to withdraw.
Inside the arena, Tang Chen's rough fingers, trembling ever so slightly, gently caressed Bo Saixi's jade-smooth cheek. Feeling the tangible warmth, his eyes filled with a rare mixture of satisfaction and emotion.
"I'm home… I've fulfilled my promise…"
He was referring to the promise Bo Saixi had made the day he left Seagod Island: "Whoever ascends to godhood first, the other will marry them."
Now, though in a strange half-divine state, he believed at least he had touched that threshold.
Bo Saixi felt the warmth upon her cheek. At last, tears spilled down her beautiful face as she nodded once more, firmly. "I know…"
Some observers were nearly moved to tears themselves — only to have the poignant mood brutally shattered by a sudden, highly ill-timed and darkly humorous voice.
"You know, gentlemen—"
The Grand Elder, face composed in a polished, amicable smile, watched Tang Chen, Bo Saixi, and the impassive Qian Daoliu with great interest.
"Truthfully, I didn't want to interrupt the moving reunion between the two of you, or spoil the heartfelt confessions after all this time."
"But to prevent any needless misunderstandings, I do have one little request."
With the grand elder's far-from-romantic words, the mood was abruptly ruined. Tang Chen and Bo Saixi both frowned, gazes cold and full of icy displeasure directed at the elder.
Unfazed, Yuan Hua continued leisurely, "I have heard… many stories. About how, long ago, the Sea God Douluo and someone else made a vow: 'Whichever of us becomes a god first, shall be wed by the other.'"
He paused, casting a glance at Tang Chen, then at Qian Daoliu, and finally continued, "Lord Tang Chen, your talent is extraordinary. You have endured countless tribulations and now, truly, reached the domain of the demigod. Truly remarkable. However…"
Drawing out his words with a touch of amusement, the elder finished, "It does seem… as if His Holiness the Angel was first, doesn't it?"
Feigning innocent curiosity, the Grand Elder smiled at the sudden change in Tang Chen and Bo Saixi's expressions. "So, out of pure curiosity, Your Majesty, in your original agreement, who fulfilled it first? Or does this promise still stand? If so… who must take responsibility?"
The moment Tang Chen heard this, his expression instantly froze. Bo Saixi's slim body trembled, surprise and a faint hint of embarrassment flashing across her blue, ocean-like eyes.
The details of that off-handed agreement had long since faded with time, but the 'becoming a god' clause was undeniable.
The air thickened with tension. Tang Chen looked at Qian Daoliu with a conflicted expression. Bo Saixi too glanced at Qian Daoliu almost subconsciously, before quickly looking away.
But after all, Bo Saixi was still Bo Saixi. She quickly regained her composure, authority and dignity returning to her countenance as she replied in a clear, cool voice:
"Matters of the past should not be discussed publicly. Besides, Qian Daoliu already knows. Between us, there was never any romantic entanglement, only camaraderie and friendship."
"That promise was nothing more than a lighthearted joke, not to be taken seriously."
Sure enough, hearing Bo Saixi label her relationship with Qian Daoliu as nothing, the shadows on Tang Chen's face lightened a little and a smile returned. However, his gaze toward Qian Daoliu and the Spirit Hall had grown sharper.
"Qian Daoliu, though we're old acquaintances, you are after all the Grand Worship of Spirit Hall and a major power of your generation. Your recent actions have gone too far. You have persistently pressured us, colluded with outsiders to suppress our sect, and have even killed several of Clear Sky Sect's Title Douluo elders. Today, you will account for this blood debt to Clear Sky Sect!"
Every gaze instantly fixed upon Qian Daoliu.
Would the legendary Angel Douluo, considered Tang Chen's equal, finally accept the long-standing challenge of his old foe?
Slowly, Qian Daoliu raised his downcast eyes. His golden irises held no ripple — only unfathomable coldness.
"Confess? What do you want me to confess?" His voice was eerily calm. "Are you seeking an explanation for the fact that my useless son was mortally wounded and killed by Tang Hao? Or that your Clear Sky Sect broke the accord and repeatedly sent people out of the mountain, interfering in the continent's affairs?"
With every sentence, Qian Daoliu's tone grew colder.
In the end, although Qian Xunji was later killed by Bibi Dong, if Tang Hao hadn't injured him so gravely, Bibi Dong never would have had that chance. In Qian Daoliu's eyes, Tang Hao was party to the death of his only son, and all the little machinations by the Clear Sky Sect were betrayals of the old accord.
On the side, Tang Xiao was frozen. In truth, regarding Qian Xunji's death, Clear Sky Sect indeed bore some guilt. Qian Daoliu had only forced them to close their gates, not slaughter them all — in a sense, sparing them out of old ties.
But Tang Chen hadn't come today to debate the past, but to assert his authority, fight for his sect's future, and settle old scores.
"Enough pointless talk—" Tang Chen cut Qian Daoliu off before he could continue.
But Qian Daoliu gave him no chance. Suddenly, his voice rang out, all the rage he had suppressed for decades now bursting directly at Tang Chen.
"And those few Title Douluo elders – what of them? Hmph, Tang Chen!"
He suddenly took a step forward, the serene, enigmatic energy around him boiling over as golden light radiated from his body.
"Have you forgotten who, all those years ago, caused chaos across the continent, who we hunted for months, who was driven to the brink of extinction and finally wiped out — the very tyrant whose depraved arts corrupted everything?"
Qian Daoliu's gaze was like a blade, locking onto Tang Chen's changing face. Each of his words pounded against everyone's hearts like a mighty hammer.
"Tang Chen! Back then, I trusted you and thought you my friend. That's why I invited you to help rid the world of that calamity! But what did you do?! You… you hid the secret technique of that beast's corruption!"
Boom!!
Those words struck like a bolt from the blue. Not only did Tang Chen and Tang Xiao's faces change drastically, even Bo Saixi's pupils widened as she looked at Tang Chen in disbelief.
Qian Daoliu's voice rolled across the sky like thunder.
"Tang Chen! Do you realize your sin? If the Clear Sky Sect had truly been practicing such heinous, forbidden arts in secret, I, Qian Daoliu, would have wiped your Clear Sky Sect out to the last man, even if it cost me my life!"
Why wait until today?
Around them, the crowd surged again; the stares directed at Tang Chen and the Clear Sky Sect's followers now throbbed with shock, fear, and contempt.
"So… the source of the Forbidden Corruption technique was Tang Chen all along?!"
"You are clearly a corrupted leader!"
"Clear Sky Sect — the world's mightiest sect? Hah! It's a den of demons practicing man-eating cultivation!"
"No wonder they sealed off their mountain — they're weighed down by guilt!"
"How pitiful are the innocent victims they devoured…"
Hearing these scornful accusations, Tang Chen's face cycled from deathly pale, to red, to green, and finally to a rigid, iron-blue. A century of renown and a lifetime of pride collapsed into ruins in an instant.
"Enough of this nonsense!" Tang Chen roared, his shout shaking the surrounding buildings. "Qian Daoliu, no matter how eloquent you may be, I am here today to demand justice for my Clear Sky Sect! With your blood, I will honor our fallen heroes!"
Before his words had even faded, he stepped forward, a gray-black aura surging up from his body. From his feet, nine soul rings blazed upward — eight black, one red — a lineup that surpassed any optimal distribution, climbing to the heavens.
Without hesitation, the monstrous demigod's aura erupted like a tsunami, surging toward Qian Daoliu with boundless killing intent!
At the same time, Bo Saixi narrowed her eyes. Despite her shock and repulsion at Tang Chen's hidden practice of forbidden arts, in this dire moment, her interests aligned with his. They would face a powerful foe, together.
She too stepped forward, a blue radiance flickering, as eight black and one red soul ring appeared — defying the heavens.
Behind them, the awe-inspiring phantom of the Sea God twirled a golden trident, vaguely manifesting, merging with Tang Chen's aura as both pressed their combined might upon their enemy!
The pressure of these two unmatched titans was enough to warp the very structure of the world.
All around, soul masters and civilians alike found it hard to breathe, their souls trembling as though they might be crushed at any moment.
Facing this destructive force — enough to annihilate a city — Qian Daoliu, Chu Shanhe, and the Grand Elder all snorted coldly in unison.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three equally tremendous auras burst into the sky!
Qian Daoliu's body radiated an aura of pure, intense light, like the sun's very core, with an irresistible authority.
Chu Shanhe's body exuded blood vitality akin to a dragon — wild, imposing, with enough force to shake the heavens, as if an ancient god or demon had returned.
The Grand Elder's presence was the most restrained, yet as vast as the starry sky; his immense spiritual force quietly formed a barrier, stabilizing the very air.
The three auras interwove and merged, forming an indestructible shield, holding firm against the overwhelming combined pressure from Tang Chen and Bo Saixi's assault.
The two great factions clashed violently above the square, visible ripples undulating through the space itself.
Frowning at the scene, Chen Yi looked at the still-stunned audience and barked sharply, "Are you people not leaving?! Do you want to die here?!"
His forceful shout was like an alarm bell, snapping the mesmerized onlookers out of their trance. The terror of death instantly overwhelmed all curiosity, and the crowd fell into chaos, stampeding in a tidal wave of panic out of the square.
The leaders of all factions quickly realized the severity and hastily ordered their teams to retreat. In the blink of an eye, only a handful remained at the center of the vast plaza: the five supreme experts standing off, and, subtly protected by Bo Saixi, only Tang San, Tang Xiao, Chen Yi, and Qian Renxue.
Qian Daoliu's gaze bored through the roiling vortex of colliding auras, honing in ruthlessly on Tang Chen and Bo Saixi. For the first time in a century, a fierce fighting will blazed in the depths of his normally-serene eyes.
"Tang Chen, Bo Saixi," Qian Daoliu called, his voice quiet but imbued with a scornful indifference and absolute self-assurance that looked down on all things. "In those days, we never fought to the death. But today… I want to see how much you've grown over the years."
As his words fell, the sun-like holy power enveloping his body suddenly vanished. At that very moment, a pure white, flawless, and strange flame began rising from within him.
This fire gave off no heat, but radiated a sacred aura that seemed to purify the world itself, shaking the soul of all who beheld it.
A golden light gathered in Qian Daoliu's palm, the Angelic Holy Sword slowly materializing. Gripping the sword, shrouded in white fire, Qian Daoliu's aura abruptly leaped to an entirely new level.
Saying nothing further, he flicked his wrist and slashed his sword at Tang Chen and Bo Saixi.
This wasn't a test, nor a feint, but… a direct, all-out assault!
One against two!
"Arrogant!" A sharp light flashed in Tang Chen's eyes, surprise and fury intertwined. That Qian Daoliu would dare strike by himself, simultaneously facing two foes, was pure arrogance, utterly dismissive and insulting.
A murderous intent flickered in Bo Saixi's gaze as well. Qian Daoliu was simply too arrogant!
The two attacked in sync!
Tang Chen's roar echoed as the Clear Sky Hammer in his grip exploded with a murderous force, powerful enough to split mountains, colliding head-on with the blinding white sword-blade.
At the same time, Bo Saixi raised her hand, the phantom of the Sea God's trident condensing within her grasp. The tremendous force of the Sea God surged like a tidal wave, enfolding everything, intertwining with Tang Chen's strike and crashing in from the side.
Boom—!
A thunderous blast beyond words erupted, shaking the entire Spirit City.
At the heart of the clash, blinding white light, crimson as blood, and azure brilliance fiercely intertwined, then vanished.
A colossal sphere of energy, over a hundred meters across, was instantly birthed and detonated. The catastrophic shockwave radiated outward in a massive ring, shattering the square's ground like brittle biscuit, reducing it to dust. The sturdy stands around the arena were torn as though made of paper.
Had Chu Shanhe and the Golden Elder not already layered numerous barriers to just barely contain the explosion's core, the aftershocks alone would have flattened the entire square!
As the destructive light and dust faded away, the scene within was revealed.
Qian Daoliu had been forced back over eight steps in the air, each step setting off golden ripples. The white flames on his body flickered, yet his eyes remained cold, his sword grip as steady as before.
As for Tang Chen and Bo Saixi — despite their combined effort, not only did they fail to gain the upper hand, but were both battered back ten whole steps by what seemed a simple sword strike. Each step was heavy beyond belief, gouging cracks in the earth.
Tang Chen's arm shook as he swung his hammer, the webbing of his thumb torn and bleeding. Bo Saixi's face had turned pale, her spiritual power violently agitated.
The two exchanged glances, both unable to hide the shock and disbelief in their eyes.
Their combined force had actually… been put at a disadvantage?! How could such a thing even be possible?!
Back then, Tang Chen had been sure he could at least match Qian Daoliu. With Bo Saixi's aid, another Douluo on par with Qian Daoliu, the two together should have been unstoppable — yet they were forced back in one blow!?
Stunned, both sets of eyes turned to the pure white fire burning quietly upon Qian Daoliu. That's it! What flame was this? How had Qian Daoliu's power risen so dramatically?!
Qian Daoliu slowly steadied himself, casually flicking his wrist as the Sacred Angelic Sword rang with a clear note.
Looking up, his golden eyes pierced the lingering dust, landing on the stunned faces of Tang Chen and Bo Saixi. His calm voice echoed in the deathly-still ruins:
"Tang Chen, Bo Saixi. Did you really believe I could not beat you? You are mistaken. From start to finish, I have had the power to kill all of you. Be it in the sky, on land, or… at sea."
"The only reason I have never acted thus far is simple — there was never a need, nor was it worth it."
"But now, things are different."
As he spoke, the white flames burning upon him seemed to flare even brighter, a sacred aura of determination swelling out.
Chen Yi gazed at Qian Daoliu, shrouded in white flames like a god descending to earth, and let out a long breath. Complex emotions filled his eyes as he muttered:
"At last… it's appeared."
"The Angel Clan's ultimate secret art, the strongest and most merciless technique passed down through the generations—"
"Sacrifice."