"Ah—" Flender sighed deeply. "The Strength Clan is gone, just like that. In just one night, the Spirit Hall's power has far exceeded our expectations. Grandmaster, I hope your plan succeeds."
"For now, let's not tell Tai Long about the Strength Clan's destruction. I'm afraid he won't be able to handle it."
Grandmaster nodded, then added, "What worries me most right now isn't this. I'm worried... the Spirit Hall might target the Upper Three Clans."
Hearing this, Flender waved his hand dismissively. "The Upper Three Clans are either in seclusion or at their peak. Even if the Spirit Hall has vast power, destroying the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and the Clear Sky Clan would come at a great cost."
"Besides, it's the Continental Elite Soul Master Tournament. The Spirit Hall won't act recklessly."
"I hope so..."
"Flender, I need to leave for a while," Grandmaster said, glancing around to ensure no one was listening.
"Leave?" Flender scratched his head. "The elimination rounds are about to start. Where are you planning to go?"
"Ah—"
Grandmaster sighed helplessly. "You know Tang San has twin martial souls. I made a grave mistake by not paying attention, and now Tang San has absorbed soul rings for the Clear Sky Hammer. I plan to go to the Spirit Hall early to ask her if there's any way to fix this."
At this point, Flender couldn't hold back anymore.
"Grandmaster, you still haven't forgotten her! Aren't you afraid of what Erlong might..." Flender trailed off, his eyes warning Yu Xiaogang.
"Flender, you know what kind of person I am. My reputation is already ruined. The Spirit Hall destroyed me, and I must destroy them in return. Tang San has twin martial souls, and he's my hope for destroying the Spirit Hall."
Grandmaster paused, then continued, "She was the first to perfectly solve the problem of twin martial souls. I must see her. Not for myself, but for Tang San."
"Flender!" Grandmaster patted Flender's shoulder solemnly. "While I'm gone, take care of Erlong for me."
Hearing this, Flender's eyes lit up. Was this his chance?
"Don't worry, I won't tell Erlong."
"When are you planning to leave?" Flender asked.
"Right now!"
"So soon?"
"I must get to the Spirit Hall before Ye Hao does. If Ye Hao returns to the Spirit Hall, everything will be over!"
With that, Grandmaster left with a bitter smile.
After watching Grandmaster leave, Flender couldn't help but grin. "Erlong, here I come!"
Grandmaster left Heaven Dou City, hoping to reach the Spirit Hall before Ye Hao. Little did he know...
Ye Hao had already left Heaven Dou City by carriage, heading for the Spirit Hall. But before reaching the Spirit Hall, Ye Hao had one more thing to do and one more person to meet.
The carriage arrived at the outskirts of Sunset Forest. Ye Hao got out, spread his Six-Winged Purple Light Wings, and flew swiftly toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well at the forest's center.
Meanwhile, behind Ye Hao, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao, dressed in black robes, passed by unnoticed.
When they recognized Ye Hao, they immediately decided to change their course.
"Big brother, that's Ye Hao!" Tang Hao's eyes turned blood-red.
"I see him. Little brother, this is the perfect opportunity. Let's kill him and avenge my nephew!" Tang Xiao said. The two brothers then sped toward Ye Hao's direction.
However, Ye Hao flew too fast, and Tang Hao was still injured, so they could only move slowly.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well remained peaceful. Dugu Bo sat alone on a cliff, gazing at the massive pool of water, lost in thought.
"Damn Tang Hao, that despicable man. You actually threatened me to protect your disgraceful son. You're out of your mind," Dugu Bo muttered.
"Well said, old poison."
Ye Hao suddenly descended from the sky, landing in front of Dugu Bo.
"Ye... Ye Hao, what are you doing here?" Dugu Bo was shocked. At the same time, he felt a hint of unease. Ye Hao's identity was clear.
Back then, Dugu Bo had been hunted by the Spirit Hall, leading to a grudge. Now, Ye Hao, the Spirit Hall's young master, stood before him. This was...
"Old poison, don't be nervous. I'm here to say goodbye," Ye Hao said with a smile.
"Goodbye?" Dugu Bo was puzzled. "Are you leaving Heaven Dou City?"
Ye Hao nodded. "Yes. I think you already know my identity. With the Heaven Dou City preliminaries over, I have no more interest in staying here. I'm returning to the Spirit Hall, to my home as the young master."
"If you ever become interested in the Spirit Hall, you're welcome to join anytime."
Dugu Bo immediately shook his head. "No, thanks. I'm used to my lazy life. Staying here suits me fine. If I die in a hundred years, just come to my funeral, and I'll be grateful."
"Don't worry, I'll be there whenever you call!" Ye Hao grinned mischievously.
"Get lost! I don't want to die early!" Dugu Bo was furious.
"You didn't come here for no reason. What do you want?"
Ye Hao smiled, then landed and retracted his Six-Winged Purple Light Wings.
"My first reason for coming is to see you. From Yan'er, I heard you've been frequenting Shrek Academy recently. My first thought was that Tang Hao had threatened you."
"Now it seems I was right. Old poison..." Ye Hao suddenly became serious, his expression stern.
"If you side with Tang Hao, I won't hesitate to kill you."
Hearing this, Dugu Bo broke into a cold sweat. He took a step back, then steadied himself.
"Hmph! I'm a Titled Douluo. Do you think you can kill me? Besides, I already said I won't side with Tang Hao anymore. So, are you still coming?"
Ye Hao smiled again. "Then I won't."
Dugu Bo sighed in relief. "What's the second reason?"
"As for the second..." Ye Hao deliberately paused, then took out the potted plant containing the Blue Silver Emperor from his Death God's Heart.
"This is..." Dugu Bo, who prided himself on his sharp eyes, had never seen this plant before. Ye Hao was generous, and anything he brought out couldn't be ordinary.
"Tang Hao's wife," Ye Hao said casually.
"Tang... this grass!" Dugu Bo was shocked. Tang Hao's wife...
Dugu Bo shook his head vigorously. "No wonder Tang Hao is desperate to kill you. You dug up his wife." He gave Ye Hao a thumbs-up!
Ye Hao: "..."
Next, Ye Hao took out the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid from the Death God's Heart.
"This is..."
Dugu Bo, with his sharp eyes, immediately recognized it. That was his immortal-grade herb! He felt like crying, regretting it deeply!
Ye Hao sat cross-legged, tossing the Death God's Heart into the air and silently activating the Death God's divine power within it.
He had once heard from Little Red about a method to resurrect a 100,000-year soul beast: an equivalent exchange.
In short: one life for another.
Sacrificing an immortal-grade herb to resurrect the half-dead Blue Silver Emperor was an equivalent exchange.
However, this only applied to plant-type soul beasts.
Ye Hao's eyes glowed with a dark light, and the powerful aura made even Dugu Bo break into a cold sweat.
"So strong. How much is this kid still hiding?" Dugu Bo thought to himself.
Then, Ye Hao gathered the Death God's divine power, and a thick black light shot into the Blue Silver Emperor. As the black light surged, the environment of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was fully activated.
The Blue Silver Emperor seemed to have been put on fast-forward, its size increasing rapidly. At the same time, the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid planted in the ground withered at a visible speed.
Using the unique advantages of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Ye Hao extracted the "essence" from the Eight-Petal Immortal Orchid and infused it into the Blue Silver Emperor.
In an instant, all the Blue Silver Grass in the forest emitted a blue light, like a galaxy in the night sky, dazzling and shimmering.
In the sky, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao, who were rushing toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, suddenly stopped. They were shocked by what they saw.
"Little brother, what's happening to these Blue Silver Grass?" Tang Xiao asked, seeing this for the first time.
Tang Hao remained silent, looking in the direction of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. A sense of joy inexplicably filled his heart.
"Big brother, we must kill Ye Hao this time! Because... Ah Yin is still in his hands."
Tang Xiao nodded. "Don't worry. With our combined strength, there's nothing we can't do in this world."
With that, the two brothers sped toward their target.
"Master, Tang Hao and a man in black are about to arrive," Zhu Zhu's voice echoed in Ye Hao's mind.
"Tang Hao? Two people?" Ye Hao frowned. "That must be Tang Xiao. The two brothers together are a bit troublesome. Zhu Zhu, Zhu'er, prepare to use the Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Twin Spider Emperors. Today, I'll make sure these brothers are buried here."
"Yes," the two replied in unison.
Meanwhile, the Blue Silver Emperor had grown into a towering tree. Ye Hao could sense it—it was almost time. Only the final step remained.
The Blue Silver Emperor was entirely blue and gold, its trunk more dazzling than a gemstone. It took root there, and in its center, intertwined Blue Silver Grass slowly formed a "cocoon." At the same time, a blurry figure was rapidly taking shape...
Ye Hao's five soul rings rose, and in an instant, he completed the Death Spider Emperor's possession. He turned to Dugu Bo.
"Old poison, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao are about to arrive. There will undoubtedly be a fierce battle. I don't expect you to help, but after this, we'll still be friends."
"If you side with Tang Hao and Tang Xiao against me, I won't hesitate to kill you here. I, Ye Hao, mean what I say."
Dugu Bo fell silent, retreating quietly. He also sensed two familiar and extremely powerful auras rapidly approaching. It must be the Tang brothers.
At that moment, the "cocoon" at the center of the Blue Silver Emperor suddenly reacted.
The "cocoon" extended to both sides, and a dazzling golden light pierced the sky. At its base, a staircase woven from Blue Silver Grass appeared, looking incredibly noble.
Then, a woman in her thirties stepped out of the "cocoon." She wore a long blue and gold dress that covered her entire body, exuding an elegant and noble aura. Her sapphire-blue eyes were like blue crystals. Golden ribbons fluttered around the hem of her dress, and a faint fragrance filled the air.
"It worked," Ye Hao thought to himself, pleased. Another 100,000-year soul ring was within reach.
As the saying goes, "If you don't look out for yourself, heaven and earth will destroy you." Sacrificing an immortal-grade herb to gain a 100,000-year soul ring and soul bone was a good deal.
Ah Yin slowly opened her eyes, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings. She sighed softly.
"Ah Yin!!!"
Near the massive Blue Silver Emperor, two figures suddenly descended from the sky.
When they saw who it was, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao couldn't believe their eyes.
"It's really... Ah Yin..."
Tang Xiao's eyes moistened. "You're really alive."
"Ah Yin!!!" Tang Hao couldn't contain his joy. He stepped forward eagerly. After more than a decade, he had been waiting for this moment.
But at that moment, Ah Yin's body instinctively retreated. In the next second, Ye Hao's right arm transformed into a scythe, and he placed the blade at Ah Yin's throat.
"Ye Hao!!!" Tang Hao roared in anger. He summoned the Clear Sky Hammer in one hand, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Tang Xiao, who was dressed in black. The two Clear Sky Hammers stood before Ye Hao, their overwhelming pressure making even Dugu Bo, standing behind Ye Hao, feel insignificant.
"Release Ah Yin," Tang Hao said coldly.
Ye Hao sneered. "Tang Hao, I resurrected your wife. Why should I release her? If it weren't for me, you two wouldn't be reunited today."
"I'll give you three seconds. If you don't release Ah Yin, I'll kill you right now," Tang Hao said, clearly agitated.
Ye Hao remained unfazed. "Let's see if your hammer is faster than my blade."
"Dugu Bo! Do something!" Tang Hao shouted.
He had hoped Dugu Bo would attack Ye Hao from behind, allowing him and Tang Xiao to rescue Ah Yin.
But to his surprise, Dugu Bo remained motionless, sitting down leisurely to observe the battle. It seemed he had no intention of intervening.
"Dugu Bo! What are you doing!" Tang Hao frowned, shouting at Dugu Bo.
Dugu Bo continued to ignore Tang Hao, refusing to give him any face.
"Tang Hao, I, Dugu Bo, have lived a carefree life, unbound by constraints. You, on the other hand, because I kidnapped your son, forced me to be his bodyguard. I won't even comment on your son's character."
"Let's talk about you. You repeatedly threatened me. I may not be as strong as you, but I'm still a Titled Douluo. You forgot that I'm Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo. You kept threatening me to side with you, and now I'm fed up."
Dugu Bo lay back, relaxed. "I'm no longer your son's nanny. Let him fend for himself. From now on, don't come looking for me. If you push me too far, I might just throw my Jade Phosphor Snake Emperor's poison into Shrek Academy and let your son accompany me to the afterlife. At least I'll have someone to serve me on the road to the underworld."
Hearing this, Tang Hao was enraged, his eyes turning blood-red.
"Dugu Bo, I'll kill you!!!"
"And you! Ye Hao, did you poison me?"
Facing Tang Hao's accusation, Ye Hao smiled faintly and said,
"Zhu Zhu! Zhu'er!"
As soon as Ye Hao spoke, Zhu Zhu and Zhu'er, who had been hiding in the shadows, appeared. They stood in front of Ye Hao, instantly completing the Death Spider Emperor and Soul Devouring Spider Emperor possessions.
"Death Spider Emperor! Soul Devouring Spider Emperor!"
The two brothers were shocked, especially when they saw the two 100,000-year soul rings beneath the two.
Tang Xiao stepped forward and whispered, "Little brother, we can't kill Ye Hao today. These two Titled Douluo are not to be trifled with."
A Titled Douluo with a 100,000-year soul ring was something Tang Xiao wasn't confident about. His own soul rings were two yellow, two purple, and five black—the most common configuration—far inferior to Zhu Zhu and Zhu'er.
"Big brother, I can't abandon Ah Yin. No matter what, even if I die, I must take Ah Yin away today!" Tang Hao's eyes were resolute, showing he was ready to die.
"Ah Yin, don't worry about me. Leave quickly!" Ah Yin urged, her voice filled with emotion.
"Ah Yin..." Tang Hao's eyes filled with tears, his grip on the Clear Sky Hammer tightening.
"None of you will escape today. Zhu Zhu, Zhu'er, let's make sure these so-called Twin Stars of the Clear Sky Clan are buried here."
With that, Ye Hao took out the Death God's Heart and stored Ah Yin inside.
At the same time, Ye Hao, Zhu Zhu, and Zhu'er stepped forward. Using the Death God's Heart as a medium, their bodies began to merge rapidly.
"Not good, it's a Martial Soul Fusion Skill!" Tang Xiao realized the danger and shouted, "Little brother, we can't let them complete it!"
The two brothers immediately reacted. Their nine soul rings spread out, and a powerful aura erupted.
Dugu Bo quickly retreated. He had promised Ye Hao not to intervene, and it was clear a fierce battle was about to begin. He didn't want to get caught in the crossfire.
The two Clear Sky Hammers, each surrounded by nine soul rings, came crashing down. Tang Xiao and Tang Hao roared.
At that moment, a protective net formed by the Death God's Heart in front of Ye Hao's trio deflected the attack. The two brothers were sent flying, coughing up blood and retreating several steps.
"Little brother, we need to leave. It's too late," Tang Xiao urged.
"Trying to leave?" Ye Hao's trio had completely merged. At this moment, their Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Twin Spider Emperors, was complete!
The figure stood at 1.85 meters tall, clad in black and purple armor. His left arm was covered in thorns, while his right arm transformed into a dark green scythe. The Eight Spider Lances descended from the sky, attaching to his back with a sharp "clang." The eight sharp spider lances grew out, their colors shifting—one side black, the other dark green.
The figure wore a ferocious mask, and when his eyes opened, the three Titled Douluo present felt a wave of dizziness.
Especially Dugu Bo, who was utterly shocked. He swallowed hard, realizing that not making an enemy of Ye Hao was the wisest decision. No, he would never oppose Ye Hao again. Living a peaceful life was much better, wasn't it?
"Titled... Titled Douluo!" Tang Xiao was stunned. Ye Hao's current strength was that of a Titled Douluo, far surpassing the two brothers.
"No, he's a Limit Douluo!" Ye Hao laughed. "I've reached the 99th level, the pinnacle of power. Tang Xiao, Tang Hao, you two will die here today!"
"Limit... Limit Douluo!" Tang Hao took a step back, his face filled with horror.
"Heaven is unfair! Ye Hao, prepare to die!"
Tang Hao charged forward without hesitation, swinging the Clear Sky Hammer with all his might. The nine soul rings on the hammer shone brightly, and the hammer's size increased tenfold.
"Clang—"
Tang Hao was stunned. He saw Ye Hao catch the Clear Sky Hammer with one hand. The ground beneath Ye Hao's feet cracked, but Ye Hao himself remained unharmed, standing firm.
"The Clear Sky Douluo? The Clear Sky Hammer? Heh..." Ye Hao sneered, then flashed in front of Tang Hao and punched him, sending him flying.
"Nothing special!!!" Ye Hao exerted a bit more force, and Tang Hao's body was sent crashing into a stone wall, raising a cloud of dust.
"The Clear Sky Hammer, the so-called number one tool spirit in the world, isn't as sharp as the Seven Kill Sword or as domineering as the Soul Breaking Spear. A mere blunt weapon doesn't deserve the title of the number one tool spirit. You'd better accept your fate."
Ye Hao didn't give the brothers a chance. In the next moment, he appeared behind them, his right arm transforming into a scythe and slashing downward.
The brothers were caught off guard. Their hands holding the Clear Sky Hammers began to bleed, their palms torn open by the immense force.
"Let's go! It's too late!" Tang Xiao urged.
But Tang Hao seemed unwilling to give up. The nine soul rings on his Clear Sky Hammer began to spin rapidly. Anyone could tell what Tang Hao was about to do.
Ye Hao frowned. After the earlier exchange with Tang Hao and Tang Xiao, the Twin Spider Emperors' fusion time was almost up. With only a minute and a half left, it was unlikely he could kill both brothers in time.
Once the Martial Soul Fusion Skill ended, things would get dangerous.
"Great Sumeru Hammer, Nine Rings Explode!" Tang Hao soared into the air, and the nine soul rings on his Clear Sky Hammer exploded simultaneously. As the rings shattered, the Clear Sky Hammer became multicolored, its power overwhelming. Even Dugu Bo, the "weakest" among them, felt the danger and retreated far away to avoid being caught in the crossfire. Life was precious, after all.
"Just as I thought," Ye Hao's eyes lit up. The Death God's Heart flew out from his chest, transforming into six mirrors that shielded him.
When the multicolored Clear Sky Hammer came crashing down, Tang Hao's initial joy turned to horror. The power of the Great Sumeru Hammer was being absorbed by the mirrors.
In the next moment, Ye Hao appeared behind Tang Hao, his arms transforming into two scythes. He swung them horizontally, aiming for Tang Hao's head.
Seeing this, Tang Xiao rushed to block the attack.
But just as Tang Xiao's Clear Sky Hammer met the scythes, Ye Hao's aim shifted.
The scythes sliced through Tang Hao's right arm and left leg...