Tang Hao wasn't surprised when his attack was blocked; after all, he had merely struck casually.
If Sword Douluo hadn't been able to block it, he wouldn't be worthy of the title "Sword Dao Chenxin."
As for Dugu Bo, Tang Hao didn't take him seriously. Known as the weakest Title Douluo, and one who relied on poison, Dugu Bo would only need a single hit from his hammer to be defeated.
What Tang Hao didn't know was that Dugu Bo had undergone a complete transformation, and his strength now far exceeded what it had been.
Unfortunately, Tang Hao's perception wasn't as sharp as Chenxin's. Even though he could sense Dugu Bo's aura was stronger than before, Dugu Bo had deliberately restrained his power, preventing Tang Hao from gauging his exact strength.
"Clear Sky Douluo, it's best if you retreat. If you leave now, we'll pretend this never happened. But if word of this reaches Emperor Xue Ye, your son might lose his chance to compete," Dugu Bo warned, his gaze sharp.
"Hahaha, and what if Emperor Xue Ye finds out? I'm just here to borrow the academy's healing spirit master!"
Yes, Tang Hao would never admit that he intended to capture Ye Lingling. He'd only "invited" her for assistance since she'd happened to be alone while training.
Chenxin snorted coldly, "You know your real intent. If you refuse to leave, then…fight!"
Dugu Bo added calmly, "Tang Hao, do you really think you can handle the two of us together?"
"Hahaha, and why not? When I first became a Title Douluo, I single-handedly repelled three Title Douluos, along with several Spirit Douluos and Spirit Sages. Tell me, why wouldn't I be able to handle you both?"
Ning Fengzhi frowned. He knew of that incident well—Tang Hao had indeed singlehandedly defeated Wuhun Hall's Yue Guan and Gui Mei, as well as seriously injuring former Pope Qian Xunji.
However, Tang Hao's arrogance was grating. He seemed to forget that Ning Fengzhi, the continent's greatest support spirit master, was also here.
Tang Hao's remark made the hidden Gui Mei's mouth twitch. He couldn't deny he still harbored fear from that encounter. Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer was formidable, and even with his and Yue Guan's combined ninth spirit abilities, they hadn't been able to withstand it.
Still, Tang Hao didn't want to create too big a commotion, as it could affect Tang San's upcoming matches. "Let's make a deal. Let Ye Lingling accompany me to the healing room at the Great Spirit Arena to treat the injured Thunder Academy members, and I won't make any trouble."
Though he said this, Tang Hao had already made up his mind. Once the tournament concluded, he'd capture both Ye Lingling and Su Ming.
Ye Lingling could heal his internal injuries, and Su Ming was a sworn enemy of his son.
Tang Hao hadn't connected the sudden chest pain earlier to Ye Lingling's doing, assuming it was simply a flare-up of his old injury as she treated him.
It made sense, considering his wound hadn't healed all these years. The injury was caused by Qian Xunji's divine power and was difficult to recover from.
"Tang Hao, you want me to hand over Lingling? Impossible! And to think you're Tang San's father! If this is at his request, then we were right about you all along—a pack of hypocrites and petty villains!"
Su Ming shielded Ye Lingling and glared at Tang Hao defiantly.
With Dugu Bo and Chenxin on his side, Su Ming felt confident enough to speak freely. Even without them, he wouldn't back down from Tang Hao.
However, he wasn't planning on showing all his cards just yet. Though he'd briefly revealed some of his abilities in the past, it had only been against a Spirit Douluo, and Tang Hao likely hadn't paid it much mind.
"You little brat! What did you just say?" Tang Hao roared. How dare Su Ming, a mere junior, speak to him this way!
"Well, well, you've got guts! I'll keep it short: if you can withstand my blow, I'll leave immediately!"
Without further ado, Tang Hao lifted his Clear Sky Hammer, shattering his first and second spirit rings. The explosive force merged into his hammer.
"Seventh Spirit Ability, True Form of the Tool Spirit!"
"Great Sumeru Hammer!"
Even with just two shattered hundred-year spirit rings, Tang Hao's aura surged immensely.
Dugu Bo's expression changed, realizing that his own physique wouldn't withstand Tang Hao's attack head-on. Although he believed he could defeat Tang Hao, it would require a hit-and-run strategy relying on his speed; a direct confrontation wouldn't work.
Chenxin noticed Dugu Bo's hesitation and reassured him, "Dugu Bo, just protect Su Ming and the others. I'll handle Tang Hao's strike."
"Seventh Spirit Ability, Seven Kill True Form!"
"Heavenly Sword Draw Technique! Chain Slash!"
In the past, as fellow level-96 Title Douluos, Chenxin had admitted that in a life-or-death fight, he wasn't Tang Hao's match.
But now, with this newly developed self-created spirit ability capable of stacking damage instantly, Chenxin could take on Tang Hao's full-strength Great Sumeru Hammer. And with Tang Hao only shattering two hundred-year spirit rings, Chenxin was more than prepared.
Boom!
The Clear Sky Hammer collided with the Seven Kill Sword's energy. If not for Dugu Bo's protection, the academy's buildings would have been completely destroyed!
The clash of two Title Doulo's true forms combined with self-created techniques generated an overwhelming force.
Having activated his true form and shattered two spirit rings, Tang Hao's old injury flared up, and he sensed something was wrong. Chenxin's strength had grown—he was at level 97 now!
With his current, weakened body, Tang Hao couldn't withstand the explosive power of his nine-ring burst. Without his peak strength and free from injury, he might not have feared Chenxin. But in his current state, he knew he couldn't take him on.
Unable to win, Tang Hao launched a powerful strike with the Clear Sky Hammer before fleeing.
Su Ming shook his head in amusement. This was identical to Tang Hao's original appearance in the finals—arriving, striking once, and retreating. Back then, everyone had been intimidated by Tang Hao's Killing God Domain and aura, never realizing how fragile his body truly was.
If Su Ming recalled correctly, Tang Hao possessed a full set of spirit bones. Hopefully, Tang San would make it to the finals. If Tang Hao appeared again, Su Ming intended to make sure Tang Hao left behind at least two spirit bones this time!
Seeing Tang Hao flee, Chenxin didn't bother to pursue him, knowing that no one could predict what Tang Hao might do if cornered.
Putting away his Seven Kill Sword, Chenxin asked, "Was Tang Hao really here just for Ye Lingling?"
Su Ming shook his head and replied, "Grandpa Sword, I think so. Lingling told me earlier that Tang Hao had her use a spirit ability on him before he tried to take her away. He must be dealing with an internal injury that ordinary healing spirit masters can't treat."
Just then, Xiao Wu and the others arrived at the academy entrance. In fact, they had been there for a while but were unable to enter due to an invisible force. Xiao Wu found herself unable to pass through it.
Unbeknownst to them, Su Ming had set up a mental barrier at the start of the confrontation. This barrier kept out any spirit master below Title Douluo level, preventing Xiao Wu and the others from entering.
With their current strength, they couldn't possibly intervene in this situation.
After hearing Su Ming's explanation, Chenxin merely gave Ye Lingling a deep look, understanding that her connection with Su Ming was more than just ordinary.
Otherwise, Su Ming wouldn't have been so attuned to her, disappearing in an instant to reach her.
Chenxin had noticed that in that moment, Su Ming had even activated those special eyes of his, which not only allowed him to summon a giant spectral figure but also seemed to enable spatial teleportation. It was clear that Su Ming held many secrets.
However, he didn't concern himself with them. Given Su Ming's relationship with Rongrong, he knew that Su Ming would never pose a threat to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
"Since you're all fine, your Grandpa Sword and I will take our leave," Ning Fengzhi said to Su Ming and Ning Rongrong.
As they were about to go, Su Ming suddenly spoke up, "Wait! Uncle Ning, I wanted to ask if the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has any rare metals or minerals—those with high hardness and durability, suitable for weapon crafting."
"Oh, and does the clan have any skilled blacksmiths?"
Ning Fengzhi looked puzzled but replied, "Rare metals? The clan has some, though not much. We usually buy them cheaply and sell them at a premium since we don't have much use for them ourselves."
"As for skilled blacksmiths, we don't have any. You should know, Su Ming, that ordinary weapons aren't very useful for spirit masters, who rely on their own abilities. Iron weapons are mostly used by the imperial army or civilians. Why do you ask?"
Su Ming wasn't surprised by this answer. In the current era, soul tools were still in a primitive stage, and the Douluo Continent primarily relied on individual strength.
It wasn't until the Sun and Moon Continent and the Sun and Moon Empire appeared thousands of years later, with their advanced soul tools that outmatched the Tang Sect's hidden weapons, that people on the Douluo Continent realized the power of soul tools and began to develop them.
"Uncle Ning, these weapons will be useful in the future. I hope you can assign someone to collect some rare metal ores. With the treasure-hunting capabilities of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, it should be manageable."
Ning Rongrong eagerly added, "Yes, Father, listen to Brother Su Ming!"
Ning Fengzhi smiled knowingly. This request was likely connected to Rongrong. Could it have something to do with the new technique she had mentioned using in the Spirit Master Tournament?
"Very well. But Su Ming, even if we have quality metals, we lack a skilled blacksmith to forge them."
"Although I'm not deeply knowledgeable about the blacksmithing trade, I do know a bit. The Blacksmith Association has three god-level blacksmiths. Tang Hao is one, and Titan, the leader of the Power Clan once affiliated with the Clear Sky Clan, is another. The third is Lou Gao, the association's president, currently in Gengxin City."
"Forget about Tang Hao and Titan. Although the Power Clan split from the Clear Sky Clan, they're likely the first to have heard of the Clear Sky Hammer's return, given their presence in Heaven Dou City."
"The Power Clan's leader, Titan, is very loyal to Tang Hao and would seek him out along with Tang San. I'm unsure about the other three clans, but the Power Clan remains steadfastly loyal to Tang Hao."
"As for Lou Gao, he's said to be eccentric, and under his leadership, the Blacksmith Association doesn't even fear the Wuhun Hall. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan would have difficulty recruiting him."
Su Ming didn't doubt Ning Fengzhi's words, as he knew Titan's personality well. In the original story, Titan was exceedingly loyal to Tang Hao, going so far as to kneel before Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer with his entire family, showing no resentment toward Tang Hao or the Clear Sky Clan.
Later, after seeing Tang San's Zhuge Crossbow and other hidden weapons, Titan grew even more devoted, practically begging for the loyalty of the other single-attribute clans.
In Su Ming's view, the other three single-attribute clans could be won over, but the Power Clan was hopeless—utterly spineless.
As for Lou Gao, in the original story, Tang San had won him over by sharing hidden weapon blueprints. Su Ming didn't have those, but he did have blueprints for crafting soul tools!
With those, winning over Lou Gao would be a certainty.
"Uncle Ning, I have a blueprint for a soul tool. If you give it to Master Lou Gao, I'm sure he'll be very interested."
Saying this, Su Ming took a scroll from his storage ring and handed it to Ning Fengzhi.
When Ning Fengzhi opened it, he didn't recognize many of the materials listed, but he clearly saw the words "Small Soul Cannon"!
It required only an infusion of spirit power, which determined the power of its attacks. This soul cannon seemed perfectly suited for their clan!
Unlike talismans, which were single-use, the soul cannon could be used repeatedly.
Of course, talismans were rarer and more valuable, but precisely because of that, the clan could only afford to give direct descendants a few talismans for attack and escape.
While they didn't lack funds, Su Ming was the only one able to make talismans, and he couldn't spend all his time on them. With this new, practical attack soul tool, they had a versatile alternative.
However, based on his assessment, crafting a soul cannon would be no small feat. Many materials listed on the blueprint were unfamiliar. It was best to leave this to an expert.
Suppressing his excitement, Ning Fengzhi smiled, "Su Ming, you've given us yet another surprise. This is too important—I'll deliver it personally. I don't trust anyone else with it!"
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT