Chapter Sixty-One: The Onslaught of Tang the Hammer

"Tell me, did you really travel all the way to Soto City just to beat up that guy in blue back there?" Fire Dance couldn't help but ask as the three of them left the city.

"If you put it that way, you're not wrong," Xiao Yu replied with a faint smile, nodding in acknowledgment.

"You! What grudge do you have against him, anyway?" Fire Dance clicked her tongue, then pulled Ye Lingling behind her. "Lingling, this guy is way too violent. We’d better keep our distance from him in the future."

"I trust Brother Xiao Yu," Ye Lingling said softly. "He would never hurt anyone without a reason. That person must have deserved it."

"You..." Fire Dance was at a loss for words. In the end, she could only grumble, "Foolish girl, be careful or he'll sell you off one day and you'll still be counting money for him!"

Thud!

Xiao Yu reached out and gave Fire Dance another flick on the forehead. "How could anyone bear to sell someone as sweet as Lingling? If I had to sell someone, it'd be you, you crazy woman!"

"Who are you calling crazy!" Fire Dance nearly exploded with anger.

Just as the two were about to start bickering again, Ye Lingling hurriedly changed the topic. "Brother Xiao Yu, I know you wouldn't hurt someone for no reason. Please, tell me why you did it."

"It's actually quite simple," Xiao Yu said quietly, gently ruffling Ye Lingling's hair. "I wanted to draw out the person backing that kid. If I didn't give him a real beating, that person probably wouldn't show himself."

Ye Lingling's curiosity was piqued. "Who is it, Brother Xiao Yu, that would make you go to such lengths?"

"He's already here," Xiao Yu's expression suddenly changed, his eyes narrowing as he stared straight ahead.

There, in the middle of the road, stood a slovenly, ragged middle-aged man, who looked for all the world like a beggar.

"Who are you supposed to be? Roads are for everyone—step aside and stop blocking the way!" Fire Dance scoffed, waving dismissively. She hadn't bothered to listen in on Xiao Yu and Ye Lingling's private conversation, so she assumed this was just some beggar asking for alms.

Ye Lingling, on the other hand, was tense, unconsciously clutching Xiao Yu's sleeve. She suspected that anyone Xiao Yu had gone to such lengths to draw out must be a truly formidable figure.

The middle-aged man ignored Fire Dance. His eyes remained fixed on Xiao Yu as he slowly walked toward him. With every few steps he took, a spirit ring appeared behind him, until all nine were floating in the air. Only then did he stop.

"A... a Title Douluo!" Fire Dance gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

"Boy, how do you want to die?" The man's voice was cold as steel, and a terrifying killing intent crashed upon Xiao Yu like a tidal wave, plunging the temperature around them.

"Tang Hao, save your theatrics," Xiao Yu replied, channeling his spirit power to resist Tang Hao’s murderous aura. "If you want my life, you’re not qualified!"

Tang Hao was visibly startled at having his identity exposed so abruptly. It would have been understandable if an older soul master had recognized him, but the young man before him could be no more than twenty. Tang Hao's battle and subsequent disappearance had happened over a decade ago—how could this youth possibly know him?

But he quickly regained his composure. Regardless of how Xiao Yu had learned his identity, the fact remained that his son had been hurt, and there was a price to be paid. "Since you know who I am, good. I won't bother with pretense. Tang San is my son. You hurt him, and you will pay for it. Break an arm yourself, kneel before my son, and beg for forgiveness—or I will kill you!"

"Tang Hao, I really don't know where a stray dog like you gets such arrogance," Xiao Yu retorted with a sneer, stabbing right at Tang Hao’s sore spot. "A mere outcast from the Clear Sky Clan dares to bark at me?"

"You wretch, you court death!" The Clear Sky Clan was a wound Tang Hao could not bear touched. Infuriated by Xiao Yu's words, he roared and swung his Clear Sky Hammer at him with devastating force.

Clang!

At the very instant the hammer fell, a sharp sword shot out from the side and collided with the thousand-pound weapon.

In Tang Hao’s eyes, Xiao Yu was just a slightly outstanding youth, still leagues away from contending with a seasoned Title Douluo like himself. He hadn’t even used a tenth of his strength. Yet, the sword that flew out was clearly fully charged, and with the difference in momentum, the Clear Sky Hammer was knocked aside in a single stroke.

"Who’s there?" Tang Hao called back his hammer with a sweep of spirit power, face hardening. He could sense a presence around him that threatened his very life.

Clang, clang, clang—

The sound of metal footsteps rang out as a figure clad in golden armor strode up, coming to stand before Tang Hao. Four yellow, four purple, and one red spirit ring rose behind him, mirroring Tang Hao's own configuration.

"May I ask who you are? I am Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Douluo," Tang Hao said, his caution now sharpened to the utmost. Facing a foe with an identical spirit ring configuration—one even he couldn’t guarantee victory against at his peak—he was especially wary, given his injuries.

"Anyone who threatens my young master—be it the Clear Sky Clan or the Spirit Hall—deserves only death," the armored figure responded coldly, unleashing an aura of murderous intent that swept toward Tang Hao like a storm.

"In that case, let us fight!" As the greatest prodigy of a generation on the continent, famous for his Slaughter Domain, Tang Hao was never one for patience. If not for the fact that his son, Tang San, had yet to grow strong, and that he still had too many worries, he would have attacked the moment the armored figure appeared.

Now, with nowhere to retreat, there was no choice but battle!

In a flash, a chilling, murderous aura surged from all sides—the release of Tang Hao's Slaughter Domain.

"A domain, is it?" The armored man—Asura—frowned slightly. This domain sapped about a tenth of his spirit power and the omnipresent killing intent seemed to gnaw at his mind.

"Third spirit skill, Sacred Sword Aura!" The third spirit ring shone as a terrifying sword aura burst forth, golden light swirling around Asura to dissolve the incoming murderous intent into nothingness.

This was Asura’s third spirit skill: not only did it enhance his own attack, but it also negated debuffs from opponents.

"What terrifying sword intent—a fighting style reminiscent of the Sword Douluo?" Tang Hao gripped his Clear Sky Hammer tighter. His sixth spirit ring, black as ink, flared brilliantly as hundreds of phantom hammers appeared in the air, crashing toward Asura in waves.

This was Tang Hao’s sixth spirit skill: Tempered Thousand Hammers, a powerful area-of-effect technique.

"Sixth spirit skill, Sacred Sword Draw!" Asura was not to be outdone. Golden blades sliced through the sky, shattering the oncoming phantom hammers into dust, each collision punctuated by deafening explosions.