Chapter 123: Tang Hao, the Ditch Rat
"Big Brother, quickly take Yuehua away."
His seventh Spirit Ring, a deep, 10,000-year black, suddenly lit up. Tang Hao leaped high into the air, his entire being exploding with a violent, tyrannical aura.
The black Clear Sky Hammer in his hand erupted with a strong black light, expanding rapidly against the wind. In an instant, it swelled until it was over 10 meters long. The huge hammerhead, now the size of a water vat, crackled with dark lightning.
This was his Spirit Avatar. In terms of sheer, oppressive size and raw power, Qin Xuan looked incredibly tiny in front of him.
Tang Xiao nodded slightly, his face a mask of absolute confidence. Even at this moment, he still didn't believe his younger brother would lose to Qin Xuan.
The previous loss had an element of carelessness. Hao'er was caught off guard by Qin Xuan's strange, ethereal sword technique. But that didn't mean his younger brother was inferior to the opponent.
Tang Xiao knew that Tang Hao's true strength did not lie in the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes, nor in simple close combat. His true power lay in the Clear Sky Hammer itself, which had Spirit Rings from seven different strength-type Spirit Beasts superimposed on it, creating a foundation of pure, unadulterated destructive force.
Now that he had activated his Spirit Avatar, and was about to combine it with the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer's nine-into-one technique... in a clash of pure strength, even the four old Sect Masters of the Lower Four Sects combined would likely not be his match.
"Yuehua, let's go. It will be very dangerous here next." Tang Xiao took Tang Yuehua's hand, intending to leave the immediate blast radius.
However, Tang Yuehua was frozen in place, her pupils wide, as if she had witnessed something incredible. She was staring, not at Tang Hao, but at the restaurant window across the street.
The next second, Tang Hao's voice, booming across the arena, abruptly stopped. "Clear Sky Hammer—Disorder Splitting…"
Before the word 'Wind' could be uttered, a streak of golden light suddenly flashed across the arena.
It was faster than thought, faster than a Titled Douluo's reaction. It pierced through Tang Hao's chest the instant he activated his Spirit Avatar and raised his hammer to begin his assault.
A splash of blood bloomed on Tang Hao's chest at a visible speed, staining his dark clothes.
The colossal Clear Sky Avatar, having lost its connection to his Spirit Power, flickered violently. The light dimming, it flew out of his hand and returned to its original size of two meters, clattering heavily onto the stone stage.
"How… how could this be…"
Tang Hao suddenly spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood, his pupils wide with sheer, uncomprehending shock. He glanced at the wound on his chest from the corner of his eye, then looked at Qin Xuan.
Carrying a storm of unwillingness and disbelief, he fell backward to the ground, leaving a long trail of blood in the air.
Looking at Qin Xuan again, the Changming Sword in his hand had disappeared at some point. The golden light that had previously pierced Tang Hao's chest returned, circled once in the air, transformed back into the shape of the Changming Sword, and flew back into his hand.
And what he used was precisely the Sword Control Technique from Peerless City.
[Inorin's Note: The Sword Control Technique is a crossover ability from Shaonian Gexing (Song of Youth), which Qin Xuan acquired in a previous chapter.]
Ever since he obtained this Sword Control Technique, Qin Xuan had nurtured the Changming Sword with his blood daily, and its power grew stronger day by day. It was perfectly suited for dealing with heavy Tool Spirits like the Clear Sky Hammer, striking with speed and precision before the opponent could even build momentum.
The entire venue was silent. Dead quiet.
"Did… Did Tang Hao just lose like that?" Someone in the audience seats uttered this sentence, their voice trembling.
The arena instantly erupted.
No one had expected that after Tang Hao unleashed his Clear Sky Avatar, he would lose even faster and more miserably, without even a chance to make a single move.
"Brother Hao!" Tang Yuehua broke free from Tang Xiao's hand, crying out, and quickly ran towards Tang Hao.
Tang Xiao, at the moment Tang Hao fell, took a swift step, his own speed blurring. He barely caught Tang Hao, and with endless sorrow, checked him. Finding that no vital organs were hit—the blade had passed clean through, but deliberately missed his heart—he turned to glare at Qin Xuan.
"Despicable!"
"Despicable?" Qin Xuan was amused. "This is interesting. Then tell me, where was I despicable?"
"Attacking from the shadows, isn't that despicable? Forgive my audacity, but I never thought that the esteemed Second Majesty of Spirit Hall would stoop to such a base act. It's truly shameful!" Tang Xiao snorted coldly.
Qin Xuan sneered. "You Tang Clan people are truly all of the same ilk. It's one thing to be bad losers, but you always manage to find grand excuses for yourselves."
"According to you, if your Brother Hao uses his Spirit Avatar, I must also use my Spirit Avatar and take the blow head-on? If I don't, it's despicable and an 'attack from the shadows'?"
"Why must I abandon my speed advantage and compete with Tang Hao in strength? Why should I stand idly by and watch Tang Hao use his Spirit Avatar to unleash the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer? I'm not a strength-type Spirit Master."
"If that's the case, why don't your Clear Sky Sect compete in speed with Agility-type Spirit Masters? Why don't you compete in defense with Defense-type Spirit Masters?"
"Or perhaps, for you Tang Clan people, only fighting methods that benefit you are considered righteous? Everyone must accommodate you, making your battles comfortable, so it's not despicable?"
"Don't even look at the character of your so-called Clear Sky Sect's once-in-a-century genius. He only blindly pursues power and strength. If I'm not mistaken, all seven Spirit Rings on his Clear Sky Hammer should be strength-attributed, right?"
"When he fights, he's like a turtle. His fighting style is full of flaws. He only bullies those who only know how to brute force, lack combat intelligence, and foolishly stick their heads out to be hammered by clumsy fools."
"Could it be that once others don't accommodate your fighting style, your Clear Sky Sect becomes so utterly useless?"
"You…" Tang Xiao's entire face darkened, his heart filled with extreme anger, yet he was speechless. Every word Qin Xuan spoke was a fact.
Qin Xuan put away his Spirit and said, "Alright, Tang Xiao, no matter what, you're still the son of my Old Brother Tang Tian. Uncle won't stoop to your level."
"Also, Tang Hao, don't pretend to be dead. Hurry up and call me uncle. I know how to control my strength. Today, in front of so many people, if you go back on your word, you won't be able to stay in the Spirit Master's world anymore."
"Don't even call yourself Tang Hao anymore; just change your name to Rat. It means a rat in a stinking ditch. You're a sore loser, and your words are like farts. This name suits you very well."
"Oh, by the way, I remember you're supposed to be the Clear Sky Sect's next Sect Master successor, right? When you become Sect Master, you can go ahead and change the Clear Sky Sect to the Rat Sect."
Tang Hao was furious. Supported by Tang Xiao and Tang Yuehua, he struggled to get up. Due to his severe injuries, he lightly coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and said weakly, "Bastard, you are not allowed to insult my Clear Sky Sect!"
"Then why don't you call me uncle?" Qin Xuan's single sentence immediately left Tang Hao speechless.
"Call him, Tang Hao! If you don't, you'll be a rat from now on, a rat in a stinking ditch!"
Around them, a group of Spirit Masters, led by Huyan Zhen of the Elephant Armored Sect, who were displeased with the Clear Sky Sect, began to jeer.
Finally, in utter helplessness, Tang Hao, filled with rage, his eyes bloodshot, breathing heavily like an ox, looked at Qin Xuan with murderous intent and shouted, "...Uncle!"
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan resting area.
"Sect Master, do you think this Tang Hao is really as useless as Qin Xuan says?" Gu Rong gazed deeply at Tang Hao, who was being helped to sit down by Tang Xiao in the adjacent area and was receiving treatment from a healing-type Spirit Master. He quietly said to Ning Fengzhi.
Because Tang Hao's performance in the battle with Qin Xuan was so poor—almost being instantly defeated before he could even display his strength—Gu Rong began to doubt Tang Hao, this once-in-a-century genius of the Clear Sky Sect.
Could it be true, as Qin Xuan said, that he was just an empty facade?
"How could that be?" Ning Fengzhi gave a wry smile, then looked gravely at Qin Xuan, who had returned to the VIP seats. He said in a deep voice, "Tang Hao's talent is beyond doubt. Moreover, the Clear Sky Hammer is an Attack-type Spirit, and adding all strength-attributed Spirit Rings is not a problem."
"Uncle Gu, let me ask you: if you were in Qin Xuan's place, facing Tang Hao's Spirit Avatar, could you interrupt him before he unleashed the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer?"
[Inorin Note:
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