Chapter 37: Tang San, You're Courting Death!
Tang Hao and Tang San were about to leave the Star Dou Great Forest.
Along the way, Tang Hao explained to his son the structure and rules of the upcoming Soul Master Tournament.
Although it was a competition between young soul masters, it was also one of the most prestigious events in the entire Soul Master world.
Tang Hao knew that even if Tang San didn't return to Shrek Academy, Yu Xiaogang would definitely lead a team to participate.
After all, Yu Xiaogang wanted to use the tournament as a stage to prove his own worth and theories.
The members of Shrek were already quite strong on their own, but with Tang San's return, the team's overall strength would rise to another level.
Of course, Tang San's reappearance might also bring a certain level of danger.
However, several members of Shrek's student-teacher team came from powerful backgrounds:
Dai Mubai, who possessed the Evil-Eyed White Tiger Martial Soul, was a prince of the Star Luo Empire.
Ning Rongrong was the daughter of Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Yu Xiaogang himself was the son of Yu Yuanzhen, the master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.
Furthermore, Yu Xiaogang, Flender, and Liu Erlong formed the renowned Golden Iron Triangle. When the three worked together to unleash their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, their power was nothing short of terrifying.
Tang Hao also planned to protect Tang San secretly from the shadows.
That was why he finally decided to let his son return to Shrek Academy—to join the upcoming Soul Master Tournament and win the championship reward: three Soul Bones.
After listening to his father's explanation, Tang San's heart stirred with excitement.
Tang Hao had already passed down to him the ultimate secret technique of the Clear Sky Hammer.
However, mastering the Clear Sky Sect's supreme skill was no simple task.
In addition to meeting the strength requirements, his body needed to be strong enough to withstand it—ideally supported by a full set of Soul Bones.
But in this world, Soul Bones were incomparably rare treasures—each one priceless and nearly impossible to obtain.
Tang San already possessed the 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone. If he could obtain the three Soul Bones awarded to the tournament champions, his strength would skyrocket to new heights.
By fusing those bones, his physical body would become even more formidable.
At this point, he was already a Soul King with five rings, wielding a powerful ten-thousand-year soul skill.
With the external Soul Bone—Eight Spider Lances—and the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone granting him the ability to fly, Tang San feared no opponent on the arena stage, no matter their type.
After over a year of training in the City of Slaughter, his combat skills had advanced tremendously, and his battle experience had deepened beyond measure.
He had even obtained the Death God Domain, capable of both boosting himself and suppressing his enemies.
Within their team, Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing could perform a devastating Martial Soul Fusion Skill together, while Yu Xiaogang provided the strategic brain behind the scenes.
With such teammates and his father's protection, Tang San firmly believed that they had every chance of seizing the tournament championship.
Just as father and son were about to leave the forest, Tang Hao suddenly stopped, his brows knitting tightly together.
"Father, what's wrong?" Tang San asked, sensing the sudden tension.
Tang Hao's expression hardened. "A powerful soul power fluctuation… It feels like those two!"
Tang San's pupils shrank. "Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo?!"
"That's right—it's them! Move, now!"
Tang Hao's tone grew grim as he grabbed Tang San's arm and tried to retreat immediately.
He could sense a chilling, deathly aura nearby—one he recognized all too well. It was the familiar and sinister presence of his long-time enemy, Ghost Douluo.
And Ghost Douluo was never alone.
Where there was Ghost Douluo, there was always Yue Guan, the Chrysanthemum Douluo.
Before coming to the Star Dou Great Forest, Tang Hao and Tang San had visited the stone chamber behind the mountain near Holy Soul Village—only to find that A Yin, who had taken the form of a Blue Silver Grass, had vanished.
Tang Hao strongly suspected that Ghost Douluo and Chrysanthemum Douluo were responsible.
Now, feeling Gui Mei's aura so close by, a burning fury surged within his chest—but he knew this was no time to act recklessly.
If he were alone, he would never fear the Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo duo.
But with Tang San by his side, he couldn't fight at full power.
For his son's safety, they had to escape—fast.
Father and son sprinted toward the forest's edge.
But suddenly—without the slightest warning—a dark shadow appeared before them.
In the next instant, dozens of black energy blades slashed through the air toward them.
Without hesitation, Tang Hao unleashed his Clear Sky Hammer.
Soul power surged violently through it, radiating a destructive might that shattered the oncoming blades in a single swing!
The black energy blades collided fiercely with the Clear Sky Hammer, ringing out with a series of sharp, metallic clashes.
"Tang Hao! You cowardly turtle—running again, are you?"
Hovering in midair ahead of them was a dark figure shrouded in mist.
Tang Hao instantly recognized that voice—it was Gui Mei.
The next moment, a second powerful surge of soul power erupted from behind.
Tang Hao's expression darkened. That aura—Yue Guan.
Gui Mei and Yue Guan—one in front, one behind—had surrounded Tang Hao and Tang San.
"Tang Hao," Yue Guan's cold voice drifted from behind, dripping with disdain, "last time you slipped away… but this time, even if you sprout wings, you're not escaping!"
His words made Tang Hao's anger boil.
These two—once his defeated foes—now dared to mock him so arrogantly, treating him as though he were nothing.
If not for his lingering injuries, how could he have fallen to such a state?
Even now, he could clearly sense that both Gui Mei and Yue Guan had grown stronger since their last encounter.
Soul power surged wildly within him as he rapidly calculated his options.
His mind couldn't help drifting to A Yin, and his gaze locked on Gui Mei as he asked coldly, "Was it you… Who took away that Blue Silver Grass?"
Gui Mei let out a contemptuous snort.
"So what if it was?"
Tang Hao's eyes narrowed. "So it was you! Hand it over!"
"Hmph, hand it over? It's already been eaten by me. How am I supposed to return it?"
Gui Mei's voice was deliberately mocking. He feared Tang Hao might try to flee again, so he provoked him on purpose—to keep him here and kill Tang San while he had the chance.
At that moment, Tang San stood close behind his father, fully protected.
Gui Mei's sharp senses quickly noticed something strange—there was a dark, murderous aura emanating from the boy.
It was chilling, sinister… and unmistakably from the City of Slaughter.
He immediately realized: this youth had braved the Hell Road, and though he had survived, he hadn't yet learned to fully suppress his killing intent.
To have escaped that cursed city in less than two years—it could only mean that the Slaughter King himself had intervened.
That was a terrible omen.
One way or another, this boy had to die—before he became a threat.
When Tang Hao heard Gui Mei's words—"I ate it"—his mind exploded in rage.
"You… you ate A Yin?!"
His roar shook the forest.
A monstrous fury erupted from within, and his blood seemed to boil in his veins. His entire body trembled as his vision turned crimson.
The Clear Sky Hammer in his hands began to hum, resonating with its master's boundless rage—it was thirsting for blood.
"A Yin…" Tang Hao's voice trembled with anguish, his heart plunged into a black abyss of grief and madness.
"You two beasts—go to hell!"
One by one, nine soul rings lit up around him—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red—each radiating immense power.
The ninth ring blazed with a dazzling blood-red glow.
Tang Hao's aura exploded upward, soaring to its absolute peak. The Clear Sky Hammer turned completely scarlet, its power overwhelming and destructive beyond measure.
In this state, both his attack strength and soul skill potency had reached terrifying levels.
But Gui Mei merely sneered.
He didn't take Tang Hao seriously—not anymore. His attention was focused solely on Tang San. He had to kill the boy—here and now—before he could grow into a second Tang Hao.
Standing before two formidable Titled Douluo, Tang San felt his heart pounding violently.
Without hesitation, he quietly activated the Blue Silver Emperor Right Leg Bone, preparing to take flight at a moment's notice.
Just as Tang Hao was about to strike, Gui Mei's figure suddenly vanished from sight.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared high above them, his chilling presence pressing down like a storm.
Then—light flared.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red.
Nine soul rings appeared around Gui Mei's body—the same as Tang Hao's.
That final scarlet ten-thousand-year ring shone with an identical blood-red brilliance.
Tang Hao and Tang San froze, eyes widening in disbelief.
This… this was impossible.
—
End of Chapter