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Meanwhile, in Longxing City, the atmosphere at the residence of the Defense Clan felt as heavy as lead. Outside the main gates, Tang Hao sat alone on the tall stone steps. He looked like a rock that had survived a thousand storms.
His eyes were closed, and his expression was calm. It seemed as if he had become part of the cold stone beneath him. His large frame was slightly hunched, but he gave off an aura as steady as a deep lake and as strong as a mountain.
The massive Clear Sky Hammer rested casually by his side. Its dark, pitch-black metal head gleamed with a scary light under the dim sky. Just by sitting there, Tang Hao acted like a silent wall. He blocked out the noise from the street and the house, putting a quiet pressure on everyone nearby.
People walking by stayed far away from him. Their eyes were full of fear and wonder as they looked at the legendary Clear Sky Douluo. His presence made the entire street feel heavy and hard to breathe in.
Inside the residence, the situation was even worse. In the large meeting hall, the air was thick with tension, like a volcano ready to explode. The leaders of the four single-attribute clans were gathered together. However, this was not a happy meeting between old friends. Tai Tan's face was bright red, and his fists were clenched so hard that his bones creaked.
He shouted in a loud, booming voice, "Old Goat! Old Rhinoceros! Old White Bird! Why are you still waiting? You have seen how strong our Master is! The Clear Sky Sect has finally opened its doors again. They have allied with the Heaven Dou Empire. This is the perfect chance for us to get our respect back and take our revenge!"
Tai Tan looked at his friends with desperate eyes. "Our four clans were like brothers once. Are we really going to let this chance go? Do you want to keep fighting alone until Spirit Hall picks us off one by one?"
Bai He, the leader of the Speed Clan, nodded slowly. He was usually a calm man, but he looked interested. He spoke in a serious tone, "What the Old Orangutan says makes sense. Over the years, we have barely survived. We are too weak on our own to grow. The Clear Sky Sect is our home, after all. And Tang Hao... he came here himself. He showed us he is serious, and he showed us his power. If we go back to the Sect, we can use their name to get stronger and fight Spirit Hall. It is a good path. Besides, we share the same blood, and it is hard to forget our old friendship."
After he finished speaking, Bai He looked at Yang Wudi. Yang Wudi had not said a word yet. Niu Gao, the leader of the Defense Clan, sat in the main chair with a worried face. He looked very conflicted.
"Stop arguing!" Niu Gao sighed. "Old Goat, you say something! Bai He and the Old Orangutan want to go back. I will listen to you. Whatever you decide, I will do it." He quickly passed the problem to the leader of the Breaking Clan. Yang Wudi was the most stubborn and difficult person among them.
Yang Wudi sat straight in his chair. His back was as straight as a spear. When he heard Niu Gao, he let out a mean snort. "Return? Get our respect back?" He stood up suddenly. His eyes were as sharp as knives as he looked at the other three leaders. "Tai Tan, Bai He, I think you have forgotten how much we suffered! Or maybe Tang Hao just scared you with his big words and his strength. Have the people of the Breaking Clan not had enough of being treated like dogs by the Clear Sky Sect?"
He took a step forward and pointed a finger toward the door. It was as if he could see Tang Hao through the walls. His voice was full of hidden pain. "Tang Hao is strong! He is the Clear Sky Douluo! But can his strength wash away the blood our clan lost? Can he bring back my brothers and uncles who died because of Spirit Hall? He says he represents the Clear Sky Sect now. Does that mean he can just order us around? Can he use force to scare us or threaten to destroy our clan if we say no?"
Yang Wudi's face was twisted with anger. "I do not respect a Sect like that! I do not respect a person like him! My Breaking Clan would rather live in the shadows. We would rather die standing up than live on our knees! We will never go back to be their dogs, to fight their battles, and be thrown away when they are done with us! If you want to be dogs, go ahead! But my Breaking Clan will definitely not return!" He roared the last words so loudly that the walls seemed to shake. He was not going to change his mind.
Suddenly, there was a loud creak. A large hand pushed open the heavy hall doors. Cold light from outside spilled into the room, showing a huge, mountain-like shadow. Tang Hao had finished his meditation. He walked into the room with heavy, steady steps.
The hall was filled with the smell of anger, but he ignored it. He did not look at the leaders who were arguing. He walked straight to the center of the room. His deep eyes looked at Tai Tan, Bai He, and Niu Gao. Finally, his gaze landed on Yang Wudi, who was shaking with rage.
The room went silent. It was as if someone had grabbed everyone by the throat. All eyes were on the Clear Sky Douluo. He had come in without being asked, but he carried a power that made the air feel frozen. Tang Hao looked calm. After a moment, he spoke slowly. "Are you finished talking? I will not make things hard for you. Those who want to return to the Clear Sky Sect and help me fight Spirit Hall..." He paused and moved to the side, pointing to the floor next to him. "Now, come stand over here."
These words were like throwing gas on a fire. Yang Wudi's anger exploded. "Tang Hao!" he screamed from the bottom of his lungs. His eyes turned red with bloodlust. All the pain of being forced to retreat years ago, the memories of his dead family, and the hate he had kept inside for ten years came out at once. He did not care about the future or the big picture anymore. He only wanted to kill.
"Tang Hao, how can you say you won't make things hard for us? How can you ask us to stand there? I'll see you in hell first!" Yang Wudi shouted. A wave of spirit power, sharper than anything before, burst from his body. "Soul Breaking Spear!"
A black spear appeared in his hand. It hummed with power. Eight spirit rings appeared around him, glowing brightly. The black eighth spirit ring gave off a freezing, deadly feeling. Without any warning, Yang Wudi moved. He and his spear became one. He turned into a bolt of black lightning that flew through the air. He put all his life's training and all his hate into this one attack. He aimed the spear straight at Tang Hao's heart.
This attack was even faster than his last one. He was not trying to protect himself. He was ready to die as long as he could kill Tang Hao. It was a suicidal strike. The spear was so fast that it tore the air, making a loud booming sound.
The power of the spear even made cracks appear on the walls of the hall. He wanted to show Tang Hao, who looked down on them like they were nothing, just how brave the Breaking Clan was. Even if he died, he wanted to leave a mark.
At that exact moment, high in the sky above Longxing City, a bright red light was flying. It moved through the clouds at an amazing speed. By chance, it was heading right over this important city.