"Ranked seventh, bearing the title of Blazing Sun." The Seventh Elder's low voice reached Tang San's ears.
Tang San secretly cursed his own assumption. Hadn't the Clear Sky Sect always been said to have only his father and his eldest uncle as Titled Douluo? How could this Seventh Elder also be one…
But he quickly realized his mistake. The notion of the Clear Sky Sect producing two Douluo in a single generation had been spoken of twenty years ago. Twenty years was more than enough time for many things to happen — including Soul Douluo advancing to the rank of Titled Douluo.
In truth, how could Tang San have known that when the Clear Sky Sect had sealed itself off and retreated to this mountaintop, though driven by necessity, it had been an enormous humiliation for the entire sect. From that moment onward, under Tang Xiao's leadership and with the support of all the elders, the disciples of the Clear Sky Sect had thrown themselves into rigorous cultivation.
Twenty years had passed. The third generation of Clear Sky Sect disciples had already moved past the transitional period of weakness; those above thirty generally possessed strength surpassing the fiftieth rank. Among the second-generation disciples led by Sect Master Tang Xiao, every single one had broken through to the seventieth rank. The five surviving elders of the first generation had all become Titled Douluo.
Though the Clear Sky Sect was not large in numbers, the strength hidden within this mountain-top sect was still absolutely terrifying. The title of "Number One Sect Under Heaven" from back in the day could never be represented by merely two Douluo in a single generation.
If his opponent had been a Soul Douluo, Tang San would have been almost absolutely certain he could crush them using only forty percent of his Soul Power — even if their Martial Soul was the formidable Clear Sky Hammer, the outcome would be no different. But his opponent was a Titled Douluo. Even using only forty percent, that output was equivalent to a Soul Master near the seventieth rank. What was more, the Seventh Elder possessed far more Soul Skills than Tang Hu. He might not be able to use his eighth or ninth Soul Skills, but even so, deploying his seventh Soul Skill — the Clear Sky True Body — for a short period should pose absolutely no problem. Although Tang San had carefully chosen this iron chain bridge, facing a Titled Douluo with vast combat experience, he knew that winning would be anything but easy.
"Scared?" The Seventh Elder looked at Tang San with undisguised contempt.
"No. It is my honor to challenge you, Blazing Sun Douluo. Tang San, fifty-ninth rank Control Type Battle Soul King." Standing on the iron chain bridge, Tang San gave a slight bow to the Seventh Elder.
As he bowed, dense white light erupted from his body. The clouds and mist before him were swept aside on both sides as though cut by a blade, and the white light reached the Seventh Elder in the span of a single breath. It was the Slaughter Domain.
The Seventh Elder smiled calmly and raised his Clear Sky Hammer. A thick shroud of black light enveloped his body, completely blocking Tang San's tangible, overwhelming killing intent outside the dark barrier. Although Tang San's combat power was enhanced by his surging murderous will, it did not affect the Seventh Elder in the slightest.
Of course, this did not mean Tang San's Slaughter Domain had no effect on the Seventh Elder — it was simply that the gap in their strength was too vast. His Slaughter Domain was nowhere near powerful enough to influence a Titled Douluo. As his strength grew, the Slaughter Domain attached to the Clear Sky Hammer would naturally improve as well. Once his Mysterious Heaven Skill reached a certain level, he would be able to restrain the Seventh Elder.
At the same time the Slaughter Domain was released, a blue radiance unfurled as well. From the very outset, Tang San had unleashed both of his Domains without any reservation. Facing a Titled Douluo, if he were to hold anything back, would that not be tantamount to courting death?
Under the shocked gaze of everyone on the cliffside, Tang San leaned his upper body slightly forward. The white shirt on his back shattered in an instant, and the external Soul Bone — the Eight Spider Lances — burst from his back. The enormous four-meter-long Eight Spider Lances spread open behind him. Under the combined effect of the Blue Silver Domain and the Slaughter Domain, the entire set of Eight Spider Lances gleamed with a deep blue luster. At the same time, within the lances, gold served as the central core while red and blue spiraled and pulsed around it, as though the lances were alive.
The moment the Eight Spider Lances appeared, Tang San's aura surged to its absolute peak. With the power of this external Soul Bone, every function of his body had been adjusted to its optimal state. His muscles knotted and stood out, his bones tightened in unison, and standing upon the iron chain bridge, he projected an aura of overwhelming, piercing authority.
Upon seeing Tang San's Eight Spider Lances, the Seventh Elder was briefly stunned. He could certainly tell it was a Soul Bone, but he did not immediately recognize that it was an external Soul Bone possessing growth potential.
On the shore, Tang Xiao and the other four elders saw it clearly. From their position behind Tang San, they had witnessed the entire emergence of the Eight Spider Lances. Combined with the fluctuations in Soul Power, the Second Elder could not help but glance at the composed Tang Xiao. "Did the Sect Master already know that Tang San possessed an external Soul Bone?"
Tang Xiao nodded slowly. "It is one of his three Soul Bones."
"Three?" A bitter smile appeared on the Second Elder's face. "When did Soul Bones become so common? No wonder — he had no need to use the sect's Soul Bone."
Tang Yuehua could not help but speak up. "Of the three Soul Bones Tang San possesses, one was left to him by his mother. The other two he obtained entirely through his own efforts. This external Soul Bone before you was gained when he killed a hundred-year Old Spider Demon back when he was only at the twentieth-odd rank. At that time, he was already absorbing a Soul Ring beyond his level. The other Soul Bone was the prize his team won by defeating Spirit Hall's academy team at the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. This child is a genius — and not just in terms of strength. He possesses a mind beyond what ordinary people can match. In every respect, he has long surpassed our Second Brother at the same age. Both the Tian Dou Empire and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan have already extended their invitations to him, but this child has never accepted any of them."