The entire mountaintop fell deathly silent. Only the lingering echoes of the impact reverberated through the surrounding peaks.
Who could have predicted this outcome? Tang San stood tall upon the mountain, holding the
The four elders led by the
Tang San planted the Sea God's Trident vertically into the ground with a heavy thud. Immediately, a thunderous boom rang out again, and the entire fortress of the Clear Sky Sect trembled violently beneath that single impact. Enormous cracks spread outward from beneath Tang San's feet, and even someone as powerful as
The reason Tang San had been able to block the Seventh Elder's attack without releasing his Martial Soul was partly due to the Sea God's Trident's power, but equally because his physical body had already reached a terrifying level of strength. After obtaining the Soul Rings and Soul Bones from the two great divine beasts — the
"Now, do I have the qualification to discuss matters with the esteemed elders?" Tang San said calmly.
The Second Elder's voice turned sharp: "Tang San, you returned to the sect just to challenge it? Even if you've gained some measure of strength, showing such disrespect to your elders and flaunting that power before the sect — what penalty do you think that warrants?"
Tang San's expression turned cold. "I have shown no disrespect to my elders, nor have I been flaunting anything. I am simply here to seek justice on behalf of my father. You were the ones who attacked first. I was merely defending myself."
"You've got quite the nerve, Tang San. Let me see just how far you've actually cultivated!" Having been forced back twice, the Seventh Elder was seething with rage. However, this collision had also given him a thorough understanding of just how formidable Tang San truly was — especially that trident in his hand, wreathed in surging black light. His Clear Sky Hammer swelled dramatically in size. With his hands spreading apart, he activated two of his soul techniques simultaneously, each hand gripping a Hammer Avatar from his martial soul true form. He was ready to strike again.
At this point, even Tang Xiao could no longer hold the elders back. Tang San's behavior was simply too provocative. The earlier collision of epic proportions, followed by the earth-shaking impact of Tang San's strike, had already roused the entire sect. Disciples of the Clear Sky Sect poured out of the compound in large numbers, taking position behind the elders and staring in astonishment at Tang San standing on the mountain peak with his trident.
"Wait!" Tang San barked, halting the Seventh Elder mid-motion.
The Second Elder spoke in a deep voice: "What else do you have to say?"
Tang San replied with composure: "I imagine the esteemed elders have already branded me a traitor to the sect. If I win this fight, I ask that all the elders and fellow members of our clan hear me out and allow me to explain the truth behind what happened to my father."
The Second Elder snapped in fury: "Even if you defeat Old Seven, that doesn't give you the right. Old Seven — take him down. Must I repeat myself a third time?"
The Seventh Elder's own patience had long since run out. Being forced back twice in succession by a third-generation disciple barely in his twenties was a blow to his dignity he simply could not stomach. With an angry roar, the Clear Sky Hammer Avatar in his left hand was already hurtling toward Tang San.
Tang San still showed no intention of releasing his Martial Soul. His right hand gripped the Sea God's Trident as he suddenly stepped forward, his left hand forming a fist that drove directly toward the oncoming Hammer Avatar. A sphere of golden-yellow light condensed around his left fist, and around that glow, the air itself seemed to twist into a massive vortex. The atmosphere compressed with terrifying force within that radiance, and every person present felt the air around their own bodies grow heavy and oppressive. In the next instant, Tang San's left fist collided squarely with the Seventh Elder's Hammer Avatar.
A colossal pillar of golden-yellow light erupted from Tang San's fist and crashed into the Hammer Avatar with an explosion that dwarfed the earlier clash of hammer and trident. The Seventh Elder's expression shifted dramatically, and the second Hammer Avatar in his remaining hand was also launched forward.
The two hammers merged, spewing forth two torrents of fearsome black light that barely managed to withstand the tremendous force pressing down like Mount Tai itself bearing down upon them. Yet the golden-yellow glow continued advancing relentlessly, forcing the Seventh Elder to retreat step after step. Whether from shame and fury or from the overwhelming pressure he was bearing head-on, his face had gradually turned a deep purplish-red.
The expressions of the other four elders grew even uglier, and the Clear Sky Sect disciples watched with jaws hanging open. It was obvious — Tang San had not used any ability of his Martial Soul. This had to be a Soul Bone skill. But to use a single Soul Bone skill to withstand the Seventh Elder's double Hammer Avatars — what manner of terrifying strength was this?
Tang San continued pressing the Seventh Elder back a full thirty meters before his left hand abruptly rose. The two Hammer Avatars, accompanied by the golden light from Tang San's palm, were launched into the air. A thunderous detonation rang out overhead, and both Hammer Avatars lost their emanating glow and tumbled downward. The Seventh Elder scrambled to recall them, narrowly preventing his Clear Sky Hammer from shattering.
This wasn't because the Clear Sky Hammer was fragile — it was because Tang San's attack had simply been too powerful. The bone in his left arm had been bestowed by the Titan Giant Ape and was called the Titan Giant Ape Left Arm Bone. This Soul Bone granted him two skills: one was Gravity Control, and the other was the Titan Sky Cannon that Tang San had just unleashed.
The Titan Sky Cannon utilized mastery over gravity to instantaneously compress the surrounding air into devastating energy, then launched a full-power attack imbued with the strength of the Titan Giant Ape. Its power was comparable to the ninth soul technique of an ordinary Titled Douluo. Tang San had actually shown restraint — the cannon from his left hand had detonated in the air. Had it struck directly, the Seventh Elder would not have been pushed back a mere thirty meters.
Having repelled the Seventh Elder three times without ever releasing his Martial Soul, the Seventh Elder now felt something beyond rage — a creeping sense of fear had begun to rise within him. Tang San's strength had become something he simply could not comprehend. How was this possible?
Tang San turned to look at Tang Xiao and the Second Elder, speaking with calm indifference: "Defeating the Seventh Elder alone doesn't prove much, so I would like to challenge all five elders simultaneously. If I can defeat you all, then I should have earned the right to speak, shouldn't I?"
"Little San!" Even Tang Xiao couldn't help but cry out in alarm at those words. Challenging all five elders of the Clear Sky Sect by himself — even he, the strongest in the sect today, would never dare attempt something like that. Although all five elders had reached the Titled Douluo rank later in life and their Soul Rings were not the most powerful, they were still Titled Douluo all the same. Moreover, every one of them wielded the Clear Sky Hammer. Tang San's words were far too brazen — nothing short of naked contempt toward all five elders. The elders' faces had already gone white with fury.
Tang San had his own reasons for acting this way. He had never been a reckless person. The reason he hadn't presented the keepsake bestowed by his great-grandfather from the very start was simple: he knew that even with such a token in hand, without sufficient strength, would these elders listen to him? Would they return his father's two Soul Bones? Of course not. His uncle, though he had shown support, had made it clear from his words that he too believed their father had been wrong. Under these circumstances, Tang San had no choice but to proceed this way.
In the world of Soul Masters, strength had always been the ultimate authority. Tang San intended to win over every member of the sect through sheer power — including his own uncle Tang Xiao. Only then would his words carry weight. Only then would he have a genuine chance to restore his father's name. Even though this relied upon force to achieve its end, it was also the most time-efficient method. Tang San had never planned to have his father remain in the Clear Sky Sect, nor had he expected the sect to aid him in any future battle against the Spirit Empire. Therefore, he would use this thunderous approach to accomplish his goal.
The Second Elder stepped forward, the remaining three elders following behind him. Each step they took was heavy and deliberate, and as they advanced, Soul Rings emerged from their bodies one after another. Tang San was challenging their authority, and while a five-on-one confrontation was far from honorable, judging from how Tang San had handled the Seventh Elder's attacks, a one-on-one fight might very well see each of them lose to this young man. In this moment, the elders' emotions were deeply conflicted — it wasn't merely Tang San's provocation that stirred them, but mostly shock. Five years had passed, and though they had no idea what had happened to him during that time, they could clearly sense that
The Seventh Elder rejoined the elders' formation, falling in at the very back. His expression was still ugly, but his gaze had turned extraordinarily grave.
This battle was of critical importance to all five elders. Though they had never truly believed they might lose, even a victory would bring no glory. Tang San had dared to challenge their authority, and dealing with him would prove troublesome regardless. After all, as a disciple of the sect possessing such power, his implications for the entire Clear Sky Sect were enormous.
Facing the immense pressure of all five elders advancing together, Tang San's expression too grew solemn. Though he was only facing five Titled Douluo this time, he understood that this fight would be no easier than the day he had faced
His eyes blazed with brilliant light as Tang San finally released his Martial Soul — the Blue Silver Emperor.
In an instant, a blue-gold radiance emanated from his body, countless rays of blue-gold light warping and rippling the very air around him. Tang San gripped the Sea God's Trident in his right hand, his entire body bathed in that blue-gold glow. Despite facing a mountain of pressure, not a trace of fear showed on his face. Soul Rings emerged from beneath his feet one by one, and with each additional ring, his aura grew denser and more substantial, until it was faintly able to match the combined pressure of all five elders.
The five elders stopped almost simultaneously, watching the Soul Rings rising from Tang San's body one after another. They could not conceal the shock coursing through them.
Black. Black. Black. Black. Red. Black. Red. Red. Red.
Nine Soul Rings orbited quietly around Tang San's body.
At that moment, before the gates of the Clear Sky Sect, upon the summit of this mountain peak where hundreds of people stood, there was not a single sound.
The three conditions the five elders had once laid out — Tang San had now answered at least two of them through the colors of his Soul Rings alone.
Four full one-hundred-thousand-year Soul Rings blazed with dazzling red radiance. All nine Soul Rings together represented that Tang San stood at the same Titled Douluo level as themselves. The fact that every single ring was of ten-thousand-year quality or above told them exactly why Tang San had become so powerful. Although Tang San had not yet presented proof of having slain a Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall, at this point, neither Tang Xiao nor any of the five elders doubted that he had accomplished everything originally required of him — and clearly exceeded those expectations.
The Second Elder stared at Tang San in astonishment, the anger in his eyes noticeably diminished. "How did you achieve this?"
Tang San's answer was just four simple words: "Through unimaginable hardship." Though only four words, they sent a tremor through every disciple and member of the Clear Sky Sect standing on that mountaintop. How old was he this year? Only twenty-five. The nine rings of ten-thousand-year quality and above before them represented not just tremendous power, but an incalculable amount of suffering and sacrifice.
The anxiety in Tang Xiao's eyes had vanished entirely, replaced by intense excitement. In Tang San, he seemed to see the image of the sect master who had once led the Clear Sky Sect to reign supreme across the world — his own grandfather,
Tang San slowly raised the Sea God's Trident. The seal between his brows had already begun to glow, and the seventh Soul Ring — a brilliant red — shone brightly. In an instant, his entire body had transformed into pure blue-gold.
The Second Elder's emotions suddenly grew much calmer, and he spoke in a measured tone: "Well then. With your current strength, you do indeed have the right to speak within this sect. I retract my earlier words. However, your challenge to the authority of us five elders must still be punished. If you are willing to admit that you were wrong, we will be lenient and deal with you accordingly."
Tang San slowly raised the trident, his voice carrying the quiet weight of absolute conviction: "My father never did anything wrong, and neither have I. I am not challenging the authority of the five elders — I am telling you, and every single member of our clan, that everything the Clear Sky Sect has done over these past twenty-odd years has been wrong."
As he spoke, a streak of golden radiance from his forehead shone down upon the Heart of the Sea God embedded in the trident. Immediately, the entire mountaintop was flooded with ten thousand rays of golden light. The Sea God's Trident finally blazed with the radiance it was meant to possess. Golden patterns came alive along its surface, and waves of golden light flowed across its three great blades like shimmering water, smooth as a mirror. A terrifying aura erupted from Tang San's body, and a sacred majesty forced the combined momentum of all five elders back into themselves. In this moment, Tang San had become the dazzling center of the mountaintop.
"The Sea God's Trident weighs one hundred and eight thousand jin. Please be careful, elders." As those words left his lips, everything in their surroundings instantaneously turned blue-gold. Within the eyes of all five elders, Tang San's figure had vanished completely.
"Domain — stay alert!" the Second Elder bellowed. The five did not panic. They formed a back-to-back pentagon formation and simultaneously released their Hammer Avatars. Dense black light coalesced within Tang San's Blue Silver Domain, forming a dark pentagon, and the five elders' auras fused into one almost instantaneously.
They were all Titled Douluo, they all possessed the same martial soul, and years of training together had forged a seamless combination technique. Even facing the most powerful enemy in the world, they would not retreat.
"Hammer Shakes Heaven and Earth!" the Second Elder roared. All five raised their Clear Sky Hammers skyward. Instantly, five streams of black light merged into a single pillar that surged toward the heavens, breaking through Tang San's Blue Silver Domain and shooting into the sky.