š If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon! I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V
---------------
Under the siege of the Spirit Beasts that surged like a tide, Tang San was already in an extremely poor state, his spirit power nearing exhaustion. The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand, constantly spewing maggots and reeking of a foul odor, was even harder to wield with its true power. His Blue Silver Grass was easily torn apart in the beast horde like fragile threads.
A ten-thousand-year Split-Gold Leopard's sharp claws viciously tore open his back, bringing with it a large chunk of flesh deep enough to expose bone. Tang San let out a miserable cry, stumbling forward and falling. The bizarre Clear Sky Hammer in his hand also flew out, rolling onto the ground while still gurgling with white maggots.
At the same time, another thousand-year Cave devil spider stealthily approached Tang San from behind. It opened its poisonous fangs, bringing a fishy wind, and bit down fiercely toward his neck. In an instant, the shadow of death enveloped Tang San. His eyes filled with unwillingness, resentment, and fear of death.
Not far away, Tang Chen, suspended in mid-air, watched all of this with indifference. He thought that this beast was finally getting what he deserved. It was just that he probably never expected retribution to come so quickly.
Watching Tang San struggle on the verge of death under the beast's claws and seeing his once proud Clear Sky Hammer become defiled and unbearable, Tang Chen's lips unconsciously curved into a cold arc.
It was as if he were watching a drama completely unrelated to him. For such a person who indiscriminately kills the innocent and has an impure heart, even if he was his own brother, he felt no sympathy.
However, just as the Cave devil spider's poisonous fangs were about to touch Tang San's throat, something changed in that critical moment. A cold, viscous, terrifying Killing Intent, as if condensed from mountains of corpses and seas of blood, swept in from all directions without warning.
This Killing Intent was so strong that it instantly overwhelmed the violent Aura of all the Spirit Beasts in the field, causing the air to solidify and the temperature to drop sharply. Immediately after, the sky seemed to be dyed crimson.
The next second, a colossal Clear Sky Hammer phantom, dark blood-red throughout, carrying an overbearing Aura that could destroy everything, descended like a meteor. It tore through the sky with a Soul-shaking roar and slammed down violently toward the area where Tang San was.
The giant hammer struck, and the earth, as fragile as tofu, instantly collapsed into a huge pit. The terrifying shockwave, mixed with Killing Intent as solid as substance, spread out in a sudden ring.
Those Spirit Beasts attacking Tang San, whether thousand-year or ten-thousand-year, in the face of this absolute power, didn't even have time to scream. Their bodies burst open like crushed insects, turning into a sky full of blood mist and flesh.
Even the Cave devil spider that was about to succeed was instantly evaporated into nothingness along with the venom it sprayed the moment the blood hammer descended. For a time, an area of a hundred meters around the giant hammer's impact point was cleared.
Only the huge deep pit remained. At the edge of the pit's bottom, Tang San, who was bleeding from all seven orifices, was barely alive but fortunately not directly hit. Not far away, Yu Xiaogang, who had been thrown flying by the airwave and was in a sorry state, and Liu Erlong, who had just forced back the surrounding Spirit Beasts, were looking on in horror.
Tang Hao? Tang Chen let out a low cry while suspended in mid-air. His robes flapped loudly in the violent airwave. The cold sneer on his face had long disappeared, replaced by immense solemnity and sharpness. At this moment, his gaze was fixed on the slowly dissipating blood-red giant hammer phantom.
Upon feeling this familiar overwhelming Killing Intent and catching a glimpse of the disheveled figure that suddenly appeared like a mountain, Tang Chen's pupils slightly contracted. He didn't hesitate at all. The blue-gold light around his body retracted, and the Blue Silver Domain was instantly unleashed to its maximum. It directly merged into the surrounding environment, making his Aura and figure become indistinct.
Below, Tang San, having survived the ordeal, saw the figure descending like a God of War. Upon realizing it was actually his father, his pale face immediately showed an uncontrollable excitement. His voice trembled with the thrill of survival and filial affection as he called out, "Dad? You... you've come?"
However, facing his son's excited cry, Tang Hao merely lowered his head indifferently. His eyes, hidden behind his messy hair, swept over Tang San's disheveled appearance like an eagle. He lingered for a moment on the Clear Sky Hammer that had fallen to the ground, still reeking of foul odor and squirming with maggots.
A hint of undetectable fury and deep disappointment flashed in his eyes. He took a seemingly casual step, and space seemed to shrink under his feet. The next second, Tang Hao's tall and burly figure appeared before Tang San like Gui Mei.
The joy of reuniting with a loved one after escaping danger made Tang San instinctively want to step forward. He wanted to seek his father's protection and embrace as he did in childhood. But as soon as his foot moved, what greeted him was not a warm embrace.
Instead, Tang Hao's powerful and heavy kick landed squarely on Tang San's chest without any warning. The immense force sent him flying backward like a kite with a broken string. He crashed heavily onto the ground a dozen meters away and rolled several more times before finally stopping.
Spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, Tang San's chest immediately felt a sharp pain. He didn't know how many bones were broken. Lying on the ground, Tang San raised his head. His face was filled with incredulous bewilderment and grievance. Looking at the cold, mountain-like figure not far away, he asked in confusion, "Dad... why... why are you hitting me?"
He didn't understand why his father would strike him so heavily upon meeting him. Was it because of his current sorry state? Or was it because of something else? Hearing this, Tang Hao's face showed no emotion. Instead, his anger grew, and he roared in a low voice, "Don't call me father! I don't have a son like you!"
Before his words finished, his large, fan-like hand delivered another fierce slap to the other side of Tang San's face. This slap was even heavier than before, making Tang San's vision go black and his ears ring. His head tilted to one side with both cheeks swollen high. His mouth was cracked, and blood mixed with saliva flowed down.
Being hit repeatedly, especially being treated this way by his most respected father, caused a surge of anger and grievance to rise in Tang San's heart. He endured the severe pain and dizziness, his voice filled with suppressed fury as he asked again, "Dad! You... why are you hitting me?!"
"Why am I hitting you?! Good! I'll let you die understanding! Little San, tell me loudly! What did you promise me back then, in Saint Spirit Village, when you decided to become a Spirit Master?! Speak!" Seeing that he was still stubborn, Tang Hao laughed in extreme anger. He suddenly bent down, grabbed Tang San's collar, and lifted him from the ground like a chick. He made him meet his angry eyes as the strong smell of alcohol mixed with Killing Intent sprayed onto Tang San's face.
Being roared at so closely by his father, Tang San's mind was in a mess. But under that powerful pressure, he still subconsciously searched for memory fragments. He mumbled, "I... I promised you... to use the hammer in my left hand to protect the grass in my right hand..."
"Nonsense! What else?! What was my most important instruction?! Have you forgotten?!" Tang Hao roared again in anger. He raised his other hand to strike again, but seeing his son's face swollen like a pig's head, his hand hovered in mid-air. Finally, he put it down in frustration. He gritted his teeth and squeezed out a voice.
Tang San trembled all over from the roar, and the dusty memories were finally completely awakened. A promise he had deliberately ignored and cast aside due to his desire for power clearly emerged. His face instantly turned pale.
His eyes flickered, not daring to look into Tang Hao's angry eyes. His voice also lowered with guilt and a tremble as he said, "You also told me... no matter how I Cultivate in the future, I must... must never attach any spirit ring to the Clear Sky Hammer. And... and not let anyone see its existence... otherwise... otherwise, once others discover I have twin spirits, my life might be in danger..."
Finally hearing this forgotten promise from his son, the fury in Tang Hao's eyes seemed to erupt. He stared intently at Tang San and coldly shouted, "So you still remember! Then tell me! What is this disgusting thing on the ground?! Not only did you attach a spirit ring, but you also made it look like this!"
At this moment, Tang Hao's gaze was fixed on the Clear Sky Hammer that had fallen to the ground. It was still gurgling with white maggots and emitting a putrid smell. That unbearable sight was like a red-hot branding iron, searing his heart and burning away his last shred of reason.
"What... what exactly did you do to the Clear Sky Hammer?! My Clear Sky Hammer! The dignified number one Tool Spirit in the world! Towering and peerless in its dominance! Once striking fear across the entire continent! A symbol forged by the blood and glory of countless predecessors! But now... look! Look what you've done to it?!
This... this filthy thing crawling with maggots?! This stinking, broken piece of junk?! Is this the result of your Cultivation?! I, Tang Hao... I, Tang Hao, truly sired a fine son! To have ruined the last pride of my Clear Sky Sect, the Spirit of my Tang Clan Legacy, into this inhuman, ghostly state!
How can I face my ancestors in the netherworld after I die?! How can I face my father and tell him that his grandson has turned the Clear Sky Hammer into a... a stirring stick in a cesspit?! Beast! You beast! You unfilial beast!!!"
Facing Tang Hao's volcanic outburst of questions, Tang San was momentarily speechless. He stammered and lowered his head, not daring to meet his father's scorching gaze. His voice carried a hint of grievance as he said, "Father... I... I was forced to do this!
If I didn't attach spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer to increase my strength, how could I possibly defeat my brother? I... I can't live in his shadow forever!" He seemed to have found a reason, and his tone became agitated while trying to shift the blame.
"Moreover, the matter of Cultivating twin spirits, teacher... teacher also supported it! He even said that his Spirit theory research was sufficient to support me in safely Cultivating the second Spirit, the Clear Sky Hammer! Who... who knew... who knew it would turn out like this?"
As he finished speaking, looking at his defiled Clear Sky Hammer, Tang San's voice lowered. His face was burning and filled with shame. But this shame was more directed at the mutation of the Spirit rather than disobeying his father's command.
"Yu---Xiao---Gang!!!" Hearing Tang San's words, Tang Hao suddenly turned his head. His blood-red eyes were like a fierce tiger choosing its prey. He locked onto Yu Xiaogang, who was pale-faced in his wheelchair not far away.
"Ah!" Yu Xiaogang trembled all over from this roar imbued with spirit power. He almost fell out of his wheelchair, gripping the armrests tightly to barely steady himself.
"Tang Hao! I forbid you from harming Xiaogang!" Seeing this, Liu Erlong shouted fiercely. Her figure flashed, and she unhesitatingly blocked in front of Yu Xiaogang. The Red Dragon Spirit phantom reappeared. Although there was still a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth, her eyes were incredibly firm.
However, Tang Hao was in a rage and would not pay any attention to her. He didn't even use his Spirit. He merely raised his hand casually and slapped out from a distance. An invisible immense force slammed into Liu Erlong. Her fiery shield around her body shattered like paper.
She herself was like being hit by a high-speed carriage, spitting blood and flying backward again. She crashed heavily onto the ground in the distance and struggled a few times. She didn't even have the strength to get up. She could only watch helplessly as Tang Hao approached Yu Xiaogang step by step.
Watching Tang Hao, who walked step by step like a God of Killing, Yu Xiaogang was instantly scared out of his wits. His teeth chattered, and he shrieked in a tearful voice, "Hao... Your Excellency Hao Tian! It's not... it's not my fault! It wasn't me who told Little San to Cultivate the Clear Sky Hammer!
It was... it was he who came to me, insisting that I help him research how to attach spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer! I... I was forced!" In his desperation, he unhesitatingly pushed the main responsibility onto Tang San.
At the same time, he looked at Tang San with an extremely speechless, even resentful gaze, as if blaming him for implicating him. "I really don't understand! Little San, why were you so eager to attach spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer?!"
As soon as Tang San heard Yu Xiaogang pushing all the blame onto him, he immediately retorted excitedly, "If I don't attach spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer, what will I use to defeat brother?! Teacher, didn't you confidently say back then that your Spirit theory was sufficient to support me in Cultivating the Clear Sky Hammer, and even absorbing spirit rings across ranks would be fine?! Now that something has happened, how can you blame it all on me?!"
Yu Xiaogang was rendered speechless by Tang San's retort. Especially seeing Tang Hao's increasingly cold eyes, he steeled his heart. He no longer cared about any teacher's demeanor and began to make unreasonable arguments.
"I... I don't know! I don't want to know either! Playing a match is about winning and losing, it's about strategy! If you can't beat your brother, is it all my theory's fault? Your excessive hunting of Spirit Beasts for bones will also lead to the extinction of Spirit Beasts, but aren't you still killing them?
Did I ask you to attach spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer? I didn't, it wasn't me forcing you, I didn't force you, now that your Clear Sky Hammer has become like this, what does it have to do with me? It's all Tang Chen's fault, he kept suppressing you and not letting you win matches, which ultimately led to the Clear Sky Hammer becoming like this. It's all Tang Chen's fault, it's all his fault, what does it have to do with me?"
The moment Yu Xiaogang's words fell, Tang Hao, who had been suppressing his anger like a volcano about to erupt, finally moved. He didn't even say another word. His cold Killing Intent had already solidified. His figure flashed like Gui Mei.
One moment he was several meters away, and the next he stood like a mountain before Yu Xiaogang's fragile wheelchair. Yu Xiaogang didn't even get a clear look at Tang Hao's movements. He only felt a suffocating, terrifying Aura completely enveloping him.
"Ah!?" Opening his mouth in terror, Yu Xiaogang's plea for mercy had not yet left his lips. Tang Hao's large, fan-like hand, covered in calluses and power, already carried an irresistible force. Like swatting a fly, he fiercely and directly slapped Yu Xiaogang's face.
This slap was ten times more terrifying than the one Tang San received just now. A low sonic boom even echoed in the air. Yu Xiaogang, along with the wheelchair beneath him, was simply no match for this absolute power.
He was like being hit head-on by a battering ram, instantly flying off the ground and tumbling uncontrollably in the air. Blood and broken teeth directly sprayed from his mouth as he went flying.