"Clear Sky Hammer?"
"You are a Clear Sky Sect disciple?"
Tang San's 'heartfelt' plea did not move Xin; instead, Tang Chen looked at Tang San with pleasant surprise.
Tang San glanced at Tang Chen, not paying him much mind.
In his eyes, the most important thing right now was to gain Teacher Xin's approval.
What was this dethroned Slaughter King anyway?
He truly, genuinely wanted to study at Heart of Fire Academy.
It was too wonderful there; it had Xiao Wu, Hidden Weapons more powerful than Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons, and even top-tier ultimate techniques and education. Just thinking about it felt wonderful. How much time and opportunity had he wasted before?
The courtyard was silent except for the faint crackle of residual spirit energy left behind by the earlier battle. Broken stone tiles bore the marks of Ning Rongrong and the others' attacks, each fracture a testament to their growth. Tang San's eyes lingered for a moment on those marks, his heart tightening with both admiration and urgency. They had already proven themselves. If he hesitated now, he would only fall further behind.
"Child, why don't you look me in the eye? Do you know who I am?"
Tang San's fleeting, disdainful, and indifferent gaze offended Tang Chen, whose voice immediately deepened as he spoke with authority.
Tang San rolled his eyes again; he couldn't understand where this heavily injured Slaughter King got the courage to question him.
Even in his weakened state, Tang Chen's presence was suffocating, like a mountain pressing down on the spirit. Yet Tang San had faced countless dangers before; intimidation alone would not shake him. Instead, it only steeled his resolve. If this man stood between him and the academy, then he would overcome him—no matter the cost.
Tang San stood up, looked back at Xin, and respectfully said:
"Teacher, please believe me. As long as you are willing to teach me, I will definitely not disappoint you."
His voice carried sincerity, but beneath it was an unyielding determination. This was not merely about pride; it was about a future he refused to lose again.
"Slaughter King, fight me! Let Teacher see that my strength is not inferior to the other students of Heart of Fire Academy!"
Tang San intended to prove himself.
Just now, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Ye Lingling, and Xiao Wu had fought the Slaughter King, showcasing their improvement and earning Xin's praise.
He planned to emulate them, considering it a gamble.
He gambled that Xin would not simply watch a student seeking knowledge be killed by the Slaughter King, and he also gambled that his own strength could contend with the current Slaughter King for dozens of rounds.
But deep down, Tang San knew this was more than a gamble—it was a test of everything he had learned, everything he had endured. If he failed, then perhaps he did not deserve to stand among them at all.
"Clear Sky Hammer."
Tang San stood tall, one hand tightly gripping the Clear Sky Hammer, the other ready to release Blue Silver Grass at any moment.
The heavy hammer shimmered with a deep, oppressive aura, as if it carried the weight of countless battles within it. Even the air seemed to distort slightly around its head, trembling under its latent power.
"Purple Demon Eye."
"Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track!"
Then, Tang San's figure surged towards Tang Chen with an ethereal and elusive movement.
His steps were unpredictable, his form flickering like a phantom. To an untrained eye, it would be impossible to determine his true position. Yet Tang Chen was no ordinary opponent. His eyes narrowed, following each subtle shift with frightening precision.
Watching Tang San rush over with the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Chen was so angered his nose nearly twisted.
"Since this old man broke through to Titled Douluo, I never imagined there would be a Clear Sky Sect brat wielding the Clear Sky Hammer to fight me."
"Good, very good, these little bastards of the Clear Sky Sect now!"
Tang Chen initially showed some leniency, preferring to dodge.
He moved with minimal effort, each step small yet perfectly timed, allowing the massive hammer to narrowly miss him again and again. But with every evasion, his anger grew. The weapon Tang San wielded was not just any hammer—it was a symbol, one tied deeply to his past, to pride and legacy he could not ignore.
Tang San saw that this old man was still spouting arrogant words and insulting the Clear Sky Sect in such a way, and his gaze grew even more serious:
"How dare you insult the Clear Sky Sect! You are courting death!"
The words burst from him with fierce conviction. Though he had his grievances, the sect's honor still ran in his blood. Insults like that were something he could not tolerate.
"Blue Silver Emperor, Binding!"
Countless strands of Blue Silver Grass erupted from the ground, twisting and coiling like living serpents as they shot toward Tang Chen. Their movements were swift and precise, aiming to restrict every possible escape route.
"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes · Pervasive Character Art, continuous flow, overlapping attacks!"
Tang San was seen swinging the Clear Sky Hammer, unleashing its full power towards Tang Chen.
Each strike followed the last without pause, forming an unbroken chain of attacks. The force behind them grew with every swing, layering power upon power until even the air howled under the pressure. It was relentless, like crashing waves that refused to recede.
"Good, well done."
Tang Chen gritted his teeth, not because he was struggling to fight, but because he was enraged.
The bindings tightened, the hammer descended again and again, and yet his expression only darkened further. Memories stirred within him—of battles long past, of the Clear Sky Sect in its prime—and seeing this young boy wield that same weapon against him ignited something fierce and uncontrollable.
"This old man wants to see how well you, this little bastard, wield the Clear Sky Hammer."