A Huge Thank You and Welcome To Our New Patrons: Livid & Алидар Алиаскаров!
I've recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! Name: 'Pokémon But Stardew Valley'
----------------------
Let's return to Tang Hao.
After narrowly escaping death, Tang Hao raced directly toward the prearranged meeting point. However, halfway through his flight, he plummeted from the sky like a meteor into a dense forest below.
Bam!
The once-silent woods erupted in a cloud of dust as dozens of towering trees were snapped in half by Tang Hao's collision. His body sank deep into the ground, a clear sign of how panicked and reckless his escape had been—he hadn't even bothered to look where he was going.
Under normal circumstances, Tang Hao should have fallen unconscious due to the backlash of the Great Sumeru Hammer technique combined with his previous injuries. However, thanks to the intervention of the Asura God, he managed to muster a sliver of strength, pulling himself up from the ground with great effort, gasping for air.
At this moment, Tang Hao felt the sluggish flow of soul power within him and grimaced bitterly. The explosive power of Ring Detonation was indeed formidable, but after using it once, his soul rings would vanish for three days before they could reform. Moreover, if he wanted to use Ring Detonation again, he'd have to wait another thirty-six days; otherwise, his soul rings would disappear permanently.
Thus, Tang Hao was now essentially a blank slate—a Title Douluo with no soul skills whatsoever.
Though Tang Hao had escaped Spirit City, he hadn't gotten far. He didn't dare linger long, as his earlier injuries had caused him to briefly black out. Though he couldn't explain why he regained consciousness so quickly, he didn't have time to dwell on it. His priority now was finding Tang San and then relocating to a safer hiding place.
Sometimes, Tang Hao truly resembled a cornered rat—bold and defiant until faced with real danger, at which point he became utterly frantic.
Moreover, Tang Hao was acutely aware of his current state. Not only had he lost all his soul skills for three days, but his body was also riddled with wounds from the side effects of Ring Detonation. At this moment, even the weakest Title Douluo, Dugu Bo, could likely fight him evenly, and he might not stand a chance against some powerful Soul Douluos. Therefore, Tang Hao was even more cautious about concealing his whereabouts.
After evading and hiding along the way, Tang Hao finally found Tang San.
Seeing that his beloved son was unharmed, Tang Hao let out a sigh of relief. But just as suddenly, his vision went dark, and he collapsed unconscious.
"Father! Father!"
Witnessing this, Tang San was alarmed. He quickly carried Tang Hao into a nearby cave and began treating him with the few precious herbs he had on hand. It was only then that Tang San realized just how grievous his father's injuries were—describing them as being held together by scraps of cloth would almost be an exaggeration. How Tang Hao had survived this long was beyond comprehension.
Bai He merely observed silently, letting out a deep sigh without saying a word.
At this point, even Bai He was filled with doubt. Had he made the right decision? Was placing the hopes of his clan on these two father-and-son fugitives truly a viable plan?
Under Tang San's meticulous care, it took Tang Hao a full week to regain consciousness.
The first thing he did upon waking was relocate with Tang San.
!?
Seeing the empty cave, Bai He's face darkened with frustration.
Seriously? After protecting the two of you for so many days, you just leave without a word? Tang Hao is still as shameless as ever—no sense of responsibility at all!
Unwilling to give up, Bai He scoured the cave thoroughly, hoping to find some clue left behind by the duo, such as instructions on where to meet them later. But his efforts yielded nothing.
At this moment, Bai He realized the bitter truth: he had freeloaded off the Breaking Clan for so long, only to be similarly exploited in return. Not only had he lost his most valuable treasure, but his direct rescue of Tang San in Spirit City had likely landed him squarely on the Spirit Hall's blacklist.
"I'll… I'll…"
Bai He was so enraged that he opened his mouth repeatedly but couldn't form a coherent sentence.
In the end, he could only sigh in resignation. He cursed his own blindness—this entire ordeal had been a complete disaster.
Though injured, Bai He was still a peak Sensitivity Attack System Soul Douluo who specialized in evasion, making it difficult for others to catch him. As for the Spirit Hall, forget about it—they wouldn't dare confront him directly. For now, Bai He simply wanted to lay low with his clan and perhaps siphon some funds to focus on nurturing his granddaughter.
It could be said that birds of a feather flock together. In their own ways, Bai He and the Tang father-son duo were equally despicable.
Over the next year, Tang San followed Tang Hao as they hid in various secluded locations, always choosing remote forests inhabited by soul beasts where ordinary soul masters dared not tread. Even the Spirit Hall found it difficult to search for them in these areas.
If Tang Hao had been this cautious during his escape with Ah Yin back then, perhaps she wouldn't have needed to sacrifice herself.
During this year, Tang Hao attempted to heal his injuries, with Tang San helping brainstorm solutions. However, years of neglect had taken their toll, and the fact that he had used the Great Sumeru Hammer against two Popes—both Super Douluos with cultivation levels of at least 95—had pushed his body to its absolute limit. Healing was impossible; all they could do was manage the damage.
Realizing this, Tang Hao gave up entirely and began teaching Tang San the ultimate secret of the Hao Tian Hammer—the Great Sumeru Hammer.
This year was one of the happiest times for Tang San. Tang Hao had fully embraced the role of a loving father, passing down this invaluable (and life-draining) sect technique to him. For Tang San, who in his previous life had to steal such techniques, this act struck a deep emotional chord.
As a result, Tang San's admiration and filial devotion for Tang Hao grew even stronger. If Tang Hao told him to eat dirt, Tang San wouldn't dare argue.
Thanks to his prior mastery of the Hao Tian Nine Techniques and the Disorderly Wind Hammer Technique, Tang San quickly grasped the Great Sumeru Hammer.
Watching Tang San, not yet sixteen, master the pinnacle of their family's inheritance, Tang Hao smiled in satisfaction, thinking to himself: 'It's time.'
Unlike the original storyline, Tang Hao didn't immediately take Tang San to the waterfall where Ah Yin was located to train in the Hao Tian Hammer. Instead, they continued to evade and hide, all to avoid exposing their base camp's location.
Now, Tang Hao once again brought Tang San near the large waterfall close to Holy Spirit Village.
Curious about his father's solemn demeanor, Tang San obediently followed, knowing that respecting his father was the right course of action.
But as soon as Tang Hao stepped outside the waterfall, his expression abruptly changed.
"Father, is something wrong?" Tang San instinctively asked.
Without answering, Tang Hao leapt into the waterfall cave he had entered thousands of times before.
Tang San gazed at the conspicuous marks left by rivets battered by the cascading water, realizing something. Though Tang San couldn't fly, with the help of his Blue Silver Grass and nimble footwork, he managed to enter the cave as well.
------------------------------------------------------
Join my Patreon to read an exclusive novel – 'Douluo: Rebuilding Hao Tian Sect'
400+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)