Sensing the killing intent pouring off Tang Xiao, Tianlin only smiled faintly, unafraid. "Sect Master Tang, I need a bit of your blood. If you hand it over now, you can walk away immediately. We don't have to kill you today. You are, after all, a major combat power—if you die too early, the Spirit Empire benefits."
"Hmph. Two ordinary Titled Douluo, talking like you can kill me whenever you want. In front of me, you won't even have a chance to use your Sword Dao of Annihilation. Take this—Nine Absolutes of the Clear Sky: Shock!" At the closest moment, Tang Xiao struck in fury, opening with the Nine Absolutes. He didn't know Ring Detonation or the Great Sumeru Hammer; the Nine Absolutes were his specialty.
Though he belittled Tianlin aloud, he remembered Tianlin's instant kill of the Seventh Elder. That Sword Dao of Annihilation might be even more terrifying than the Great Sumeru Hammer. He had to end this quickly and never let Tianlin unleash that move.
"Seems you're underestimating me—thinking I can only show off with the Sword Dao of Annihilation." Tianlin raised his arm and punched the Clear Sky Hammer head-on.
Boom!
The sky thundered as if with an earthquake; even the air trembled. But Tianlin's body didn't budge.
By contrast, Tang Xiao was blasted backward.
"Impossible!" Tang Xiao stared in disbelief. Meeting the Clear Sky Hammer head-on with flesh alone—no one in a hundred years of history had ever done such a thing.
"Tang Xiao, do you know how my grandmaster died? He fought the Ultimate Douluo Qian Daoliu, unleashing nine 'Kill' characters of the Slaughter Sword Dao. Qian Daoliu killed my grandmaster solely with the force of rebound. I can do the same now," Tianlin said confidently. "If you don't believe me, use all nine of your Clear Sky Absolutes."
"Arrogant! That only proves your Seven Kill Sword lineage's martial soul is lacking. Don't forget—the Clear Sky Hammer is the number one tool martial soul in the world. How could it be compared to your petty Seven Kill Sword?" Tang Xiao roared.
At that, Tianlin's good temper vanished. "Insult my lineage, will you, you wretch? Then come try me."
Tang Xiao wasted no more words and continued his ferocious assault with the Nine Absolutes.
After Shock came Void, Seal, Pierce, Penetrate, Bind, Break, Slay, and Collapse in turn. The Clear Sky Sect's secret art truly deserved its reputation. Tianlin had to admit the Nine Absolutes were a hair superior to the Seven Kill Sword Dao—of course, compared to the Sword Dao of Annihilation, they were in a different league. If he used it, Tang Xiao would already be ash.
Bang, bang, bang…
Explosions boomed across the sky. Below, the Dragon Duke watched raptly. A battle between Super Douluo was enough to benefit even a newly advanced Level 91 Titled Douluo like him immensely.
It was just a pity the fight wasn't that fierce—completely one-sided—so he didn't learn as much as he'd hoped.
With only his right arm, Tianlin received all of Tang Xiao's Nine Absolutes, perfectly recreating Qian Daoliu's legendary suppression of Chen Jianjun.
At this point, Tang Xiao's internal organs were grievously injured, soul power raging out of control. Though he launched every strike, the force rebounding from Tianlin was enough to kill him outright.
If not for his deep cultivation and his soul power forcibly suppressing the damage, his meridians would already have snapped, leaving him dead.
"What's the matter—done already? And this is your so-called number one tool martial soul? Aside from Tang Chen, the rest of you are mediocre. You, Tang Xiao, are at best passable. With hundreds upon hundreds of direct disciples, how many of you make Titled Douluo? As for Super Douluo—just you and your brother Tang Hao."
"By contrast, in the Seven Kill Sword line—my master Chen Xin, my grandmaster Chen Jianjun, and my great-grandmaster Chen Xun—the weakest is Level 97. Aside from numbers, in what can the Clear Sky Sect claim superiority over the Seven Kill Sword?" Tianlin mocked.
With that, Tianlin pointed as a sword and slashed out a blade of qi, striking Tang Xiao square in the chest.
The injuries Tang Xiao had been suppressing erupted under that strike. He spat a mouthful of blood. Seeing this, Tianlin flicked a sausage from his robes to catch the blood—one of Oscar's Mirror Sausages he'd requested beforehand.
"Terrifying. I didn't expect the vice sect master to have reached such heights. Even Qian Daoliu might not beat him one-on-one," the Dragon Duke marveled. "A title is only the beginning of the path of the strong. I truly was a frog at the bottom of a well."
He had only just broken through to Titled Douluo and thought himself an apex expert. Lately he hadn't trained half as hard as before. But looking at Tianlin now, he feared that even if Tianlin didn't use a martial soul, he himself wouldn't last a single move.
"Tang Xiao, any last words?" Tianlin didn't actually dislike Tang Xiao. They were enemies only by position, much like with Tang Chen. He could allow a few dying words.
Tang Xiao glanced at him. "Jun Tianlin, your strength truly shocks me. At this point I ought to say, 'If you want to kill me, kill me.' But I beg you—spare me for now. If you want me dead, once I handle some affairs, I will come seek you of my own accord."
"And here I thought a Clear Sky Sect Master would be someone of character. Turns out you're just a coward afraid of death," the Dragon Duke jeered.
"Don't say that, Senior Dragon Duke," Tianlin stayed him. "He's not begging for himself but for the Clear Sky Sect—for his duty as sect master. If he dies at my hands here, the Clear Sky Sect will throw everything into war against us. But he can see my strength clearly now. The Clear Sky Sect wouldn't have even the slightest chance. With our two sects so close, I alone could wipe them out."
"So, to protect his sect, he has to go back and issue the order that the Clear Sky Sect must no longer oppose us—and to order that Tang Chen be found at any cost. Only with Tang Chen's return would they stand a chance against us. He is a good sect master."
"As expected of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's vice sect master—you can think from a sect master's perspective. You are completely right." Tang Xiao suddenly knelt to Tianlin. "So I beg you—give me three days. I'll pull the Clear Sky Sect back into seclusion and order them never to oppose you again. Three days later, I will come to accept my death. This is my price for three days of life."
Tang Xiao took a bundle from his chest. Tianlin sensed extraordinary fire and ice within and drew it over with soul power, opening it.
"The Sunshine Crystal Essence and the Coldheart Ice Essence!" Tianlin was startled. He hadn't expected Tang Xiao to have such treasures. A pleasant surprise indeed.
"Tang Xiao, these are excellent—more than enough to buy your life. I'll let you go, and you needn't come back to die. But you schemed against our sect; you can't go unpunished. Forget seclusion—you won't escape this time. Prepare to go to war with the Spirit Empire ahead of schedule." Tianlin waved him off. He hadn't intended to kill Tang Xiao anyway. If the Clear Sky Sect fell too fast, it wouldn't be any fun.
Tang Xiao understood. Their plot against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had not only been exposed, it had been turned against them. The Grandmaster was as good as dead, and the blame would certainly land on them.
There was nothing he could do about it. He could only accept his fate.
He no longer thought of revenge. He only wanted to hurry back and make all preparations to resist the Spirit Empire's coming assault.
Once Tang Xiao was gone, Tianlin moved to the final step—sending Yu Xiaogang to his death. The problem was the Mirror Sausage in his hand, now smeared with Tang Xiao's blood. He really didn't want to eat it. After all, the blood had been coughed up by someone else; he feared he'd gag.
Luckily, he'd come prepared.
"Senior Dragon Duke, look—there are a bunch of Ma Hongjuns flying in the sky!" Tianlin suddenly shouted, pointing upward.
"Where?" The Dragon Duke reflexively looked up. In that instant, a blood-smeared sausage, by an incredible coincidence, dropped right into his mouth.