Chapter 165: Gu Chen, Tang San—You're Not Allowed to Touch Xiao Wu Even Once
"The Clear Sky Hammer, is it?"
Gu Chen gave a faint smile. "Back then, even your grandfather used all his strength and couldn't break my father's defenses. With your Clear Sky Hammer that doesn't even have a single spirit ring, do you really think you can hurt me?"
"Then let's find out! Clear Sky Nine Perfections, 'Penetrate'!"
Tang San charged in like a burst of black light. His barrel-sized Clear Sky Hammer crashed heavily against Gu Chen's armor, producing an incredibly loud sound.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Nearly every second, the Clear Sky Hammer pounded Gu Chen with a heavy blow. Gu Chen staggered under the strikes, as though performing a drunken fist, while spikes on his armor flew off. But only the spikes were dislodged—no cracks appeared in the armor itself.
Mobilizing the Mysterious Heaven Skill, Tang San enlarged the Clear Sky Hammer at high speed, dragging it forward with enough force to send clumps of soil flying wherever it passed.
"Ah!!"
With a roar, Tang San unleashed what was nearly his strongest blow, pouring the full output of his Mysterious Heaven Skill into the strike. Altogether, it reached a force of three thousand jin.
Facing that attack, Gu Chen finally stopped swaying like he was drunk. Instead, he was knocked several meters away. A faint fissure showed on his armor, yet he himself suffered no real injuries.
Noticing that even his full-powered strike couldn't cause real harm, Tang San immediately began executing the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique, rapidly building strength. Swirling black light gathered around the Clear Sky Hammer, sending the surrounding air into turmoil.
"I won't repeat my father's mistake."
Everyone knew about the Weakness of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Technique—an ever-building series of consecutive forging strikes. Any major power with some knowledge of it was aware of its vulnerabilities.
Recalling what his father had said about the Seven Great Sects Re-election Assembly, Gu Chen watched Tang San accumulate power with the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer. The third spirit ring beneath Gu Chen's feet lit up.
"Third Spirit Skill—Bone Prison!"
The soil beneath them quivered, and one sharp, pale bone spike after another sprouted from the ground around Tang San's body, popping up right where the Clear Sky Hammer's swirling power traced its path.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
All the bone spikes shattered, and at once the black aura swirling around Tang San visibly weakened. The time he needed to accumulate power for the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer had been spent shattering those spikes. Much of his strength was consumed in the process, and the backlash left splits in his Mysterious Jade Hand, nearly breaking it.
"First Spirit Skill—Bone Spear!"
Gu Chen moved in again. Bones formed another sharp drill ahead of his palm, stabbing at Tang San. Tang San had no choice but to swing the Clear Sky Hammer to meet it.
Boom!
A thunderous collision sounded. Tang San, Hammer and all, went flying, spitting a mouthful of blood. In front of Gu Chen, two furrows several meters long streaked across the ground, while the Bone Spear in his hand was riddled with cracks.
Gu Chen withdrew his Martial Spirit and flexed his arm. "That stung a bit. Actually made me spend some effort."
"Brother!"
"Xiao San!"
All the Shrek Seven ran toward Tang San. Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu dropped to their knees beside him, and Xiao Wu glared at Gu Chen with fierce anger.
Gu Chen's expression held a trace of displeasure as he advanced on Tang San.
"Little fellow from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, show a little leniency for the beaten."
A low voice resounded. Tang Hao appeared.
Though missing an arm and a leg—his ragged figure resembling an aged beggar—Tang Hao's faint aura still made the three Contras of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy sense danger.
Tang San's voice came out weak. "Father."
A direct descendant of the Clear Sky Clan missing an arm and a leg, known throughout the soul master world—none other than Tang Hao, who'd lost his limbs before all mankind at the hands of the Pope.
"I understand you like that girl Xiao Wu," Tang Hao said, "but feelings cannot be forced."
"My father indeed told me feelings can't be forced," Gu Chen replied. "But he also said they can grow in time."
Since Tang Hao had brought up his own father, Gu Chen naturally followed suit. Facing Tang Hao—who only had a Soul Saint's strength remaining—he felt no fear. The three Contras of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy were here, along with so many nobles. If Tang Hao tried anything, the Clear Sky Clan would face the wrath of all the empire's aristocracy.
"You mentioned before that from ancient times, only the strong are worthy of a beauty. If Tang San's strength and talent surpass yours in the future, you won't pursue Xiao Wu. But if he's not as good as you, then you want him to leave her."
Tang Hao nodded slightly. "Yes. How old are you now?"
"Eighteen."
"My son is not yet thirteen—you're a full six years older. You both have innate full spirit power. How can you be certain my son won't surpass you? Right now, you can defeat him only because of your age advantage. So how about this: five years from now, you two will fight again. If you win at that time and want to take Xiao Wu from him, the Clear Sky Clan will not interfere."
Tang Hao's words made it sound as though Xiao Wu were a mere object. Gu Chen didn't react, nor did the Heaven Dou Academy nobles or the Shrek Seven. In a world like this, might makes right—what else could a woman be but a possession? An exceptional woman was naturally a trophy for an outstanding man.
"All right. Five years—I'll give you five years. Then we'll fight again. But during that time, you're not allowed to touch Xiao Wu even once! Otherwise, I won't be polite!"
Tang San's face burned with humiliation. He and Xiao Wu were already intimate as husband and wife, so forbidding him from touching her was the ultimate insult. Gu Chen was clearly digging his own grave!
But right now, Tang San could only agree. Otherwise, Gu Chen might really take her by force, and who knew what contact he would make with Xiao Wu if she resisted. Xiao Wu was his alone—he wouldn't let anyone touch so much as a single finger of hers.
Five years. According to Tang Hao's own words, in a year and a half, after the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, Tang Hao planned to train Tang San for a year, then send him to the Slaughter City, from which Tang San would emerge two years later. But now that year of training would begin sooner, timed with the tournament, the Slaughter City, and further experiences at Yue Xuan—altogether making five years. Once Tang San finished cultivating in the Slaughter City and obtained the Deathgod Domain, Gu Chen wouldn't be able to match him.
Before a waterfall on the Heaven Dou Academy grounds, Tang San said fiercely, "Father, I'm going to kill Gu Chen!"
Tang Hao replied gravely, "That's out of the question. Gu Chen is a peerless genius of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. If we kill him and they trace it back to us, it could spark a war between the Clear Sky Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, only letting Spirit Hall reap the benefits."
"Besides, you mentioned that Qianrenchuan from Spirit Hall is also a reincarnator who knows of your past. He's got twin spirits just like you. Right now, we need an even more formidable genius to draw Spirit Hall's attention."
Tang San was seething. This life should have followed a perfect script, but that traitor and reincarnator Qianrenchuan stole his immortal herbs and Eight Spider Lances, and now Gu Chen appeared, forbidding him from touching Xiao Wu while Father refused him the chance to assassinate the man.
"Xiao San, don't dwell on your frustration. I set a five-year agreement precisely because I believe you can, just like in the previous life, emerge from the Slaughter City and gain the Deathgod Domain. As a twin-spirit user, once you start cultivating your second spirit, you can attach a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring right away. Gu Chen won't be qualified to face you then. Better to let him divert Spirit Hall's attention—it only benefits us."
"I understand, Father."
Tang Hao paused in thought. "Xiao San, that girl from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan—can she be trusted?"
"Father, you mean Rongrong? Rongrong went through everything by my side in our past life. We can trust her completely."
"Then let her tell Ning Fengzhi about the matter of the immortal herbs."
"You want the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to join us in trying to get those herbs from Spirit Hall?"
"Qianrenchuan is still keeping his reincarnation a secret, just like you. From my fight with Qian Xunji in the Soto Arena, it seemed Qian Xunji knew nothing of what happened after his death. Otherwise, he'd have stamped out the threat in its infancy. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan thinks the benefits are great enough, maybe Qian Xunji will agree to a deal. Spirit Hall's always wanted the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan on its side."
Whether Tang San managed to regain the herbs was no concern to Tang Hao, nor could he force the issue. But he very much wanted Ning Rongrong to get the herbs and evolve her spirit into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
According to Tang San, Ning Rongrong had been a massive help in their past life. In the Battle of Jialing Pass, her top-tier support from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda had helped Tang San contend with Bibi Dong. During the Sea God Trials, she had also played a huge role.
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