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In an instant, the movements of Yingxian's group of five were so fast they blurred into streaks of shadow, like five bolts of black lightning tearing across the battlefield.
Tang Xiao reacted swiftly, the Clear Sky Hammer clenched in his hand as he immediately stepped forward to shield Tang San and Xiao Wu.
Facing attacks from five directions, his eyes narrowed coldly, and the Clear Sky Hammer whirled out a raging cyclone.
With several resounding crashes, all five of them were forced back at the same time.
Worthy of his title, Tang Xiao—a Titled Douluo of the ninety-sixth, perhaps even ninety-seventh level—could simultaneously repel five coordinated strikes.
"Xiao San, take Xiao Wu and escape! Your uncle will hold them off!"
In Tang Xiao's eyes, Tang San, in this moment, was the very image of Tang Hao from all those years ago. Tang Xiao would not allow history to repeat itself. Even if it cost him his life, he would protect Tang San and Xiao Wu.
He then turned his head, roaring furiously at the hesitant Gu Rong, Chen Xin, and Yu Yuanzhen.
"Don't be deceived by Lan Minghua's words! Even if one of you kills Xiao San and Xiao Wu, the rest of you will still face destruction!"
"Our only chance of survival is to unite. Only together can we find a path to life!"
Tang Xiao's fury snapped the three of them back to their senses.
He was right—no matter who struck down Tang San and Xiao Wu, the others would still face death. If death was the outcome either way, then joining forces at least offered a sliver of hope.
Thus, Gu Rong and the others immediately struck out to intercept Yingxian's group.
Relieved, Tang Xiao regrouped with Tang Hao, the two brothers standing side by side against their enemies.
At that same moment, Tang San's expression was incredibly dark. The current situation was not what he had planned.
Damn it. I had originally intended to let everyone besiege Lan Minghua and kill him.
During the chaos, if Lan Minghua counterattacked, I could rush forward to 'die,' prompting Xiao Wu's sacrifice.
That way, my Clear Sky Hammer's first spirit ring would be a hundred-thousand-year ring.
Even if Oscar and the others have ten-thousand-year fourth rings, before me they would be nothing more than clowns.
I, Tang San, am the true genius among geniuses!
Yet all his plans had collapsed before they even began, ruined by his underestimation of Lan Minghua and the power of the Heaven Dragon Gang.
Not only had his scheme failed, but now he faced the pursuit of Titled Douluo and the looming betrayal of both the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.
After all, Lan Minghua had already promised: kill him and Xiao Wu, and not only would the victor claim Xiao Wu's hundred-thousand-year spirit bone, but also gain a chance at survival in this deathtrap.
Anyone with half a brain could see that slaying him and Xiao Wu was far easier than confronting Lan Minghua directly.
Although Chen Xin, Gu Rong, and Yu Yuanzhen were on his side for now, who could guarantee they wouldn't stab him in the back?
Weighing his options, Tang San grabbed Xiao Wu and began a desperate flight.
High above, Lan Minghua lounged on a tall platform, leaning against the gilded railing as his slender fingers tapped idly against it.
A playful light flickered in his eyes, and the corners of his lips curled in a faint, mocking smile.
"Run? Little punk, where do you think you can run?"
The entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was sealed within a sword net that even Tang Hao's full-strength attack could not break.
What chance did Tang San—a mere Spirit Elder—have?
He was only delaying the inevitable.
But then again, didn't this play right into his hands?
Lan Minghua narrowed his eyes, his gaze as deep as an ancient well, as though he had already seen straight through Tang San.
"At first, I couldn't understand why you would bring that public slut of a rabbit here before me. If you truly loved her, you'd never place her in such danger."
Then, a possibility struck him.
Sacrifice.
It wasn't an unreasonable suspicion. After all, hadn't his own father, Tang Hao, become a Titled Douluo thanks to Ah Yin's sacrifice?
Tang San, though only a thirty-first level Spirit Elder, should have been unable to add more spirit rings.
But he possessed twin martial souls.
The reason Tang Hao and Yu Xiaogang forbade him from adding rings to the Clear Sky Hammer was so that every one of its rings could be of the ten-thousand-year level or higher.
If Xiao Wu, a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast in human form, sacrificed herself, Tang San's very first ring on the Clear Sky Hammer would be a hundred-thousand-year ring.
The abilities granted by such a ring were beyond comparison to ordinary ones. It meant his cultivation path would become exceptionally smooth from then on.
Perhaps this wasn't Tang San's true intention, but in Lan Minghua's eyes, it was precisely his plan.
Still, Lan Minghua did not intervene.
To him, interrupting the sacrifice of a mere hundred-thousand-year spirit beast would be child's play.
At that moment, Oscar and the others cleverly moved to Lan Minghua's side. After all, they were safest next to their master. They understood the old adage: when the city gates catch fire, the fish in the moat get caught in the disaster.
In the sky above, the battle between Titled Douluo raged with overwhelming might.
Every missed attack slammed into the ground below, setting off thunderous explosions. Members of the Upper Three Sects and other forces were sent flying, suffering heavy casualties.
Feng Qingyuan and Shui Ningshuang shamelessly stood behind Lan Minghua as well, hoping to protect their students.
Lan Minghua was speechless but said nothing. Since it was his disciples' academies, offering some protection was no issue.
"So this… this is a battle between Titled Douluo? It's on a whole other level!"
The students from Feng Xiaotian's and Shui Bing'er's academies stared in stunned awe, their mouths agape.
Even Oscar and his companions, though they had seen great spectacles, were deeply shaken.
Suddenly, Oscar turned, his face alight with excitement as he asked Lan Minghua, "Master, master! Do you think I'll ever become that strong? Will I ever be able to catch up to you?"
His words instantly drew everyone's attention.
Not just Feng Qingyuan and Shui Ningshuang—even Chen Xin and the others in the midst of battle strained their ears to listen.
Lan Minghua had never seemed to use his full power, whether against Tang Hao or Chen Xin. He had won each time with absolute ease.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were especially terrified, recalling how close they had come to death at his hands, completely unable to fathom the depths of his strength.
Sensing their gazes, Lan Minghua chuckled softly.
He spoke two sentences to Oscar. His voice wasn't loud, yet it cut through the roar of battle, reaching the ears of every single person.
"Right now, you are only a Spirit Ancestor. Your vision is still narrow. To you, seeing me is like a frog at the bottom of a well seeing the moon."
"But when the day comes that you reach the realm of Titled Douluo, then you will see me as a mayfly does the vastness of the heavens."
His words stunned everyone into silence.
They had all assumed Lan Minghua took Oscar as a disciple to inherit his legacy. They never imagined he would say something so utterly unbelievable to his own student.
In his words, even the revered Titled Douluo seemed insignificant.
What kind of absolute confidence did it take to say such a thing?
At that moment, everyone came to the same chilling conclusion:
In Lan Minghua's eyes, Titled Douluo were nothing!
Qian Renxue, who had been silent all this time, felt her worldview shatter.
Impossible! Even my grandfather, hailed as invincible in the sky, would never dare to speak like that!
In that instant, she finally understood why Lan Minghua had dared to bring his students to watch this battle so openly.
No, I can't just sit here and wait for death. If I rely on the Upper Three Sects and Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo, they won't be able to protect me.
She hurriedly sent a message to Qian Daoliu, urging him to break the formation.
She was oblivious to the fact that Lan Minghua was watching her every move with cold amusement.
"Qian Daoliu, are you finally coming? I wonder… when the so-called 'invincible in the sky' clashes with Emperor Yuntian, who will prove to be stronger?"
(End of Chapter)