56: Chapter 56: Tang Hao's Fury, the End of Holy Soul Village

In the early morning half a month later, a thick morning mist permeated the mountain behind Saint Spirit Village. Dew dampened the sea of white flowers covering the hills, and the sweet scent of vegetation floated in the air.

Tang Hao walked slowly along the muddy mountain path, his coarse cloth clothes stained with some dust. His disheveled hair covered most of his face, leaving only a rare trace of softness hidden within his deep eyes.

He had just returned from Nuoding City. Tang San's performance at the academy had far exceeded his expectations, especially that innate footwork and technique, which gave him hope for the revival of the Clear Sky Sect.

"Ah Yin, Little San has grown up..."

He murmured in a low, raspy voice as he walked, sounding like it had been rubbed with sandpaper. "He has already awakened his Spirit. Although he is currently using Blue Silver Grass, don't worry—I will teach him how to use the Clear Sky Hammer and make him the top Spirit Master on the Douluo Continent..."

He habitually walked toward the depths of the back mountain, where his secret of many years was hidden, and the only place he could "see" Ah Yin.

As long as he saw that Blue Silver Grass, he felt that Ah Yin had never left.

But just as he reached the waterfall, Tang Hao's footsteps came to a sudden halt, and the blood in his body seemed to freeze instantly.

Something was wrong.

Terribly wrong.

The waterfall was still roaring and the mist was still pervasive, but that familiar aura of life belonging to Ah Yin had vanished.

He remembered it clearly: the cave was sealed by a giant rock that fit perfectly with the rock wall. It would be impossible for an ordinary person to move it, let alone discover it.

But at this moment, the giant rock was gone, and only rubble remained on the ground, as if it had been violently smashed to pieces.

"Ah Yin?" Tang Hao's voice trembled, and his heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand.

He suddenly leaped up, his figure like a leopard as he passed through the rushing curtain of water and landed steadily at the cave entrance.

The cave was pitch black, and the air was filled with unfamiliar lingering Soul Power, carrying a hint of destruction and coldness.

He hurried to the center of the stone chamber. By the faint light filtering in from the entrance, he saw a sight that made his eyes nearly split with rage—

The stone bed stood there lonely, and the space beside it was empty. The Blue Silver Emperor that should have been standing there was gone.

That Blue Silver Emperor he had guarded for years—that was Ah Yin's original body and his only reason to keep living—was actually gone!

"No... impossible..." Tang Hao staggered back a step, his back hitting the rock wall with a heavy thud.

He lunged toward the stone bed like a madman, his fingers trembling as he reached under the bed slab—there was something even more important there: the 100,000-year Spirit Bone left behind after Ah Yin's sacrifice, the hope he had left for Tang San!

His fingertips touched only the cold, hard stone surface.

It was empty.

There was nothing.

That 100,000-year Right Leg Bone, which contained Ah Yin's life essence and could have allowed Tang San to soar to the heavens in one step, was also gone!

"Aaaahhh—!!!"

A heart-wrenching roar erupted from Tang Hao's throat, like a wounded beast howling in desperation.

The sound hit the rock walls and bounced back, echoing repeatedly in the cave and causing rubble to fall.

His eyes were bloodshot, and the Soul Power around him surged wildly. The phantom of a black Clear Sky Hammer appeared behind him, carrying an aura capable of destroying heaven and earth.

"Who was it?! Who did this?!"

He bellowed, slamming a fist into the rock wall, causing the hard stone to instantly shatter. He roared, "Give her back! Give Ah Yin back to me! Give the Spirit Bone back to me!"

If Ah Yin's original body was gone, he could search for it, and would only feel regret. But that Spirit Bone was bought with Ah Yin's life; it was what he had left for Tang San!

And now, everything was gone.

Rage boiled in his chest like lava, suddenly breaking through the internal injuries he had forcibly suppressed for years.

Tang Hao suddenly clutched his chest and began to cough violently, spitting a mouthful of bright red blood onto the cold ground, staining the rubble.

His vision began to blur, and his body felt as heavy as lead.

He stared fixedly at the empty stone bed, his eyes filled with despair and indignation, until finally, his vision went black and he collapsed straight down.

The night was like a giant black cloth, wrapping Saint Spirit Village tightly.

Tang Hao was woken by the mountain wind. The icy chill pierced through his clothes, making him shiver.

He struggled to sit up, the pain in his chest reminding him of his earlier breakdown.

The cave was still pitch black, with only his heavy breathing echoing.

"Spirit Hall... it must be Spirit Hall..." He gritted his teeth, forcing the words through them.

Besides them, who else could have the ability to take Ah Yin's body and Spirit Bone from under his nose?

But how could they know about this place?

Tang Hao suddenly thought of the villagers of Saint Spirit Village.

Over the years, he had spent his days drinking in the village, seemingly distant from them, but who knew if anyone had been observing him in secret? Had someone leaked his movements to Spirit Hall?

"It's them... it must be them..."

A mad thought sprouted in his mind, wrapping around his reason like a vine.

He remembered the way the villagers usually looked at him—with sympathy, with fear, and perhaps with schemes he hadn't understood!

"I haven't treated you poorly... and yet you dare..." Tang Hao's gaze grew colder and colder, until only bone-chilling killing intent remained.

He climbed up from the ground, staggered out of the cave, and walked toward Saint Spirit Village.

He was going to find them and demand the truth!

He was going to make those who leaked the secret pay the price!

Saint Spirit Village was silent, with only a few barks occasionally piercing the night sky.

Most of the villagers had already gone to sleep, except for Old Jack, who was still at the entrance of the blacksmith shop at the edge of the village, counting the farm tools for the next day by the light of an oil lamp.

Suddenly, a terrifying pressure shrouded the entire village like a dark cloud, making it hard for people to breathe.

The flame of the oil lamp flickered violently, nearly going out.

Old Jack's heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly looked up at the sky—

A figure was suspended in mid-air, hair flying wild and eyes bloodshot. He was surrounded by black Soul Power, and a massive phantom of the Clear Sky Hammer rotated slowly behind him, emitting a suffocating aura.

"Tang... Tang Hao?" Old Jack's voice was shaking. He had never seen Tang Hao like this.

The blacksmith who was usually drunk and taciturn now looked like an Asura returned from hell.

*Thump! Thump! Thump!*

The villagers were startled awake by this pressure and ran out of their houses one after another. When they saw Tang Hao in the sky, everyone was stunned.

"It's Uncle Tang Hao!"

"How... how is he flying?"

"What kind of Spirit is that? Such a terrifying aura..."

The murmurs were quickly replaced by fear, because they saw Tang Hao's gaze—cold and devoid of any warmth, as if he were looking at a group of dead objects.

"Tang Hao! What are you doing?!"

Old Jack summoned his courage and shouted toward the sky, "Come down! You'll scare the children!"

Tang Hao slowly lowered his head, his gaze falling on Old Jack, his voice raspy and cold: "These past few days... have any outsiders come to Saint Spirit Village?"

One of the elders was slightly taken aback and answered instinctively, "There... there were two young people, about half a month ago. They said they came to the back mountain to gather herbs and left without entering the village..."

He was still wondering why Tang Hao was asking this.

But in the next second, he understood.

"Gathering herbs?"

Tang Hao let out a cold laugh, one filled with madness and killing intent. He said, "They came to steal! It was you! You told them there was something on the back mountain!"

"It wasn't us!"

The man waved his hands frantically and replied, "We had no idea what was on the back mountain! They just asked for directions, we didn't say anything else!"

"You still dare to quibble!"

Tang Hao roared, and the phantom of the Clear Sky Hammer behind him suddenly surged, becoming as massive as a house. He bellowed, "If you hadn't leaked the secret, how could they have found that place?! Ah Yin's Spirit Bone is gone! Everything I have is gone! You all deserve to die!"

"Tang Hao! You've gone mad!"

Old Jack's face turned pale with fright as he backed away repeatedly. He reminded him, "We are the people of Saint Spirit Village! We watched Little San grow up! How could we possibly harm you?!"

"Enough talk!"

Tang Hao could no longer listen to any explanations. His mind was filled with the image of Ah Yin's disappearing figure and the empty stone bed. He said coldly, "Since you refuse to speak, then all of you can die!"

The massive Clear Sky Hammer, carrying the sound of breaking air, smashed down ruthlessly toward the crowd at the village entrance!

"Run!"

"Tang Hao has gone crazy!"

The villagers were scared out of their wits, screaming as they scattered in flight.

But they were just ordinary villagers; how could they outrun the attack of a Titled Douluo?

*Boom—!*

The Clear Sky Hammer smashed into the ground, its massive impact causing several deep chasms to tear through the earth. Mud splattered, and screams rose one after another.

Where people had been standing just moments ago, only a mess remained.

Old Jack watched helplessly as the neighbors he knew so well were crushed into pulp. Tears instantly gushed out. "Tang Hao! Stop! You will be cursed by the heavens!"

He picked up a hoe beside him and threw it at Tang Hao, but before the hoe could even get close, it was shattered into pieces by an invisible force of Soul Power.

Tang Hao's gaze fell on Old Jack, carrying a hint of cruelty: "You are the village chief, so I'll start with you!"

He controlled the Clear Sky Hammer and raised it again.

"No!" Old Jack closed his eyes in despair.

He couldn't understand why Tang Hao, who had been decadent but never harmed the villagers, would suddenly become like this.

But the expected attack did not fall.

Tang Hao suddenly began to cough violently, spitting out another mouthful of blood.

The rage in his heart had caused his internal injuries to completely erupt.

He clutched his chest, but his gaze still swept coldly over the remaining villagers.

Those people were paralyzed on the ground with fear, trembling all over, unable even to cry.

"Kill... everyone must die..." Tang Hao murmured, raising the Clear Sky Hammer once more.

Screams, cries, and the sound of collapsing houses intertwined, sounding exceptionally piercing in the silent night.

The once peaceful and serene Saint Spirit Village had now turned into a living hell.

An unknown amount of time passed. When the last scream vanished, the entire village fell completely silent.

Tang Hao was suspended in mid-air, looking down at the scene of corpses strewn everywhere and soaring flames. The Soul Power on his body gradually dissipated, and the phantom of the Clear Sky Hammer disappeared.

His eyes were hollow and devoid of emotion, as if the slaughter just now had nothing to do with him.

He slowly descended and staggered through the ruins toward the outskirts of the village.

The blood on the ground dampened his cloth shoes, but he was completely oblivious.

"Spirit Hall..."

He whispered those two words, his teeth grinding together. A light of venomous hatred burst from his eyes as he said, "You destroyed Ah Yin, you stole the Spirit Bone, and now you have forced my hand... I, Tang Hao, will remember this debt!"

He did not know that the one who stole the Spirit Bone was not the Supreme Pontiff Palace of Spirit Hall, but Lu Jing from ten thousand years in the future.

He knew even less that his mad slaughter just now was merely taking his anger out on innocent people.

The night wind picked up the scent of blood from the ground and blew it into the distance.

The lights of Saint Spirit Village were completely extinguished, leaving only broken walls and ruins silent in the darkness, as if recounting this undeserved disaster.

Tang Hao's figure gradually disappeared into the night, his back looking lonely and resolute.

From this moment on, another layer of hatred was added to his heart, and his resolve to make Tang San stronger and revive the Clear Sky Sect became even firmer.

It was just that this path was destined to be stained with even more blood.

...

Just as dawn was breaking and the morning mist had not yet dispersed, a simply decorated carriage rolled over the bluestone road of Heaven Dou City and stopped beside the square in the city center.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Lu Jing was the first to step down.

"Come on down," Lu Jing said, looking back at the carriage.

Wang Donger followed him out of the carriage, her pink-blue hair blowing slightly in the wind. She instinctively smoothed her skirt and scanned the surrounding scenery, a hint of wonder flashing in her eyes.

Heaven Dou City was even more bustling than she had imagined. The buildings on both sides of the street stood in rows, the characters on the plaques were written in elegant calligraphy, and even the air was filled with the scent of pastries and spices.

"This is Heaven Dou City?" she asked softly, her tone filled with a bit of novelty.

"Yes, the heart of the Heaven Dou Empire."

Lu Jing nodded, then turned to look at Xiao Wu, who was still peeking out from the carriage. "Xiao Wu, stop clinging to the curtain and come down to take a look."

Xiao Wu then jumped down cautiously, her large eyes looking around curiously as her fingers tightly gripped the edge of her clothes.

This was the first time she had seen so many people and such grand houses. Even the street vendors shouting about Tanghulu felt fresh to her.

"Wow..." She couldn't help but let out a low cry, her gaze drawn to a Sugar Painting stall not far away, her footsteps becoming a bit hard to move.

Wang Donger patted her shoulder to pull her attention back.

She looked at Lu Jing, remembering their previous plan, and asked, "Next... aren't we going to find Qian Renxue?"

According to their plan, coming to Heaven Dou City was originally to see this Saintess of Spirit Hall lurking in the imperial palace.

Lu Jing shook his head, pointing at the Silk Shops and jewelry buildings along the street. "What's the rush? Would you have the heart to go see her empty-handed?"

Wang Donger frowned, somewhat puzzled. "What's there to be embarrassed about? What is Qian Renxue's status? She's the Saintess of Spirit Hall and the future Supreme Pontiff Successor—what could she possibly lack? She might not even care for the gifts we bring."

"Whether she cares for them is one thing; whether we give them is another."

Lu Jing smiled, his tone carrying a bit of understanding as he explained, "She doesn't lack things, but we must show our intent. To put it bluntly, it's just a formality—but sometimes, the formality is more pleasing than the content."

He paused, looking at Wang Donger's still confused expression, and explained, "Think about it. We haven't seen her in so long, and we've brought Xiao Wu along; we have to give her some kind of explanation. Bringing a meeting gift is both a gesture of goodwill and shows that we know the rules, lest she thinks we are being inconsiderate."

Xiao Wu listened from the side, only half-understanding, but her eyes lit up when she heard the word "gift." "Are we going to buy something delicious? That Sugar Painting just now looked very tasty!"

Lu Jing was amused by her and ruffled her hair. "Not just Sugar Paintings. Come on, let's find an Inn to stay at first, then I'll take you two around the capital and pick out a decent gift while we're at it."

Wang Donger looked at his confident expression, and the doubt in her heart gradually dissipated.

She knew Lu Jing always considered things thoroughly; since he felt they should give a gift, he naturally had his reasons.

The three of them followed the flow of people. Xiao Wu's gaze was soon drawn to the pinwheels on the roadside, her footsteps as light as a little rabbit's.

Wang Donger followed behind, looking at the bustling scene before her. She suddenly felt a strange sensation—that after leaving Tang San, Xiao Wu might not necessarily have a worse ending than her original one.