13: Chapter 13 is all part of the plan.

At the exact moment the light and dark embers that burned everything in the Divine Realm completely dissipated, in the Lower Realm of the Douluo Continent, in some unknown rocky wasteland, the rain was mixed with a heavy scent of blood, soaking the entire charred land.

Broken weapons, shattered Spirit Bone, and the remains of Spirit Master and Spirit Beast were scattered everywhere. The ground was covered with deep pits smashed by the Clear Sky Hammer and gullies carved by the Angelic Sacred Sword; even the surrounding mountains had been sliced in half by the aftermath, and the smoke lingered in the curtain of rain for a long time.

Everyone froze in place, their eyes fixed on the direction where Tang Hao had fled into the dense forest with the baby, but no one dared to pursue him.

Even though Tang Hao was now exhausted and had only his left arm remaining, the bone-deep demonic nature that had erupted from him during the battle just now still made the Souls of all the experts present tremble, and even their fingertips couldn't stop shaking.

"That is not human at all..."

Xiong Lie, the commander of the Spirit Hall battle division, a level 92 attack system Titled Douluo with the title 'Zhenyue', clutched the deep, bone-visible wound on his chest, his heavy breathing filled with unconcealable lingering fear.

His Spirit, the Zhenyue Giant Bear, was known for its defense, but just now, with one hammer strike from Tang Hao, not only was his Spirit True Body smashed, but even his bones were cracked.

"Having just reached the Titled Douluo rank, even if he detonated all nine spirit rings, it would be absolutely impossible for him to have such power! His Soul Power carries a malevolent nature that gnaws at the Soul; the moment it touches you, it drills into the crevices of your bones. This is a complete and utter Evil Spirit Master!"

Beside him, Jiang Lin, the level 94 control system Titled Douluo with the title 'Hanchuan', raised his hand to unleash a blast of cold air, freezing the strange Blue Silver Grass root system spreading nearby. He added with a pale face, "It's not just the power. You all saw it just now; his entire body was covered in dark red Spirit Beast patterns, the whites of his eyes were completely stained red, his pupils had turned into vertical slits like a snake's, and even his hair was mixed with strands of Blue Silver Grass! That 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor sacrifice—he wasn't just absorbing a spirit ring; he fused the entire Origin and Bloodline of the Spirit Beast into his own body!"

Upon hearing this, the various experts present gasped in unison, and in their eyes as they looked toward the dense forest, hatred and fear were completely intertwined.

They had all seen the battle just now with absolute clarity.

At the beginning, the experts of the Angel race from Spirit Hall were suppressing Tang Hao, as easily as spinning a top.

But after that 100,000-year Blue Silver Emperor sacrificed itself, everything changed.

Tang Hao, who had originally just entered the Titled Douluo rank, saw his aura instantly skyrocket to a level that made one's scalp tingle.

No one knew that this was the power of the Asura God at work, and in addition to that, the power of Qian Chongguang was adding fuel to the fire.

His skin was covered in dark red, living-like patterns that spread from his neck to his cheeks. His originally resolute face became twisted and insane, and a large amount of blood-red hair grew wildly from his black hair, hanging down to cover half his face.

Those originally sharp eyes had completely turned into blood-red vertical slits, and the whites of his eyes were filled with hideous bloodshot veins. When he looked at people, there was not a shred of human reason, only the bloodlust and madness of a Vicious Beast.

The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand had also changed its appearance. The originally pure black, heavy hammer body was wrapped in a layer of viscous, dark red halo, and the hammer was covered in fine barbs. With every strike, not only did it possess the tyrannical power of the Clear Sky Sect's ultimate techniques, but it also carried a strange Life force capable of devouring Soul Power and gnawing on the Divine Soul.

Even experts at the Titled Douluo level, if brushed by the wind of that hammer, would have a portion of their Soul Power instantly devoured, and even their Souls would ache in pain.

Facing the siege of over a dozen experts from Spirit Hall, the two Empires, the Clear Sky Sect, and the surrounding major Sects, he not only did not fall behind, but became even more insane the more he fought. Several Spirit Douluo were smashed to death on the spot, their Divine Soul completely destroyed, and even the Titled Douluo were all injured.

No one knew that this seemingly accidental sacrifice and rampage was, from beginning to end, within the calculations of Qian Chongguang.

Even fewer people knew that they, who had been "coincidentally" drawn into this pursuit, were all calculated by Qian Chongguang and led here step by step.

After all, they themselves coveted the 100,000-year spirit ring and 100,000-year Spirit Bone of the Blue Silver Emperor.

If there were no benefits to be gained, they would not have participated in this pursuit.

Once the plot progress bar was about right and everyone had arrived, he could let these prominent representatives of various forces witness the entire process of Tang Hao fusing with the Spirit Beast Origin and falling into the Demonic Path.

He wanted to use this "personally witnessed" battle to nail Tang Hao with the crimes of "betraying the Human Race," "colluding with Spirit Beast," and "falling into the Demonic Path," turning him from the revered Clear Sky Douluo of the original work into a traitor to the Human Race who deserved to be killed by everyone on the continent.

For this, he even staged a flawless "fall" drama.

According to his script, everyone would witness the old Elder of the Angel race from Spirit Hall, a Peak level 96 expert, in order to stop the world-destroying ultimate move, the Great Sumeru Hammer, of the completely demonized Tang Hao, take his enraged hammer strike head-on with his Angel Spirit True Body. His golden angel wings shattered on the spot, his divine body exploded, his Divine Soul was completely destroyed, and only by using his last breath did he manage to sever one of Tang Hao's right arms.

A Peak level 96 Titled Douluo was "killed" by Tang Hao, who had just entered the Titled Douluo rank, only exchanging for one of the opponent's arms.

This bloody fact was more persuasive than any rhetoric, completely cementing the charge of Tang Hao's "demonization."

Otherwise, how could a newly promoted Titled Douluo, no matter how powerful the Great Sumeru Hammer was, manage to destroy the Divine Soul of a veteran Titled Douluo expert, especially when the opponent's Spirit was a Divine-Grade Spirit?

Betraying the Human Race and even mating with a Spirit Beast to give birth to a child—in the Douluo Continent, this was a heinous crime punishable by the extermination of one's entire clan.

Furthermore, with so many experts from all sides witnessing it with their own eyes, who would dare to speak up for a "Demon Race traitor"?

The few Elders of the Clear Sky Sect nearby were now ashen-faced and trembling all over.

The leader, the Second Elder Tang Tudi, gritted his teeth and, in front of all the experts on the continent, sternly announced the Sect's decision: "I, the Second Elder of the Clear Sky Sect, hereby declare again that the Clear Sky Sect Disciple Tang Hao has disregarded human morality, colluded with Spirit Beast, betrayed the Human Race, and willingly fallen into depravity! From this day on, the Clear Sky Sect expels him from the Sect, strips him of all status, and he shall never be allowed to enter again! All the sins he has committed shall be borne by him alone and have absolutely nothing to do with my Clear Sky Sect!"

With that one statement, they completely drew a line between themselves and Tang Hao.

In this situation, if they didn't make their stance clear immediately, the Clear Sky Sect would truly be infamous for ten thousand years along with Tang Hao.

As soon as the words fell, the whole scene was in an uproar.

Since the Clear Sky Sect had drawn a line, the others had no more reservations.

The Spirit Master commander of the Star Luo Empire stepped forward, his voice cold: "The Clear Sky Sect is righteous! Tang Hao's actions have already made him an enemy of the Human Race! Colluding with Spirit Beast and fusing with its Bloodline—this trend must absolutely not be allowed to grow!"

...

PS: When the story concludes in the future, if there is time, I will append a side story set before the beginning of the story.