Chapter 223: Tang Chen, Already Dead
"The fifth trial: Obtain a hundred-thousand-year soul ring when reaching the eighth soul ring level. The trial officially begins when soul power reaches level 80, with a time limit of one year." Ye Hao muttered softly.
"What kind of trial is this? Each one is easier than the last. This isn't just going easy—it's practically draining the entire ocean!" Ye Hao couldn't help but complain.
This might be the easiest divine trial in history. Compared to something like the Sea God's Nine Trials, which were no joke, Ye Hao's trials were like heaven itself.
"Tch, I wanted to keep a low profile, but the heavens won't allow it." Ye Hao chuckled wryly and shook his head before soaring into the sky toward the direction of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
Under the concealment of the Death God's Heart, no one could detect his presence.
"The three great clans are gathering together? Let's see what schemes they're cooking up."
---
Morning arrived, and the atmosphere was unusually tense.
Within the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, disciples stood guard in multiple layers, turning the entire clan into an impenetrable fortress.
The castle gates were tightly shut, and no one was allowed in or out without orders. Violators would be severely punished—the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan hadn't been this strict in a long time.
Ye Hao descended from the sky and landed smoothly, glancing around.
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan really lives up to its reputation. The architectural style here could rival the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace. With these pavilions and towering castles, if this weren't a clan, I'd suspect Ning Fengzhi was plotting a coup." He smirked mockingly.
"Hmm?"
"There's movement over there."
Ye Hao's gaze shifted toward the main hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Without hesitation, he strode over boldly. With the Death God's Heart, he had no fear of being discovered.
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's Clan Master Ning Fengzhi, the Sword and Bone Douluos, and two other elders... So this is where they're gathering. Might as well listen in and see what tricks they have up their sleeves."
Ye Hao entered the hall and casually took a seat on an empty chair, crossing his legs as he observed the group before him.
---
Meanwhile, inside the main hall, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
Today was an important meeting of the three great clans—the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, the Clear Sky Clan, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan—to discuss countermeasures against the Spirit Hall.
The Spirit Hall was making its move, and Tang Hao's death was the clearest warning.
The Clear Sky Clan's representative was the Second Elder, while the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan sent Yu Luomian—Liu Erlong's father and the younger brother of Clan Master Yu Yuanzhen.
The three factions had gathered to negotiate their future plans.
"Everyone, the purpose of today's meeting is to discuss how to defend against the Spirit Hall. Does anyone have any thoughts?" Ning Fengzhi, seated at the head of the table, looked solemnly at the two men before him.
"I have nothing more to say," the Second Elder said coldly. "The Spirit Hall and our Clear Sky Clan have always been irreconcilable. The Spirit Hall's young master killed Tang Hao—this is an insult to our clan. The Clear Sky Clan is prepared for all-out war with the Spirit Hall."
Tang Hao's death had undoubtedly been a slap in the face to the Clear Sky Clan.
Coupled with past grievances, it was safe to say that the two factions had reached a point of no return.
Yu Luomian sighed. "Our Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan stands with you. The Spirit Hall killed my nephew, Yu Xiaogang. Though his reputation on the continent was poor, and he left our clan long ago, he was still one of us. My brother still mourns him to this day."
"The Spirit Hall's tyranny will be its downfall. Sooner or later, they will face divine retribution."
"Clan Master Ning, what are your thoughts?"
Both sides had made their stance clear—they were ready for war.
The Second Elder and Yu Luomian turned their gazes toward Ning Fengzhi. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was backed by the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
If they went to war, the entire Heaven Dou Empire could be dragged into the conflict.
This wouldn't just be a battle between clans—it could escalate into a continent-wide war.
A single misstep could lead to disaster!
"This..." Ning Fengzhi hesitated. His current status was extremely high.
Since Xue Qinghe ascended to the throne, Ning Fengzhi, as his teacher, had naturally become the "Imperial Mentor."
His position in the Heaven Dou Empire was no less than that of the emperor himself.
"Clan Master Ning, are you really going to wait until the Spirit Hall is at your doorstep before making a decision?" The Second Elder sighed, seeing Ning Fengzhi's hesitation.
Among the three great clans, everyone knew Ning Fengzhi was a man who prioritized interests. Openly opposing the Spirit Hall required him to weigh far too many considerations.
"Ning Fengzhi is hesitating... He must be wary of something."
Using the Death God's Heart's concealment, Ye Hao sat cross-legged nearby, watching the scene unfold with great interest.
He was genuinely curious—was the so-called "unity" of the three great clans real?
Would they band together out of shared interests, or would they ultimately fall apart?
That remained to be seen.
---
After a long silence, Ning Fengzhi finally stood and sighed.
"To be honest, the Spirit Hall's young master, Ye Hao, once gave my daughter an immortal herb, the Beautiful Silk Tulip, which allowed our clan's martial soul to evolve into the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda..."
"Hmph!" The Bone Douluo snorted. "Times have changed, Fengzhi. If we keep hesitating, by the time the Spirit Hall truly comes knocking, it'll be too late."
"But..." Ning Fengzhi hesitated, still conflicted.
The Sword Douluo added, "The old bone is right. The moment we saved Tang San, we already became the Spirit Hall's next target. The lives of our two thousand disciples hang in the balance."
"Everyone..." Ning Fengzhi looked at them helplessly. "You may have misunderstood my hesitation. The reason I'm so concerned is..."
"A few years ago, when I visited the Spirit Hall for a competition, I accidentally uncovered a piece of information..."
"What information?" Yu Luomian urged.
"Spirit Hall's Pope Bibi Dong... has already broken through to level 100." Ning Fengzhi's voice was heavy, almost weak.
This was his greatest fear.
"What?!"
The Second Elder, Yu Luomian, and even the disciples they brought were all stunned.
Level 100—that was nothing but a legend.
No one in the Douluo Continent had achieved it in nearly ten thousand years. Yet, the Spirit Hall's Pope had...
"Is... this information accurate?" The Second Elder frowned deeply.
"Absolutely." Ning Fengzhi nodded firmly. "Everyone, the Spirit Hall is simply too powerful. If we want to oppose them, we must form an alliance with the Heaven Dou Empire."
"Only by doing so might we stand a chance."
A long silence followed. The news was simply too shocking for anyone to respond immediately.
"In the past..."
The Second Elder's eyes dimmed as he spoke, "Our Clan Master Tang Chen reached level 99. He left the Clear Sky Clan precisely to seek the method to break through to level 100. All these years have passed, yet we don't know if the old patriarch succeeded..."
Had Tang Chen still been here, the Clear Sky Clan would never have fallen to its current state.
A tiger fallen to the plains is bullied by dogs—now anyone could step on them.
"Tang Chen is already dead."
The space trembled slightly as Ye Hao appeared with a faint smile.
Dead silence enveloped the hall. Everyone was stunned speechless—where had Ye Hao come from?
"Ye Hao! You dare show your face here!" The Bone Douluo erupted in rage. A sinister black light flashed across his body as he appeared before Ye Hao in an instant. Behind him, a skeletal dragon covered in thorns roared furiously, as if ready to devour heaven and earth.
"The three great clans, what a fine alliance indeed! Today, I shall see for myself—just how capable you really are!"
The corners of Ye Hao's lips curled slightly as he reached into the void with his right hand. A blood-red greatsword over two meters long materialized—its slender yet thick blade covered in dark golden demonic patterns, exuding an overwhelmingly sharp aura of slaughter.
With the Shura Demon Sword in hand, Ye Hao stood like a demon god descended. The red mark between his eyebrows resonated with the sword as he swung it down fiercely!
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion shook the grand hall. Tables and chairs flew everywhere as violent currents, sharp as blades, whipped painfully against everyone's faces.
"So this is Ye Hao." The Second Elder's eyes turned piercing. A Clear Sky Hammer appeared in his grip, nine soul rings glowing—two yellow, two purple, five black. He would never let this opportunity slip.
Tang Hao's death had brought shame upon the Clear Sky Clan.
And now, Ye Hao's declaration that "Tang Chen is already dead" ignited unprecedented fury in the Second Elder. Who was Tang Chen?
A once-in-a-generation genius who reached the pinnacle of Title Douluo through sheer individual strength!
"Arrogant brat! Let me see what makes you so special!"
The Second Elder charged forward, his hammer radiating a crimson glow as terrifying killing intent surged forth.
But when the smoke cleared, his expression froze—the Bone Douluo had been sent flying, blood spewing from his mouth.
At the same time, the blood-red greatsword came slashing down.
The overwhelming pressure, chilling aura, and staggering bloodlust made the Second Elder's scalp tingle. He swung his Clear Sky Hammer in wide arcs before meeting the sword head-on.
He had absolute confidence in the Clear Sky Hammer's supremacy.
"The Clear Sky Hammer is the number one tool-type martial soul, suppressing all others! You killed Tang Hao and shamed our clan. Now you come alone? Perfect! Your death will let Bibi Dong taste the agony of losing a child!"
Never had the Second Elder felt such rage. His eyes burned crimson as the Clear Sky Hammer's aura filled the entire hall.
For a moment, everyone thought victory was assured.
But when the blood-red sword clashed directly with the Clear Sky Hammer—
An unbelievable scene unfolded.
The Clear Sky Hammer began fracturing, spiderweb cracks spreading across its surface. The Second Elder's face twisted in shock and disbelief.
"The Clear Sky Hammer... is the supreme tool-type martial soul! What... what kind of weapon is this?" he stammered in horror.
Ye Hao smiled faintly. "A Title Douluo? Not so impressive after all."
As the Clear Sky Hammer shattered completely, Ye Hao tightened his grip on the Shura Demon Sword, aiming straight for the Second Elder's neck—ready to behead him on the spot.
But in the next instant, a silver greatsword descended from above. A white figure rescued the Second Elder just in time.
"Well, well!"
Ye Hao rested the Shura Demon Sword on his shoulder, eyeing the fleeing elder mockingly. "Weren't you just boasting about the Clear Sky Hammer being supreme, suppressing all weapons? How come yours broke so easily? Could yours be... a fake?"
The Second Elder wiped blood from his lips, his heart pounding with lingering fear. Had the Sword Douluo not intervened, he would already be dead.
"I got careless. Didn't dodge in time," he admitted, wiping sweat from his brow and nodding gratefully at the Sword Douluo.
"What kind of weapon is that? Even my Seven Kill Sword is trembling..." The Sword Douluo's hands shook slightly—his peerlessly sharp sword actually seemed afraid of that blood-red blade.
"So you're the Spirit Hall's young master, Ye Hao?" Yu Luomian stood up, watching as Ning Fengzhi helped the injured Bone Douluo to his feet. His mouth felt parched.
No wonder this youth could kill Tang Hao—such terrifying ferocity!
"You're from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan?" Ye Hao raised an eyebrow.
"Indeed. What is that weapon in your hand?" Yu Luomian demanded.
This blade was clearly the key to Ye Hao defeating two Title Douluos simultaneously. Rumor said the Spirit Hall's young master was only a Soul Sage, albeit with two hundred-thousand-year soul rings. But to nearly kill the Bone Douluo—renowned as the continent's top defender—in one strike?
And the Sword Douluo's Seven Kill Sword, famed as the ultimate offensive weapon, was actually trembling in fear!
Ye Hao's sudden appearance had ignited fury among the gathered elites. Their hateful gazes could have killed him a thousand times over.
"That's none of your concern." Ye Hao's smile didn't waver. The Shura Demon Sword was a godly weapon. As the Shura God's heir, this was his first time wielding it in battle—he hadn't yet mastered its full power.
So close! The Clear Sky Clan's Second Elder had almost been eliminated. What a pity.
"Ye Hao, have you come to declare war today?" Ning Fengzhi frowned deeply.
"You could say that. The three great clans—what a joke. Want to bet I could slaughter all of you alone?" Ye Hao flashed a confident grin.
"Arrogant bastard!" a Clear Sky Clan disciple couldn't help shouting.
In response, Ye Hao flicked the Shura Demon Sword. A crimson arc sliced through space like a demon god's descent.
Before the disciple could react, his body split cleanly in two, blood splattering across the floor.
"Tang Tian!" The Second Elder's heart-wrenching cry echoed—this was his lineage's sole remaining descendant!
"Ye Hao! The Clear Sky Clan will never let this go! First you kill Tang Hao, now our disciples! Do you truly not fear our wrath?"
"Your Clan Master Tang Chen is already dead. Why should I fear you?" Ye Hao rested the sword on his shoulder again, his piercing gaze sweeping the room.