Douluo: Qian Xunji's Joyful Life

Chapter 33: People Must Have Aspirations

Tang Hao stood there, with two yellow, two purple, and two black soul rings at his feet. Immediately afterward, those six rings rose one by one, hovering between the head and handle of his Clear Sky Hammer. Their intervals slowly shrank, as though merging into a single entity, until all the rings fused into the hammer.

Even though Tang Hao was only at the Soul Emperor level, his Clear Sky Hammer erupted with a domineering black glow on par with the one in Tang Xiao's hands, who was a Soul Douluo.

Countless soul masters present stared wide-eyed, especially the older generation who recognized the phenomenon, as well as the Titled Douluo experts from the Wuhun Hall and even Sword Douluo himself.

This was the Great Sumeru Hammer technique!

"Senior Chen Xin, take this!"

Tang Hao stomped the ground. His strong, bronze-hued muscles bulged like steel, and he hurled his small water-barrel-sized Clear Sky Hammer at Sword Douluo with frightening force. The overwhelming power made even the Soul Emperors and Soul Sages around the arena flinch. Sword Douluo hastened to meet it with his sword, stopping this raw and tyrannical blow.

Clang––!

Hammer and sword collided with a metallic ring. Tang Hao remained unmoving, while Sword Douluo slid backward a good five meters, his arm trembling uncontrollably. Shock rippled through him.

Such enormous power! Had I been forced to take this blow at equal cultivation instead of being a Titled Douluo, that arm would likely be entirely numb.

Tang Hao pressed the attack, spinning like a top, the hammer's black glow intertwining with the crimson light of his Killing God Domain. Another fierce strike whirled toward Sword Douluo. He realized he mustn't block it head-on this time. His fifth soul ring lit up.

"Fifth Soul Skill: Terrifying Shock of the Four Directions!"

Five Seven Kill Swords formed in front of Sword Douluo, each surging with bluish radiance, like five meteors crashing against Tang Hao's swirling, blood-and-black figure.

Boom, boom, boom!

The conjured Seven Kill Swords bounced away. Four of the soul-power-made swords dissipated, and Tang Hao's momentum halted. The one sword flung aside hovered in midair under Sword Douluo's control, and his first soul ring glowed. Several invisible slashes streaked forward.

"First Soul Skill: Unleashed Sword Edge!"

"Disorder Splitting Wind!"

Tang Hao shouted, swinging the hammer in the signature Disorder Splitting Wind style to smash the sword aura. Yet for reasons unknown, lines of slashes appeared on his clothes, shallow cuts scoring his bronze flesh, trickles of blood oozing forth.

That's sword aura. My spiritual power isn't enough; I must defeat Sword Douluo quickly!

Tang Hao raised the Clear Sky Hammer with everything he had, unleashing the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes at their absolute peak, colliding non-stop with Seven Kill Sword.

Amazing, Hao. He's mastered the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes so flawlessly I can't find a single fault.

Tang Xiao looked on, overjoyed. He himself had taught Tang Hao nearly everything about wielding the hammer before Tang Hao went off to the Slaughter City. At that time, Tang Hao had been slightly inferior to him. But now, the Slaughter City's five years of life-and-death struggle had honed Tang Hao's combat experience beyond measure.

Boom!

A massive rumble shook the stage, and dust billowed in every direction. When the dust cleared, Tang Hao's skin lay sliced in multiple spots, blood seeping freely. Sword Douluo, meanwhile, was hovering above the battlefield, having withdrawn from the ring's confines.

"I've lost," Sword Douluo declared. His expression remained flat, but deep inside he let out a long sigh. The Seven Kill Sword would not become the world's number one assault-type martial soul. Suppressing his cultivation to Soul Emperor rank proved insufficient to overcome Tang Hao. Once Tang Hao reached Titled Douluo, Sword Douluo would be even less of a match.

Putting away the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Hao cupped a respectful fist. "Thank you, Senior Sword Douluo, for the lesson! Senior's Seven Kill Sword boasts the highest offensive power in the entire soul master world, and its sword aura is nearly impossible to defend against. Even the Clear Sky Hammer falls short in that regard."

"Hao'er/Hao Bro/Hao, you've won!"

The Clear Sky Clan rejoiced. Their clan master Tang Zhen, having gambled away the title of "world's top sect" and "strongest assault-type martial soul," had been bracing himself to beg forgiveness from his father, Tang Chen, thousands of times if Tang Xiao lost. None expected Tang Hao to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, preserving both the Clear Sky Hammer's status as the world's number one assault-type martial soul and the clan's hold on first place.

Tang Yuehua's heart pounded like mad. Gazing at that tall figure in the arena, the man who had saved the Clear Sky Clan from peril—her big brother Hao—a forbidden seed she harbored silently began to sprout.

"It's Tang Chen all over again," Ning Fengzhi murmured, turning to look at the two grim-faced Hall-Guardian Douluo of the Wuhun Hall, and at Qian Xunji, who revealed no expression. Deep inside, he formed a new plan.

Bibi Dong also watched Tang Hao, for the first time feeling she had a rival. He must be like her: an innate full soul power prodigy. Yet no spark of admiration stirred in her chest; men like Tang Hao—brawny and rugged—weren't her type. Sword Douluo, Ning Fengzhi, and Qian Xunji were all far more handsome. Her aesthetic leaned toward well-dressed, cultured men of fine birth who possessed talent or charm.

"Congratulations to the Clear Sky Clan on their final victory."

Qian Xunji's voice rang out. Instantly, all other sounds in the arena vanished. No one dared speak over him, and countless reverent, fanatical gazes locked onto him.

Striking the ground once with his Pope's scepter, Qian Xunji said calmly, "The triennial sect tournament is now over. The final rankings are: Clear Sky Clan, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Holy Dragon Sect, Elephant Armor Sect, Black Tiger Sect, and Wind Sword Sect.

"Accordingly, the Clear Sky Clan, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan retain their places as the top three sects, with the Clear Sky Clan yet again named the world's number one.

"The Clear Sky Hammer and Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon thus remain acknowledged as the number one assault-type and the number one beast-type martial souls respectively.

"Congratulations to Sect Master Tang Zhen for upholding the honor as the strongest offense Titled Douluo, and to Sword Douluo for claiming the title of highest-attack Titled Douluo. Bone Douluo stands as the strongest defensive Titled Douluo, and we also congratulate Sect Master Ning Fengzhi for being the number one support-type soul master."

The Clear Sky Clan was well satisfied. By contrast, while Sword and Bone Douluo of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan looked calm, they felt no delight whatsoever—they were haunted by regret. In their view, the clan had victory in the bag, only to lose it carelessly.

"Sect Master, we—"

"There's no need for guilt," Ning Fengzhi said quietly. "Taking second is already acceptable. We have to remember that Qian Daoliu of the Wuhun Hall is still alive. So with the Clear Sky Clan in first, they can share some of that burden for us. I've already sent word to Tang Zhen and Yu Yuanzhen to meet for further discussions."

Once the Seven Great Clans re-selection ended, Qian Xunji returned to his secret chamber to cultivate in seclusion. He needed time to absorb what he'd gleaned from Sword Douluo. And a person should always have dreams. Passing the Angel God Trials would guarantee him rank 99, but then again, Zhu Zhuqing was only born with seventh-level soul power, possessed no top-tier martial soul, and yet still inherited a second-tier god position.

Qian Xunji's martial soul was the Six-Winged Angel, and he'd already taken two immortal herbs and possessed a hundred-thousand-year ninth ring—a configuration far exceeding anything Zhu Zhuqing had. Why then should he not strive to become a god as well?

As for the day-to-day duties of the Pope's Hall—he'd let Qian Daoliu handle them again. It hardly mattered if he served as a figurehead. He was, after all, the only descendant of the Six-Winged Angel line. Eventually, it would all be his anyway.

Meanwhile, with the conference ended, countless clans, sects, and freelance soul masters were gradually filing out of Wuhun City in carriage after carriage. Among the travelers in a particularly lavish coach sat three Titled Douluo and one Soul Sage.

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