"Red!"
"You actually possess a hundred-thousand-year soul ring!"
Dugu Bo's gaze froze as he stared at the blood-red soul ring on Tang Hao's body, exuding terrifying soul power fluctuations.
It was well known that a Titled Douluo with a hundred-thousand-year soul ring was on a completely different level than one without. The gap was nearly unimaginable.
Over a decade ago, Tang Hao had single-handedly taken on three Titled Douluo from Spirit Hall, including the former Pope, Qian Xunji.
It was said that after that battle, not only did Tang Hao force the three Titled Douluo to retreat, but he also gravely injured Qian Xunji, leading to his eventual death.
Dugu Bo had always been puzzled—how could Tang Hao possibly take on three Titled Douluo by himself?
But upon seeing the hundred-thousand-year soul ring, much of his confusion cleared.
A soul ring of that level would grant an overwhelming boost to any Titled Douluo's combat power.
If he combined that with the Clear Sky Hammer and the secret techniques of the Clear Sky Clan, then fighting three enemies at once wasn't entirely impossible.
Tang Hao said calmly, "Show me your martial soul. I hope you can at least make this interesting."
Even though he stood there casually, an invisible pressure radiated from his body.
Dugu Bo gave a cold snort. If this were half a month ago, he would have turned and run without hesitation.
But now...
Dugu Bo didn't believe he would necessarily lose.
Even if Tang Hao had a hundred-thousand-year soul ring!
Boom!
The next moment, an intense wave of soul power erupted from Dugu Bo's body. Behind him, the illusion of a jade-green flood dragon appeared.
As soon as it emerged, the dragon let out a deafening roar.
With that roar came a crushing pressure, surging out like a tidal wave. Tang Hao's expression changed slightly in response.
"This pressure... Is that the Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor?"
Feeling the force crashing down on him, Tang Hao frowned slightly.
Something felt off.
This pressure… didn't feel any weaker than the aura of the old dragon from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
And that dragon had belonged to Yu Yuanzhen, a level 95 Titled Douluo with the continent's top beast martial soul—Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
"Hahaha, Tang Hao! Did you really think I'm still the same Dugu Bo you once knew?"
"I return your words to you—I hope you can entertain me a little."
With that, Dugu Bo stomped the ground, and nine soul rings instantly lit up beneath his feet.
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black!
"Seventh Soul Skill: Martial Soul True Body!"
Before the words had even finished echoing, Dugu Bo's body transformed into a colossal jade-green flood dragon nearly a hundred meters long.
Most of its long body coiled midair. Two enormous dragon eyes locked onto the small figure below—Tang Hao—like a predator eyeing prey, unleashing waves of terrifying pressure.
Though they had yet to officially clash, Tang Hao already felt the enormous pressure radiating from Dugu Bo's Martial Soul True Body.
If he were still in peak condition, he wouldn't even consider Dugu Bo a threat.
But now, he had yet to fully recover from his injuries. If they truly fought, he might not gain the upper hand at all.
The Dugu Bo he sensed now was nothing like the weakest Titled Douluo from the rumors.
Something must have happened to him… What could explain this transformation?
At that moment, Tang Hao was already beginning to regret provoking Dugu Bo.
But as the proud Clear Sky Douluo, he could not back down now.
He took a deep breath. His expression grew serious, and he soared into the air.
Boom!
A deafening boom echoed as Tang Hao unleashed his Martial Soul True Body without hesitation.
Clear Sky True Body!
The Clear Sky Hammer in his hand grew in an instant, swelling to the size of a small mountain, exuding crushing force.
"Dugu Bo, I admit—I underestimated you. But if you think that's enough to defeat me, you're sorely mistaken."
"I'll show you why the Clear Sky Hammer is called the number one tool martial soul in the world!"
Muscles bulged across Tang Hao's body. Veins popped. The mountain-sized hammer trembled in his grasp, flickering with dark light.
Killing intent surged like raging dragons, roaring toward the jade-green flood dragon that was Dugu Bo.
Tang Hao's figure vanished, darting straight toward Dugu Bo.
"Clear Sky Nine Techniques – First Technique: Shock!"
As the air cracked with thunderous booms, the massive hammer swung down toward the dragon's enormous head.
Before it even made contact, terrifying shockwaves spread outward.
Everything within a hundred-meter radius—trees, rocks—was obliterated into dust.
Yet in the face of this overwhelming attack, Dugu Bo didn't dodge or retreat.
His coiled dragon body hovered steadily in the air, with nine soul rings orbiting around him.
Then, one of his purple soul rings flashed.
The dragon's mouth opened wide and launched a jade-green energy bomb that slammed into the descending hammer.
Boom—!
A tremendous explosion erupted. The hammer shattered the light bomb, then slammed into the dragon's massive body.
But in the same instant, the shattered light bomb exploded into a poisonous green mist that engulfed Tang Hao.
In the blink of an eye, his face began to corrode.
Although he reacted immediately, releasing soul power to resist the poison, he could only slow it down—not stop it.
Within seconds, his facial skin began to rot. The rest of his body wasn't far behind—ghastly and horrifying.
His Clear Sky Hammer had struck Dugu Bo's dragon form directly…
Yet all he heard was a metallic clang.
Dugu Bo remained completely unscathed!
This single exchange left Tang Hao's face darker than ever.
Clearly, he had vastly underestimated Dugu Bo's strength.
But what confused him even more was—
Why was someone this powerful still called the weakest Titled Douluo?
Was he just pretending to be weak all this time?
A wolf in sheep's clothing?
What a devious old man!
Furious, Tang Hao made the only decision he could:
Run!
At this point, pride as the Clear Sky Douluo meant nothing.
Fighting to the death when you knew you couldn't win wasn't bravery—it was reckless stupidity.
Tang San hadn't yet matured enough to help him topple Spirit Hall.
He hadn't returned to the Clear Sky Clan, either. How could he die at Dugu Bo's hands here?
"Hahaha! So this is all the great Clear Sky Douluo has?"
"If that's all you've got, then you can stay here forever!"
The Jade Phosphor Flood Emperor let out a low roar from its massive maw.
At the same time, one of the black soul rings surrounding him lit up.
Eighth Soul Skill – Time-Space Freeze!
In an instant, everything around them froze.
Even the air stopped moving.
Tang Hao's body froze in midair.
His expression shifted as terror flashed in his eyes. One thought filled his mind:
This is bad!