Sword lights crisscrossed and reflected off each other, as if the sky itself had been torn apart.
The air was filled with the oppressive pressure of soul power. From time to time, thunder-like booms rang out, and the sharp "ding" sounds when blades clashed resembled hundreds of knives scraping across steel.
"Boom!"
A massive explosion erupted, energy raging wildly.
The four figures burst out from the smoke of the blast.
"How can you possibly be this strong?" Tang San's eyes were filled with disbelief.
Strength could be raised quickly, but combat experience and the ability to seize the right timing in battle were not things that could be improved overnight.
The Qian Renxue before him was completely different from the Qian Renxue of his own world.
Whether in fighting style or the way she wielded soul power, she far surpassed what any soul master should be capable of achieving.
He himself was a God King who had lived for tens of thousands of years. Although he had just gone through a fierce battle—not just him, but even Bo Saixi and Tang Chen were far from their peak condition—
still, that was no excuse for why three against one couldn't end the fight quickly!
He had even switched to the Haotian Hammer martial soul, planning to use the Haotian Secret Techniques to smash her flat with the hammers.
Yet the opponent didn't give him the chance to complete all eighty-one hammer strikes.
Every single time, she interrupted at just the right moment—something the Qian Renxue from his original world simply couldn't do, and would find extremely difficult.
Tang San had already switched his martial soul to the Haotian Hammer. In terms of attack power, the Blue Silver Emperor was still inferior to the Haotian Hammer.
Haotian Hammer in his left hand, Asura God Sword in his right.
Logically speaking, he should be able to slay gods when gods blocked his path and Buddhas when Buddhas stood in his way.
Unmatched across the three realms, looking down upon all.
After all, the soul rings on his Haotian Hammer were terrifyingly powerful.
With the boost from the divine trial, the number of his hundred-thousand-year soul rings even surpassed Qian Renxue's.
The red soul rings on the Haotian Hammer even dyed the massive hammerhead with a layer of red radiance.
The configuration of his soul rings was: red, black, red, black, black, red, red.
Just seven soul rings, yet four were hundred-thousand-year ones, and the remaining three were extremely close to the hundred-thousand-year threshold.
The first hundred-thousand-year soul ring came from the Azure Bull Python's sacrifice back in the Star Dou Great Forest. The ones after that were all very close to a hundred thousand years and, under the enhancement of the divine trial, some managed to cross into the hundred-thousand-year boundary.
Even so—with the Haotian Hammer, plus his twin martial souls,
and wielding the Asura God Sword with such imposing might—
he still couldn't take down Qian Renxue. Was this even scientifically possible?
"It seems I have no choice but to use ring detonation."
Unless absolutely necessary, Tang San didn't want to resort to it.
The Sea God divine rank still hadn't been fully fused and repaired. Using ring detonation would disrupt the soul power within his body and would even affect his cultivation progress for quite some time afterward.
Tang San had already set his sights on the soul rings of the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King and the Demon Empress. He planned to wait until the two returned to the Demonic Whale Sea Domain and were isolated, then strike them down in one go.
In his other world, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's soul ring had originally belonged to him, Tang San, anyway.
Adding the Demon Empress's would just make for a perfect family reunion.
Truly, I've been too merciful.
"You two pin Qian Renxue down—the rest is up to me." Tang San instinctively spoke in the commanding tone of a God King, but neither Bo Saixi nor Tang Chen noticed, especially since they were in the middle of battle.
"Understood."
Bo Saixi summoned her Sea God martial soul, condensing a replica of the Sea God Trident. Mist rose around her body, transforming into streaks of flowing light as she charged toward Qian Renxue.
Tang Chen's Haotian Hammer suddenly enlarged as well. He let out a fierce shout:
"Haotian Nine Absolutes—Nine Hammers United!"
"Shock!"
In the sky, the phantom of the Haotian Hammer appeared. A chilling pressure accompanied the hammer wind as it smashed down viciously.
On the other side, Bo Saixi had already arrived at Qian Renxue's flank.
"Sea God's Thirteen Forms—Unfixed Storm!"
Countless streams of water turned into intertwining water tornadoes, completely sealing off Qian Renxue's possible directions of movement.
"Tang San, even if it's one against three—what does Qian Renxue have to fear?"
Feeling the overwhelming, mountain-crushing pressure of soul power rushing toward her, Qian Renxue's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. The Angel Holy Sword in her hand erupted with blinding white light.
"Angel God Armor—Activate!"
"Divine Skill—Angel Phantom!"
Holy aura rapidly condensed. Sacred energy gathered toward the center of her martial soul, forming a massive phantom that covered the entire sky in golden radiance.
"Now, Tang San!"
Tang Chen roared, his voice resounding and forceful.
"Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track Step!"
Afterimages flickered in rapid succession. Tang San appeared behind Qian Renxue.
"Great Sumeru Hammer Mystery—Ring Detonation."
"Seven Rings Explode Together."
In an instant, the soul rings on the Haotian Hammer in Tang San's left hand shattered simultaneously.
Countless streams of energy converged at the hammer's position. It was as if a ferocious beast caged for too long had been suddenly unleashed, erupting with a heart-shaking tremor.
Blazing light burst outward. The moment the Haotian Hammer struck the Angel Phantom, a deafening boom rang out, illuminating the entire world.
The air twisted violently, as though everything was about to be torn into powder.
Terrifying shockwaves radiated outward with the four of them at the center.
Tang Chen and Bo Saixi both groaned as the energy blast pushed them back hundreds of meters.
"Little San…"
The two hurriedly raised their Haotian Hammers to block the raging aftermath of soul power.
Tang Chen's eyes widened as he stared at the battlefield.
"You've lost, Tang San!"
From within the dust that had yet to settle after the explosion, Qian Renxue's cold voice rang out:
"Ring Fusion."
"Fifth Soul Skill—Sacred Sword!"
Scorching flames caused the temperature at the center to rise rapidly.
A broken figure gradually became visible amid the explosion. Blazing flames burned fiercely on his right arm.
"Tang San!" Bo Saixi and Tang Chen were shocked. Tang San's current state was truly at its absolute worst—his soul power seemed to have almost run dry.
"Chi—"
Tang San directly used the Asura God Sword to sever his own left arm, preventing the flames from continuing to burn, but the piercing pain in his soul made him grit his teeth involuntarily.
"Damn it—how is Qian Renxue this strong?" Tang San's expression turned terrifyingly dark.
If only he had the Sea God Trident, he could have gone all out long ago.
As for the Asura God Sword…
To be honest, Tang San didn't dare overuse it.
Unless there was truly no other choice—because right now, he himself wasn't exactly "clean."
Although the Asura God was currently in the sealed land of the Golden Dragon King, angels and Asura had been eternal enemies on the Douluo Continent before their ascension.
The traces of their battle from a thousand and one nights still remained on Spirit Hall's Giant Sword Mountain.
Who knew whether continuously wielding the full power of this sword might cause the Asura God to sense something and send someone down?
Putting himself in the other's shoes—as a fellow God King—
if something in the lower realm went beyond his control, he, Tang San, would also make subtle adjustments.
Who could say whether the current Asura God would or wouldn't?
He only had one life. If he died here…
he might really die for good. There was no guarantee he could transmigrate again.
Bo Saixi and Tang Chen hurried to Tang San's side, looking at the panting Tang San.
They couldn't help but worry.
"Are you alright?" Tang Chen could sense Tang San's condition was extremely bad.
"Arm severed, soul injured—no big problem."
After all, he was God King Tang San. A mere soul injury and severed arm were just minor wounds.
"Qian Renxue is in far worse shape than I am."
Tang San had plenty of experience with martial soul collapse.
As the explosive energy at the center gradually dissipated, Qian Renxue's figure became visible once more. Compared to her previous saintly appearance, she now inexplicably evoked feelings of pity and a desire to bully her.
The Angel God Armor on Qian Renxue flickered in and out of visibility. Her Six-Winged Angel martial soul was covered in dense cracks, as though it could shatter at any moment.
Although her soul power fluctuations looked extremely poor, she clearly still retained some combat ability.
Unlike Tang San, who had to constantly resist the erosion of divine skills, continuously expend soul power, and even use ring detonation until he was exhausted.
If the fight continued…
Qian Renxue—or rather, without Bo Saixi and Tang Chen—
if Tang San had no other means left…
he would surely die!
(End of chapter)