Douluo: When the piano sounds, the hidden weapon returns to the factory

Chapter 60 Tang Hao
Tang San took a step forward, tightly protecting Xiao Wu behind him. He wrapped his right arm around the girl's soft body and pulled her into his embrace, while his left hand slammed the Clear Sky Hammer heavily into the ground, producing a deafening roar.

"I want to hurt her—"

He held his head high and his voice boomed like thunder, echoing throughout the entire papal palace:

"You'll have to step over my dead body first!"

The declaration was resounding and carried an undeniable resolve. Tang San's soul power surged. His towering figure stood like an insurmountable barrier, firmly protecting Xiao Wu behind him.

A deathly silence fell over the entire area in front of the Papal Palace. Even Bibi Dong stood frozen in place, hesitant to issue any further orders. She stared blankly at Tang San, who was holding Xiao Wu tightly in his arms, a complex and unfathomable emotion flashing in her eyes.

Feng Yao stood quietly to the side, watching this scene with deep eyes. Everyone in the Royal Battle was involuntarily moved by this deep affection of sharing life and death, and even Dugu Yan's purple eyes were filled with tears.

"True feelings or pretense?" Feng Yao sighed softly to himself, his fingertips unconsciously caressing the strings of his zither. Some lies, when repeated enough, even the liar himself begins to believe them; if one can continue this act for a lifetime, what difference is there between it and true feelings?
Just like the relationship between him and Qian Renxue, which began with calculation, didn't it gradually develop a genuine color after being sculpted by the years? The human heart is inherently complex and unpredictable, and love and exploitation are often intertwined and indistinguishable.

Feng Yao's gaze swept over Tang San, then looked at Bibi Dong's dazed expression. At that moment, he suddenly understood something.

Perhaps Bibi Dong wasn't unaware of Yu Xiaogang's ulterior motives in their interactions. But the human heart can never be fully controlled by reason alone. Sometimes, people need to experience a profound defeat to truly see certain truths and grow normally.

Love originates from desire, and desire is like a boulder rolling down a mountain; once it starts, it can never be stopped.

Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue, Hu Liena, and Xiao Wu all seem to be the same, gambling on that last sliver of possibility. But in the original story, only Xiao Wu was able to win. Zhu Zhuqing, who seems the most normal, never made her own choices. Those seemingly rational actions were just shackles imposed on her by her background.

Dugu Bo flashed, appearing like a ghost beside Feng Yao and the others, the Azure Phosphorous Serpent King flickering around them. He narrowed his serpentine eyes, looking at Tang San, and said to Feng Yao in a low voice, "This kid's got guts."

His tone even carried a rare hint of admiration. As the Poison Douluo who had once single-handedly fought against the entire Spirit Hall, he understood better than anyone how much courage it took to stand up in such a situation.

"The Seven Devils are one, as the eldest brother, how can I sit idly by and watch my younger siblings suffer!" Dai Mubai's tiger eyes widened, and he took a step forward, standing like a mountain beside Tang San. Immediately afterward, Zhu Zhuqing followed like a shadow, Ma Hongjun was engulfed in flames, Oscar held a sausage, and Ning Rongrong's pagoda shone brightly—the five of them had the same resolute expression on their faces, and the seven of them were like a tightly twisted rope, unbreakable.

Flander suddenly threw his head back and laughed, exchanging a knowing glance with Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang. The Golden Iron Triangle simultaneously raised their hands, and three golden beams shot into the sky, intertwining in the air to form a dazzling golden triangle.

"We old bones aren't all dead yet, it's not your turn to stand in our way!" Flander's laughter carried a defiant, almost resolute tone. "If you manage to get back alive," he pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting a resolute glint, "remember, my life savings are kept in the secret room of the principal's office. Give them to that old bastard Zhao Wuji, and let him keep Shrek Academy running."

These words were spoken with such ease that the brilliance of the Golden Iron Triangle shone even brighter, like a blazing sun, with the golden dragon firmly protecting the Seven Devils behind it. In this life-or-death moment, the bond between teacher and students shone brighter than any martial soul fusion technique.

"Your Majesty," Yue Guan whispered, his gaze sweeping over the elder's token in Yu Xiaogang's hand, awaiting the final decision.

"clang--"

The scepter struck the ground with a thunderous thud, instantly shattering the tense atmosphere. The confusion in Bibi Dong's eyes vanished, replaced by a chilling, murderous intent.

She took a deep breath, her complex expression finally hardening into a cold, resolute one. As her gaze swept over Yu Xiaogang, a barely perceptible flicker of pain flashed in her eyes, before she snapped:
"Take them down! Anyone who dares to obstruct them—kill without mercy!"

Before the words were even finished, Ghost Douluo and Yue Guan had already transformed into two afterimages. Ghost Douluo's figure moved like a black lightning bolt, distorting space wherever he passed; Chrysanthemum Douluo was surrounded by blooming golden chrysanthemums, their sharp petals tearing through the air with a piercing shriek. The terrifying pressure from the two titled Douluos caused the ground in front of the entire Papal Palace to begin to crack.

Dugu Bo stroked his beard, a playful glint in his eyes: "Tsk tsk, I didn't expect to see such a good show. This competition was worth it!"

Dugu Yan frowned slightly, somewhat reluctantly saying, "Grandpa, could there be a mistake? You've seen Xiao Wu before, how come you didn't notice anything unusual?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Yao glanced at Dugu Bo with a half-smile. His mocking gaze made the old poison master blush, and he coughed twice in explanation, "Ahem... I'm not the only one who can't recognize her. That girl must have used some special method to conceal her aura." He pointed to the arena, "She was injured and bleeding just now, so her soul beast aura naturally couldn't be hidden."

As he spoke, Dugu Bo stole a glance at Feng Yao, and seeing that he still wore that meaningful smile, he couldn't help but feel annoyed and angry: "You brat, what kind of look is that? Did you already see through me?"

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo moved with lightning speed, instantly closing in on the Golden Iron Triangle. Despite their opponents being far weaker than themselves, the two Title Douluos showed no sign of underestimating their opponents. All their spirit rings were activated, and the terrifying pressure of Title Douluos caused the air to freeze.

"Tsk tsk, two shameless bastards, having to team up to deal with a fake dragon." Dugu Bo whispered in Feng Yao's ear, "Their skin is probably thicker than the walls of the Spirit Hall."

Feng Yao chuckled upon hearing this, but his gaze never left the battlefield. Yue Guan's golden chrysanthemums swirled at his fingertips, each petal gleaming with a chilling light; his ghostly figure blurred into dozens of afterimages, indistinguishable from reality. The two powerful figures unleashed their attacks with overwhelming force, instantly dimming the brilliance of the Golden Sacred Dragon by a third.

“Senior, things are probably not that simple.” Feng Yao’s lips curled slightly as his fingertips lightly touched the strings of his zither. “Since Tang San has already mastered the Nine Absolute Techniques of Haotian, it means that person must be watching him in secret.”

A glint flashed in Dugu Bo's eyes, and he suddenly realized, "So that's how it is! I was wondering why that kid dared to be so arrogant; it turns out he has powerful backers." He glanced around, his snake-like pupils slightly contracting. "However... even if Tang Hao himself came..."

Before he finished speaking, Dugu Bo's expression turned grave. He clearly sensed that, aside from the two Title Douluos, Chrysanthemum and Ghost, and Bibi Dong, there were at least four other Title Douluo-level auras lurking in the shadows. What was even more alarming was that this was probably just the tip of the iceberg of the Spirit Hall's strength—those truly terrifying old monsters wouldn't even deign to make a move.

"A chrysanthemum, a brat—do you think you're worthy to touch my son? Get out—"

The deep, angry roar was like a thunderclap from the heavens, its volume not loud, yet it made everyone's blood surge. The domineering pressure contained in every word made the soul masters present tremble involuntarily. "As expected, they've come." Dugu Bo narrowed his snake-like eyes, a playful smile curving his lips.

Upon hearing this, Tang San trembled, abruptly looking up at the sky, his eyes gleaming with wild joy. Bibi Dong's expression changed drastically, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on her scepter.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two muffled thuds, like thunder, were followed by Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo flying backward like kites with broken strings, crashing heavily onto the stone steps a hundred meters away, stirring up clouds of dust.

A dark figure appeared out of nowhere in mid-air like a ghost, hovering there silently, as if it had merged with the heavens and earth. It was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his early fifties, his tall and burly body wrapped in a tattered gray robe—the robe was so worn that it was too tattered to even be patched, vaguely revealing the bronze-colored, muscular muscles beneath.

His face was weathered, his sallow skin making his sleepy eyes appear even more cloudy. His tangled gray hair was studded with a few conspicuous white strands, and his full beard had clearly not been trimmed for years. This disheveled appearance made it difficult for anyone to associate him with the mighty Haotian Douluo who shook the continent.

"dad."

Tang San's voice trembled, and Xiao Wu could clearly feel it in his arms; Tang San was trembling uncontrollably at that moment.

"Tang—Hao—!"

Bibi Dong practically spat out those two words through gritted teeth, the venomous rage in her beautiful eyes almost tangible, as if she wanted to incinerate the figure in the air. The papal scepter in her hand trembled violently, and the nine spirit rings uncontrollably emitted blinding light.

Tang Hao's cold and stern face remained unchanged. With a slight sway, he fell like a meteor in front of the Shrek Academy group. The moment his feet touched the ground, the entire Papal Square trembled, and spiderweb-like cracks spread from where he stood.

Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, as if facing a formidable enemy, instantly retreated to the Pope's side. The soul power of the three peak Douluos erupted simultaneously, and the immense pressure caused the surrounding soul masters to hastily retreat.

Amidst this earth-shattering clash of forces, only Tang Hao's figure, clad in a tattered gray robe that fluttered in the wind, remained unmoved. He held the Clear Sky Hammer, a weapon that struck fear into the hearts of the entire Soul Master world, in one hand, his once murky eyes now gleaming with a sharp light, like a sleeping lion finally awakening.

Faced with these three terrifying pressures capable of shattering mountains and splitting peaks, Tang Hao stood proudly like a lone peak, not even deigning to raise his hand to grip the hammer. His cloudy tiger eyes suddenly flashed with a sharp light, piercing directly at the Pope:

"You want to avenge your teacher? Bibi Dong, do you think you can keep me here?"

Bibi Dong swung her scepter fiercely, and a sharp whistling sound pierced the air. As if in response, four equally piercing whistling sounds suddenly rang out in the Papal Palace, and four terrifying auras rapidly spread around.

"Heh, calling for reinforcements?" Tang Hao chuckled, his face beneath his disheveled hair revealing an arrogant disdain for the world. Even facing the impending encirclement, he maintained the composure to treat a thousand armies with utter indifference.

"Buzz——"

One by one, spirit rings slowly rose from beneath Tang Hao's feet, their speed slow yet their weight immense. With each additional spirit ring, his aura solidified, forcefully pushing back the combined pressure of the three Douluo!

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red!

When the crimson 100,000-year spirit ring finally appeared, the entire Papal Mountain trembled. With the same spirit ring configuration, Tang Hao's aura at this moment paled in comparison to Bibi Dong's. The space around the Clear Sky Hammer, casually resting on the ground, began to distort and crack.

The nine spirit rings surrounding Tang Hao were exactly the same as those of Pope Bibi Dong. In particular, the last one, a blood-red 100,000-year spirit ring, emitted a terrifying aura that was suffocating.

However, with the same spirit ring configuration, Tang Hao's aura completely overwhelmed Pope Bibi Dong. He simply stood there, like a peerless, unsheathed weapon, his domineering pressure causing the entire Papal Mountain to tremble. Bibi Dong's nine-ring brilliance paled in comparison to him, like a firefly before the moon!
Feng Yao narrowed his eyes slightly, quietly sensing the aura surging around Tang Hao. An ordinary soul master might only feel a simple pressure of soul power, but he could clearly perceive the subtle fluctuations of spiritual power within it.

"I see." Feng Yao lightly stroked the strings of the zither, lost in thought. The so-called aura is actually a high-level application of perfectly integrating immense spiritual power into the fluctuations of soul power—using soul power as the foundation and spiritual power as the guide, the two merge to form a unique oppressive field. Weapon Soul Masters naturally have an advantage in this regard, because their martial souls are the perfect carriers of spiritual power.

What Tang Hao was demonstrating at this moment was a perfect example of bringing the characteristics of the Clear Sky Hammer martial soul to their extreme. That seemingly casually placed warhammer perfectly harmonized his vast spiritual power and soul power, transforming them into a tangible pressure.

The combat path of a Beast Soul Master lies in unleashing the primal power within their bloodline. Just as the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex is hailed as the number one Beast Soul in the world, it is precisely because of the natural suppressive power brought by the dragon bloodline—on this continent, there are indeed very few Beast Souls that can surpass the majesty of the dragon race.

The cultivation of a Spirit Weapon Master is entirely different, emphasizing the ultimate refinement of their Spirit Arts. Through daily honing, the Spirit Weapon Master's spiritual power and soul power resonate deeply with their Spirit Arts, gradually integrating their soul power into every move. This is why, even someone as powerful as Bibi Dong could not match Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer, honed through countless trials, in a pure contest of aura.

At this moment, Tang Hao's understanding of the Clear Sky Hammer has reached its peak. Looking at the Clear Sky Sect now, there is probably no one who can compare to him. Perhaps only his great-grandfather Tang Chen can surpass him.

Unconsciously, Feng Yao stroked the strings of the Fuxi Qin, a look of enlightenment flashing in his eyes. Observing this battle today would undoubtedly provide him with great inspiration for perfecting his self-created soul skills in the future.

Tang Hao's gaze flashed like lightning, coldly sweeping over the several faintly visible, terrifying auras deep within the Papal Palace. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Seven Title Douluos. The Spirit Hall certainly has a grand scheme."

The Haotian Hammer in his hand suddenly burst forth with a blinding dark light, and at that moment the warhammer seemed to come alive:
"Unfortunately—" Tang Hao's voice suddenly rose, booming like thunder: "Even if all seven of you come at me together, what can you do to me?!"

The moment the last word was uttered, the crimson patterns on the Clear Sky Hammer suddenly lit up, and the 100,000-year-old soul ring emitted a dazzling red light: "See clearly—this is the true form of the Clear Sky Hammer!"

With this roar, a colossal, towering hammer appeared above Mount Papal, its every line clearly visible, radiating a terrifying pressure that seemed to change the very fabric of the world. At that moment, even space itself seemed to tremble before this warhammer!
(End of this chapter)