After being rejuvenated by Yu Xiaogang's motivational speech, Tang San regained his vitality and no longer brooded in despair. Meanwhile, Yu Xiaogang shifted his attention toward targeting Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong.
As previously mentioned, the Shrek Seven Devils were an inseparable team—each member vital to the whole.
"Master, can you stop rambling on every day? I can't take in a single word you're saying right now."
Ning Rongrong stormed out of the room, visibly furious. For the past few days, every available moment had been filled with Master's lectures about the importance of teamwork and other seemingly noble but repetitive speeches.
However, Ning Rongrong had been unresponsive, her attitude growing increasingly resistant. No matter what Master said, she didn't listen and instead went out of her way to contradict him.
Master sighed, utterly exhausted. Outside, Tang San watched the scene and frowned as he saw Ning Rongrong's retreating figure. A flame of anger burned within him, yet he had no outlet for it.
But Tang San knew—while he couldn't do anything now, the future might be different.
"Teacher, she actually…"
Tang San stepped inside, seething with rage. Ning Rongrong's actions felt like a blatant insult to his teacher.
Master waved his hand dismissively, sighing, "Let it go. Rongrong is still a child. I believe that, with persistence, she will come around eventually."
Under a cloudless sky, a tiny figure hovered in the heavens. Draped in a black robe, he looked down upon Spirit City with cold, murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
In the next instant, the black-robed man raised a Clear Sky Hammer, and nine dazzling soul rings rose around him—two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red—his configuration shining brightly in the sky.
Suddenly, the once clear and serene day turned ominous as dark clouds gathered. A powerful and oppressive aura spread across Spirit City.
Bibi Dong's bright eyes snapped open. Grasping her purple-gold scepter, she rose from her throne and gazed upward. Her sharp gaze narrowed, and her aura began to surge wildly.
Such audacity—someone dared to cause havoc within Spirit Hall! In all these years, no one had ever been this bold.
"Spirit Hall scum! Hand over Ye Ritian now, or today, not a single soul in Spirit Hall will be spared!"
Tang Hao's rough voice reverberated throughout the entire city, clearly audible to every disciple of Spirit Hall.
"Ye Ritian? Again?"
"Last time, we searched high and low for him for three days, nearly turning Spirit Hall upside down, yet we found nothing."
"This guy is ruthless. Why is it that all we've heard about recently is him?"
Within Spirit City, disciples began to whisper amongst themselves. Naturally, this "Ye Ritian" had become a figure of great curiosity.
Who was this man? How had he caused such an uproar? And now, a Titled Douluo himself had shown up to demand his surrender, and with a 100,000-year soul ring no less!
Not long after, several figures flew from the Pope's Palace into the air.
In the blink of an eye, they surrounded Tang Hao. Each of them revealed their martial souls and soul rings—a uniform configuration of nine rings: two yellow, two purple, and five black.
Four Titled Douluo stood before Tang Hao, blocking his way.
"Tang Hao, after all these years, you've finally decided to stop hiding like a coward?" said a man holding a golden chrysanthemum, his face painted with heavy makeup and his voice unnervingly soft.
"Why waste words with him? Attack together!"
At the command of a shadowy figure shrouded in darkness, the four Titled Douluo charged at Tang Hao simultaneously.
The heavens echoed with a dull roar before erupting into brilliant fireworks.
Tang Hao swung his massive Clear Sky Hammer, its size dwarfing everything else, and smashed toward the four Titled Douluo with overwhelming force. His aura alone was enough to crush everything in its path.
The four Titled Douluo felt a chill in their hearts. What had driven Tang Hao to such fury?
Fueled by a rage buff, Tang Hao's combat power surged to unprecedented heights.
The Chrysanthemum Douluo activated his fifth soul ring, summoning a faint golden barrier around himself as he flew forward to intercept Tang Hao's strike.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Cold Petals Convergence!" cried Chrysanthemum Douluo.
Meanwhile, the Ghost Douluo transformed into a massive shadow claw that emerged from the void, aiming to grasp the Clear Sky Hammer.
However, before the shadow claw could even touch the hammer, the sheer shockwave from Tang Hao's attack shattered it instantly, sending Ghost Douluo tumbling from the sky.
The remaining two Titled Douluo unleashed their full power, combining their energy into two massive beams of light that shot directly at Tang Hao.
The beams pierced Tang Hao's body, causing blood to spurt from his mouth. Yet, instead of weakening, his bloodlust only intensified. His aura became even more terrifying as he locked his gaze on the Pope's Palace.
"AAARRRGH!"
Tang Hao roared, his hammer swelling in size several times over. The Chrysanthemum Douluo's golden barrier shattered like petals in the wind, leaving him defenseless. His eyes widened in despair as he watched the colossal hammer descend.
At the last moment, just as the hammer was about to crush Chrysanthemum Douluo and strike the Pope's Palace, a hand effortlessly stopped the attack.
A golden-haired elder with a kind and gentle expression stood before Tang Hao. He was over two meters tall, and his appearance radiated a sacred brilliance.
With a casual flick of his finger, a golden beam of energy exploded from the hammer's surface, sending Tang Hao reeling backward. The crimson light in Tang Hao's eyes began to fade.
Staring in disbelief, Tang Hao saw the elder appear before him in an instant, delivering a single punch that sent him spewing blood. The Clear Sky Hammer nearly shattered under the impact.
From the highest balcony of the Pope's Palace, Bibi Dong watched the scene unfold. Her sharp eyes narrowed as she recognized the elder.
Even she was momentarily stunned. She had been prepared to step in herself, but this man had acted even faster.
"He… Why is he here?"