"Xiao San, don't worry! This teacher will do everything in his power to recover what belongs to you."
Yu Xiaogang reached out and patted Tang San's head.
This was his true disciple so considerate of his teacher's difficult position. Truly, Tang San knew how to read the room.
Tianheng!
May your spirit rest in peace.
Once Xiao San achieves fame and success, I'll make sure he looks after the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Just as Flender hesitated whether to follow, Zhao Wuji beside him patted his shoulder.
"Go take a look! It's a good chance for your Golden Iron Triangle to reunite."
"Fine." Flender sighed slightly. Since his old friend Zhao Wuji said so, he might as well go see. Though honestly, he didn't hold much hope for a good outcome.
Thus, after blocking Yu Yuanzhen's attack, Flender grabbed Yu Xiaogang and summoned his owl spirit, taking flight to pursue Liu Erlong.
While Flender and Yu Xiaogang chased Liu Erlong, the battle between Tang Hao and Yu Yuanzhen escalated to a fever pitch.
Yu Yuanzhen was, after all, the clan leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, possessing a full set of inherited secret techniques.
At the same 95th-ranked Title Douluo level, Yu Yuanzhen's overall strength far surpassed that of the two "watered-down" Douluo who relied on the Polar Restriction Domain.
Tang Hao, who had been swept into the sky by the thunderstorm, had already recovered. Anger flashed across his face as the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand rapidly enlarged.
"Clear Sky Nine Forbidden Techniques Shaking Heaven and Earth!"
The Clear Sky Hammer emitted a faint golden light. The hammer's shadow tore through the air with an ear-splitting roar, mingled with the howl of thunder.
The hammer swung down, its shadow descending like a mountain, causing the air pressure to spike abruptly.
"BOOM!"
The terrifying impact directly shredded the surrounding thunderstorm.
Gripping the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Hao's cold gaze noticed Flender and Yu Xiaogang already chasing Liu Erlong.
He wanted to pursue, but Yu Yuanzhen before him was no weakling. Without defeating him first, catching up would be impossible.
"Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!" Tang Hao bellowed, his tattered cloak fluttering in the wind. "Let me show you what the number one clan on the Douluo Continent is truly capable of!"
"A stray dog kicked out of the Clear Sky Clan still dares to invoke its name?"
"Utter shamelessness!" Surrounded by lightning, Yu Yuanzhen manifested in his draconic form in the sky. With a long, resonant dragon's roar, he charged at Tang Hao.
The heavens were drowned in thunder, as if the very sky had turned wrathful.
"Perfect timing!"
Tang Hao was livid, his eyelids twitching.
He had originally planned to leave Yu Yuanzhen half-alive out of clan solidarity. But now? No mercy. Whether Yu Yuanzhen survived would be up to fate.
Facing the heaven-shaking thunder, the veins on Tang Hao's hammer-wielding arm bulged violently. A terrifying pressure condensed around the Clear Sky Hammer.
Suddenly, the golden glow on the hammer intensified. The surrounding air distorted, forming rings of golden energy that compressed into the hammer's surface.
Just the act of gathering spirit power gave off an invincible aura. Even the thunderclouds gathered in the sky were torn apart by this force.
Tang Hao's furious shout pierced through the thunder.
In an instant, power far beyond his rank erupted. All energy transformed into a devastating shockwave, crashing toward Yu Yuanzhen at point-blank range.
"Great Sumeru Hammer Ultimate Technique Ring Explosion!"
Starting from his fifth spirit ring, each ring detonated in sequence until the eighth had completely exploded.
Before this absolute power, any technique seemed insignificant.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's lightning shield, compressed around its body for protection, was torn apart upon contact. The hammer's energy struck Yu Yuanzhen directly.
Unlike the reckless Qian Xunji, Yu Yuanzhen understood the terror of the Clear Sky Clan's forbidden techniques. Sensing the unstoppable force and lethal danger, his instincts screamed warnings.
His ninth spirit ring renowned as the strongest among Soul Masters flared to life. In his draconic state, Yu Yuanzhen merged with the surrounding tempest of lightning.
A deafening dragon's roar shook heaven and earth.
"Dragon's Wrath Resounding Through the Nine Heavens!"
Enhanced by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's draconic secret arts, Yu Yuanzhen's ninth spirit ability surpassed those of other Title Douluo at his level.
The clashing tempest of thunder and overwhelming force created a cataclysmic collision.
Tang Hao's Asura Domain and Yu Yuanzhen's lightning-constructed domain collided violently.
Destructive energy cascaded from the skies.
Below, Zhao Wuji had long since evacuated Tang San and the others to a safe distance.
The earth trembled violently. Shrek Academy's already fragile buildings began collapsing under the aftershocks.
"This... this is a battle between Title Douluo? It's too terrifying!" Oscar, Flender's personal disciple, gulped nervously.
"No, this exceeds what ordinary Title Douluo can achieve," the well-informed Dai Mubai explained. "Though it might sound disrespectful, the residual shockwaves from their clash likely rival those of a 96th-ranked or higher Title Douluo."
Though unpopular and overshadowed by his elder brother Dai Weis, Dai Mubai was still the second prince of the Star Luo Empire. His knowledge far surpassed ordinary people's.
Given Star Luo's emphasis on martial prowess, his father the Star Luo Emperor was a 94th-ranked Title Douluo, while his mother was a Soul Douluo. Yet even their combined spirit fusion skill probably couldn't match the intensity above.
"Hey, Boss Dai, what ranks are those Title Douluo up there?" Ma Hongjun peeked out from behind Dai Mubai, timidly gazing upward.
"At least 95th-ranked, possibly stronger..." Dai Mubai murmured in awe.
The scene left Shrek's students utterly awestruck.
The sky split into two distinct colors, like the meeting line between water and sky.
But gradually, the lightning-filled side was suppressed. The rampaging thunder dragon ultimately dispersed into countless sparks, vanishing into the air.
Despite giving his all, Yu Yuanzhen's draconic transformation paled before the Clear Sky Clan's divine Ring Explosion technique.
No matter how proficient Yu Yuanzhen was with draconic arts, he was no match for Tang Hao.
The terrifying energy from the Ring Explosion shattered layer after layer of defense. The massive dragon form crumbled in an instant.
Yu Yuanzhen was sent flying like a broken kite, crashing heavily into the ground.
A massive crater formed upon impact.
"The Clear Sky Clan will always be the number one clan on the Douluo Continent! Your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan isn't qualified!"
Gripping the Clear Sky Hammer, Tang Hao hovered high above, looking down imperiously at Yu Yuanzhen's motionless form.
Including the two previous Ring Explosions, four spirit rings had already been sacrificed. To counter Yu Yuanzhen's strongest attack, Tang Hao detonated all remaining rings except the red 100,000-year one.
Now, only a blood-red halo remained around the Clear Sky Hammer.
The overwhelming pressure and blood-colored aura masked the blood slowly trickling from Tang Hao's lips.
Clearly, forcing his injured body to use Ring Explosion had taken its toll.
And Yu Yuanzhen had proven stronger than his past opponents Yue Guan and Ghost Mei.
As expected of one of the Top Three Clans far surpassing that unworthy Title Douluo (Qian Xunji).
Without checking whether Yu Yuanzhen still lived, Tang Hao flew toward the aura he sensed, his figure rapidly shrinking before vanishing into the sky.
After Tang Hao left, a disheveled old man crawled out from the crater.
His clothes were in tatters, even the clan-standard trousers reduced to a few strips of fabric.
"Ugh " Yu Yuanzhen spat a mouthful of blood. "The Clear Sky Clan... truly lives up to its reputation."
That Tang Hao, despite his old injuries, could still grievously wound another 95th-ranked Title Douluo like himself...
This time, his injuries would likely take over a year or two to recover from.