Douro Continent

Chapter 664 Better to be a broken jade than a whole tile

In that overwhelming and domineering state, Tang San had completely forgotten the pain. He only focused on gathering all his energy within his domineering aura. At this moment, the energy of the Sea God's Light, his spiritual power, the internal force of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, the aura of the Eight Spider Lances, and the aura of the Clear Sky Hammer were all indistinguishable and completely merged into one. Tang San clearly felt that all his power was the Clear Sky Hammer within his body, and it was the Clear Sky Hammer wielding the Great Sumeru Hammer.

The energy of the Three-Headed Thousand-Pound Ant King finally reformed from its scattered state, but it no longer possessed the previous impact. It simply remained there, as if it had been intimidated by Tang San's overwhelming domineering aura and dared not launch another attack.

You're not coming? Fine, I'll come.

Under Tang San's mental control, the fierce energy surged forward with unstoppable momentum, and the huge energy hammer smashed directly down on the energy ball.

Boom boom boom boom boom—deafening roars, inaudible to the outside world, resounded continuously within Tang San's body. With each strike, the energy condensed from the three brothers' spirit rings of the Thousand-Pound Ant Emperor was compressed further, and the shattered energy was directly devoured and forcibly assimilated by the Clear Sky Hammer, formed from all of Tang San's energy. It didn't even give it a chance to struggle.

Even Tang San himself didn't know how many times he had struck, but in the end, the remaining wisp of spirit ring energy actually came forward and directly merged into Tang San's terrifying energy. Tang San, however, still felt a sense of unfinished business.

Tang San didn't know if his father had ever tried absorbing spirit rings in this way, but the exhilarating feeling was even more enjoyable than the spirit ring itself being added to his martial soul.

Without a target to attack, Tang San's domineering state gradually faded. Only then did he notice that the meridians in his body had become scattered and broken, and intense pain surged through him. But he gritted his teeth and held on, refusing to lose consciousness. At this moment, his father's words echoed in his mind: "Always stand tall, even in death."

At this moment, Tang San's body was surrounded by specks of pale gold, the blood that had been spurted out when he suffered the impact. When he opened his eyes, everything was blurry, making it difficult to see his surroundings clearly. Using his own body as a battlefield had caused him immense damage. If his body hadn't already reached the demigod level, he would probably be dead by now.

He vaguely saw the Trident of Poseidon stuck beside him. During his earlier frenzied attack, his grip on the Trident of Poseidon had long since loosened due to the tremors in his body.

Tang San slowly raised his right arm, which felt incredibly heavy, as if it were filled with lead. He gritted his teeth and persevered, inching towards the Trident of the Sea God. His willpower had surged once more after the previous internal battle. It could be said that this internal battle was far more dangerous than when he actually faced the Three-Headed Thousand-Pound Ant King, and even comparable to his encounter with the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger. But he had endured it, as if he had crossed another chasm.

His right arm finally reached the Trident of Poseidon, and his pale right hand suddenly grabbed the heavy shaft of the trident. The icy feeling spread throughout his body through his palm, and the harmonious aura made Tang San feel invigorated. With a sudden effort, the intense pain felt as if his whole body was being torn apart, but Tang San used the strength of his right arm to forcibly pull himself up.

As he pulled himself to the side of the Trident of Poseidon, his first action was to stop his back from hurting. This simple movement caused him to cough up several mouthfuls of blood. But he felt much better inside. He sat cross-legged, gritted his teeth, and endured the omnipresent pain, forcibly maintaining a sliver of clarity in his mind to begin his cultivation.

Without hesitation, Tang San channeled all the remaining energy in his body into his right leg to trigger the repair ability of the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone. At this moment, he discovered that all six soul bones in his body had become extremely hot, and the scalding sensation helped alleviate some of his pain.

A wisp of blue-gold light climbed up from his right leg and quickly spread throughout Tang San's entire body, as if his body was shrouded in a large blue-gold net. His powerful regenerative abilities began to take effect, and the disordered and broken meridians in Tang San's body were recovering at an astonishing speed.

The trident mark on Tang San's forehead lit up, and the trident, which Tang San held tightly in his hand, gradually glowed. The dazzling golden patterns echoed the blue-gold light on Tang San's body, and the energy belonging to the sea god also entered Tang San's body, merging with the repair ability of the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone, further increasing the speed of Tang San's powerful body's recovery.

As the extreme pain gradually faded, it was actually a kind of comfort, and Tang San was experiencing this pleasure. Especially when he used his mental power to introspect, he watched as the disordered meridians began to return to their original positions, and the broken meridians rapidly grew back. Even some displaced internal organs were returning to their proper places. The feeling was like being reborn. With each meridian becoming unblocked, the energy within his body would immediately flow to it, instantly increasing several times over. Circulating in the unblocked meridians, his already considerable power was gradually gathering.

As his skill level gradually increased, the mist from Tang San's Xuan Tian Gong reappeared with each breath. This time, however, the mist changed color, transforming from white to gold. This was partly due to the blue-gold light emanating from his body and the shimmering glow of the Sea God's Trident. But the mist itself was no longer simply white; it now emitted a faint golden hue. Simultaneously, Tang San discovered that as his meridians recovered, his soul power rapidly increased, and the golden hue of his meridians, bones, and internal organs deepened considerably.

This was due to both the effects of Tang San absorbing three spirit rings and the fact that after finally gaining the full recognition of the Clear Sky Hammer, his synergy with his spirit allowed his body to evolve further. Although he had not yet received the Sea God's inheritance, his twin spirits and six spirit bones were already bringing him closer to godhood; at least his physical strength was developing in that direction.

Bibi Dong, who also possesses twin martial souls, did not experience this issue. This is related to the two immortal herbs Tang San consumed and the effects of his Ice and Fire Refined Body. The foundation laid back then has only now been fully realized. Furthermore, Tang San obtained the Sea God Trident, a divine artifact. Despite both having twin martial souls, Tang San and Bibi Dong now possess a significant physical difference. Otherwise, how could Tang San possibly contend with Bibi Dong?

The pale gold color gradually transformed into a pure gold, but it only appeared and disappeared intermittently, hovering between pale gold and pure gold. After all, Tang San's physical body had not truly entered the god-level realm, and it was impossible for him to fully cultivate his body to the god-level. If that were the case, it would actually cause him trouble. Because if his realm and cultivation level were not yet at that level, and his body reached the god-level first, it would hinder the improvement of those two aspects.

Time passed second by second, and Tang San's aura grew increasingly immense. That godlike aura caused everything around him to tremble with a peculiar feeling. This was the heart of the Star Dou Great Forest, a place known to all the most powerful spirit beasts, and none dared to venture here lightly. The aura emanating from Tang San now caused spirit beasts within a hundred miles to tremble from the inside out, involuntarily migrating away.

This effect did not occur during Tang San's previous battle with the Three-Headed Thousand-Pound Ant King, but rather it arose when he began to unleash a powerful attack on the energy fused together from the three spirit rings within his body.

Even Tang San himself was unaware that when he focused all his energy on fusing the three spirit rings within his body, each violent collision generated a golden aura that emanated from his body. This golden aura itself possessed no offensive power; it was merely the release of aura, yet it was the aura of an absolute powerhouse. Given Tang San's strength and his domineering state at the time, how many spirit beasts wouldn't be terrified? It was a terrifying fluctuation mixed with a trace of the divine aura of the Eight Spider Lances and the true divine artifact aura of the Trident of the Sea God. This was a crucial reason why, from the moment Tang San began absorbing the spirit rings until now, no spirit beast had been able to come and disturb him.

Absorbing three spirit rings at once is unprecedented in the entire spirit master world, let alone absorbing them simultaneously. What Tang San is doing now can be said to be pioneering in the spirit master world. With the assistance of various conditions, he has actually succeeded. The enhancement of his body from two martial souls and seventeen spirit rings has led to another evolution in his strength.

As his body gradually recovered under the Blue Silver Emperor's right leg bone's "Wildfire Never Dies, Spring Breeze Blows and It Grows Again" skill, Tang San was pleasantly surprised to find that his soul power had increased significantly, although he hadn't yet broken through to level 96. However, after absorbing the energy of the Human-Faced Demon Spider and later absorbing the three 90,000-year-old Thousand-Pound Ant Kings and their soul rings, his soul power had undergone a qualitative leap, leaving him only a hair's breadth away from breaking through from level 95 to level 96.

This is also a benefit of having twin martial souls. Most Title Douluos, after reaching level 90, can only rely on their own hard work and cultivation. How could they, like Tang San, absorb powerful spirit beast rings to increase their spirit power? The nine powerful spirit rings of his second martial soul, the Clear Sky Hammer, became strong support for Tang San's spirit power enhancement. The advantages of twin martial souls truly became apparent at this point, and Bibi Dong's ability to reach level 99 at such a young age was also largely due to this.

The external energy gradually converged and merged with his own. The burning sensation constantly emanating from the six soul bones gradually disappeared, and Tang San felt a sense of complete freedom throughout his body. His mental power was able to precisely control the flow of every bit of soul power within his body.

Taking a deep breath, Tang San slowly opened his eyes. With a thought, he floated up from the ground. He didn't use any soul power; it was just his will that caused the change in his body. It seemed that he could now completely break free from the obstruction of gravity.

Standing firmly on the ground, Tang San couldn't help but raise the Trident of the Sea God high and roar to the sky. The clear roar grew more and more intense as the energy within him surged, and his domineering aura of "I am the only one who can challenge me" shook the entire Star Dou Great Forest.

Approaching level 96, Tang San would undoubtedly have a greater chance of victory against the Deep Sea Demon Whale King. Feeling the Sea God's energy fluctuations, now more harmonious with his own, emanating from the Trident of the Sea God, Tang San's excitement was barely concealed. Since cultivating the Great Sumeru Hammer, his personality had undergone subtle changes; his former composure and restraint had been tempered with a touch of wildness and untamed spirit. If he had previously resembled his mother, Ah Yin, then now, his personality was shifting towards that of his father—composed and domineering.

"Have you absorbed everything?" Just as Tang San's roar gradually subsided and he was immersed in excitement and joy, without any warning, a faint voice rang out from the side like a bucket of ice water poured over his head.

Tang San shuddered and his first reaction was to retreat rapidly, his Trident of the Sea God slashing horizontally, drawing a golden halo in the direction from which the sound came.

The sudden sound shocked him greatly. Even while battling the three energies within him, he had been constantly releasing his spiritual power, sensing everything around him. Even in his Berserker Realm, he couldn't possibly be oblivious to his surroundings. He would never allow himself to be in danger. Yet, from beginning to end, he hadn't sensed any other powerful life form besides himself and the Three-Headed Thousand-Jin Ant King. And yet, the sound appeared so abruptly.

Without a doubt, the owner of this voice possesses mental strength superior to Tang San's, and the difference is by no means small. Otherwise, how could he have remained undetected despite Tang San's comprehensive mental detection? Among the powerful figures Tang San knows, even Bibi Dong doesn't have such an ability! With his current strength, even if the Sea God Douluo Poseidon or his own grandfather were present, Tang San is confident that he could find traces of their existence through mental detection.

When faced with a crisis, Tang San's mind is often at its clearest. In an instant, he calmed himself down from his excitement and joy, rapidly analyzing the source of the sound. Almost instantly, he listed three possibilities in his mind that were undetectable by his mental power.

The first possibility is that the owner of the voice possesses an invisibility skill similar to his own Vast Ocean Protective Shield, and this invisibility skill also grants immunity to mental detection. The second possibility is that he has encountered a pure agility-type Title Douluo, equivalent to Bai Chenxiang's Swift Martial Soul having cultivated to level ninety or higher, possessing unparalleled speed and a chance to escape his mental detection. If it's the first two possibilities, they wouldn't be too frightening for Tang San. But what he fears most is the third possibility. The owner of this voice can completely suppress him in terms of mental power; in that case, they can easily appear beside him without being detected. And such an enemy would absolutely pose a deadly threat.

"Don't be nervous. If I wanted to kill you, you would have died hundreds of times already." The calm voice rang out again. This time, Tang San recognized it as a woman's voice. As the voice came, a person walked out from behind a large tree only ten meters away from Tang San.

She wore a long, golden palace dress, a one-piece garment seemingly woven from gold thread, without excessive embellishment, its style simple yet elegant. A golden stand-up collar protected her long, slender, white neck, and her long, golden hair was casually draped down her back, uncombed. This contrasted sharply with her impeccably tailored palace attire.

Her golden eyes were calm as still water, devoid of any energy fluctuations, making her appear like an ordinary person. However, Tang San could detect a quality within those golden eyes, a quality he couldn't describe. And between her brows was a golden six-winged angel mark. Although the mark was small, Tang San's eyesight allowed him to see it clearly. With skin as white as snow and an exquisitely beautiful face, she looked to be only eighteen or nineteen years old.

Her appearance seemed natural, unlike the abruptness of her earlier voice. It was as if she had always been there, as if she was meant to appear at this moment. That harmonious feeling, however, made Tang San feel extremely uncomfortable and strange. What surprised Tang San the most was that she seemed too ordinary. There wasn't even a trace of soul power fluctuation on her body, just like an ordinary person. However, upon closer observation, Tang San immediately discovered that this woman's feet weren't walking on the ground, but in the air, about three inches above the ground, as if she were stepping on Blue Silver Grass.

If these things weren't enough to make Tang San feel a fatal threat, then when he saw this person concentrate all their vast spiritual power in an attempt to lock onto the other person, he truly felt fear. He discovered that his spiritual power was completely ineffective in locking onto the other person, and he still couldn't sense her presence at all.

Even if she was just a soul, there should have been fluctuations of soul energy, but there was nothing. There really was nothing.

Tang San recognized this woman. They had once fought a decisive battle that determined the fate of the Heaven Dou Empire, and Tang San was the victor. However, Tang San knew that during that battle, this woman had the opportunity to kill him. If she had joined forces with the Title Douluo beside her, the outcome of the battle might have been different. But she didn't. She maintained the dignity befitting a Soul Master. Therefore, despite being an enemy, Tang San didn't feel strong ill will towards her. Although she had become much younger, looking into her eyes, Tang San was certain he hadn't mistaken her for someone else. He simply couldn't believe that this woman, who had impersonated the Heaven Dou Empire's Crown Prince Xue Qinghe for over a decade and nearly overthrown the entire empire, would suddenly appear here. He remembered her name: Qian Renxue.

Amidst surprise and a hint of fear, Tang San quickly regained his composure. Panic would never solve a problem. Only by calmly analyzing the issue and utilizing his strengths to the fullest extent could a solution be found.

"Have you been here for a long time?" Tang San smiled slightly and asked calmly.

Qian Renxue couldn't help but admire Tang San's ability to calm down so quickly. She nodded gracefully, "Yes, I arrived just as you were facing those three ants and releasing your domain."

Upon hearing this, Tang San's lips twitched slightly. She arrived just as he released his Blue Silver Domain? What did this mean? It meant that even though she was within the range of his domain, he still hadn't detected her presence.

The last time they faced each other, Qian Renxue was over level 70, while Tang San was over level 60. At that time, Tang San knew that Qian Renxue was also a genius, no less so than himself. She also possessed the powerful martial soul, the Six-Winged Angel, and was the granddaughter of Qian Daoliu, the daughter of the previous Pope of the Spirit Hall. But why couldn't he see through her now?

"Long time no see. You look quite different." Tang San's smile remained unchanged, as if he were chatting with an ordinary friend.

Qian Renxue sighed, "Yes, it really has been a long time. Six years have passed in the blink of an eye. An ordinary person doesn't have many six-year periods in their life. I've changed a lot, and haven't you changed too? Just now, I witnessed the most amazing scene in the history of the Soul Master world. I'm afraid even those who cultivated to the god level didn't have an experience like what you just had."

"To defeat three spirit beasts with cultivation levels of 90,000 years and almost all of the same elemental nature is nothing special. What's most amazing is that you dared to absorb all three of their spirit rings at the same time, and you actually succeeded. I really have to congratulate you."

Tang San smiled wryly and said, "What's there to congratulate me on? Can't you see that what happened just now was just an accident? Do you think I wanted to absorb the spirit rings of three Thousand-Pound Ant Kings at the same time? You should say that I was courting death."

Qian Renxue smiled gently, her smile seemingly possessing some special magic, causing Tang San to momentarily freeze in surprise. The leaves on all the surrounding trees rustled softly.

Ever since Qian Renxue's voice rang out, Tang San had been releasing his mental energy at full power. To his astonishment, he sensed that within the range of his mental energy, all the trees were making the same movement, swaying their leaves as if intoxicated by Qian Renxue's smile. And it wasn't just the trees; aside from the Blue Silver Grass nearby who could sense his presence, all the plants were expressing their joy in various ways.

"I've heard of a smile that could topple a city, a second smile that could topple a nation. I never imagined I'd actually witness it today. But it's this entire Star Dou Forest that has fallen for you," Tang San said with a sigh.

Qian Renxue's smile widened even more. "I can understand, you're praising me, right?"

Tang San gracefully stroked the Trident of the Sea God in his hand. "Of course. I'm just stating a fact."

Qian Renxue smiled and said, "But you underestimated yourself just now. Wasn't that right? When you absorbed three spirit rings at the same time, it might have been an accident. But at that time, you were perfectly capable of choosing not to absorb them. Yet you did it anyway, still taking them into your body. And you completely fused them with yourself in a method I've never heard of before. However, the way you looked just now was really frightening. Several times I couldn't help but want to help you. But if I did that, it would probably affect the effect of your absorption of spirit rings, which would be worse. And you did create a miracle before my eyes, absorbing three spirit rings at the same time, and making them submit with an aura of dominance. This makes me have to say I admire you. If I were you, I don't think I would have the courage to do that."

Looking intently at the woman before him, Tang San still found that no matter how he looked, he couldn't see through her. A bitter smile appeared on his face. "Miss Qian Renxue, if I remember correctly, we should be enemies."

Qian Renxue sighed softly, "In this world, there are no eternal friends, nor eternal enemies. Besides, even if you and I were enemies, I would prefer to face you in your full potential, rather than taking advantage of an opportunity to attack. Some enemies are worthy of respect, aren't they?"

Tang San nodded. "You are a true Soul Master. If it weren't for our different stances, I really wouldn't want to be your enemy. Unfortunately, I have no choice but to do so."

This time, it was Qian Renxue who wore a bitter smile. "Why must we be enemies? Tang San, you are the most talented Soul Master I have ever seen. I just saw it; you are already a Title Douluo, and your Soul Power is about to break through to level 96. But how old are you this year? Twenty-five? Twenty-six? Or twenty-seven? You have already created too much history for the Soul Master world. It can be said that if you were in our Spirit Hall, with the full support of the Spirit Hall, your achievements would be even greater. Your future is unimaginable. I am almost certain that in the near future, you will be able to break through the limits of humanity through your own efforts and truly step into the realm beyond level 100."

Tang San smiled slightly, "Are you trying to convince me? I have to admit, your voice is very captivating."

Qian Renxue said somewhat dejectedly, "This must be the second time I've tried to persuade you. Last time, you rejected me without hesitation and defeated me. Although I don't understand how you did it, how you defeated me, who already possessed a Martial Soul True Body, with only a level sixty-something strength, I did lose, and I accepted the defeat wholeheartedly. But now, you are no longer my match. Do you really insist that I defeat you before you'll listen to me properly?"

Tang San smiled. His smile was casual, a blend of aristocratic elegance and unrestrained wildness. While his smile couldn't captivate the Star Dou Great Forest like Qian Renxue's, it left Qian Renxue somewhat mesmerized. Six years had passed, and the man before her had become even more charming.

"Miss Qian Renxue, haven't I been listening to you attentively the whole time?"

Qian Renxue's gaze gradually turned serious, and the relaxed feeling she had just experienced was slowly disappearing. Tang San immediately felt as if the air in the world was changing along with her expression, and all the plants that had been swaying earlier instantly entered a state of relative stillness.

"Tang San, join the Spirit Empire. What the Heaven Dou Empire can give you, the Spirit Empire can give you too."

Tang San seemed unaffected by the somber atmosphere around him, and smiled, "The new emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Beng, has taken me as his master, honored me as his imperial tutor, placed me on equal footing with him, and bestowed upon me the title of Blue Hao King. You probably don't know this yet."

To Tang San's surprise, upon hearing his words, Qian Renxue replied without hesitation, "Except for not being able to acknowledge you as my Imperial Tutor, I can give you everything else."

Tang San was stunned. Although he knew Qian Renxue valued him, he hadn't expected it to be to this extent. Surprised, he couldn't help but say, "Miss Qian Renxue, the Empress of the Spirit Empire is now Bibi Dong, not you. Bibi Dong hates me to the bone. Even if you are the daughter of the former Pope, I'm afraid she won't listen to you."

Upon hearing the name Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue's face immediately darkened, a layer of coldness appearing on her beautiful face. "That was before. From the moment I walked out of the Elder Hall, the future Martial Soul Empire could only obey my orders."

Tang San nodded. "Yes, you do have that strength. Although Bibi Dong is very strong, she is not a god."

The coldness on Qian Renxue's face faded, and she smiled slightly, "You've already figured it out?"

Tang San said helplessly, "You've already appeared in this way. If I still can't see anything, how could I accept your previous praise? Although my soul power isn't very high, my spiritual power is no less than Bibi Dong's. Even I can't detect your presence, so the answer is already revealed. I can detect soul power, but the power of a god is something I can't detect. Am I right, Miss Qian Renxue, the Angel Goddess?"

Qian Renxue looked at Tang San without speaking for a long time. Although her gaze was calm and gentle, it still brought Tang San a special kind of pressure, a pressure that came directly from the depths of his soul.

After a long pause, Qian Renxue sighed softly, "It seems I still know too little about you. I didn't expect you to be able to see so much. It seems you also have some understanding of the realm of gods."

Tang San smiled and said, "I should be the one who's surprised. I never imagined that in just a few years, you would have already achieved all the dreams of a Title Douluo, which should also be the dream of your grandfather, Qian Daoliu—to become a god at level 100. I originally thought that Bibi Dong was the one in the Spirit Empire with the best chance of achieving this."

"Her? She dares to become a god?" Qian Renxue sneered. "A woman with a dark heart, dares to become a god? Tang San, I can see that you are also moving down this path. The weapon in your hand, which I cannot see through, proves this point. It should be a true divine artifact. My foundation is stronger than yours, and I have had my grandfather's full assistance for the past six years to get to where I am today. Yet you have been able to break through to the Title Douluo realm and reach such a level, which I greatly admire. Since you already know that I have become the Angel God, then we don't need to beat around the bush anymore. All the Heaven Dou Empire can give you is the Blue Hao King of the Heaven Dou Empire. If you are willing to join the Spirit Empire, the moment I unify the continent, you will be the Blue Hao King of the entire continent, a king who sits on equal footing with me."

Tang San gazed at Qian Renxue and calmly said, "I don't understand why you value me so much. Is it just because you see my potential? Aren't you afraid that one day I'll become a god and betray the Spirit Empire?"

Qian Renxue smiled and said, "Are you the kind of person who would break a promise? If you are, then it only proves that I misjudged you. As for why I value you so much, I will only tell you after you choose to join the Martial Soul Empire. Now, tell me the answer. I believe that with our combined strength, no one on the continent can stand against us."

"Then let's fight," Tang San said calmly.

Qian Renxue was stunned, looking at Tang San in disbelief and saying, "You clearly know that I have become a god, yet you still choose to fight me?"

"What about humans? What about gods? Don't you know that there are some things in this world that cannot be changed? There's a saying you may not have heard before, but I'll teach it to you now."

"What is it?" Qian Renxue's face began to turn ugly.

Tang San said resolutely, enunciating each word clearly: "I would rather be a broken piece of jade than a whole piece of tile."

-

The third day of the monthly ticket competition! I'm begging for monthly tickets and recommendation votes! Please help me out if you have any. As you can probably guess from this chapter, the climax is coming! See how Tang San faces the god-level powerhouse Qian Renxue.

-

I highly recommend an extremely pure alternate history novel; a must-read for fans of alternate history. I've been writing and reading books on Qidian for many years, and this is the first time I've seen such a pure and smoothly written alternate history novel: *Qingyun Ji*, the one currently being heavily promoted. It's on the weekly popularity charts and has already reached nearly 30 words. Everyone interested should definitely check it out.

(End of this chapter)