According to the Skydream Iceworm, the two Empress of Ice and Snow would arrive in about a quarter of an hour. During this time, Tianlin had to keep an eye on Tang Hao and stop him from going on a killing spree.
Fortunately, Tianlin had been extra cautious. Shortly after entering the Extreme North, Tang Hao encountered a herd of soul beasts, including several ten-thousand-year ones, which caught his attention.
When Tianlin and Ning Rongrong arrived, guided by their senses, Tang Hao was attacking a herd of over thirty giant elephant soul beasts.
Most were enormous, their bodies covered in ice crystals.
Unlike the rhinos Tianlin had met before, elephants were social creatures with great strength—few soul beasts dared provoke them.
Unfortunately, today they encountered Tang Hao, a Super Douluo. The strongest among them, a fifty-thousand-year soul beast, was still no match for him.
"That's the Icefield Giant Elephant herd. They're powerful and more likely to produce strength-type soul bones, but they're gentle by nature. Xiao Tian, stop Tang Hao or he'll slaughter them all!" the Skydream Iceworm said urgently.
Tang Hao had been drawn here by it, and it was Tianlin who had healed his wounds. If a whole herd was killed because of this, the Skydream Iceworm would feel horribly guilty.
There were even a few baby elephants only a decade old. If Tang Hao's Clear Sky Hammer so much as grazed them, they'd die instantly.
Tang Hao raised his Clear Sky Hammer, a black soul ring flashing on its surface as the hammer grew even larger.
The baby elephants trembled in fear, and their parents were in utter despair. They had no chance against a Title Douluo.
"You evil soul beasts," Tang Hao said coldly, then smashed down his enormous Clear Sky Hammer.
"Fourth soul skill, Glimmering Immortal-Slaying Slash!"
A similarly gigantic demonic sword blocked the blow, colliding directly with the Clear Sky Hammer. Both forces bounced away.
Tianlin landed from the sky with Ning Rongrong, standing in front of the elephant herd.
"Jun Tianlin, what are you doing here?" Tang Hao exclaimed in surprise.
"Of course, I'm here to take your life," Tianlin replied coolly. "I promised a friend I'd make sure you die with no burial place."
"Is it because of Oslo? Jun Tianlin, don't forget—you promised not to trouble me and my son again over that matter," Tang Hao said angrily, hating Tianlin's lack of integrity.
Tianlin sneered. "Don't underestimate me. I never go back on my word. The friend I spoke of isn't Oslo, but a soul beast. Tang Hao, you've been slaughtering soul beasts without restraint. Do you really think you can keep getting away with it?"
"Soul beasts? You're here for that? Ridiculous! Jun Tianlin, look at your seven soul rings—you leveled up by killing soul beasts, too! What right do you have to stop me?" Tang Hao laughed in anger, conveniently forgetting how hysterical he'd been when his wife was forced to sacrifice herself by Spirit Hall.
"Hmph! If you hunt one soul beast to advance, whether good or evil, no one would interfere. That's the rule of the continent. But now you're killing wantonly. Spirit Hall, the two empires, and the seven great sects all forbid soul masters from massacring soul beasts for soul bones. Brother Sword is right to stop you," Ning Rongrong immediately retorted, unwilling to let Tianlin be mocked.
Tang Hao's face turned ugly. He knew the rule, but to get revenge on Spirit Hall, he needed more soul bones. He knew he couldn't beat Spirit Hall alone—only his son Tang San, with twin martial souls, could hope for vengeance.
For this goal, Tang Hao would stop at nothing. To soothe his conscience, he kept telling himself that all the beasts he killed were evil, so he was doing the world a favor. Over time, he believed it—a classic Tang family trait.
The Tang clan protected good beasts like Ah Yin and Xiao Wu, but hunted they considered bad ones—they drew the line very clearly.
Tang Hao looked around. It was just Jun Tianlin and Ning Rongrong. Killing so many soul beasts could not be known—otherwise, the Clear Sky Sect would be implicated.
So, he had to kill these two now. Thanks to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's medicine, his injuries were much improved. He felt confident he could handle Tianlin.
"Jun Tianlin, Ning Rongrong, since you've chosen to consort with evil soul beasts, don't blame me for being ruthless and ridding the world of you!" Tang Hao always liked to justify himself before attacking.
"Seventh soul skill, Clear Sky True Body!"
Tang Hao immediately activated his martial soul avatar. Though confident he was stronger than Tianlin, he dared not be careless—Tianlin's record was too impressive.
"Come, seventh soul skill, Demon Sword Avatar!"
"Nine Treasures, first is strength, second is speed, third is spirit, fourth is defense, fifth is attack, sixth is augmentation!"
Tianlin also activated his avatar, while Ning Rongrong boosted him with support skills.
"Heavenly Strike!" Tang Hao attacked first. He knew how fearsome Tianlin's Flow of Wind and Water was and couldn't let him use it.
If his avatar was broken, he'd lose for sure.
Heavenly Strike was a single-point power attack—an ultimate move targeting the enemy's weak spot.
"Tang Hao, today I'll take the title of number one weapon martial soul. Don't worry about the Flow of Wind and Water—I won't use it. I'll beat you head-on with strength. Glimmering Immortal-Slaying Slash!"
Facing the Clear Sky Hammer, Tianlin chose the most difficult method—direct confrontation. Tang Hao couldn't remember the last time someone dared match him in pure strength.
He'd wanted to laugh at Tianlin's foolishness, but when sword met hammer, both were blown apart. It seemed even, but then Tang Hao heard cracking sounds—his Clear Sky Hammer had actually developed cracks.
"What?!" Tang Hao was shocked. His Clear Sky Hammer cracked in a single strike! But, as a Clear Sky Title Douluo, he recovered quickly and charged again.
Though Tianlin claimed he wouldn't use Flow of Wind and Water, Tang Hao didn't trust him—what if he got tricked?
"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes, Absolute Shock!"
Tang Hao's hammer struck the Demon Sword, sending such a massive shockwave that Tianlin almost lost his grip.
"Next, Absolute Break!"
Tang Hao wielded his hammer like a giant blade, unleashing a leaping attack that not only smashed with blunt force but also seemed to slice like a sharp weapon.
This was one of the true ultimate skills of the Clear Sky Hammer, the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes.
As Tang Hao unleashed these techniques, the entire snowy mountain shook. It was as if a terrible blizzard had struck the Extreme North. Countless soul beasts fled—the battle aura was so intense that either combatant's power could kill ten-thousand-year soul beasts outright.
Even here, where soul beasts were stronger than anywhere else, none could compete with these two.