"Damn you, Di Tian!"
"One day, I, Tang Chen, will kill you to avenge today's grudge!"
Transforming into a streak of red light, Tang Chen fled ceaselessly, spitting blood from his mouth. His eyes, filled with rage, were bloodshot, nearly bursting.
As a Limit Douluo, a quasi-god among Limit Douluo, Tang Chen's mentality was starting to crumble.
"Why… why isn't the script supposed to play out like this!"
"It shouldn't be like this!"
"Aaahhh, Hao'er, Xiao'er, your grandfather has failed you!"
Now, he could only hope that the one claiming to be the Asura God's top subordinate could defeat Gu Yuena and return triumphantly. That way, there might still be a chance to save Tang Hao.
Yes, to save Tang Hao, who was still imprisoned in the Martial Soul Hall, his fate unknown.
As the cornerstone of the Clear Sky Clan, Tang Chen, along with the sect master Tang Xiao, should have acted rationally. The Clear Sky Clan, already on shaky ground, couldn't afford more turmoil.
They shouldn't have provoked Star Dou Forest, especially without confirming whether Bi Ji was truly a soul beast. That was their original plan.
But…
No windfall, no wealth for men; no night grass, no fat for horses.
Leaving the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and on their way back, a middle-aged man clad in golden armor, stepping on pitch-black auspicious clouds, exuding charisma, descended before them.
The man introduced himself as Hypnos, the Slaughter God, sensing the Slaughter God Domain of his master, the Asura God, on Tang Chen—essentially, he was looking for a familiar face to guide him.
He was searching for a native deity lingering in the human world, claiming it was a mission from the God Realm Committee. He asked Tang Chen to provide relevant information, promising to help them with a reasonable request if progress was made.
Tang Chen and Tang Xiao initially had no intention of agreeing.
After all, the stranger's origins were unclear.
But Hypnos immediately released his Slaughter God Domain to prove his identity.
Hypnos's Slaughter God Domain was countless times stronger and more profound than Tang Chen's.
After a moment's hesitation, Tang Chen finally agreed.
His hope was that Hypnos could go to the Martial Soul Hall to rescue Tang Hao—or at least confirm whether his grandson, one of the Clear Sky Clan's twin stars, was still alive.
Hypnos promptly stated:
He was already heading to the Martial Soul Hall to investigate, particularly regarding prior incidents involving the Sea God and a suspected Angel God, as per the God Realm Committee's orders before their departure.
Indeed, Hypnos had descended under the orders of the God Realm Committee's major God Kings.
It wasn't a private venture for personal gain.
After a friendly discussion, they reached an agreement.
Hypnos even told Tang Chen that if significant progress was made, he could put in a good word with the Asura God, potentially allowing that youth named Tang San to continue his divine trial.
After all, a god's scheme couldn't be considered a complete failure.
There was still room to maneuver.
Whether Hypnos truly meant this, Tang Chen didn't know, nor did he care to dwell on it.
Tang Chen only knew that rescuing Tang Hao on his own was nearly impossible. Logically and emotionally, it was a "mutually beneficial" deal.
To show sincerity, Tang Chen shared information about soul beasts with Hypnos.
As the Asura God's top warrior, Hypnos quickly sensed from Tang Chen's words that Star Dou Forest was no ordinary place—something might be hidden there.
Thus, he set his sights on Bi Ji, who was returning.
When Hypnos found Bi Ji, he noticed she was following a silver-haired girl.
That girl, leading Bi Ji, managed to evade his attacks.
No need to guess—she was definitely one of Douluo Star's native deities.
Another feather in his cap.
Thus, Hypnos engaged in battle with Gu Yuena. Bi Ji seized the chance to escape, running into Tang Chen and Tang Xiao, who had been trailing to confirm whether she was from Star Dou Forest.
Seeing Bi Ji heading toward Star Dou Forest, Tang Xiao and Tang Chen confirmed she was indeed the Emerald Swan Bi Ji, the 500,000-year-old healing-type soul beast they had once targeted alongside Yu Yuanzhen.
Knowing she was a Limit Douluo, and despite Tang Chen's weakened state, they dared to act because Bi Ji was a support-type soul beast.
No matter how strong, she was different from a typical combat soul master.
They might actually take her down.
Acting on their decision, they attacked Bi Ji.
After some fighting, they found Bi Ji slippery but not particularly strong.
Let alone Tang Chen—even Tang Xiao felt that, with caution for Bi Ji's few techniques and his ring-explosion ability, he might take her down.
This boosted their confidence, nearly making them point thumbs at themselves in a cocky gesture.
But the battle, which should have been a sure win—capturing Bi Ji alive, extracting her ring and bone—took an unexpected turn.
First, Bi Ji carried Di Tian's protective power. Then, Di Tian himself appeared, facing Tang Chen and Tang Xiao alone.
In his prime, wielding the Asura God Sword, Tang Chen might not have feared Di Tian.
But now…
He couldn't win. Not at all.
Only by exploding rings could he barely hold his own. As the fight grew increasingly unfavorable, both risked being wiped out.
Tang Xiao gritted his teeth, stomped his foot, and detonated all his soul rings, allowing Tang Chen to strategically retreat.
He couldn't escape, but Tang Chen, also a Limit Douluo, could.
As Tang Xiao planned, he used the nine-ring explosion, stunning Di Tian, the massive black dragon, leaving him dazed and disoriented.
Tang Chen, as expected, escaped Di Tian's pursuit.
But Tang Chen wasn't happy at all.
Almost every time he led a team, they suffered heavy losses. Was he an ancestor or a jinx?
He could already imagine the odd looks from the younger generation.
The City of Slaughter was one thing—those who died were his subordinates there, so the Clear Sky Clan's elders and members didn't care much.
But the others?
Like hunting soul beasts in Star Dou Forest, confronting Qian Daoliu at the Martial Soul Hall, and now this aftermath of attending the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's renaming ceremony.
All led by him, the ancestor, and all resulted in heavy losses.
"Am I, Tang Chen, cursed?" Tang Chen's face was terrifyingly grim, his pale cheeks giving a sickly impression.
The Clear Sky Clan was doing fine, with plenty of Title Douluo.
Now, some were dead, others crippled!
Even the sect master had fallen—the face of the clan!
"Damn it, all because of that scourge Di Tian," Tang Chen gritted his teeth. "Inherently evil Beast God Di Tian, I'll uproot your Star Dou Forest!"
Fortunately, the Clear Sky Clan was in the Star Luo Empire's territory, beyond the Martial Soul Hall's reach. With the Martial Soul Hall colluding with the Heaven Dou Empire, the Star Luo Empire had expelled many of their branches.
"First, back to the Clear Sky Clan, then to Sea God Island!"
If Hypnos met trouble, Sea God Island, governed by the first-level Sea God, would likely intervene or at least report to the God Realm Committee.
If Hypnos was fine, he could probably find Tang Chen, who wielded the Asura God Sword and Slaughter God Domain, through the domain's connection.
With that thought, Tang Chen didn't hesitate.
He headed full speed to the Star Luo Empire, where the Clear Sky Clan was located.