: Regret

Although Tang Hao still possessed an imposing aura and his soul power surged, he was already at his limit under that overwhelming force.

In that battle many years ago, he severely injured Qian Xunji with his own mortally wounded body, but at the cost of leaving irreversible hidden injuries on all his meridians.

Over the years, he has lived in anonymity, seemingly in seclusion, but in reality, his old wounds have never truly healed; they have simply been forcibly suppressed within him.

Last time, in order to save Tang San, he broke through the encirclement and was ambushed by experts from the Spirit Hall. His already damaged body was further injured, and his soul power circulation was sluggish.

At this moment, he was all alone, facing off against Bibi Dong, the Pope of the Spirit Hall, with the two Title Douluos, Chrysanthemum and Ghost, watching him intently from the side. In order to fight his way out, he had already recklessly activated the forbidden technique of the Clear Sky Sect—Ring Explosion.

Deep in my heart, a strong sense of regret is spreading wildly.

He hated himself for being careless and for underestimating his opponent.

Ah Yin's remains and that crucial soul bone were hidden so secretly, behind the waterfall where the rushing water blocked the cave entrance. He thought it was foolproof and there was no way anyone could find out.

But someone found out!

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Suddenly, Tang Hao's right arm trembled violently.

Just now, when I clashed with Bibi Dong, the wound pierced by her scepter suddenly came with a sharp, piercing pain, far beyond that of ordinary external injuries.

He looked down and saw that the wound was unremarkable on the outside, just a shallow puncture mark. It was neither blackened nor festering, and looked no different from an ordinary weapon wound.

But the pain that penetrated to the bone was intensifying at an eerie speed.

Is it poison?

Tang Hao frowned, his heart filled with doubt and unease.

He had witnessed countless strange and vicious soul techniques, but he had never felt anything like this before—when it didn't hurt, it was fine, but when it did, the pain piled up like a tidal wave, as if something was drilling into his soul from the depths of the wound and biting him hard.

He was unaware that he had been struck by Bibi Dong's ultimate killing technique, Eternal Wound.

The wound inflicted by this attack is not merely physical; it directly affects the soul. No amount of physical regeneration, healing soul techniques, or even the finest immortal herbs can heal it. The wound will be frozen in time, forever remaining at the moment of being pierced, with the pain constantly amplifying and worsening until life force is gradually drained away, and the soul is utterly destroyed.

Unless there is a divine power above this to forcefully suppress it, or an unparalleled means to directly repair the soul, only death awaits him.

Even Tang San, who later became a god in the original story, could only barely suppress it with the power of the Sea God and slowly purify it with the light of the Sea God until he truly broke through to godhood and completely transformed his life level, thus eradicating this strange injury completely.

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Tang Hao now has nothing.

His injuries worsened rapidly and silently, and the raging fury that had fueled his anger gradually cooled amidst the excruciating pain.

My mind was clearer than ever before.

His clarity of mind was so profound that it filled him with despair.

He began to regret it. He could have done what he had done in the past: avoid the main force of the Spirit Hall, target a few branch halls that did not have top experts in charge, and slowly weaken the power of the Spirit Hall.

He could have been patient, waited, and planned again. But this time, he was blinded by anger, driven out of control by the rage and pain of losing Ah Yin, and impulsively rushed into the most central and dangerous place of the Spirit Hall, Spirit City, walking right into their trap.

The pain in his right arm was almost tearing his consciousness apart. Every time his soul power flowed, it felt like thousands of steel needles were piercing his meridians.

To escape.

Now only one thought remained in his mind—

We have to go.

If he doesn't leave now, not only will he fail to save Ah Yin and protect Tang San, but he will also lose his own life here.

But facing the combined forces of three top experts—Bibi Dong, Chrysanthemum Douluo, and Ghost Douluo—where could he go with his eternal wound and lifeless body?

A hint of despair crept into the eyes of this once youngest Title Douluo.

The last shred of reason in Tang Hao's eyes was crushed by the excruciating pain and despair.

If we drag this out any longer, we'll only face certain death.

He suddenly looked up, and a roar that shook the entire Wuhun City resounded, causing the Clear Sky Hammer to tremble wildly in his palm.

The violent and distorted soul power exploded instantly, tearing the air apart with a piercing shriek, and large sections of the ground cracked and collapsed.

Bibi Dong's expression changed drastically: "Be careful! He's fighting desperately!"

Chrysanthemum Demon Douluo was even more tense, and subconsciously joined forces to activate the Polar Stillness Domain, but was violently knocked away by this suicidal force, and a crack appeared in the domain on the spot.

The wound of the Eternal Wound burned wildly within his soul, every inch of his meridians groaning in agony, yet Tang Hao could no longer feel the pain—

Or rather, when the pain reaches its extreme, only a numb cruelty remains.

A single, sweeping blow, devoid of any frills, unleashing the purest and most ferocious destructive power.

Bibi Dong raised her staff to block the attack. The moment the staff collided with the giant hammer, she was thrown back dozens of meters, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo were thrown back by the aftershocks, crashing through half of a building before barely managing to regain their footing.

A brief moment of respite.

Without the slightest hesitation, Tang Hao turned and sped off towards the outside of Wuhun City.

He poured his soul power into himself as if it were his life, and his figure transformed into a blood-red afterimage.

He dared not turn around.

Behind them, Bibi Dong's icy, chilling voice caught up:

"Tang Hao! You can't escape! This wound will slowly gnaw at your soul until you kneel down and beg me!"

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Tang Hao clenched his teeth until they bled, and the inconspicuous wound on his right arm was so painful that he almost fainted.

An eternal wound is like a maggot clinging to a bone.

He rushed out of the gates of Wuhun City and into the dense forest at night, his speed undiminished.

Only after confirming that he had completely shaken off his pursuers did he suddenly spit out a mouthful of black blood, crashing heavily to the ground. The Haotian Hammer slammed into the earth with a clang, and he curled up, trembling violently.

Hidden injuries erupt, soul ring backlash, soul damage...

This once mighty Haotian Douluo, who once shook the continent, now resembled a dying old wolf.

He supported his broken body and crawled little by little into the depths of the dense forest.

can't stop.

I must not die.

Ah Yin is still in their hands.

Tang San was still waiting for him.

Tang Hao, supporting himself on the tree trunk, staggered and disappeared into the darkness.

Only a faint trail of blood remained.

On the other side of Wuhun City, Bibi Dong stared in the direction he had fled, her eyes as cold as ice.

"Send men to pursue them. No need to kill them in a hurry."

"I want him to live, to watch himself rot away bit by bit."

At that moment, Tang Hao, who had fled into the deep mountains, leaned against a stone wall, pressing his bleeding right arm, and uttered a hoarse, low voice:

"Wait for me... Gin... I will definitely come back..."