Time flew by, and the night passed quickly.
Tang Yu closed the last page of the Great Sumeru Hammer manual, carefully sealing it before immersing himself in the profound knowledge he had just absorbed.
The Great Sumeru Hammer was a technique that condensed all of one's soul rings into a single entity, fusing them entirely into the Clear Sky Hammer to unleash the purest form of strength and offensive power. It exponentially amplified the user's force, allowing them to break through all restraints and wield power far beyond their normal soul power level. It was the ultimate expression of overwhelming force—no matter how many techniques or skills the opponent possessed, none could withstand the absolute might of the Clear Sky Hammer.
"Absolute force to shatter all techniques... detonating all soul rings and merging them into the hammer..." Tang Yu muttered to himself, stroking his chin in contemplation.
No wonder Qian Xunji had lost to Tang Hao, who had just become a Title Douluo at the time. The Great Sumeru Hammer truly lived up to its reputation.
But now, he had mastered it.
This was the Clear Sky Clan's most powerful secret. His original mission had been to infiltrate the clan, gather intelligence, and eventually orchestrate its downfall.
Yet, obtaining the Great Sumeru Hammer was an unexpected windfall.
Ye Hao couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. He was eager to witness the true might of this technique firsthand.
With Tang Hao dead, he might very well be the only person left on the continent who could learn the Great Sumeru Hammer—especially since he was now the Clear Sky Clan's designated heir.
Not bad at all.
Tang Yu stood up slowly, reluctantly returning the manual to Tang Xiao.
"How was your study?" Tang Xiao asked curiously as he took back the precious text. The Great Sumeru Hammer was an incredibly profound technique, demanding exceptional talent from its practitioner. Worse, failure in cultivation could be fatal. Because of this, the Clear Sky Clan had a strict rule: only one person per generation was permitted to learn it.
And that person would inevitably become the next clan leader.
If not for the incident that forced the Clear Sky Clan into seclusion, Tang Hao would have undoubtedly been the current clan leader.
And Tang San... he wouldn't have been the son of a blacksmith from Holy Spirit Village. His status would have eclipsed even Ning Rongrong's, let alone someone like Yu Xiaogang, whom he had met at Notting Primary Soul Master Academy.
"I've grasped most of it, but... it's incredibly difficult," Tang Yu replied, scratching his head and feigning a look of deep contemplation.
"The Great Sumeru Hammer is the Clear Sky Clan's most guarded secret, passed down to only one person each generation. The last inheritor was my brother, Tang Hao... but because of what happened back then..." Tang Xiao's voice trailed off as he recalled the day Tang Hao was exiled from the clan. It was a memory too painful to revisit.
Tang Yuehua sighed repeatedly. The dead were gone—what use was there in dwelling on the past?
"That's enough for tonight. Go back and digest what you've learned."
With that, Tang Yu bid farewell to Tang Xiao and Tang Yuehua before leaving.
Once Tang Yu was out of sight, Tang Xiao carefully placed the manual on the ancestral altar. This was the Clear Sky Clan's true foundation, something he guarded with his life. It could not be lost.
"Big brother, do you really think... Tang Yu is fit to lead?" Tang Yuehua asked worriedly. The Clear Sky Clan was now at a critical juncture.
If not for the Spirit Hall's sudden aggression, they wouldn't have been forced to hastily choose a successor.
When Tang Yuehua first learned that Tang Yu had been selected as the next clan leader, she had been utterly stunned, rendered speechless for a long time.
"Tang Yu has changed greatly. I see boundless potential in him," Tang Xiao reassured her. Throughout the night, as Tang Yu studied the manual, Tang Xiao had been watching him closely, scrutinizing his every move.
"I hope so..." Tang Yuehua sighed softly, her heart heavy with concern for the clan's future.
Then, Tang Xiao asked coolly, "Yuehua, how is Little San's recovery coming along?"
"He's almost healed. In about half a month, his injuries should be fully recovered," Tang Yuehua replied.
"Tang Yu really went too far. Little San was nearly crippled for life. How am I supposed to face Second Brother in the afterlife?" she couldn't help but grumble.
"That was Little San's own doing," Tang Xiao said sternly, his expression severe.
"If he hadn't tried to kill Tang Yu in the first place, Tang Yu wouldn't have retaliated so harshly. Little San brought this upon himself—he has no one to blame."
"But..." Tang Yuehua hesitated, but Tang Xiao cut her off.
"Once Little San recovers, take him away from the Clear Sky Clan. Until he fulfills the three conditions set by the Second Elder, he is never to return."
With that, Tang Xiao left without another word, his departure swift and resolute. His disappointment in Tang San had reached its limit.
Tang Yuehua exhaled deeply. "Little San, Little San... there might not be a place for you in this world anymore. Just a few years after graduating, and you've already fallen so far. Your father was reckless but brave, while you are neither—only spouting nonsense about 'the path of death.' Who on earth did you take after?"
Even as his aunt, Tang Yuehua was thoroughly disillusioned with Tang San. Shaking her head, she too walked away.
---
"Auntie, I just saw Tang Yu leaving Uncle's quarters. Did Uncle say anything to him?" Tang San pressed urgently. Earlier, when he stepped outside, he had witnessed Tang Yu exiting the clan leader's private hall, leaving him deeply unsettled.
He had expected Tang Xiao to reprimand Tang Yu. Tang San had even prepared to enjoy the spectacle.
Yet, contrary to his expectations, Tang Yu had emerged in high spirits, practically skipping with joy. Not only that, but he had also flashed a mocking middle finger in Tang San's direction, sending him into a rage.
If not for his injuries, Tang San would have already taken action to teach him a lesson.
Of course, that was under normal circumstances. Now, in the Clear Sky Clan, countless disciples were watching Tang San's every move, ensuring he didn't cause any more trouble.
After all, the clan was already in crisis. No one knew when the Spirit Hall would launch their assault. Until then, everyone remained on edge.
"This..." Tang Yuehua hesitated. Strictly speaking, Tang San wasn't even a formal member of the Clear Sky Clan—he had no right to know.
"Don't ask. Your uncle wanted me to tell you that once your injuries heal, you must leave the Clear Sky Clan. Unless you fulfill the Second Elder's three conditions, you are forbidden from setting foot here again."
Tang Yuehua relayed Tang Xiao's words verbatim.
The moment the words left her mouth, Tang San's eyes widened in shock.
"Uncle... he..." Tang San gritted his teeth in frustration, his mind reeling. Even Uncle looks down on me now?
"Little San, let this be my final advice to you: be humble in both words and deeds. Your reputation on the continent is already in tatters. Here in the Clear Sky Clan, countless eyes are watching you—every word, every action is being scrutinized."
"But Auntie, I can't accept this!" Tang San's face twisted with fury. "I, Tang San, have never been humiliated by some nobody like this! This is a stain on my life!"
"Enough!" Tang Yuehua snapped, her sudden outburst startling Tang San. The aunt who had always doted on him now wore an expression of unmistakable anger.
It must be Tang Yu's doing!
Every time he thought about this, Tang San trembled with rage, his mind in complete disarray. He was so furious he could barely think straight, his murderous intent toward Tang Yu growing stronger by the second.
"Little San, I advise you to give up any thoughts of retaliating against Tang Yu." Tang Yuehua had observed him carefully during this period. Every time Tang Yu's name was mentioned, Tang San's face would turn red with anger, his eyes bulging as if they might pop out of their sockets.
She had come to a conclusion: Tang San would never let go of his grudge against Tang Yu. It was a woman's intuition, and Tang Yuehua trusted it—because it was always accurate.
"Auntie, I... I have no intention of harming Tang Yu. Really, I don't."
Tang San forced the words through gritted teeth, his smile strained.
But Tang Yuehua saw right through his terrible acting.
"Since we're being honest, I might as well tell you the truth." To make Tang San abandon his vendetta sooner, she decided to be blunt. "Tang Yu has already been confirmed as the next leader of the Clear Sky Clan. So..."
She left the rest unsaid. There was no need to elaborate.
The moment these words left her mouth, Tang San became even more agitated.
Tang Yu... the next leader of the Clear Sky Clan?!
This revelation struck Tang San like a thunderbolt. His face twisted into a grotesque mask of fury, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles turned white.
In other words, Tang San had lost all hope of revenge. If Tang Yu became the next clan leader, any attempt by Tang San to retaliate would be met with the full force of the Clear Sky Clan's wrath.
Not just the disciples—the five elders, Tang Xiao, and even Tang Yuehua herself would never allow it.
By then, any semblance of familial bonds would mean nothing.
"Auntie, I... understand..." Tang San muttered, his voice hollow.
Tang Yuehua studied him for a long moment before sighing deeply. "I hope you truly do. Rest well, Little San. I'll leave you to recover."
With that, she stood and left.
Her goal had been achieved. Though Tang San possessed twin martial souls, his behavior during his stay at the Clear Sky Clan had revealed his true nature—superficial and unworthy. Everyone, including her, had seen it.
In contrast, Tang Yu had shown remarkable growth, earning the clan's admiration.
Now, the Clear Sky Clan was like a flickering candle in the wind, on the verge of being snuffed out at any moment.
And Tang Yu... was their last ember of hope.
Little did she know...
The moment Tang Yuehua left, Tang San slammed his fist into the ground, his eyes burning with hatred.
"Clan leader? Tang Yu? Just you wait. I swear on my life—I will have my revenge!"
Having lived two lives, Tang San had never suffered such humiliation. First Ye Hao, now Tang Yu.
These two... he would kill them both, no matter what it took.
---
Meanwhile, in Tang Yu's quarters...
After ensuring the doors and windows were securely shut, Tang Yu—no, Ye Hao—gestured, summoning Zhuzhu from the concealment of the Death God's Heart.
"Master, your luck is truly astounding. To think you'd become the Clear Sky Clan's next leader!" Zhuzhu teased.
Ye Hao chuckled wryly. "I didn't plan for this either. Who knew those stubborn old fools would pick me? I nearly had a heart attack when they announced it."
He patted his chest. When Tang Xiao had summoned him last night, he had been prepared for a life-or-death battle.
Instead, he got a promotion.
Talk about unexpected.
He was here to infiltrate, not inherit!
"So, Master, what's next? Do we proceed with destroying the Clear Sky Clan?" Zhuzhu asked. Their mission was to gather intelligence and eventually bring about the clan's downfall.
Ye Hao pondered for a moment. "We'll act after Tang San leaves. He's a wild card. With nowhere else to go besides the Moon Pavilion in Heaven Dou City, he'll have no choice but to set sail for Sea God Island once we're done here. After all, he possesses the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, and the Sea God rules the oceans. He won't pass up that opportunity."
Having made his decision, Ye Hao turned to Zhuzhu.
"Leave the Clear Sky Clan immediately and inform Spirit Hall to prepare for the assault. Those five elders and Tang Xiao won't go down easily. Also, request Grandpa to send the Golden Crocodile Douluo, the Falling Devil Douluo, and the Ghost Leopard Douluo as reinforcements. With the Death God's Heart and remnants of the Shura God's power masking your presence, even Tang San's Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud won't detect you. Go quickly."
Understanding the urgency, Zhuzhu bowed and vanished, slipping past the clan's defenses undetected.
With the plan set, Ye Hao had one more target to deal with before the final strike.
Tang Yuehua.
Tang San's aunt. Tang Xiao's sister. The Moon Pavilion's master.
This woman was no ordinary figure. Before destroying the Clear Sky Clan, Ye Hao needed to neutralize her.
Without Tang Yuehua, Tang San would lose his last refuge. And without its master, the Moon Pavilion would inevitably collapse.
By then, Sea God Island would be Tang San's only option.
As for the Star Luo Empire?
Over two years ago, Dai Mubai had already severed all ties with Tang San.
According to Spirit Hall's intelligence, Dai Mubai had since become the Star Luo Empire's crown prince, his position secure. Unless he wanted to throw away his future as emperor, he would never shelter someone as controversial as Tang San.
Ye Hao walked to the window, pushing it open to gaze at the Clear Sky Clan's sprawling grounds.
"Not much longer now... Soon, the Clear Sky Clan will be nothing but history."