Great Sumeru Hammer
The Great Sumeru Hammer was the Clear Sky Clan's inherited divine technique since its very establishment. Due to its extremely high requirements, only individuals with truly exceptional talent could successfully cultivate it. Anyone lacking such talent would not merely fail, but could endanger their own life. For this reason, the technique could only be passed down to one person in each generation.
In Tang Xiao's generation—the third generation—only Tang Hao had successfully learned it from Tang Chen. As for Tang Zhen's generation, no one learned it, not even Tang Zhen himself. The reason was simple: he lacked the required talent.
This'talent'was something abstract. Tang Xiao could not fully comprehend it at first—until Tang Hao personally explained it to him.
The talent required was not merely cultivation speed, but an extraordinary level of control over the soul power within one's body, as well as an exceptionally high perception of the soul power in the surrounding environment. This level of sensitivity was something usually only those born with innatelyfullsoul power—level ten—could possess. From the very moment their martial souls awakened, such individuals already stood on a different plane.
Those born with innate full soul power not only cultivated faster than others, but also possessed a degree of perception and control over soul power that was fundamentally incomparable.
However, most people born with innate full soul power only made use of the first advantage—fast cultivation speed—and rarely tapped into the second.
After all, in the Douluo Continent, there was little need for such precise control over soul power. Soul masters relied on soul rings to activate skills; power could be released effortlessly without finesse. As a result, control and perception were largely ignored.
Only a handful of exceptional individuals—those capable of creating self-created soul skills—truly understood the value of soul power control. Thus, throughout the entire Douluo Continent, most soul masters placed little importance on this aspect, even those born with innate full soul power.
Tang Hao was one such person born with innate full soul power.
Although his cultivation speed was only around 30-40% faster than Tang Xiao—who was born with innate level nine soul power—the difference in soul power control and perception between them was worlds apart. Tang Zhen was the same.
Therefore, Tang Chen had only passed the technique to Tang Hao. There was no favoritism involved—only suitability.
As for why the Great Sumeru Hammer demanded such extreme talent in soul power control, the answer lay in the very nature of the technique itself.
....
"Big Brother," Tang Hao said solemnly, standing beneath the vast, star-filled sky on a distant mountain far from the Clear Sky Sect, "the Great Sumeru Hammer is the process of condensing all of one's soul rings into a single point, infusing them entirely into our Clear Sky Hammer martial soul."
"This transforms them into the purest form of soul power and attack force, exponentially amplifying our strength. It forcibly breaks through all restraints and unleashes power that surpasses our own cultivation level."
"It follows the path of absolute suppression—using overwhelming force to render an opponent's soul skills and techniques meaningless before the sheer power of our hammer."
Tang Xiao listened intently.
"To control such an immense amount of external soul power—power that does not naturally belong to the body—one must possess extraordinary control. If even a slight imbalance occurs, the consequences will be disastrous."
Tang Xiao nodded heavily, indicating his understanding.
If the technique was truly as dangerous as Tang Hao described, then it was clear that his former self had indeed been unfit to inherit it. Had Tang Chen forced the technique upon him back then, the result would not have been growth—but crippling, or death.
As someone who had transmigrated into this body, Tang Xiao understood its original limits better than anyone.
But now… it was completely different.
After consuming four immortal herbs, setting aside the fact that his cultivation speed had increased by two and a half times, his control over soul power had risen to a terrifying level. Not only that—he could clearly perceive the heaven and earth energy in the air around him.
It was as if…
As if he were the darling of heaven and earth.
Perhaps that was an exaggeration—but only slightly.
Tang Xiao dared to say that, in terms of soul power control alone, the current him far surpassed even geniuses born with innate full soul power like Tang Hao. They could not even grasp the edge of his capability.
After all, four immortal herbs—each capable of defying fate and remolding one's foundation—had transformed him in a way akin to rebirth. His soul power control was hundreds, if not thousands of times greater than before.
Even if the difference between innate level nine and innate level ten soul power was significant, it should never be this exaggerated.
A single immortal herb could allow someone to eclipse even the most dazzling geniuses of the continent. He had consumed four, each one among the very best.
Even if they did not multiply his talent severalfold compared to someone with innate full soul power, they should at least place him four times above them, considering he had consumed four, right?
'This is the power of knowing the plot… and taking the cheats for oneself,' Tang Xiao laughed inwardly.
'But even so, the difference in soul power control between innate level nine and ten must truly be enormous… at least a hundredfold,' he mused. It was no injustice that only such individuals could learn this divine technique.
Shaking off thoughts of pity for others—and for his former self—Tang Xiao focused entirely on learning the technique.
"Moreover," Tang Hao continued, his tone solemn, "the Great Sumeru Hammer possesses another formidable ability—Ring Explosion."
"Each soul ring can undergo a ring explosion, releasing its full power in an instant and integrating it into our attacks. The higher the age of the soul ring, the greater the effect. Each soul ring can only be used once."
"When all soul rings have undergone ring explosions, the user will enter a severely weakened state. The process itself is extremely dangerous. If one fails to suppress the energy generated, they may be consumed by it."
Tang Xiao nodded. He already had a basic understanding from the novel, and the predecessor of this body had also learned fragments from Tang Chen. Tang Hao was merely reinforcing the key points—precautions that could mean life or death.
"And most importantly," Tang Hao emphasized, his tone rising another notch, "after using Ring Explosion, all soul rings will disappear within three days, leaving behind only soul power. It takes three full days for the soul rings to recover. Furthermore, after using Ring Explosion once, at least thirty-six days must pass before it can be used again. Otherwise, there is a real danger of the soul rings being permanently destroyed."
"Big Brother, remember this clearly."
Tang Xiao nodded—yet a sharp glint of wisdom flashed through his eyes at the final warning.
"Soul rings being permanently destroyed, huh…?"
His thoughts began to churn.
All this time, he had been dissatisfied with this body's soul ring configuration. He had never expected a potential breakthrough to be hidden within this divine technique.
"But it won't be easy," he thought.
The permanent destruction of a soul ring likely meant that the martial soul itself would no longer be able to attach a new one—or that something fundamental would change.
Otherwise, Tang Hao would already be brimming with eight black soul rings, even if not all red. Tang Chen would have done the same.
Still… it was worth pondering.
'If I remember correctly,' Tang Xiao recalled, 'when Tang San removed his soul ring and transplanted it to Xiao Wu, his martial soul was crippled. Yet he later absorbed new soul rings because his martial soul is the Blue Silver Emperor—possessing terrifying vitality—and because of the Sea God's divine power.'
The answer—and the solution—were already there.
There were two ways to remove soul rings: exploding them, or transferring them.
For ordinary people, both were impossible.
But Tang Xiao was different.
Though he did not yet know the method of transplanting a soul ring, he possessed the technique to destroy one.
His mind spun like a raging storm, excitement surging.
'I won't ask for more,' he thought. 'Even if I can only replace one soul ring, I'll be satisfied. With my current foundation and the tenacity of my evolved Clear Sky Hammer, it should be able to endure losing at least one ring… right?'
Still, he was not reckless. Without sufficient certainty and complete understanding, he would never gamble with his future.
Yet even this sliver of hope was enough to ignite his eagerness to master the technique.
Unable to contain himself, Tang Xiao urged Tang Hao to begin teaching immediately, unwilling to wait any longer on explanations.
Seeing Tang Xiao smile brightly like a child who had found a priceless treasure, Tang Hao could only sigh helplessly and begin teaching—afraid that if he delayed even a moment longer, his impatient big brother might hit him.