In the distant sky.
Three figures stood quietly: Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, and Bone Douluo. They held telescope soul guide devices, watching everything happening at the Heaven Dou imperial family.
"Fengzhi, it seems our presence has made those Sea God Island fellows hesitate to act recklessly," Bone Douluo said with a smile.
"Of course. We were never weak to begin with," Sword Douluo laughed heartily.
"This situation is very complicated!" Ning Fengzhi did not share their joy. Instead, he pondered the events unfolding below. "They are trying to use completely legitimate and rule-abiding methods so that we have no way to intervene."
"Moreover, every side has its own reservations…" Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "However, such a stalemate probably won't last much longer."
This was Xue Beng's final stand, and also the last hope of the old nobility.
If they failed, there would be no room left in Heaven Dou for any of the "chronic illnesses" from Emperor Xue Ye's era.
"But that God King Tang San has likely already made his move."
"Tang San made a move?" Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo exchanged glances.
"Yes," Ning Fengzhi sighed. "Win or lose, it doesn't matter to him. His goal is probably to plunge Heaven Dou into chaos. Taking Xue Beng as a disciple was likely for this very purpose."
"I'm a little worried about Dugu Bo right now."
"Fengzhi, you mean…"
Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "Perhaps I'm overthinking it. I've already notified Dugu Bo: if there is even the slightest sign that the Jade Phosphor Serpent poison is being countered, he is to withdraw immediately."
Their enemy was Tang San—an existence who had lived for tens of thousands of years.
One had to be cautious.
"Let's get a little closer. Otherwise, if something happens, we might not be able to react in time."
…
Inside the Heaven Dou imperial palace, while both sides were still in a deadlock.
"Go to hell!"
An object appeared in Xue Beng's hand: two iron balls, one large and one small. The moment the two iron balls collided in flight, hundreds of fine needles shot out.
"Mother-Child Soul-Chasing Life-Seizing Bombs."
The soul-chasing life-seizing bombs, slightly modified by Tang San, all flew toward Xue Ke.
This scene caught everyone present completely off guard.
"Not good!" Golden Crocodile Douluo's expression changed drastically. "Golden Crocodile Possession!"
The other Title Douluo scattered to dodge. Golden Crocodile Douluo wanted to protect Xue Ke—after all, she was someone Qian Renxue had indicated was relatively important.
However, he was ultimately one step too slow.
More than a dozen fine needles pierced into Xue Ke's body. Xue Ke spat out a mouthful of blood with a "puff."
"How dare you!"
Golden Crocodile's martial soul erupted with light. Its powerful tail swept fiercely toward Bo Saixi and the others.
Bo Saixi stepped forward instead. Water condensed into a counterfeit form of the Sea God's Trident in her hand.
"Sea God's Thirteen Forms—Unfixed Wind and Waves."
The gap between a quasi-god and a pseudo demi-god was immediately apparent—especially since Bo Saixi was no ordinary quasi-god. She was a divine servant who wielded divine skills.
"Sea God's Thirteen Forms—A Thousand Years of Emptiness."
Powerful soul power erupted, unleashing a scene like mountains and seas collapsing.
The gigantic golden crocodile was sent flying. Golden Crocodile Douluo staggered as he landed on the ground, vomiting dirty blood from his mouth.
"Damn it, I'm far too inferior."
On Xue Ke's side, although she had barely used the Emerald Swan soul bone set to block many of the fine needles, quite a few still sank into her body.
Fortunately, her martial soul was already the Emerald Swan. Otherwise, she would have died on the spot. The healing ability suppressed the spread of the poison, but it definitely couldn't hold for long.
"Xue Ke, you're finished."
The Spirit Hall worshipers who wanted to save her all attacked, but the sacred pillars of Sea God Island and the Clear Sky Sect elders briefly held them back, buying Xue Beng time to kill Xue Ke.
The balance of the battle tilted toward Xue Beng's side.
A figure in long robes flashed like a ghost, leaving Xue Beng's side and appearing in front of Xue Ke.
The woman was dressed entirely in black and wore a cat-patterned mask, but the signature of that lively purple martial soul—
A familiar feeling surged into Xue Ke's heart.
"You are…"
"I'm sorry. For His Highness Xue Beng, and for my revenge, you must die!" The martial soul aura surging from the woman grew increasingly obvious, but in the next instant it dispersed again, as if deliberately concealed.
"Fourth Soul Skill—Nether Slash."
The slash that should have cut across Xue Ke's neck stopped half an inch from her throat. The woman's body trembled slightly, as if exerting force, yet she could not advance even an inch—as though an invisible barrier blocked her.
"Clang—"
A pale green barrier appeared over Xue Ke's body. A faint ripple emerged at the point of contact with the barrier. The woman was directly sent flying backward and landed beside Xue Beng once more.
"Little girl of the Zhu family, and Prince Xue Beng—do you really think you can so blatantly kill my disciple right in front of me, as if I, your teacher, don't exist?"
An extremely abrupt voice rang out. A woman in a light green long dress, with shoulder-length green hair, materialized in the sky from nothing.
"T-Teacher!" Xue Ke raised her head with difficulty. Within the green barrier, she felt the toxins in her body being forcibly devoured by healing power.
"It's been a long time, Xue Ke." The woman wore a pair of frameless glasses on the bridge of her nose, giving her an air of intellectual beauty.
While she spoke, the worshiper elders had already forced the enemies back, once again shielding Xue Ke and retreating to open up distance.
Seeing the duck they had in hand fly away—and with a new enemy appearing—Bo Saixi did not insist on continuing the fight.
"Bi Ji of the Star Dou Great Forest, are you really determined to interfere in human affairs?" Bo Saixi's expression darkened. Bi Ji was only a healing soul beast; even if she reached Limit Douluo level, her combat strength wasn't strong.
However, given the nature of the Star Dou Great Forest, it was impossible for such an important figure to appear alone. There were definitely bodyguards present—they just hadn't been discovered yet.
"Your Excellency Bo Saixi, Xue Ke is my disciple. Would you be willing to give me some face?"
"The Star Dou Great Forest would be endlessly grateful." Bi Ji, who had landed beside Xue Ke, gave a slight bow.
"Hmph, face!"
"A soul beast dares to enter the human world and act arrogantly in front of us—you are courting death."
An elder from the Clear Sky Sect could no longer hold back. Bi Ji of the Star Dou Great Forest—that was a soul beast, right? Damn, a walking treasure! If they could capture her…
"This elder of the Clear Sky Sect, although I am not skilled in combat, according to the standards of the human world, I am still at the Limit Douluo level."
"Killing me is not something you can do." Bi Ji seemed not to have noticed the hostile tone in the other party's words. Her voice remained calm, as if simply conversing.
"Li-Limit Douluo…" The Clear Sky Sect elder sucked in a cold breath. He had indeed forgotten that if the Bi Ji before him truly was Xue Ke's teacher, she was indeed comparable to a Limit Douluo.
"Is your Star Dou Great Forest absolutely determined to interfere?" Bo Saixi was in a very difficult position. She could definitely defeat the other party, but the Star Dou Great Forest ran too deep. In the current situation, they should not be provoked.
"Didn't you all think we have connections with humans?" Bi Ji's tone was gentle. "That's right—we support the Heaven Dou Empire. We support Xue Ke. There, is that enough?"
"Hmph!"
A cold snort came from the sky.
Tang Chen's figure appeared.
"Emerald Swan Bi Ji, do you really think we can't take you down? Get lost immediately, or I won't mind obtaining an extremely high-quality soul ring and soul bone far beyond a hundred thousand years for my grandson."
Tang Chen had recovered to his peak. Holding the Asura God Sword, he felt like he could do it again.
The unrivaled Tang Chen of the Douluo Continent had returned.
Moreover, Tang San still lacked soul rings. The age limit of the Emerald Swan Bi Ji's soul ring should be quite good.
"Oh? And who might you be!"
Space trembled slightly. Two figures appeared not far away.
When Tang Chen saw the man and woman, his expression changed abruptly. Even Bo Saixi's face underwent a sudden drastic shift.
"Surprised?" The middle-aged man crossed his arms, his voice ice-cold. "The time for retribution has come. I, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, together with my wife the Demon Empress, have come to take revenge on you all."
(End of chapter)