They materialized suddenly from green mist with no prior warning. This caused surprise to all those present. The watchers glanced at them immediately in concern. Recognising their lord Cheng Tao being present. Yet the other two were without a doubt hostile enemies.
Tang Yuan realized immediately what happened. They had been transported somewhere. Enemies were all around them, how many were stronger than them? He was forced to calm down in preparation for what was to come.
Bibi Dong felt the fury that consumed her cool slightly. Suddenly Tang Yuan had come back under attack. She had been confused for a few moments. Seeing him not react, she felt terror fill her heart more than ever. The possibility of being left alone, of losing her friend.
As that man jumped away. Along with Tang Yuan reacting. Two different things filled her heart, relief and hatred. She acted on the latter immediately stabbing that man with her leg. She wanted him to suffer for that fear.
Now though her heart and mind had different feelings. Her heart filled with satisfaction at the suffering she brought that man. Her mind cooled taking control of her anger. Recognising her impatience had led them into this trouble.
Cheng Tao's face contorted things had gone bad. He pulled his hand from the spear-like leg unflinchingly. Then he punched her with the other hand. Yet he did not bother to see the results turning away. "Kill them both," he ordered his subordinates as he walked away.
Tang Yuan and Bibi Dong watched him leave the room. Not even trying to stop him. They simply lacked the power to do that. One less enemy to face for the moment after all.
Cheng Tao maintained that calmness even as he stepped out of the room. Then "dam, this wasn't how it was meant to go." With that, he increased his pace. He could allow anyone to notice anything.
Maintaining that stance until he came to the edge of the boat. He looked around, seeing nobody he nodded. Then jumped off the side of the ship. His feet touched the water without sinking, and he began to run.
Meanwhile, the various soul masters assumed martial possession. There were more than a dozen of them at first glance. None of them were soul kings, thankfully. But more than one Soul Sect was present. The rest a mix of Soul Honors and Soul Grandmasters.
The soul masters watched the two of them with wariness. They only had three rings making them Soul Honors. But both of them had purple rings for their second ring. That was something to be wary of.
Tang Yuan readied himself "11, 12, 13, there are 14 of them. Two Soul Sects, four Soul Honors, and eight Soul Grandmasters. This will not be easy for us Dong'er." he said as he placed his back against hers. His martial soul at the ready for this.
Bibi Dong looked at them with concern. She felt guilty now, her emotions had gotten them into this. No, now wasn't the time for that. They needed to survive past this first. "I will start us off cover me please."
Tang Yuan understood immediately. If they were to win her second and third skills were critical. "First Skill: Golden Aura," The golden color of his hammer activated.
Bibi Dong began as well "Second Skill: Poison Cloud." She tossed the poison droplet at them. Before repeating the action twice more in quick succession.
The drops fell amongst the groups as they burst into poison clouds. Quickly the gaseous poison filled their lungs. As soul masters started coughing and choking.
"Third Skill: Web Weaving," She wove her web before unleashing it at a cloud. Doing the same for another of the clouds. "That should deal with a few of them for now," she said with a breath.
Realizing the danger they began keeping their distance. Still, a number had already been poisoned by the cloud. Others had been caught by the webs. For at least a few minutes their enemy's numbers had fallen.
Tang Yuan took the chance provided to him "Second Skill: Lightning Channeling." Electricity ran along his hammer with his second skill. Now his skills were both active.
Every soul master present immediately identified Bibi Dong as the primary threat. She could damage or restrain many of them. Those least afraid of numbers were poison users. Already those facing Bibi Dong had suffered severely.
The unharmed ones charged Tang Yuan. Determined to crush him, and get to the girl behind him. A Soul Honor in front, a sword in hand, his martial soul was already mid-slash. The others several steps behind him.
Tang Yuan met him head-on. "Third Skill: Heavy Impact," he swung his hammer with devastating force.
The sword-wielding soul master's third ring lit up. "Third Skill: Severance," his blade shone with sharpness. He would counter the skill, and his companions would end him.
The moment the hammer and sword met. Tang Yuan concluded immediately that his opponent was lacking. To clash his sword against a hammer.
Immediately the soul master began to strain. Even as he expended soul power to hold the exchange. He couldn't match him with all his effort. Then the electricity coursed from the hammer into the sword. He grimaced flinching from the pain.
His sword gave only a bit, but that was enough. The hammer forced the sword away. That blow continued onward past the sword's guard hitting his arm. If one listened closely a cracking sound could be heard. Even as he was sent flying away in pain.
Tang Yuan had no chance to be happy. Four others were still coming two Soul Grandmasters, and another Soul Honor. The most difficult was the Soul Sect.
Thinking that Tang Yuan steeled himself ready. In the next instant, the Soul Sect arrived his claws ready. A beast soul master without a doubt. He countered the claw strike with his hammer. Only for a moment, this one was no fool.
The Soul Sect tsked as he used the force to retreat. That hammer wasn't something to face head-on. He began taking steps to the side. If he could draw his attention, or the others did. Then they could strike his companion.
Bibi Dong advanced confident that Tang Yuan was protecting her back. She needed to deal with as many as possible. Or keep them bogged down. "Scared of a little girl?" she baited them trying to make them approach.
The soul masters kept their position. Each was wary of her, even scared. They tried to free themselves from the webbing. The six Soul Grandmasters felt a slight burning from poison.
Bibi Dong realized they were waiting. Either to hit Tang Yuan, or for an opening. She took a few steps forward, keeping her eyes on all nine of them. "Third Skill: Web Weaving," She wove another web. Throwing it like a net at the one at the edge.
The web hit its mark easily enough. She would have to move in order to attack. Once more they could merely burn the webbing. This one was different though. She yanked on the string in her grasp as he came flying.
"First Skill: Death Strike," Her leg came up to meet the bound woman. Easily piercing through with lethal poison. Tossing the now-corpse away in the next instant.
Now there were thirteen in total, and eight here. But that trick wouldn't work again. She watched their faces turn wary of her.
Tang Yuan blocked a kick, Soul Grandmaster with a Rock Camel soul. His hammer blocked it easily. The lightning entered his foe's body at impact. Tang Yuan put a bit more strength into his swing. His enemy was forced back. He threw knives to wound and impede him.
Immediately he had to readjust bringing his hammer up. Countering a claw strike from the Soul Sect. A second claw came at his neck. Tang Yuan in an instant used his hammer to counter.
The soul master's eyes widened at the recovery speed. A hammer shouldn't normally move that fast. The Soul Sect's third ring brightened its yellow color. His body's mass increased for a moment just as a third swing hit him.
Tang Yuan knew he would be off-kilter for a moment. Stepped forward to meet the second Soul Grandmaster he faced. His hammer ruthlessly aimed for his head.
Having seen the hammer's power before the soul master dodged. Yet Tang Yuan used the recoil to launch his fourth strike of the chain. The blow hit the two-ringed soul master on the side. Enough to damage several ribs.
Tang Yuan did not stop his chain of blows. After several blows, he determined his enemy was either dead or critically wounded. He took several steps back to maintain the line. "They should be down to twelve now," he told Bibi Dong.
"I killed two of the Grandmasters, eleven remain. The others have been restricted by my poison." She spoke quickly not willing to take her eyes off them. She had seven more to deal with.
Speaking of which. She fired another of her webs at them. Unfortunately, they had become wise to them. The web hit the ground splattering on the ground, one of several. It would happen soon she suspected.
She continued watching them. Not willing to take a single chance with this many. She was expending soul power rather quickly though. Keeping nine, now seven busy was rather taxing for her reserves.
Then finally what she had been waiting for occurred. One of the Grandmasters stepped onto her waiting webs. She acted instantly firing another web.
The Soul Grandmaster found himself stuck and unable to move. He tried to cut the web with his martial soul. Yet even as he failed to do so the new web arrived. He found himself bound tightly by the web.
The flame soul master immediately moved to his side. They had begun burning the webs as needed. Their martial soul a candle with golden adornments. Two rings, the first white in color. Bibi Dong found them most troublesome.
Bibi Dong watched as most of them moved to the trapped one. She fired a poison cloud at them for cover, "Perfect." For the first time, she moved from her position.
Her veil increased her acceleration even more than normal. She arrived at another of the two ringed masters. Unleashing her first skill twice at point-blank range. Her legs pierced his body at the side and the chest. Both aimed at the heart, his breath stopped easily.
She moved again aiming for a Soul Honor. Once again she used her first skill hoping to have a repeat success. The first aimed again at the heart.
The Soul Honor countered releasing his third skill. His hand became reptilian, a lizard's claw. The claw met the spider leg countering it. Only to let out a grunt of pain a second later. "A second attack."
Bibi Dong smiled she had delayed her second strike. It managed to dig into his upper arm just below the shoulder. She prepared a third strike, only to feel a chill. Taking several steps back from her attack in an instant.
Something, rather someone came crashing down where she once stood. Four soul rings circled him, White, Yellow, Yellow, and Purple. His martial soul a large shield under his body from the crash.
Bibi Dong retreated her face a mask of seriousness. She watched as the Soul Honor fell to his knees in pain. Her poison spread, his arm would be worthless. He would likely be unable to fight from here on.
Bibi Dong watched them it was still a dangerous group. She couldn't afford to show any weakness. Her reserves were nearly down to a third. This would be difficult to bring to a proper end.
"It seems that they are okay for now," mused Guanling Douluo as he observed them. True they were facing an uphill battle, but it was winnable. In fact, they were doing well. He noted a few things to bring up to their elders.
Then he frowned "No sign of that Cheng Tao. How cautious, he must have left immediately." determining what had happened easily. Cheng Tao was nowhere in his sensing range he must have run far.
He turned his gaze at the battle. Part of their success was their opponents' issues of course. They had little coordination between them as a group.
He glanced at the Soul Sects the two biggest threats. Those two were especially bad in their own ways. One seemed far too confident in his defense. The other the beast soul master was too much of a coward.
"They are far too weak. Xiao Yuan and Dong'er are top tier at their level. But to do this well against Soul Sects" they must have used drugs to reach Soul Sect. Their bodies just seemed a bit too frail for their rank.
Tang Yuan glanced at his opponents. His eyes locked on the camel soul master. The second Soul Honor was attending to him a green glow on his form. A healer, wait what about the other one then?
He immediately found the Soul Honor right next to them. His sword held in both hands. One of them was shaking, but likely usable now. Even if not at full strength either.
His moment of inspection ended as he countered an attack. The Soul Sect was retreating as quickly as he attacked. Again, hit-and-run tactics it was really starting to grate. Was he merely cowardly, or was he tactical? If he wasn't mistaken it was the former. He was too skittish.
He could take advantage of that cowardice. "Bibi Dong I'm going to move, you should as well." He whispered to her through soul power. Hearing her steps as she began to step back moving closer to him.
Tang Yuan charged right for the group of three. If he was to make this move work at least two needed to die. The Soul Sect wouldn't attack immediately. No he would wait until their weakest moment.
Tang Yuan arrived before the three of them. Immediately clashing with the sword user once more. The first strike was powerful, but the second had Heavy Impact.
The Soul Honor had already endured it once. Had no desire to face it a second time. He stepped backward preparing to dodge the sweeping hammer.
Tang Yuan seeing that slammed his hammer into the ground behind him. Using the force of the blow to move forward. Drawing from his belt a guardless sword of his own making. Clashing against the bewildered man who barely blocked.
The Soul Honor struggled against the sudden sword clash. He held his sword against his enemy's blade. Using a weapon that wasn't your martial soul. This sword would break long before his own, and then he would die.
Tang Yuan brought his Hammer to the end of the hilt. Hitting it with the power he could use so close. The sword immediately moved forward until it pierced the Soul Honor's body. Immediately a second strike hit the sword driving it deeper.
This was not a sword so much as it was a nail in sword form. Made without a guard for better use in piercing. It still needed some work though he noted.
The Soul Honor cried out in pain as the nail sword pierced him. Blood flowed from the wound as he fell back. "What in the hell, you dam bastard!!! Cough, cough." The man's screams stopped as blood entered his lungs.
Tang Yuan stepped past the sword user. Their exchange lasted less than a minute of time. Taking the nail from the body as he did. His steps resounding as he approached the healer and her patient.
She looked up trembling as he approached her hammer and nail ready. She bowed her head in submission. "By my martial soul, I surrender myself to you. My fate and body in your hands."
Tang Yuan merely nodded at that surrender. He would honor it but keep an eye on her. Turning his gaze "And do you surrender as well?" allowing some controlled menace to mix into his voice.
Before an answer could be given, Tang Yuan felt shooting pain. As if someone had driven needles into his back. It was an unpleasant feeling as blood began flowing.
Tang Yuan looked down at the Soul Grandmaster. He had already begun to rise from his position. Hostility and bloodlust were clear in his gaze. In response, Tang Yuan drove his nail sword down into his chest. Piercing his heart or lung perhaps both, death was close at hand.
Tang Yuan turned to face his attacker. "It seems my prediction was correct. You went for my back." It was either that or Bibi Dong. But she was a bit too dangerous and armored for him. And she was no doubt low on soul power.
The healer noticed his wound. Metal could be seen glinting beneath his clothes. The wound itself was only a glancing scratch at a glance.
The Soul Sect frowned at that. The attack had been predicted, but he allowed the hit. Once more the amount of blood was too little. Wasn't the wound that deep "Why?"
Tang Yuan smiled keeping his gaze on the man. "My clothes are well made, plus armor under them." Not to mention reinforcing his Soul Shroud at his back. Then his eyes unconsciously looked over his shoulder.
The Soul Sect's eyes widened as he noticed. Turning around even as a leg pierced through his body. Poison was quickly injected into his body. He moved quickly even as blood spilled from his body.
Tang Yuan moved to stand with his friend. He and Bibi Dong still had seven left to face. Two were severely injured and most were poisoned. Things had changed for them, they were winning.
Guanling Douluo continued to pay attention to the fight. They might win this fight. But a cornered enemy was often at their most dangerous.
Once more he turned his gaze to where the city should be. It was growing ever more distant. Yet even still "Why do I have a bad feeling?" The feeling was sickening, a noticeable chill down his spine.
He had learned to trust his instincts. They had saved him more than once or led him to profit. This one was strange. It felt like the danger was around the city. But he wasn't even there so it couldn't be aimed at him.
Then something must be wrong with the others. They would be the ones to face the danger. Then Nuan must be the one in danger, not the threat of death. That was the reasonable conclusion that would also lead him into danger.
He was the one charged with guarding the trip. If something happened to Nuan or Yuan it would fall on him. If either died, the thought was the most terrifying thing. His own death was not an impossibility. What's worse was the death of either of them?
"Hahaha, seriously how did a hunt for a third ring turn out like this? If anything happens forget even the Pope or Second Brother. Tang Chen might kill me out of grief." he wanted to scream at the sheer insanity of this trip.
He had been a tad envious of all the treasure they found. Along with the merit they would gain. This trip alone, even Soul Sages or Soul Douluo would kill to have. But now all that fortune had come with interest for him.
The moment this battle ended he would go support the others. "No I can't leave the children alone. But I can't take them either." Guanling Douluo found himself going back and forth with himself. It was only reasonable to be wary of either option.
Tang Nuan arrived in the city, Gui Mei and Yue Guan were only a step behind. The sight that greeted them was nothing short of horrifying. Tang Nuan let out a breath at the sight. It was as if a war had taken place here.
The large relatively prosperous city was a sight. That which wasn't in ruins was instead in shambles. Fires burned here and there covering buildings. The sparsity of wood meant the fire spread little. Parts of the city seemed as if a great sword had been taken to them.
Then the perpetrator of this destruction revealed itself. The large coliseum at the center of the city collapsed further. The centipede had seemingly been trying to burrow into it maybe? Likely searching for some treasure within, or hungry for the lives within.
It had grown stronger since their first encounter. Though the difference was negligible considering its might. Though it had also seemingly shrunk in size.
"It must be condensing itself for its breakthrough," Yue Guan noticed. Paying attention to its body. Especially the hue of its shell almost entirely red now.
"How close is it now?" Tang Nuan asked for a second opinion. It seemed incredibly close to that tipping point. At least by her own reckoning.
"Close, very close. That meanie centipede is going to become even meaner. It's probably only looking for a final meal for a breakthrough." Yue Guan admitted as he looked at it.
Needless to say, they all realized who it sought to eat. One of them would be sufficient for that meal. Even then it would continue fighting. Better chances to survive the coming tribulation that way.
"I will engage it myself, Yue Guan support me. Gui Mei check with Dugu Bo. The fighting seems to have stopped there." Tang Nuan laid out what they would do. She had no intention of allowing such rampant death.
Gui Mei nodded without saying a thing. He disappeared into the shadows before the shadow moved. Heading towards the mansion area.
Tang Yuan turned her gaze at the centipede. She jumped into the city moving towards the centipede. Trying to keep to the already laid-out path of destruction.
The centipede sensed the arrival of its prey. Turning its head and opened its mouth gathering its power. Its massive body held onto the coliseum as a brace. The red light gathered into its mouth for its most devastating attack.
Yue Guan grimaced seeing that. Using its strongest attack right from the start. He jumped into the air "Seventh Soul Skill: Martial Soul True Body." Now was not a time to hesitate, but he would certainly feel it later. True body and martial soul fusion in the same day.
The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum in his grasp floats upward. Growing in size quickly eclipsing his body in size. The flower floats in the sky as if carried by the wind. Golden light radiated from it as a floral scent was carried by the wind.
Then from the floating flower, light shot out of it. "Eight Skill: Door of Light," was spoken from the flower itself. Many rays of light emerged from the flower. All of them converged on the Centipede instantly.
The rays impacted the powerful centipede with devastating force. The centipede that had been gathering power was interrupted. The forced sending it crashing back into the ruined coliseum. The next instant an explosion of red filled the area.
"Screech!!!." A horrid sound filled the air. A scream of rage and pain from an enormous being. The Centipede was certainly not happy after that.
After a few moments, it emerged from the building. Small cracks dripped with pale liquid around its mouth. Its eyes were practically glowing red with hatred and bloodlust. The creature really did not like that. Just as it turned its gaze to the floating flower.
Tang Nuan arrived at the coliseum. She lunged at the creature with her sixth soul ring. Her fangs dug into the creature's sturdy exoskeleton. The weight and impact dragged its head down. Yet her fangs could not pierce deeply into it.
She struggled against the beast trying to grasp it with her claws. Hoping to pull it downward. But the beast was simply too large and heavy. Especially compared to her smaller stature.
The creature began to writhe and move spinning itself. Crushing Tang Nuan against the ground or buildings. Trying to remove her from its body. As she resisted it only grew more and more frenzied. Its rage grew at its inability to dislodge its passenger.
Tang Nuan applied more force to her bite. Trying to sink her teeth deeper rather than merely pricking it. Her fangs were the fangs of Golden Crocodile. Those that could pierce and crush beasts quite a bit older than them. Yet they could not pass this defensive carapace.
The centipede tired of the struggle aimed for the ground. Heading for the earth with ramming speed. Tang Nuan sensing that finally let up her bite. Getting away as the beast burrowed into the ground beneath them.
Tang Nuan landed away from the destroyed coliseum. Spreading her senses to try to detect where it would emerge. Immediately her gaze sensed it below her. She moved her body away just as the ground exploded.
The centipede burst from the earth in attack. Missing its target by a few feet. Not willing to lose the chance Tang Nuan attacked. Her fifth skill activated her tail landing on its moving body.
The strike did little damage to its main body. That damage was mainly concentrated on the legs. That gave her an idea as she unleashed her sixth once again. Her target one of the beast's large legs.
Her mouth bit the leg even as the beast moved around. She steadied herself digging into the ground. Her teeth sank into the carapace of the leg. Then she wrenched back with as much force as she could.
Only for the struggle to suddenly give way. She found herself nearly being thrown back by her strength. Something was in her mouth the leg. She spat it out, a vicious crocodile smile of fangs. "Looks like its leg armor is much thinner."
The Centipede King roared in pain at the sensation. Pale fluid dripped from the missing leg's spot. Pain raptured its body for the first time in this battle.
Tang Nuan watched the creature. Then she sensed another presence that quickly approached. The presence stopped on her head, it was Gui Mei.
Gui Mei looked at the state of things. In terms of wounds, Tang Nuan had inflicted the most critical damage. Yet the beast's reserves were more than likely deep. And it had many more legs as well.
"Are you going to speak?" Tang Nuan asked with some aggression in her voice. She could practically smell his hesitation. He rarely spoke, and hesitating was even rarer.
Gui Mei knowing he had been found out spoke. "They came under attack. Tang Yuan and the Maiden were separated from them. Senior Guanling moved to protect them. They have not returned yet." he said his voice mostly neutral. Hints of emotion leaking out were a very telling thing.
Hearing his words Tang Yuan's mind went blank for a moment. Fear, worry, and rage. These emotions passed through her quickly. She slammed her claw down onto the ground.
From her mouth came a bestial roar of anger and wrath. "WHAT!!!! I will tear them to pieces." In her rage, her eighth ring lit up. A fiery golden shroud surrounded her. Far more intense than before, she charged the centipede.
Unable to see it as an opponent. But as something in her way to be crushed and slaughtered. Her body moved as if possessed by an intent to kill and destroy.
Even as the wind around them picked up speed. Clouds loomed on the horizon. Moving towards them as if on the prowl. Yet none could bring attention to them. Not in the middle of such a battle as this.
Elsewhere Jiao Zheng monitored the ongoing battle. Preparing to interfere if the possibility presented itself. Yet as things continued his instinct only grew more harried. The danger just kept on increasing it seemed.
He looked upward at the sky "The wind is picking up quite a bit. It must be a sandstorm. It's coming here after all." They always invoked such powerful sandstorms when they acted. Even he couldn't face that thing directly.
"Now do I take the risk? Leave this place for safety. Or take the risk of obtaining its spirit bone, and perhaps its ring." The thought of acquiring a red ring for his ninth. He would be able to dominate all the other families of the desert.
But his thoughts turned to his new acquisition. Only after its absorption could he risk facing a red ring. Even then that thing was beyond even a normal 100,000-year beast.
"It's not worth the risk." he decided as he turned around. Moving as far away from the battle as possible. The chaos would be too dangerous even for him. "I hope you survive until our next meeting Nuan. Then perhaps I will take you for myself. A worthy nest for my blood."