Guangling Douluo let out an icy breath as ice grew into shape in his hands. The ice quickly bridged the gap becoming a single piece. In response, he squeezed it as parts fractured off. Uncovering its true form for his martial soul the, Glowing Feather Bow.
Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Black, and Black. Nine spirit rings emerged circling around him. The air grew cold as his power surged, and the area seemed to grow brighter.
A confident smile appeared on his face as he placed two fingers on his bow. Then in an instant, he began to fire. Arrows manifested in his grasp, and he fired them swiftly. In a single act, several arrows of glowing ice left his bow.
The Crocodile was already in motion. Even as the arrows arrived with startling speed. Each one hit the crocodile's large body flawlessly. The arrows upon contact tried to pierce through scales. Before bursting into spreading ice.
The crocodile moved even with several icy points on its body. Parts of the ice easily fell off at its movement. The crocodile charged its enemy with what seemed like reckless abandon.
Guanling stepped back as the jaws came crashing down. Jumping into the air as a tail came next. Only to fire an arrow at a claw strike freezing it. He fired several more arrows as the chances presented themselves.
The powerful soul beast growled with annoyance at the attacks. Each one did little damage through its scales. But each carried cold that seeped into its body. That cold was itself rather potent in its effects.
With a wary glance, the Crocodile realized it had been disadvantaged. Each attack froze and chilled parts of its sandstorm. Large swathes when combined with the natural aura of cold.
In response, the creature slammed the ground with its claws. Seeming to dive into the sand like diving into water. Quickly even its large body disappeared from view. It was ready to strike at any moment.
Guanling Douluo merely hummed at that jumping up. Holding himself in the air for now and moving a bit higher. He didn't like to remain in the air for long, nor did most tool soul masters. It meant losing the stability and foundation of feet on the ground.
Yet it was an effective counter to earth beasts' tricks. At least most of them. Thinking that he gathered his soul power into an arrow. Aiming for the ground as he sensed the beast out. Sensing its movement his eyes narrowed.
Several arrows arrived in the direction of the Soul Douluo. Bursting into massive shoots of ice. As they grew they merged into a glowing ice wall. In the next moment that wall exploded into shards.
The crocodile emerged from the shattered ice wall. As it did several blades of stone emerged with it. They grew fast and large aiming for Guanling Douluo. So large that they actually managed to threaten the flying man.
He skillfully danced amongst the blades or fired arrows to counter. Finally, he stepped away from the attack. Uninjured in the span of the exchange of blows.
Less than two minutes had passed since they started. Yet the watchers knew that each attack was dangerous. Such was the battle at that level that even Soul Douluo were out of place.
Guanling upon landing, pulled back his bowstring once more. His third ring activated "Third Skill: Explosive Penetration," his arrow formed quickly and left just as quickly.
The Crocodile sensed the threat and tried to dodge. But found itself slightly sluggish. The ice and chill from the attacks were affecting it. The arrow arrived before its form, it couldn't dodge it. The arrow pierced through its scales far too easily. An icy pain exploded at the wound.
Guanling Douluo smiled smugly at the sight. His first skill Ice Feathers had been in effect since the beginning. Every arrow would spread chill into its body. Slowing its movement and increasing its energy use.
The Crocodile assessed the damage and threat. This human's attacks and the chill they brought dulled its movements like poison. The creature began to use its energy to counter the invading chill. It would consume energy it realized, but that was no matter.
It's attentions shifted to its wound. The wound ached and ice spread at impact freezing blood. It realized that its scales had been pierced too easily. The hit was small, but also painful.
The crocodile turned its wrathful gaze at the offending party. Its eyes kept on his form even as it remained aware of the others. Drawing a great deal of air to itself in a breath. When its lungs were filled it waited but a moment before releasing its breath.
The breath left its mouth like a strong breeze. This breeze transformed into a fast, deadly wind attack. Sand was picked up in large concentrated amounts. As if a sandstorm had become the same as this breath.
Guanling tsked at the attack. This beast was still aiming to kill his charges over him. If he dodged they would be hit. His sixth ring lit up "Sixth Skill: Absolute Feather Light." The arrow he created was filled with great power. As he let it loose the arrow transformed into a beam of icy light.
The two attacks hit one another at the center. Wind and sand formed one in a destructive missile. Ice and light formed the other a ray of icy cold. Both competed to pass one another to reach their target.
One tried to crush and pulverize, and the other to freeze and pierce. Sand was frozen only to be broken. Finally, with a burst, the attacks canceled each other. Sand and ice were both sent flying in equal measure.
Guanling let his fifth skill leave his bow "Arrive Without Obstacles." Multiple arrows came from his bow splitting further. More than two dozen smaller arrows rushed through the air.
The Crocodile slammed its claws on the ground. A wall of sand rose in front of its form. Then another along with a third for defense. Each wall was made of thickly compacted sand.
The barrage was halted by the walls. Starting with the first that fell easily at the barrage. The second followed soon after, and even the third as well. Three weakened arrows pierced through to the crocodile.
Each did little damage to the beast. Merely more ice gathered on its body. In response, the Golden Sand Crocodile King roared. Its tail rapping on the ground, a powerful aura gathered on its body. Swiftly that sandy yellow aura expanded from its body.
Guanling narrowed his eyes at the sight "A domain skill." This complicated things somewhat. He increased the soul power to maintain his Soul Veil. Already the domain was attempting to wear away his defense.
Second Brother's Golden Crocodile was primarily earth-based, with water attributes. Even then it lacked pure elemental abilities focusing on the physical body. This Sand Crocodile focused on wind as the primary, and earth as secondary.
That took the form of sand in this case. This domain enhanced its wind attribute. The sandstorms became whirling forms of death. All the while the wind reduced speed? Yes, it seemed to be speed, so it probably increased its speed in turn.
Guanling quickly made his determinations and speculations. His Soul Veil could resist the effects. Once more he had endured the Grand Worship's domain for a short time. But it would be a constant drain on soul power.
The crocodile's sandstorm picked up speed at a noticeable rate. Yet it remained mostly contained within the domain's borders. Accelerating that low ranking spirit masters would find the flesh ripped from their bones in seconds.
Guanling's Soul Veil held steadily at the dangerous hazard. But the crocodile's presence had faded greatly. Normally it would be difficult to find it in this.
He activated his head soul bone. The ability activated locking onto the crocodile in the storm. It had been moving to get behind him, but not to go after him.
Guanling gritted his teeth at the beast's actions. This beast had no real interest in fighting him. "You are quite foolish you beast. Thinking I will let you harm my charges." He gritted the words in unwilling thoughts.
In the end that was all this beast desired, to kill Tang Nuan, Yue Guan, or Gui Mei. He was merely the obstacle in the way. If it could kill them then its objective was accomplished. What a canny creature it was. Unfortunately, that meant he had to watch it and them.
Guanling prepared Spatial Arrow his fourth skill. His aim was true once more. Piercing the unaware crocodile's scales with ease. This skill pierced deeper than his third it would seem.
The beast turned towards his location. A hint of confusion filled its heart. Its domain should have hidden it for longer than that. Still, it prepared itself to meet the enemy's future attacks. Realizing it had to kill the Titled Douluo to kill them, and yet.
Even as his arrow was fired. Guanling moved to get between it and them. "Second Skill: Glowing Feather Wings." Icy wings sprouted from either side of his bow. Accelerating his fight and bolstering his arrow attributes.
The Golden Sand Crocodile King responded in kind. Summoning sandy spears from the ground to block and attack. Many of the arrows were countered by the landforms.
Guanling fired a combination of his third and fourth skills. All of them were bolstered by his first and second skills. But the spikes countered most of the arrows he fired. In moments he arrived before his enemy, Absolute Feather Light left his bow.
The Crocodile twisted itself in motion the moment he came so close. Its tail was already in motion. Wind gathered along the tail's mass. The sweeping tail met the icy beam of light directly.
With a bit of force, the crocodile dispersed the power of the ice. Even as ice grew on its tail. Its jaws snapped at where Guanling should have been. Only for its jaws to bite naught but empty air.
Guanling had flipped upward as the exchange happened. Sailing through the air above the beast's form. From his bow, he released Arrive Without Obstacles. The barrage of arrows streaked from his bow each with lethal intent.
The Crocodile sensing the threat, panicked at the threat. The aura of gold on its body increased in density. It rushed to gather a sandstorm above itself as well. Even as it tried to summon earthen spikes to block them.
The arrows easily passed through the hastily summoned storm. Slamming into the incomplete dome of sand losing little potency. All of the arrows slammed into the crocodile's scaly armored hide. Its golden scales prevented them from sinking too deeply.
The crocodile screeched in pain at the many pricks. Ice spread from each of the impacts. The chill began to enter its body from each wound. It needed to escape this enemy's sight, so it submerged into the sand. Even its massive body easily slipped into the sand.
Guanling remained in the air he gaze locked on the submerged beast. His soul bone could even track it underground. What an ideal soul bone for him he thought as he had done before.
The ground began to shift in a noticeable way. Slowly sand began to spin in a whirlpool rather it was an ant lion trap. The ground began to sink as the radius began to expand.
Guanling merely flew upward to avoid the attack. His gaze on the rapidly expanding death trap. The remnants of the nearby buildings began to fall. What did it intend with this attack that couldn't one who could fly?
As the size of the ant-lion trap increased rapidly it became apparent. Sand spikes emerged along the sides of the pit. Now the entire thing seemed to be a rotating maw of fangs. From the center of the hole, a blast of sand emerged suddenly.
Guanling dodged the sudden blast of sand. Only to realize the sandstorm had grown more dangerous. Did it do this to focus on the sandstorm attack? This raised his wariness of this creature.
The sandstorm grew more extreme it began to mirror the ground. A vortex of sand above and below. The vortex above began to rapidly fall downward towards Guanling. As it came down the vortex spheres were launched into the air.
Guanling faced an attack from above and below. From his bow he fired, Arrive Without Obstacles to counter the sand spears. His gaze momentarily assessed the danger from above. Before returning his focus to the pit before him.
As he got close it re-emerged from the sand. It was already mid-breath for its sandy breath attack from earlier. More spear-like spikes were launched from the vortex. The sand above continued crashing downward at him.
Guanling held his bow steadily as his soul power surged. A large pattern of ice spread in the space like an ice crystal. At its presence, the area began to freeze. Strands of blue ice seemed to form the arrow knocked on his bow. "Eighth Skill: End Boundary," he spoke as the arrow finished forming.
The Crocodile nearly paused upon seeing this attack. Dangerous, the most dangerous attack it had seen from this human. With the danger came panicked action. It drew far more power into this breath than it had intended unleashing it immediately.
The crocodile wasted no time in continuing its actions. Making use of the power of its domain. Unleashing as many sand spears as possible at the enemy. Along with the strongest and largest such spear it could summon.
When the arrow reached its completion Guanling let it fly. As the arrow passed through the icy pattern. The arrow became more than a hundred separate arrows. A dozen countered the breath attack, many more countered the sand spears.
The crocodile did not have the chance to find relief. Around its body, icy patterns appeared like the one above. Dozens of arrows shot from the patterns impacting the beast. Blood began to stain the sand in large amounts at the attack.
Guanling watched his attack. A dozen more arrows had been unleashed behind him to counter the crashing storm. "End Boundary a hail of icy arrows. Each stronger than my fourth skill, without considering my first two skills. All sent exactly where I need them to go."
It found itself at a disadvantage the crocodile knew. This human hadn't used his seventh or ninth rings. He would have to if the battle continued. To win the beast knew it could no longer hesitate, but was it worth it?
No, the beast decided after a few moments. The last dregs of its rage cooled at the inevitable conclusion. Its injuries were not serious just yet. The chill did weaken its powerful body for now though.
The crocodile submerged into the sand once more. Moving swiftly under the sand it prepared to retreat. Keeping its movement slow ready for attack. The powerful human did nothing to attack or even stop it. How confusing, why do nothing?
The beast moved away from the group in wariness. Moving through the sand away as swiftly as possible. As it fled understanding blossomed as well. Soul ring that the human desired it's soul ring. Once more that female had the scent of distant kin.
They would be back in the coming years to hunt it. When she became a Titled Douluo. The thought filled it both with wariness and anticipation at the thought. Another chance to kill them, it would need time to plot.
Guanling Douluo watched the crocodile leave. His soul bone remained locked on its form as it fled. They could hunt it down in a few years' time. Turning his perception to Nuan he decided it would likely be less than a decade.
With that possibility decided he turned his gaze to the children. His soul bone gazed upon them for a moment. Sensing no danger to them he stopped. Time for them to reunite now. He moved down to the mostly recovered trio.
Tang Yuan stood up from his recovery meditation. His soul power had recovered to over half now. "It's your turn again, thank you for guarding me." He told the on-guard and wary Bibi Dong.
"Then I trust you Yuan to guard me. I will go until I also reach about half." Bibi Dong told him as she sat down for meditation. She had taken the first turn barely reaching less than a third.
Tang Yuan watched her enter meditation. Before turning his gaze outward spreading his senses. Their prisoner remained against the wall afraid of them. Any other threat had been dealt with by their senior before he left.
Tang Yuan removed specialized rations and pills from his belt. Consuming them steadily to fill his body. They would help support his next meditation period.
With his body nourished he grasped the dagger he'd been examining. Its crimson, blood-red appearance was eye-catching, as was its form. It was definitely something he might call a Soul Guide or artifact. Though exactly how it was made, blood and sacrifice were obvious possibilities.
Both likely played some part in the design. The weapon could draw blood into itself. Perhaps it was made to be a ritual dagger for foul rituals. Gather blood and then use it for cultivation. Various myths tell of blood for different purposes some wicked some benign.
Tang Yuan slowly used his Spiritual Power to scan the knife. Only examining the surface layer of the weapon. Keeping most of his focus on guarding his friend. This knife was a concern for later even if his curiosity was explosive.
As he examined it closely he noticed something particular. The dagger seemed to be two pieces rather than one. Learning that he fiddled with the weapon. Until finally, as he twisted the gem it left the hilt almost like a fruit from a tree.
Placing the dagger in his belt. Actually looking at it, was this a gem? There was something about it that reminded him of something. Yet he couldn't place the it. A part of him noted that the scent of blood had grown sharper.
He let his Spiritual Power touch it briefly. The moment he did so he realized what he held. "I'm going to be sick." he placed a hand to his mouth. This thing was blood, a truly sickening amount of blood crystallized.
How many lives were used to create this thing? However many, it filled this bloodstone with power. So much power that it was barely contained. This thing was basically a demonic blood pill. The dagger is a tool that creates them through killing.
Tang Yuan noticed that the scent of blood had grown even stronger. He frowned at that fact. Reminded about his earlier assessment of the stone/pill's state. A new dangrous though occurred to him as he examined it more closely.
Searching for what he feared to be the case. Finally, he found what he had dreaded a mar on the stone's surface. It was a crack. A very small crack but a crack all the same. He was holding a stone filled with blood and power, and it was cracked. He was holding a ticking time bomb.
The thought filled him with dread. "Bibi Dong, Bibi Dong I need you to wake you" he kept his voice down. Almost as if he was afraid of waking a sleeping predator. In this case his own panic.
Bibi Dong heard her friend's call. Opening her eyes from her meditation already on guard. "What is it enemy attack?" She asked looking around for a possible threat.
Tang Yuan knew he needed to tell her. Yet he floundered on how. How to tell her without causing her panic, or his own. "This gemstone was made with blood. It is very powerful. But it is cracked and is going to explode." he spoke calmly and quickly.
Bibi Dong took a moment to process his words. As she did he eyes locked onto the thing. "Explode, exactly how explosive?" Her voice was small as she asked that.
"Enough to annihilate a good part of this boat. Beyond that the sacrifice of a soul king at minimum," he told her with his best guess. The sheer amount of power it held. Well, he had no idea how it would go.
"How long," she asked as she stood up. Prepared to act on a dime. Yet how should she act in this case? Run away, but what about Tang Yuan? She refused to abandon him.
Tang Yuan saw her not panicking and was relieved. Though maybe he was projecting his own internal panic. "I don't know. Not soon, a few moments. Could be either, but we can't bet on it being a long time."
"Considering it's our lives on the line. That seems rather obvious to consider." Her tone was laced with obvious snark. She wondered when their elders would return. How did senior miss this?
Tang Yuan reached out taking her hand. Both for his own sake, and hers. Her squeezing back was certainly very comforting. "I'm going to put it on the ground and roll it away. We run in the opposite direction as fast as we can."
Bibi Dong glanced at him before nodding. It sounded as good as anything. Her mind wasn't clear enough to think of anything else. "Ok, can I have my hand back?" she asked shyly not really wanting to let go. But it would make running more difficult.
Tang Yuan might have said something normally. But right now his mind was preoccupied. He turned to the third person "Run for your life when we do." He didn't bother saying anything else to the woman. She likely heard part of it.
He let go of her hand as he placed the bloodstone down. Then he put a bit of force sending it slowly rolling. "Now run." He said as he did just that aiming for the outside.
Bibi Dong was only a step slower. Moving right beside him supported by soul power. Fear and panic exploded as she moved. "Don't explode, don't explode," she thought as they moved.
Tang Yuan reached the exit of the room. Practically skipping up the stairs to the next deck. He heard Bibi Dong right behind him. They exited onto the ship's main deck looking around.
Immediately they spotted another set of stairs. They stepped up them as well. Finding themselves next to the ship's wheel. Standing against one of the ship's sides. Still on guard for the worst possibility.
The bloodstained water continued to roll on the lower deck. Suddenly it came to a damaged part of the wooden floor. The red gem fell into the damaged part. As it hit the bottom, the gem's crack worsened by a bit. Yet that was enough for damaged orb.
A blood-red aura instantly filled the air. Quickly increasing and spread even as the orb reached its final limits. With a final crack, the orb burst into blood and energy.
Tang Yuan tried to steady himself as the ship suddenly lurched. Reaching out to Bibi Dong and the wall. The two of them used each other to steady themselves. Just as the other side of the boat's form rippled and burst.
Blood-red energy spewed upward from the hull. As if a gigantic crimson spear had been thrown at the ship. The crimson "spout" lasted for an entire minute. A fourth of the ship's front had been vaporized by the explosion.
The ship already began lurching forward. Water was no doubt filling the lower decks. "We're sinking we need to abandon ship." Tang Yuan said what they both knew.
Tang Yuan possessed his second martial soul. Even without Soul Rings it had better choice for swimming. His eyes grew sharper, nails became sharper. A few scales grew on his body now. The changes were rather small his martial soul was undeveloped for now.
Tang Yuan and Bibi Dong ran to the edge. Jumping into the water below. As they surfaced they witnessed the rapidly sinking ship, and the red-stained water. The red rather blood in the water was particularly concerning.
"That stone exploded and spread blood." Bibi Dong realized with growing dread. Blood often attracted predators that was common knowledge. Which meant predators would be coming when they smelled it.
"Hold on to me. My second martial soul is best suited to this." Tang Yuan told her hastily grasping her arms. He wrapped them around his neck.
Bibi Dong though surprised tightened her arms. "Sorry, and thank you, Yuan." Noting that his body was warm she held tighter.
Tang Yuan felt a part of himself notice her body pressed against him. The rest of him immediately started moving. His crocodile martial soul made swimming much easier. Moving fast through the water away from the blood.
They moved through the cold water for a while. But there was a problem either side of the water was sheer rock. No place to stop and rest. They had left the blood behind so predators were less of a threat.
Then the currents began to grow stronger. Tang Yuan sensing the danger tried to turn back. But found he couldn't put enough power into it. His body was exhausted from fighting and swimming. With no choice, he faced the currents aiming to find a weaker point.
Elsewhere Tang Nuan turned her head. Placing a hand on her chest over her heart. A bad feeling had just gone down her spine. "This feeling." She turned to Guanling Douluo. "Elder Guanling how are my son and Dong'er?" She showed a hint of anxiousness.
Guanling looked at Tang Nuan for a moment. Immediately sensing her anxiety even as she tried to contain it. He was about to speak comfort before checking. But he reconsidered "Nuan did you sense it or have a feeling?"
Tang Nuan looked at her senior nodding her head. "Yes, I just felt a sudden chill. My thoughts immediately went to my Yuan," she revealed letting more of that anxiety show.
Hearing her admit that a bad feeling crept up on Guanling as well. In haste, he used his soul bone to try and gaze upon them. Instantly noticing it took more than the last time. "They are still alive, but it looks like trouble has found them."
Tang Nuan upon hearing that knew her fears were true. Especially since he had to emphasize their survival. She immediately turned to go after them personally. Only for a hand to stop her.
Guanling held her shoulder "You remain here with the others." Before she could protest he continued. "I will go and find them." He looked at her meaningfully to make his point known.
Turning his gaze to Ghost "Gui Mei return to the hall we stayed at at the start of the journey. Spread word about this group and its allies. Then head to Spirit City, inform the Pope, Grand Worship of the events. This city will be of interest." He fired off rapidly to Gui Mei.
Before even getting an answer he moved. Even faster than in the fight with the crocodile seemingly. His target was the location of the ship, he could start from there. His face grew cold at the sheer seriousness now affecting him.
Tang Yuan felt his consciousness grow faint. They had managed to get past the rapids with some scrapes. His arms tightened around the feminine body he held. Lifting his head he looked at Bibi Dong in his arms. She had lost consciousness at some point already.
Tang Yuan set his head back onto the sandy shores. They had managed to land on this beach. Which was somewhere? How far did they go again? He didn't even know how far the boat was from the city.
What a dam week!! The worst week he had ever experienced by far. Nor was it done completely yet. His eyes were growing heavier. That wasn't good for them, not in this situation.
He was vaguely aware as hurried steps moved across the sand. Turning his closing gaze to this person. What he saw was blue, a blue dress he decided. A woman then, he deduced. Which meant there was civilization nearby, or at least people.
Even as his eyes closed from exhaustion his thoughts continued. Her face held concern and compassion. It seemed to only add to her presence which held a measure of nobility. Her beauty held an element of the phantasmal, an elf or fairy. A blue fairy holding compassion.