Chapter 219: Chrysanthemum Douluo Appears
Dugu Bo hesitated, glancing at his granddaughter, Dugu Yan, standing beside Dai Yao. A flicker of conflict passed through his gaze.
Tang San was his dear friend despite their age difference, and in his heart, there was no question he would help him if he was in trouble. But Dugu Yan was his granddaughter, his only family left in this world. And now, her heart was set on Dai Yao, leaving little he could do to change her mind. Following Dai Yao into Spirit Hall would bring her far more opportunities than staying with him ever could.
If he intervened now to save Tang San, it would mean directly opposing Spirit Hall, jeopardizing not only his granddaughter's promising future but potentially both of their lives when Spirit Hall inevitably retaliated.
After a deep breath that seemed to calm his resolve, he finally looked at Dai Yao, his expression weary. "Kid, I won't go help Tang San, but I won't join Spirit Hall either. If you ever betray Yan Yan's trust, regardless of your status or strength, I will hunt you down with every last breath in my body."
Suppressing a spark of relief, Dai Yao nodded respectfully. "Thank you, Senior. I still remember the three promises I made to you and will never disappoint Yan Yan."
Dugu Bo, though feared across the land for his deadly poison abilities, always had a soft spot for his granddaughter. Having a weakness like that made him far less likely to do anything rash.
The others nearby watched as Dugu Bo and Dai Yao murmured, oblivious to what was being discussed, though a sense of unease spread through the ranks of the black-clad figures around them, as they cast wary glances at Dugu Bo.
"What are you looking at? Get out of my way," Dugu Bo snapped coldly at the black-clad guards. At once, they flinched and retreated, recognizing Dugu Bo's fierce reputation.
After Dugu Bo stepped back into the carriage, Dugu Yan moved closer to Dai Yao, whispering curiously, "Dai Yao, what did Grandpa say to you? He seemed angry."
"Nothing much—just telling me to look after you," he replied casually, keeping the truth to himself.
Gathering his team, he then addressed them with a smile, "I need to step away for a moment. You all can rest in the carriage for now. The black-clad guards have no intention of attacking anyone here."
The others looked puzzled. They knew Dai Yao had nothing to fear from the black-clad figures, but with the battles raging on around them, they wondered what he could be planning.
Trusting Dai Yao's judgment, Feng Qianli patted his shoulder. "Be careful."
After bidding brief goodbyes to Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing, and giving a nod to the black-clad guards, Dai Yao swiftly headed toward Shrek Academy's camp.
Watching him go, Dugu Yan huffed in annoyance and turned to Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhuqing, do you know where he's off to?"
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head slightly.
Dugu Yan sneered, "I bet he's off to see that little 'friend' of his from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan!"
Dai Yao had no idea Dugu Yan was now holding a grudge against him, marking it down in her mental notebook. Meanwhile, he made his way toward Shrek's section, navigating the towering rock walls separating the fifteen academy groups.
Moving carefully to stay out of sight, he glanced down at the clear divide between the black-clad attackers and the academy teams below. He couldn't help but be startled by what he saw.
The black-clad fighters were ruthless, launching deadly strikes without restraint. Without the academy teachers' efforts, it would've resulted in far more casualties among the students. Teams from the Heaven Dou Empire seemed to face even fiercer attacks from stronger assailants, a deliberate attempt to weaken the Empire's future soul masters. On the other hand, fighters from the various kingdoms and duchies were notably spared—though besieged, it was clear the attackers weren't aiming to kill.
"Of course," he thought, "Spirit Hall must already be conspiring with the kingdoms and duchies. No wonder they could later form the Spirit Empire from these very territories."
He pushed forward quickly toward Shrek's area but paused as he passed the Tianshui Academy camp. The Tianshui team was in serious trouble. Unlike the other Heaven Dou teams, they were weaker, and facing black-clad soul masters proved too much for them.
To protect Shui Yue'er, Shui Bing'er had stepped forward silently, shielding her. But a Soul King unleashed a deadly soul skill at them. With her soul power far weaker, Shui Bing'er's chances of survival were slim.
Realizing the potential tragedy, Dai Yao frowned. In the original timeline, all these people made it safely to Spirit City. My presence here must have triggered an escalation against Tianshui Academy, he thought with a sigh. Noticing no one was watching him, he discreetly summoned a streak of lightning between his fingers.
This was a toned-down version of his fourth soul skill, White Tiger Thunder Strike. While not as powerful as the original, it was still more than enough to intercept a Soul King's attack.
I'm only helping her get to Spirit City because that's how it happened originally, he assured himself. I'm definitely not doing it just because she's beautiful.
"Yep, that's it," he concluded confidently.
After flinging the lightning without waiting to see the outcome, he resumed his path toward Shrek. He had done what he could. Shui Bing'er's fate was in her own hands now.
Moments before the Soul King's attack struck her, Shui Bing'er gritted her teeth and used her fourth soul skill to form a shield. Yet she knew her shield wouldn't hold up long. Just as her barrier began to crack, a sudden bolt of purple lightning flashed across her vision, intercepting the incoming strike.
Shaken, she glanced around in confusion, but her savior had vanished.
Dai Yao left the Blazing Fire and Godwind Academies untouched, heading straight toward Shrek's location. Crouching behind a large rock, he surveyed the area cautiously.
"My blonde hair is too bright," he muttered. "It'll get me spotted for sure."
Rubbing some dirt into his hair, he covered the golden strands to dull their shine. Satisfied, he brushed the dirt from his hands. "There, I shouldn't stand out anymore."
Suddenly, he heard activity from Shrek's area. Peeking around the rock, he saw that Shrek was surrounded by black-clad fighters. In front of them stood a man in golden armor with a faintly alluring air. All the attackers showed him unmistakable reverence.
Flender and Liu Erlong clutched their chests, blood trickling from their lips, gazing fearfully yet angrily at the man before them. He was the one responsible for their injuries, and the brutal assault on the young Shrek students.
This man was none other than Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yue Guan.
At this moment, Grandmaster Yu Xiao Gang was busy rekindling his old relationship with Bibi Dong and was nowhere to be seen. Without the Golden Iron Triangle's fusion skill, the soul saints were utterly defenseless before a Titled Douluo.
The Shrek Seven Devils, each bearing injuries to varying degrees, were exhausted. Yet at that moment, Chrysanthemum Douluo's face showed nothing but shock and excitement, his voice trembling with barely contained emotion.
In a flash, he crossed several hundred meters, appearing directly in front of Xiao Wu, his face aglow with fervent curiosity.
"This aura…could it be...is it truly…?"
"Acacia Heartbroken Red?"
When Xiao Wu finally pulled out the Acacia Heartbroken Red, he could barely contain his excitement.
"Why? Why couldn't I have been the one to obtain the Acacia Heartbroken Red? If I had it, I, too, could have reached that realm… Little girl, would you let me take a closer look at your Acacia Heartbroken Red?"
Behind the rock, Dai Yao's expression was caught somewhere between bemusement and disbelief.
I'm the one who gave her that Acacia Heartbroken Red, he thought, a little exasperated. Who knew it'd be such a double-edged sword, giving the Shrek Seven so much unplanned time.
Dai Yao glanced up and noticed Luoer Diala looking equally frustrated from being held back by Chrysanthemum Douluo's whims. He recalled that it was Luoer Diala, the Golden Eagle Douluo, who had joined Salas in rescuing him years ago.
"Consider this moment as my small act of repayment for sparing you from that repeated obstruction, Luoer Diala," Dai Yao thought sympathetically.
"Acacia Heartbroken Red?"
Tang San's expression remained calm, but internally, his mind was racing. The Acacia Heartbroken Red was an unrivaled treasure among immortal herbs, akin to the soul bones of the Douluo Continent. In his previous life, it was a treasure that countless people dreamed of possessing. He knew well that obtaining the Acacia Heartbroken Red was no easy feat; it only bonded with one master in its lifetime. Only a love enduring unto death could win its favor.
But as he looked at the Acacia Heartbroken Red in Xiao Wu's hands, it was apparent she had already bonded with it. So then…who was her unwavering love for? Was it him? Or someone else? If it was someone else, what would he do?
A deep unease and anguish began to rise within him, and he clenched his hand around his hidden weapon, trying to force his thoughts away from the painful question he dared not ask Xiao Wu.
Behind the rock, Dai Yao sighed as he witnessed this scene unfold. But he quickly focused his gaze again as the situation shifted.
"Refuse to show respect? Fine," Chrysanthemum Douluo sneered at Xiao Wu. "If you hand over the Acacia Heartbroken Red, I may be lenient. You children are all exceptional talents, and I'd like to bring you back to train under me. I refuse to believe you won't yield."
Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice was chilling. "However, Tang San…I'll make an exception for him. He must die."
Hearing this, the Shrek team erupted in fury. Liu Erlong and Flender both activated their martial souls and charged at Chrysanthemum Douluo with renewed determination.
The next moment, they were sent flying back even faster, slamming into a boulder as they coughed up blood. The blow was heavy, their injuries severe. Tang San, already weakened, felt his strength drain completely, negating all the recovery he had achieved over the last few days.
The two support-type soul masters, Oscar and Ning Rongrong, suffered the worst injuries of all. Unlike battle-type soul masters, support-types had naturally weaker physiques. Even Dai Mubai could barely hold his ground, so how could Oscar and Ning Rongrong fare any better?
"Such a waste of life," Chrysanthemum Douluo sighed, feigning regret. "If they were more obedient, I could've spared them."
Nine soul rings materialized behind him, radiating an aura so intense it made everyone's breath catch. Time itself seemed to freeze in the presence of such overwhelming power.
"Sixth Soul Skill, Petals of Radiant Flow!" Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice rang out, sharp and elegant. The delicate-looking petals of his Strange Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum bloomed, each petal as sharp as a blade, shooting toward the Shrek team with lethal precision.
The sight of the approaching petal blades filled everyone with despair.
Liu Erlong and Flender, their faces set with grim determination, once again mustered all their strength, activating their seventh soul skills and placing themselves before the Shrek Seven Devils to shield them from the incoming petals.
"Kids, stay behind us!" Flender shouted urgently.
Although Liu Erlong and Flender's stance offered some protection, it was barely enough. For the Shrek Seven Devils, huddling behind the two adults, it was hardly sufficient.
The physically resilient members, such as Tang San and Dai Mubai, could grit their teeth and endure the pain as they struggled to take shelter. But Oscar and Ning Rongrong were not so lucky. Their injuries were too severe, and without combat strength, they could only watch in despair as the orange petals hurtled toward them.
Oscar, frantic, summoned his flying mushroom sausage, beating his wings with all his remaining strength. This allowed the Shrek Seven Devils to reach the safety zone behind Liu Erlong and Flender faster than anticipated.
Yet the petal blades approached, faster than Oscar could escape.
"It's over," he thought, staring at the deadly petals as his survival instincts screamed at him to flee.
Just then, a brilliant, rainbow-colored light engulfed him, giving his speed an extra boost—just enough to evade the petal by a hair's breadth.
"Seven Treasures, Second Boost: Speed!"
Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda shone with iridescent light, her lips stained with blood. In her final act, she funneled all her remaining power into Oscar's speed, ensuring his survival.
She knew her chance of survival was slim, but Oscar's was not. She could buy him enough time to escape with just a slight increase in speed. Yet being a support-type soul master, she couldn't apply any enhancements to herself. She was left to face the deadly petal blades alone, accepting her fate.
"Rongrong!" Oscar's anguished scream cut through the battlefield.
The remaining five Devils, now sheltered behind Liu Erlong and Flender, were all deeply shaken. Ning Rongrong had sacrificed her own chance of survival to save Oscar, revealing her strength and selflessness.
Dai Yao watched this scene unfold from behind the rock, and sighed in resignation.
"Really, Ning Rongrong is the daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's master. Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo are right there with the group, following behind Xue Qinghe. And yet, despite the danger, they're nowhere to be seen."
Even in the original story, Ning Fengzhi and the others only arrived late, relying on the efforts of the Dragon Serpent couple and Dugu Bo to hold Chrysanthemum Douluo at bay. They claimed to treasure Ning Rongrong, but when she was in true peril, they arrived slower than anyone else.
Watching the scene unfold, as Ning Rongrong risked her life to save Oscar, Dai Yao felt a stir in his heart. Memories of their time together in the Year Illusion Realm floated through his mind, bringing a bittersweet smile to his lips.
"Fine," he muttered, "I suppose I owe you this much."
With a flick of his finger, a quick arc of lightning danced at his fingertips, colliding with one of Chrysanthemum Douluo's petal blades just enough to slightly alter its course. A small shift at close range, but one that widened the distance over the long run.
A loud thud reverberated as Ning Rongrong's body tensed, bracing for impact. She felt a chill pass as she clenched her eyes shut, expecting her fate to be sealed. After a few moments, she felt no pain but a slight breeze. Daring to open her eyes, she found herself pressed against a boulder, its surface cool beneath her fingertips.
She looked to her side, shocked to see the orange petal blade embedded in the ground, mere inches from her face.
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