Just moments ago, Tang San had narrowly avoided disaster and was the first to notice Zhu Zhuqing's anomaly.
"What a terrifying soul skill! Has Zhu Zhuqing's strength reached level 100? However!"
Tang San's eyes glinted with cold light as he unscrupulously unleashed the power of the Asura God.
For Zhu Zhuqing, who had temporarily ascended to level 100 but lacked divine power, this was an absolutely fatal crisis.
However, Zhu Zhuqing's ninth soul skill didn't merely boost her stats—it channeled the power of Douluo Planet itself.
What was the power of Douluo Planet? It was the will of the Douluo plane. And what was the essence of the Douluo plane's will? The plane's will itself had no independent consciousness—otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easily taken over by Tang Hao in the future. It was the collective consciousness of all sentient beings on Douluo Planet.
To put it simply, every living being with a soul on Douluo Planet was part of the plane's will. However, the plane's will wasn't just a collection of individual entities; it was a spontaneously formed consciousness that aggregated the power of countless lifeforms.
Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming amount of consciousness it contained, the Douluo plane's will had never developed subjective awareness. In just tens of thousands of years, it had been repeatedly bullied by the gods' realm. But now, with Ye Wen's arrival and his meticulous guidance, the Douluo plane's will was growing at an astonishing rate.
The Four Celestial Guardians were one of the frameworks Ye Wen had constructed.
Among them, the White Tiger Martial Soul wielded by Zhu Zhuqing governed conquest, accumulating the combat experience of past strongholds of Douluo Planet.
The other three martial souls were the Azure Dragon Martial Soul for support, the Vermilion Bird Martial Soul for destruction, and the Black Tortoise Martial Soul for defense.
Just before Tang San got serious, Zhu Zhuqing's combat instincts were pushed to their peak. She quickly leaped into the air, putting a safe distance between herself and Tang San.
Tang San was momentarily shocked by Zhu Zhuqing's swift reaction, but soon his eyes flared with purple light. He utilized the vast potential of his Purple Extreme Demon Eye to its fullest extent, locking onto Zhu Zhuqing's every move.
The next instant, Tang San swung his sword. The three-meter-long Asura Demon Sword flashed with streaks of crimson light, unleashing a dense barrage of attacks that left no room for evasion, hurtling straight toward Zhu Zhuqing!
Zhu Zhuqing's sharp tiger eyes watched this scene solemnly as information about Tang San's technique rapidly surfaced in her mind.
This was once a technique of the Asura God. Though it had evolved over time, its core remained rooted in the original swordsmanship of the Asura God.
Although Tang San mostly used the abilities of the Sea God in the original story, the Asura God, as a God King and predecessor of Bo Saixi, possessed techniques no less formidable than Bo Saixi's.
At this moment, what should have been a purely offensive skill inexplicably filled Zhu Zhuqing with an overwhelming sense of suffocation akin to being trapped by a control-type ability.
But Zhu Zhuqing, with her unwavering resolve, refused to give up so easily. Her eyes burned with unprecedented determination.
"If I can't dodge, then I'll concentrate all my power into a single point to break through the surface and counter this head-on!"
Zhu Zhuqing let out a fierce tiger roar and unleashed her eighth soul skill, Sacred Meteor Rain!
Due to the activation of White Tiger Descent, the rain of swords originally formed by wings underwent a transformation. Each sword, previously resembling delicate feathers, shed all embellishments and became pure golden beams of light, charging directly toward the incoming attack.
On one side was a demonic slash that seemed capable of annihilating everything, while on the other was a sacred sword imbued with resolute will, vowing to resist to the death. This spectacle left the surrounding soul masters gaping in awe, as if witnessing a battle of myths.
Tang San frowned at the sight, displeased.
After enduring countless hardships to ascend to godhood, his first battle was being thwarted by such an insignificant ant. How could he possibly establish his authority in the future?
Thinking this, Tang San infused even more ferocity into his Asura Demon Sword, gathering an even greater surge of divine power.
Asura—Slashing Evil!
With a mental roar, Tang San unleashed his ultimate strike.
A massive, blood-red slash far larger and more terrifying than before appeared, seemingly connecting heaven and earth as it rushed toward Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing looked on in despair. She had worked so hard—was she really going to fall here today? Was the gap between those with power and those without truly this insurmountable?
But just as Zhu Zhuqing faced life or death, a wave of azure-blue energy surged from afar, crashing directly into Tang San's Asura Slashing Evil.
In the next instant, the wave split in two, but Tang San's attack was also halted, unable to advance further. The two forces clashed fiercely, canceling each other out. After several breaths, both attacks dissipated into thin air.
Tang San tightened his grip on the Asura Demon Sword and stared intently at the source of the attack. His voice was low and stern:
"Who dares interfere? Are you planning to meddle in the internal affairs of the Star Luo Empire?"
At this moment, Zhu Zhuqing stood pale in mid-air, looking like she might collapse at any moment. Her True Body and ninth soul skill had automatically dispelled due to her soul power reaching its lowest ebb.
Zhu Zhuqing knew she had been saved by one of her own.
None of the incompetent fools on the Star Luo side had cultivation higher than hers. Hoping for them to save her would be wishful thinking—even refraining from kicking her while she was down was a sign of rare decency.
But who had saved her? Master Huo? No, she had a Body martial soul, while the earlier attack clearly involved water-element techniques. Could it be Master Ye Wen?
Thinking this, Zhu Zhuqing pursed her lips, her expression complex. Despite her physical weakness, her heart brimmed with warmth.
And at this moment, Zhu Zhuqing finally saw who had come to her rescue.
The newcomer had long, aqua-blue hair that nearly touched the ground. Her face was dignified and noble, her figure graceful, clad in a stunning battle dress composed of light and deep blue hues reminiscent of the sea. In her hand, she held the extravagantly ornate Trident of the Sea God, standing proudly not far from Zhu Zhuqing.
Bo Saixi frowned slightly, displeased, as she looked at Tang San. Although she had learned from Ye Wen that Tang San was the great-grandson of Tang Chen, having fully devoted herself to faith in Ye Wen, Bo Saixi held no one in high regard—not even Tang Chen, whom she considered a fool.
"Internal affairs of the Star Luo Empire? You, Tang Chen's great-grandson, are quite amusing. Since when did the Star Luo Empire become something for someone from the Hao Tian Sect to manage?" Bo Saixi said indifferently.
Tang San naturally knew who Tang Chen was. However, due to Yu Xiao Gang's premature demise, Tang San hadn't received the full lore about the "three invincibles" of the past. From his father, he only knew partial information about his great-grandfather Tang Chen and the former glory of the Hao Tian Sect.
Combined with their brief exchange of blows earlier, Tang San was certain of the immense strength of the person before him.
Moreover, Tang San finally recalled the warnings from Slaughter City—to avoid trouble. Bo Saixi clearly wasn't someone the Asura God wanted him to fear, which implied there were hidden powers he wasn't aware of.
Gradually, cold sweat began to bead on Tang San's forehead.
He realized he had acted too hastily. He should have cultivated more followers instead. Someone like Bo Saixi, who could match him blow for blow, undoubtedly possessed god-level strength surpassing even Zhu Zhuqing. While Tang San believed he could defeat her, the real trouble lay in the people backing her.
As Tang San suspected, with Ye Wen's resources and Bo Saixi's nearly century-long possession of the Sea God martial soul, her strength had skyrocketed. She had now reached the peak of a Divine Official, just one step away from becoming a 3rd Class god. This was why Bo Saixi had been able to withstand Tang San's full-powered attack.
Seeing Tang San remain silent, Bo Saixi's displeasure grew heavier.
Though her attributes were weaker than Tang San's, her seniority far outweighed his, leaving her unimpressed by his presence.
Moreover, Ye Wen had given Bo Saixi some trump cards, making her even less intimidated by Tang San.
At this moment, powerful auras surged from afar. In the blink of an eye, eight Title Douluos from the Hao Tian Sect stood behind Tang San.
Though Tang San's previous actions had been questionable, his ultimate decision benefited the development of the Hao Tian Sect.
Thus, despite lingering grievances, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao, along with six elders of the sect, had come to support Tang San. In their eyes, with a group of Title Douluos and Tang San, a god-level powerhouse, dealing with Zhu Zhuqing—a mere Super Douluo—would be effortless.
Such a risk-free opportunity perfectly aligned with the Hao Tian Sect's nature of bullying the weak and fearing the strong.
However, upon arriving at the battlefield, they realized the situation wasn't as optimistic as they'd thought. Still, with their numbers, Tang Hao and the others had no reason to stand idly by. Without hesitation, they stood behind Tang San, supporting him.
Behind Tang San, eighty-two soul rings—yellow, purple, black, red, and gold—flashed brilliantly, creating a terrifying sight for any soul master.
Sharp-eyed spectators gawked at Tang San's golden soul ring, which outshone even his yellow ones. These were legendary god-level soul rings!
In no time, news of Tang San's ascension to godhood spread rapidly. Though few knew who Tang San was, they only needed to know he belonged to the Hao Tian Sect.
However, Bo Saixi's eyes revealed disdain for Tang San's display of intimidation.
Bo Saixi lightly tapped the Trident of the Sea God in mid-air, causing red soul rings to rise from the ground. Finally, a golden soul ring emerged as well.
Nine reds and one gold!
Another god stood before them. The spectators erupted in chatter again—this truly was a mythic battle.
By now, Tang San had carefully observed Bo Saixi's azure battle dress and confirmed it was another divine artifact.
At this moment, the gap between the two sides had been leveled.
Tang San's gaze softened. With victory assured and backup available, Tang San could act recklessly. But the current situation was unfavorable, and without the trigger of Xiao Wu's "death-seeking path," he wouldn't rashly clash with Bo Saixi.
After a brief pause, Tang San spoke warmly: "From your words, esteemed elder, you seem to know of my great-grandfather Tang Chen. May I ask your name?"
"I am Bo Saixi, the High Priestess of the Sea God Island. If you don't recognize this title, you may ask your elders about one of the 'three invincibles' of the past—the peerless Bo Saixi of the ocean."
Tang San didn't react much, but Tang Hao and the others behind him began to gasp in shock.
Though they didn't know the specifics, they knew their grandfather Tang Chen had abandoned the sect because of Bo Saixi, embarking on a quest for divine inheritance. As a result, without Tang Chen's protection, the Hao Tian Sect had been forced into hiding after being suppressed by the Spirit Hall.
Realizing the culprit behind the Hao Tian Sect's decline stood before them, Tang Hao and the others glared at Bo Saixi, leaving her baffled. 'What's wrong with these people? I haven't wronged anyone from the Hao Tian Sect.'
Soon, Tang Hao and the others realized their mistake and quickly averted their gazes.
Come on—they couldn't even defeat Bo Saixi back when she was a level-99 powerhouse. Now that she had become a god and grown even stronger, did these Title Douluos really think they could provoke her without fear of death?
Tang San noticed these changes and signaled Tang Hao with his eyes, seeking clarification. But Tang Hao, having only met Tang Chen briefly as a child, didn't know much either. So he looked at Tang Xiao, his older brother by over a decade, hoping he might know more.
Tang Xiao rolled his eyes. 'I was just a kid back then, okay? Don't meddle in adult matters.' He then looked at the Hao Tian Sect's eldest surviving elder, signaling him to explain to Tang San.
After a telepathic explanation from the elder, Tang San finally understood the relationship between the two sides and wore a strange expression.
When the elder mentioned that Tang Chen had disappeared after entering Slaughter City, Tang San seemed to recall something but ultimately said nothing.
After sorting out the relationships, Tang San bowed to Bo Saixi and said:
"So you are Elder Sea God. Junior Tang San greets you, esteemed elder."
Bo Saixi showed no significant reaction to being addressed as the Sea God. That had been her original title, and Ye Wen had promised her the position of Sea God in the future, allowing her to explore higher realms.
Bo Saixi didn't bother with further pleasantries and cut straight to the point: "Tang San, step back. This is the Star Luo Empire's matter. Your Hao Tian Sect has no business intervening. Otherwise, we will become enemies."
Tang San's expression darkened. Though Bo Saixi was his elder, how dare she obstruct his path to gaining faith? That was a death sentence!
At this moment, the Star Luo Emperor, having heard the fourth elder's report, beamed with joy and loudly proclaimed, "Esteemed Elder Sea God, you are mistaken. I have already decided to designate the Hao Tian Sect as our empire's guardian sect, granting their leader the title of 'Hao Tian King' and actual territorial rights. How can this not concern the Hao Tian Sect?"
His words caused an uproar. All the soul masters present realized this war wouldn't end anytime soon.
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