Yuanzen, somehow still clinging to life against the relentless assaults of the Ghost Leopard Douluo and the Sea Turtle Douluo, finally caught a brief moment to breathe—just as two of the nine flame pillars erupted from beneath them, searing the battlefield into chaos.
"Perfect… hahahaha! Even if I die, I'll take at least one of you with me!" he muttered, voice ragged and eyes wild, as the ninth soul ring shimmered into existence around him.
"Ninth Soul Skill—Thunder Descend!"
Zzzzz…
A blinding violet light flooded his eyes as arcs of lightning crackled across his body. With a roar, he sent the massive projection of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon hurtling toward the Ghost Leopard Douluo.
Boooommmm!
He deliberately avoided aiming at the Sea Turtle Douluo—its impenetrable shell could withstand even his fiercest thunder attacks, despite his Water Attribute affinity.
A sharp cry tore through the battlefield.
The Ghost Leopard Douluo was somehow still clinging to life—but Tang Yin, hidden within the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, wasn't about to let that continue.
With ruthless precision, he unleashed Eight Spider Wings, stabbing into the man's body and devouring every last ounce of vitality.
"Mmmph…"
The weakened Douluo thrashed, his struggles fading with each heartbeat, until finally… silence. His life was extinguished.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei witnessed yet another of their own fall and cursed inwardly. What sort of cursed luck was this? First the Ninth Elder kicked the bucket, and now the Ghost Leopard Douluo was dead as well.
The Sea Turtle Douluo froze in shock—then rage exploded across his face as he watched his friend die right in front of him.
"You senile bastard—I'll kill you! Haaaaa!"
His ninth soul ring shimmered ominously.
"Ninth Soul Skill—Heavy Water Cannon!"
Phoooosssh—!
A colossal torrent of crushing water surged toward the already weakened Patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, striking with unstoppable force.
Boom!
He was obliterated in an instant—his body went limp, chest still, life utterly extinguished. The Sea Turtle Douluo didn't stop there as his wrath befell the members of the old bastard.
"You'll all pay for my dead friends! All of you—die for grandpa!!!" he shrieked, eyes burning with hatred and madness.
---
Meanwhile, Liu Erlong wasn't satisfied with mere revenge—her fury only deepened, and she became more reckless, striking at Touba Xi and the others without restraint.
"Eighth Soul Skill—Inferno Hell Fire!"
Whoosh—Baam!
The Nine-Headed Inferno shot straight at the patriarch of the Sacred Dragon Clan. He froze, eyes wide, staring at the hollowed-out chest of the Ninth Elder of Spirit Hall.
Moments ago, he had been bonding with the man while slaughtering the disciples of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—and now, in an instant, the Ninth Elder was gone.
Yue Guan and Gui Mei, still reeling from the earlier chaos, immediately hurried after Liu Erlong, who was relentlessly chasing after the battered Touba Xi.
Touba Xi stumbled forward, muttering curses. Why had he come to a war he could have avoided? He had lived like a king in his own clan, indulging in comfort and pride.
Like Huyan Zhen, his clan had long boasted of wielding the strongest dragon martial soul—but pride alone wouldn't save them today.
The dream of propelling the Sacred Dragon Clan into the Top Three by annihilating the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan now seemed hopeless. If he died here, what would remain of that dream—or of the clan itself?
"No! I can't die today! My wife, my children—they're waiting for me to bring glory to our clan! Today, I'll carve my name into the annals of history! Haaaaaa!!!" Touba Xi roared, throwing himself against the attack.
"Eighth Soul Skill—Sacred Protection!"
A blinding sphere of light enveloped him. But even a 50,000-year-old soul ring of highest quality could not withstand a Level 95 Titled Douluo's 100,000-year-old attack.
Touba Xi wasn't a chosen protagonist with plot armor. The sphere shattered like glass—and he was gone, reduced to nothing but ash.
"Damn it," Yue Guan hissed, twisting his face in irritation. This time, Gui Mei joined in, his expression equally ugly. After all, the Sacred Dragon Clan leader was under their watch.
If this news spread among the four lower clans, they might withdraw their support for the Spirit Hall. "We backed you for glory and protection, not to rush towards death?"
---
Unbeknownst to anyone, Tang Yin moved with meticulous precision, harvesting soul bones from the cold, lifeless bodies of Yu Yuanzen, Ghost Leopard, Ninth Elder, and Touba Xi.
To his surprise, he acquired five soul bones over 50,000 years old, alongside thirteen exceptionally high-quality decade‑millennium soul bones.
Of these, twelve were especially valuable, coming from dragon-type soul beasts, while the remaining six belonged to feline and bear type soul beasts.
For a resource worthy of a patriarch, the haul was better than he had expected: Yu Yuanzen and Touba Xi possessed six soul bones each, while the Ninth Elder and the Ghost Leopard Douluo had only three each.
---
While the Sea Turtle Douluo slaughtered the clan members, Yue Guan and Gui Mei hardened their resolve—they would do whatever it took to kill Erlong.
"If we don't kill her, we won't even have the chance to explain ourselves to the Priestess. Yue Guan, get ready. Either we die, or she does," Gui Mei said solemnly.
Gui Mei's chilling voice cut through the chaos as he instantly released his ninth soul ring:
"Ninth Soul Skill—Unlimited Shadows!"
Countless ghostly apparitions erupted from the ground, swirling around Liu Erlong in a relentless storm of attacks, striking from every direction.
Yue Guan didn't hesitate either. His eighth soul ring flared to life, and he let out a shrill cry:
"Eighth Soul Skill—Holy Light Door!"
A blinding golden light burst forth from the chrysanthemum, searing toward Erlong as she twisted and turned, desperately evading the ghostly onslaught that threatened to corrupt her mind and sap her willpower.
"Left Leg Skill—Scorching Deflection!"
Yue Guan's attack veered sharply, striking the unsuspecting Sea Turtle Douluo who hadn't had time to react. The man's grin—once filled with bloodthirsty delight—froze instantly, replaced by pain and shock.
Boom—!
Gui Mei blinked, incredulous.
Are you kidding me? he thought, staring at his good friend Yue Guan. This idiot just assisted her twice in a row… Are you sure you're not colluding with the enemy?
Meanwhile, Erlong soon realized her flames could repel the ghosts. With a sharp inhale—
Whoosh—
"Self-Created Skill—Nirvana Flame Armor!"
A gust of fire erupted, engulfing her and clinging tightly to her form. She stood like a Fire Goddess, her flames incinerating the spectral onslaught.
The Sea Turtle Douluo, missing his lower body, lay helpless on the ground, blood streaming from him like a river. His eyes burned with hatred as he glared at Yue Guan, who looked on the verge of tears.
"Uwuu… I forgot her unreasonable skill could divert my attack… wuuuu…" Yue Guan wailed bitterly. But Erlong didn't hesitate—she seized the moment and struck again.
The three were back in the thick of battle.
The Sea Turtle Douluo slumped, gasping. Tang Yin took advantage of the opening—his Eight Spider Wings shot out from his back, piercing the Douluo's neck.
Puff!
His face twisted in pain, blood pouring down, body twitching violently as life drained away. Tang Yin searched the corpse expectantly, but sadly, it possessed only two soul bones.
"Huff... Huff..."
Back with the trio, Erlong breathed heavily, her body trembling from the immense expenditure of soul power. She had unleashed a barrage of her eighth and ninth soul skills alongside her soul bone skills.
A typical Level 91 Titled Douluo can use a 100,000-year-old soul ring about three times. As their rank and soul power increase, they can activate it more frequently.
However, the scale of destruction also grows, which means the soul power consumed rises accordingly. Someone like Tang Yin, with a vast reserve of soul power, can activate up to four 100,000-year-old soul ring skills even at Level 89.
At Level 95, Liu Erlong could activate hers seven times if she didn't expend energy on other skills—but after her relentless assault, she was thoroughly drained.
"Huff… huff… huff…" She finally went limp, barely able to stand. As she gazed at the corpses of the clansmen she hadn't even known personally, a thought crossed her mind.
Why did I even try to save all of you? I don't know any of you, and none of you even know that I exist. The fleeting thought left her with nothing but the bitter acknowledgment of a moment of reckless decision.
"Tang Yin… I'm sorry. I don't think I'll make it back to you. I shouldn't have been reckless and come here alone. I didn't owe this to anyone… I love you," she muttered weakly.
"Hehehe… you violent women are finally done for. Hmph, you gave us a lot of problems," Yue Guan spat viciously.
"Let's deal with her first, then loot the clan and the corpse of Yuanzen. We also have to take the bodies of Ghost Leopard, Ninth Elder, and Touba Xi, along with the injured Sea Turtle Douluo…" Gui Mei froze as his gaze shifted to the Turtle Douluo.
There lay a lifeless body, his face frozen in a final struggle, neck pierced by something sharp. Alarmed, both of them tensed instantly, scanning for the perpetrator.
Liu Erlong noticed their reaction and, weak from exhaustion, tilted her head to study the corpse. "Hehe… serves you right. But who did this? I didn't notice anyone while fighting."
Clap… clap…
Faintly, she heard the sound of applause.
From that direction, a shadowy figure was casually walking toward them, clapping as he moved. Hmm? she squinted, trying to think clearly through her fatigue.
That build… the man with the mask and hoodie looks familiar. Tang Yin? No, it must be my imagination. With that thought, her exhaustion overcame her, and she drifted off to sleep.
Seeing her faint, Tang Yin shook his head in exasperation. I come to save you, and you fall asleep? Well… he had arrived a bit late—busy collecting the clan's treasury after killing off the Spirit Hall and Sacred Dragon Clan members.
They were, admittedly, filthy rich.
Gue Yuan and Gui Mei saw a man with a mask covering his entire face, standing 1.9 meters tall—not bulky, not thin, but radiating danger.
Their senses tingled instinctively. Seeing his nonchalant attitude only confirmed their suspicion—this guy is trouble.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" Gue Yuan demanded, instinctively taking a stance, ready for a sudden attack.
Crack—
The masked man didn't answer. From his back, golden-purple wings erupted, radiating an ominous aura.
Tang Yin remained silent.
He swiftly struck Liu Erlong, still deep in sleep, replenishing her vitality along with the soul power he had already refined. Then he knelt down, cradling her in his arms, preparing to fly.
"An Evil Soul Master? Did you come here sensing death?" Gui Mei muttered, frowning as he felt the wings radiating a devouring aura—the trademark of a fallen Soul Master.
Hmm? Evil Soul Master? Works for me.
Tang Yin didn't fly away. Instead, he shifted his gaze toward Yue Guan and Gui Mei, releasing his telepathy to read their surface thoughts.
Seeing his suspicious actions, Yue Guan and Gui Mei exchanged grim looks. If the woman fell into the hands of an Evil Soul Master, she would be as good as dead—but since they were from Spirit Hall, they couldn't simply let him escape.
Tang Yin placed the unconscious Liu Erlong inside his Wishful Hundred Treasure Purse, which could store living beings.
Seeing him put her inside a storage tool, they became certain he was 100% an Evil Soul Master—one who consumed humans to cultivate.
P.S. It was common knowledge that a living being couldn't be stored inside a storage tool. Only Dugu Bo, in this era, possessed a tool capable of doing so.
"Surrender now, and we'll give you the chance to enter the Slaughter City in return," Gui Mei said. He didn't really want to fight if it could be avoided; Evil Soul Masters were notoriously insidious, and this one looked powerful. And their soul power was almost depleted.
But Tang Yin still didn't answer as he released his Spirit Body. Golden-blue tattoos surfaced beneath his skin, faintly visible under his dark hoodie.
"Death God Domain—release."
The moment Tang Yin released the Death God Domain, the world seemed to darken.
A frigid, suffocating aura swept across the ruined grounds of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—an instinctive, primal fear that made even Titled Douluo feel as though a scythe hovered over their throats.
The air grew heavy, thick, and cold, as if death itself had descended and was watching them from inches away. Their soul power circulation stuttered. Breathing tightened.
Every heartbeat felt like it might be their last.
His domain had advanced significantly after the Sea God Trial and after killing numerous Evil Soul Masters and Evil Orca Beasts, making its aura even more overwhelming.
---