Chapter 387: Reversal of Fortune
As powerful reinforcements gradually returned to Wuhun City and the four experts from Tianxing Academy joined the fray, the tide of the battle began to turn.
So far, Star Dou Forest's side had lost three top-tier fighters—all soul beasts over one hundred thousand years old—a devastating loss, but with Tang San now fighting as a level ninety-nine Ultimate Douluo, they managed to avoid losing ground.
Wuhun City's side, meanwhile, had lost Demon Bear Douluo, Porcupinefish Douluo, Qianjun Douluo, and Jiangmo Douluo, but they quickly replenished their ranks with several Titled Douluo, including the four reinforcements from Tianxing Academy. Soul masters from across the Empire were still arriving to lend their support.
Overall, Star Dou Forest's forces should have been stronger. However, they faced the challenge of an offensive, while Wuhun City enjoyed the defensive advantage. Defense generally required less energy, and Wuhun Empire's defenders benefitted from the sanctified light of the Angelic Statue, further tipping the balance in their favor.
By now, both sides had committed too much to withdraw easily. A single lapse in judgment could spell disaster for either side, leading to a swift and total defeat.
The top experts, like Di Tian, grew increasingly uneasy; Qian Renxue and Bibi Dong had yet to appear, and both were formidable threats. Meanwhile, Tang San grew more accustomed to his newfound level ninety-nine power, becoming increasingly formidable in battle. If not for his prior spirit ring detonation with the Clear Sky Hammer, not even the combined strength of Sword Douluo and the others could keep him restrained.
Suddenly, a radiant light burst from within Wuhun City, casting a vast glow that filled the sky, illuminating thousands of miles in all directions with an intense, otherworldly brilliance. It seemed as if the heavens were collapsing.
Most people had no idea what this phenomenon signified, but Di Tian, who had come from the Divine Realm, recognized it instantly as divine power. Only someone ascending to godhood could unleash such a spectacle, and judging by the divine energy being emitted, Qian Renxue was likely in the process of inheriting the position of Angel God.
Di Tian let out an earth-shaking dragon roar. "Tang San, stop holding back! If we don't breach Wuhun City soon, a new god will emerge from within their ranks."
Tang San's face contorted in shock. He had orchestrated this entire war to complete the Evil God King's trial and gain the destructive power necessary to inherit the title of God of Destruction. But if Wuhun City succeeded in birthing a god first, he himself would be at risk. He knew from his brief encounter with the Evil God King just how vast the gap between humans and gods truly was.
If Qian Renxue completed her divine ascension, not only would his chance at godhood vanish, but she would likely obliterate him in retaliation.
Stirred by Di Tian's call, the soul beasts launched an even more frenzied assault, attacking with reckless abandon. The powerful beasts unleashed wide-area spirit abilities, determined to annihilate Wuhun City's defenders.
At that moment, a massive explosion reverberated through the sky, sending two immense energies clashing, only to dissolve into nothingness moments later. The source of the explosion was a life-or-death clash between Lion Douluo and the three-headed Scarlet Demon Mastiff, Chi Wang.
Lion Douluo, a peak-level ninety-seven spirit master and the Empire's fourth-highest Titled Douluo, wielded the Flame Lion spirit and possessed impressive power. Chi Wang, in turn, was a three-hundred-thousand-year-old fire-type soul beast known for its Hellfire, which approached the peak of fire attributes.
The two were evenly matched until Di Tian's dragon roar spurred Chi Wang into a berserk state. Driven by an intense thirst for revenge as a guard of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, Chi Wang unleashed his full fury. The resulting collision of fire and spirit power left both fighters lying critically injured in a deep crater.
Tang San seized the opportunity, activating his hundred-thousand-year spirit skill with the Clear Sky Hammer, driving Sword Douluo and the others back with a fierce attack. Before they could react, countless dark-blue silver grass vines wrapped around Lion Douluo and Chi Wang in the crater. Even Golden Crocodile Douluo's desperate attempt to assist was thwarted by Bear Lord's relentless defense.
As Lion Douluo and Chi Wang's auras weakened, their spirit energy was devoured by the encroaching darkness, shrouding even their spirit rings and bones. Tang San's aura surged as a result, his appearance becoming increasingly deranged, almost like a demonic deity.
Sword Douluo, witnessing this transformation, asked in alarm, "Old Chrysanthemum, what on earth is happening to Tang San? How can he be this terrifying?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo cursed bitterly, "I don't know what's going on either. Tang San's blasted Blue Silver Grass seems to absorb both human and soul beast energy, even devouring spirit rings and bones."
Sword Douluo was stunned. "How is that possible? Besides the body and the spirit ring's designated position, how could anything else absorb spirit ring or bone energy?"
Chrysanthemum Douluo spat, "Who cares how it's possible? We need to take him down now, or something truly disastrous will happen."
Ignoring the dark-blue silver grass enveloping the area, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo activated their spirit fusion skill: the Polar Forbidden Zone. A vast field enveloped Tang San and the dark-blue silver grass. At the same time, Sword Douluo and Yang Zhentian unleashed their ninth spirit abilities, with Sword Douluo's Seven Killing Sword and Yang Zhentian's Soul-Breaking Spear bearing down on Tang San from above, aiming to split him in two within the restricted field.
But Tang San laughed maniacally. "Petty tricks! You dare to try to restrict me? You're courting death!"
As he spoke, his dark-blue silver grass blurred, becoming ethereal, existing somewhere between solid and intangible forms. This was the eighth skill of Tang San's dark-blue silver grass: Phantom Devourer, derived from the Phantom Sea Serpent—a hundred-thousand-year spirit skill.
The previously stable Polar Forbidden Zone shattered inch by inch. Tang San's dark-blue silver grass transformed into a massive, ethereal sea serpent, whose mouth seemed to contain the power to swallow heaven and earth. Even Sword Douluo's Seven Killing Sword and Yang Zhentian's Soul-Breaking Spear felt a tremendous pull, as if about to be consumed. The aura within the serpent seemed to exceed the limitations of the Douluo World.
In the aftermath of this clash, both Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo spat blood, having been repelled for the first time in their spirit fusion skill's history. Sword Douluo and Yang Zhentian also staggered, blood trickling from their mouths.
But Tang San didn't emerge unscathed; a sword mark from the Seven Killing Sword marred his chest, along with a piercing wound from the Soul-Breaking Spear, leaving him gravely injured.
Tang San, however, had larger ambitions. His target wasn't merely to resist the four; instead, the ethereal sea serpent he commanded twisted around and lunged at Saint Dragon Douluo Tuoba Xi, who was caught off guard. Before he could react, both he and the ten-thousand-year-old soul beast he was fighting were swallowed in a single gulp. Their struggles proved futile against the serpent's voracious maw.
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