Tang Hao knew that saving Xiao Wu this time would be far more difficult.
Back in the Pope's Palace, he had acted in desperation—ignoring the risk of detonating his spirit rings and aggravating old injuries—and had struck at a place symbolizing the Holy authority of the Spirit Hall itself.
That attack had forced Bibi Dong and the others to split their attention, giving Tang Hao just enough of an opening to rescue Tang San and escape.
But here, deep in the Star Dou Great Forest, there was nothing to hold Lin Fan and his group back.
Tang Hao had realized even then that Bibi Dong's strength surpassed his own. What puzzled him was why she hadn't unleashed her full power during their last confrontation.
"Xiao San, as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn. You must not die here.
With your twin spirit talent, you'll have every chance to take revenge on them in the future."
He glanced at the unconscious Tang San, then cast a deep look toward where Lin Fan and the others were fighting.
Without lingering a moment longer, Tang Hao carried Tang San away at speed, careful to conceal their aura.
If Lin Fan sensed them now, escape would be impossible. Tang Hao chose decisiveness over sentiment.
"Da Ming, Er Ming—use your domains!" Xiao Wu ordered.
The two beast kings stepped back in unison.
From Da Ming's massive body spread a deep cyan halo—"Slowing Domain!"
From Er Ming erupted a brownish-gold field—"Gravity Control Domain!"
Their overlapping domains forced Lin Fan's Azure Nether Sword Domain outward, pushing it from their range.
"Death Domain!" Bibi Dong responded instantly, aiding Lin Fan with a domain of her own.
Ju Douluo and Ghost Douluo, however, were already feeling the pressure.
"Ninth Spirit Skill—Azure Shadow Return to Origin!"
Lin Fan had no interest in dragging this fight out—he still had to reach the Slaughter City.
After only a few brief exchanges, he unleashed his Azure Shadow Sword's ultimate skill.
Countless sword phantoms merged into one massive blade, cleaving toward Er Ming.
Sensing mortal danger, Er Ming immediately lifted Xiao Wu from his shoulder and hurled her away to safety.
At the same time, his vast jaws gathered a golden-yellow energy orb, releasing a roaring energy beam.
Lin Fan's sword split the golden light in two and kept descending, slamming straight into the titan ape's enormous face.
Though the blow landed, Er Ming's titanic defense—his thick hide and massive vitality—absorbed much of the strike's force, allowing him to survive.
But before he could make his next move, a streak of crimson sword-light flashed.
Lin Fan knew his ninth spirit skill alone, even at his 96th rank, might not finish Er Ming.
So, immediately after the Azure Shadow strike, he dismissed his martial spirit and drew the Slaughter Sword.
From its second one-hundred-thousand-year ring, he invoked Blood Sword of the Hurricane—
The crimson blade drove deep into the titan ape's chest.
Er Ming roared in agony before crashing backward into the lake with a massive splash.
"Er Ming!"
Da Ming's massive body surged fully from the water, his tail sweeping sideways toward Lin Fan in a violent counterattack.
"Sword Soul Immortal Halo!"
Lin Fan met the strike head-on, unfazed by the serpent tail.
"The Slaughter Sword… Lin Xuan—it was you in disguise all along!"
On the lake's surface, Xiao Wu's eyes widened in recognition. In that instant, she understood why Lin Fan had been relentlessly targeting her all this time.
"Correct. Unfortunately, there's no prize for guessing." Lin Fan's smile was cold.
Ju Douluo and Ghost Douluo exchanged looks—part shock, part exasperation.
"Yue Guan, Gui Mei—strike!" Bibi Dong commanded.
"Yes!"
Back-to-back, the two titled Douluo each unfurled their nine spirit rings.
"Dual Polarity Static Domain!"
This combined field froze everything within its range—skills, movement, even the falling of leaves.
Not even wind could enter; it simply curved around the boundary.
With their cultivation, even a 97th-rank opponent could be immobilized for a time.
"Damn it… I can't move!"
Xiao Wu, Da Ming, and Er Ming all realized the same thing—unable even to open their mouths to speak.
"Fatal Strike!"
Lin Fan poured all his spirit power into the tip of his blade, releasing a single sword aura saturated with killing intent.
The blow ignored almost all forms of defense—cleaving straight through the titan ape's body in one merciless stroke.
At the same time, Bibi Dong switched to her second martial spirit, the Death Spider Emperor.
A purple glow flared—Sixth Spirit Skill: Eternal Wound!
Though her soul bone ability had yet to fully recover from the battle against the Rakshasa's spirit, this single-target attack from her second spirit was more than enough to grievously injure Da Ming.
She deliberately held back from the killing blow, leaving the final strike for Lin Fan.
"Da Ming! Er Ming!"
Xiao Wu's anguished scream rang out, tears streaming down her face.
"It's my fault… I caused this!"
Her grief reverberated through the surrounding spirit beasts—
But every one of them was held at bay by Demon Bear Douluo and Ling Yuan Douluo.
Lin Fan, having finished Er Ming, raised his sword once more and slew the Sky Azure Bull Python in a single decisive cut.
Boom!
Two crimson spirit rings rose into the air above them, shaking the heavens and earth.
"I'll kill you all!"
Overcome with pain and rage, Xiao Wu charged at Lin Fan's group—no longer caring if she lived or died.
But at her Soul King level, she could change nothing.
Bibi Dong caught her easily, fingers clamping around her throat.
"Just like your mother—foolish to the end.
After all this running, you still end up in my hands."
"Don't gloat… someone will avenge us!" Xiao Wu glared back, defiant even as her strength faded.
"Then let them come. Pity you won't be around to see it."
Bibi Dong's eight spider spears drove cleanly into Xiao Wu's chest.
Pffft—
Without even a chance to struggle, Xiao Wu went limp, her life extinguished.
Eight years in human form—and still she could not escape her fate.
Boom!
A third crimson ring rose above the lake island.
Three one-hundred-thousand-year spirit rings appearing together—
a sight that left even Ju Douluo and Ghost Douluo stunned, their eyes filled with envy.
Far away, Tang Hao's face darkened.
"Xiao Wu… I shouldn't have let you return. This is my fault."
His gaze turned blood-red.
"Lin Fan! Spirit Hall! If I don't avenge this, I'm no man!"
"Xiao San and I will return!"
With one last look toward the distant battlefield, he carried Tang San away from the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Well done. Once I finish absorbing these, your reward will be generous."
Lin Fan looked up at the three crimson rings with deep satisfaction.
"Yue Guan, Gui Mei—guard the perimeter. Let no spirit beast approach."
"Rest assured, Your Holiness, strategist—
not even a fly will get through."
Lin Fan and Bibi Dong exchanged a nod, then both sat cross-legged, preparing to absorb the ring.