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Just as all the carriages of the Heaven Dou Empire's participating team entered the narrowest and most treacherous section of the Gourd Mouth Canyon, a sudden change occurred!
Boom!
Crack!
Only huge rumbling and rock-shattering sounds could be heard from the top of the cliff! Immediately after, countless rocks, some as large as millstones and even larger, as if freed from their restraints, were frantically pushed and rolled down from the towering cliffs on both sides!
These massive boulders, carrying immense force like meteorites falling from the sky, let out heart-pounding roars as they plummeted towards the long convoy at the bottom of the canyon!
Not good! Enemy attack! Everyone, be on alert! Seeing this, the captain of the Royal Knights reacted extremely quickly, immediately letting out a thunderous roar.
Upon hearing this, the well-trained soldiers of the Royal Knights reacted instantly! Though startled, they did not panic. Almost instinctively, they uniformly raised their heavy shields above their heads, infusing them with spirit power, causing a faint glow to emanate from the shields' surfaces!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The next moment, the giant rocks and shields collided with a series of violent impacts. Like a dense drumbeat, it echoed madly through the canyon! Immediately, shattered rocks flew and dust filled the entire canyon!
The immense impact force from above left some weaker knights with numb arms, and some were even knocked to the ground, shield and all. However, the overall defensive formation managed to hold up in the first instance, buying precious reaction time for the carriages and Spirit Master students below.
However, this was just the beginning!
Boom!
The last wave of giant rocks rolled down with dust, piling heavily at the entrance and exit of the canyon, completely sealing off the roads ahead and behind, turning this thousand-person strong team into trapped beasts.
A moment later, above the canyon, the pervasive dust gradually dispersed. Hundreds of masked figures in black stood densely packed on the towering cliff tops on both sides! Like bats of the dark night, they stood there silently, their cold eyes peering through their masks, looking down at the chaotic convoy below.
Not good! Protect the participating students! Form up! Seeing this scene, the captain of the Royal Knights' face instantly changed. He roared with all his might, his voice filled with a hint of despair. The number of enemies before him far exceeded his expectations; they were clearly not ordinary bandits!
However, his order had barely left his lips. At the top of the cliff, the masked figure in black who seemed to be the leader, with the most profound and terrifying aura, simply waved his hand lightly and casually, and coldly shouted:
Kill!
As his words fell, immediately, dozens of figures in black transformed into blurred shadows, accompanied by sharp whistling sounds, leaping directly from the cliff. Some used protruding rocks to make a few leaps, then, like ghosts, they fiercely charged into the defensive formation of the Royal Knights!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sounds of spirit power colliding, weapons clashing, and screams instantly erupted into a cacophony! The battle broke out in an instant and immediately entered a white-hot stage!
The soldiers of the Royal Knights were indeed well-trained, and there were many Spirit Masters among them with considerable individual strength, but they were facing attackers who were clearly superior in strength and had been premeditated!
These black-clad Spirit Masters cooperated tacitly, their spirit abilities were vicious and tricky. Often, two or three of them grouped together could easily tear through the Royal Knights' defense.
Wherever they passed, people and horses were overturned, and blood splattered! The Royal Knights' defense was being compressed and cut at a visible rate! They resisted desperately, yet they still found it difficult to stop these wolf-like figures in black from charging towards the carriages carrying the elites of various academies in the rear!
At the same time, on the other side of the canyon, the group of black-clad Spirit Masters, who had appeared earliest and were faintly shrouded in electric light, were also caught off guard by this sudden appearance of another group of attackers, and all of them froze.
Vice Clan Chief, what is going on? One of the men in black couldn't help but whisper to the old man beside him, respectfully addressed as Vice Clan Chief, his voice filled with confusion. Didn't we say we'd wait for Tang Hao to make his move first, and after everything was in chaos below, we'd act in the confusion? Why are there others? These people... could they be from the Clear Sky Sect? Are they here to meet Tang Hao?
You fool! Hearing this, the masked old man's face turned somewhat ugly. He reprimanded in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of annoyance, saying, Open your eyes and see clearly! The spirits of those people below are diverse and their attributes are chaotic. Where is there even a hint of the Clear Sky Hammer's ultimate strength and ferocity? How could they be from the Clear Sky Sect?
The reprimanded man in black shrank his neck, not daring to guess anymore. The masked old man's gaze swept gloomily across the chaotic battlefield below, a deep glint flashing in his eyes. To be able to mobilize so many Spirit Masters at once and organize such a brazen attack targeting the Empire's participating team, the force behind it...
To have such a grand scheme and audacity... it seems it should be Spirit Hall! Slowly exhaling a turbid breath, the masked old man's voice carried a hint of solemnity as he spoke.
Spirit Hall? Hearing this, the man in black beside him couldn't help but gasp, clearly shocked by the answer. Then, Vice Clan Chief, should we make our move now? The target is in the carriage below.
Hearing this, the masked old man's eyes gleamed as he quickly weighed the situation, then shook his head, rejecting the suggestion to act immediately, and said indifferently: Don't rush! Tianxing Academy has the Poison Douluo Dugu Bo guarding it.
Although I, along with several other Elders, am confident in holding him back, with the sudden appearance of Spirit Hall, the situation has become even more complicated.
Since that's the case, then wait! The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it. Let Spirit Hall engage with Dugu Bo first, let them consume each other, and once this water is thoroughly muddied, we will make our move!
Their Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's goal was to be the most patient oriole!
Meanwhile, in the canyon battlefield below. After the Spirit Hall's black-clad Spirit Masters quickly broke through the Royal Knights' defense, their objective was very clear. Most of them, like sharks smelling blood, charged directly towards the Tianxing Academy's carriage, clearly premeditated.
Kid, it seems these people are coming for you! Looking at the black-clad Spirit Masters surging like a tide, Dugu Bo, who was guarding the Tianxing Academy's carriage, slightly changed his expression and turned his head to Tang Chen, who remained calm. In his opinion, such precise targeting was no accident.
However, facing such a perilous situation, Tang Chen not only showed no panic but instead smiled in anger, a cold and battle intent-filled arc forming at the corner of his mouth as he said in a deep voice: Good that they came!
Since they dared to come, then kill them all! This time, we must make them hurt, make them fear! Let them know the price of provoking me! Let them never dare to target me again in the future!
He lightly clenched his fist, his clear voice carrying an aura of looking down upon the world. Immediately, a vast and boundless spirit power erupted from within his body!
The next second, two purple, three black, five spirit rings beyond common sense instantly spiraled up from Tang Chen's feet, emitting a heart-palpitating pressure, especially the three profound black ten-thousand-year spirit rings, which caused the charging black-clad figures to involuntarily hold their breath!
He slammed his palm forward onto the ground. Immediately, countless Blue Silver Emperor vines, shimmering with blue-gold light, like living tentacles, rapidly spread and swept forward in a fan shape from his palm, along the ground!
Puff puff puff puff!
These blue-gold vines did not attack in a disorganized manner; instead, they skillfully avoided their allies and then precisely bound and pierced the charging black-clad Spirit Masters! Just as Tang Chen's Blue Silver Emperor vines, imbued with boundless life, surged out like a raging tide, the other members of Tianxing Academy also moved!
Seven Treasures turn out with Glazed Tile! First: Strength! Second: Speed! Third: Spirit! Fourth: Defense! Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda glowed brightly, and several dazzling rays of colorful light accurately projected onto Xiao Rui'er, Dugu Yan... and the Shi Brothers, instantly causing their aura to surge!
Among them, the most dazzling was Xiao Rui'er! After receiving Ning Rongrong's amplification, her strength and speed reached a terrifying level of improvement. She didn't even use any spirit abilities; her entire being, like a golden lightning bolt, directly charged into the crowd of black-clad figures!
Xiao Rui'er's fighting style was simple, brutal, yet suffocatingly effective! Facing a Spirit King who swung a great saber at her, she didn't dodge or evade. Her fist, covered in a faint golden light, met it directly! With a booming punch, the great saber, of no small quality, along with its owner, was sent flying backward, his chest caved in, clearly not alive.
Another agility-attack system Spirit King attempting a sneak attack from the flank was ignored by Xiao Rui'er. With a backhand grab, the gleaming dagger was actually caught by her bare hand, and then she twisted it fiercely!
Crack!
The dagger instantly broke. At the same time, her left fist, like a cannonball, solidly struck the Spirit King's abdomen, causing him to arch his body like a shrimp, spitting blood and collapsing to the ground. And this was not even her strongest state!
The next second, a golden flash appeared, and a long spear, entirely golden, seemingly composed of pure energy, with a dragon-shaped pattern coiled around its shaft, appeared in her hand—it was the golden dragon spear! With the long spear in hand, Xiao Rui'er's aura surged again! Immediately after, she plunged into the enemy like a tiger into a flock of sheep, her long spear stabbing, sweeping, or parrying!
With one thrust of the spear, a Spirit King who had activated a defensive spirit ability was pierced through, man and shield! With one sweep of the spear, three black-clad figures attempting to surround her were struck like by a giant log, breaking at the waist!
With one upward flick of the spear, a flying Spirit Master with a flying-type spirit who pounced from the air was directly flicked upwards, his blood spilling across the sky!
One punch, one kill; one spear, one kill! Before her absolute strength and the unparalleled sharpness of the golden dragon spear, these formidable black-clad Spirit Masters were like chickens and dogs, utterly powerless to resist, retreating step by step!
Watching his elite subordinates suffer heavy casualties under the counterattack of Xiao Rui'er and the Tianxing Academy group, the black-clad leader, who had been observing coldly with the most profound aura, slightly changed his expression and said coldly, A mere Spirit King, yet so powerful. You cannot be allowed to live!
He clearly hadn't expected the strength of the target's teammates to be so formidable. Especially that golden-haired woman, her strength far exceeded his estimation!
Can't wait any longer! With a low shout, the black-clad spirit master leader's figure flickered, disappearing from his original spot as if by teleportation. At the same time, he let out a sharp, piercing long cry, an eagle's cry piercing the Nine Heavens!
Buzz!
The next second, a powerful spirit power fluctuation erupted! Two yellow, two purple, four black—a total of eight spirit rings spiraled up from his feet, emitting a powerful pressure belonging to the Spirit Douluo level!
Immediately after, a giant eagle phantom, shimmering with golden light, appeared indistinctly behind him, its outstretched wings seemingly capable of obscuring the sky!
Having completed his spirit possession, the black-clad spirit master leader transformed into a golden streak of light, moving with unimaginable speed, directly targeting Xiao Rui'er, who was wreaking havoc among the crowd!
However, just as the golden streak of light he had become was about to approach Xiao Rui'er, a dark green figure, like a ghost, appeared beside him without warning! It was none other than the Poison Douluo Dugu Bo!
Seeking death! Dugu Bo didn't even release his spirit; he simply let out an angry roar. Accompanying this angry roar, his seemingly thin hand, carrying a terrifying force of a Titled Douluo level, struck first and then, like swatting a fly, fiercely slapped the Golden Eagle Spirit Douluo's face!
Bang!
A dull, extreme thud rang out! The Golden Eagle Spirit Douluo couldn't even make any effective block or dodge. He only felt an irresistible force, mixed with an icy, potent poison that froze his spirit power, instantly sweep through his entire body!
The next second, the Golden Eagle Spirit Douluo was hit head-on by what seemed like a meteor. He flew backward even faster than he came, like a tattered sack, drawing a pathetic arc in the air before crashing heavily onto the hard ground dozens of meters away!
Boom!
A shallow pit was formed in the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust! The Golden Eagle Spirit Douluo lay in the pit, an unknown number of bones broken. A clear, purplish-black palm print was visible on his face, and black blood continuously oozed from his mouth and nose. His body twitched; he was clearly exhaling more than inhaling, having completely lost his battle intent.
One slap! Just one slap! A Spirit Douluo was so utterly vulnerable in front of a Titled Douluo! This scene instantly stunned the entire audience! The black-clothed figures who had been attacking frantically all paused, their eyes filled with fear and shock! The might of a Titled Douluo was truly terrifying!
As the dust slowly settled, everyone looked closely, and all gasped in cold air! In the shallow pit, the Golden Eagle Spirit Douluo lay motionless, bleeding from his seven orifices, with no trace of life aura around him. This Spirit Douluo-level powerhouse was actually slapped to death by Dugu Bo?
Between a Titled Douluo and a Spirit Douluo, what seemed like only a single spirit ring difference was, in fact, a chasm of difference! In front of Dugu Bo, who was going all out, a Spirit Douluo was like an ant!
Lordia was... killed? Run! It is a Titled Douluo!
The remaining black-clothed Spirit Masters, seeing the tragic death of their leader, were immediately scared out of their wits, their faces ashen! The fierce aura they had moments ago instantly disintegrated, leaving only boundless fear! Someone shouted, and the remaining people, like startled birds, no longer cared about their mission. They turned and tried to scatter and retreat in a panic!
Hmph! Trying to leave now? Too late! Seeing this, Dugu Bo's eyes surged with battle intent. Since he had already made his move, how could he let these small fries who dared to attack those he protected leave?
He didn't even move his feet; he just flickered his emerald green pupils, and with a gentle wave of his withered palm, he aimed at the fleeing black-clothed figures.
Whoosh!
Immediately, a thick, impenetrable emerald green poisonous mist, like a living tide of death, silently yet swiftly swept towards the fleeing black-clothed figures! Wherever the poisonous mist passed, even the air made sizzling, corrosive sounds, and the grass and trees on the ground instantly withered into ashes!
Ah! No! Save me!
As soon as the black-clothed figures were touched by the poisonous mist, they let out piercing, inhuman screams! Then, their bodies, as if splashed with strong acid, rapidly dissolved and festered—skin, muscles, and bones—at a visible speed!
In just a few breaths, dozens of black-clothed figures who tried to escape, along with their clothes and weapons, completely turned into pools of foul-smelling, pungent pus and blood in the emerald green poisonous mist, seeping into the ground, leaving no bones behind!
A gust of wind blew. The poisonous mist slowly dispersed, leaving only charred patches and a nauseating smell. The attackers, who had been numerous and shouting for blood moments ago, were completely annihilated by Dugu Bo with a flick of his hand, leaving no corpses! The wrath of a Titled Douluo, dozens of bodies, blood flowing like a river!
Just then, a soft, high-pitched, somewhat affected voice, like an invisible thread, suddenly drifted down from the sky: Oh! Old Poison, I didn't expect your strength to have improved so much after a few years. Killing a Spirit Douluo with one slap, what an impressive display.
Immediately after, a figure clad in luxurious golden armor, with a graceful, feminine physique, slowly descended from mid-air. Golden petals swirled around him, and though his posture appeared very elegant, it carried a powerful sense of oppression.
At the same time, two yellow, two purple, and five black spirit rings, a total of nine, slowly ascended from beneath his feet as if alive, emitting the immense pressure belonging to a Titled Douluo!
Seeing this familiar yet repulsive figure appear, a hint of understanding and undisguised disgust flashed in Dugu Bo's emerald eyes. He snorted unhappily and said: Chrysanthemum Pass!
I knew it was you persistent guys causing trouble! Dare to lay hands on people from my Tianxing Academy? Spirit Hall is truly getting more and more capable! You really think I, this principal, don't exist, do you? If you anger me, do you believe I'll rush over right now and blast your chrysanthemum?
Although his words were crude, they perfectly matched his unpredictable nature—neither entirely good nor evil, acting solely on his whims—and directly hit Chrysanthemum Douluo's sore spot.
Bastard! Don't call me Chrysanthemum Pass! Hearing this, Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan's flamboyant face twisted with extreme rage, and he shrieked. That nickname was the greatest taboo and humiliation for him!
In his fury, a golden light flashed in Chrysanthemum Douluo's hand. His splendid Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum spirit instantly transformed into a golden flying dagger with sharp golden edges, then, with a sharp whistle that seemed to tear through space, it shot directly towards Dugu Bo's face!
Hmph, do you think I'm afraid of you? Dugu Bo, seeing the opponent make a move, showed no fear either. He let out a long cry, his figure flickering like a ghost, advancing instead of retreating, directly meeting the attack! As he charged forward, an even more immense and ancient terrifying aura, far surpassing anything before, erupted from his body!
A brilliant emerald green light shot into the sky, furiously coalescing behind him! His spirit was no longer the cold Jade Phosphorous Serpent. Instead, it was a Jade Phosphor Serpent Dragon, even larger in size, more majestic in form, covered in jade-like scales, with a single horn on its head and claws extending from its belly!
Roar!
The next second, the Jade Phosphor Serpent Dragon phantom let out an earth-shattering dragon roar, carrying the mighty dragon prestige that could crush all poisons, and fiercely slammed into the golden flying dagger!
Bang!
The golden, sharp blade light and the emerald green dragon shadow collided violently in mid-air without any fancy moves, instantly producing an earth-shattering roar! The terrifying energy clash seemed to distort the surrounding space!
A visible, immense ripple, mixed with sharp golden spirit power and corrosive poison-attribute energy, swept out in all directions from the point of impact like a tsunami, instantly pulverizing some nearby rubble and corpses!
However, this seemingly evenly matched collision only lasted for less than an instant! The next moment, under Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan's disbelieving gaze, his unfailingly effective Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum flying dagger, as if striking an ancient mountain, instantly dimmed and disintegrated!
And he himself was shaken by the subsequent, overwhelmingly brutal Jade Dragon power, his blood and Qi churning, his body uncontrollably flying backward. He stumbled back more than ten meters in the air before barely managing to stabilize himself!
What? With an angry roar, Chrysanthemum Douluo suddenly looked up, staring intently at the Jade Phosphor Serpent Dragon behind Dugu Bo, which emitted a dragon prestige that made his spirit tremble. His face was filled with extreme shock and horror, and he said incredulously: Old Poison! Your... your spirit... how did it turn from a snake into a dragon?
This sudden spirit evolution completely subverted Chrysanthemum Douluo's understanding. At the same time, his heart instantly sank. What he had originally thought was a sure-win situation now had a huge variable due to the opponent's bizarre surge in strength!
Hahaha! Chrysanthemum Pass, do you still think I'm the Dugu Bo you guys chased to the brink of death back then? Hearing this, Dugu Bo let out a hearty laugh, his laughter filled with the joy of having his grievances aired, and said: Today, this old man will let you properly witness how formidable I am now!
As soon as his voice fell, his figure flickered again, the Jade Phosphor Serpent Dragon phantom behind him roared, and with towering poisonous mist and dragon prestige, he directly pounced towards Chrysanthemum Douluo, who had just stabilized himself! His aura was far more intense than before!
Seeing this, Chrysanthemum Douluo's face changed drastically again. He didn't have time to ponder the reason for Dugu Bo's spirit evolution. While rapidly retreating, he shrieked exasperatedly into the air: You dead ghost! Aren't you going to make your move? Do you have to watch me get tormented by this Old Poison before you're satisfied?
Accompanying his urgent and angry cry, a clear, ethereal voice, seemingly devoid of any worldly essence, softly echoed in the air: Tsk...
The next second, the space in front of Chrysanthemum Douluo rippled gently like water. A black figure, completely merged into the shadows and indistinct, silently appeared, as if he had been standing there all along. It was Ghost Douluo Gui Mei.
Ghost Douluo's gaze, hidden in the shadows, seemed to sweep over Dugu Bo, who was charging aggressively. His voice remained calm, yet carried a subtle hint of solemnity, as he said: I truly didn't expect that the Old Poison whom we both chased to the brink of death back then would, today, have strength comparable to ours.
His tone carried a hint of emotion at the unpredictability of life. After speaking, Ghost Douluo no longer hesitated. Black mist suddenly surged around him, and he transformed into a twisted, incredibly fast black shadow, as if shuttling between reality and illusion, directly meeting the charging Dugu Bo!
Boom!
The full-force collision of three Titled Douluo immediately erupted in an even more terrifying roar than before! Violent energy turbulence, like an out-of-control tornado, incessantly raged through the canyon, tearing open ravines in the ground, and countless shattered rocks were swept high into the sky before turning into dust!
However, the result of this collision was completely different from before! Facing Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei simultaneously, even Dugu Bo, after his spirit evolution, could no longer gain the upper hand under their combined, perfectly coordinated attacks!
Roar!
The emerald green divine dragon phantom, under the impact of the golden and black energy torrents, let out an unwilling roar, its light flickering violently, and it was actually suppressed and forced back! Dugu Bo himself grunted, his body uncontrollably staggering back more than ten steps, each step leaving deep imprints on the hard ground.
Facing two opponents, the Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo who had cooperated for many years, even Dugu Bo, with his greatly increased strength, instantly fell into a disadvantage!
However, misfortunes never come singly! Just as Dugu Bo was repelled, and his aura had not yet stabilized.
Roar!
A wild, powerful bear roar suddenly erupted from the left side of the Tianxing Academy camp. Immediately after, a terrifying, mountain-like pressure descended like a volcanic eruption! At the same time, a figure as swift as lightning, wearing a black mask, appeared on the right side of Tianxing Academy's carriage!
On the left was a man with an extremely burly and muscular build, his muscles bulging. His wild golden hair flowed like a lion's mane, and his eyes burned with violent battle intent. It was Devil Bear Douluo! On the right was a lean, agile figure with eyes as sharp as knives. His aura was like a leopard lurking in the shadows. It was Ghost Leopard Douluo!