Chapter 346: At Wu Pass, As If Reborn
"What?"
The other Soul Douluo positioned around the area looked in shock toward the direction of the Zhu Clan elder. Although the battle had lasted only a moment, the thunderous force that turned the sky dark could not have gone unnoticed. And now, Elder Zhu's aura had seemingly vanished.
"Something's wrong."
The realization hit them all simultaneously, and they rushed toward the site of the battle.
Moments later, they arrived at the scene, their soul avatar forms dissipating as they took in the devastation below—a wide swath of forest, scorched black by the strike. Second Elder's voice trembled, "What on earth happened here? Where is that wretch? Where is Elder Zhu?"
At his words, everyone began scanning the area. Suddenly, the scholarly-looking Fourth Elder's eyes sharpened, and he flashed down to the center of the scorched ground, digging through the dirt to uncover a charred, vaguely human form.
For the first time, his usually calm face showed shock. His hands trembled as he asked, "Elder Zhu?"
"Help...me...up…"
It was, indeed, the once-graceful Zhu Clan Elder, now barely recognizable, who spoke, her words punctuated by spurts of blood.
Fourth Elder carefully helped her up, while the rest gathered around, stunned by her wounded, fragile appearance. Second Elder was especially horrified, demanding, "Elder Zhu, what happened? How did you end up like this? And where is that wretch?"
With pain radiating from her back, she clenched her jaw to speak. A clear fist-shaped imprint was visible there, and if it weren't for her recently absorbed torso bone, Dai Yao's punch would have split her in half.
At Second Elder's questioning, she looked up, a faint glimmer of pity in her eyes.
If she wasn't mistaken, Dai Yao's sixth spirit ring was one of the rarest: a one-hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, a feat even most Titled Douluo could only dream of. And here it was on a young Spirit Emperor, a sign of unparalleled talent. How tragic that the Dai Clan had driven away such a prodigy, and now sought to kill him.
Moving her arm sparked fresh pain from her back, forcing a sharp intake of breath. After a pause, under everyone's scrutiny, she spoke slowly, "Dai Yao had been concealing his true abilities. I was injured by him, and unless I'm mistaken, he's already far from here by now."
The others stared at her as if she'd lost her mind. Second Elder's expression darkened, his anger boiling over as he sneered, "Elder Zhu, do you take us for fools? Dai Yao is only in his twenties. Even if he's talented, he's still just a Spirit King! You, a Spirit Douluo, beaten by a Spirit King? How could anyone believe that?"
Her eyes widened briefly at his words. It was true; Dai Yao was only in his early twenties, a level that even the Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall had only just reached at his age. But Dai Yao wasn't simply a Spirit King—he was a Spirit Emperor, and his sixth spirit ring was an incomprehensible one-hundred-thousand-year spirit ring!
The Dai Clan had truly lost their minds, expelling such an exceptional genius and not even believing her now.
She sighed inwardly, realizing that if she told them the truth about Dai Yao's sixth spirit ring, they would still refuse to believe it.
Glancing around at her fellow Soul Douluo with a faint hint of disinterest, she replied, "Believe what you want. I've said all I need to say, and I'm already injured from it. Now you can go and catch Dai Yao yourselves."
With that, she could no longer bring herself to refer to Dai Yao as a "boy," for he had earned her respect. Though only a Spirit Emperor, she could no longer view him as an ordinary Spirit Emperor.
The others were dumbfounded by her reaction. Could she actually be telling the truth?
But a youth in his twenties, defeating a Spirit Douluo who was using her spirit avatar? That was beyond believable.
Shaking his head to dispel the absurd thought, Second Elder forced himself back to reality. Zhu Elder, meanwhile, took a pill from her soul tool, which brought some relief from her pain, then turned to leave. Fourth Elder quickly held her back, advising, "Elder Zhu, you're injured, and it's for the sake of our Dai family, so let us escort you home."
Her previously elegant hair was now burned to a crisp, and she gave him a sharp look before conceding. "Very well."
Second Elder, meanwhile, was trembling with rage, his face dark as coal. They had deployed so many people to capture Dai Yao, only for him to escape. If word of this got out, the Xing Luo royal family would be humiliated.
Although Third Elder sympathized, they needed to act quickly. He cautiously reminded, "Second Brother, what's our next move?"
After a moment's pause, Second Elder's sinister gaze drifted toward the border of Xing Luo Empire. Gritting his teeth, he ordered, "Back to Gengxin City. If we capture Dai Yao's allies, we'll still have leverage. And if Dai Yao tries to slip back out of our borders, the people we left there will intercept him. So he can't just fly out of Xing Luo. Our best move is to return to Gengxin City, watch every move from Spirit Hall, and close Wu Pass. We might still catch him."
With that, he shot into the sky, trailed by beams of light, as Fourth Elder carefully helped Elder Zhu follow.
Meanwhile, on the open road a hundred miles from Wu Pass, an earth-shaking battle was underway.
"Damn it, what are you two doing? It's just a few juniors! Can't you handle them?" barked an elder, surrounded by eight glowing spirit rings as he fought Lou Gao with unrelenting fury.
The three Soul Douluo had spent some time investigating in Gengxin City before realizing that Dai Yao's allies had already left. It was only recently that they managed to catch up to Lou Gao and his group.
Besides Lou Gao, only three young women accompanied him. Ordinarily, this elder thought that with Lou Gao occupied, the other two Soul Douluo could quickly handle the girls. Yet, somehow, they hadn't managed to subdue them.
One of the Soul Douluo hesitated, frustrated by his inability to subdue the young Spirit Emperor-level woman before him. It seemed inconceivable that he—a seasoned Soul Douluo—was struggling so much against her.
The red-clad woman before him, with her white flame-like hair cascading down her back, was proving nearly impossible to pin down. Her combat skills were expertly honed, and that fierce white flame she wielded gave even him pause. If he let his guard down and that flame touched him, it would cost him considerable soul power to extinguish it.
"Third Brother! The key is that girl from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan! If we can take her down, the others will be easy pickings!" shouted another Soul Douluo, visibly frustrated.
The man, known as 'Third Brother,' paused, his sixth soul skill yet again thwarted by the alluring woman before him. Hearing his brother's words, he cast a glance toward the serene young woman at the center of their protective circle, a glint of admiration in his eyes.
"No wonder they say the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan's support spirit is the strongest of all. Even as a mere Spirit King, she's managed to help two Spirit Emperors hold their ground against us. Though, I have to admit, these two women are remarkable prodigies," he murmured.
The bewitching woman blocking his attacks was particularly impressive. Despite her enchanting appearance, she fought head-on, resisting his soul skills with sheer force—an impressive display of physical strength and a fierce spirit. And hidden within her graceful movements were concealed, deadly strikes that nearly cost him his life.
It was truly humiliating that two Spirit Emperors had managed to delay him and his brother for an entire hour.
"Second Brother, let's stop holding back. If we don't capture them soon, the Dai family's elders will catch up with Dai Yao, and we'll end up as their laughingstock," Third Brother shouted.
Second Brother hesitated briefly but quickly activated his seventh soul ring without further delay. Waves of power rolled outward as the two Soul Douluo activated their martial soul avatars, their bodies expanding with frightening speed.
"Shameless! First, you outnumber them, and now you're using your martial soul avatars? For your age, you should be ashamed!" Lou Gao raged, glaring fiercely. While not an expert in combat, with Ning Rongrong's buffs, he'd been able to offset his lack of battle experience and hold off their leader.
The two ignored Lou Gao's outburst.
"Rongrong, can you keep going?" Feng Wutong panted, glancing back at Ning Rongrong as she struggled to catch her breath.
Ning Rongrong wiped the sweat from her brow, her legs trembling. Gritting her teeth, she straightened up with renewed resolve, and the light from her Ten Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda shone brightly once more.
"I'm fine—I can keep going."
Fighting at Soul Douluo level was no small feat. That they had lasted so long was already miraculous.
Feng Wutong nodded, turning her gaze back to the two Soul Douluo preparing to use their martial soul avatars. Her beautiful face took on a look of unyielding determination. "Rongrong, give me one more buff. It's time to try that move. If it doesn't work, I'll hold them off so you can escape."
Dugu Yan chuckled wearily, an alluring smile gracing her lips even in exhaustion. "I knew it—you're as stubborn as ever. You're so obvious about liking Dai Yao; anyone can see it. But if we're staying, we're all staying. I'm not leaving without you two!"
Ning Rongrong flashed a knowing smile at Feng Wutong, chiming in, "Yan is right!"
Feng Wutong hesitated, but then her face softened into a brilliant smile. "Alright then, let's give them a fight to remember!"
Dugu Yan grinned, her emerald eyes flashing with a dangerous glint. Throughout the battle, she'd already released a considerable amount of her Jade Phosphor Serpent's venom. While not lethal to Soul Douluo, it could still weaken them over time.
Both women activated their sixth soul rings, releasing a powerful aura. Feng Wutong's white flames roared around her, raising the temperature sharply as she appeared like a queen amidst an inferno. Heat gathered from miles around, centering on her. Even the Soul Douluo began to feel unsettled by the oppressive heat.
Meanwhile, Dugu Yan absorbed the green life energy of countless plants within a few miles, coalescing it into a vivid green spear in her hand, its tip gleaming with lethal intent.
"What are these monsters?" Second Brother and Third Brother exchanged nervous glances, each seeing fear in the other's eyes. Just Soul Emperors, and yet their sixth soul skills exuded enough power to be a threat—how was this possible?
The two Soul Douluo activated their eighth soul rings simultaneously, filling the air with a terrifying energy, as they prepared their most powerful soul skill to ensure victory.
Despite their own divine-level martial souls and Ning Rongrong's Ten Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda assisting them, Feng Wutong and Dugu Yan felt a moment of helplessness. Facing opponents two levels above them, winning seemed nearly impossible.
But the two women steeled themselves, knowing they had to try.
In the tense silence, a dark figure appeared at the side of the two Soul Douluo, moving gracefully with a body sleek and poised as ice. Atop her head, an icy crown sparkled.
It was Zhu Zhuqing.
Six soul rings glowed around her, with her sixth black soul ring radiating a mesmerizing light. Holding a jet-black blade, she moved so quickly that the two Soul Douluo hadn't even noticed her arrival.
The lethal aura from her blade set every hair on their bodies on end.
Ning Rongrong's eyes gleamed as she shifted her hand seals rapidly. "Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda! First increase, strength! Second, speed! Fifth, attack!"
After conferring with Dai Yao, she'd adopted the name 'Nine Treasures Pagoda' to hide the true strength of her Ten Treasures Pagoda, keeping their ace hidden.
Three dazzling beams shot into Zhu Zhuqing's body, and her speed became impossible to track! Despite her rapid movements, the two Soul Douluo, being highly experienced, knew that under ordinary circumstances, an attack from a Spirit Emperor like Zhu Zhuqing would not be powerful enough to harm them.
At the same time, Dugu Yan's eyes glowed fiercely as her Jade Phosphor Serpent Poison erupted.
"What's happening?"
The two Soul Douluo, preparing to intercept Zhu Zhuqing's attack, suddenly found themselves paralyzed, their bodies wracked with pain as intense waves of agony shot through their limbs.
Shing!
Seizing the opportunity, Zhu Zhuqing's blade cut through their protective soul energy, and at that exact moment, Feng Wutong and Dugu Yan unleashed their fully charged attacks.
"Sixth Soul Skill—Blazing Sun Inferno!"
"Sixth Soul Skill—Azure Dragon's Soul-Devouring Spear!"
A brilliant green spear appeared in Dugu Yan's hand, brimming with deadly intent, while countless vermillion birds, formed from white flames, swirled around Feng Wutong as they charged at the two Soul Douluo.
Boom!
A massive explosion erupted as white flames engulfed the two Soul Douluo.
Without a word exchanged, the four women moved in perfect sync, coordinating their assassination attempt: Zhu Zhuqing attacked, Ning Rongrong enhanced, Dugu Yan controlled, and all four unleashed their strongest skills, giving the two Soul Douluo no time to react.
If anyone were to witness this scene, news of four young women—none of them even at the Spirit Saint level—defeating two Soul Douluo would shock the entire continent.
After expending their strength on their sixth soul skills, Feng Wutong and Dugu Yan both felt their energy drain, and they began to plummet toward the ground. A shadowy figure appeared in an instant, catching them and gently lowering them safely.
"Zhuqing, you arrived just in time," Dugu Yan said, exhausted yet elated. Feng Wutong, also smiling, looked gratefully at Zhu Zhuqing.
"I'm sorry. Due to certain reasons, I couldn't come with Dai Yao. But on my way through Star Luo Empire yesterday, I received a message from him, so I hurried over," Zhu Zhuqing explained apologetically.
Turning to Ning Rongrong, who looked somewhat shy, Zhu Zhuqing smiled warmly and said, "You must be Rongrong. Dai Yao has told me a lot about you when we were at the Spirit Hall. I can see why—your elegance and beauty are truly outstanding."
Ning Rongrong's face flushed, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Did he really say that?"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded with a gentle smile and took Ning Rongrong's hand, saying, "Welcome to our family."
A deep blush spread across Ning Rongrong's cheeks—after all, she hadn't married Dai Yao yet.
Feng Wutong and Dugu Yan exchanged knowing glances, amused by Ning Rongrong's reaction. Though they had accepted her after fighting alongside her, they found it endearing that someone who had chosen to face life and death with them could still be so shy.
"Right! Zhuqing, Dai Yao is still in danger—we need to find help for him!" Feng Wutong suddenly remembered that Dai Yao was still being hunted and urgently voiced her concern.
Zhu Zhuqing smiled softly. "He's already managed to shake off his pursuers and is making his way toward Wu Pass. We should head there to meet him as soon as possible."
Dugu Yan nodded, saying, "Yes, my grandfather Dugu Bo is stationed at Wu Pass. Once we get there, even Star Luo Empire will have to think twice."
"You're not going anywhere!" came an angry roar from behind.
The Soul Douluo elder, holding the near-unconscious forms of his two brothers, glared at them, his eyes burning with rage.
Lou Gao immediately stepped in front of the four women, sneering, "You're alone. How exactly are you planning to stop us? You should focus on treating your brothers before they die on you!"
Gritting his teeth, the elder considered his options before cursing and spitting out, "Fine, but don't think we'll forget this! My brothers and I will remember this day!"
With that, he hurried away, carrying his two gravely injured brothers toward the nearest town for medical aid.
Only then did Lou Gao breathe a sigh of relief. Fighting against that elder had cost him dearly in energy and nerves.
He turned to Zhu Zhuqing, who was clad in black leather armor, and was momentarily struck by her beauty, as stunning as the other three women.
"And who might this be?" he asked, puzzled.
Feng Wutong laughed, replying, "This is the young master's true wife, Zhu Zhuqing."
"It's an honor to meet you, Elder," Zhu Zhuqing greeted him respectfully.
"Not at all! If you're the wife of our sect master, then you're the sect mistress—no need for formalities," Lou Gao said quickly, waving his hands in deference.
He couldn't help but marvel at Dai Yao's fortune with women. Not only were Dugu Yan, Feng Wutong, and Ning Rongrong extraordinary, but now another beautiful woman had appeared. And the strength these four displayed was beyond belief—four Spirit Emperors defeating two Soul Douluo. If word of this spread, no one would believe it.
"Let's head to Wu Pass without delay," Zhu Zhuqing suggested.
The group nodded and set out toward Wu Pass.
Ten Days Later, Wu Pass
A lone ox cart rumbled slowly into Wu Pass. The young man driving it lifted his hat, gazing at the familiar yet distant city with a profound sense of nostalgia.
Years ago, he had fled Star Luo Empire through this very gate, and now, he was passing through it once more. But this time, the circumstances were entirely different.
Back then, it was his last-ditch escape for survival; now, he had fought off Star Luo Empire's pursuit and was leaving of his own accord.
"Wu Pass... Next time I return, all debts will be settled…"
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