Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen's expressions were complicated, unreadable.
Chen Xin's brows furrowed slightly.
Feng Bailong let out a quiet sigh.
"Alas…"
Ever since the Heaven Dou Empire's team had set out for Spirit City, the four of them had been following secretly in the shadows.
That girl who was in truth a Spirit Beast in human form…
They had already noticed her.
And when they asked themselves honestly—
The temptation of a hundred-thousand-year Sp[irit Ring… how many in the world could truly resist it?
Especially when none of them had any personal ties to the girl.
If not for the fact that their own rings were already full, with no space left…
"Chaos…"
Dugu Bo muttered through clenched teeth, his face dark as ink.
He, a dignified Titled Douluo, could feel an intense sense of danger in this place.
But the thought had barely formed when—
BOOM!
A terrifying aura suddenly burst out from Bibi Dong.
Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen's faces changed drastically as they hastily flared their Spirit Power for protection.
Yu Yuanzhen reacted first.
On his stern, weathered face, the faint image of a dragon flickered into being.
His right hand thrust toward the sky, summoning the might of nine heavens of thunder.
From deep within the storm clouds, a colossal dragon claw, covered in blue scales and spanning dozens of meters, reached forth with unstoppable force, crashing into Bibi Dong's attack.
KABOOM—!!!
An earth-shaking loud bang exploded.
The entire divine peak trembled violently.
Thunder shattered as it tangled with the surging violet Spirit Power, painting the square a blinding white.
The plaza split open with countless jagged cracks like a spreading spiderweb, as though the very earth would be torn apart.
"Urgh!"
Yu Yuanzhen grunted, staggering back three steps.
Each step sank deep into the ground, sparks of lightning arcing from his nostrils.
As for Dugu Bo—
Bang!
The Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's true body shattered. He crashed into the mountainside like a broken sack, emerald scales scattering in all directions.
"Cough… cough…"
Through the dust, Dugu Bo stumbled forth, clutching his chest, green blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.
"This woman's gone mad, hasn't she?!"
Even as he spoke—
Bibi Dong's icy, fanatical voice swept through the battlefield:
"Li Zhexian!"
"And that Spirit Beast in human form!"
"Neither shall escape!"
Spirit Beast in human form?!
These four words exploded like a clap of thunder!
All the Spirit Masters present instantly understood!
Gazes of shock, greed, and disbelief shot towards the terrified-looking girl.
"Spirit Beast in human form?!"
"A hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast?!"
"That girl… she's a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast!"
Elsewhere on the battlefield of Titled Douluo—
The moment Bibi Dong gave her command, Ghost and Chrysanthemum Douluo vanished forward, aiming straight for Li Zhexian.
But Chen Xin was already there to block their path.
The intent of the Seven Kill Sword surged, chilling and lethal.
With his left hand clasped behind his back, his robes billowing, his right hand formed sword fingers and drew through the air.
A blade of silver-white sword qi, honed to the extreme, shot forth—instantly turning a blazing crimson.
Boundless killing intent condensed into a blood-colored pillar that tore skyward, rending apart the gathered storm clouds.
Ghost and Chrysanthemum Douluo blanched in horror, retreating in haste.
Even so—
Tear—!
Their chests split open, robes torn, each bearing a deep sword mark that bled freely.
The Seven Kill Sword—born for killing!
This was the sword dao's unrivaled leader, Chen Xin!
Chen Xin turned his head slightly, gaze falling on Feng Bailong, lingering a moment on the old sword still sheathed at his side. His brows furrowed.
"You made such a grand entrance—so why is it that when the real fighting begins, your fire dies down?"
The black silk wrapped around Feng Bailong's eyes fluttered in the wind.
"No rush, no rush."
"Let the world see the might of your Seven Kill Sword first."
As he spoke, Chen Xin tightened his grip on the Seven Kill Sword.
He turned into a streak of light, racing toward the embattled circle of Dugu Bo and Yu Yuanzhen.
Feng Bailong's body flickered, following like the drifting breeze.
Seeing four Titled Douluo press upon the Pope herself, Ghost and Chrysanthemum Douluo also lunged after them.
Seven Titled Douluo clashed in the sky. Heaven and earth trembled.
Below, the crowd still reeled from the revelation of a "Spirit Beast in human form."
The Shrek group, long since withdrawn to the edge, could not pull their eyes from Xiao Wu—faces frozen with disbelief and confusion.
"A Spirit Beast?!"
"Xiao Wu is a Spirit Beast?!"
Yu Xiaogang, Dai Mubai, Oscar, Bai Chenxiang—all turned instinctively toward Tang San.
In Tang San's sleeve, his hand clenched tight.
His feet moved almost instinctively, ready to step toward Xiao Wu.
But then—
In his mind…
The memories of these past days flashed by.
Xiao Wu seemed to have grown closer and closer to Li Zhexian…
Tang San slowly closed his eyes.
That foot he had lifted… finally lowered again.
"I did not know she was a Spirit Beast."
Tang San's voice was flat.
"Every man has his fate, each their own path."
"If Xiao Wu stood firmly at my side, even if I were shattered to pieces, I would save her."
"But since she has chosen Zhu Zhuqing… chosen Li Zhexian…"
"Then it is no longer my concern."
After saying that, Tang San suddenly opened his eyes. When he met Xiao Wu's pair of pink eyes, filled with tears and hope, his heart fiercely trembled.
But he still flicked his sleeve and turned around decisively.
"Brother…"
Seeing Tang San's frozen gaze, his merciless turn with no trace of regret…
All the color drained from Xiao Wu's face. A broken, sorrowful smile tugged at her lips.
In that moment—
The voices of Da Ming and Er Ming echoed in her ears:
"Sister Xiao Wu, do you really want to give up your hundred-thousand years of cultivation to enter the human world? Humans are deceitful. You will regret it!"
She regretted it.
She truly regretted it.
"Xiao Wu, you…"
Zhu Zhuqing turned her head and saw the dimness in the girl's eyes.
She didn't realize that her own struggle to break free had indirectly caused Xiao Wu's secret to be exposed.
"It doesn't matter…"
Zhu Zhuqing's cold eyes swept across the encroaching foes, her voice unwavering:
"Xiao Wu, whether you are human or Spirit Beast, you will always be my sister!"
"I… I feel the same!"
Ning Rongrong gathered her courage, finally rushing over. She glanced at Li Zhexian, then shouted loudly.
Hearing the words of her two sisters…
A faint light sparked once more in Xiao Wu's dying heart.
Li Zhexian took all of this into his eyes.
"In the original story's path…"
"Tang San seemed to have known that Xiao Wu was a Spirit Beast long ago."
"That's right, the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew from theIce and Fire Yin Yang Wellwas used by me to wipe my sword."
"Tang San's Purple Demon Eye didn't mutate, so he didn't know."
Thinking this, Li Zhexian swept out with a single sword. Again, hot fresh blood splattered. Bibi Dong's command made the offensive of the Spirit Hall Spirit Masters even more frantic!
In the melee, the smell of blood mixed with dust rushed towards his face. His field of vision was filled with dazzling Spirit Ring light.
The fierce wind generated by the clash of violent Spirit Power was like being cut by a knife, stinging one's cheeks with pain.
"Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!"
"First: Power!"
"Second: Speed!"
"Third: Spirit!"
Ning Rongrong let out a delicate shout. A seven-story Glazed Tile Pagoda floated above her head.
The three lower floors of the pagoda body shone brightly, and streaks of amplification light projected onto her teammates.
As the light representing power, speed, and Spirit Power merged into the blood-stained white-shirted figure, Ning Rongrong's heart trembled slightly.
On the other side—
Ye Lingling held a soft pink-white Nine-Hearted Begonia in her palm.
Gentle yet vast vitality spread outward from her.
Streams of healing light bathed her wounded teammates, their injuries closing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Together, these academy teams—renowned as the strongest across the continent—showed terrifying power.
But the enemies… were simply too many!
Shhhhk—!
A flash of swordlight!
Li Zhexian's Qinglian Sword swept across, five Spirit Hall Spirit Masters falling headless to the ground!
Blood dripped down the sword's edge in steady rivulets.
On the blade—
Spirit rings began to manifest and circle.
Purple!
Purple!
Magnificent rings of sword-plume purple!
And then—
Before every horrified eye—
A Spirit Ring, dark and abyssal, etched with countless thin crimson patterns, slowly rose beneath Li Zhexian's feet…