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Qian Daoliu's hair whipped wildly in the air, his eyes blazing with fury.
Golden Crocodile Douluo was not only the Second Worship of Spirit Hall but also his long-time comrade and brother-in-arms. And now, that very corpse had been tossed to the ground like discarded trash. How could he possibly not be enraged?
"Lan Minghua!"
Qian Daoliu's voice boomed like thunder, shaking the very air around them.
The nearby Worships of Spirit Hall and Tang Hao's group quickly covered their ears, but their eardrums still trembled violently, nearly bursting from the force. The weaker spirit masters standing too close were instantly shaken apart, their bodies exploding under the pressure.
"So strong! Is this the might of a Limit Douluo!?"
Tang Hao was stunned. He had long known Qian Daoliu's strength was formidable—yet he had never imagined it could reach such a terrifying level.
Gu Rong, Tang Xiao, and Yu Yuanzhen were equally horrified. Only now did they truly comprehend the immense gulf between the so-called Upper Three Sects and Spirit Hall.
They had once believed that, united, they could contend against Spirit Hall. But in Spirit Hall's eyes, such defiance had always been laughable.
Lan Minghua casually picked at his ear and replied with indifference, "Stop shouting. I heard you."
The Worships of Spirit Hall seethed, their fury burning so hot they wished to tear him apart alive.
Yet Lan Minghua remained as steady as an old dog, his gaze detached, as though watching nothing more than a troupe of clowns on stage.
Qian Daoliu's face darkened further. With rage boiling in his chest, he raised his Angelic Sacred Sword.
The sword swung down, its radiance blazing like a rainbow, cutting straight toward Lan Minghua.
But Lan Minghua only gave a mocking chuckle.
A dazzling golden light instantly condensed into a smooth, mirror-like surface.
The sword's glow struck the mirror of golden radiance. No explosion followed—only a reflection. The blade's energy rebounded straight back.
Qian Daoliu shifted his body, letting the sword's energy slash harmlessly past.
Tang Xiao and the others of the Upper Three Sects, sensing the danger, tried to quietly retreat, hoping to slip away.
But before they could move, Ying Xian and his companions appeared like phantoms, blocking every exit.
"Trying to run?" Yun Shan sneered coldly, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Today's matter is far from over. You'd best stay put."
Tang Hao and the others paled, their hearts sinking.
They were Titled Douluo, yes—but against men like Ying Xian and the others, the odds were grim.
Who could have predicted that the Heavenly Dragon Sect boasted not just one or two, but over a dozen Titled Douluo?
And among them stood Yun Shan and Wu Song—their power immeasurable. One could match Qian Daoliu blow for blow, while the other had slain Golden Crocodile Douluo, whose spirit power had reached a staggering level ninety-eight.
Even Qian Daoliu could not ignore such strength. His heart tightened as he admitted to himself: With Spirit Hall's strength alone, it will be difficult to contend against the Heavenly Dragon Sect.
Suppressing his fury, he took a deep breath and shifted his focus.
Turning to Tang Hao and the others, he growled, "Tang Xiao, Chen Xin, Yu Yuanzhen—today's matter has already surpassed what either side can handle alone. If we do not join forces, none of us will leave here alive!"
The words struck deep. Tang Hao and the others exchanged tense looks.
Enemies though they were, the crisis left them little choice.
After a long silence, Tang Xiao ground his teeth and nodded. "Fine! We will temporarily form an alliance—together, we'll face the Heavenly Dragon Sect!"
Chen Xin and Gu Rong both nodded in agreement.
Yu Yuanzhen hesitated, unwilling, yet he too understood that only by uniting could they cling to even a thread of survival.
Lan Minghua, watching, smirked with mockery tugging at his lips.
"As expected. There are no eternal enemies—only eternal interests. But tell me—do you truly think that by joining hands, you can alter your fates?"
Before the words had faded, he raised his hand toward the sky.
A surge of golden radiance erupted upward, spreading across the heavens like rippling sword energy. In an instant, it formed a colossal golden birdcage, once again enclosing the ruins of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
The birdcage shone brilliantly, its walls pulsing with immense spirit power. Clearly, it was far sturdier than the one he had conjured before.
The sight drained the color from Tang Hao and the others' faces. To see such a scene play out once more—
Qian Daoliu's pupils shrank. One thought flashed in his mind:
Catching a turtle in a jar!
Without hesitation, he swung his Angelic Sacred Sword, unleashing a blow at the golden cage.
But the strike only created a ripple across its surface. The cage did not so much as shudder.
"How can this be!?" His heart quaked. Even his full strength could not break it!
Lan Minghua chuckled softly, sweeping his gaze across the assembled foes. "Since you've chosen to join hands, then you can all stay here together."
With a flick of his wrist, Yun Shan, Wu Song, and the other Titled Douluo of the Heavenly Dragon Sect surged into motion.
Yun Shan stepped forward, colliding head-on with Qian Daoliu. Their spirit power clashed, shaking heaven and earth.
Wu Song, his aura fierce as a tidal wave, simultaneously engaged Guangling Douluo and Qingluan Douluo, fighting two at once without losing ground.
The remaining Heavenly Dragon Sect Titled Douluo swiftly locked onto their opponents, and battle once again erupted across the field.
Terrifying waves of spirit power tore through the ruins of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, collapsing what little remained. To those caught in the crossfire, it was nothing less than the end of the world.
Weaker spirit masters could not endure. Their bodies ruptured instantly, blood mist filling the air.
Yet Lan Minghua remained seated in his chair, calm and unshaken, watching the battlefield with detached eyes.
His gaze swept across the chaos and finally settled upon Tang San, Xiao Wu, Qian Renxue, Hu Liena, and the other members of the younger generation.
His lips curved slightly, and he gestured lightly to Feng Qingyuan and Shui Ningshuang at his side.
The two understood at once. In a flash, they lunged toward the juniors.
"Not good!"
Tang San's face changed. Grabbing Xiao Wu's hand, he retreated swiftly.
But Feng Qingyuan and Shui Ningshuang were incredibly fast. They were Soul Douluos—far beyond a Spirit Grandmaster like Tang San.
In mere moments, they had closed the distance.
With a strike of his palm, Feng Qingyuan unleashed a torrent of azure wind blades, surging toward Tang San and Xiao Wu like a storm.
Tang San's eyes widened with despair. At his level, there was no chance of escape.
Just then, a figure stepped in front of him.
"Dean Flender!" Tang San gasped.
Flender's face was grim. His spirit power erupted fully, and his twin Cat Eagle wings spread like iron shields, intercepting the gale of blades.
But as a seventy-eighth-rank Spirit Sage, he was outmatched. Against an eighty-third-rank Soul Douluo, his defense could not hold.
The impact sent him coughing blood, flinging him violently backward.
And in midair beside him was Yu Xiaogang, the one he had fought so hard to protect.
Even as he flew, Flender cried out, "Xiao San, hurry and go! And remember to take Xiaogang with you!"
But Tang San did not hesitate. He bypassed Yu Xiaogang entirely, fleeing with Xiao Wu without a backward glance, ignoring Flender's plea.
Yu Xiaogang's eyes turned venomous. He had long seen the truth of Tang San's wolfish ingratitude.
A heartbeat later, an azure wind blade sliced across him.
Yu Xiaogang's body was split cleanly in two, blood spraying through the air.
Flender's pupils shrank to pinpoints.
He had spent years protecting Yu Xiaogang, sheltering him despite his weakness, never imagining his end would come so abruptly.
And Tang San—the boy who always claimed to be loyal to his master—had revealed himself as nothing more than a treacherous ingrate.
Flender fell heavily to the ground, despair hollowing his heart. At that moment, Lan Minghua's voice drifted lightly across the battlefield.
"Flender… you are bold indeed, daring to ruin my plans again."
Hearing their master speak, Feng Qingyuan and Shui Ningshuang halted their assault on Flender and continued their pursuit of Tang San and Xiao Wu.
Flender's face turned pale. Forcing a strained smile, he pleaded, "Senior Lan Minghua, for the sake of our past acquaintance, could you spare me just this once?"
Lan Minghua sneered. "Spare you? Flender, I've given you chance after chance. Were it not for your greed, would you truly be in this position today?"
Flender's expression darkened. He knew well—his betrayal had sealed his fate.
But still, he clung to hope. He turned to Oscar, his eyes full of desperate appeal.
"Oscar… for the sake of my raising you, please, beg for me!"
Oscar froze, torn. Emotions churned within him as he looked at the man who had once been his dean.
Lan Minghua noticed his hesitation and said lightly, "I leave him to you. Kill him or spare him—it is your choice."
Flender's eyes lit up. He clung to life, crying desperately, "Oscar! You can't be ungrateful like Tang San! Don't be a cold-blooded wolf!"
But Oscar was not swayed. After a long silence, he took a deep breath and turned to Lan Minghua.
"Master… abolish his spirit power. Give him wealth enough to live out his days. Let him end his life in peace."
(End of Chapter)