Although he didn't know the truth, Zhongli Wu couldn't just sit there and wait for death. The blood-red ninth spirit ring beside him lit up.
As the light shone, the ninth spirit ring instantly deepened in color. The entire ring grew larger and larger, spreading outward, and in just a blink, it enveloped both him and Wang Nan.
In an instant, all the wind and fire elements around Wang Nan vanished. The whistling wind in his ears was replaced by agonized screams, and the night sky—where a few stars could still be vaguely seen moments before—was now completely dark, as if covered by a celestial curtain.
Wails echoed from all directions. Countless Spirit Souls, emanating a chilling aura, drifted throughout the space, and emotions of anger and unwillingness filled the surroundings.
Zhongli Wu's figure had completely merged with the darkness and disappeared.
Domain Ability.
Wang Nan was not surprised that Zhongli Wu possessed a spirit ring with a Domain-type Spirit Ability, given who his parents—Old Ghost Zhongli and Ye Xishui—were.
His seventh spirit ring shone with a brilliant golden light. The Golden Dragon Armor on his body brightened further, solidifying into a true suit of armor draped over him. The armor was carved with dragon-scale patterns, a purple-gold crown held back his long hair, and dragon-head shoulder guards rose high on his shoulders.
A dragon's roar echoed as the Evil Breaking Dragon circled around him. All the bones in his body emitted a faint glow, harmonizing with the armor outside. A light golden luster shimmered, and the Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand became even more solid, exuding majestic righteousness.
Zhongli Wu suddenly reappeared beside Wang Nan, his giant scythe swinging down in an instant.
Wang Nan's eighth spirit ring also glowed with blood-red light.
The Black Dragon Soul that Zhongli Wu had long coveted was actually on Wang Nan, and that same soul provided this eighth spirit ring.
This three-hundred-thousand-year spirit ring granted Wang Nan two Spirit Abilities—one offensive and one defensive. At this moment, Wang Nan was unleashing the second Spirit Ability of his eighth spirit ring: Mysterious Dragon Shifting Star.
A phantom Black Dragon appeared beside Wang Nan. Zhongli Wu's long scythe landed on the Black Dragon, spirit power surging into it. Wang Nan's spirit power rapidly drained in response, and the phantom dragon's figure grew increasingly solid, preventing the dark scythe from advancing even an inch.
Zhongli Wu's attack was indeed sudden, but even a brief moment was enough for Wang Nan to launch a counterattack.
The Coiling Dragon Staff swept in a semicircle, and the Black Dragon phantom beside him simultaneously flew upward, merging with the staff.
As the staff descended, Zhongli Wu felt a strong surge of Death Qi.
The power he had just used to attack Wang Nan was now completely returned to him.
Of course, Mysterious Dragon Shifting Star could not always redirect all of an opponent's attacks. If the opponent released spirit power far beyond Wang Nan's limits, the Black Dragon phantom could be shattered. But clearly, Zhongli Wu's single strike was nowhere near enough.
As the Coiling Dragon Staff fell, the surrounding space trembled, creating ripples even within Zhongli Wu's Domain. However, the staff struck nothing—Zhongli Wu had already vanished from his original position. This was, after all, his Domain.
Wang Nan looked around, his mental sea churning. His sixth spirit ring lit up, and a Domain Spirit Ability spread outward, centered on him.
Zhongli Wu's Domain was a sky that blotted out the sun and moon, filled with pain and dead silence. Wang Nan's Domain, however, was like spring thunder, with mental force spreading outward, awakening vitality.
In a clash of Domains, the contest was no longer about combat skills, but about fundamental spirit power and mental force.
Even if Wang Nan's combat strength was astonishing, he was ultimately not a Super Douluo. Zhongli Wu was confident he could trap Wang Nan within his Domain.
Yet things did not go as he expected. Where the two Domains collided, space groaned under the strain, emitting sharp, piercing cracks. Chaotic forces seeped from the tiny spatial fissures, encroaching on the surroundings.
To his horror, Zhongli Wu discovered that in the contest of mental force and spirit power, he was the one at a disadvantage.
In total spirit power, Wang Nan naturally couldn't compare to him. But in terms of mental force, Wang Nan's realm had long surpassed the limits of human Spirit Masters.
Even now, as the Evil Breaking Dragon roamed within Zhongli Wu's Domain, the surrounding Spirit Souls continuously dissipated, causing Wang Nan's mental force to grow stronger and stronger.
Hidden in the shadows, Zhongli Wu looked at Wang Nan—radiant in golden light—and a chill spread through his heart. Yet before he could devise a countermeasure, another powerful force violently collided with his Domain, and the dark sky instantly shattered.
Outside the Domain, the world was enveloped in a sickly green glow.
As soon as Zhongli Wu's figure reappeared, Poison Undying had already raised his palm and struck toward him.
Seeing that dealing with Wang Nan alone was already difficult—and now faced with Poison Undying, whose cultivation was no weaker than his own—Zhongli Wu felt a strong urge to retreat.
He frantically raised his scythe to block Poison Undying's palm. Looking to the other side, he saw Wang Nan raising his Coiling Dragon Staff, while unseen things around him seemed to shatter and converge toward him.
Gritting his teeth, Zhongli Wu swung his scythe, and the dark Bone Dragon beside him charged forward.
The flames that had rebounded earlier still filled him with lingering fear, and he no longer dared to let the Bone Dragon unleash its strongest wind-and-fire attack. But this time, he clearly had another plan.
The emerald green light in the Bone Dragon's eye sockets brightened, and violent power gathered rapidly within its body.
"Be careful, he's going to detonate the Beast Soul!"
Poison Undying's battle experience was incredibly rich. With just one glance, he saw through Zhongli Wu's intention, and he couldn't help but glance toward Wang Nan again.
After the Domain shattered, Poison Undying had sensed the spirit power fluctuations from Wang Nan's body. Clearly, Wang Nan didn't even have the cultivation of a Super Douluo, yet he had pushed Zhongli Wu to such an extent that Zhongli Wu was willing to self-detonate a Beast Soul just to keep him here.
Regardless, the Body Sect's success in attacking the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Master Legion tonight was due in part to Wang Nan's strength. Poison Undying's spirit rings flashed, and his spirit power surged toward the Bone Dragon that was about to explode.
No!
A sudden thought flashed through Poison Undying's mind. He immediately turned to look behind Wang Nan, where a dark figure quietly emerged. He himself had been injured by a previous sneak attack from Zhongli Wu.
"Blame yourself for being a Spirit Master who poses too great a threat to the Holy Church. I can't let you leave. Stay here forever."
Zhongli Wu's voice came from behind, falling softly into Wang Nan's ears.
A wisp of black energy spread out behind Wang Nan, accompanied by a figure silently materializing. Wang Nan felt as though a giant hand had gripped his throat, fixing his limbs in place.
"Alas, these are all your tricks. I've been waiting for your sneak attack for a long time."
"What?!"
Zhongli Wu was greatly shocked. In the next instant, he felt the starry sky before him grow exceptionally beautiful. He realized he had rarely looked up before—rarely seen such beautiful stars.
The long scythe in his hand disappeared, and all the black on his body faded. Only the golden light grew closer and closer.