đ If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon! I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V
---------------
The golden crocodile tail swept through the air with immense power. The force was so strong that it compressed the air and blasted it away, creating a complete vacuum along its path. Before the attack even landed, a heavy and suffocating pressure rushed forward. It felt like a mountain was collapsing right on top of them. This terrifying feeling made all the hairs on the body of Sword Douluo stand on end.
What in the world is this?
At this life-or-death moment, a fierce and desperate look flashed in the eyes of Sword Douluo. He had no time to think or hesitate. He decisively gave up on attacking Demon Subduing Douluo, who was right in front of him and already helpless like a lamb waiting for the slaughter.
Immediately, Sword Douluo forced his spirit power to reverse inside his body. The Seven Kill Sword in his hand erupted with a brilliant silver light that was brighter than ever before. He managed to move the sword horizontally to his side just in the nick of time to block the incoming strike.
A loud clang echoed across the battlefield.
The massive crocodile tail and the Seven Kill Sword collided with a deafening boom. It did not sound like normal metal hitting metal. Instead, it sounded as if two giant metallic mountains were crashing into each other at extreme speed.
Blinding golden and silver lights exploded outward from the point of impact. A violent and powerful shockwave spread out wildly in a large ring. This shockwave tore up yet another layer of the already ruined ground below them.
Sword Douluo let out a painful groan, and his face instantly turned pale. He felt a wild, barbaric, and unstoppable force slam into his body through his sword blade. It felt as if all his internal organs had been violently moved out of place. The bones in his arm creaked loudly under the unbearable pressure. The skin between his thumb and index finger split open instantly, causing blood to flow freely down his hand.
Right after that, his entire body was sent flying backward uncontrollably. He looked like a small bird that had been hit head-on by a massive battering ram. His body drew a tragic arc in the sky.
He stepped repeatedly in the empty air, causing small air explosions as he tried to slow down. He retreated nearly a hundred meters before he finally managed to disperse that terrifying force and stand still. However, his hand holding the sword was still shaking slightly.
A single strike from the enemy had forced back the powerful Sword Douluo.
Only then did the figure who launched the attack slowly appear. He materialized at the start of the path where the crocodile tail had moved, looking as if he were stepping from a dream into reality.
It was an exceptionally tall and heavily built old man. He looked to be more than two and a half meters tall. Standing there quietly, he resembled a giant golden iron tower. He gave off an aura that completely suppressed everyone on the entire battlefield.
He wore a set of ancient and scary golden armor. The armor was very thick and had a wild design. The guards on his shoulders and knees were carved into the shapes of realistic crocodile heads. These crocodile heads had wide-open mouths and very sharp teeth. His visible skin was a dark bronze color, and his muscles looked as tough as the roots of an old tree.
The most noticeable part about him was his face. His face was square with high cheekbones. It was covered in deep wrinkles left by time, yet he showed absolutely no signs of weakness or old age. Instead, he was filled with the majesty of someone who had held a high position for a very long time and controlled the power of life and death. Behind his back, he dragged a massive and long tail that was completely covered in thick scales and sharp spikes.
At this moment, he looked coldly at the entire scene. His gaze stopped briefly on Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Tang Xiao, the Clear Sky Douluo. The invisible pressure from his gaze made the surrounding air feel completely frozen.
This person was the Second Worshipful Elder of Spirit Hall, a Rank 98 Peak Douluo named Gold Crocodile Douluo.
The sudden arrival of Gold Crocodile Douluo immediately cast a thick and hopeless shadow over the battle, which the alliance had just managed to turn around. The terrifying spirit power fluctuations of a Rank 98 master felt like a real, physical tide. It instantly covered the entire ruins of the side hall, making everyone look extremely worried and serious.
Tang Xiao stared at the newcomer as his eyes shrank to the size of pinpricks. He roared in a low voice, and his tone was full of deep shock and fear.
"Is that Gold Crocodile Douluo?"
A Rank 98 Peak Douluo was an existence that could not be fought easily. This was no longer a gap that could be filled by simple combat skills or spirit techniques.
Meanwhile, a short distance away, Sword Douluo Chen Xin finally stabilized his body. He quickly raised his hand and wiped away the trail of blood from the corner of his mouth. The shock from that crocodile tail strike had allowed him to feel the raw, ancient, and terrifying power hidden within the spirit power of his opponent.
Ning Fengzhi watched this, and the very last bit of color disappeared from his face. He said, "We are in big trouble now."
He took a deep breath to calm the wild panic inside his heart, but the slight shaking of his fingertips showed how scared he really was. The appearance of Gold Crocodile Douluo meant that the strength Spirit Hall brought to this fight was much higher than their worst expectations.
Dugu Bo narrowed his eyes into small slits, and the green poison mist around his body automatically pulled back a little. For the first time, his wicked face showed the deep caution of someone looking at a deadly enemy. He said, "Gold Crocodile Douluo? The Second Worshipful Elder of Spirit Hall? This is a huge problem. Why has that kid Tang Chen not returned yet?"
Dugu Bo knew very well that once a master reached that high rank of spirit power, their resistance to poison would become incredibly strong. His famous poison skills would probably lose most of their power against such an enemy.
Without anyone giving an order, the situation on the battlefield changed completely in an instant.
The experts from Spirit Hall who had been scattered around and fighting in different places suddenly stopped. They pulled back from the battle very quickly and smoothly, just like a receding tide.
Demon Subduing Douluo was spitting blood from his mouth, but Thousand Jun Douluo quickly supported him as they retreated. Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo also broke away from their fights against Yang Wudi and Dugu Bo, jumping backward instantly.
Qian Renxue looked at Gold Crocodile Douluo with a complicated expression. She put away her Angelic Sacred Sword. Along with several other Titled Douluo, she moved back to the side of Gold Crocodile Douluo. They stood around him like stars surrounding the bright moon. She said, "Grandpa Gold Crocodile, I did not expect you to come here yourself."
In just a few moments, the space above the ruined hall, which had been a messy and chaotic fight, became clearly split into two sides.
On one side was the Spirit Hall camp. Gold Crocodile Douluo stood at the very center as their main leader. He was surrounded and protected by powerful Titled Douluo like Qian Renxue, Thousand Jun, Demon Subduing, Snake Lance, and Porcupinefish, along with the remaining Spirit Masters in black clothes.
Their golden spirit power light slowly joined together. Even though some of them were badly hurt, their strength came back together under the heavy pressure of Gold Crocodile Douluo, making them look even more dangerous.
On the other side was the Heaven Dou Empire Alliance. Tang Xiao and Chen Xin stood side by side at the very front of the group. Ning Fengzhi stayed in the middle under the close protection of Niu Gao. Dugu Bo and Yang Wudi stood on the left and right sides to protect the flanks. Their spirit power also rose up into the air.
The black light of the Clear Sky Hammer, the silver light of the Seven Kill Sword, the green poison mist of the Jade Phosphor Serpent, the sharp energy of the Soul Breaking Spear, and the heavy defense of the Plate Armor Rhino joined together. They formed a strong shield of energy to fight against the scary pressure coming from across the field.
The two groups stood still and faced each other across a distance of dozens of meters. The wild energy from both sides hit each other and disappeared quietly in the middle space, causing small rocks and dust to float silently in the air.
Meanwhile, the shape of Heaven Dou City could be seen far away on the horizon.
A bright red light flashed quickly across the sky above the Sunset Forest. At this moment, Tang Chen was riding on the back of the Crimson King. He had already arrived at a place a few hundred miles east of Heaven Dou City.
Right then, inside his mind, the figure of the Snow Empress appeared clearly. She did not look like the proud ruler of the Far North right now. Instead, she seemed like a wise teacher guiding him through the laws of nature.
She said, "Tang Chen, look at this."
Following her guidance, Tang Chen saw a clear picture appear inside his mind. A perfectly clear drop of water was floating there, and inside it, countless tiny lights of life were swimming around happily.
She continued, "Water is the most gentle and kind element. It gives life to all things and is the true source of creation. The great life force hidden inside your Blue Silver Emperor spirit is, at its core, just like this flowing, gentle, and life-giving water."