The one who arrived was none other than one of the two Titled Douluo guarding Qian Renxue—Snake Lance Douluo, a Level 91 Attack-type Titled Douluo.
In the original story, Snake Lance's first appearance was more than a decade later. At that time, both Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo were Level 92 Titled Douluo. Ten years earlier, however, the two of them had only recently stepped into the Titled Douluo realm.
"Snake Lance… I didn't expect it to be you," Tang Zhen laughed.
Although he said that, his tone remained calm, without the slightest hint of surprise.
In truth, Tang Zhen, Snake Lance Douluo, and Porcupinefish Douluo all belonged to the Hall of Worship faction, so they were quite familiar with one another. After Snake Lance and Porcupinefish successively advanced to Titled Douluo, they had accepted Qian Daoliu's orders to accompany Qian Renxue, waiting for the day her undercover mission would end.
"I knew it was you, Old Tang," Snake Lance said with a grin.
"Come to think of it, this should be the first time we've fought side by side, right?"
Snake Lance glanced at the others, nodded with a smile, then turned his gaze back to Tang Zhen.
It had to be said—among the powerhouses of Spirit Hall, relationships were fairly harmonious, at least within the same faction.
Tang Zhen smiled and nodded, then explained the details of the mission to Snake Lance.
After hearing it, Snake Lance fell into thought.
"If it were just me alone, I definitely wouldn't be a match for that Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger Emperor that hasn't transformed yet. But your defense is terrifying. With the two of us working together, we should be able to kill it. Still… it'd be a shame to kill it outright. On the Douluo Continent, the number of people who possess a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring probably doesn't even exceed one hand."
Tang Zhen nodded in agreement.
"That's right. I think the High Priest and the others intend to leave this Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger Emperor alive for now. When someone in Spirit Hall reaches the level where they need it, we'll bring them here to hunt this hundred-thousand-year spirit ring. Honestly, I'm almost envious—that's a hundred-thousand-year ring."
In Douluo Continent, a Level 91 Titled Douluo with a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring could even overpower an ordinary Level 92 Titled Douluo without one.
With that, the group advanced straight toward the core area of Hurricane Forest.
Once they arrived, rows upon rows of Crimson Flame Roaring Tigers came into view. Tang Zhen and Snake Lance exchanged a look and immediately took action, swiftly killing those Crimson Flame Roaring Tigers with cultivation levels in the tens of thousands of years, reducing the pressure on Qiangu Yuan and the others behind them.
"Two Titled Douluo?!"
At the center of the lake, the Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger Emperor was startled. It turned its head toward Chi Yan.
"Chi Yan, run first! I'll have Scarlet Tiger—my eldest son—take you out of here. Find a chance to come back later. If I die, you must avenge me!"
Chi Yan was already panicking badly and nodded without hesitation.
The Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger Emperor let out a deafening roar, summoning the largest Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger among the pack.
Strictly speaking, it was a Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger King.
Most spirit beasts—Crimson Flame Roaring Tigers included—underwent drastic changes in both appearance and size once they reached the tens-of-thousands-year level, earning them the title of "King."
"Roar!"
Scarlet Tiger looked at its aged mother. Compared to its own massive body, she wasn't even as large as its paw, yet she had been its mother for tens of thousands of years. Fear surged in its heart as it respectfully lowered itself before Chi Yan.
Chi Yan, having already transformed, now perceived the world differently. Being hunted by human Spirit Masters this time stirred emotions it had never felt before.
With the Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger Emperor's help, Chi Yan climbed onto Scarlet Tiger's neck, sat down, and grabbed hold of the fur.
"Scarlet Tiger, I entrust your mother to you. You must ensure her safety. Don't come back for a few years—I'm afraid those crafty human Spirit Masters will set up ambushes around here. If I die, remember to avenge me!"
The Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger Emperor's voice carried an innate majesty. When speaking to Scarlet Tiger, it naturally exuded the domineering authority of a mother.
"Roar!"
"I understand, Mother."
Scarlet Tiger was deeply fearful of its old mother, who had suppressed it for tens of thousands of years. After nodding, it carried its mother—who was seated on its neck—and charged straight out of the forest.
Chi Yan had originally intended for its eldest son to take it to the Star Dou Great Forest.
But on second thought, the Star Dou Great Forest was far too dangerous. If its eldest son took it there, the risk of being ambushed by other spirit beasts and dying was very real.
More importantly, many years ago, it had once led its mate and a group of offspring to attack the Star Dou Great Forest. Although there were no major casualties in their clash with the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape, the delay they caused had indirectly led to the death of another hundred-thousand-year spirit beast—the Soft Bone Rabbit.
If it went there now and got caught, its life would truly be over.
In the end, Chi Yan chose to flee to a smaller forest instead.
On Tang Zhen's side, following the Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger Emperor's order, all the Crimson Flame Roaring Tigers surged toward Qiangu Yuan.
This was a battle that determined the fate of their entire clan. As long as Chi Yan and its seventy-thousand-year-old eldest son escaped, returning for revenge would only be a matter of time.
All the Crimson Flame Roaring Tigers with cultivation above fifty thousand years surrounded Snake Lance Douluo.
As for the Crimson Flame Roaring Tiger Emperor itself, it was firmly pinned down by Tang Zhen.
Facing Tang Zhen and the turtle shell encasing his body, the Tiger Emperor couldn't break through his defense at all. Even when it steeled itself and poured all its strength into carving a deep gash into the shell, in less than a second, the wound was completely repaired by Tang Zhen.
---
On Yin Zhang's side, just before the final battle against the Huang Luo Team, someone arrived—unexpected, yet entirely reasonable.
Xue Qinghe.
Since arriving in Heaven Dou City, this was Yin Zhang's first time seeing Xue Qinghe.
At present, Xue Qinghe had not yet been established as Crown Prince. He still had a younger brother—the Third Prince, Xue Luochuan.
Half a year earlier, the First Prince and Crown Prince had suffered an accident and died unexpectedly.
The Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, was still too young, making it all but certain that the next Crown Prince would be chosen between Xue Qinghe and Xue Luochuan.
During this period, it was naturally inappropriate for Xue Qinghe to have excessive contact with Spirit Hall.
Now that "Xue Qinghe"—that is, Qian Renxue—had finally arrived, Yin Zhang couldn't help but feel curious. Beneath that handsome and dignified face… just how stunning was the true face of Qian Renxue?
Clatter—
The door slowly opened, and Xue Qinghe stepped into the room, entering Yin Zhang's field of vision. Beside him stood a man who appeared middle-aged to elderly, with an extraordinary bearing.
Hmm? I can't even sense his exact spirit power? That shouldn't be possible…
This person was none other than Porcupinefish Douluo, disguised as a royal guard, accompanying Xue Qinghe at his side.