Ning Rongrong and the others were immensely relieved they had decisively followed Tang Sui's instructions, for in the next second, accompanied by a flurry of golden petals drifting down, a peculiar, faint fragrance permeated the air. It was like a thin mist, subtly ensnaring the steps of those caught in it, silently encroaching and freezing the bodies of anyone enveloped by the exotic scent, rendering them unable to even use their spirit power.
Such a tactic, even Tang San, who was adept at using poisons, fell victim to.
But in the next instant, golden-red light erupted from Xiao Wu, and the petrified Shrek members felt a lightness in their bodies, regaining control and the flow of their spirit power.
"What is this?"
The man in white turned his gaze, a hint of bewildered uncertainty in his tone, towards Xiao Wu, who was still radiating light.
Xiao Wu knew perfectly well that the strength of the terrifying man in white, whose power was unknown, likely had something to do with plants, especially flowers. Otherwise, the Endless Lovesickness Red on her body wouldn't have obliterated the presence of other flowers when touched by them.
Seizing the moment the man in white turned his head, Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun shouted almost simultaneously, activating their third spirit abilities, White Tiger Vajra Transformation and Phoenix Cry Sky, heading straight for the Spirit Douluo they had knocked to the ground.
Tang San, having also regained his mobility, didn't dare to slacken, flicking out a Spider Web Restraint, his mind already calculating who to target with his King of Hell's Killer and what his chances of success would be. He knew that with his current internal energy, firing just one Killer would nearly deplete him, and he was unsure if he could succeed against the man in white whose strength was unknown.
The man in white, distracted in the midst of battle, finally snapped back to reality. However, the instant he did, a terrifying aura twisted into existence behind him.
The man in white's pupils contracted. In the next second, a surge of immense energy rippled outward with him at the center. This violent wave of energy seemed to make vision blur as if seen through heat haze. The air visibly distorted, and the nine differently colored spirit rings on his body flashed and vanished.
"Hummm—"
Under the immense pressure of the surging spirit power, even the Spirit Douluo, who had just crawled up from the ground and was preparing to take flight, let out a muffled groan, his face pressed into the sandy earth by the overwhelming force, unable to move, his face reddening.
Flander, flying in the air, was also instantly suppressed by this powerful pressure, his body stiffening, and he was sent crashing straight into the ground from mid-air, carving out a human-shaped crater.
But Tang San and the others could no longer concern themselves with Flander.
The pressure that descended upon them like a sudden mountain caused their bones to crackle and grind under the immense strain, their jaws clenched shut, unable to open and utter a single sound. Before the man in white, they were like tiny ants, able to do nothing but look up at the towering, mist-shrouded mountain whose peak they couldn't see.
"Sir!"
The Spirit Douluo unwillingly grunted out two words, feeling utterly wronged. Why was this "sir" attacking friend and foe alike when he got serious?!
But the man in white had no time to attend to others. The three dark figures that attacked him from three sides, intending to crush him into a sandwich, were forcefully repelled by his sudden burst of powerful spirit energy. But in the next second, an even more formidable and fierce attack descended directly towards his spine.
"Fourth Spirit Ability, Annihilation."
A cold voice, laced with a hint of chill, reached his ears. Even as a Titled Douluo, he felt a chilling sensation that made his scalp tingle. Three armor-piercing masks, with a hundred percent hit rate, broke through all resistance and slammed towards the man in white.
The man in white let out an "Oh?" His expression was hidden, but his soft gasp of surprise could be sensed.
"Hummm—"
"Second Spirit Ability, Jade Vine Heaven's Armor."
Sharp, blade-like and resembling flower petals, golden armored plants materialized in the man in white's palm. His second hundred-year spirit ring lit up, and more shimmering golden petals appeared out of nowhere. They gathered around Yue Guan, forming a petal barrier that blocked the three masks attacking from different directions.
"Boom—!"
A firecracker-like explosion ripped through the air, rattling people's minds, their senses momentarily blanked by the expanding shockwave.
Tang Sui raised her hand, her obsidian eyes like the deepest night, pure enough to swallow all light, yet in an instant, they flashed with a strange red glow, like an Amaryllis blooming in a single thought, captivating and profound. A black-red barrier, infused with spirit power, demonic power, and spiritual power, was erected, blocking the countless golden-yellow chrysanthemum petals that exploded as they collided with the three masks.
"Clang clang clang—!"
The seemingly soft golden petals, upon contact with Tang Sui's barrier, produced a metallic clang, like hard objects striking each other. Not only that, but countless tiny, sharp golden petals were also embedded in the ground around Tang San and the others. Their hardness and sharpness were incredible, comparable to sharpened daggers, with over half their bodies deeply lodged in the earth at their feet, a chilling sight.
"Hmm? The first spirit ring is a thousand years? Interesting."
Yue Guan finally looked directly at one of their targets for this mission. He had initially thought them to be just two insignificant rats to be eliminated swiftly, but now, it seemed they had some substance. They were indeed the children of that fellow, Tang Hao.
Thinking of Tang Hao, a complex expression flickered across Yue Guan's face, obscured by the petal-like veil that shielded his appearance. At this moment, he no longer concealed his strength, fearlessly releasing his nine ostentatious spirit rings, declaring his powerful realm—he was a Titled Douluo of over level ninety!