"Seventh Elder, absolutely not! Continue to maintain the grand formation! Don't forget that Tang Sui is still lurking in the shadows!"
The Third Elder roared at the Seventh Elder, who was about to retreat, from afar.
The Seventh Elder's expression flickered back and forth, and finally, he gritted his teeth and continued to hold up his hands, injecting spirit power into the grand formation.
While the Second Elder was engaged in battle with Tang San, their peripheral vision and outward spiritual power were also searching for the trace of Tang Sui, who had inexplicably disappeared.
On the jagged cliffs of the snow peak, sticking silently to the cliff face, a pair of dark golden masks observed the outside world with a sliver of an eye. The black and gold vertical pupils within stopped spinning, their gaze fixed on the enormous blue-black Haotian Grand Formation above the adjacent snow peak. It was like discovering a lone prey, and a bloody light emanated from it.
"Found the formation core."
"Brother, I've found the formation core."
Tang Sui's mental voice suddenly echoed in Tang San's mind.
Tang San did not hesitate to open his spiritual domain, splitting off a trace of spiritual power to respond to another strand of spiritual power that was silently approaching him.
"No rush. Their second combined attack is about to be completed, and this is when the formation's power is at its strongest. After I withstand the second blow, you can launch your attack, directly break the formation, and take them down in one fell swoop!"
Tang Sui readily agreed, "Alright. Then it's hard work for you to bear it, brother."
In truth, it wasn't that Tang Sui didn't want to appear and help, nor was it that Tang San didn't want to cooperate.
It was just that the direction of their sibling's current powers were like light and darkness. While they were not irreconcilably opposed, locked in a life-or-death struggle, they did suppress each other.
Amusingly, the Sea God Trident in Tang San's hand had shifted from helping them resolve the striking power of the Haotian formation to protecting himself from the erosion of the domain.
Except for using their martial soul fusion skill, both of their current combat methods were more suited for individual combat.
Therefore, upon sensing Tang San's intention to use the Sea God Trident, Tang Sui, whose surprise attack had failed, unhesitatingly infiltrated the twin domains. He quietly released a piece of his mask to act as a surveillance eye, observing the battle while simultaneously probing the formation core and weak point of the Haotian Grand Formation.
During the brief exchange between the siblings, the Second Elder, who had been struck by Tang San's Purple Extreme Divine Light, felt as if his brain had been violently smashed by another giant hammer. A sharp buzzing sound echoed in his mind, his blood churned, and his thoughts went blank.
He grunted, his body falling vertically from his mid-air leap as if drained of strength. Even the Haotian Hammer, materialized by his energy, flickered unsteadily twice.
Tang San flashed forward, the Sea God Trident radiating golden light, and rapidly approached the falling Second Elder. As he moved, red ripples spread from beneath his feet, and in an instant, he was close to the falling Second Elder. He unhesitatingly unleashed the soul bone skill of the Sea Demon Whale King's right leg—Whalebone Tooth Slash!
Countless fine red light blades attacked in all directions simultaneously, centered on Tang San.
The Second Elder, who had just regained his senses, felt his pupils constrict. The other four elders maintaining the grand formation also had their pupils shaken. The Third Elder, whose position was just below the Second Elder, immediately seized control of the Haotian Grand Formation's support, raised his Haotian Hammer, and roared, "Haotian Body Protection!"
Four giant Haotian Hammers flew out simultaneously. The spirit rings of the defensive soul skills of the four elders activated in unison. Defensive soul skills of varying strengths were instantly applied to the Haotian Hammers, transforming into dark golden light. As Tang San's Sea God Trident struck towards the Second Elder, a semi-transparent protective aura formed, clashing with the descending Sea God Trident with a resounding "clang."
The protective aura, the combined effort of four Titled Douluo, only lasted for four seconds under the divine artifact before shattering with a crack, without any suspense.
However, strangely, after shattering the protective aura around the Second Elder, Tang San did not continue his attack.
Unaware that Tang San had intentionally held back, the Second Elder, in order to escape, unhesitatingly flung the energy-materialized Haotian Hammer in his hand.
Tang San's Sea God Trident moved lightly, and a sacred golden halo radiated from its blade, blocking this feigned move.
Seizing this momentary gap to escape, the Second Elder had already drifted a hundred meters away, returning to his position in the pentagonal formation. He raised his hands, channeled his spirit power, and completed the final charge-up of the Haotian Grand Formation, roaring,
"Second Combined Attack!"
Just in time!
Tang San raised his eyes, his majestic spiritual power flowing into the Sea God Trident from his palm.
"Buzz—"
Circles of golden halos emanated from the main blade of the trident, expanding from small to large. A colossal golden phantom appeared behind Tang San. The intense golden light seemed to coat Tang San in gold, and a detached divinity manifested in his eyes. A sacred and majestic aura spread throughout Chuan Yun Peak!
He raised his hand, and the massive golden phantom behind him also raised its hand, catching the hammer strike that was enveloped in lightning and thunder.
"Boom boom boom!!!"
Like thunderclaps sounding next to their ears, explosive waves of power erupted, causing blood and qi to surge uncontrollably.
Even Tang Hao and the others, separated by two or three peaks, apart from Tang Xiao and Tang Hao who frowned, even the Spirit Sage level A Yin and Xiao Wu, covered their ears with uncomfortable expressions. Their minds buzzed ceaselessly, their thoughts momentarily blank. Their faces turned somewhat pale due to the powerful aftershock.
If even those at the Spirit Sage level were like this, the impact on other direct disciples was even greater.
Those with weaker spirit power, despite their robust physiques, rolled their eyes and fell to the ground, and pathetically, no one reacted to help them.
Because the disciples near those who fell were also experiencing the disorienting brief dizziness from the shockwave.
When they recovered their senses, the blue-black Haotian Grand Formation still floated between heaven and earth. However, Tang San, who had been targeted in the terrifying strike, only coughed out a mouthful of bloody mist. He stood tall and straight, holding the golden-shimmering Sea God Trident in his right hand, his gaze sharp. He looked at the elders whose faces were filled with surprise and disbelief that he had actually withstood this second combined attack. The corners of his lips curved upwards, and he released his spiritual power—
"It's now!"
"Hoo—"
Tang Sui, located within the dark domain, suddenly opened his eyes. In the misty heavens and earth, directly beneath the Haotian Grand Formation, a thick black tide surged out of the void, resembling silver-white waves blooming in the sea, only it had turned black. The moment it appeared, it even dyed the surrounding mist with the same ominous color. Soudan Novel Network.
"Seventh Soul Skill, True Body of Artifact Spirit!"
Tang Sui, with his dark eyes, tilted his head upwards. The blood-red seventh spirit ring radiated outwards. A moon-white haori draped over his white robes with red edges that reached his knees. His wide sleeves fluttered in the air, and his raven-black hair, reaching his waist, seemed to have been injected with growth hormones, lengthening to his ankles. A sun-shaped golden crown was worn behind his head. He directly entered his demon true form by utilizing the True Body of Artifact Spirit!
— Author's notes —
(Withered jpg) Today, I almost had the dangerous idea of asking for leave, but in the end, to maintain the balanced updates of both books, I endured it. A day of narrowly making the deadline.