Chapter 314: All Plans Executed, the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Ring is Finally Obtained
The sun began to set over the Star Dou Forest, casting an ominous red glow across the land. Scarlet spider lilies bloomed wildly, their crimson blossoms spread across the hills like a blood-stained carpet, as if mourning those destined to die that day.
Xiao Wu supported the severely injured Tang San, straining to escape with every ounce of her strength. Her beautiful face was clouded with worry; she could sense the inevitable conclusion approaching. Tang San was gravely wounded, their relentless pursuers closing in. Caught between her own fate and Tang San's life, her heart felt weighed down with a terrible dread.
Tang San's blue robes were soaked with his own blood, his eyes glassy as he struggled to remain conscious. Occasionally, blood would trickle from his mouth. Looking at Xiao Wu beside him, he whispered hoarsely, "Xiao Wu, don't worry about me. Run and save yourself."
Thinking back to the promise he'd made her, he forced a bitter smile, realizing it had come to pass. He had no regrets, though; even if he had to go through this again, he would unhesitatingly stand between Xiao Wu and any harm. To hurt her, one would first have to step over his dead body.
"Ge, I won't leave you. If we die, we die together," Xiao Wu declared, a fierce determination in her eyes. Ever since Tang San had accepted her as a spirit beast in the heart of Spirit Hall, she'd known this moment would come. And she was ready to face it by his side, to live or die together.
"Xiao Wu, you shouldn't have to bear this…" Tang San coughed up blood, a trace of helplessness in his voice, though he had already resigned himself to his fate.
The two were gravely injured, and their movements slowed, allowing their pursuers to quickly close in, surrounding them in a field of blood-red lilies. Dozens of Spirit Hall elites blocked every direction, leaving them with no escape.
Along the way, Tang San had cut down nearly a dozen Spirit Hall warriors—brothers and sisters they'd fought beside for years. Were it not for the fact that the Spirit Hall's Holy Maiden had not yet ordered his death, they would have torn him to pieces long ago.
From the center of the Spirit Hall's formation, Hu Liena emerged, her eyes fixed on Tang San with a glacial gaze. "Run, Tang San—why aren't you running anymore?" she taunted, voice as sharp as ice.
It wasn't just her—Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, too, glared at Tang San. While he may not have defeated them in this life, the humiliation Tang Hao had brought upon Spirit Hall was fresh in their memories, and they projected it all onto Tang San. Recently, they had been deceived by Tang San's disguise as "Tang Yin," resulting in the deaths of many Spirit Hall elites. They would surely face the wrath of the Pope herself upon their return.
Dai Yao watched the scene through the gaps in the trees, his gaze lost in thought. How unexpected, he mused, that in this altered world Hu Liena, who had loved Tang San dearly in the original story, now stood against him, her heart colder than ever.
"Why should I run if I can take a few more of you down with me?" Tang San's calm tone concealed the weight of his exhaustion. He looked over at Xiao Wu, her face glowing in the setting sun, her long hair flowing like a waterfall. He felt an overwhelming sense of peace, as though her presence alone was enough. At the same time, he pushed his internal power, desperately urging his spirit energy to recover.
The Spirit Hall elites exchanged uneasy glances. They had already witnessed Tang San's deadly prowess during their pursuit, his mysterious techniques felling Spirit Saints one after another, sowing terror in their ranks. Although he was only a Spirit King, the aura surrounding him exuded an intimidating pressure, making them wary of striking first.
"Ge…" Xiao Wu's grip on Tang San's sleeve tightened as her eyes swept across the enemies encircling them. Her voice trembled slightly, her resolve wavering.
Tang San turned, a tender smile masking the agony within, and reassured her, "Don't worry, Xiao Wu. As long as I'm breathing, I won't let them touch you."
But he knew all too well that his body was on the verge of collapse. Unlike in the original story, he hadn't acquired those countless celestial herbs to fortify himself, and the only spirit bone he possessed was his mother's.
Just then, Hu Liena raised her hand, halting the advancing Spirit Hall forces. She scrutinized Tang San carefully, a flash of coldness in her gaze before she spoke, "Tang San, if I'm not mistaken, you're the one they called the 'Asura King' in the Slaughter City, aren't you?"
Tang San was momentarily caught off guard, his mind racing as he wondered what she was aiming at. But recognizing an opportunity to buy time, he sneered, "Correct."
A slight smile played across Hu Liena's lips, but her stare remained steely. "If you tell me the true identity of the 'Asura Emperor,' I'll grant you a quick death, sparing you any unnecessary suffering."
Tang San's mind flickered to the image of the imposing figure he had encountered in the Slaughter City arena, the one who had wielded his spear with such mastery. After leaving the city, he'd tried to track this "Asura Emperor" using the resources of the Shrek Academy, hoping an alliance with him would strengthen their efforts to overthrow Spirit Hall. But his search turned up nothing, as if the man had vanished into thin air. Tang San suspected that Hu Liena herself had killed him after their escape.
He let out a derisive laugh. "The 'Asura Emperor' was with you in the Slaughter City the entire time, wasn't he? You both left together—if anyone should know his identity, it's you. I tried to locate him after I left the city, but there was no trace of him anywhere. I can only assume that he fell at Spirit Hall's hand."
His words struck a nerve in Hu Liena, her face contorting in anger. She had searched endlessly for the Asura Emperor, deeply infatuated with him; the mere implication that she could betray him was an insult she could not bear. Her shout reverberated across the field, "You're spouting nonsense!"
Spirit Hall's forces flinched, taken aback by her outburst; they had never seen her so visibly affected. Even Xie Yue and Yan exchanged bewildered glances, realizing for the first time how much "the Asura Emperor" meant to her.
Hu Liena took a few calming breaths, trying to quell the storm of emotions roiling within her. Her chest rose and fell with each breath, a telltale sign of her fury. Noticing the stares from those around her, she composed herself and replied in an icy tone, "I've scoured the continent for him. Do you think I would harm the one I've sought so desperately?"
Tang San sneered, "You used Spirit Hall's resources to search for him and still found nothing. Don't you think that, with Spirit Hall's power, the only explanation is that someone within Spirit Hall doesn't want him found? Whoever that is has already killed him."
It was as if a bolt of lightning shot through Hu Liena's mind, leaving her numb. Her realization dawned in an instant. Yes, with Spirit Hall's power, locating one man should have been simple. The only plausible answer was that someone far higher in power had intentionally hidden him. And there were few in Spirit Hall capable of such an act. The likeliest candidate was her mentor—Bibi Dong.
For a moment, Hu Liena felt like everything suddenly made sense. All the strange occurrences she'd experienced now had an explanation. Why did the "Asura Emperor," who was strong enough to traverse the Hell Road alone, insist on escorting her? It was clear now—he'd been protecting her.
This realization struck her deeply, mixing shock with complex emotions. She couldn't understand why her mentor would keep the Asura Emperor hidden, stopping her from ever seeing him again.
"Attack!"
After a long pause, Hu Liena's voice rang out with authority. She could not let her personal feelings interfere with her teacher's grand plan.
In an instant, the warriors of Spirit Hall unleashed their strongest attacks. Xie Yue and Yan charged forward, one wielding a crescent blade, the other casting a burst of flames, closing in on Tang San from both sides.
Tang San had already identified his only chance at survival, but even that path led inevitably to death.
Tang San held Xiao Wu tightly before throwing her far from the incoming attacks. At the same time, he activated his Blue Silver Emperor spirit bone to soar into the air, drawing the onslaught of attacks away from her.
Aside from the three members of the Spirit Hall's Golden Generation, the remaining Spirit Saints were powerful assault-type spirit masters. After activating their Spirit Avatars, their combined attacks reached a level of strength even a Spirit Douluo would struggle to withstand.
"No—Brother!" Xiao Wu cried out in despair as she tumbled through the field of spider lilies, her gaze fixed on Tang San's lone figure in the sky. Helpless, she watched as his body was engulfed in waves of radiant, deadly energy.
With every ounce of strength, Tang San gripped his Clear Sky Hammer and wrapped himself in his Blue Silver Emperor, forming a shield. Both his Killing God Domain and Blue Silver Domain were deployed, enhancing the thin layer of protection. Yet, the Blue Silver Emperor's defenses melted away like snow under the intense attacks.
In the end, only the Clear Sky Hammer remained.
Without spirit rings, the hammer shattered almost instantly on impact with the combined assault. But the recoil propelled Tang San slightly higher.
"No!" Xiao Wu's voice cracked as she watched him, a solitary figure in the torrent of attacks, fragile as a leaf in a storm. Her heart shattered, tears streaming down her face.
At this moment, Tang San had nothing left to give. He had spent it all.
"Xiao Wu, goodbye, my love!" With deep longing, he looked down at her one last time. In a sudden, shocking move, he lifted his right leg and struck it hard against the oncoming energy, which instantly disintegrated his leg.
A blue spirit bone appeared from the dissolved flesh and bone, the Blue Silver Emperor leg bone. Without hesitation, Tang San gripped it and hurled it toward Xiao Wu, using every last bit of his strength to shout in a hoarse, desperate voice:
"Xiao Wu! Use the spirit bone's flight skill! Run!"
In that moment, even the hardened warriors of Spirit Hall could not help but feel a pang of admiration for Tang San's unwavering devotion. Tang San had meticulously planned every step, sacrificing himself to ensure Xiao Wu's escape.
From the shadows, Dai Yao observed, his emotions complicated. For all of Tang San's faults, his loyalty to Xiao Wu was undeniable. Dai Yao could remember the first time he read about this sacrifice in his previous life—it had moved him deeply.
But for the sake of his own plans, he couldn't allow it to succeed.
In Tang San's plan, Xiao Wu was to escape using the flight skill from the Blue Silver Emperor's spirit bone. But Dai Yao knew this would take time. And if she could flee so easily with the flight skill, why hadn't Tang San used it himself at the start?
Sighing inwardly, Dai Yao didn't waste time overthinking. His focus was entirely on Xiao Wu now.
Xiao Wu watched the Blue Silver Emperor spirit bone flying toward her, and immediately understood Tang San's intention: he was sacrificing himself for her survival.
"Brother, I'm sorry, but I can't let you sacrifice yourself for me." Xiao Wu's eyes filled with a steely resolve. Gazing at Tang San's mangled body, barely holding against the relentless onslaught, she threw her head back and let out a piercing scream:
"Ah—!"
Her cry echoed across the entire Star Dou Forest, sending tremors through the ancient woods. A blinding red light surged from her forehead, and circles of red light spread outwards, staining everything in a blood-red hue. In that moment, time itself seemed to freeze.
The Duality Stasis Field holding two great beasts captive shattered instantly, and the two beasts went berserk, abandoning their fight against the Spirit Hall's Title Douluos, charging madly toward Xiao Wu's location.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of the Lake of Life, an enormous Ice Silkworm adorned with nine golden markings lay amidst a host of powerful spirit beasts, each absorbing the Ice Silkworm's essence with closed eyes. Any Title Douluo who witnessed these creatures would flee in terror.
At the center of this gathering sat a man with long black hair, whose powerful presence commanded respect, forcing even the most terrifying beasts into submission.
Suddenly, the man sensed something, his usually stoic face showing a faint frown. He turned his head toward Xiao Wu's direction.
"Another ten-thousand-year spirit beast is making a sacrifice?" he murmured to himself, a trace of sadness in his voice. A sacrifice meant the death of yet another powerful spirit beast—an ally, risking it all to bet on an unlikely future.
It was as though he were questioning himself, even a being as powerful as him could not escape the deep sense of powerlessness he felt before those who hunted them, forcing him to hide here, barely clinging to survival.
At the center of the Star Dou Forest, all life froze.
Leaves halted in midair, and all attacks suspended motionlessly. Everything touched by the red light became completely still. Xiao Wu alone could move within the stillness.
Her entire body glowed with a crimson hue. Her clothes had burned to ash, revealing a flawless, radiant form that seemed sculpted from ruby. Her flesh gleamed with an ethereal translucence, like the purest gemstone.
But no one saw her transformation, nor did anyone hear her voice. In that moment, even the consciousness of those around her had been halted.
This was the power of a hundred-thousand-year spirit beast. Xiao Wu raised her delicate hand, and the blue spirit bone floated over to her. Step by step, she moved toward Tang San, her expression shifting from initial sadness to calm acceptance, and finally to joy.
For Tang San had sacrificed himself to give her the spirit bone; now, in return, she would offer herself in a spirit ring sacrifice to save him. Such mutual devotion was only natural to her.
As she approached him, she murmured softly, "Brother, you're such a fool… Did you think that if you died, I could keep on living?"
But before she could finish, her widening eyes filled with horror as a massive hand gripped Tang San's neck. The white figure that had stepped out of the shadows was none other than Dai Yao, with his golden hair and piercing eyes.
Dai Yao lifted Tang San effortlessly, like a chick. His gaze fell coldly upon Xiao Wu's bare form, but his face remained utterly unfeeling as he spoke, "Change the target of your sacrifice to me, or he dies."
Xiao Wu froze, shock and disbelief on her face. "How…how are you able to move within my sacrificial domain?"
It was incomprehensible to her. During a hundred-thousand-year beast's sacrificial rite, not even a Title Douluo should be able to move. But Dai Yao was unaffected.
Dai Yao scoffed, "There is much you don't know. Xiao Wu, do you remember the wager we made? As part of our deal, the moment you sacrificed yourself, I became your sole target. Or, are you planning to break your promise?"
Xiao Wu's memory flashed back to the wager. To exchange for the mystical herb that would hide her spirit beast nature—the Yearning Heartbroken Red—she'd made that very vow. She had never imagined Dai Yao would show up during her sacrifice, let alone move freely within the domain and use Tang San's life to coerce her.
"But didn't you take that herb from me by force?" Xiao Wu spat, her eyes brimming with hatred.
If Dai Yao hadn't seized the Yearning Heartbroken Red from her, her identity wouldn't have been exposed. Everything that was happening now, all this suffering, was his fault.
"Seems you don't plan to keep your end of the deal…" Dai Yao sighed, shaking his head. Back then, it was only when the Shrek team first aimed their deadly Zhuge Divine Crossbow at him that he'd retaliated by taking her herb.
But now, words were pointless.
His grip on Tang San's neck tightened. Though Tang San's awareness was frozen, his body still registered the sensation of suffocation, and his face was paling.
Dai Yao could sense the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python rapidly approaching. If he didn't succeed in taking Xiao Wu's spirit ring soon, he would have to flee, but the rest of Spirit Hall's forces would be left at the mercy of these furious beasts.
He snarled, "Xiao Wu, I'll give you one final chance. If you change the sacrifice's target to me, I'll heal Tang San and even allow him a chance to survive. But if you refuse, he'll die right here in front of you."
"Don't think you can stall for time until the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python arrive. You have three seconds to decide. If you don't agree, I'll kill him on the spot!"
To prove his seriousness, Dai Yao let green energy flow from his hand, slowly restoring Tang San's damaged body. His fractured leg began to mend, his injuries healing.
Yet Dai Yao's grip only grew tighter.
Watching Tang San's body mend before her eyes, Xiao Wu's emotions tangled with confusion. She despised the thought of sacrificing herself for Dai Yao, but it was the only way to keep Tang San alive.
And with only three seconds to decide, there was no time for hesitation. She wanted Tang San to live. She cast one last conflicted look at Dai Yao, then spoke:
"Dai Yao, if you don't keep your word and spare my brother, I swear I will haunt you even in death."
With those words, Xiao Wu's spirit flame flared hotter, shifting from bright red to a darker hue. Her body began to dissolve, becoming translucent like red crystal.
The blood-red light formed an enormous ring, encircling both Xiao Wu and Dai Yao.
Gradually, the red ring began to condense around Dai Yao's sixth spirit ring.
The power within Dai Yao, long bound by the lack of a spirit ring, surged as his spirit energy flooded into the crimson ring. In that moment, Dai Yao's spirit power began to skyrocket at an unimaginable rate.
Feeling the raw power course through him, Dai Yao threw his head back and laughed aloud.
"All my efforts and schemes, and now… a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, finally within my grasp!"
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