"First spirit skill, Nether Thrust." After dodging several of Tai Tan's heavy punches, Zhu Zhuqing counterattacked. Though her raw attack wasn't on par with the Breaking Clan, her piercing power was top-tier.
Ting!
Tai Tan's Vigorous Orangutan body was rough and thick-skinned; even if its defense didn't rival the Defense Clan's, it was formidable. Zhu Zhuqing's strike didn't wound him.
But her speed was astonishing. Failing with one strike, she immediately withdrew, then powered up with her legs and lunged again—at the exact same spot. She intended to break the point to shatter the whole, piercing Tai Tan's tough body.
Tai Tan was stifled to the extreme. Zhu Zhuqing was right—strength meant nothing if it couldn't connect.
"Damn it. The hidden weapon corps is useless, and Tai Tan is pinned," Xue Beng said grimly. He had thought his side could hold out much longer; having the wall fall so quickly left him flat-footed.
Zhu Zhuqing's pre-battle analysis had been correct. Xue Beng had deliberately lured them to attack the city, with an ambush set up in the rear. Once Yu Tianheng's back lines were hit, the heavy cavalry would sally forth, and a pincer attack inside and out would be devastating.
A hidden-weapon unit was already maneuvering for a rear raid—but maneuvering took time. Xue Beng had counted on holding the walls to buy that time. Now the plan was in ruins.
The armies had already clashed head-on. He could only hope his heavy cavalry was strong enough to smash the Seven-Treasure and Blue Lightning Soul Master Corps.
In truth, he knew that was nearly impossible. Without a hidden-weapon escort, even the best heavy cavalry couldn't match a soul master army.
Sure enough, the moment they charged, the heavy cavalry suffered grievous losses under a storm of flames, lightning, and sword auras.
"Xue Beng, die! Infinite Thunder Arc!" Yu Tianheng found Xue Beng and thrust out his palm. A massive thunder sphere shot toward Xue Beng at incredible speed.
Xue Beng had Title-level soul power, but none of his nine spirit skills could withstand this swift, devastating thunderball. He was helpless.
Just then, a black iron hammer shattered the thunderball and, without losing momentum, hurtled toward Yu Tianheng.
That strike carried Super Douluo-level power—Yu Tianheng couldn't block it.
Clearly, only Tang Xiao could wield such a mighty hammer today.
"Dragonform!" A thunder dragon appeared before Yu Tianheng and swatted the hammer aside with its tail—Yu Yuanzhen. "Tang Xiao, it's not right for us elders to interfere in the younger generation's battle. If you want to fight, I'll keep you company."
Tang Xiao caught his returning Clear Sky Hammer and stood with it. "It's not that I want to intervene in the younger generation's battle—I have no choice. Forgive me, Yu Yuanzhen."
"I don't understand. The Clear Sky Sect stands tall in this world. Whatever you do in secret, publicly you present yourselves as righteous. Xue Beng acts against heaven, slaughtering without end—six cities destroyed, earning the wrath of all. If you continue to aid him, you put the Clear Sky Sect against the entire continent. Tang Xiao, in the face of justice, I can set aside my hatred for Xiaogang. If you, like the three Education Committee members, can distinguish right from wrong," Yu Yuanzhen said sternly.
At the mention of the six cities, a trace of sorrow flashed in Tang Xiao's eyes. Whatever else, the Clear Sky Sect did claim righteousness. Back when he and Tang Hao were called the Clear Sky Twin Stars, even if they weren't acting from a chivalrous heart but for reputation, they still did many acts of "justice."
If possible, he truly wished to switch sides now and smash Xue Beng with a single hammer. But thinking of his grandfather's order, he could only say helplessly, "Forgive me, I have difficulties I cannot speak of. Yu Yuanzhen, fight me."
Tang Xiao swung his hammer. Yu Yuanzhen met it with his claws. For the moment, the two were evenly matched.
"Hm?" Yu Yuanzhen was momentarily stunned. Tang Xiao was level 97, while he was only 96. He had prepared to be on the back foot, yet they were even.
Tang Xiao wasn't going all out.
Among experts, a single clash could reveal intentions. Yu Yuanzhen realized Tang Xiao wanted him to keep him occupied—giving him a legitimate reason not to intervene on Xue Beng's side.
Elsewhere, the Clear Sky Sect's remaining Grand Elder, the Soaring Heaven Douluo, and Fifth Elder, the Shocking Heaven Douluo, likewise engaged the Fire Dragon Douluo Wu Zhao and Fire Wolf Douluo Qin Ming in even" battles.
Tai Tan was being pushed back step by step by Zhu Zhuqing. Ge Long had gone down to command the troops. The other royal Soul Douluo were being thoroughly suppressed by Yu Feng and the three deans of the Elemental Academies.
In short order, all of Xue Beng's bodyguards had been drawn away, leaving him alone.
Across from him stood the grim, killing-intent-filled Yu Tianheng.
Now he truly regretted it. Why had he killed those two Education Committee members? He could have used them to threaten Yu Tianheng. Instead, he'd hung their heads out to inflame Yu Tianheng—completely enraging this tyrant dragon.
Originally, Yu Tianheng had prioritized the greater picture and didn't want to start a war yet—but Xue Beng had forced his hand.
The Evil Sword Immortal had been right—he shouldn't have initiated the war. If the hidden-weapon corps had all stayed within the city, Zhu Zhuqing wouldn't have been able to neutralize so many Zhuge Crossbows with a single magnet. His impatience to defeat the Soul Master Army had driven him to send out all his main forces, leading to this outcome.
In the tower, Tang Yuehua looked toward the battlefield and thought, "Forgive me, Grandfather. I don't know why you gave us such an order, but whether with the Seven-Treasure Glazed Tile Sect or the Spirit Hall, the Clear Sky Sect's conflicts are private grudges. Xue Beng has earned universal hatred—if we help him now, it will doom our sect."
Yes—Tang Xiao and the two elders' actions were orchestrated by her. They didn't dare defy Tang Chen's order, but on a matter of great right and wrong, they could pay lip service and quietly act otherwise.
Most importantly, the Seven-Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was not the Spirit Empire. Their methods of unification clearly favored accepting surrenders. It was only because Bibi Dong held such murderous intent toward the Clear Sky Sect that they had aligned so tightly with Heaven Dou.
Clenching his furious fist, Yu Tianheng lunged at Xue Beng. Xue Beng took on his martial soul form and fled deeper into the city.
But even in true form, a swan's flight speed wasn't fast enough. In moments, Yu Tianheng caught up.
He kicked Xue Beng in the back, slamming him to the ground.
Xue Beng coughed up blood, burning with resentment. When had an emperor ever suffered such injury?
"Bastard, die! Ninth spirit skill, Birds of Snow in Flight!"
Xue Beng's ninth spirit skill was an ice-elemental ultimate—summoning countless ice birds to attack. Its freezing power wasn't weak; in an instant, Yu Tianheng was frozen solid.
"Heh. This temperature counts as ice? You're just giving me a cool breeze," came Yu Tianheng's scornful voice from within the ice.
On Sea God Island, to help Ning Rongrong accumulate combat experience, he had sparred with her many times. Compared with Ning Rongrong's Ice and Snow Maiden, this "ice" was leagues apart.
Crack, crack.
With a flex of Yu Tianheng's body, cracks spidered across the ice. He burst free a moment later. Xue Beng's strongest ninth spirit skill had frozen him for not even three seconds.