After two and a half years of arduous cultivation, Ning Rongrong had reached a deeper understanding of her techniques.
She had also devised some special methods to circumvent the rejection imposed by the existing rules of the Douluo Continent. Though she couldn't completely nullify it, she could exploit certain loopholes to a degree.
If two years ago, Ning Rongrong was nothing more than a helpless support-type Soul Master, now she could easily grip a chicken's neck and smash it repeatedly with the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda.
"Ahem—not smash. Elegantly suppress."
She was a support-type Soul Master, after all, and the well-educated young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect. Combat had to be graceful. Elegance never faded.
"Hmm?" Ning Rongrong's delicate brows furrowed. "A strange soul power fluctuation… a soul beast?"
She expanded her senses and discovered an "X" mark at the center of the island. The soul power within felt somewhat familiar, but she couldn't quite place it…
"Run! What kind of luck do you have?!"
The Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda in her left hand trembled slightly as Tokisaki Kurumi's urgent voice echoed in her mind.
"It's… the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King."
No wonder this island felt so eerie—it turned out to be the Devil Whale Sea, where the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King slumbered. This place wasn't just uninhabited by humans; even soul beasts had migrated away.
"What?!"
Ning Rongrong shuddered. "The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King?!"
This wasn't like two and a half years ago. Right now, she didn't have Kurumi's combined power to rely on. Kurumi's condition still hadn't recovered from the incident back then.
"There's no time. Tear open space and leave immediately!"
"Ah—got it!" Ning Rongrong knew the urgency.
Was she just that lucky?
Every human or soul beast she encountered was anything but ordinary. A ten-thousand-year or even hundred-thousand-year soul beast would've been manageable, but did she have to run into a Level 99 existence?
She raised her hand, preparing to use the Angelic Sword to slice open space and escape through a portal.
But just as she lifted her hand—
"Oh? The inheritor of the Angel God… I never expected to stumble upon such a treasure."
A sharp-featured middle-aged man appeared in the sky, hands clasped behind his back. The moment he arrived, dark clouds blotted out the sky.
The Angelic Sword—a divine artifact once wielded by the Angel God. If he could devour its divine energy, perhaps he could truly condense a godhood on his own.
"The… the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King?!"
"Oh? Little one, you actually know of me."
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King slowly pointed a thumb at himself, his voice brimming with excitement.
"That's right. I am the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, the unrivaled ruler of the vast seas!"
"As expected of the inheritor of the Angel God—your knowledge is profound. To think you'd recognize me."
"Today is a joyous occasion. Once I devour you, I shall obtain divine energy of the highest quality and finally ascend into a true dragon!"
"Speak. What are your last words? If it's within my power, I shall grant your final wish."
"Really?" Ning Rongrong's mind raced.
What do I do?
This thing doesn't seem easy to fool!
Stay calm, stay calm. You can do this, Ning Rongrong. It's just Level 99—wasn't it no match for you two years ago? What's there to fear now?
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King descended to the ground, his previously clasped hands now crossed over his chest.
"Indeed. My word as the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King is absolute."
"But I'm not the Angel God's inheritor."
"What? You're not?" The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King froze, then narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Ning Rongrong. "If not, then how—?"
If she wasn't the Angel God's inheritor, how could she wield the Angelic Sword?
"Well… I borrowed this weapon. I have to return it eventually."
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's face darkened. "Damn it! My path to godhood remains just out of reach!"
"No choice, then. In that case, I'll just have to—"
"Wait! You haven't granted my request yet!"
"Fine, fine. What is it you desire?" The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King sneered, his patience wearing thin. "Human, let's see how you plan to dance before death."
"Me?..." Ning Rongrong suddenly narrowed her eyes. "I want your soul ring. Would you be so kind as to part with it?"
"Human, you have courage. You dare?!"
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's face turned as dark as a burnt pot, veins bulging at his temples.
How many years had it been since anyone dared utter such words?
Even that old hag, Bo Saixi, wouldn't dare speak of killing him.
And yet this little human girl, barely out of her diapers—
What gives her the right?
In his vision, the brown-haired girl's body gradually turned transparent before vanishing entirely.
This bizarre disappearance sent a chill down the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's spine.
Suddenly, a sense of crisis surged from behind.
He whipped his head around.
"That's—!"
His pupils contracted.
In the sky, a blue ice dragon and a crimson fire dragon spiraled around each other, entwining near the Angelic Sword as they exhaled mist. The sky itself split under this energy.
The overwhelming draconic pressure sent a jolt of fear through the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King.
"No… impossible!"
"Suppress—!"
A voice, seemingly coming from nowhere, sounded to the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King like a summons from the depths of hell.
"I… I can't move?!"
Golden light rained down from above—a massive pagoda.
As a soul beast who had lazed his way to power, reaching 990,000-year cultivation in just 300,000 years, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had never bothered learning about human factions. Thus, he didn't recognize the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda.
Unlike the Dark Devilgod Tiger, which wandered without a home, he was a proper soul beast with a family and a daughter. He didn't engage in reckless battles.
"This level of suppression…" The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King glanced upward.
If he were at sea, he could break free instantly. But now, it would take a little time—time he likely wouldn't be given before the attack above landed.
"Damn it!"
He unleashed his full soul power, channeling everything into defense.
From the sky, the voice of doom echoed leisurely.
"Kyōka Suigetsu—Dragonfire Dual Slash!"
Even if this technique was devastating, its terrifying display meant nothing now.
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had already fortified his defenses. In other words—
"I'm not afraid anymore."
The oppressive force binding him vanished. The pagoda suppressing him disappeared without a trace.
"Hmph. Did you abandon your suppression to focus on attacking? But against my full defense, what can you do?"
The ice and fire dragons plunged downward, stirring a blizzard and an inferno. The surroundings were scorched crimson.
The sheer scale of destruction seemed immense—comparable to, if not surpassing, Bo Saixi's ninth soul skill in her godly armor.
Yet, the overwhelming flames and frost dissipated mid-air.
The scorching heat and biting cold vanished without a trace.
Even the brown-haired girl wielding the Angelic Sword was gone.
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King stood stunned before his expression darkened.
"I… the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King … was toyed with?!"
In the spot where the girl had vanished, only residual spatial fluctuations remained.
Though he didn't understand how such a realistic battle scene had been conjured, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was, after all, a quasi-deity.
If he couldn't deduce at least some of the truth, he might as well have lived his 300,000 years in vain.