Golden Crocodile's sudden appearance and forceful soul skill pushed back Bo Saixi and Tang Chen.
As the Second Worshiper of the Martial Soul Hall, having recently broken through to Limit Douluo, though only at pseudo-demi-god level, forcing back two quasi-god level powerhouses wasn't too difficult when they were unprepared.
His actions, however, were baffling.
In the distance, within the Zafkiel: City of Devouring Time space, Ning Fengzhi and the others, watching through binoculars, showed puzzled expressions.
Ning Fengzhi slowly shifted his gaze from the soul tool binoculars, his face a mix of confusion and doubt.
The Martial Soul Hall in league with sea soul beasts?
No way!
Leaving aside whether they were allied, why would Golden Crocodile, a pseudo-demi-god, block two quasi-god level powerhouses? Was he tired of living?
"Rongrong, what do you think?" Golden Crocodile Douluo, Second Worshiper of the Martial Soul Hall, didn't seem like a fool, so his actions puzzled Ning Fengzhi, prompting him to turn to his well-informed daughter.
"Probably someone sent him a message," Ning Rongrong shrugged. "Like delaying them to let the Demon Empress survive."
Ning Rongrong said no more, and Ning Fengzhi didn't press further.
The group continued watching the battle through the soul tool from afar. A Limit Douluo fight was valuable for someone like Wang Quan Fugui, who had just broken through to Title Douluo, or for Sword Douluo, already a Limit Douluo.
Besides, even if they couldn't understand it, it was like watching a blockbuster.
The dazzling effects were beyond any movie!
A terrifying killing intent spread, making the air scorch.
Tang Chen was serious.
Tang Hao's public execution by the Martial Soul Hall must have been a huge blow to Tang Chen.
Though it wasn't certain if the executed was truly "Tang Hao," or if he was already gone before the trial.
The footage broadcast through the soul tool showed it was "Tang Hao," real or not.
The Martial Soul Hall listed Tang Hao's crimes, implicating the Clear Sky Sect, tarnishing the sect's reputation just as it emerged from seclusion.
Yet Tang Chen restrained himself, not storming the Martial Soul Hall's execution grounds.
Perhaps he didn't want both the Clear Sky Sect and the Martial Soul Hall to suffer mutual destruction.
More likely, he feared the Clear Sky Sect's annihilation while the Martial Soul Hall took minor losses, benefiting others.
As the Clear Sky Sect's leader, not everyone was as reckless as Tang Hao, smashing everything with a hammer.
In the outside world, connections and backgrounds mattered.
Consider Xue Qinghe, "killed" by Tang Chen. The Nine Treasures Glazed Sect only made the Star Luo Empire retreat, a strategy benefiting all.
Both sides saved face. Sects had many followers, so they couldn't act without consideration.
Without absolute certainty of defeating the enemy or preventing their counterattack, they left room for maneuver.
In a sense, Tang Chen killing Xue Qinghe was a show of strength, as he represented the Star Luo Empire then.
Boom— An explosion rolled through, kicking up raging winds.
Blood-red light stretched over a thousand meters, filling the air with a bloodthirsty aura, like a river of blood.
"Is this the power of a quasi-god?"
Golden Crocodile Douluo spat blood, watching his martial soul true body melt like tofu under the Asura God Sword's might.
The piercing pain from the martial soul true body extended to his body, the terrifying killing intent of the Asura God making Golden Crocodile Douluo tremble.
Golden Crocodile and the Demon Empress barely dodged the sword strike.
They landed dozens of meters away, panting heavily.
Golden Crocodile hadn't wanted to take the hit, but the Demon Empress, affected by the Asura killing intent, couldn't dodge without him absorbing some of the force.
Tang Chen's cold gaze fixed on Golden Crocodile and the Demon Empress. "Golden Crocodile, you said you dislike the Clear Sky Sect and Sea God Island. I return those words to you."
"I've long found your Martial Soul Hall's perverse actions displeasing."
"If not for the timing, I, Tang Chen, would enact justice for the heavens."
"Heh, justice for the heavens," Golden Crocodile Douluo wiped blood from his mouth, sneering. "Whose heavens? Whose justice?"
"The heavens of your rat-hole Clear Sky Sect?"
"Tang Chen!" Golden Crocodile Douluo stood tall, grinning. "I, Golden Crocodile, declare here: you won't get that soul ring or soul bone today."
"Laughable. You think you can stop me?" Tang Chen lightly swung the Asura Sword, gathering the scattered blood-red killing intent. He exuded the aura of a true killing god, unapproachable.
"Heh, who knows!" Golden Crocodile Douluo chuckled. "You're injured, aren't you? Can you use an attack like that again?"
"You timed it well, forcing me to take your hit, but…"
"A grounded phoenix is less than a chicken; a dragon in shallow waters is mocked by shrimp."
"Not to mention, your Clear Sky Sect is just a bunch of blacksmiths."
"Come on! Face me head-on if you dare." Golden Crocodile Douluo spat out blood.
His Limit Douluo power erupted, soul power surging.
"Seventh Soul Skill—Martial Soul True Body!"
The golden crocodile reappeared, its golden light enveloping him and the Demon Empress.
The Demon Empress still didn't understand why this man called Golden Crocodile was helping her. She was a married woman with a grown daughter.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on it. Regardless of whether his goal was her soul ring or soul bone, she couldn't afford to turn against Golden Crocodile.
His gold-trimmed white robe fluttered slightly under his soul power.
"Here it comes!"
"Tang Chen, Bo Saixi!"
"Ninth Soul Skill—Crocodile Radiance Heaven and Earth!"
Golden Crocodile's martial soul true body curled into a ball, its toughest scales outward for attack and defense, fragile parts tucked inside.
His body spun rapidly like a golden flame wind-and-fire wheel.
A layer of illusory golden light covered him.
Feeling the overwhelming pressure, Tang Chen and Bo Saixi's expressions changed.
As Limit Douluo, they were technically on the same level.
But Golden Crocodile Douluo's ninth soul ring was a terrifying 100,000-year soul ring.
A soul master with a 100,000-year soul ring was in a different dimension from one without.
The scorching heat in the air made them grip their divine weapons tightly.
They knew if they could block this move, they could take both down.
Self-detonation required conditions and time, but soul skills were much quicker.
They had been wary of Golden Crocodile and the Demon Empress self-detonating but paid less attention to soul skills, especially in a two-on-one scenario.
"A 100,000-year soul ring's skill is terrifying!" Tang Chen said lowly, his soul power surging.
Golden Crocodile Douluo's Golden Crocodile martial soul was top-tier.
In Tang Chen's view, it might not be weaker than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect's martial soul, just rarer and less known.
"Die, Tang Chen!"
Under the golden light, Golden Crocodile's martial soul true body became a massive glowing orb, spinning at incredible speed, friction heating the air with a searing burn.
The ground sizzled.
In an instant, like a cannonball from a barrel, whoosh—
The glowing orb shot into the sky, illuminating it with golden light.
"Here it comes!"
Bo Saixi and Tang Chen heightened their vigilance.
The next moment, the golden orb, like a wind-and-fire wheel, turned into a streak of light and sped in the opposite direction, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
It left only a long golden trail and the stunned Tang Chen and Bo Saixi.