With a resonant hum, Qian Renxue's Holy Sword sang out as it instantly ignited like a blazing sun. Golden light bathed her entire body, making her appear as if cast from pure gold, radiant with shimmering brilliance.
"Holy Sun Blaze!" Qian Renxue's third Soul Ring erupted, unleashing an extremely scorching yet pure surge of Soul Power.
Boom! In an instant, merciless Holy Sun Blaze cascaded down. An endless sea of flames surged toward the White Ant Insectoid. The fire blazing from the Holy Sword seemed inexhaustible, capable of boiling mountains and seas, incinerating the very earth itself. Though this was merely a Soul Skill from a thousand-year Soul Ring, its overwhelming might was astonishing!
The Six-Winged Angel possessed not only sacred purification powers but also extreme flames—a dual attribute!
Faced with Qian Renxue's flames, even the White Ant Insectoid dared not touch them, constantly dodging. But the insect eggs weren't so fortunate—wherever the flames passed, all eggs were reduced to ashes.
Qian Renxue's expression was grave. Though her third Soul Skill was powerful, its weakness lay in its relatively slow speed, making it difficult to hit fast-moving targets like the White Ant Insectoid.
However, she had forgotten one thing—this time, she wasn't fighting alone.
"Second Soul Skill, Mountain Moving." Tang San's voice suddenly rang out, followed by a surge of purple Soul Light erupting from the pit.
With a whoosh, the ground beneath the White Ant Insectoid began to shift and undulate, like an escalator, forcibly delivering it straight into Qian Renxue's Holy Sun Blaze.
"Ah!!" A wretched scream echoed as the terrifying Holy Sun Blaze engulfed the White Ant Insectoid.
The Holy Sword Martial Soul above Qian Renxue's head pulsed incessantly, its heat so intense that even the surrounding rocks began to melt.
Tang San crawled out from the rubble, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. The mithril armor he had painstakingly crafted was completely destroyed, its fragments scattered everywhere. Even though he had used the Clear Sky Hammer to mitigate some of the force, his body had still sustained severe injuries—he didn't even know how many bones were broken.
This was the first time since gaining consciousness that Tang San had suffered such grave injuries!
"No wonder these flames could burn the entire Holy Spirit Sect to such a state—even the land was scorched. Cough... This Insectoid... it actually knows Soul Skills." Tang San's expression grew extremely solemn.
Earlier, using his Rakshasa God Eye, he had seen clearly that this Insectoid Soul Beast hadn't merely struck him with a simple palm strike. That single strike had delivered three layered blows, each infused with Soul Power.
If not for that, his Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique wouldn't have failed to block the attack, leaving him severely wounded.
"People always say my father is a Humanoid Soul Beast wearing human skin. But these Insectoid Soul Beasts—aren't they just beast-shaped humans wearing animal hides?!"
Tang Hao's physical strength was terrifying. Whether he could tear apart a 100,000-Year Soul Beast barehanded was unknown, but he could undoubtedly defeat Soul Douluo-level experts with pure brute force alone—hence his nickname "Humanoid Soul Beast," referring to his monstrous physical prowess.
Yet this Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast before them not only possessed a Soul Beast's physique but also the intelligence and Soul Skills of a human Soul Master. Just how formidable must such a creature be?!
With a loud whoosh, the White Ant Insectoid burst into flames, instantly charred black. Its shrill, agonized screams filled the air until, finally, its scorched body stiffened and collapsed to the ground, reduced to a lump of charcoal.
Seeing this, Qian Renxue finally ceased her third Soul Skill, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"Freckles, are you okay?" Tang San approached her, knowing full well that the continuous flames had drained a significant amount of Soul Power.
Qian Renxue's third Soul Skill could be sustained indefinitely, but prolonged use consumed an enormous amount of Soul Power—even for someone like her, the toll was heavy.
Wiping the sweat from her brow, she forced a determined smile. "I am your senior, after all."
Tang San put on an admiring, moved expression, though inwardly, he was exasperated. If you'd just lifted your seal, I wouldn't have gotten beaten up this badly!
"But it's a real shame. If I were at the fortieth rank of Soul Power right now, I could've tried—wait, no!" Tang San suddenly realized something and whipped his head toward where the Insectoid had fallen.
At the same time, Qian Renxue also seemed to remember something and snapped her gaze in the same direction.
No Soul Ring had appeared.
Crack. A crisp sound echoed as a sliver of white light emerged from the charred back of the White Ant Insectoid, like a moth breaking free from its cocoon. A hand, slick with viscous fluid, pushed its way out of the blackened husk.
"How is this possible? It survived the Holy Flame?" Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes widened in shock. She hadn't been careless—she had been certain it was dead before stopping.
A golden light flickered in Tang San's left eye as he assessed the situation, his brow furrowing.
[Soul Power: 12,600 years.]
"Its Soul Power cultivation has decreased by a thousand years. Is this some kind of special ability?" Tang San had been certain the Insectoid had been burned to death, yet here it was, reborn—albeit weakened.
His voice turned grave. "Stop holding back. This Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast is stronger than any you've faced before. Use whatever trump cards you have."
Hearing this, a strange glint flashed in Qian Renxue's eyes. She understood the severity of the situation and nodded. "Buy me one minute."
Without another word, she gripped her Holy Sword tightly and began murmuring what sounded like an incantation.
Tang San knew that, without resorting to his Second Spirit, defeating this Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast with just the Clear Sky Hammer alone would be impossible. They would have to rely on Qian Renxue's Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul.
"Third Soul Skill—Return to Emptiness!"
A miniature black hole condensed around Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer as he darted forward with the speed of Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, swinging the hammer—and the black hole—straight at the Insectoid.
Screeee! The reborn Insectoid let out a piercing cry, spreading its arms before suddenly wrapping them around a massive boulder. With a mighty heave, it swung the rock with overwhelming force, hurling it straight at Tang San.
Troublesome, Tang San thought grimly. This thing is too smart—it saw through my third Soul Skill and knows not to take it head-on.
Boom! Tang San's hammer collided with the incoming boulder, the black hole distorting and shattering the rock into dust.
But the moment his attack landed, the Insectoid moved like lightning, its arm lashing out like an iron rod with unstoppable speed.
This strike needed no technique—it was sheer, overwhelming force.
Facing this strike, Tang San first glanced at Qian Renxue behind him. Seeing that she was fully focused and unable to spare any attention for him, Tang San no longer held back. The Rakshasa Divine Artifact metal bound beneath his right sleeve instantly transformed, forming a protective armguard.
The Rakshasa Divine Armor encased his entire right hand, making it appear like a ghostly claw, the armguard bristling with spikes.
"Clear Sky Nine Absolute Heavens Techniques, Third Form. One breath unbroken, attacks layered—Pierce!!"
At this moment, Tang San's Soul Power roared incessantly. The Clear Sky Hammer whirled up a storm like a celestial waterfall, surging into the heavens and unleashing an endless, overwhelming momentum.
(End of Chapter)