Dugu Shuo's face changed. In an instant he manifested his martial soul true body, it was a massive jade-green serpent.
The great serpent's dark green scales gave off a dazzling black sheen as it resisted the phantom pressing down on them.
"Ghost Douluo, you bully the weak again. The poisoner must be nearby and with your strength you can find them if you wished. Or do you want me to help you look?" A deep roar echoed through the sky. Before the giant serpent Dugu Shuo had become, a wisp of blue smoke streaked out.
That streak was a flash of electricity that helped Dugu Shuo ward off the phantom.
Everyone in the convoy felt thunder explode inside their minds.
Who would dare call the Ghost Douluo by name like that?
"Big brother! You came?" The blue lightning way up above sounded delighted! It was Yu Luomin. For Yu Luomin to call someone "big brother," it could only be Yu Yuanzhen, head of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Dugu Feng looked up into the sky.
A mass of electric light blazed, brighter and more piercing than moonlight, approaching slowly. Only then could he make out nine thunder-dragons coiling around Yu Yuanzhen's body. Horns, claws, scales — the thunder dragons were vividly visible, as if they were about to pounce.
Dugu Feng felt his heart stir; Yu Yuanzhen's presence was overwhelmingly imposing and dramatic. I'll have to be even grander when I become a Douluo, he thought.
Yu Yuanzhen had arrived.
Was this the source of his father's confidence — had his father gotten Yu Yuanzhen to come assist?
On the Sacred Dragon Clan's carriage, the Ghost Douluo's expression shifted dramatically. He'd sensed a powerful presence nearby and he had meant to probe; but he hadn't expected the Overlord Dragon to show up.
If they really searched, perhaps Yu Yuanzhen could root out Yang Wushuang. But Yang Wushuang was crucial to Spirit Hall's plans, so he must not be exposed.
"Elephant Sect has always been affiliated with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Now Elephant Sect is gone. If revenge is to be taken, that's your family's business. With Yu Clan here, I won't meddle. Farewell, Yu Clan Lord." Ghost Douluo smiled lightly.
At that, Tuoba Xi's men scattered into their carriage as if it were a shield. Tuoba Xi's face flushed; the shame of the situation stung.
"Everyone, see you in Soto City. Lord Luomin, we must go on ahead." He kept his composure, saluted Yu Yuanzhen, and boarded his carriage, leaving the Saint Dragon Sect to withdraw in embarrassment.
Dugu Feng smirked inwardly — Tuoba Xi really was frightened.
"Greetings, Lord Thunder!" Dugu Shuo and Ge Long both gave respects. Yu Yuanzhen — the Thunder Douluo — was domineering and imposing. Every soul master present bowed.
Dugu Feng thought it amusing to meet the famous yet quietly-present Douluo Yu Yuanzhen in person.
Before, the Blue Lightning clan had loudly advertised their strength but then quietly many branches vanished. Now seeing Yu Yuanzhen openly confront Ghost Douluo made their standing undeniable.
"Dugu Clan Lord, thank you. It seems Elephant Sect truly betrayed the Five-Element Alliance. Hu Yanzhen's death is their own doing. From now on there will be only a Four-Element Alliance." Yu Yuanzhen first looked to Dugu Shuo and the Dugu entourage, impressed by Dugu Shuo's performance.
He had thought the Dugu clan was worth noticing mainly for Dugu Bo, but now Dugu Shuo's presence impressed him as well. After the Spirit Hall pulled in the other element academies, the Elephant Sect's betrayal had been a blind spot and Yu Yuanzhen hadn't planned to intervene over an Elephant Sect. But Dugu Shuo warned that Elephant Sect's defection could be used like a pledge to the Spirit Hall, striking at the heart of the big arena profits during the Six-Clan Summit.
That was unacceptable to Yu Yuanzhen. He agreed to cooperate with Dugu Shuo: Yu Yuanzhen would cover them if a Douluo appeared, and in return Dugu Shuo would help deal with Elephant Sect. That explained Yu's sudden arrival.
Dugu Feng's heart sank a little — his father had indeed reached a deal with Yu Yuanzhen. But Yu publicly praising Dugu Shuo risked all observers concluding that the Dugu clan had been the ones to wipe out the Elephant Sect. In other words, Yu Yuanzhen's overt gratitude publicly tied the Dugu clan to the massacre.
Still, Yu Yuanzhen's position enabled the convoy to move on: with Yu's support, Ge Long and Dugu Shuo could stand firm. The Spirit Hall would not have things entirely its way if the Yu clan opposed overreach. Plans were made: caravan would remain overnight and continue tomorrow.
Dugu Feng stepped off the carriage and suddenly strode toward the place where the Elephant Sect's fallen had collapsed. Two little nine-joint jades flashed from his hands — his snakes flew out. These thousand-year soul-beasts could already fly with ease; they hovered inches above the ground and circled the corpses.
"What brutal poison… in so short a time their bodies already rot to bone and will soon become black water that'll seep away. Father must have controlled the rate of decomposition; otherwise, they'd be black water instantly," Dugu Feng observed, eyes fixed on the snakes.
He wanted to do something. He had a thought and bent over the fallen.