Chapter 475: Illusions and Realities, Targeting Tang San
"Sea God's Thirteen Forms, First Form—Unwavering Ripples."
In the sky, Dai Yao held the Sea God's Trident, his voice ringing out. Golden ripples radiated around him, enveloping all of Tian Dou City in a layer of golden light. Surrounding Dai Yao appeared five golden rings.
Unwavering Ripples was the first of the Sea God's Thirteen Forms and the only restrictive skill among them. It was also the strongest control ability: once hit, no opponent, no matter how powerful, could move for eight seconds. Even if the difference in strength was vast, it would still freeze them for at least three seconds.
"What is this?"
The Second Elder and the other elders wore looks of astonishment and uncertainty.
They could feel the terrifying power radiating from the Sea God's Trident, but none of them knew what skill Dai Yao was using.
Before they could react, Dai Yao swung the trident, and five golden rings, rippling like water, shot forward silently, each aimed at Tang Xiao and the four elders.
"That boy escaped our encirclement and purposely concealed himself until he was ready to use this soul skill. In other words, he believes this skill can stop us. Sect Leader, we must be cautious!" the Second Elder warned with a serious expression.
Tang Xiao nodded in agreement, a glint of apprehension in his eyes as he regarded Dai Yao. For Dai Yao to escape their flawless joint attack could not be mere luck. Furthermore, the boy hadn't used any other soul skills to evade the five Title Douluo's martial souls. If his calculations had been even slightly off, he would've met a tragic end.
This showed an unshakable confidence in his own abilities.
"Elders, let's attack again!" Tang Xiao shouted.
The four elders nodded in unison. At once, not only did their seventh spirit rings light up, but their eighth and several lower spirit rings also ignited, filling the air around them with powerful, pulsating energy.
Lightning flashed around the massive Hao Tian Hammers, crackling like silver serpents dancing in the sky. The five Hao Tian Hammers roared through the air toward Dai Yao, each blow creating ripples of shock waves that sounded like thunder.
But as the five hammers collided with the golden rings, everyone's faces froze in astonishment.
The Hao Tian Hammers were held fast by the golden rings, completely immobile. Even the lightning coursing around the hammer heads froze in mid-air, resembling coral with its intricate patterns frozen in time. None of the five Title Douluo could move an inch.
"How is this possible? That guy actually immobilized the Sect Leader and the four elders?!" the Seventh Elder gasped in horror beside Tang San.
It was as if something he had believed in had crumbled. To him, the Sect Leader and the five elders represented the pinnacle of strength. Together, they were unmatched, a force that could conquer anyone on the continent. Even though he himself had fallen from the Title Douluo level, he believed the remaining five were invincible.
But now, those five were completely immobilized by a spirit master with only three spirit rings—and one who was Tang San's age.
Tang San's shock gradually transformed into a twisted rage.
Although Dai Yao's power clearly exceeded a mere Spirit Elder, he couldn't possibly be strong enough to restrict five Title Douluo at once. The only explanation was that this skill was not an ordinary soul skill but a divine skill.
The realization made Tang San grit his teeth, his expression filled with hatred and a tinge of despair.
"Could it be that even five Title Douluo working together are no match for Dai Yao?"
The Seventh Elder and Tang San were not the only ones stunned; the soldiers of the Tian Dou Empire and the faculty and students of the Elemental Academy, who were still fleeing, looked on in shock.
A young man immobilizing five Title Douluo… Could the strength of the Hao Tian Clan be mere reputation? And was their claim as the world's strongest weapon martial soul only a title?
A seed of doubt was planted in their hearts. The Hao Tian Clan's dominance over the Tian Dou Empire suddenly showed a crack. If they could fall to the Wuhun Hall, that was understandable—the Wuhun Hall had stood strong on the continent for millennia with countless powerhouses. But if the mighty Hao Tian Clan was bested by a single young man, their reputation would be in tatters.
Dai Yao took a deep breath, mentally counting the seconds. "Unwavering Ripples can only immobilize them for three seconds," he muttered.
The complete Unwavering Ripples would immobilize opponents for eight seconds, regardless of their strength—unless the power difference was so vast that it drastically reduced the immobilization time. In the original story, Tang San had managed to use the full effect of Unwavering Ripples in the Star Dou Forest because it was cast with the help of the Sea God's divine consciousness, drawing on the energy of the Sea God's Trident itself. But Dai Yao had no such divine power to assist him.
Besides, he now had only three spirit rings, and his strength was far from its peak. Even using Unwavering Ripples strained him.
"I may not be able to use the second or third forms of the Sea God's Thirteen Forms, but three seconds is more than enough," Dai Yao thought, his eyes flashing with resolve.
Three seconds was an eternity in high-level spirit master battles—enough to determine the outcome.
His left leg glowed, and as he struck with it, countless blood-red light blades appeared in the sky, raining down on Tang Xiao and the elders.
It was none other than the skill of his Evil Demon Orca spirit bone—Orca Fangs Slash!
At the same time, unnoticed by anyone, the last of Dai Yao's three spirit rings, the red hundred-thousand-year ring, began to glow faintly…
With a burst of speed and the thunderous sound of a sonic boom, Dai Yao vanished from sight, wielding the Sea God's Trident and following the path of the blood-red light blades. Although they couldn't see him, Tang Xiao and the others could clearly sense a fierce killing intent hurtling toward them, as unstoppable as a shooting star.
"This is bad! How long does this restriction skill last? If the Sect Leader and the elders are injured, what will we do?" the Seventh Elder cried in alarm.
If Tang Xiao and the four elders fell to Dai Yao, who else in Tian Dou City could stop him?
Tang San's eyes glowed purple as he scanned the sky, using his Purple Demon Eyes to search for Dai Yao. Despite having reached the "Micro" level, he could only catch glimpses of Dai Yao's afterimages in the air.
At this rate, Dai Yao would reach Tang Xiao and the others in less than a second.
"No! If we remain immobilized, we'll be the ones killed, not him!" Tang Xiao's shock over Dai Yao's fearsome skill was momentary. That terrifying killing intent made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, as if it were engulfing them all. In a split second, several shattering sounds rang out as Tang Xiao's first four spirit rings broke apart.
The Hao Tian Clan's ultimate technique—Exploding Rings!
The immense power generated by the explosion of four spirit rings surged into Tang Xiao, his aura skyrocketing and faintly touching the limits of human spirit master strength.
"How is this possible? Even after exploding my rings, I still can't break free of this skill's restriction?" Tang Xiao thought, stunned, as he looked at the golden ring binding him.
Despite detonating four soul rings, Tang Xiao still couldn't completely break free from Indeterminate Storm. However, he managed to regain some degree of movement, enough to use soul skills. This meant he had no choice but to endure Dai Yao's soul skill head-on.
Feeling the overwhelming killing intent bearing down on him, Tang Xiao didn't hold back. Lowering the Clear Sky Hammer in his hand as lightning flickered across it, he shouted deeply:
"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes—Shatter Technique!"
The Clear Sky Nine Absolutes was the Clear Sky Clan's ultimate technique, a devastating series of skills designed for actual combat. Even within the clan, only a select few direct descendants were permitted to learn it.
Seeing their clan leader decisively detonate his rings, the four elders, still restricted by Indeterminate Storm, were shocked. But realizing the dire situation, they didn't hesitate any longer. Several soul rings detonated in quick succession, and their soul power surged into the Clear Sky Hammers they wielded.
"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes—Shock Technique!"
"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes—Collapse Technique!"
"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes—Seal Technique!"
"Clear Sky Nine Absolutes—Shatter Technique!"
The five Clear Sky Hammers, colossal as mountains, swept across the skies above Heaven Dou City, their immense forms casting massive shadows over the city below.
Boom! Bang! Thud!
Countless crimson blades clashed with the five hammers, producing a cacophony of deafening explosions. Ripples spread across the sky, while the shockwaves decimated buildings below. Soldiers and spirit masters on the ground, save for a select few, fell prone, struggling against the storm's relentless force.
As Tang Xiao felt the blood-colored blades meeting the hammers, his heart skipped a beat.
Though this soul skill was powerful and could only be withstood by Title Douluo-level individuals, it was nothing compared to the enhanced strength he and the four elders had achieved after detonating their rings.
"This soul skill is so weak. Could this really be the extent of this boy's power? He may have a restricting divine skill, but does he lack an offensive soul skill strong enough to decide the battle in one strike?"
Tang Xiao, while sharing the pride of Clear Sky Clan spirit masters, was far more cautious than Tang Hao. Years ago, Dai Yao had defeated the younger generation of the Clear Sky Clan single-handedly, a feat that had once seemed arrogant but had proven true. This time, Dai Yao staying behind alone meant he had to have some sort of trump card.
And then there was the accursed golden ring restricting them.
No one knew when it would vanish.
"Be careful, elders! That attack might have been a probe—the real strike is still to come!" Tang Xiao warned loudly.
The four elders nodded, and just as he spoke, a beam of golden light pierced through the smoky aftermath of the explosions.
A golden trident streaked toward the Sixth Elder with a sharp, ear-piercing whistle.
"Second second," Dai Yao muttered under his breath, silently counting.
Though his current physical condition prevented him from using the subsequent moves of the Sea God Thirteen Forms, the sheer weight of the Sea God's Trident—108,000 jin—combined with Dai Yao's incredible speed, turned it into a devastating single-target offensive soul skill.
The reason he targeted the Sixth Elder was simple: he was the weakest of the group. Even if the attack didn't kill him, it would be enough to unsettle the rest.
"Old Six, watch out!" Tang Xiao and the others shouted in alarm.
The Sixth Elder felt a chill run down his spine as the Sea God's Trident locked onto him. Without hesitation, he detonated his fifth and sixth rings, dramatically increasing his strength as his seventh ring lit up.
Martial Soul True Body!
Clang!
The Clear Sky Hammer collided with the golden trident, producing an earth-shattering explosion. A visible shockwave tore through the air.
Moments later, the Sixth Elder deactivated his Martial Soul True Body and reverted to his human form, gasping for breath. His face was pale, and his eyes betrayed the terror of narrowly surviving. He stared at the spinning trident, still airborne, with lingering dread.
"Old Six, are you alright?" the Second Elder asked worriedly.
The others turned to the Sixth Elder, eager to determine his condition.
Swallowing hard, the Sixth Elder tried to steady the turmoil within his body. His voice trembled as he spoke:
"It's not good, but I'm not injured. I just need some time to adjust. Clan Master, Second Brother, that trident is no ordinary weapon! Its weight is terrifying. Even after activating my Martial Soul True Body, which brought my Clear Sky Hammer's weight to 36,000 jin, colliding with that trident felt like striking a mountain."
"Conservatively, that trident must weigh at least 100,000 jin."
Tang Xiao and the others exchanged astonished looks. A weight of 100,000 jin was an unattainable figure for most Title Douluo.
Yet, in Dai Yao's hands, the trident moved as lightly as a feather. How was that possible? Could it truly be a divine weapon?
Tang Xiao stared at the spinning trident in the sky, his expression growing darker. The trident's owner had yet to reveal himself, suggesting he was still concealing something. Perhaps every attack so far was merely a diversion, a prelude to his true goal.
Suddenly, a clap of thunder from above drew Tang Xiao's attention. He looked up to see dark clouds gathering, lightning crackling ominously. A golden ray of sunlight pierced through, forming a circular hole in the sky.
Tang Xiao's heart sank as he noticed a figure hovering midair, radiating power. The third red soul ring on Dai Yao's body glowed brilliantly, casting a crimson hue over half the sky.
Dai Yao's icy gaze wasn't directed at them but fixed on a distant location.
Following Dai Yao's line of sight, Tang Xiao was horrified to realize the target was none other than Tang San.
"You mean... his target wasn't us but Tang San all along?!"
"Eighth Soul Skill—Divine Fall!"
Dai Yao extended a single hand and spoke with chilling finality.
Had all nine of his soul rings remained intact, Dai Yao wouldn't have hesitated to eliminate several Title Douluo. But with most of his rings gone, leaving him with just three, his sole focus was on Tang San.
Every action he had taken was a calculated effort to buy time for his eighth soul skill. At the final second of Indeterminate Storm, it was ready.
As the golden rings binding Tang Xiao and the elders dissipated, they felt no relief—only a profound chill.
If Tang San were to die, the Clear Sky Clan's plans in the Heaven Dou Empire would crumble, and they would lose their most talented disciple, the one who could restore their glory and even ascend to godhood.
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