Chapter 386: Curiosity Killed the Cat?
"Enemy attack?!"
"What a powerful aura! On guard!"
"Northwest! Quick!"
The seven Sacred Pillars standing across Sea God Island lit up almost simultaneously!
Immediately after, seven Titled Douluo auras of different colors but equally vast and powerful soared into the sky; it was the seven Sacred Pillar Guardians staying on the island!
They were instantly alarmed by this sudden, unfamiliar powerhouse aura carrying the lingering scent of blood and slaughter. Thinking it was an external enemy forcibly intruding onto the island, they reacted with incredible speed, transforming into seven streaks of light and intercepting the falling red streak from different directions!
However, at the very moment the seven Sacred Pillar Guardians were about to close in, their respective Soul Powers surging as they prepared to launch a thunderous strike...
A red figure, countless times faster than all of them, appeared out of thin air a thousand meters high in the sky in front of the falling streak of light like a Teleportation, happening to block the way between the Sacred Pillar Guardians and the newcomer. It was High Priestess!
But at this moment, High Priestess was completely different from the majestic and serene High Priestess of the Sea God who usually seemed to be one with the ocean.
On her exquisite face, her former tranquility and depth were replaced by a surge of wild joy and disbelief that had been buried for decades and suddenly ignited.
High Priestess's body was even trembling slightly. Her deep-sea-like eyes stared fixedly at the dark red figure that was staggering and trying to stabilize itself, and her eyes were instantly filled with tears.
This aura... although the other party's state was terrible to the extreme, that familiar, Soul-deep domineering, fierce, and unique brilliant righteousness of the Clear Sky Douluo... it was him!
It really was him!
The man who had haunted her dreams, for whom she had waited through countless springs, autumns, winters, and summers, and whom she thought had long since perished somewhere on the continent—Tang Chen!
"Everyone, stop!!!"
High Priestess's voice carried an unprecedented trembling and urgency, even using a hint of Sea God divine force. It instantly spread across the scene, halting the impending attacks of the seven Sacred Pillar Guardians.
Her gaze never left that figure again.
The dark red streak of light finally exhausted its strength, its glow dissipating when it was still a hundred meters from the ground, revealing a battered but still upright stalwart figure. It was Tang Chen, who had rushed over desperately after his fierce battle with Qian Daoliu, escaping the control of the Slaughter King, and hearing the tragic news!
At this moment, Tang Chen's face was as pale as paper, his aura withered and chaotic, his clothes tattered and covered in wounds. In particular, the old wound on his chest, repeatedly eroded by Angelic divine force and Asura Sword Qi, was throbbing with pain. His condition was clearly at its worst.
But when he looked up and saw the woman in red standing in the sky, blocking everyone else and gazing at him with those affectionate eyes that seemed to hold the entire ocean, all his pain, fatigue, and hatred seemed to find an outlet for release at this moment.
Time stood still at this moment.
The seven Sacred Pillar Guardians stopped mid-air in shock, watching their supreme High Priestess show an unprecedented loss of composure, then looking at the unfamiliar and bedraggled stalwart man below. They were confused for a moment but wisely restrained their Soul Power and watched quietly.
Tang Chen and High Priestess's gazes intertwined in the air, crossing decades of time and the mists of life and death. A thousand words were stuck in their throats, yet they couldn't say a single word.
The next moment, High Priestess's figure was like a swallow returning to its nest, or a startled swan gliding through the air. She instantly dived from a thousand meters high, rushing straight toward the tottering Tang Chen!
She had no regard for her status, nor did she care about the gazes of others.
Decades of longing and worry completely burst through the dam at this moment!
"Chen—!"
A call filled with sobs said everything.
Tang Chen opened his arms and used his last bit of strength to tightly hold the soft body that threw itself into his embrace. The familiar faint fragrance made this iron-willed man, who had endured countless hellish tortures, instantly redden around the eyes.
The two of them landed together, standing gently on the white and soft beach of Sea God Island.
High Priestess held Tang Chen tightly, as if afraid he would disappear again if she let go, her tears silently soaking his tattered lapel. Tang Chen also held her back firmly, burying his face in her hair that carried the scent of the sea breeze, his body trembling slightly from excitement and his injuries.
The seven Sacred Pillar Guardians looked at each other and slowly landed not far away, their eyes filled with shock. They seemed to recognize the newcomer as well, but they all tacitly refrained from stepping forward to disturb them.
Only after a long time did High Priestess slightly calm her emotions. She looked up, her eyes watery as she stroked Tang Chen's face, which was covered in the weathering of time and scars, and said:
"Chen, it really is you... all these years... where have you been?"
"The wounds on your body..."
Tang Chen looked at his lover, whose appearance hadn't changed but who had clearly worried for him for decades. Sourness and guilt intertwined in his heart. He took High Priestess's hand, took a deep breath, and began to recount his experiences over the years in the simplest way.
Entering Slaughter City to fulfill his promise to become a god, accepting the polluted Asura God Trial, being parasitized by the Nine Headed Bloody Crimson Bat King to become the Slaughter King, spending decades in a daze committing countless slaughters, until he barely broke free thanks to Qian Daoliu's holy power and Tang Chuan's stimulation, yet his days were numbered... Every word made High Priestess's heart ache as if it were being twisted, especially when she heard Tang Chen was parasitized by an evil thing and was not himself, she couldn't help but shed tears again.
Finally, Tang Chen's eyes suddenly became cold and filled with hatred. He unconsciously tightened his grip on High Priestess's hand and said, "Xixi, I came this time not only to see you but also for one thing that must be done immediately, and that is to clean house!"
Hearing this, High Priestess was startled and asked in confusion, "clean house?"
"My Clear Sky Sect suffered a great catastrophe and was almost exterminated!" Tang Chen's voice trembled with hatred as he said deeply, "And one of the main culprits is my wicked grandson, Tang San!"
"He colluded with external enemies and murdered his relatives and sect; his crimes are unpardonable! I received news that he might have fled overseas and is active near this Sea God Island!"
"Xixi, you are the High Priestess of Sea God Island and know these waters like the back of your hand."
"Do you know the whereabouts of that rebellious son, Tang San? Or have any suspicious-looking, cruel young Soul Masters appeared nearby recently? Especially someone with a Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul?"
Hearing this, High Priestess's heart was suddenly jolted.
"Tang San? Blue Silver Grass?"
Wasn't this one of the three evil Soul Masters that Sea Horse Douluo Oya had reported as slaughtering fishermen on Purple Pearl Island? Could it be... that among those three fallen Evil Soul Masters was actually Tang Chen's grandson? And he had even committed such appalling crimes?
She looked at the deep-seated hatred and the anxiety for revenge in Tang Chen's eyes, then thought of the cruel actions of those three Evil Soul Masters. Her mind was in a mess for a moment.
"Chen, don't be anxious, stabilizing your injuries is the most important thing." High Priestess suppressed the stormy waves in her heart and first comforted Tang Chen, saying, "Regarding the Tang San you mentioned... Sea God Island does indeed have some news. But it's a long story and involves a lot. This isn't the place to talk. I'll take you back to the Sea God Temple first to heal your wounds, and then I'll tell you everything I know in detail."
Meanwhile, very far from the Magic Whale Sea Region, on the other side near the edge of Sea God Island's sphere of influence, on a small island named Shabei Island, a terrifying aura, different from the earth-shaking battle in the northwest but equally suffocating, was currently permeating.
The fishing village under the night sky was already a silent ruin. Among the broken walls and debris, scattered sparks struggled on the damp wood, making faint crackling sounds, but they couldn't dispel the thick smell of blood.
Dozens of shriveled corpses lay on the ground in various painful postures. Their Soul Power, blood, and even parts of their Souls had already become nutrients for the perpetrators to increase their strength.
At this moment, Tang San stood on a reef covered in dark red stains at the village entrance, playing with a small black bottle in his hand. His face, under the moonlight, showed an abnormal paleness, and a purple-black evil light flickered in his eyes, as if he hadn't had enough.
Not far away, Dai Mubai was licking the blood remaining on his tiger claws. Red light flickered in his evil eyes, carrying a bloodthirsty sense of satisfaction and a hint of restlessness that was still not fully satiated.
Ma Hongjun sat on a charred roof beam, the dark purple evil fire around him slowly retracting into his body. His fat face carried fatigue, but also a sense of excitement from the growth of his power.
The three of them seemed to be resting, but in reality, they were all silently absorbing the life force they had just devoured.
Just then, without any warning, the three of them stiffened almost simultaneously and suddenly looked up, staring into the depths of the night sky toward the northwest with suspicion and uncertainty!
A energy ripple so weak it was almost undetectable reached them very vaguely.
"Just now... did you guys feel that?"
Tang San was the first to speak, his voice carrying a hint of undetectable solemnity.
"Yeah." Hearing this, Dai Mubai frowned, the red light in his evil eyes appearing slightly unstable, and said, "It's far... but the commotion definitely wasn't small. It's a bit like... some kind of super Soul Beast is enraged, or maybe something else is fighting it."
Ma Hongjun shrunk his neck and said in a low voice:
"My goodness, this sea is indeed weird. We just finished here, and over there, who knows what's making a fuss. It feels... much bigger than the commotion we just made."
He remembered the faint, terrifying pressure he had sensed just now, his heart still fluttering with fear.
Tang San pondered for a moment, the purple-black light in his eyes flickering, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. After a moment, he looked at the two and said, "The distance is too far to judge exactly what happened. But anything that can cause fluctuations of this level is either a death match between top-tier sea Soul Beasts, a powerhouse from Sea God Island exterminating something, or... some other powerful existence hunting for high-level Soul Rings and Soul Bones."
He paused here, a hint of greed and caution in his tone.
"Whichever one it is, it means... there might be a huge opportunity. Perhaps sea Soul Beasts that have both been injured, or a powerhouse who has consumed a lot of energy..."
Hearing this, the golden light in Dai Mubai's eyes flared up, and his bloodthirsty desire was piqued again. He said, "Little San, you mean... we should go take a look? Maybe we can pick up a bargain?!"
Ma Hongjun was a bit hesitant, his fat face showing worry as he said:
"Third Brother, Boss Dai, would it be too risky? That commotion sounded terrifying. If we run into a tough nut to crack, we just increased our strength a bit, let's not get ourselves killed. And this area is under the nose of Sea God Island after all. The commotion we made isn't small either. If we get caught by those Sacred Pillar Douluos..."
Tang San's gaze swept over the messy fishing village and then looked toward the deep dark sea in the northwest. The Rakshasa God Trial required a large amount of slaughter and Souls, but at the same time, it also craved more powerful energy and opportunities to advance the Legacy. The energy contained in that fluctuation was clearly far beyond these ordinary fishermen.
"Fatty has a point too."
Calculating light flashed in Tang San's purple-black eyes as he said deeply.
"Risks do exist, but opportunities often coexist with risks. We urgently need to quickly increase our strength now, especially to accumulate higher-quality Soul Origins for Xiao Wu's resurrection. If it really is a situation where both sides are injured over there..." He looked at Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun, lowering his voice.
"We don't need to get too close. We'll observe from afar first and confirm the situation. If there's a bargain to be had, we naturally can't let it go. If it's an existence we can't defeat, or if the people from Sea God Island have already intervened, we'll flee immediately. With our current concealment methods and mobility at sea, as long as we're careful, escaping shouldn't be difficult."
Hearing this, Dai Mubai immediately expressed his agreement, saying:
"I agree with what Little San said! Fortune favors the bold! Killing these fishermen on this small island is too slow! If we can catch a big fish, it'll be worth slaughtering hundreds of villages!"
Seeing that Tang San and Dai Mubai were both inclined to go, Ma Hongjun knew his opposition was useless and could only grumble, "Then... then fine. But we have to agree, if the situation isn't right, we run immediately! I don't want to die in this ghost sea before I've even resurrected Sister-in-law Xiao Wu."
Tang San nodded, a flash of determination in his eyes, and said:
"Good, then it's settled. Let's leave here first, clean up the traces, and then move toward the northwest while staying hidden and waiting for our chance."
He took one last look at the sea where the palpitations were coming from, secretly calculating in his heart.
"No matter what's over there... as long as there's a chance, I must get my hands on it. For Xiao Wu... for even greater power..."
Immediately, the three of them wasted no more time, quickly cleaned the scene, and then transformed into three blurry black shadows, silently disappearing into the vast night and the boundless ocean.
They didn't seem to understand the principle that curiosity killed the cat... At this moment in the Magic Whale Sea Region, the battle had already reached a fever pitch.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King had already transformed into a human form. Appearing on the sea surface was a stalwart human figure over three meters tall. Its entire skin was deep blue, like the deepest seawater, with bulging muscles and lines full of explosive power.
The human-form Deep Sea Demon Whale King was bald, but his head had bone-like protrusions similar to a whale's dorsal fin, appearing ferocious and mysterious. His face was rugged, as if carved by a knife and axe. One of his eyes, the left one, was still that deep and terrifying black hole, while the right eye had turned into a dark gold like molten lava.
At the same time, a huge deep purple vortex appeared behind him.
The vortex slowly floated upward, rotating from behind him to his front, and finally condensed in the center of his chest armor, turning into a fist-sized gem.
"To force this King to use the Deep Sea Transformation, you can be proud of yourself, human."
"But, everything ends here!"
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